17042019 - 9th NASS: Fresh crisis looms in APC over leadership slots

‘Real results’ FG goes 

INEC under 1999 

Constitution: of 2019 tough on gas 

Amend INEC law 

to permit electronic presidential flaring, oil 

40 

transmission of 

results (4) 

poll, by PDP 3 spills 

4 

Minimum wage, others to trigger rise in inflation rate —Analysts 

Why institutions 

must monitor 

exports for 

economic gains 

19 

VOL. 26: NO. 63788 WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17, 2019 

9th NASS: Fresh crisis looms 

in APC over leadership slots 

STORY 

ON PAGE 

5 

•As Buhari meets APC lawmakers-elect, Oshiomhole, NWC officials 

•APC Youth leaders reject NWC’s micro zoning formula 

•Bago campaign makes case for N/Central as N’Delta youths back Dogara for Speaker 

FG has 11 

proved it 

can't secure 

lives 

—FALANA 

Drama, as 

EFCC 

10 

re-arrests 

Justice 

Ajumogobia 

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE TOUR... 

From left: Former Super Eagles Captain, Austin Jay Jay Okocha; MD/CE, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Jordi Borrut Bel; Governor of 

Akwa Ibom State, Udom Emmanuel; former Spanish national football team captain and UEFA Champions League Tour Ambassador, 

Carles Puyol Saforcada; Corporate Affairs Director, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Sade Morgan and Marketing Director, Nigerian Breweries 

Plc, Emmanuel Oriakhi at the kick-off of the Heineken UEFA Champions League Tour at the Akwa Ibom State Government House in 

Uyo, yesterday. 

Benue, Taraba move to end 

inter-communal crises in 

border communities 

FCT indigenes 

barricade NASS, ask 

Army to relocate from 

ancestral land 

9 

14 

CERTIFICATE 

OF RETURN... 

Rivers State Governor, 

Nyesom Ezenwo Wike 

receiving Certificate of Return 

as re-elected Governor from 

INEC National Commissioner 

in charge of Rivers, Bayelsa 

and Edo states, Mrs May 

Agbamuche-Mbu yesterday at 

INEC Headquarters in Port 

Harcourt. Photo: Nwankpa 

Chijioke. STORY ON PAGE 36 

Naira down to 

N360/$ as 

CBN injects 

$210m 41 

Mr & Mrs 

COLUMNISTS PRINCEWILL 17 DEAR BUNMI FASAN 

30 31 

SEE 

INSIDE

2 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17, 2019

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17, 2019—3 

VISIT: President, National Association of Nigerian Traders, Mr Ken Ukaoha; Minister of 

Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, and other management staff, during a visit to the 

ministry in Abuja, yesterday. Photo: NAN 

Presidential poll: Atiku releases ‘evidence’ 

of election result from INEC website 

P RESIDENTIAL 

candidate of Peoples 

Democratic Party, PDP, Atiku 

Abubakar, has insisted the 

result from the server of 

Independent National 

Electoral Commission, 

INEC, shows that he 

defeated President 

Muhammadu Buhari in the 

presidential election. 

In his submission to the 

presidential election 

tribunal, the former vice 

president gave the “unique 

MAC address and Microsoft 

product ID of the INEC 

server,” from where the 

results were obtained. 

According to the result 

declared by INEC from the 

36 states and FCT, Buhari 

polled 15,191,847, while 

Atiku came second with 

11,262,978 votes. 

But in his petition 

submitted at the tribunal, the 

PDP candidate claimed he 

garnered a total of 18,356,732 

votes to defeat Buhari, who, 

according to him, polled 

16,741,430 votes. 

INEC, in response, said the 

results being paraded by 

Abubakar are fabricated and 

not from its website. 

But in their response to the 

INEC’s submission, a copy 

of which was obtained by 

The Cable, Abubakar and 

PDP said address of the 

server from which the results 

were obtained are unique to 

INEC. 

They said: “The servers 

from which the said figures 

were derived belong to the 

first respondent (INEC). The 

figures and votes were 

transmitted to the first 

respondent’s Presidential 

Result’s Server 1 and 

thereafter aggregated in 

INEC_PRES_RSLT_SRV2019, 

whose Physical Address or 

unique Mac Address is 94- 

57-A5-DC-64-B9 with 

Microsoft Product ID 00252- 

7000000000-AA535. The 

above descriptions are 

unique to the 1st 

respondent’s server. 

“There is no conjecture in 

the votes and scores in the 

table pleaded by the 

petitioners. The figures are 

factual. Spokesperson for the 

2nd respondent’s Campaign 

Organisation openly 

admitted that the data in 

question was in the first 

respondent’s server when 

he wrote and submitted a 

petition to the Inspector 

General of Police and 

Director General of 

Department of State Services, 

DSS, asking the security 

agencies to investigate the 

2nd petitioner herein for 

allegedly hacking into the 

server of the 1st respondent 

and obtaining the data in 

question. 

“Specifically, Mr. Festus 

Keyamo, SAN, the 

spokesperson of the 2nd 

respondent, claimed in the 

said petition that it was the 

first petitioner who 

smuggled the data into the 

server.” 

Atiku and PDP also alleged 

the INEC chairman 

“committed grave errors in 

the final collation exercise” 

for the election by “falsely 

crediting” some persons with 

political parties, including 

“Okotie Christopher, 

Reverend Dr. Onwubuya 

and Ojinika Jeff Chinze. 

“The grave errors referred 

to in paragraphs 4 and 5 

above were under the hands 

and signature of the first 

respondent’s chairman 

(who was also the Returning 

Officer) in the conduct of the 

final collation of the results 

of the presidential election. 

“The petitioners state that 

the final results as declared 

by the first respondent are 

those that were transmitted 

online to the website of the 

first respondent (www 

inecnigeria.org).” 

Interpol lauds EFCC’s anti-graft efforts 

•Determines to partner the agency 

By Soni Daniel 

S ECRETARY- 

GENERAL of 

INTERPOL, Jurgen Stock, 

has commended the zeal 

and concerted efforts of 

Economic and Financial 

Crimes Commission, 

EFCC, in ridding Nigeria 

of all forms of economic 

crime. 

“Working with EFCC will 

help in building a strong 

network in the fight against 

corruption across the 

globe,” he said. 

Stock who made the 

remarks during a visit to 

EFCC Headquarters, Jabi, 

Abuja, yesterday, was 

received by acting 

Chairman, Ibrahim Magu. 

According to Stock, “the 

fight against corruption will 

help in the fight against 

terrorism as the main 

source of terrorism 

financing comes from 

corruption.” 

Emphasizing the need for 

collaboration between 

international law 

enforcement agencies in 

the fight against corruption, 

he stressed that Interpol 

was establishing a link with 

the EFCC in achieving the 

mandate of the anti-graft 

agency. 

On his part, Magu, who 

expressed delight at the 

visit, commended Stock for 

finding time out of his busy 

schedule as the Secretary 

General of Interpol, to visit 

the EFCC. 

Magu stressed that 

corruption had become an 

organised crime in Nigeria, 

and it needed a concerted 

effort within and outside of 

the country, to combat it. 

“EFCC and Nigerians in 

general are delighted with 

the visit by the Interpol, and 

this visit gives the 

Commission hope in 

partnering Interpol,” he 

said. 

He further gave 

assurances that the EFCC 

will remain unrelenting and 

resolute in its fight against 

corruption. 

“The EFCC deals in 

partnership with other 

countries in order to address 

the issue of terrorism 

financing,” he said. 

He further highlighted 

the importance of exchange 

of information, stressing that 

it was key to winning the 

fight against corruption, 

money laundering and 

terrorism financing. 

“Other countries need to 

support EFCC in achieving 

our goal of ensuring the 

repatriation of funds 

stashed out of the country 

by corrupt people,” he said. 

The delegation from the 

Interpol was taken on a tour 

of the new EFCC Head 

Office Complex. 

FCTA demolishes structures within DAAR 

premises •Why we demolished AIT structures— FCTA 

By Henry Umoru 

ABUJA— 

THE 

Federal Capital 

Territory Administration, 

FCTA, yesterday, 

demolished some 

structures on the premises 

of Daar Communications, 

owners of Africa 

Independent Television, 

AIT, in the nation’s capital 

city, Abuja. 

The structures removed 

by the FCTA were the 

security office, the gate 

and a section of the fence 

on the premises that was 

said to have hitherto 

encroached on other 

people’s property and 

blocked their access in 

Asokoro District, Abuja. 

According to Director, 

Department of 

Development Control, 

Anglican Communion warns 

priests, Laity against 

homosexuality 

By Chimaobi 

Nwaiwu 

N NEWI—CHURCH 

of Nigeria Anglican 

Communion Diocese of 

Mbamili, Anambra State, 

has read the riot act to 

priests and members of 

the laity who may involved 

in homosexuality, saying 

anyone caught in the act 

will be shown the way out 

of the diocese. 

This is contained in a 

Presidential Address/ 

Bishop’s Charge, 

delivered to the 3rd 

Session of the 3rd Synod, 

Diocese of Mbamili, read 

by Bishop of the Diocese, 

Rt. Rev. Henry Okeke, at 

the Cathedral Church of St 

Michael, Umuikwu Anam, 

Anambra West Local 

Government Anambra 

State. 

The diocese through its 

bishop, Rt. Rev. Okeke, 

said it had zero tolerance 

for any kind 

homosexuality and 

practices that are against 

Anglican Church, warning 

that any priest or member 

of the Laity caught in the 

act will be dismissed within 

24 hours without any 

deliberation. 

He said: “Homosexuality 

is a very serious global 

war that must be won by 

Anglicans, not just in the 

church but in the secular 

world because some 

people who call 

themselves children of 

God are beginning to do, 

ordinarily and humanly 

speaking, things that 

should not be done. 

“Homosexuality is an 

aberration, it is anti 

Muktar Galadima, the 

parcel of land belonging to 

AIT was only 18 hectres, 

adding that the media 

outfit had just submitted 

application for building 

approval, which the 

department was still 

processing, meaning any 

development on the land 

remained a violation of 

development control rules. 

Refuting insinuations 

that the removal was 

politically motivated, 

Galadima said the matter 

dates back to about 2007 

and the “precast fence and 

gate house, which blocked 

other citizens’ access, were 

removed.” 

Addressing newsmen, 

yesterday, Coordinator, 

Abuja Metropolitan 

Management Council, 

AMMC, of the FCTA, 

cultural and anti 

scriptural, and there is no 

way you can link it to 

God's plan for man. It is 

turning upside down the 

plan of God for man, that 

is why the Church of 

Nigeria Anglican 

Communion is at the 

forefront of the fight and 

an organisation in the 

Anglican Church, called 

the Global Anglican 

Future Conference, 

GAFCON, is 

championing the fight to 

make sure that the 

Western church does not 

bring in this monster into 

our religious system. 

“And so for us in the 

Diocese of Mbamili, 

Anambra State, it is a 

very serious fight, and 

that is why we have told 

our clergy men that any 

one that attempts it, we 

will do our best to be 

pastoral at heart, but the 

person must leave, it 

shows he is not supposed 

to be a pastor. 

“That is why we are 

saying it here at the synod 

and some other dioceses 

in the Anglican 

Communion, that we are 

also not taking the 

aberration lightly. They are 

taking the same steps 

because we condemn it 

wholly and entirely, 

homosexuality is an 

enemy of God and the 

church. 

“We have identified one 

here in this diocese and 

we have dealt with it on 

its merit by showing the 

priest the way out, we sent 

him packing without waste 

of time, and other have 

learnt a lot of lessons from 

that incident.” 

Umar Shuaibu, who 

supervised the removal 

of the alleged illegal 

structures, said the 

owners of the television 

outfit illegally 

encroached on plots of 

land belonging to other 

Nigerians. 

According to him, the 

management of AIT had 

refused to abide by the 

mutual agreement 

reached with them, FCT 

administration and 

officials from Department 

of Development Control, 

DDC, of the AMMC, 

adding that after the 

removal of the illegal 

structures, the media 

outfit later expanded it 

without the approval of 

FCT administration.

4—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17, 2019 

CONDOLENCE: Chief of Staff to the President Abba Kyari presenting condolence letter to 

Alhaji Mannir Yakubu, Katsina State Deputy Governor, during a condolence visit by Federal 

Government delegation to Katsina State Government and family of Justice Mamman Nasir, 

Galadiman Katsina at Government House, yesterday. 

FG begins real time monitoring of gas 

flaring, oil spill 

•Current gas price unattractive to investors —McGrath 

•1m cubid feet to power 1,000 homes in Nigeria —Shell 

By Michael Eboh, 

Chris Ochayi, 

Prince Okafor & 

Princess Owoh 

F 

E D E R A L 

Government, 

yesterday, disclosed that it 

has started real time 

tracking and monitoring of 

gas flaring and oil spillage 

across the country. 

This came as 

stakeholders noted that gas 

expectation in Nigeria will 

remain a mirage unless the 

current price of $2.5mmbtu 

was reviewed upwards to 

attract investors. 

Speaking during the 

launch and handover of the 

environmental monitoring 

tools, the ‘Oil Spill Monitor 

and Gas Flare Tracker,’ 

Director General of the 

Nigerian Oil Spill Detection 

and Response Agency, 

NOSDRA, Mr. Idris Musa, 

noted that with the tools, 

accurate data can be 

obtained on the actual 

volume of gas flared by oil 

companies, crude oil 

spillage and will help in 

determining the losses in 

terms of revenue to the 

country. 

The Gas Flare Tracker and 

Oil Spill Monitor were 

developed for NOSDRA by 

the Stakeholder Democratic 

Network, SDN, with 

funding from the Facility 

for Oil Sector Transparency 

and Reform, FOSTER. 

Musa said, “The gas flare 

tracker is meant to check 

the associated gas that is 

normally flared. In Nigeria, 

we have not really been 

tracking gas that is flared. 

Overtime, we now decided 

to also keep that one in 

check, just as we monitor 

the oil that is spilled, we 

also want to begin to put 

on record, the volume of 

gas that is flared. 

“When you see countries 

saying that this is the 

volume of gas that they flare 

or this is the contribution 

that they have been making 

to global warming, we 

Nigerians cannot say this 

specifically. Whatever 

anyone who claims to be 

expert says about Nigeria 

is what is taken. We do not 

have any data to counter it. 

From now, if anybody 

associates any volume of 

gas flared or emission to us, 

we can say no, this is what 

our own record says. 

“Besides that, we would 

be able to tell how much 

heat is generated, how 

much gas is flared and what 

the cost of the gas flared is. 

Perhaps, if it has been 

compressed, treated and 

utilized, this is the amount 

of dollars it would have 

fetched us by way of 

revenue. Flaring the gas is 

also burning what 

ordinarily should have 

been revenue to us.” 

Also speaking, Country 

Director of SDN, developer 

of the tools, Dr. Christopher 

Onosode, noted that the oil 

spill monitor and gas flare 

tracker would enable 

NOSDRA investigate oil 

industry environmental 

challenges more effectively, 

adding that last year alone 

over $1.6 billion worth of 

gas that could have been 

used for power generation 

was flared. 

He said, “For the first time 

in Nigeria, the new gas 

flare tracker would enable 

anyone to see exactly where 

gas is being flared.” 

Current gas price 

unattractive to 

investors 

—McGrath 

Also speaking at the 20th 

edition of the Nigeria Gas 

Association, NGA, 

conference in Lagos, the 

Chairman, Oil Producers 

Trade Section, OPTS, Mr. 

Paul McGrath, advocated a 

liberalised market based on 

the ‘willing buyer, willing 

seller’ principle. 

He said: “Of the 162 

Trillion Cubic Feet, TCF, 

reported gas reserves, 

about 75 per cent will 

require the building of new 

infrastructure to deliver 

these gas resources to the 

domestic market. 

“The current regulated 

gas price of $2.50/ Million 

British Thermal Units, 

mmbtu, falls short of the 

price required to attract 

investment for these new 

gas developments. The gas 

sector should transition into 

a liberalised market based 

on the ‘willing buyer, 

willing seller’ principle and 

ensure the existence of a 

competitive fiscal regime to 

support upstream gas 

development. 

“Gas has a leading role 

as a key enabler to the 

diversification and growth 

of Nigeria’s broader 

economy through adequate 

power generation, 

provision of feedstock for 

value, adding 

manufacturing, and 

increased FGN revenue 

from LNG. Therefore, the 

development of Nigeria’s 

vast gas resources and 

strengthening of the gas 

value chain should be a 

national priority. 

“To fast-track the 

development of these 

resources, government 

policy needs to focus on 

developing adequate 

infrastructure, providing 

enabling commercial terms, 

settling and preventing 

future debts related to gas 

and power supply, and 

improving the business 

environment.” 

1 mmscfd to power 

1,000 homes in 

Nigeria —Shell 

Also speaking, 

Managing Director, Shell 

Nigeria Gas, Ed Ubong, 

said that, with one million 

standard cubic feet per day, 

mmscfd, of gas, in energy 

utility state like California, 

750 firms can be powered 

with electricity. The number 

changes from between 750 

to 1,000, depending on 

your energy usage. 

“Here in Nigeria, at Shell, 

I have seen one 1mmscfd 

power three manufacturing 

firms and provide 

employment for over a 

thousand people. This is 

the real potential of gas. 

“Is it prioritised in 

Nigeria? The answer will 

probably be yes, going by 

the number of times you 

hear about gas, this is the 

20th NGA conference, so it 

means we have been 

talking about gas for maybe 

20 years, but where has it 

left us? 

“The opportunities of gas 

utilization are immense, but 

the reality is that, if we do 

not get the commercial 

frame work right, we will 

continue saying the same 

thing. No investor will 

decide to spend millions of 

dollars investment, if he is 

not sure of his returns. The 

reality is that we need to go 

into willing buyer and 

willing seller market. If you 

get willing buyer and 

willing seller, and the 

commercial people are able 

to see light at the end of the 

tunnel, issues like 

infrastructure might fade.” 

FG signs N14.7bn MoU on 

production of new ECOWAS 

ID cards 

By Omeiza Ajayi 

A BUJA—Federal 

Government has 

signed a Memorandum of 

Understanding, MoU, with 

Euphoria Press Limited for 

the commencement of 

production of a single 

biometric identity cards for 

Nigerians travelling within 

the ECOWAS sub region. 

The project is worth N14.7 

billion. 

Speaking at the signing 

ceremony, yesterday, in 

Abuja, Minister of Interior, 

Abdulrahman Dambazau 

said the cards would have 

the same colour in all 

member states, including 

detailed information of the 

holder. 

He said that there was 

need for Nigeria to show 

Africa and the world that 

the nation is serious in 

providing integration 

services in West Africa. 

According to him, “The 

ECOWAS Biometric ID 

Card is meant to 

complement the effort of the 

present administration in 

enhancing integration in 

the sub region. It is meant 

to replace ECOWAS 

traveller certificate. 

Surveying profession key for national 

development —Awudu 

By Chris Ochayi 

A BUJA—SURVEYOR 

General of the 

Federation, Ebisintei 

Awudu has said that the 

surveying profession is the 

foundation for attainment of 

any meaningful 

development and growth. 

Awudu, at the induction 

of 372 newly qualified 

surveyors in Abuja, 

charged the newly 

inducted surveyors to be 

good ambassador of the 

profession. 

According to him, “We 

charge you all today to be 

good ambassadors of the 

surveying community 

wherever you find yourself 

and remember you have a 

very big role to play in the 

country, especially with the 

advancement in 

technology in surveying. 

“With the training you 

have been given, you are 

Incidentally, we just signed 

an agreement with 

Interpol for security 

partnership within our 

borders, so the ID card is 

meant to complement this 

effort. 

“The project will cost 

N14.7 billion for 13 million 

cards. Nevertheless, due 

process will be followed in 

the execution of the project, 

especially the TSA that will 

be used for the execution 

of the project. There must 

also be constant monitoring 

and evaluation for duration 

of the project.” 

...decorates new Fire 

Service CG 

In a related 

development, the minister 

has decorated AIhaji Liman 

Ibrahim as the new 

Controller General of the 

Federal Fire Service FFS 

following his appointment 

by President Muhammadu 

Buhari. 

Ibrahim, until his 

appointment as acting 

Controller General in 

March 2019, was the 

Assistant Comptroller 

General in charge of Policy, 

Regulatory and 

Inspectorate at the 

Service’s headquarters in 

Abuja. 

Senate passes 10-year jail 

term bill for theft of electricity 

cable, transformer, others 

By Henry Umoru 

ABUJA—THE Senate, 

yesterday, passed a bill 

that has prescribed a jail 

term of 10 years, without an 

option of fine for any person 

found guilty of conspiring, 

counselling or accepting to 

procure or to hold in 

custody, stolen parts, 

components or pieces of a 

public power equipment. 

The power equipment 

include electric cable, 

transformer, high tension 

wire, power console, 

electrical insulators, among 

others. 

According to the bill 

passed by the Senate, any 

person who wilfully and 

unlawfully destroys, 

damages or removes any 

electricity distribution lines 

or anything connected 

therewith, or otherwise 

prevents or obstructs the 

distribution of electricity 

through the distribution, 

commits an offence and is 

liable on conviction to a fine 

of N5million or 

imprisonment for a term of 

at least five years or both. 

The passage of the bill was 

sequel to the presentation 

and consideration of report 

of the Senate Committee on 

Power, Steel development 

and Metallurgy by the 

Chairman, Senator 

Enyinnaya Abaribe (PDP, 

Abia South) on a Bill for 

An Act to amend the 

Electric Power Sector 

Reform Act No. 6,2005 to 

Prohibit theft of Electricity, 

theft and destruction of 

Electricity supply, 

Infrastructure and prescribe 

appropriate penalties for 

violations and for other 

related 

2019(SB.496). 

matters, 

now qualified to compete 

with your counterparts in 

Nigeria and all over the 

world.” 

In his address, the 

Surveyor General of Ekiti 

State, who was the 

Chairman of the occasion, 

Mr Osalusi Felix said, that 

the aim of the profession 

was to produce one 

surveyor in each local 

government of the 

federation for better 

coordination and quality 

control of surveying 

activities.

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018773962, 

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CONDOLENCE—President of the National Council of Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Abimbola 

Ogunbanjo (R); President, Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote (2nd R) and Ex-Officio, NSE, Mr 

Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede (2nd L), and family members of a former National Council member of NSE, 

late Prof. Herbert Orji, during a condolence visit to them in Lagos, yesterday. Photo: NAN. 

9th NASS: Fresh crisis looms 

in APC over leadership slots 

By Emma Amaize, 

Regional Editor, 

South-South, 

Clifford Ndujihe, 

Henry Umoru, 

Levinus 

Nwabughiogu & 

Omeiza Ajayi 

ABUJA — FRESH 

crisis is looming 

in the ruling All 

Progressives Congress, 

APC, over zoning of 

leadership positions in 

the 9th National 

Assembly that will be 

inaugurated in June. 

The party is yet to 

wriggle out of the snarl 

occasioned by its 

endorsement of Senator 

Ahmad Lawan (APC, 

Yobe North) for the 

Senate presidency. 

Senator Ali Ndume 

(APC, Borno South), has 

insisted on running for 

the position and would 

not step down for Lawan 

despite pressure from 

some APC leaders. 

The latest crisis is 

coming from alleged 

moves by the party 

hierarchy to zone the 

speakership to the 

South-west. Incumbent 

House 

of 

Representatives 

Majority Leader, Femi 

Gbajabiamila, is from the 

South-West where Vice 

President Yemi Osinbajo 

hails from. There have 

been agitations by some 

stakeholders that the 

speakership should 

neither go to the North- 

West, which produced 

President Muhammadu 

Buhari, nor South-West 

that produced the vice 

president. 

The North-Central and 

South-East zones are 

clamouring for the 

Number Four seat to 

ensure equity, justice 

and inclusivity in the 

sharing of positions in 

the ruling party. 

Zonal and state youth 

leaders of the party, 

yesterday, rejected the 

zoning arrangement of 

the National Working 

Committee, NWC, 

saying it was a recipe for 

chaos. 

Deputy Publicity 

Secretary of the APC, 

Yekini Nebana at a 

briefing in Abuja warned 

the party not to zone the 

speakership to South- 

West or North-West, 

saying that doing so may 

rub off negatively on the 

party in 2023 elections. 

Amid the crisis, some 

youth groups, opinion 

leaders and stakeholders 

in Niger Delta have 

thrown their weight 

behind incumbent 

Speaker, Yakubu Dogara 

to continue in office. 

Buhari meets APC 

lawmakers-elect, party 

leaders 

There was anxiety 

yesterday as President 

Buhari had a dinner 

meeting with APC 

lawmakers-elect; the 

National Chairman, 

Adams Oshiomhole; and 

NWC officials at the Old 

Banquet Hall of the 

Presidential Villa, 

Abuja. The meeting was 

still on at press time. 

Speculations are rife 

among members, 

especially various 

aspirants to the office of 

the Speaker of the 9th 

House that there would 

be a categorical 

statement by the power 

brokers in APC on who 

their preferred choices 

for the Speaker and 

Deputy Speaker would 

be. 

In the race for the 

speakership are Mr Femi 

Gbajabiamila (Lagos), 

Mohammadu Bago 

(Niger), Idris Wase 

(Plateau), John Dyegh 

(Benue), Nkiru 

Onyejiocha (Abia), 

Chike Okafor (Imo), 

Abdulrazaq Namdas, 

and Yusuf Yakub 

(Adamawa) among 

others. 

Speculations within the 

House are that the 

meeting was summoned 

apparently to endorse 

the Lagos lawmaker. But 

Bago is making a case 

for the North-Central 

geo-political zone which 

he said has been 

marginalized since the 

return of democracy in 

1999. 

A statement by his 

campaign organisation 

on Monday warned 

against ceding the 

speakership to a zone 

that is already 

represented in the power 

Continues on Page 41 

By Bose Adelaja, Ebun Sessou, 

Yinka Latona, Chiamaka Uba, 

Dickson Omobola&Tolulope Oke 

How can the killing of innocent citizens by Police, Customs be stopped? (3) 

What the police are 

doing is barbaric. 

They are supposed to be 

guiding people and keep 

them safe but they are doing 

the opposite. The people 

involved should be 

prosecuted maybe by doing 

so others would learn 

and understand their 

main purpose of wearing 

Police uniform. They are 

doing the job simply to 

protect lives. 

Mrs. Ifedoyin Tubosun, 

Social health officer 

What is happening 

is a product of a 

collapsed state and absence 

of value and justice 

system. The recruitment 

and training strategies in 

the police should be addressed. 

If people of good 

character are recruited, 

there would be sanity in 

the system.Mr. Deji Oluleye, 

Engineer 

T 

he security system 

should be overhauled. 

These people do 

not know the boundaries 

of their jobs. They do not 

know their limits. A new 

structure that will ensure 

that all personnel are 

trained to know their 

boundaries must be put 

into place in all security 

agencies. 

Miss. Oluwaseunnla 

Adelusi, Engineer 

They have the appe 

tite for killing people 

and they lack sympathy 

for humanity. They 

are trained to defend others 

but they kill innocent 

people. Therefore, I suggest 

that there should be 

a law that would ensure 

that any security agent 

who kills would be put to 

death without trial. 

Mr. Elijah Jacob, 

Entrepreneur 

The cause of the 

problem needs to 

be identified. When this 

is done, the government 

would then check the activities 

of the police and 

customs operatives. For 

instance, they should be 

stopped from collecting 

money from road users. 

Also, they should be 

stopped from carrying 

arms. 

Mr. James Abuh, Student 

The 

government 

should rise to the 

challenge by bringing 

perpetrators to book and 

reorientating the men in 

uniform. Enough of these 

killings! Buhari should 

not pretend that he is not 

aware of what is happening. 

Is he not an ex-soldirer? 

Does he want the 

police to kill all of us? 

Mr. Joseph Emmanuel, 

Okada rider


Brothers 

kill pastor 

over landed 

property in 

A-Ibom 

By Harris 

Emmanuel 

UYO—A PASTOR with 

New Apostolic Church 

and a father of three, Okon 

Sunday, was allegedly killed 

by his younger brothers over 

a minor argument in Atan 

Offot, a suburb of Uyo 

metropolis. 

Vanguard gathered that 

the deceased on the fateful 

day was said to have 

collected three sheets of 

asbestos ceiling boards 

owned by his younger 

brother, Felix Sunday, to fix 

some rooms in the family 

house in order to rent it out, 

not knowing that he was 

digging his grave. 

It was gathered that when 

Felix returned home and 

discovered that his elder 

brother had used the ceiling 

boards without his consent, 

that he was highly infuriated 

and threatened to deal 

ruthlessly with the brother. 

A family source said the 

pastor quickly called the 

police and registered 

complaint about his brother's 

threat, but before the police 

could come to his rescue he 

was allegedly hacked to 

death in cold blood. 

Accordding to the 

source,“Pastor Okon after 

making the call to the police 

to come over for the arrest of 

his two brothers, Felix and 

Kingsley, boasted that the 

two of them would not sleep 

in the house that night. 

‘’When it became obvious 

that Okon was determined 

to get them arrested that 

night, they told the pastor: 

'so you want to send us back 

to the C division as you did 

last month? Since you said 

we will not sleep in this 

house you will not also sleep 

in this house'.” 

It was further gathered that 

Felix immediately ordered 

his wife to leave the house 

with his only child to an 

undisclosed destination 

before asking his other 

brother, Kingsley, to bring out 

two machetes from their 

room which they used in 

slaughtering him. 


there had been a running 

battle between the deceased 

and his two brothers over the 

ownership of the family 

house since their father’s 

demise. 

Police Public Relations 

Officer, Macdon Odiko, a 

Superintendent of Police, 

said he was not yet briefed 

on the incident at press time, 

but promised to call back as 

soon as information was 

made available to him by the 

homicide department. 

Police arrest 3 suspected internet fraudsters 

for impersonating Sunny Ade 

•Fleece victims of N3.1m 

By Esther Onyegbula 

THREE suspected internet 

fraudsters that allegedly 

impersonated music maestro, King 

Sunny Ade, and fleeced unsuspecting 

members of the public of over N3.1 

million have been arrested by the police 

in Lagos. 

The suspects, Lawrence Femi, 27, his 

girlfriend, Rebecca Oyebode, 23 and 

Oyewumi Abiodun, 27, were arrested 

by detectives attached to Special 

Intelligence Bureau, SIB, after King 

Sunny Ade made an official complain 

to the Commissioner of Police that some 

persons were using his identity to 

defraud innocent Nigerians. 

It was learned that the suspects 

created a King Sunny Ade fan page on 

Instagram, which they used to make 

fake advert placement entitled KSA USA 

TOUR. They requested interested 

persons to contact them. 

Police sources said based on that, some 

people started paying money to them 

and over 55 persons paid to the 

fraudsters, adding that they were offering 

USA visa. 

The source said the unsuspecting 

members of the public paid various 

sums of money into a given account with 

a second generation bank. 

The source said: “Their arrest was 

carried out with the tracking of the bank 

account and detectives were able to get 

the girl, whose name was used to open 

the account. 

"She explained that it was her 

boyfriend that opened the account with 

her name and that he was with the ATM 

card. She led detectives to the suspect 

in Oyo State and they were all rounded 

up.“ 

Sunny Ade reacts 

The victim, Sunny Ade, told 

Vanguard at the Lagos State Police 

Command headquarters, Ikeja when 

he visited to thank the police for a job 

well done that he knew about the scam 

when people started calling his phone 

number to say that they have paid the 

money into his account. 

He said: “They will say they are this 

and they got paid for visa. When it was 

getting too much for me, I had to invite 

the police to trace those behind the 

impersonation, so that my name would 

be cleared and people would know that 

I am not the person defrauding them. 

"I have never done anything like that 

in my life and career. I am a lawabiding 

citizen of this country. So, 

I had to call the police to come 

and help me.” 

On how he felt when he heard 

that his name was being used to 

commit fraud, he stated: “It was 

like someone loading a gun in 

your presence and corking it. I 

advise the police to help me 

recover all the money got from all 

the victims and refund it to them. 

Advice for youths 

" This is what I have been saying 

for a long time now; the youth 

should not be too ambitious in 

getting things that don’t belong 

to them. 

“Again, they need to have the 

fear of God in their heart and the 

fear of the nation and the law. 

Eventually, when you are doing 

things that are wrong, you will 

have to pay for it. Someone who 

has been doing business 

legitimately and you take 

advantage of their image to fleece 

victims of their hard earned 

money. 

"This is not a matter of album; it 

is going to be more than an album. 

It is not only youths alone, we 

have to work with the family by 

way of educating them that they 

shouldn’t allow their kids to act 

The suspects. 

as they like. 

"I plead with the federal, state 

and local government agencies 

to join hands and put an end to 

this menace. So far, I am 

satisfied with the police 

investigation.” 

Suspect’s account 

The main suspect, 27-year-old 

Oyedokun Lawrence Femi said: “I 

was arrested because I 

impersonated King Sunny Ade. I 

did that by creating a fan page with 

his name and pictures sometime last 

year. Early this year, I posted 

something on Instagram about 

KSA USA TOUR. I just posted it to 

make money. 

NO FOOD FOR LAZY MAN: A boy working for his daily meal along Babs 

Animashaun Street towards Orile, Lagos, yesterday, in Lagos. Photo: Akeem 

Salau. 

Armed bandits attack, dispossess police officers of rifles in Delta 

By Festus Ahon 

ASABA —ARMED bandits 

reportedly inflicted machete 

injuries on three police officers attached 

to Delta State Police Command, State 

Headquarters, Asaba, dispossessing 

them of two rifles. 

The police officers, an inspector and 

two rank and files, were attacked by their 

assistants while on stop-and- search 

duty around NIPPI Point at Inter-bus 

roundabout in Asaba, the state capital. 

It was learned that the bandits 

attacked the police officers few minutes 

that the police patrol van left with the 

driver and one of the officers leaving 

only three officers behind at the NIPPI 

Point. 

An eye witness, who craved 

anonymity, said the first victim just 

finished directing a driver making 

phone call in a parked vehicle to 

leave the vicinity when four of the 

suspected bandits attacked him 

with machetes and made away 

with his rifle. 

The source said as he was being 

attacked, another group were 

also attacking Inspector Francis, 

whose gun was also snatched. 

According to him, the third, a 

police corporal escaped with his 

riffle but also suffered machete 

cuts in his hand 

Contacted, the Delta 

Commissioner of Police, CP 

Adeyinka Adeleke, denied the 

incident, saying: “It is not true. How 

come you are the one confirming it 

to me?” 

Woman in court for hitting minor with burning 

firewood 

A34-year-old housewife, 

Dolapo Oluwafunmilola, 

yesterday, appeared in an Ado- 

Ekiti Magistrate's Court for 

allegedly hitting a nine-yearold 

girl with burning firewood 

in the mouth. 

The police charged 

Oluwafunmilola, whose 

address was not provided with 

assault. 

The prosecution counsel, Insp 

Caleb Leramo, told the court that 

the defendant committed the 

offence on April 12 at Ilupeju 

Avenue area in Ado-Ekiti. 

He said that the victim who 

is an orphan, was maltreated 

by the defendant. 

Leramo said that the 

defendant hit the girl with 

burning firewood in the mouth, 

causing burns on her chest . 

He noted that the offence 

contravened the provisions of 

Section 338 of the Criminal Code, 

Laws of Ekiti State, 2012. 

The prosecutor asked for an 

adjournment to enable him study 

the case file and present his 

witnesses.


3 policemen, 4 others sentenced 

to death for kidnapping in A-Ibom 

By Chioma Onuegbu 

UYO—THREE policemen and 

four others were, yesterday, 

sentenced to death by an Akwa Ibom 

State High Court sitting in Uyo for 

kidnapping one Deaconess Ime 

Anietie Ekanem 

Those sentenced included Cpl 

Emmanuel Charlie, Cpl Bassey 

Sunday, PC Mfon Bassey, Ekaette 

Edet Moses, Fidelis Emmanson 

Jeremiah, Ndu Okon Johnny and 

Unyime Edem Etukakpan 

The court presided by Justice Joy 

Unwana convicted the culprits on a 

three-count charge of conspiracy to 

commit felony, kidnapping, aiding 

and sponsoring of kidnapping. 

In a confessional statement by the 

8th accused person, Mrs Itohowo 

Akpakwa, which was admitted as 

an exhibit, she confessed to visiting 

her friend in a bar at Idakeyop Aka 

where she gave the 7th accused 

person, Unyime Edem Etukakpan 

money to buy medicine for his ill 

health. 

While Mrs Akpakwa denied 

knowledge of the plot to kidnap her 

friend and neighbour, Deaconess 

Ekanem, no fewer than three other 

members of the kidnap gang told 

the court that they did not know her 

name at the time she visited during 

the final meeting at Aka. 

They insisted that she was the 

one who identified her friend and 

gave direction to her residence in 

Obio Etoi village, Uyo Local 

Government Area. 

How she was 

kidnapped 

It was gathered that the 

kidnapped victim was dragged out 

of a Toyota Sienna car driven by 

her husband in front of her house 

at about 6.30 pm that fateful day and 

transferred to a Volvo Wagon car 

used by the hoodlums. 

She was taken to an isolated 

building at Afaha Udoeyop in 

Ibesikpo Asutan LGA and N20 

million demanded before she 

would be released by her 

abductors. 

The kidnappers after 

negotiation with the husband 

later agreed to collect N1.8 million 

to be paid in two instalments. 

It was learned that plainclothed 

operatives of the State 

CID, investigating the kidnap 

case, were, however, shocked to 

discover that the first two persons 

who approached the Afaha 

Ibesikpo market square, venue 

for the delivery of the ransom 

were their colleagues at the state 

CID. 

It was further gathered that it 

was when a member of the gang, 

who at the time of sharing the money 

was in Uyo Prison on a different 

criminal matter, returned home to 

discover that he had been shortchanged 

that trouble started among 

the gang. 

He then disclosed the plot and how 

it was carried out to the police, and 

later became the star witness for the 

state. 

However, the 8th accused, Mrs 

Itohowo Akpakwa, a staff of the 

University of Uyo, was earlier granted 

bail. 

Her lawyer, Samuel Ikpo, had 

insisted that there was no reason his 

client should languish in prison 

when there was no direct evidence 

linking her to the commission of the 

crime and was accordingly 

discharged and acquitted. 

7 die, 12 children, others injured 

in Kwara auto crash 

By Demola 

Akinyemi 

ILORIN—NO fewer than 

seven persons were, 

yesterday morning, confirmed 

dead in a motor accident at Osi 

bridge on old Ilorin-Jebba- 

Mokwa road, along Abado in 

Ilorin East Local Government 

Area of Kwara State. 

Vanguard reliably gathered 

that the victims included three 

males and four females, while 

the injured were 34 adult 

females and 24 adult males. 

Among the injured were 12 

children, including six boys and 

six girls. 

The Federal Road Safety 

Commission, FRSC, Sector 

Commander, Kwara State, 

Uchechukwu Wihioka, while 

confirming the incident, said the 

crash involving Toyota Dyna 

with number plate FA 655 NAS 

and Toyota Hiace with number plate 

LSD 919 SR, was caused by 

dangerous driving and wrong 

overtaking. 

The FRSC boss, who said: ”The 

driver could no longer control the 

vehicle after finding himself in the 

dangerous condition, and, 

therefore, flung his passengers in 

different directions on the road. “ 

He, however, said the rescue 

team, comprising FRSC officials 

and policemen, came to the scene 

on time to render necessary 

assistance. 

Wihioka cautioned commercial 

drivers among other road users to 

always drive with caution and 

charged passengers to drive along 

with commercial drivers, so that 

they could caution them when 

driving recklessly. 

He said the passengers have the 

right to do that, adding that lives 

would be saved when everyone was 

involved in road safety. 

... with Emma'nKen (08163121378) 

In this country, positions clear 

road more than road safety 

Women, over to you! 

The Comptroller of Customs, Oyo/Osun Area Command of Nigerian Customs Service, 

Abdullahi Zulkiflu, displaying some of the goods seized by his men. 

Train crushes two in Kano 

By Abdulmumin 

Murtala 

KANO—TWO 

people 

sleeping on a rail-track 

allegedly abandoned for long 

were, yesterday, crushed to 

death by a moving train 

behind Kano Club in 

Nasarawa Local Government 

Area of Kano State 

Though the ages and 

gender of the victims have not 

been confirmed, it was 

gathered that one of the 

victims was cut into halves 

by the train. 

Confirming the incident, 

Kano State Police 

Command‘s Police Public 

Relations Officer, DSP. 

Abdullahi Haruna, said on 

April 16, at about 8 a.m, the 

police received a report 

that two yet-to-be-identified 

persons, who were 

stretched out on the railway 

track, had been crushed to 

death by a moving train behind 

Kano Club in Nasarawa Local 

Government Area of the state. 

According to him, when the 

police visited the scene, it was 

discovered that one of the 

victims had been cut into half 

by the moving train. 

He said the corpses had been 

evacuated to a hospital, whose 

name he did not disclose. 

The PPRO called on the 

public to steer clear of railway 

tracks to forestall unnecessary 

accidents, adding that sitting 

beside the railroad could be 

very dangerous. 

A word is enough for the wise

8 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17 , 2019 

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

Gov el-Rufai orders political appointees 

to resign by April 30 

By Ben Agande 

K 

A D U N A — 

GOVERNOR 

Nasir el-Rufai has directed 

all political appointees to 

submit letters of resignation 

by 30th April 2019 to enable 

him commence the 

selection of the team for 

his second-term. 

In a statement yesterday, 

the Senior Special Assistant 

to the governor on Media 

and Publicity, Samuel 

Aruwan, however said 

there were some persons 

that were exempted from 

the directive. 

Those excluded, 

according to the statement 

are 

full-time 

CONFERENCE: From Left— Mr George Pearson, Director, Afrocet Montgomery; Dr Davidson Akhimien, 

President, Association of Licenced Private Security Practitioners of Nigeria, (ALPSPN), Chief (Mrs) Victoria 

Ekhomu; Managing Director, Trans World Security Systems Limited; Commader Adebisi Adeyemi, Zone A, 

NSCDC, Oba (Dr) Olusegun Aderemi, and Major General Joel Unuigbe, of Ordinance Corp Abalti Barrack, 

Nigerian Army, during the opening of 2019 Two-Day Securex West Africa Conference, organised by Afrocet 

Montgomery, held yesterday at Landmark Centre, Oniru, Victoria Island Lagos. PHOTO: Kehinde Gbadamosi 

Herdsmen attack: Youths protest, vow to resist 

further killings in Nasarawa 

By David Odama 

L AFIA—AGGRIEVED 

youths in Nasarawa 

state under the aegis of 

Youths Mada Development 

Association, MDA, 

yesterday trooped into the 

streets to protest the killing 

of 16 persons at Numa 

village of Akwanga, 

Nasarawa State by 

suspected herdsmen. 

They warned against 

further attacks on the 

communities, declaring 

that further attacks by any 

group in whatever guise 

would be resisted 

According to the Youths 

who trekked over five 

kilometers from the 

Akwanga General Hospital 

to the Palace of the 

Paramount ruler, the Chun- 

Mada, Samson Gamu- 

Yare, displayed placards 

with inscriptions such as 

“enough of the killings”, 

“this is too much to bear”, 

‘fish out the killers of these 

innocent people”, “we shall 

no longer tolerate this in our 

communities”, among 

Kwara customs distributes seized items to 

Orphanage, IDPs 

By Demola 

Akinyemi 

I LORIN—NIGERIA 

Custom Service has 

begun free distribution of 

seized items kept at the 

government warehouse 

located at Ilorin, the 

Kwara State capital. 

Chairman of subcommittee 

for the 

distribution of seized 

items to orphanage 

homes and Internally 

Commissioners of certain 

State Executive bodies like 

the Fiscal Responsibility 

Commission, Civil Service 

Commission, Judicial 

Service Commission, 

Assembly Service 

Commission, The State 

Independent Electoral 

Commission (SIECOM), 

The Peace Commission, 

Public Procurement 

Authority and Water 

Regulatory Authority. 

Others also exempted 

due to recent adjustments 

in roles within the 

government are 

Commissioner of Finance, 

Principal Private Secretary, 

A c c o u n t a n t - 

General,Special Adviser, 

Displaced Persons, IDPs, 

Yakubu Salihu 

supervised the 

distribution yesterday. 

He said the exercise 

became necessary 

following a directive 

from the presidency to 

distribute seized items 

freely as relief items to 

the less privilege. 

According to him, 

“Nigeria Custom Service 

got presidential approval 

Intergovernmental 

Relations, Managing 

Director, Kaduna Markets 

Development Company, 

Managing Director, 

Kaduna Investment and 

Finance Company, and 

Any other political 

appointee sworn-in or 

appointed to their current 

role within the last six 

months 

He said their resignation 

became necessary to give 

the Kaduna State 

Ministry of Finance 

adequate time to compute 

severance payments and 

reconcile liabilities. 

According to the 

directive, each notice of 

resignation must be 

to distribute perishable 

items like rice, vegetable 

oil, used cloths, 

spaghetti etc to alleviate 

the suffering of the 

masses. And the service 

was asked to make sure 

they are\ distributed to 

recognized and 

registered orphanages 

and IDPs. 

“The exercise started from 

Lagos which comprises of 

south west states of Lagos, 

Osun, Oyo, Ekiti and Ogun 

states. 

submitted along with a 

handover note, signed by 

the political appointee on 

behalf of the MDA or office 

to which he or she had been 

appointed. All resignation 

letters should be properly 

addressed to the Principal 

Private Secretary. 

Those affected by the 

directives are All 

Commissioners in the 

State Executive Council, 

All Permanent Secretaries, 

Special Advisers, 

Directors-General, 

Executive Secretaries, 

Managing Directors, 

General Managers and 

other Heads of Agencies, 

Senior Special Assistants, 

Special Assistants and Technical 

Assistants to the Governor, other 

than the Kashim Ibrahim 

Fellows. 

others. 

Addressing the 

protesters at the Chun 

mada Palace, National 

President of the 

association, Gyuni 

Umaru, said “We have 

tolerated the first, we will 

still tolerate this one, but 

if the government fail to 

fish out the attackers and 

forestall further killings 

in our land, we will 

have no option than to 

resort to self help. We 

still have faith in the 

government to protect 

our communities, but if 

the government proves 

otherwise, we will protect 

ourselves and our 

communities against 

attackers.” 

Responding, the Chun-Mada, 

Samson Gamu yeri commended 

the youth for protesting 

peacefully despite the attack and 

the loss of lives in the area. 

He disclosed that the traditional 

institution would liaise with the 

government at all levels to secure 

the entire council. 

Labour, CSOs, others protest 

planned privatization of water 

supply in Plateau 

By Marie-Therese 

Nanlong 

J OS—ORGANISED 

labour, civil society 

organizations, CSOs and 

other stakeholders 

yesterday in Jos, Plateau 

State protested alleged plan 

by the state government to 

privatize the water supply 

in the state and urged the 

state House of Assembly to 

discard any law seeking to 

privatize water supply in 

the state. The protesters 

who stormed the Assembly 

where a public hearing 

was held by the House 

Committee on Water 

Resources and Energy, 

Chaired by Godfrey 

Landip, Member 

representing Langtang 

North-Central in the 

House; also presented 

separate memoranda 

stating why the House 

should not consider the 

privatization. 

They however solicited 

public control and 

sustainable budgetary 

allocation to the sector to 

ensure that the poor has 

Dangote rewards truck 

drivers for accident-free 

2018, meeting target 

M ANAGEMENT— 

OF NASCON 

Allied Industries Plc, has 

said it will continue to 

accord its staff due 

recognition just as it 

rewarded its truck drivers 

for meeting product 

delivery target and driving 

accident free in 2018. 

Executive Director, 

Commercial, Hajiya Fatima 

Aliko Dangote who 

presented various gifts to 

the drivers said they "are a 

critical part of the 

company’s workforce and 

most important asset of the 

company. Therefore the 

company will continue to 

recognize and reward them 

for meeting targets." 

Underscoring the 

importance NASCON 

management attach to the 

drivers, she said the 

business transaction of the 

organization with its 

customers was not 

completed until final 

delivery of products to the 

destination which is made 

possible only by the truck 

drivers. 

“Therefore, no serious 

organization would take its 

drivers for granted. Our 

drivers are the most 

important in the 

distribution chain. 

They take a lot of risks 

while striving to deliver 

access to water without 

paying exorbitantly for it. 

Organised Labour on the 

aegis of Amalgamated 

Union of Public 

Corporations Civil Service 

Technical and Recreational 

Services Employees, 

AUPCTRE, through 

Emmanuel Ayeoribe, in its 

presentation stated, “We 

call on the Plateau State 

House of Assembly to note 

that PPP (public-private 

partnership) is not in the 

best interest of the 

government and people of 

Plateau State in view of its 

inherent dangers. 

Privatisation impugns on 

the human right to water 

and places profits above the 

common good which we 

expect honourable 

members of the Plateau 

State House of Assembly to 

stand for. We, therefore, 

demand that all sections 

relating to privatisation, 

concessioning, and other 

anti-people initiatives 

contained in the draft bill 

should be expunged.” 

products and meet target 

and even exceed target. We 

are doing this to recognize 

them that they matter in our 

business and we will 

continue to celebrate them”, 

she stated. 

Hajiya Fatima Dangote 

explained that the 

Company had put in place 

various incentives to 

motivate and encourage 

the drivers to perform well 

pointing out that "each 

driver that meets delivery 

target and records zero 

accident collects N50,000 

every quarter totaling 

N200,000 in a year." 

The NASCON boss 

disclosed that the annual 

performance award 

ceremony was meant to 

celebrate the drivers and for 

them to know that their 

contributions to the success 

of the company is appreciated. 

She urged the drivers 

and the entire workforce not 

to rest on their oars but 

strive to exceed 2018 

performance, promising them 

that the company would always 

live up to expectation by 

rewarding their hard work. 

The Fleet Admin Manager, 

Mrs. Augustia Odega explained 

that five of the drivers were 

adjudged best performing truck 

drivers for the year 2018 and all 

of them automatically becomes 

NASCON brand ambassadors.


ANOTHER FATHER’S DAY: From left: Mr. Salako Oluwaponmile; Ms Juliana Olayode; 

Mr. Salako Oluwaponmile; Ms Juliana Olayode; Mrs Tubosun Aiyedehin; Director/Producer 

of Revelation Picture, Mrs. Bukola Ogunsola, and Mrs Mercy Aigbe, all actors during the 

Media Brunch of Another Father’s Day by Revelation Picture, in Lagos, yesterday. 

Benue, Taraba move to end inter 

communal crisis in border communities 

•Set up peace c'ttee, urge aggrieved youths to sheath swords 

By Peter Duru 

M AKURDI— 

FOLLOWING 

recent bloody conflict 

between Tiv and Jukun 

communities in Ukum and 

Wukari local government 

areas of Benue and Taraba 

states, governments of both 

states have resolved to set up 

a peace committee to visit the 

affected communities to 

assess the level of 

destruction and find lasting 

solution to the crisis. 

They also appealed to the 

youths of the affected 

communities to sheath their 

swords and embrace peace 

to put an end to the perennial 

crisis. 

It will be recalled that in 

the last two weeks, Tiv and 

Jukun farmers in the border 

communities of both states 

have been locked in a bloody 

conflict triggered by a minor 

quarrel between two friends, 

leading to the death of over 

25 persons and razing of 

more than 300 houses. 

In a communiqué issued 

at the end of a joint security 

meeting of both states led on 

one hand by Acting Governor 

of Benue State, Mr. Benson 

Abounu and Taraba State 

Deputy Governor, Haruna 

Manu, the meeting 

condemned the wave of 

wanton destruction of lives 

and property in the two states 

as a result of the crisis. 

Part of the communiqué 

read: “The joint security 

meeting emphasized the 

need for Tiv and Jukun 

people, who are indigenes 

of Benue and Taraba states, 

to be loyal to the political and 

traditional leaderships of the 

two states and accept the 

indigeneship of the state 

they belong. 

“The meeting agreed that 

the political and traditional 

leadership of the two states 

should constitute a 

committee consisting of two 

co-chairmen and four others 

from the border communities 

affected by the crisis to work 

out modalities for peaceful 

co-existence. 

“The meeting further 

stressed the need for 

communities/security 

collaborations by reporting 

all forms of criminality 

appropriately and not to 

shield criminal elements in 

both states and that 

criminals must be treated as 

criminals. 

“The meeting stressed the 

need for full and strict 

implementation of all the 

resolutions in the past 

communiqués issued at the 

joint security meetings held 

at Kashimbilla Dam Site in 

February, 2017, Ugba 

Township Hall in July, 2017 

and the Federal University, 

Wukari in December 2018 so 

as to resolve the contentious 

issues that have always 

resulted to crisis between the 

Tiv and Jukun communities 

in the two states.” 

The communiqué, which 

was signed by governors of 

both states also resolved to 

provide relief materials to 

persons affected by the 


Interpol, FG to sign MoU on information 

system •MoU to tackle cyber crimes, int'l crimes, others 

By Boluwaji 

Obahopo 

INTERPOL and Federal 

Government have 

finalized deal on signing a 

Memorandum of 

Understanding, MoU, that 

will help in combating 

national and international 

crimes. 

The MoU for the West 

African Police Information 

System, WAPIS, will be 

signed by Interpol Secretary 

General, Jürgen Stock, and 

Minister of Interior on behalf 

of the Federal Government. 

The Interpol chief who 

arrived Nigeria on Monday 

was received at the Nnamdi 

Azikiwe International 

Airport, Abuja by CP Interpol 

and Head, National Central 

Bureau, Umar Garba. 

A statement on the 

agreement stated that the 

MoU on Information System 

would help Nigeria police 

open and maintain better 

communication with other 

countries in combating 

terror, money laundering, 

human trafficking, cyber 

crime and other 

transnational crimes. 

According to the 

statement, “the use of 

technology to fight crime is 

good news for us but bad 

Abavo community lauds Okowa over 

projects execution 

THE people of Abavo 

community have 

commended the state 

government for the 

numerous development 

projects being executed in 

the community by the 

government. 

The traditional ruler of 

Abavo, Obi Uche Irenuma 

II, gave the commendation 

while speaking on the 

development efforts of 

government in the area. 

Obi Uche Iruenuma II 

explained that Okowa 

administration had left 

indelible foot prints in the 

socio-economic 

transformation of Abavo, 

saying the people would 

forever be grateful to him. 

The traditional ruler also 

commented on the recent 

approval of the construction 

of the Owa Oyibu-Udomi 

Abavo road by the state 

executive council presided 

over by the state acting 

governor, Mr Kingsley 

Otuaro. 

He said the approval of 

the project, among so many 

others by the state 

government, was a clear 

manifestation of the 

promise of Okowa that his 

second tenure would 

news for bad guys as 

information on crime 

becomes faster to track and 

easier to go after criminals.” 

The statement said the 

MOU was the beginning of 

repositioning Nigerian 

National Central Bureau for 

effectiveness and resultoriented 

policing. 

It described the deal as 

good for police force and 

crime investigation system in 

Nigeria, which will help in 

improving on the 

effectiveness of Nigerian 

police force to combat crime 

and ensure security and 

safety of lives and property. 

witness more project execution 

than the first 

tenure. 

Obi Uche Irenuma said 

the construction of the Owa- 

Oyibu Udomi Abavo road 

project was a huge relief as 

it would open a new vista 

of socio-economic and 

commercial ties between 

the people of Owa and 

Abavo kingdom. 


road would not only 

promote commerce 

between both kingdoms 

but enhance social 

interaction among the 

people of both 

communities. 

Oba of Benin decries 

spate of insecurity 

By Gabriel 

Enogholase 

BENIN—OBA of Benin, 

Omo N’Oba Ewuare II, 

has commended the army for 

its role in maintaining peace 

and security in the country. 

Oba Ewuare II, who made 

the commendation in his 

palace when he received the 

Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. 

Tukur Burutai, also 

appreciated officers and men 

of Nigeria Army for their role 

in the protection of the 

democratic process and the 

citizens. 

He, however, 

commiserated with the army 

for loss of soldiers in the course 

of fighting Boko Haram 

insurgents and during other 

operations, praying that God 

should grant their families 

the fortitude to bear the 

irreparable loss. 

He told the Army Chief of 

Staff that the posting of an 

illustrious Benin son, Brig. 

Gen. Omoregie, as the 

Commander, Brigade of 

Nigerian Army, Benin City 

was first of its kind and is 

appreciated by all. 

The Benin monarch 

assured the army that the 

palace would continue to 

revive the rich cultural 

heritage of the kingdom, and 

EGSOSA holds AGM 

EMEDE 

Grammar 

School Old Students’ 

Association, EGSOSA, will 

on Friday and Saturday, 

hold her Annual Reunion/ 

Founder’s Day/Annual 

General Meeting to discuss 

issues affecting the school 

and members of the 

association. 

A statement by National 

Public Relations Officer of 

build on the legacies left 

behind by his fore-fathers, 

and prayed that God and 

the ancestors should grant 

him wisdom, and good 

health to continue to 

discharge his duties to the 

people. 

Oba Ewuare II who 

expressed concern over the 

insecurity in the country, 

told the army chief that the 

palace was ready to support 

the Nigerian Army in any 

way possible, and urged the 

officers to feel free to 

interphase with the palace 

on any issue bothering 

them. 

Earlier, Burutai informed 

him that he was in Edo State 

to deliver inaugural lecture 

on contemporary security 

affairs at Igbinedion 

University, Okada, and 

considered it necessary to 

pay homage to the Oba of 

Benin and solicit royal 

blessings and support. 

He described Omo 

N’Oba as a first class oba in 

the country whose role in 

maintaining peace and 

security in a modern society 

cannot be underrated, 

pointing out that the Benin 

obas, past and present have 

distinguished themselves in 

military and other human 

Sorhue withdraws from Udu 

President-General race 

CHIEF Eddie Ono- 

Sorhue, Peoples 

Democratic Party, PDP, 

chieftain and member, Delta 

State Peace Building 

Committee, has announced 

his withdrawal from the Union 

of Udu Communities’ 

President-General race. 

Sorhue, who disclosed this, 

yesterday, at his Ovwian 

residence, cited the need for 

peaceful co-existence in Udu 

as his reason, expressing 

disappointment with the way 

the race for the presidentgeneral’s 

seat was being 

handled by the traditional 

institution. 

The Conference of Udu 

Kingdom, during which the 

new president-general would 

be unveiled and 

inaugurated, is scheduled for 

May to coincide with the 25th 

coronation anniversary of the 

Ovie of Udu Kingdom, HRM 

Owhorhu 1. 

According to Sorhue, 

“since my declaration to run 

for the office of President- 

General of Udu in October 

last year, there have been 

stories that my ambition 

would cause crisis that could 

trigger a fragmentation of 

Udu Kingdom. 

“I have, therefore, 

pondered on the fears of 

those opposed to my 

ambition and come to the 

conclusion that my ambition 

is not worth the blood of 

anybody. I do not want crisis 

in Udu. I am voluntarily 

withdrawing from this race. 

Whoever is afraid of my 

person can now have a field 

day.” 

Sorhue, who had served 

as Chairman of Okpe and 

Udu Local Government 

Areas at different times, 

appealed to his supporters 

to remain calm and pursue 

individual ambitions within 

the precinct of the law. 

EGSOSA, Mr. Amos 

Iwary, stated that Friday 

will be for arrival and 

Ukodo night while 

Saturday is the Annual 

General Meeting and 

other activities. 

The statement added that 

venue of the events is 

Emede Grammar School, 

Isoko South Local 

Government Area of Delta 

State.

10 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17, 2019 

Ita-Faaji building collapse: Panel 

submits report behind closed doors 

By Monsuru 

Olowoopejo 

LAGOS—THE fiveman 

Panel of Inquiry 

investigating the collapsed 

three-storey building on 63 

Massey Street in Ita-Faaji, 

Lagos Island Local 

Government has submitted 

its report to the Ministry of 

Physical Planning and 

Urban Development. 

The State Government 

inaugurated the panel last 

month, barely six days after 

the building caved in killing 

no fewer than 20 persons 

including pupils of Ohen 

Nursery and Primary 

school. 

A source, close to the 

Commissioner for the 

Ministry, told Vanguard 

that the panel submitted its 

report eight days after for 

the State Government to 

deliberate on it and issue a 

White Paper on how best to 

Ajimobi forgives FRESH FM 

over false accusation 

IBADAN—GOVERNOR 

Abiola Ajimobi, yesterday, 

accepted the public apology 

of the management of an 

Ibadan-based radio station, 

Fresh FM, over a broadcast 

falsely naming him as a coowner 

of the state’s central 

abattoir. 

Ajimobi, in a statement by 

his Special Adviser, 

Communication and 

Strategy, Mr. Bolaji Tunji, 

said in the spirit of the 

Easter Season and the fastapproaching 

Ramadan, he 

had decided to put the 

matter behind him, 

following appeals by the 

Chairman of the station, Mr. 

Yinka Ayefele and the 

Presenter of Political 

Circuit, the programme on 

which the offensive 

statement was aired, Mr 

Isaac Brown. 

The station had, in a 

public apology signed by 

Ayefele and Brown, which 

is being aired on Fresh FM, 

apologized to the governor 

for the ‘unguarded 

statement’ of its studio and 

guest analyst, Dare 

Adekanmbi, which cast 

aspersion at the person of 

the governor. 

The governor said: “To err 

ALLEGED $793,800 FRAUD: Drama 

as EFCC arrests Justice Ajumogobia 

prevent collapse building. 

According to the source, 

the panel submitted its 

report to the ministry on By Henry Ojelu or costs. In conclusion, the replied saying, “There is 

April 10 th , 2019, for onward 

court has no jurisdiction to nothing I can do, your file 

L 

implementation of AGOS—THERE was hear the first amended has been closed.” 

recommendations a drama at the charge of February 21, 2018 The embattled judge 

contained in the report. premises of Lagos High of 31-counts. This suit is became restless, pacing up 

Another source disclosed Court sitting in Ikeja, hereby struck out.” and down the court balcony 

that the ministry has not yesterday, as officials of the 

and making frantic phone 

received the approval to Economic and Financial Drama outside court calls. 

make the report public. Crimes Commission, room 

When it dawned on her 

It was gathered that the EFCC, re-arrested a former Immediately after the that there was no help in 

ministry could commence judge of the Federal High ruling, about 10a.m, EFCC sight, she eventually 

work 

on Court, Justice Rita Ofili- officials led siege to Ofili- submitted herself to the 

the recommendations Ajumogobia after Ajumogobia outside the EFCC. 

made by the panel which corruption charge against courtroom. 

She was led into the 

would be used to issue a her was dismissed. 

Shortly after dismissing waiting white truck with 

White Paper to stem the tide Justice Ofili-Ajumogobia the suit, Justice Ofili- registration number Abuja 

of building collapse in was arraigned along with Ajumogobia, who wore BWA 63780 by about 10 

Lagos. 

Godwin Obla, SAN, for plastic pop on her right leg, EFCC operatives, who had 

A member of the panel allegedly receiving exited the courtroom with stormed the court. 

had earlier told Vanguard $793,800 in several tranches her husband but as she As she attempted to board 

that the report was delayed from different sources from descended the staircase, the vehicle, another drama 

to allow thorough 2012 to 2015. 

she realised that EFCC ensued when officials of the 

investigation because there The EFCC which had officials were waiting to agency attempted to 

was need for them to initially closed its case arrest her. 

sandwich her between two 

examine the outcome of all against the judge on She fled back into the men. 

tests conducted on materials September 14, 2018 after courtroom while Justice She was left alone when 

collected from the site. calling 12 witnesses and Oshodi was still presiding she insisted on sitting at the 

tendering several over other matters. edge. While the drama 

documents, later Her husband, who was lasted, her husband was 

turnaround to ask the court waiting downstairs, later prevented from coming 

to dismiss the case for lack joined her as officials of the near the vehicle. 

of jurisdiction. 

agency continued to wait for 

The EFCC request was her. 

Why we re-arrested Ofiliis 

human and to forgive is sequel to an application When it appeared she Ajumogobia — EFCC 

divine. I have forgiven filed by Ofili-Ajumogobia’s could no longer bear the Meanwhile, the EFCC, 

Fresh FM, the station’s counsel, Chief Robert pressure, she called out to in a statement, said:“In 

chairman and Clarke, SAN, urging the the judge saying, “My Lord view of today’s 

management. I have also court to discharge and save me,” but the judge (yesterday’s) ruling by 

forgiven the presenter of acquit her. 

the programme, Isaac The commission’s lead 

Brown and Dare prosecution counsel, Mr. 

Adekanmbi, who 

Rotimi Oyedepo, in 

pronounced the slander. 

response to the application, 

admitted that the charge 

“I’m a firm believer of 

brought against Ofiliinvestigative 

journalism. Ajumogobia, was indeed 

But, I frown upon the not in line with the 

attitude of journalists who guidelines of the National 

conjure innuendoes, libels, Judicial Council, NJC. 

slander and outright In his ruling, Justice 

falsehood and present them Hakeem Oshodi dismissed 

to the public as exclusive the charges against Ofilistories. 

Ajumogobia, and frowned 

“I would not have taken at the EFCC for wasting the 

the matter seriously if not time of the court. 

that the said analyst insisted Justice Oshodi said: “As 

that he had sufficient proof at December 11, 2017, the 

to back up his slander and EFCC was aware of the 

unguarded utterances decision reached by the 

against me. I wanted to give Court of Appeal in 

him and Fresh FM the Nganjuwa versus FRN. As 

opportunity to expose me if 

at that date, the amended 

information was yet to be 

they have any iota of fact to 

filed and the 12 

substantiate their falsehood. 

th 

prosecution witness was 

“This is festive season and still giving evidence. 

I have, in the spirit of Easter “The prosecution 

and the coming Ramadan, persisted like a bull 

forgiven everyone involved running amok and still 

in this matter and hope that called two more witnesses 

lessons have been learnt. I and precious judicial time 

wish the Fresh FM and the was wasted. We have not 

management the very best." found a way in the judicial By Dayo Johnson yesterday, said it lost $1.2 

atmosphere to discipline or 

million due to data 

A 

penalize an agency of KURE—THE Ondo falsification by some of its 

government through fines State government, officials. 

Egypt’s leader could rule until 2030 

Egypt’s parliament 

has approved constitutional 

amendments 

that would allow President 

Abdul Fattah al-Sisi 

to stay in power until 

2030. 

Mr Sisi is due to stand 

down in 2022, when his 

second four-year term 

ends. 

But the amendments, 

which must be put to a 

referendum within 30 

days, would lengthen his 

current term to six years 

and allow him to stand for 

one more. 

They would also give 

Mr Sisi more power over 

the judiciary and further 

enshrine the military’s 

role in politics. 

In 2013, Mr Sisi led the 

military’s overthrow of 

Egypt’s first democratically 

elected president, 

Mohammed Morsi, following 

protests against 

his rule. 

Since then, he has overseen 

what human rights 

groups say is an unprecedented 

crackdown on 

dissent that has led to the 

detention of tens of thousands 

of people. 

Mr Sisi was first elected 

president in 2014 and 

was re-elected last year 

after winning 97% of the 

vote. 

Ondo loses $1.2m to data falsification 

PharmAccess, others harp on PPP for quality 

healthcare in Nigeria 

By Chioma Obinna 

LAGOS—TO achieve a 

Universal Health 

Coverage, UHC, health 

professionals and other 

stakeholders in the health 

sector have said that Public- 

Private-Partnership is 

inevitable in delivering 

quality health care in 

Nigeria. 

Speaking at a policy 

dialogue tagged: 

Disrupting Healthcare – 

PPPs as a model Adoption 

for Health System 

Strengthening in Nigeria, 

the Country Director, 

PharmAccess Foundation, 

Ms. Ndili Njide, who noted 

that government cannot 

solve the problems in the 

health sector alone, said: 

“The aim is to disrupt the 

health care system in a 

positive way. “PPPs 

strategy is capable of 

covering the infrastructure 

challenges in the health 

sector. The fund 

government is 

appropriating in the budget 

is clearly not enough. So, 

the Federal and State 

governments will clearly 

have to collaborate with the 

private sector to fill this 

gap.” 

On his part, Lagos State 

Commissioner for Health, 

Dr Jide Idris said: “A lot of 

things are changing, 

disease pattern is changing 

and technology is taking 

over the health space. We 

cannot but move along with 

all these things, we cannot 

continue to do things the 

old way." 

Justice Oshodi and having 

complied with the NJC 

procedure, the Commission 

is set to prefer fresh 

criminal charges against the 

first defendant, Ofili- 

Ajumogobia.” 

Her re-arrest, sheer 

wickedness—Fani-Kayode 

Reacting to the re-arrest 

of Justice Ofili-Ajumogobia, 

a former Aviation Minister, 

Mr. Femi Fani-Kayode 

said: “EFCC’s case against 

Justice Rita Ofili- 

Ajumogobia was thrown 

out by Justice Oshodi of the 

Ikeja High Court today 

with harsh words. Despite 

this, she was held hostage 

by the EFCC in the court 

premises for one hour and 

now she has been rearrested 

and taken to their 

Lagos office. 

"All this despite the fact 

that she is innocent of any 

wrongdoing, despite the 

fact that she is a lady, 

despite the fact that she has 

been subjected to and 

suffered immense trauma 

due to this case over the last 

two years and despite the 

fact that one of her legs is 

now broken and in a cast." 

“This is not justice: it is 

RECEPTION: From left; Deputy British High Commissioner to Nigeria, 

Laure Beaufils; Lagos State governor-elect, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu; British 

High Commissioner to Nigeria, Catriona Laing; Ogun State governor-elect, 

Prince Dapo Abiodun and Deputy Governor-elect, Mrs. Noimot Salako-Oyedele, 

at a reception hosted by British High Commission in Nigeria, in Lagos. 

It said that aside the loss 

of the huge amount, the 

reputation of the state was 

battered. 

The 

Health 

Commissioner, Dr. Wahab 

Adegbenro said this at a 

one day training for 

Medical Record Officers of 

Secondary Health facilities 

in Akure. 

Adegbenro, who said the 

loss of money was 

worrisome to government, 

said: “government would 

no longer allow such slip 

in future, hence the need 

to train staff on data 

gathering.” 

“The training is very 

important to the state as it 

has just come out of a data 

falsification saga which had 

cost the state $1.2 million 

and a battered reputation”, 

he said.

VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17, 2019 — 11 

NYSC CLOSING 

CEREMONY: 

Governor 

Adegboyega 

Oyetola of Osun 

State Inspecting 

the "Guard of 

Honour" during 

the closing 

ceremony of the 

2019 Batch ‘A’ 

Orientation 

Course of the 

National Youth 

Service Corps, at 

NYSC Permanent 

Orientation 

Camp, Ede, 

yesterday. 

INSECURITY: FG has proved it can’t 

secure lives — FALANA 

L AGOS—HUMAN 

rights lawyer, Mr. 

Femi Falana, SAN, has 

berated the Federal 

Government saying it has 

repeatedly proven that it 

cannot secure the lives and 

property of its citizens. 

Falana, who spoke when 

he featured on a Channels 

Television programme, 

blamed politicians for the 

spate of killings and 

kidnappings across the 

country. 

He said: “The increase in 

the wave of killings and 

kidnappings and banditry 

in recent times has to do 

with the just concluded 

elections. The thugs that 

were armed by politicians 

were not disarmed. 

“They were very busy 

during the elections 

attacking people and 

killing political opponents 

now they are back in 

business. Nothing was 

done to disarm them after 

the elections. They have 

been dumped by politicians 

and they have to look for 

means of survival of 

livelihood and that is why 

we are witnessing this 

increase. 

“What we are witnessing 

is a reign of impunity. It is 

a regular phenomenon. 

Once an election has just 

been concluded, you have 

phenomenal increase in 

violence all over the 

country. 

“The Nigerian state has 

collapsed. The Nigerian 

state has proven over and 

over again incapable to 

guarantee the security of 

lives and property.” 

Falana said the problem 

is not with the architecture 

of security but the social 

dimension of crime control, 

citing unemployment and 

underemployment as 

examples. 

He also accused the 

National Assembly of 

trivialising the issues of 

insecurity, saying while the 

constitution allows for just 

one police force; the 

national assembly and the 

presidency can constitute 

an agency and empower it 

to bear arms. 

He asked governors to 

quit complaining and head 

to the president to demand 

By Gbenga 

Olarinoye 

OSOGBO—STUDENTS 

of Obafemi Awolowo 

University, OAU, Ile-Ife, 

yesterday, lamented the 

poor welfare condition, 

victimization and alleged 

insecurity of lives and 

property of students of the 

institution. 

The students, under the 

aegis of Action Committee 

of the Great Ife Students’ 

Union, who disclosed this 

at a press conference, in 

Osogbo, stated that the 

situation on the campus of 

the institution has 

completely broken down. 

The group, led by 

Comrade Dunsin 

Olowolafe, faulted the Vice 

Chancellor, Prof Eyitope 

Ogunbodede for 

proscribing a democratic 

union of the institution. 

Olowolafe said: “The 

accommodation policy was 

a wicked response to the 

crisis of congestion on the 

campus. 

“The residential hostels, 

which accommodated about 

70 percent of the students, 

were decongested by 

driving majority of the 

a police force to guide their 

states if they would not be 

allowed state police. 

Falana said: “With 

profound respect, members 

of the National Assembly 

are toying with the security 

of our country. 

“How can the Senate at 

this stage and time be 

passing resolution asking 

for state police? Or the 

House of Representatives 

Ekiti gets new Head of Service 

By Rotimi 

Ojomoyela 

requesting the President to 

come and address the 

members of the National 

Assembly on the security 

situation in the country. 

“Why have they not 

moved the motion for the 

creation of state police? We 

have to be very innovative 

in the business of securing 

the country. We can’t just 

throw up our hands in 

helplessness.” 

OAU students decry poor welfare, 

victimisation, call for VC’s probe 

•Allegations a ruse, says OAU mgt 

students to town/off 

campus, a situation which 

degenerated into a 

transportation crisis on the 

campus. 

“The group demands a 

probe of the Vice 

Chancellor and recovery of 

funds meant for the 

construction of four new 

affordable halls of 

residence." 

OAU reacts 

Reacting through its 

Public Relations Officer, 

ADO-EKITI— 

GOVERNOR Kayode 

Fayemi of Ekiti State, 

yesterday, appointed Mr. 

Ayodeji Ajayi as the new 

Head of Service following 

the recommendation of the 

Civil Service 

Transformation Strategy 

Committee after a 

rigorous selection process. 

Ajayi, a Permanent 

Secretary in the Ministry 

of Education, Science and 

PRO, Biodun Olanrewaju 

described all the allegations 

of the students as a ruse, 

saying that the students 

union of the institution was 

merely suspended. 

He said the institution is 

currently experiencing 

acute shortage of 

accommodation , saying 

“that is why we are 

appealing to those who 

can partner with us to 

build accommodation for 

our students at 

affordable rates.” 

Technology, is to take 

over from the Acting Head 

of Service, Mrs. Peju 

Babafemi. 

The new Head of Service 

is to be sworn in today. 

Meanwhile, the Acting 

Head of Service, Mrs. 

Babafemi has been 

commended by 

Governor Fayemi for her 

diligence and 

professionalism which 

helped in stabilizing 

the government in its 

early days. 

Hearing-impaired women flay 

discrimination 

By Rotimi Ojomoyela 

A UNHAPPY DO-EKITI— 

about 

discrimination against 

persons living with hearing 

impairment, the Deaf 

Women Association of 

Nigeria, yesterday, staged 

an awareness rally in Ado, 

Ekiti State capital to draw 

public attention to their 

plight. 

The awareness rally, 

according to them, was to 

commemorate International 

Women’s Day and to also 

attract the attention of the 

appropriate authorities and 

to further educate their 

members on their rights. 

Speaking with newsmen 

through a sign interpreter, 

the National President of 

Deaf Women Association of 

Nigeria, DWAN, 

Deaconess Adedoyin 

Beyioku-Alase, expressed 

worry over government's 

indifference to their plights. 

She said: “We want the 

government to include us 

in everything, even in 

politics. We need 

signed interpreters in all 

government offices as well 

as hospitals, for effective 

communication and easy 

comprehension of our 

needs.” 

Mrs Beyioku-Alase called 

on government to create 

more empowerment 

programmes for the deaf 

such as loans, vocational 

trainings and employment. 

Fayemi, Kalu, Daniel, others 

for Freedom Online lecture 

L AGOS—GOVER- 

NOR Kayode 

Fayemi of Ekiti State 

will, on Thursday, speak 

on challenges facing Nigeria’s 

economy and the 

way out at the second 

annual lecture of Freedom 

Online, an online 

newspaper. 

Fayemi will speak on 

the theme Fixing Nigeria’s 

Economy: Less Politics, 

More Substance at 

the lecture which holds 

at Radisson Blu Hotel, 

GRA, Ikeja, Lagos. 

In a statement by the 

Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief 

of the news- 

Ogun community protests 

unlawful demolition of church, 

houses 

By Esther 

Onyegbula 

O youths FADA—SOME 

at Gan’um 

village in Ofada Mokoloki 

Local Council Development 

Area of Ogun State has 

staged a peaceful protest 

against the demolition of 

buildings in their 

community by the state 


The youths, numbering 

about 40, carried placards 

with inscriptions such as 

''Amosun, please stop 

demolishing our property on 

our land.'', Federal 

government should stop 

Amosun from demolishing 

our houses in our 

community.'' 

One of the protesters and 

a widow, Mrs. Bukola Shittu 

said Ogun State 

government has rendered 

her and her children 

homeless, even after losing 

her husband. 

She said: “On March 

22, we were in the church 

when officials of the Ogun 

State Government from 

Mission to Rebuild Officials 

came and said they had 

come to demolish our house 

and church that we are on 

illegal land. 

paper, Gabriel Akinadewo 

said former Governor 

of Abia State and Senator-elect, 

Dr. Orji Uzor 

Kalu will chair the event, 

while former Ogun State 

Governor, Otunba Gbenga 

Daniel, is the Special 

Guest of Honour. 

Akinadewo said the lecture 

is an annual event 

that brings together captains 

of industry, media 

chiefs, politicians and 

professionals “to discuss 

economic challenges in 

the country, proffer solutions 

and ensure that 

Nigeria occupies its 

rightful place in the comity 

of nations.” 

“When the officials of the 

state government came, it 

was during service, the 

leader of the team 

threatened to demolish the 

building on us, if we didn’t 

come out on time. We 

hurriedly rounded up the 

prayer session. 

“Before I knew what was 

happening they had 

demolished the house and 

church thereby, rendering 

my children and I 

homeless, we are 

protesting to register our 

grievances about the 

demolition exercise, 


Buhari should intervene in 

the matter, because I don’t 

know where to start from.” 

Mr. Ayodele Agbeleshe, 

who surveyed the whole 

land in the community 

said, the demolition was 

unfortunate. He said: “We 

want peace, that was why 

we are calling on governor 

elect, Mr. Dapo Abiodun to 

save us in Gaun village, we 

are peace loving people in 

the community.” 

Ogun 

State 

Commissioner 

for Housing, Mrs. Segun 

Abiodun said: “As far as I 

am concerned they didn’t 

have genuine documents 

concerning the properties.”

12—VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17, 2019 

Amnesty programme: My vision 

has paid off, says Dokubo 

By Dickson 

Omobola 

U Adviser YO—SPECIAL 

to the 

President on Niger Delta 

and Coordinator, 

Amnesty Programme, 

Prof. Charles Dokubo, 

yesterday, said his vision 

of creating a Job 

Placement and 

International Partners 

Engagement Unit, JP- 

IDPE, has started 

yielding results. 

He stated this in Uyo, 

Akwa Ibom State, at the 

opening ceremony of 

Train the Trainer, ToT, 

training on Nigeria 

Agricultural Enterprise 

Curriculum for 20 

graduate beneficiaries of 

the Amnesty Programme. 

The training 

programme is funded by 

the Department for 

International 

Development, DFID, 

Nigeria, and organised 

in partnership with the 

Presidential Amnesty 

Programme by Market 

Development in the 

Niger Delta, MADE, a 

non-profit project 

sponsored by UK-DFID. 

Dokubo, who noted 

that the partnership 

project was the first of its 

kind in the Amnesty 

Programme described it 

as historic and 

expressed optimism that 

it would create pathways 

for other international 

agencies to partner the 

Amnesty Office. 

He said: “On my 

appointment and 

assumption of duty as 

Coordinator of the 


Programme in 2018, I 

studied the existing 

implementation 

strategies and realised 

that little effort had been 

made to extend a hand 

of partnership to 

relevant international 

organisations. 

In order to rectify this 

omission, I created the 

Job Placement and 

International 

Development Partners 

Engagement Unit on 

May 2, 2018. I am glad 

that my vision has paid 

off today. The JP-IDPE 

unit network produced 

this MADE project that 

we see today and we 

look forward to having 

more of it”. 

He disclosed that in a 

Memorandum of 

Understanding signed 

with the Amnesty Office, 

MADE agreed among 

others, to facilitate 

linkage between the 


Programme and service 

providers working 

within its fisheries and 

poultry sector, provide a 

Train the Trainer (ToT) 

training for 20 

beneficiaries of the 

Amnesty Programme, 

and select the best five 

beneficiaries from the 

NAEC ToT programme 

for further training for 

them to become master 

trainers. 

To ensure that the 

project is sustained, 

Dokubo said 

beneficiaries of the 

training programme 

would be certified as 

Amnesty Programme 

training consultants in 

all vocational and 

empowerment refresher 

programmes of Agricbased 

contracts. 

Ika Grammar 

School Old 

Boys 

Association 

holds re-union 

A 

re-union being 

organised by 

members of Ika 

Grammar School, IGS, 

Old Boys Association 

would hold on April 20, 

2019 at the school’s 

ultra-modern hall in 

Boji-Boji Owa, Ika North 

East Local Government 

Area of Delta State. 

Chairman of the 

Planning Committee, Mr 

Goddy Igborgbor, in a 

statement, said the aim 

of the convention 

scheduled to start at 9 

a.m is to provide a 

platform for members of 

the association to 

reconnect with their 

former school mates. 

Igborgbor noted that 

members were also 

expected to leverage on 

the opportunity provided 

by the convention to 

brainstorm on ways of 

attracting more 

infrastructure 

development to the 

school, pointing out that 

some 

highly 

distinguished 

personalities would be 

honoured during the 

ceremony. 

MOU: From left—Chief Brown Aroloyeteim, representing Prof Charles Dokubo, SA to the 

President on N-Delta Affairs; Mr Tunde Oderinde, Team Leader, representative of the Market 

Development Programme in the N-Delta; and Mrs Patricia Ojakovo, Head Legal , Amnesty, 

during a presentation of MOU to Amnesty Office at the Nigeria Agricultural Enterprise 

Curriculum, NAEC, traning for beneficiaries of the amnesty programme supported by DFID 

Funded Market Development in the Niger Delta, held in Uyo, Akawa Ibom State, yesterday. 

Resist intimidation, inducement during 

guber poll, Dickson tells corp members 

...urges those posted to riverine areas to always use safety jacket 

Samuel 

Oyadongha 

YENAGOA — 

GOVERNOR Seriake 

Dickson of Bayelsa State 

has charged corps 

members serving in the 

state not to succumb to 

intimidation or inducement 

by any politician or political 

party during the state 

governorship poll slated for 

November this year 

Dickson stated this, 

yesterday, at the closing 

ceremony of the 2019 Batch 

‘A’ National Youth Service 

Corps Orientation Course 

at Kaiama, Kolokuma/ 

Opokuma Local 

Government Area of the 

state 

His words: “I have the 

responsibility for your safety 

and wellbeing. Later this 

year the governorship 

election will be holding in 

this state. Though I will not 

be directly participating, I 

want to advise that there 

are politicians and parties 

who would intimidate you 

as you go out to perform 

electoral duties. 

“Some would go as far as 

holding you hostage and 

forcing you to do things 

against the procedures and 

against the laws. I want to 

urge you to prepare to do 

what is right, give a face to 

the wishes of our people as 

they may feel free to 

exercise. Never be cowed 

or intimidated by anyone 

no matter how highly 

placed, you have our 

support. 

“We provided emergency 

lines which have been 

given to you. Please 

acquaint yourself with 

them. The security 

investment in this state is 

such that if there are 

incidents security 

US only works to achieve stability 

with stable nations —Consul 

By Princewill 

Ekwujuru 

CONSUL General of 

the United States (US) 

in Nigeria Mr. John Bray, 

yesterday in Lagos said the 

US only works to achieve 

economic and security 

objectives through 

diplomacy and 

development assistance to 

nations that are stable. 

Bray, who was speaking 

at a Security, Fire and 

Safety Exhibitions and 

conference organised by 

Securex West Africa in a 

paper titled, "Collaborative 

Security: A Multi 

Stakeholders Approach to 

Addressing Nigeria’s 

Security Challenges," listed 

some factors that contribute 

to instability. 

He stated that the factors 

include, but are not limited 

to, economic and political 

instability, health crises, 

illegal trade in toxic 

chemicals and dumping of 

hazardous wastes. 

Others are corruption, 

violent ethnic conflict, 

influence of neighboring 

country interests, 

population movements, 

landmine contamination, 

exploitation of natural 

resources, proliferation of 

small arms and light 

weapons, trafficking in 

persons, the trade of illegal 

conflict diamonds, natural 

disasters, and systemic, 

state-sponsored denial of 

political and legal rights. 

"That is why we promote 

peaceful environment and 

help to support and 

educate citizens in ways 

that can prevent, manage, 

and mitigate these 

conflicts," he said. 

C’RIVER: FRC berates firm over poor safety protocol in 

road, drainage construction 

By Ike 

Uchechukwu 

CALABAR-The Acting 

Chairman of Fiscal 

Responsibility 

Commission, Mr. Victor 

Muruako, has called on 

construction companies 

operating in Cross Rivers 

State to make ‘safety’ their 

priority in road 

construction. 

Muruako, who made this 

known after verifying 

capital projects with his 

team on Tuesday in Cross 

River, expressed 

dissatisfaction with the 

drainage system 

constructed in Ugep 

community in Yakurr Local 


state. 

He said that safety was 

not considered in the 

construction of the 

drainage system which is 

located at the Ugep market. 

The Acting Chairman, 

who inspected the Ugep- 

Alesi and the Iyamoyong- 

Ugep-Ikot Okpara federal 

roads in Cross River, 

operatives would get to you. 

“A number of you cannot 

swim like us. I strongly 

recommend that you 

acquire the skill of 

swimming. Until you know 

how to swim very well, I 

want to advise that you 

acquire your mandatory 

life jacket before going to 

any of the communities in 

this state which is largely 

riverine." 

The governor described 

the corps members as 

Nigeria’s greatest resource, 

stressing that his 

government prioritised 

human capacity building 

and had invested in 

education more than any 

other government in the 

country. 

He announced that the 

next orientation exercise for 

Corps members would hold 

at the permanent site of the 

camp where construction 

work was ongoing. 

In her closing remarks, 

the State NYSC 

Coordinator, Mrs. Loto 

Bolade-Omolayo lauded 

the state government for its 

support towards ensuring 

a successful orientation 

programme. 

observed that some of the 

road portions had no 

driving signs as well as 

other important road signs 

for the safety of commuters. 

He advised the company 

to improve on the quality 

of work in road and 

drainage construction with 

a view to get the federal 

government’s attention in 

releasing funds to them.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17, 2019 — 13

14 — VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17, 2019 

BPE prepares BoA for 

privatization with N250bn 

proposed capitalization 

….As Ogbeh promises farmers low 

loan collateral 

By Gabriel Ewepu 

ABUJA—THE Bureau 

of Public Enterprises, 

BPE, yesterday 

said it was preparing Bank 

of Agriculture, BoA, for 

privatization with a proposed 

N250 billion capitalization. 

Director General, BPE, 

Alex Okoh, disclsed this 

during a briefing at the 

headquarters of the Federal 

Ministry of Agriculture 

and Rural Development in 

Abuja, which had the Minister 

of Agriculture and Rural 

Development, Chief 

Audu Ogbeh and Minister 

of State for Agriculture 

and Rural Development, 

Senator Heineken Lokpobiri 

in attendance. 

Okoh said: “The Bank of 

Agriculture is owned by the 

Federal Government, Central 

Bank of Nigeria and 

Federal Ministry of Agriculture; 

these are the major 

shareholders of the BoA. 

These processes are going 

to lead essentially to the 

privatization of the equity 

of BoA, and the equity 

structure that we envisage 

of course the financial adviser 

will come up with the 

final structure after the first 

work we are doing. 

“The CBN will have 25 

per cent, Federal Ministry 

of Finance about 12 per 

cent, the Federal Government 

equity will be in the 

minority of 40 per cent and 

as we want private sector 

investors who will have 

further 12 per cent and the 

remaining 40 per cent will 

be owned by the farmers 

and farmers’ cooperative. 

So, between the private 

sector equity participants of 

the bank we will have 60 

per cent that makes it basically 

a private sector bank. 

But the major bloc will be 

owned by the farmers’ cooperatives. 

The N250 billion 

the Minister mentioned 

is still an estimate 

we still will find out what 


is the size of vote because 

there is negative equity 

that exists in BoA.” 

Speaking, Ogbeh said: 

“We are going to write to 

all the farmers’ cooperative, 

advertising to individual 

farmers, we will look at 

issuance. Farmers will be 

the one to buy shares. We 

are structuring loan access 

that there is control to avoid 

the issue of owning a 

house in Asokoro and 

Maitama as collateral to 

make it easier to access 

the loans, but they have 

to pay back the loan if 

not the bank will die.’’ 

“But being a member of 

MATRICULATION: From left; Mr Adewale Soremi, School Bursar, Corona College of Education (CCE); Mrs 

Esther Abakasanga, Deputy Provost (CCE); Dr. Martin Obinyan, Provost (CCE); Mrs. Joan Omole, Registrar 

(CCE); Mrs Vera James, Dean (CCE); Mr Opeolu Tella, Head of Department Early Childhood Education/Primary 

Education and Mr Augustine Mordi, Head of Department General Studies in Education/Educational Foundations 

& Administration at the 2019 matriculation ceremony of the College in Ilupeju, Lagos yesterday. 

FCT indigenes barricade NASS, ask army 

to relocate from their ancestral land 

By Emman 

Ovuakporie 

ABUJA—FOR a second 

time within a 

week, indigenes of the 

Federal Capital Territory, 

FCT under the aegis of 

Coalition of Abuja Native 

Communities, yesterday 

barricaded all entry 

points into the National 

Assembly Complex, asking 

the army to relocate 

from their ancestral land. 

It will be recalled that 

the group had last Thursday 

besieged the National 

Assembly demanding 

that the army should relocate 

from their land in 

the Zuba axis of FCT. 

Armed with various 

placards with inscriptions 

such, “Today na today 

Nigerian Army”, 

“Enough is Enough”, 

“Stop the killing of our 

people“ and many more, 

the natives stormed the 

complex in style and 

vowed never to vacate 

the place until their demands 

were met. 

Consequently, all the 

gates to the complex were 

hurriedly shut to both vehicular 

and human traffic 

and lawmakers, staff, journalists 

and others were 

shut out for several hours 

Also, plenary sessions at 

both chambers were put 

on hold till later when 

normalcy was partially 

restored 

The group told news 

men that it had already 

written the presidency 

over the alleged recent 

killings of indigenes by 

the Army and would 

soon protest to the villa 

for a redress and as well 

threatened to shut down 

the entire city if the coalition’s 

grievances were 

not addressed immediately 

İt claimed that no fewer 

than seven of their kinsmen, 

women and children 

had been killed, their crops 

destroyed and parcels of 

lands forcefully taken by 

the Army without regard to 

due process. 

The affected communities 

forcefully taken over by 

the Nigerian Army, according 

to the group, include 

Giri, Kpakuru, Ido Garki, 

Zuba and Tugan Maje. 

The spokesman of the 

group, Dalhatu Ezekiel, 

said: “we are helpless, 

we want Justice” that is 

why we are here, we 

don’t know what to do 

again, we are not violent, 

we are begging our 

law makers to come to 

our aid. The Army are 

illegal occupants and 

laying false claims to the 

lands they don’t have or 

own titles to. Each time 

we demand their allocation 

letters, their responses 

usually are the 

allocations letters have 

been burnt.” 

FG saves N37bn from MDAs, assures 

of payment of promotion arrears 

ABUJA—THE 

fed 

eral government yesterday 

said it had saved 

over N37 billion from misapplications, 

mistakes and 

non-compliance by MDAs 

to the agreed template. 

The Accountant-General 

of the Federation, OAGF, 

Mr. Ahmed Idris, disclosed 

this when he hosted the 

National Executive of the 

Association of Senior Civil 

Servants of Nigeria, who 

paid him a courtesy visit in 

his office in Abuja. 

He reassured civil servants 

in the country of the 

commitment of Office of the 

Accountant-General of the 

Federation, to the continued 

payment of promotion 

arrears owed Federal civil 

servants in line with Mr. 

President’s directives. 

The nation’s Treasurer, 

revealed that following Mr. 

President’s directive that 

N10 billion be set aside 

monthly, from May 2017 to 

offset backlog of promotion 

arrears, that an in-house 

committee had been inaugurated 

by the OAGF to 

Petroleum Prices: Fuel remains steady as kerosene, 

diesel climb ....As Anambra, others sell kerosene 

By Prince Okafor 

THE Average price 

paid by consumers for 

premium motor spirit, PMS, 

popularly known as petrol, 

remains steady, as price of 

kerosene, diesel others increased 

in the month of 

March 2019. 

According to the National 

Bureau of Statistic, NBS, 

petrol Price Watch report, 

the average price paid by 

consumers for petrol decreased 

by -11.1percent 

year-on-year and 0.00 percent 

month-on-month to 

N145.30 in March 2019. 

The report noted that Oyo, 

Plateau and Taraba were 

states with the highest average 

price of petrol at 

N146.50, N146.55 and 

N150.55 respectively. 

States with the lowest av- 

By Emmanuel 

Elebeke 

above N326/litre 

erage price of petrol were 

Ogun (N143.06), Imo 

(N143.18) and Ekiti 

(N143.47) 

The agency in another 

report on National Household 

Kerosene, stated that, 

“Average price per litre paid 

by consumers for the product 

decreased by -0.49 percent 

month-on-month and 

increased by 12.99 percent 

year-on-year to N303.94 in 

March 2019 from N305.44 

in February 2019. 

“States with the highest 

average price per litre of 

kerosene were Anambra 

(N329.09), Ebonyi 

(N326.83), and Ondo 

(N326.67). States with the 

lowest average price per litre 

of kerosene were Gombe 

(N255.38), Niger (N278.02) 

and Kaduna (N279.75).” 

Similarly, the report noted 

that the average price 

per gallon paid by consumers 

for National Household 

Kerosene decreased by - 

1.56 percent month-onmonths 

and increased by 

26.25 percent year-on-year 

to N1190.89 in March 2019 

from N1209.73 in February 

2019. 

“States with the highest 

average price per gallon of 

kerosene were Borno 

(N1357.14), Jigawa 

(N1283.33) and Katsina 

(N1278.13), while Bayelsa 

(N1,022.37) Kogi 

(N1,075.00) and Plateau 

(N1,090.35), are lowest. 

Also, NBS stated that the 

average price paid by consumers 

for diesel increased 

by 1.58 percent month-onmonth 

and 11.02 percent 

year-on-year to N229.16 in 

March 2019 from to 

N225.61 in February 2019. 

Meanwhile the Senate 

has set up a committee to 

investigate the allegations 

raised by the natives. 

Chairman Senate committee 

on FCT, Senator 

Dino Melaye, who addressed 

the protesters in 

company of other senators, 

said a committee would be 

set up by the Senate leadership 

to interface with 

group’s leaders. 

verify MDAs’ claims and 

submissions. 


committee had paid N42 

billion, out of the N55 billion 

released, leaving an 

outstanding of N13 billion 

in cash, while N35 billion 

was yet to be released to 

the office. 

The OAGF promised that 

he will bring the concerns 

of the association to the 

notice of the Minister of 

Finance and will also 

dialogue with the Director 

General Budget 

Office, to ensure that 

Government continues 

to keep its part of the 

agreement reached 

with the association in 

order to ensure industrial 

harmony. 

He commended the 

leadership of the Association 

of Senior Civil Servants 

of Nigeria, ASCSN, 

for their understanding 

and support in the implementation 

of government 

plans and programmes, 

saying without industrial 

harmony no meaningful 

development can be 

achieved. 

Earlier, President of ASC- 

SN, represented by the 

National Vice President, 

Bola Audu Innocent, extolled 

the leadership qualities 

of Mr. Ahmed Idris, 

saying he had displayed 

professionalism in managing 

the Nation’s Treasury. 

“We as a Union, that 

Unionizes Senior Staff in 

public service is proud of 

your achievements and 

contribution to nation 

building at this level,” 

Audu said.


Umahi receives Certificate of Return, insists 

on amendment of Electoral Act 

By Peter Okutu 

A BAKALIKI— 

GOVERNOR David 

Umahi of Ebonyi State 

yesterday called on the 

national assembly to 

complete the amendment 

process of the country’s 

Electoral Act to include a 

voting system that would 

allow and enable the 

electorate vote with ease 

electronically anywhere 

within the country without 

fear for their lives and 

property. 

The governor stated this 

at Independent National 


INEC, headquarters in 

Abakaliki while receiving 

his Certificate of Return 

from the commission. 

Umahi who expressed 

sadness over those who 

lost their lives in the last 

general elections, added 

that with the amendment of 

the Electoral Act, Nigerians 

would feel safer during 

elections and be freer to 

vote candidates of their 

choice against all odds. 

He frowned at varying 

degrees of violation of the 

electoral act in the last 

elections and promised to 

pursue justice against 

electoral offenders in the 

state. 

Umahi further applauded 

INEC and its officers 

including the national 

chairman, Prof. Mahmoud 

Yakubu for successfully 

conducting the last 

elections, despite pressure 

and threats from different 

quarters even as he 

dedicated his Certificate of 

Return to God and those 

who lost their lives in the 

course of the elections. 

“Let’s start on time to 

amend our electoral laws. 

We can also pattern our 

voting like the use of ATM 

cards and machines. This 

will allow people to vote 

Varsity chancellor tasks NYSC on safety 

of youth corps members in camps 

•Make good use of NYSC members, Ikpeazu 

tells employers 

By Vincent 

Ujumadu & Anayo 

Okoli 

U MUAHIA—THE 

Chancellor of 

Gregory University Uturu, 

Abia State, Prof. Greg Ibe 

has decried the rate youths 

serving the nation in the 

National Youth Service 

Corps, NYSC, meet their 

untimely death in their 

orientation camps, saying 

that many of the death 

were avoidable. 

Ibe blamed the situation 

on what he described as 

“total absence of adequate 

medical facilities” in the 

orientation camps scattered 

across the nation and 

expressed worry over the 

ugly situation. 

Ibe spoke in a statement 

while mourning a graduate 

of Economics of the 

university, Fortune Ihe who 

died in his Sokoto 

orientation camp recently. 

Ihe was posted to Sokoto 

and died in the orientation 

camp of fever. 

In the statement which 

was signed by the 

institution’s Public 

Relations Officer, 

Ogbonnaya Ogwo, the 

chancellor said: “I am 

calling on the management 

of NYSC to explain to us 

the circumstances that led 

to the death of Fortune Ihe, 

a young Nigerian 

graduate, who I had a rare 

privilege of nurturing 

personally from a fresh man 

in our university to a 

promising global leader.” 

Make good use of 

NYSC members, 

Ikpeazu tells 

employers 

Meantime, Governor 

Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia 

State has called on 

employers of labour to 

make maximum use of the 

potentials of the National 

Youth Corps members 

posted to serve in their 

organizations. 

Ikpeazu who spoke at the 

closing ceremony of the 

2019 batch “A” orientation 

course programme at the 

NYSC permanent 

orientation camp, Umunna 

in Bende council area, 

noted that the corps 

members were being 

under-utilised by 

employers, thereby 

denying the youths the 

opportunity to realise their 

full potentials in the service 

of their father land. 

anywhere and with ease. 

It will eradicate the issue of 

altercation and violence. 

“Let’s have a rethink. I 

believe that if the electoral 

act is amended, no lives will 

be lost and our country can 

move forward. I will ensure 

that electoral offenders are 

punished. I will seek for 

justice and fairness. We 

must sanitize Ebonyi State 

and allow the wishes of the 

people to stand. 

“I want to dedicate my 

certificate of return to God 

and those who lost their 

lives in the course of the 

election. I want to 

commend the national 

chairman of INEC. I want 

to thank him highly. As an 

independent man, I 

support him. We thank the 

REC." 

INEC explains delay in concluding Imo North election 

By Omeiza Ajayi 

A BUJA—The 

Independent 

National Electoral 

Commission, INEC, has 

explained its inability to act 

on the report of a committee 

it set up to probe the 

conduct of the Imo North 

senatorial election and 

recommend the way 

forward. 

INEC National 

Commissioner, 

Mohammed Haruna 

disclosed this in a 

statement yesterday . 

He said while the 

commission has received 

the report of its probe panel, 

it would stay action as a 

result of a court case 

instituted against it by one 

of the parties. 

The statement read: 

“Further to our statement of 

4th April 2019 on the setting 

up of a committee by the 



INEC, to investigate the 

veracity or otherwise of 

allegations of misconduct in 

the Imo North Senatorial 

election, the commission 

wishes to inform the public 

that the committee has 

completed its assignment. 

“However, the 

commission has been 

served with an ex parte 

order halting further action 

on the matter. 

“The order, issued by the 

Federal High Court Abuja 

on 9th April 2019, 

specifically ordered the 

commission to stay ‘all 

further proceedings and 

actions by the Respondent, 

INEC, pertaining, relating 

or connected with the 

declaration of Imo North 

Senatorial District election 

results of 23rd February 

Police arrest 5 suspects for 

beheading herdsman in Ebonyi 

By Peter Okutu 

A BAKALIKI— 

ASSISTANT 

Inspector-General of Police, 

Musa Kimo yesterday said 

police have arrested no 

fewer than 4 persons for 

beheading a herdsman 

(names withheld) in 

Onunwakpu, Izzi Local 

Government Area of Ebonyi 

State. 

Last year, four residents 

of the area were killed by 

herdsmen who attacked the 

community and destroyed 

their houses, economic 

trees and other valuable 

properties. 

At the weekend, a 

herdsman was allegedly 

beheaded in the 

community. 

AIG Musa Kimo said 

some persons have been 

arrested in connection to 

the gruesome murder of 

the herdsman. 

He disclosed this when 

he paid a courtesy call on 

Governor Dave Umahi to 

inform him of the launching 

of Operation PUFF 

ADDER in the state as 

directed by the Inspector- 

General of Police, IGP, 

Adamu Mohammed. 

and 9th March 2019, 

pending the determination 

of the application for 

prohibition. 

“The case, which was 

instituted by Senator 

Benjamin Uwajumogu, the 

All Progressives Congress, 

APC, candidate against 

INEC a day after it set up 

the committee has been 

adjourned to 30th April 

2019 for hearing”, the 

commission added. 

5 injured, 70 tricycles 

smashed as operators go 

on rampage over extortion 

By Nwabueze 

Okonkwo 

ONITSHA—NO fewer 

than five persons 

sustained various degrees 

of injury while over 70 

tricycles were smashed 

following yesterday’s 

demonstration staged by 

tricycle (keke na-pep) 

operators in protest against 

alleged extortion by those 

they identified as fake 

revenue collectors. 

The tricycle operators 

operating under the platform 

of Keke Drivers Welfare, had 

in the early morning of 

yesterday blocked the 

ever-busy Onitsha/Owerri 

road and some parts of 

Onitsha Main Market with 

their tricyles to protest the 

battering of one of their 

members (names withheld) 

at Onitsha Main Market 

by thugs suspected to be 

factional tricycle operators 

association for allegedly 

refusing to pay N1,000 

daily. 

Addressing newsmen 

during the protest, the vice 

chairman of the body, Mr 

Ekene Ifediata alleged that 

the previous day, one of 

their members was beaten 

to a state of coma by the 

factional members at 

Onitsha Main Market and 

he was rushed to a nearby 

hospital for medical 

attention. 

According to Ifediata, 

“About four others were also 

injured because they 

refused to be extorted. 

“They extort as much as 

N1,000 from each member 

at Onitsha Main Market 

and another N1,000 at 

Owerri road by another 

group, even as the state 

government has banned all 

manner of revenue 

collections in the state. 

"We call on Governor 

Obiano and the 

Commissioner for Trade, 

Markets, Commerce and 

Wealth Creation, Dr. 

Christian Madubuko, to 

come to our rescue.” 

However, in a swift 

reaction, the chairman of 

the Owerri Road Keke 

Operators, Chief Tochukwu 

Anyaoku denied Ifediata's 

claims that they collect 

revenue from the operators 

adding that, “we don’t 

collect any money from 

them because the state 

government has banned 

collection of such money.”


From left— Sales 

D i r e c t o r , 

GlaxoSmithKline 

Pharmaceuticals 

Nigeria, Wole Fagbola; 

Member, Young 

Pharmacists Group, 

Pharmaceutical Society 

of Nigeria, Chinwendu 

Amagba; Managing 

D i r e c t o r , 

GlaxoSmithKline 

Pharmaceuticals 

Nigeria, Bhushan 

Akshikar, and member, 

Young Pharmacists 

Group, Pharmaceutical 

Society of Nigeria, 

Shaibu Halimat, at the 

Make a Difference 

event organised by GSK 

in Lagos. 

Ndokwa group begs Okowa to lift suspension 

on monarch 

By Ochuko 

Akuopha 

O BIARUKU— 

NDOKWA Elite 

Youths, NEY, Lagos, has 

called on Governor Ifeanyi 

Okowa of Delta State to 

withdraw and void the six 

months suspension 

slammed on the Ukwata 1 

of Umukwata Kingdom 

HRH Friday Abaja by the 

state government. 

The group, in a statement 

by its Coordinator, Mr. 

Chika Odagwe, described 

the suspension of the 

traditional ruler for alleged 

"acts inimical to peace, 

Lent: Anglican bishop urges prayer for peace, 

unity 

By Olayinka 

Latona 

L AGOS—DIOCESAN 

Bishop of the Diocese 

of Lagos, (Anglican 

Communion), Rt. Rev. 

Humphrey Olumakaiye, 

has called for continued 

prayers to promote peace, 

unity, as well as economic, 

social and political 

development of Nigeria. 

Olumakaiye made the 

call during the annual 

Lenten Talk, Coral 

Renditions and Breaking of 

Fast at the Island Club, 

Onikan Lagos. 

The bishop said that it was 

EPC plans free medicare for 2000 

By Gabriel 

Olawale 

L AGOS—EVANGEL 

Pentecostal Church has 

concluded plan to distribute 

school items, food items, 

clothes along with legal, 

medical and barbing 

services to over 2,000 

people as part of activities 

to celebrate Good Friday. 

According to Pastor 

Iheanyi Ejiogu, Easter 

season marks the death 

and resurrection of our Lord 

and Saviour, Jesus Christ 

and one of the hallmarks of 

the season is “Good Friday” 

order and good governance" 

as unjust and oppressive. 

Saying that the state 

government acted without 

taking cognizance of the 

basic principles of natural 

justice, equity and fairness, 

the statement said the 

suspension was carried out 

"following undisclosed, 

uninvestigated and 

unverified information 

before it. 

"Verdict was therefore 

served before fair hearing, 

which is akin to shaving a 

man's head in his absence. 

NEY Lagos is not unaware 

of the political colouration of 

the suspension following the 

only through fervent 

prayers that the country 

would overcome the 

challenges it was facing. 

In his words: “A praying 

nation is a great nation; we 

should walk on the path of 

righteousness, honesty, and 

sincerity. 

Lagos Health Ministry, Hypo partner on 

World Heath Day 

By Nkiruka 

Nnorom 

G O S — I N 

commemoration of 

L 

A 

this year’s World Health 

Day, Hypo, makers of Nigeria’s 

favourite bleach 

brand, collaborated with the 

which actually described the 

suffering and death of Jesus 

which earned mankind 

salvation. 

“As part of activities to 

celebrate the day in line with 

our project #DoGoodFriday, 

Evangel Pentecostal 

Church, EPC had a leading 

to not only mark the date, 

but to use it as a tool to reach 

the society with the gospel 

and love of God. 

“This year’s event will 

hold on 19th April 2019 at 

EPC grounds, Canal Estate, 

Okota, Lagos. At this year’s 

#DoGoodFriday event, 

plans have been made to 

neutrality of HRH Friday 

Abaja during the just 

concluded general elections, 

the gubernatorial 

elections in particular. 

"In the interest of clarity, 

NEY Lagos is non-partisan 

and would not encourage 

the victimization of any 

Nigerian on the basis of his 

or her political beliefs no 

matter how this may be 

cloaked in water-tight 

disguised basis. 

"It is unimaginable that 

an Ndokwa man, who has 

singularly dwarfed the 

presence of the 

government at all levels in 

his community by 

“We should imbibe the 

spirit of Christ, and that is 

total love and sacrifice, and 

we should strive to be our 

brother’s keeper." 

In his address, the 

Chairman of Island Club, 

Mr Olabanji Oladapo, 

said that lent, which is a 

Lagos State Ministry of 

Health, Environment and 

the Ministry of Women 

Affairs and Poverty 

Alleviation to organize a 5 

kilometers sensitization 

walk, Health Symposium 

and a community cleaning 

organize and distribute 

school items, food items 

and clothes. Also there will 

be free legal services, 

medical services and 

barbing services. 

Everything shared at 

*#DoGoodFriday* are 

provided and sponsored 

by EPC, her members, and 

her friends. The entire 

professional services 

(doctors, lawyers, barbers, 

etc), as well as volunteers 

all serve for free! Last year’s 

event had over 1300 

people, and this year we 

plan to reach out to over 

2000 people. 

providing basic 

infrastructure, employing 

youths in their thousands, 

projecting good health care 

delivery only to mention a 

few can be subjected to the 

disdainful acts of the State 


"The deafening silence of 

the Ndokwa leaders at all 

levels has in no small 

measure exposed the much 

shielded disunity amongst 

the Ndokwa people. 

"NEY Lagos hereby call 

on the Okowa led 

Administration to seek 

ways of fostering the agelong 

unity between the 

Ndokwa people." 

period before Easter, 

reminds Christians of the 

suffering, death and the 

resurrection of Jesus Christ: 

“Christian faith hinges on 

resurrection of Christ, it is 

believed that if there is no 

resurrection there will be no 

Christianity,’’ he said. 

exercise tagged “Team Up 

to Clean Up.” 

The health symposium which 

held on Friday at LTV 8 

Agindinbgi, Ikeja was preceded 

by a 5Km walk starting from the 

Ikeja Local Government and 

concluded with a medical health 

screening exercise made 

available to all attendees outside 

the symposium venue, while the 

day after saw the Hypo team 

converged on LSDPC Alaka 

Estate, Surulere community to 

clean up the entire estate. 

Speaking at the symposium, 

Commissioner for Health, Lagos 

State, Dr Jide Idris, who was 

represented by a Director in the 

Directorate of Disease Control, 

Dr. Agbolagoriite Olurotimi, 

commended the Hypo brand for 

partnering with the Lagos State 

to sustain the enlightenment 

campaign. 

Also speaking, Hypo’s Brand 

Manager, Onome Asagbra, said: 

“Team Up to Clean Up” is an 

activity imbibed by the brand to 

bring all stakeholders together to 

clean up their neighbourhoods." 

Bank of America revenue misses 

forecasts, shares fall 

Bank of America Corp yesterday reported firstquarter 

revenue that fell short of expectations and 

predicted that net interest income would rise half as fast 

this year, sending its shares down. 

Bank of America, the second-biggest U.S. bank by 

assets, followed rival domestic lenders by struggling to 

generate top-line growth in the latest quarter and suffering 

from a decline in trading revenue. 

The bank's shares were down 2.7 percent in morning 

trade. 

Lower market volatility hurt trading revenue at U.S. 

banks during the first quarter. That left them relying on 

expense cuts to drive profitability. 

JPMorgan Chase & Co, the country's biggest bank by 

assets, has been the exception. It increased revenue and 

beat expectations while seeing expenses rise as it invests 

in new technology. 

Allowing for different tax treatments on some assets, 

Bank of America said revenue came in at $23.2 billion. 

That compared with the average analyst estimate of 

$23.3 billion, according to IBES data from Refinitiv. 

China eyes U.S. poultry, pork 

imports in trade talks — 

source 

China would likely lift a ban on U.S. poultry as 

part of a trade deal and may buy more pork to 

meet a growing supply deficit, but it is not willing to 

allow a prohibited growth drug used in roughly half 

the U.S. hog herd, two sources with knowledge of 

the negotiations said. 

The United States and China are trying to hammer 

out a deal to end a months-long trade war that has 

cost the world's two largest economies billions and 

roiled global financial markets and supply chains. 

U.S. President Donald Trump's administration is 

pressing Beijing to address concerns over Chinese 

practices on intellectual property rights, forced technology 

transfer and industrial subsidies. 

Netflix surges ahead of quarterly 

results report; Disney in 

focus 

Shares of Netflix jumped 3 percent yesterday 

ahead of the streaming video service's quarterly 

results, with traders expecting a larger than 

normal reaction from the stock as new competition 

looms from Walt Disney Co. 

Netflix will be the first to report March-quarter 

earnings among major high-growth firms and Wall 

Street's reaction to its results will be viewed as an 

indicator of what to expect when Amazon.com Inc 

and Facebook Inc report next week. 

TEXA partners TAGEXPO on real 

estate exhibition in Houston 

Trade Expo Africa, TEXA, a United State based com 

pany is partnering a Nigerian Real Estate Exhibition 

team TAGEXPO to bring the best of both worlds in the 

upcoming event tagged "Trade Expo Africa 2019" next 

month in Houston Texas. 

The partnership was created to help focus the Trade Expo 

Africa to align with the need for all participants to "meet, 

invest, secure" as projected by TAGEXPO over its consistent 

real estate platform since its maiden edition in 2016 in 

London. 

The theme of this year's event is "Bilateral Trade Relations" 

According to the convener and Houston host, Dr. Yinka 

Thomas-Ogboja, "The collaborative efforts towards the 

gathering of real estate companies and property agents 

in Nigeria and Nigerians living in the US is expected to 

attract up to a thousand participants to the event. 

"Plans have been made to host participants from Nigeria 

in paid accommodation at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in 

Houston, following a stipulated commitment from developers 

with affordable and sizeable property on the market. 

"The team has made ample plans for logistics in order to 

make the event experience wholesome and worth the 

attendees' time. Sponsor brands such as Mortgage Banking 

Association of Nigeria MBAN, and the Nigeria Mortgage 

Refinance Company NMRC, will be in attendance 

as potential financiers to assist buyers and developers with 

needed facilities to enable purchase. 

"We are optimistic that the partnership and collaborations 

with TAGEXPO is a winning formula for a successful 

outing", the organizers stated.

ALL manner of “activists” 

crawl out of the wood 

works to make vague, empty 

statements (and this isn’t to 

say they don’t have a right to 

criticize government’s 

performance) but one wonders 

where many of these new 

voices were when things truly 

started to fall apart. It’s easy 

for the middle-class to join the 

bandwagon and cry out in 

alarm over the insecurity and 

violence in Nigeria, the state 

of the economy, etc. But the 

reality is today’s armchair 

activists either did not have 

the intellectual depth to realise 

(and therefore oppose) 

Nigeria’s gradual shift from 

production to consumption, or 

they benefitted in no small 

measure from said move 

which also came with state 

sponsored benefits and 

patronage for a small elite. 

Nigeria is a society geared 

towards the consumption of 

imported products. The little 

we do produce finds few 

buyers and supporters unless 

it is marketed as a luxury 

product or one that provides 

comforts and privileges 

associated with the elite. 

Comforts and 

privileges 

To quote a song I heard on 

the radio one morning: “You 

no get money, you want pop 

champagne, you no get pot 

you dey form stew gang, na 

your problem be that o”. 

Our aspirational society, 

where the appearance of 

wealth matters much more 

than 

sustainably 

manufacturing tangible goods, 

isn’t just a topic to be casually 

laughed at when we discuss 

what “big boys” owe money to 

what bank or nightclub. It is 

in fact the would-be 

modernising premise upon 

which our economy is built 

and the foundation of any 

capitalist economy. Our 

problem (a global one with 

interesting peculiarities in our 

local context) is perhaps best 

understood by discussing the 

disappearance of the radical 

left. 

The problems of unregulated 

capitalism are exemplified by 

African economies and 

societies: here, the capitalist 

experiment was the most 

extreme and untamed. I’m 

Festus Keyamo 

ACCORDING to the 

official spokesperson of 


Buhari’s 2019 presidential 

campaign, “by the definition 

of school certificate or its 

equivalent, in section 318 of 

the 1999 Constitution, you 

don’t need a WAEC certificate 

to become President or 

Governor, but if you present a 

forged WAEC or other 

certificate to INEC for any 

office you will be disqualified". 

He continued: "Forgery 

occurs when the supposed 

author of a document denies 

ever making it or denies its 

authenticity. WAEC confirmed 

the authenticity of PMB’s 

Replacing the radical left with arm-chair 

revolutionaries: A legacy of structural adjustment 

expecting the usual barrage of 

emails telling me “don’t blame 

the West for Africa’s problems” 

to which I’ll respond, as usual: 

“I don’t, or not entirely. I 

blame those of our leaders who 

played an active role in 

supporting economic 

imperialism.” We can’t talk 

about increasing poverty, 

violence or tribalism in Nigeria 

without going back to the 

period when Babangida and 

his successors essentially 

remade our political economy. 

Why should you care what 

happened to the radical left? 

Because those were the voices 

who would have been best able 

to oppose and re-think today’s 

system, one which keeps 

people in poverty, where the 

wealthiest and most 

unproductive, who benefit the 

most from the system pay as 

little taxes as possible, and 

small business owners make 

up the shortfall. IBB’s war 

against radical professors 

“professing what they were 

not paid to teach” was in 

tandem, in Europe and 

America, with the slow, quiet 

certificate by issuing an 

attestation of it. In the 

#OsunCaseScenario WAEC 

denied the authenticity… the 

crux of the matter is that if you 

don’t have a WAEC certificate, 

there’s no need to go ahead 

and forge one in a bid to be 

Governor or President”. 

Keyamo says years of service 

are, therefore, equivalent to 

paper qualifications, in order 

to qualify for leadership, 

according to Nigeria’s 

Constitution. It seems there 

was no legal basis for the 2015 

“certificate saga” which 

attempted to disqualify the 

APC’s candidate, 

Muhammadu Buhari. As for 

disavowal of leftist ideas. 

While in the developing world 

the war against social justice 

was more brutal, it was 

possible only because of the 

demands of international 

foreign policy. 

Structural 

Adjustment remade 

the Nigerian 

identity: it was the 

beginning of the 

collapse of our 

socio-economic 

arrangement 

During that period in 

Nigeria, some of the left’s most 

vocal voices were subdued by 

the military’s promise of 

wealth and appointments: 

Nigerians began to accept it 

wasn’t possible to beat the 

system, and intellectuals were 

ready to compromise on their 

ideas to join it, never mind 

successive governments’ 

•Festus Keyamo 

writing off candidates who 

present forged documents, 

this explanation neatly does it. 

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17, 2019 —17 

collusion with global policies 

and ideologies crafted to 

ensure private profit at the 

expense of the African people. 

Structural Adjustment remade 

the Nigerian identity: it was 

the beginning of the collapse 

of our socio-economic 

arrangement. Those who tell 

us not to look at the past, or 

not to look too closely at the 

connections between our 

leaders’ local actions and the 

supposed needs of the global 

economy our country was 

literally created to serve, 

either don’t understand why 

things keep going wrong, are 

too afraid of what they might 

find or simply benefit from the 

status quo. 

Our democracy doesn’t 

produce advantages for the 

majority because it is based on 

an SAP economy, something 

the National Association of 

Nigerian Students already 

said in the 1980s. Today’s 

NANs is a far cry from its 

predecessor. Like many civil 

society organisations who 

resisted consecutive hikes in 

fuel prices, government 

repression greatly impacted 

their ability to continue 

fighting to reform the accepted 

trade and power imbalance 

crystalised by SAP: we talk 

about Africa’s overreliance on 

our commodity exports without 

acknowledging who or what 

encouraged this. Trade 

liberalisation impacted food 

security, and ensured our 

economies’ profits were 

Nigeria will survive 

ONE should be amused 

by the numerous, 

omnipresent articles and 

position papers which every 

election season predict 

Nigeria’s doom. 

Rather than analyse the real 

issues and reasons why 

governments find it near 

impossible to make real 

progress, they restrict their 

analysis to who won or who 

lost what position or 

opportunity to access public 

funds. 

Such analysts bemoan 

Kingsley Moghalu, Oby 

Ezekwesili, Fela Durotoye, 

distributed only at the top, and 

to those with connections to 

global conglomerates. In 

short, the 1980s and 1990s 

successfully made way for a 

corporate bourgeoisie (which 

in itself isn’t necessarily a 

problem), while completely 

shutting out both the urban 

and rural poor from avenues 

for personal growth and access 

to national wealth. 

Tragically, by the time 

Nigeria returned to 

democracy, the political elite 

was frozen and arrested by this 

convergence towards neoliberal 

ideology. One of its 

most ardent backers was 

former President Olusegun 

Obasanjo. Privatisation 

became an excuse to entrench 

elite interests, with the support 

of a middle-class eager for the 

supposed benefits of “trickledown” 

economics. Fela said 

the military elite was beholden 

to global capitalism and 

Nigeria’s history gives us food 

for thought. We continued to 

unquestioningly outsource our 

national capacity to deliver 

any benefits to citizens, from 

the privatisation of healthcare, 

education and water services 

(we can’t drink our tap water, 

who does this benefit besides 

bottled water brands). 

World Bank and IMF 

directed reforms have put most 

public services in the hands of 

corporations, reducing their 

accessibility and interestingly, 

their quality, given the state’s 

inability (or reluctance) to 

regulate them. Interestingly, 

the former education minister 

who nearly oversaw the sale 

of Nigeria’s unity schools (if 

not for public protest) has now 

been marketed as a 

“revolutionary” new face in 

politics, forgetting the policies 

she advocated during 

Obasanjo’s tenure which 

allowed the ruin of public 

universities. 

These are the issues armchair 

revolutionaries must 

revisit and discuss. Analysts 

ignore class-based tensions, 

focusing only on ethnoreligious 

problems: the former 

is the underlying dispute 

which gives rise to the latter, 

used as a means of mobilising 

society, precisely to hide that 

the real opposition is neither 

ethnic nor religious; it is an 

age-old struggle between 

those in power, their friends 

the global corporations and the 

rest of us. 

etc., loss at the polls, 

emphasizing Nigerians’ 

supposed “lack of political 

sophistication”. 

Never do they stop to think 

that many of these foot soldiers 

of the current order were not 

perceived as either 

revolutionary or fully 

competent. 

Tabia Princewill is a 

strategic communications 

consultant and public policy 

analyst. She is also the cohost 

and executive producer 

of a talk show, WALK THE 

TALK which airs on 

Channels TV.


AS the Lagos State Governor, Mr. 

Akinwumni Ambode, prepares to 

hand over the reins of power to his 

successor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, at 

Alausa on May 29, 2019, perhaps the 

greatest achievement for which he will 

never be forgotten is the conception 

and completion of the Murtala 

Muhammed International Airport, 

MMIA, Road in Lagos. 

Motorists who regularly use the 

road, on Thursday, April 11, 2019, 

noticed that full street lights had 

come alive on the first phase which 

starts from Oshodi and ends at the 

Ajao Estate U-Turn. The beauty of the 

project which is still proceeding at 

steady pace day and night, is a sight 

to behold, especially at night now that 

the lights have been installed. 

This former four-lane road, which 

the Lagos State Government started 

reconstructing roughly two years 

ago, has been expanded into a tenlane 

marvel with two flyover bridges 

As MMIA Road comes alive 

at Mafoluku and Hajj Camp and at 

least one pedestrian overhead bridge 

at Ajao. 

When fully completed it will be a 

world-class masterpiece befitting of 

a country that likes to pride itself as 

“The Giant of Africa”. It will be a 

stunning departure from the old road 

that signposted the shame of a nation. 

The old MMIA Road, apart from 

being narrow, was potholes-infested, 

with furniture makers, petty traders, 

fuel stations and commercial buses/ 

motorcycles (Okada) struggling for 

space with users of the road, which is 

supposed to be the number one 

gateway into Nigeria from all parts 

of the world. 

The situation was worse at night 

when the unlit corridor which was 

overgrown with elephant grasses 

seemed to welcome foreign visitors 

to the “kingdom of darkness”. 

Happily, those days will soon be over. 

Yet, the road to this accomplishment 

was not exactly strewn with roses. 

Governor Ambode, in March 2017, 

went public with his feeling of 

frustration at the delay in securing the 

Federal Government’s approval to 

start work on its own road. 

He blamed his immediate 

predecessor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, 

the Minister of Works, Power and 

Housing for that. Fashola, however, 

denied the charge, pointing out that 

the delay was caused by adherence to 

due process. 

All is well that ends well. Though 

Ambode will leave office 

disappointed for not getting the 

chance to serve for two terms, he can 

take solace in the outpouring of 

gratitude from all well-meaning 

Nigerians for this gesture of wiping 

the shame of the MMIA Road from 

the brow of the nation. 

This is another confirmation that a 

serious government can start and 

finish major mega-projects within a 

term of four years. 

We hope the road will be completed 

before May 29, 2019 to enable 

Governor Ambode entertain the 

honour and pleasure of hosting the 

inauguration of this game-changing 

signature project. 

OPINION 

Taming the xenophobia in the rainbow country 

By Tony Ademiluyi 

IN June 12, 1964, Nelson Mandela was 

sentenced to life imprisonment for 

attempting to violently overthrow the 

Caucasian dominated government. Alongside 

his comrades, most notably Govan Mbeki, 

Thabo Mbeki’s father, he was sent to Robben 

Island to live the rest of his days in anguish. 

The campaign for the release of Mandela 

became a worldwide rallying cause as genuine 

agitators and hustlers all found a common 

cause in crying that the world’s most famous 

prisoner should be set free. Nigeria played a 

vital role in the destruction of apartheid. As 

Africa was the centre piece of our foreign policy 

in the hey-days of military rule, the ‘Giant of 

Africa’ spearheaded the throwing open of 

Robben Island and financed some of the 

activities of the banned African National 

Congress. 

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo was 

particularly vocal in the Mandela cause and 

was known to have brokered peace deals 

between Frederick De Klerk and Mandela 

when he was eventually released, using his 

African Leadership Forum platform. The year 

1994 was an epochal one for the Rainbow 

country as the first truly democratic elections 

were held with Mandela declared as the winner. 

Many African nationals saw the country as a 

goldmine and rushed in to take advantage of 

the numerous opportunities there. Many 

Nigerians were not left out as they trooped in 

large numbers to become partakers of the new 

renaissance African State. 

The end of apartheid merely transferred 

political power from the Whites to the Blacks. 

The real economic power still largely resided 

in the hands of the Whites. This led to some 

resentment by the hapless Blacks as they lacked 

the skills and education to compete in the jet 

age. Activism had given way to administration 

and they clearly lacked what it took to 

consistently bring home the bacon. 

The Black South Africans now saw their new 

adversaries in the hardworking African 

nationals of other African nations who were 

honestly eking a living without or with little 

governmental backing. The waves of killings 

started and the media did its best to downplay 

it so as to give the impression that all was well 

in Mandela’s country. The conspiratorial role 

of the White-dominated media was made more 

pronounced by the fact that the Whites weren’t 

happy with the progress that these other Black 

nationals were making and they advocated 

running a more closed economy with high 

barriers to entry. 

The media suppression was short lived as in 

2008 about 62 people were brutally murdered 

in a wave of xenophobic attacks. Many 

Nigerians were included in that horrible 

number. Subsequent attacks were recorded, 

with the most recent being a few weeks ago 

when two Nigerians were killed. 

Nigerians are nicknamed ‘kwere kwere’ and 

are particularly hated by South Africans 

because of the former’s penchant for hardwork 

and the uncanny ability to squeeze juice out of 

stone. Their ladies are said to prefer the more 

aggressive Nigerians to the rather laidback 

South African men which only increases the 

hatred for them. The erstwhile apartheid 

fighters are allegedly envious of the loud 

swagger of their Nigerian guests and would 

do anything, including murder, to cut them 

down to size. 

It is tragic that Nigeria is yet to take an 

official position to defend the interests of her 

nationals in that country. It is a well known 

fact that Nigeria is home to many South 

African companies from MTN to Shoprite, 

amongst many others. These companies make 

the bulk of their profits in Nigeria and remit 

same back home without any disturbance from 

the Nigerian government. Nigerians don’t have 

the time to hunt down and kill South African 

residents in the country as we have a rich culture 

of accommodating our guests even when they 

don’t reciprocate such to us. 

The xenophobia seems to be somewhat state 

sanctioned as the King of Kwa Zulu Natal, 

Goodwill Zwelithini, was quoted to have said: 

“We are requesting those who come from 

outside to please go back to their countries. 

The fact that there were countries that played 

a role in the country’s struggle for liberation 

should not be used as an excuse to create a 

There is need for the 

government to take a tough 

stance against the xenophobia 

that our nationals suffer in 

that clime 

situation where foreigners are allowed to 

inconvenience locals.” Given his position as a 

first class monarch, the pro-xenophobic 

backers would have taken it as a cue to spill 

the streets with raw blood. While South African 

businesses flourish in Nigeria, there are 

deliberate policies to stifle African-owned 

businesses in that country. One recalls the 

attempt of a well-known Nigerian media house 

that went there to set up shop in 2004 only to 

be frustrated out barely a few years later. 

There is need for the government to take a 

tough stance against the xenophobia that our 

nationals suffer in that clime. It was our terrible 

public policy that resulted in avoidable 

hardship that led these Nigerians to go there 

in the first place. Due to no fault of theirs, they 

are being hacked like rams with our 

government doing practically nothing to 

alleviate their needless suffering. How can the 

citizens of the so-called ‘Giant of Africa’ be 

treated worse than dogs in another country in 

the African continent? 

The onus of ending the xenophobia should 

also be extended to the stakeholders in South 

Africa as well. For instance, the South African 

King should have been severely sanctioned for 

promoting hate speech. We recall the 

punishment that was meted out to the Rwandan 

politicians who promoted hate speech on radio 

in the wake of the 1994 Rwandan genocide 

which lasted for three months. Hate speech 

shouldn’t be taken lightly at all as the after 

effect of it leaves a sour taste in the mouth. 

Dr. Osagyefo Kwame Nkrumah would turn 

in his grave as his vision for African unity which 

led to the formation of the Organisation of 

African Unity, now African Union, in 1963 as 

he didn’t envision the killing fields that Africa 

has now become. He wanted an Africa bound 

in love and unity. Xenophobia clearly had no 

place in his dreams. The African Union should 

live up to his vision by being a rallying point 

for love and solidarity among the 50 countries 

that make up Africa. Appropriate sanctions 

should be meted out to countries that directly 

or indirectly tolerate xenophobia. 

The Nigerian government should also speak 

up and be more vocal in defending the interests 

of our citizens in South Africa. Our embassy 

should be a safe haven for our citizens to feel 

protected and loved. Our foreign policy should 

be rejigged for us to play a Big Brother Role in 

Africa whose citizens would be respected the 

continent over. 

•Ademiluyi, a socio-political analyst, wrote 

from Lagos.

Minimum wage, others to trigger 

rise in inflation rate — Analysts 

•As inflation rate softens to 11.25% in March 

By Elizabeth Adegbesan 

Analysts in the financial 

sector have projected that 

the signing of the new minimum 

wage bill, a hike in energy tariffs 

and ongoing planting season 

would trigger a rise in monthly 

inflation rate in April, May and 

June this year even as inflation 

rate for March 2019 slowed down 

to 11.25 percent. 

National Bureau of Statistics 

(NBS), yesterday, in its 

Consumer Price Index (CPI) report 

for March disclosed that the CPI 

which measures inflation dipped 

by 0.06 percent to 11.25 percent 

year-on-year (YoY) in March 2019 

from 11.31 percent in February. 

The NBS report stated: “The 

CPI which measures inflation 

increased by 11.25 percent (YoY) 

in March 2019. This is 0.06 

percent points lower than the rate 

recorded in February 2019 (11.31 

percent). Increases were recorded 

in all Classification of Individual 

Consumption by Purpose 

(COICOP) divisions that yielded 

the headline index. On MoM 

basis, the headline index 

increased by 0.79 percent in 

March 2019, this is 0.06 percent 

rate higher than the rate recorded 

in February 2019 (0.73 percent).” 

On food prices, NBS stated: 

“The composite food index rose by 

13.45 percent in March 2019 

compared to 13.47 percent in 

February 2019. This rise in the food 

index was caused by increases in 

prices of bread and cereals, meat, 

fish, potatoes, yam and other 

tubers, oils and fats, and soft 

drinks, vegetables, and fruits. 

“On MoM basis, the food subindex 

increased by 0.88 percent 

in March 2019, up by 0.06 percent 

points from 0.82 percent recorded 

in February 2019.” 

States with the highest food 

inflation YoY were Kebbi (16.35 

percent), Niger (16.22 percent) 

and Kwara (15.95 percent), while 

Bauchi (11.82 percent), Delta 

CURRENCY BUYING SELLING 

US DOLLAR 

POUNDS 

EURO 

FRANC 

YEN 

CFA 

WAUA 

RENMINBI 

RIYAL 

SDR 

DANISH 

RAND 

$90.40 -1.00 

2,358.00 -48.00 

$12.53 -0.13 

$71.40 0.22 

$63.68 0.28 

305.95 306.45 306.95 

399.6319 400.285 400.9381 

345.7541 346.3191 346.8842 

304.1252 304.6223 305.1193 

2.7324 2.7369 2.7414 

0.5085 0.5185 0.5285 

424.7336 425.4277 426.1218 

45.5837 45.6586 45.7336 

81.5845 81.7178 81.8512 

425.2705 425.9655 426.6605 

46.3392 46.4149 46.4907 

. 21.697 21.7325 21.768 

CBN Exchange rate as at 16/04/2019 

(11.70 percent) and Ogun (11.55 

percent) recorded the slowest rise. 

On MoM basis however, food 

inflation was highest in Kogi (2.97 

percent), Lagos and Plateau (2.11 

percent) and Oyo (2.04 percent), 

while Imo and Nasarawa (0.12 

percent), Enugu (0.11 percent) 

recorded the slowest rise with 

Bayelsa recording food price 

deflation 

Commenting on the 

development, Analysts at United 

Capital Research Management 

Plc said: “Looking ahead, we 

expect inflation to remain sticky in 

the 11.0 percent region, barring 

the materialization of any major 

trigger – minimum wage 

implementation and/or a hike in 

energy tariffs among others. 

“Furthermore, although the recent 

cut in the Monetary Policy Rate 

(MPR) should, in ordinary 

economic theory, awaken some 

inflationary pressure, the Central 

Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN’s) 

continued open market operations 

(OMO) mop ups and foreign 

exchange interventions should 

keep liquidity largely constrained. 

More so, our expectation of 

continued FX stability should help 

keep core inflation in check. 

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17 , 2019 — 19 

“Additionally, while there seem 

to be recent speculations around 

a PMS price hike, the federal 

government’s clarification of 

staving-off a reduction in subsidy 

in the near term provides an 

anchorage for the core inflation 

sub-index. 

“For the food inflation sub-index, 

in the absence of any crisis that 

could deter the planting season, 

we should see mild MoM 

pressure on the index. Overall, we 

see a marginal uptick in MoM 

headline inflation to 0.80 percent 

(from 0.79 percent in March 2019) 

which translates to an 11.22 

percent forecast for April 2019, a 

decline of 4 basis points from the 

March 2019 outcome.” 

VISIT: The Managing Director/Chief Executive of the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation 

(NDIC) Umaru Ibrahim (left) exchanges pleasantries with the Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle 

Amosun (right) during the NDIC Board's visit to the Governor led by the NDIC Board 

Chairman, Ronke Sokefun (centre) as part of the Corporation's Board Retreat in Abeokuta, 

Ogun State.. 

Port access road: NPA, Works ministry 

partner to find solution 

By Godfrey Bivbere 

THE Nigerian Ports 

Authority, NPA and 

Federal Ministry of Power, 

Work and Housing, 

FMWH, are working 

closely to find lasting 

solutions to the traffic 

gridlock along the port 

access road. 

Disclosing this after a 

tour of the ports in the 

Western area by Board 

members for the Authority, 

chairman of the Board, 

Emmanuel Olajide 

Adesoye, said they are 

working at cushioning the 

pressure on the roads 

leading to the port with the 

rejuvenation of rail lines, 

the call- up system as well 

as expansion of the port 

access roads. 

The chairman noted that 

the management is very 

much aware of the 

challenges faced by 

terminal operators and 

port users in assessing the port due 

to the gridlock. According to him, 

“the board is conscious that badges 

are currently being used to transfer 

cargoes from Tin-can and Apapa 

ports to Ikorodu and Kirikiri Lighter 

Terminals.” This, according to him, 

has drastically reduced the 

congestion affecting service delivery 

at the seaports. 

Adesoye said that on completion, 

the Lekki Deep sea Port which is a 

product of Private Public Partnership, 

PPP would help in the efficient 

movement of cargo and expressed 

the strong hope that the port would 

be a reference point in the Gulf of 

Guinea. 

Estimated 

Billing: Mojec 

partners 8 

banks on meter 

acquisition 

financing 

By Prince Okafor 

Mojec Meter Assets 

Management Company, 

a subsidiary of Mojec International 

Limited has partnered with eight 

banks to provide retail financing for 

electricity customers. 

Meter Asset Providers (MAP) 

scheme is approved by the 

Nigerian Electricity Regulatory 

Commission (NERC) through a 

regulation meant for the provision, 

supply, installation and 

maintenance of meters with a view 

to fast tracking the closure of 

metering gap in the nation. 

The banks include Polaris Bank, 

First Bank, Wema Bank, Unity 

Bank, Keystone Bank, Zenith 

Bank, Sterling Bank and First 

Option Micro Finance Bank. 

Speaking at a Stakeholders 

Forum and Memorandum of 

Understanding signing ceremony, 

the Managing Director/ Chief 

Executive Officer, Mojec 

International Limited, Ms. 

Chantelle Abdul stated that the 

company is determined to bridge 

the metering gap in the power 

sector. 

She said: “Now that MAP is 

here, Mojec will be providing 

provision of high-end quality prepaid 

meters to customers, helping 

to reduce the financial burden 

estimated electricity billing is 

putting on electricity consumers,” 

“Mojec as a company has 

invested a lot of resources 

positioning it as best suited to 

meet the metering needs of all 

customers within the coverage of 

its partner DISCOs. 

“We will be partnering with Ikeja 

Electric, Eko DISCO, Abuja 

DISCO, Kano DISCO, Enugu 

DISCO, Jos DISCO, Ibadan 

DISCO and Kaduna DISCO 

covering about 20 states of the 

federation.” 

Chairman/CEO, NERC, Mr. 

James Momoh, said: “The MoU 

signing between Mojec and these 

banks as well as the announcement 

of the company’s readiness to 

implement the MAP Scheme is 

very commendable.’’ 

Also, the Acting Chief Executive 

Officer, Keystone Bank, Abubakar 

Sule, said: “Energy cost is by all 

standards the major cost line in 

most homes and businesses. The 

scheme is set to eradicate the 

unnecessary prevalence of 

estimated billing which deprived 

the national economy of funds 

which otherwise could be 

deployed into other productive 

use.” 

Experts charge FG to align policies with business 

community 

By Rosemary Onuoha 

Regional Chief Executive 

Officer, CEO, Africa Middle 

East and Asia (AMEA), Ocorian, 

Mr. Richard Arlove, has charged 

the federal government to align its 

policies with the business 

community if the nation is to make 

remarkable progress. 

Ocorian is an alternative 

investment, corporate and 

institutional, private client and 

international growth service 

provider. 

Arlove who disclosed this at the 

maiden Ocorian Investment 

Forum in Lagos, noted that there 

is huge developmental impact of 

alternative investment on 

corporates, financial institutions 

and the development of the 

African continent. 

He stated: “There should be an 

alignment of human capital, 

financial capital, and government 

capital. There is a need for all of 

the capital to be aligned properly 

to allow businesses grow in 

Africa.” 

Also speaking, Tonye Cole, 

Founder, The Nehemiah Youth 

Empowerment Initiative and 

Former Executive Director and Co- 

Founder, Sahara Group, drew 

attention to the role of the 

investment banking community to 

the attainment of the Sustainable 

Development Goals (SDG). 

Cole said: “The financial and 

economic liberation of Africa and 

Nigeria specifically is critical for 

business growth. I have over time 

worked with the team in charge of 

meeting the Sustainable 

Development Goals 2030 target for 

the economy. The United Nations 

estimated the capital required for 

the period to be $11.5 trillion. The 

issues related to poverty, hunger 

and malnourishment and zero 

access to basic healthcare are some 

of the global challenges.”

20 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17 , 2019 

Hold social media accountable for 

hate contents, ADVAN, WFA 

ADVAN 

in 

collaboration with 

the World Federation of 

Advertisers (WFA) have 

advocated that brands 

globally should hold 

social media platforms 

accountable in the light 

of recent failures to block 

dangerous and hateful 

contents. 

In supporting this 

position, WFA 

Regional Vice President 

for Africa, Folake Ani- 

Mumuney reiterated 

that while companies 

must decide their own 

approaches, WFA is 

calling on its members 

and brands worldwide – 

in their capacity as the 

funders’ of the online 

advertising system – to 

put pressure on 

platforms to do more to 

prevent their services 

and algorithms from 

being hijacked by those 

with malicious intent. 

She spoke at the 

opening of the WFA 

Global Marketer 

conference in Lisbon, an 

event which brings 

together more than 800 

industry leaders, 80 

percent of whom are 

brand owners. 

The call comes after 

multiple incidents on 

some of the world’s 

biggest digital 

platforms, including 

paedophile comments 

being left in comments 

below videos of children 

on YouTube, the 

glorification of self-harm 

and suicide content on 

Instagram and, most 

recently, the livestreaming 

of the terrorist 

attack in Christchurch, 

New Zealand on 

Facebook. 

All these platforms are 

funded by advertisers 

and as such those that 

make them profitable 

have a moral 

responsibility to 

consider more than just 

the effectiveness and 

efficiency they provide 

for brand messages. 

ADVAN together with 

the WFA is standing 

alongside its member 

association and 

colleagues at the 

Association of New 

Zealand Advertisers 

(ANZA), which has 

issued a call asking for 

members to think 

carefully about where 

they place advertising 

and challenging 

platform owners to do 

more. 

From Left: Mr. Sunil Sawhney, Managing Director TGI Distri Limited, Dr. 

Onyekachi Onubogu, Executive Director – Commercial, TGI Distri Limited 

and Tanvi Savara, Business Development & Strategy Manager, TGI Distri 

Limited at the formally introduction of Terra Seasoning Cubes into the market. 

“This is not an issue of 

brand safety, this is a 

moral question to hold 

social media platforms 

to account – in the same 

way we do for traditional 

media,” says ANZA 

Chief Executive, 

Lindsay Mouat. WFA’s 

call to action reflects the 

fact that these are not 

challenges that can be 

addressed by one 

country alone but need 

global action. 

FBNQuest Merchant Bank awarded 

best sukuk house 

issuance, 

F 

B 

N Q u e s t 

Merchant Bank, 

the investment banking 

and asset management 

subsidiary of FBN 

Holdings Plc, has 

emerged winner of 

the Best Sukuk House 

category, at the 2018 

EMEA Finance 

Achievement Awards. Now 

in its 11th year, EMEA 

Finance has continued to 

spotlight the achievements 

of leading investment 

banks, asset managers 

and brokers in Africa. 

A the bank in a statement 

said: “Recognising 

FBNQuest Merchant 

Bank’s support for the 

development of 

infrastructure in Nigeria 

through the issuance of 

the FGN Sukuk II in 

December 2018, this award 

reaffirms the bank’s strong 

performance as a leading 

investment bank in 

Nigeria. With the Sukuk II 

FBNQuest 

Merchant Bank has 

continued to support 

infrastructure 

development in the 

Nigerian economy, and 

deepen the Nigerian 

capital market by offering 

government issued 

investment alternatives to 

ethical investors, 

establishing a benchmark 

for pricing other Sukuk 

bonds and helping to 

build an investment 

culture amongst retail 

investors.” 

Global Accelerex drives financial inclusion 

with agency network platform 

Global Accelerex, 

has launched its 

Agency Network Platform, 

a revolutionary web-based 

business solution specially 

developed for agency 

banking business to 

support Central Bank Of 

Nigeria’s financial 

inclusion drive. 

This, the company said 

seeks to include the 

underserved 

unbanked 

and 

adult 

population in the financial 

network. The Accelerex 

Agent Network platform 

has the unique feature to 

integrate with different 

payment channels such as 

PoS, Mobile App and 

USSD simultaneously to 

perform financial 

operations including pool 

account operation, cash 

withdrawals, cash 

deposits, fund transfers, 

account opening, bill 

payment and other related 

financial services. 

Speaking with journalists 

at a press conference at 

the company’s head 

office in Lagos, Executive 

Director, Technology and 

Innovation, Stanley 

Ugochukwu Peters, 

disclosed that company 

built the platform to serve 

all stakeholders in the 

agent banking ecosystem 

and make their business 

operations seamless. 

International Breweries fetes partners 

I nternational 

Breweries (IB) Plc, a 

member of AB InBev 

Breweries has feted its 

distributors’ and partners 

across the country for 

exceptional performance. 

The occasion was an 

opportunity to commend 

the performance of the 

distributor partners, for 

excelling in their 

performance in the 

financial year ending 2018 

with delectable prizes. 

Also the occasion was for 

the distributors, trade 

partners and other key 

stakeholders within the 

distribution value chain to 

exchange ideas, as well as 

deepen business 

relationships. Managing 

Director, IB Mrs. 

Annabelle Degroot, lauded 

the distributors for their 

performance saying, “We 

want to spend this evening 

celebrating and thanking 

our special partners in our 

business, our distributors. 

The successes we recorded 

in 2018 would not have 

been possible without your 

hard work and 

commitment.” 

World Health Day: Dettol 

preaches good hygiene 

practices 

In commemoration of 

the 2019 World 

Health Day celebration, 

Dettol has counselled 

Nigerians on good 

health hygiene 

The World Health Day 

was first celebrated in 

1950, and every year 

since then, the World 

Health Organization 

(WHO) has used the 7th 

of April as a day to 

campaign for raising 

awareness on the need 

to improve global 

health. The theme for 

this year’s celebration is 

‘Universal Health 

Coverage,’ which 

ensures that people get 

the right healthcare, 

where and when they 

need it without any form 

of financial barrier. 


World Health Day 

celebration, General 

Manager, RB West Africa 

Dayanand Sriram 

stated, “Dettol is happy 

to join the rest of the 

world in celebrating the 

2019 World Health Day. 

At RB, we see this as a 

good opportunity to 

renew our commitment to 

helping Nigerians live 

healthier lives tchildren 

and adults. We will 

continue to work together 

with our partners and 

stakeholders to educate 

Nigerians on the 

importance of good 

hygiene and healthy 

habits.” 

Mouka gets London Stock 

Exchange Group recognition 

Mouka Limited, 

indigenous 

mattress and foam 

products manufacturer, 

has been recognised 

twice by the London 

Stock Exchange Group 

(LSEG), in the group’s 

Companies to Inspire 

Africa report. 

Mouka was listed in 

the - LSEG’s companies 

to Inspire Africa2019 

report after it made the 

2017 inaugural edition. 

Speaking, 

Executive 

Chief 

Officer, 

Mouka, Raymond 

Murphy said: “One of 

the 

biggest 

opportunities over the 

past year has been to use 

the challenging 

operating environment 

to demonstrate the 

strength of our 

operations, by ensuring 

product availability in a 

marketplace where our 

competitors are 

struggling to do the 

same. As a result, we 

have been able to gain 

market share.” 

PHD named EMEA year Media 

Network 

PHD, part of 

Omnicom Media 

Group, has earned 

recognition as 

Campaign’s (an 

international advertising 

publication) inaugural 

Europe, Middle East and 

Africa (EMEA) Media 

Network of the Year 2018. 

This follows a year which 

saw the agency win 132 

pitches across the region 

with 275 new employees 

and 73 industry awards. 

On the feat, the Chief 

Executive Officer, PHD 

EMEA, Ian Clarke, said it 

is a great honour to be 

recognised by 

Campaign,adding that 

2018 has been a 

phenomenal year for the 

organisation. 

He stated: “We are 

immensely proud of our 

continued business growth 

and would like to thank all 

our employees, clients and 

partners for their belief and 

commitment in PHD. At the 

heart of our acceleration is 

PHD’s mantra, vision, our 

culture of finding a better 

way in all we do. 

We are inspired by 

desire to satisfy 

consumers,Chi 

Chi 

Limited, 

Manufacturers of 

Hollandia Yoghurt says 

the company is inspired 

by the desire to satisfy 

consumers, as the product 

gets consumers 

commendation. 

Managing Director of 

Chi Limited, Mr. 

Deepanjan Roy said in 

Lagos that the company 

is tirelessly inspired by 

the desire to satisfy 

consumer expectation by 

churning out value 

adding and innovative 

dairy products like 

Hollandia Yoghurt 

Mixology. 

“We are excited about 

the great value and level 

of satisfaction consumers 

have expressed in their 

feedback on this product. 

We believe that as the 

positive word on the brand 

spreads, more consumers 

would be encouraged to 

try their favourite 

beverage.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17, 2019 21 

We are here to eliminate middlemen, PricePointe 

boss 

By Princewill Ekwujuru 

Taiwo Williams, is an 

investment banker and 

Founder/Chief Executive 

officer of PricePointe 

Wholesale Club,a newly 

established one-stop store 

similar concept to COSCO, 

a US based wholesale 

store. In this interview, he 

explains the concept of the 

store and reasons behind 

its establishment in Nigeria. 

Excerpt. 

What is this entire 

concept about? 

The concept is a formal 

wholesale store concept; for 

all intents and purposes it 

is like taking ‘Oke-Arin,’ or 

‘Oju–Oye’ market and 

putting it in a formal setting. 

The goal is to real solve 

problems for retailers; we 

feel as though there is this 

missing gap for retailers, 

where the retailers are 

forced to buy quantity of 

items that they do not 

necessarily require in order 

to get the price or profit they 

need. 

So the retailer goes to 

‘Oju- Oye’ or ‘Oke-Arin,’ 

buys in cartoon (s), because 

they want to get the carton 

price, and then put a 10 

percent price to make a 

living. 

Now we are saying the 

retailer should not have to 

carry a carton when he can 

just buy what he needs for 

a day or two. He doesn’t 

need to tie his money down, 

he wouldn’t need to buy for 

credit, and all he just buys 

should be what he needs. 

Buying what he does not 

require is to get his store 

filled and is not ideal. It is 

not just ideal to stock and 

sell some. The solution we 

are providing here is that 

a retailer can buy less than 

a case or carton but still gets 

the item at a carton price 

lower than what is obtained 

in ‘Oke–Arin’ or ‘Oju-Oye’, 

depending on the market. 

What we plan to do is to 

partner with big 

manufacturers or their 

distributor(s), and for those 

that are without distributors 

we partner with the outsider 

distributor(s) to get the same 

price at which they get from 

the manufacturer(s). 

We are not in the business 

to make a margin from 

these products. Whatever 

we are getting is from what 

we are negotiating, and you 

can see we are negotiating 

to get the best offer. 

We make our money from 

the membership fee that both 

the retailers and the families 

that buy in buck will pay. So 

that is the general thing 

about the concept, just like 

any other market when you 

go in there is not just 

groceries or imported 

goods, it’s about everything. 

For example, we have a 

huge poultry where price 

will be competitive and 

comparable to ‘Oko-Oba’s 

abattoir prices. We have a 

bakery where we are 

targeting to bake bread and 

*Tayo Williams, Founder/Chief Executive officer of 

PricePointe 

sell two family loaves at the 

same price the distributor 

will get it. 

You know bakers have 

distributors’ who come and 

pack a thousand loaves and 

re-sell it. That is the price that 

we intend to sell those 

loaves for. We also have 

different product categories 

within the store like Ankara, 

lace fabric, perfumes etc. So 

in all these things we are 

partnering with distributors 

and manufacturers to make 

sure our members have the 

best possible prices as they 

can get in the open market. 

Our store is a fully airconditioned 

space, it’s an 

8,000 square meter space 

and that is just for the 

warehouse. 

The whole compound can 

pack about 300 hundred 

cars, so it is convenient in 

terms of packing, we open 

for the retailers as early as 

6am, and the plan is for 

retailers to come in buy 

what they need for the day. 

Those people that sell 

fruits on the road wake up 

5:30am everyday and they 

go to the market, and buy 

the items they require, 

before 10am they are back 

and open their shops, the 

next day they go and buy 

again. 

These people with N50, 

000, they turnover a 

million naira a month. The 

neighbourhood shops with 

N50, 000, rake in N200, 000 

a month. This is because 

most of their goods are tied 

down within the 

inventory. 

This means tying down 

what he doesn’t need, 

whereas with N50, 000 he 

can just buy what he needs 

from us every day. 

So we open at 6am to 

retailers and for the family 

members who like to buy in 

buck. Our shop opens from 

10am for the middle class 

family who intend to buy 

individual items. 

These families and 

individuals like 

convenience that is what the 

market has moved to, and 

for this convenience they pay 

at a price. 

So when you go into a 

retail store you are not 

buying one item, but 

several, yet you are still 

paying the retail price, these 

products are marked up 

anywhere between15 

percent to 35 percent. 

However, the big brands 

that you think are the 

cheapest are the ones that 

are actually priced the most. 

So People are paying way 

more than they need to pay. 

Now we are saying why do 

you need to do that? 

You can come here, it is 

convenient, it is accessible, 

everything you love is here 

and the prices are better than 

the open market. That is the 

general synopsis of the 

concept. 

As an investment banker, 

you followed investments 

and the market, the market 

is quite promising, but 

there are some challenges, 

what is it that attracted you 

to this market? 

So first of all, as someone 

that spent about seven years 

in the US and a member of 

Sam’s club which is 

Walmart’s version of this 

model. 

I am a member even till 

today. What I discovered is 

there are these opportunities 

that exist in Nigeria. 

For example, a project of 

this size is capital intensive. 

It is a big project that is why 

people shy away from it. We 

have a population base of 

close to 200 million, of which 

arguably 10 percent is 20 

million people, and are the 

middle class and above, and 

lately we have also 

discovered that a huge 

population of our Gross 

Domestic Product (GDP) is 

driven by retailers. 

The mothers and fathers, 

in terms of number are 

estimated to be about five 

million of the population and 

they buy up to N50, 000 items 

per day. 

If you do the mathematics,it 

will be obvious that these are 

the people actually driving 

the GDP. These are the 

people the retailers are 

actually targeting and the 

remaining 180 million 

people. They (retailers) are 

the people that are breaking 

the bulk and selling in pieces, 

the ‘Mallam’ on the road, the 

neighbourhood stores, the 

kiosk, the market woman 

these are the people that are 

actually driving the volume. 

Now we are here, and we 

also observed that those 

people (consumers/ retailers) 

are underserved, that is the 

honest truth. We also 

discovered that the 

distributors are the ones that 

are actually making the 

money, not the retailers. 

The middlemen are the 

ones making the money, 

whereas the real problem 

solvers are the retailers, the 

retailer buys in bulk; in fact 

they are the first to buy in 

bulk, because he needs that 

price and needs to break it 

down. 

So we saw that 

opportunity and then we said 

if a store in Lekki can gross 

between N20 million to 

25million a day in turnover 

and these are people who 

claim to buy in retail, the 

honest truth is that they are 

not really buying in retail, 

they are buying in wholesale 

and claiming the retail profit. 

When we saw the 

opportunity, we made 

consultations. We went to the 

market, had conversations 

and felt there is real need 

we are going to provide that 

solution. Then we formed a 

club like Sam’s club, (a US 

based consumer club). 

What you are bringing to 

Nigeria is relatively new. It 

worked overseas. Do you 

think it is going to work in 

this environment? 

We believe very strongly 

that it will work and I will 

tell you why, we are like a 

Cooperative for cooperators, 

a lot of 

cooperatives exist today, 

and for you to become a 

member you pay annual 

fees /dues to become a 

member, and what does that 

cooperative do for you as a 

member? They go and 

negotiate the best deal for 

the members. 

Let’s take Total, Mobil 

or Shell or the cooperative 

of any other company, they 

probably represent 1,500 

members, that doesn’t move 

the distributors or 

manufacturers, that 

number is nothing to them, 

but when you have us, we 

are targeting to represent 

150,000 people at any 

point in time, that is the 

families, the families at any 

point in time would on 

average do within N80, 

000 to N150, 000 a month 

on groceries. While a 

retailer is doing on average 

N50, 000 to a N100,000 a 

day, now when we 

represent those retailers 

combined with those 

families then we are a force 

to reckon with. 

We spent a lot of time 

sampling, discussing with 

the co-operatives, retailers, 

the MTN co-operative and 

others, they really saw 

the value because they are 

limited in their reach 

because of their 

membership base, but we 

are not limited, like I said 

we are a co-operative for cooperators.


Verification: Lamentation as Airways 

Pensioners no sleep at center 

By Victor Ahiuma-Young & Monsuru 

Olowoopejo 

Octogenarian ex-NYSC boss agonises 

over unpaid gratuity, pension 

•Recall circumstances leading to his conviction by military tribunal 

By Demola Akinyemi 

FORMER Director General of the National Youth Service Corps, 

NYSC, Colonel Peter Obasa (retd), at 81 is agonising over his 

unpaid gratuities and pensions 35 years after his compulsory retirement 

from service. In this interview with Demola Akinyemi in his 

Ilorin residence, the octogenarian was moved to tears when he shared 

his trials experience, life after retirement, among several others. 

Obasa who chronicled his travails in a biography titled ‘House of 

Exile’ also insisted that he was not guilty of all the allegations 

against him that sent him to prison during the military administration 

of Muhammadu Buhari and pleaded with President Buhari, for 

help. 

Excerpts: 

How has it been since you 

came out of jail, or should we 

say after retirement? 

I must say very interesting. 

Very interesting in the sense that 

I believe in one true God and 

He protects you all round. That 

is what has made life interesting 

for me. Even when in 

detention, I didn’t notice the 

passage of time. Let me tell you 

in all honesty, I was very free 

and I had a peace of mind that 

the world cannot give you. I 

missed my family at home but 

the Lord that I relied on kept 

assuring me that my family was 

alright and if you know that your 

family is alright, you don’t have 

to worry too much and you can 

see Him taking care of you. 

Who took care of you in 

detention? 

There were people who came 

and took care of me from outside 

but the prison officers were 

very good. So I think God used 

them and other people to take 

care of me. After exit from the 

prison, I came out and very 

interesting too, a friend of mine 

came and gave me a ticket and 

five thousand pounds to go to 

UK that I should go and rest 

there for sometime .So I travelled 

to the UK. He gave me hotel accommodation 

and paid for it. I 

was there for four weeks during 

which period he discussed with 

me what I would do. I didn’t 

have any plans and I didn’t have 

any savings. They took all my 

money including my savings. 

My salaries and everything, 

they called all of them kickbacks 

and they took them away. Believe 

me, public officers are still 

accepting gifts and not all gifts 

are kickbacks and they called 

everything I had including my 

savings kickbacks. They took 

everything I from me. So, my 

friend asked me, what do you 

want to do?. I said I don’t have 

a plan, the only thing I know I 

tried to do was to set up a bakery 

here in Ilorin. I was also 

interested in a motor trade .I said 

if I had something like 30 

thousand pounds, I would buy 

at least four cars from the UK and 

ship them to Nigeria and sell 

them at a profit. So he said, you 

can start your oven at home but 

on the UK side, I will sponsor 

what we want to do in UK. I 

started by buying used cars and 

bringing them home through Tin 

can island in Lagos. It wasn’t too 

difficult to clear them. They were 

very good cars. You know people 

there use their cars very well. 

They might be old, but they were 

still serviceable. I was doing very 

well. I can quite recollect that 

there were cars on which I made 

close to N400,000 on a single car. 

I was going to UK very frequently 

because the turnover 

was very high. But then, things 

turned round when smugglers 

started going through to 

They called 

everything 

I had 

including 

my savings 

kickbacks 

Cotonou to bring cars into 

Nigeria and they sold at prices 

that I could not sell my own. I 

used to bring my cars through 

the custom and paid my dues. 

So, I realised I could no longer 

effectively perform in the motor 

trade. So, I went into bringing in 

used refrigerators. Again, that 

was very lucrative. I would load 

the containers with refrigerators 

that were used for only three 

years for ten pounds. Some you 

could buy for 5 pounds and they 

were very good fridges that some 

people had used for not more 

than six months. There is one 

refrigerator in my house that I 

bought; I have been using it for 

20 years now. So, I was selling 

refrigerators and I was doing 

well. It got to a stage that Ibo 

chaps would come and purchase 

my refrigerators with the 

containers at the port and after I 

would go back to the UK from 

Col. Peter Obasa (Rtd) 

there. But later the military administration 

of Chief Olusegun 

Obasanjo came and said we 

shouldn’t use fridges that were 

used on CFC, (Cloro floro 

carbon) that it was depleting the 

atmosphere. So, the fridge trade 

also dropped. If you have to buy 

a new fridge and a new refrigerant 

in it, you could not be buying 

them for 5 or 10 pounds or 15 

pounds, it was very expensive. 

So, I found that all my lines of 

trade or enterprise were 

truncated and, I was more or less 

stranded. But my friend in the 

UK who had been supporting 

me, he too had some problems 

.He bought certain things for government 

and the total cost was a 

billion naira and till now, they 

did not pay him. So, I had a down 

trend in my businesses. I decided 

to look inwards to see 

what I could do. People around 

were very helpful and they gave 

me a several business options 

that I could do. Until, it got to a 

point that I couldn’t run around 

anymore. And my children took 

over particularly one of my 

children who had been 

supporting me all along. More 

or less like the Yoruba man 

would say “mo n jeun omo “ 

meaning I’m eating the fruit of 

my labour. 

Why did it take you this long 

before agitating for your 

pensions? 

Early in 2003, I approached 

the Army and gave them the 

federal government Gazette that 

I want my gratuity and pension. 

I showed them the photocopy 

of the gazette. They said I 

should bring the original. I went 

to the National Library and 

begged the librarian to give me 

the original. So, what he did was 

to photocopy the entire Gazette 

and put that back in his folder 

and he gave me the original. I 

took the original to Abuja and 

gave them. At that point they 

said I should write to the president 

to pardon me. I said to pardon 

me for what? They said that 

vicahiyoung@yahoo.com 

I was dismissed from the Army 

because I was jailed by the 

tribunal. So, the next thing is to 

ask for pardon and I said you 

don’t ask for a pardon for an 

offence you didn’t commit. My 

conscience clears me because I 

didn’t commit any offence. In any 

case , this is the Gazette 

publication that says I’m 

compulsorily retired, not 

dismissed. In this same publication, 

there are dismissed officers 

.Voluntary retirement, dismissal, 

and compulsory retirement. They 

are all here (pointing to the book) 

if I was dismissed, the Gazette 

would have said dismissed. But 

it said compulsory retirement. 

With compulsory retirement, I’m 

entitled to all my pensions and 

gratuities .That is the regulation. 

They told me that I was 

dismissed and I needed to write 

the president for pardon. 

But I said, with dismissal, the 

army withdraws certain things 

from you .You cannot use your 

rank. They withdraw your 

ceremonial dress, they withdraw 

your mess kits, they withdraw 

your service suits and then they 

withdraw your officers’ sword. 

When these four things are 

withdrawn, it shows that you are 

no longer able to use your rank 

and ex whatever. 

But I still have all these items 

with me. I’m not ex, I’m retired, 

they are arguing on dismissal. If 

there was a dismissal the Gazette 

would have published it. So, if 

the federal government official 

organ says you are retired, you 

are retired and in any case, 

everything under the federal 

government is subject to the 

federal government. When you 

publish something and the 

federal government publishes a 

different thing, the Gazette takes 

precedent above every other 

thing. 

Federal might is saying this is 

what we are going to do, and in 

any case, if there was a dismissal, 

I would have been given a letter. 

But I don’t have a letter to tell 

me I was dismissed. 

Nasarawa pensioners decry removal from pay roll 

By David Odama 

PENSIONERS 

in 

Nasarawa State have decried 

the untold hardship being 

experienced due to the 

decision of the state government 

to delist their names 

from the Payment Voucher 

(PV). 

It will be recalled that the 

the Director-General of State 

Pension Bureau, Abubakar 

Oseze had on November 

2018 removed the names of 

over 1, 000 pensioners from 

Pay voucher (PV) for dragging 

the state government to Industrial 

Court in Makurdi. 

The pensioners who spoke 

, said they could not 

explained why a government 

they faithfully served for 35- 

years would treat them with 

discontent. 

One of the pensioners, 

Abdukarim muhammed said 

"life has not been easy for us 

since government stopped 

our monthly pension in 2018. 

Today, we can barely pay 

our their medical bills, 

children fees among others." 

Similarly, Mrs Rose Abaka, 

another pensioners noted that 

"it is only by the grace of God 

that she is alive. The future 

of our children is doomed as 

we cannot afford to cater for 

their needs since it has 

become a crime for a 

pensioner to seek for redress 

Read full interview online, 

www.vanguardngr.com 

in the court that the government 

would treat us as less 

human.” 

On his parts, Simon Auna a 

retiree raisede the alarm that 

"if urgent steps are not taken 

to help us, the pensioners, 

almost all of us will die due 

to hardship and hunger." 

According to him, from the 

reports we are receiving, over 

15 of of our colleagues have 

died from the time our names 

were removed from the PV to 

date." 

When contacted, the DG, 

pension bureau, Abubakar 

Oseze confirmed the delisting 

but declined further comments, 

saying that the matter 

is in Court.

Nigerian users move to Jiji.ng after OLX acquisition 

Popular 

classifieds 

marketplace, Jiji.ng has 

signed agreement with another ailing 

classified platform OLX, to redirect 

its Nigerian users to Jiji.ng 

in a business deal involving acquiring 

OLX businesses in four other 

countries. 

Jiji said this deal will see it 

building a leading pan-African 

classifieds business. According to 

the agreement, Jiji will acquire 

OLX businesses in Ghana, Kenya, 

Tanzania, and Uganda, pending 

certain regulatory approvals, and 

OLX users in Nigeria will be redirected 

to Jiji. CEO and co-founder 

of Jiji, Anton Volyansky, said that 

joining Jiji’s family will allow OLX 

users in these countries to benefit 

from its market-leading products 

and services. OLX reach, combined 

with Jiji’s own proprietary search 

and delivery algorithms, will create 

a beneficial combination, giving 

users a radically streamlined 

experience and making the buying 

and selling process more 

convenient. 

“Users will always come first for 

us. We warmly welcome OLX’s 

customers to the Jiji family and we 

look forward to our new customers 

joining Jiji on its journey to 

empower their lives by providing a 

safer, more secure and enjoyable 

online shopping experience”. 

The company’s Nigeria country 

manager, Yuliy Shenfeld, added that 

“this acquisition is the next step in 

fulfilling our promise of making the 

Nigerian economy thrive by helping 

each and every Nigerian have 

their businesses online. Thanks to 

Jiji, more than 300,000 businesses 

Vanguard, Wednesday, APRIL 17, 2019 — 23 

have increased their sales and improved 

their family fortunes, so far. 

This was made possible by millions 

of customers who placed their trust 

in Jiji for the best prices and the 

widest range of products and services. 

“In the wake of this transaction, 

the Jiji team of more than 500 

people is excited to build a truly 

Pan-African classifieds empire with 

Nigeria being the epicentre.” 

General Manager of OLX in 

Africa, Middle East and Asia, 

Sjoerd Nikkelen, said: “We are 

proud of our achievements in Africa, 

including the sustainable 

businesses we have built in Nigeria, 

Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. 

We continually evaluate our 

portfolio of classifieds businesses to 

ensure a disciplined approach to 

how and where we allocate capital 

and management time. With our 

focus on accelerating the growth of 

other markets, now is an opportune 

time to sell our interests in these 

markets. We are pleased that Jiji will 

continue to provide the exceptional 

quality of products and services that 

customers in these countries have 

come to know and enjoy from 

OLX.” 

By Juliet Umeh 

Youth unemployment in 

Nigeria is a big 

challenge. University 

and Polytechnic graduates still 

scramble for limited job 

opportunities in the blue chip 

companies with little or no 

success. 

One of the reasons, usually 

attributed to the situation is poor 

skills which has limited jobs to a 

few people. 

However, technology experts 

believe that with the expected 

4th industrial revolution where 

technology will be key to 

everything from production to 

sales and services, Nigerian 

universities should begin to 

reorient the mindsets of their 

studentsfrom seeking 

employment to being employers, 

particularly, when leaving the 

university. 

This is by producing only 

youths with strong digital skills 

that can survive in the new world. 

The fourth industrial revolution 

is a new chapter in human 

development, enabled by 

extraordinary technology 

advancements far different from 

those of the first, second and third 

industrial revolutions. 

The era is driven by artificial 

intelligence, Blockchain and 

Internet of Things, IoT. 

These three are platforms 

where mostly everything is done 

with the intelligence of the 

machine rather than that of the 

human being. 

In an effort to start a crusade 

that will see to the production of 

Nigerian youths with digital 

skills, New Horizons Technology 

institute, organised an innovation 

and enterpreneurship revolution 

seminar at the Bowen University, 

Iwo in Osun State, recently. 

Speaking to the students at the 

event, Technology Strategist, Dr 

Olufemi Oyenuga said for the 

students to fit into the fourth 

industrial revolution, they need 

strong digital skills because the 

era favours only those with strong 

digital skills. 

Oyenuga told the students to 

always feel hunger to learn new 

skills because traditional skills are 

already declining. The new skills 

he itemised include: Data 

Engineering, Transformational 

Consulting, Data Science, 

Universal Interface and USB 

designing. 

He also added Business 

Analysis, Big Data Science and 

Artificial Intelligence Science as 

part of the skills that will lead them 

to becoming important people in 

the fourth industrial revolution. 

*A typical factory in the 4th Industrial Revolution. 

4th Industrial Revolution 

Artificial Intelligence, IoT, 

Blockchain lead the way 

•Old skills not sustainable 

•Nigerian youths need strong digital skills to survive 

Oyenuga said: “You need to 

embrace the future because the 

future is not only human versus 

machine, but a combination of 

machine and human beings. 

Soon, you won’t be needing 

offices, shops or physical 

presence to be an entrepreneur. 

For every solution you are 

thinking about, there’s a robot 

that can do it and they think faster 

than human beings. 

Oyenuga, who was a medical 

doctor that metamorphosed into 

IT expert, said digital experience 

is driving the digital economy 

now. However, his 

optisimndimmed when he 

added that most professions may 

be out of job in few years. He said, 

“Even with a medical degree, I 

will tell you that IT and medicine 

are so fused together. In the next 

five years, we may not need a lot 

of doctors. 

“In the world today, there are 

five artificial intelligence surgical 

theatres. There’s one each in 

Spain, Canada and United 

States, another one is coming in 

South Africa where machines 

will actually do 60 percent of 

doctor’s work. 

While urging students to start 

thinking of problems they can 

solve with technology, he noted 

that artificial intelligence can 

solve problems in the 

transportation, manufacturing 

and agriculture sectors. 

Oyenuga said: “For instance, in 

Agric sector in Scotland, they 

put sensors inside cows and those 

sensors keep data back to a 

centralized system that processes 

data and tells them when the cows 

want to mate or produce milk. 

The data is monitored every day 

by farmers. So, they know exactly 

when to go and milk the cow. 

“Artificial intelligence is used in 

tomato cultivation in Spain. 

They put sensors in the soil to 

understand the soils texture, the 

composition of the soil and that 

automatically translates to the 

kind of tomato that comes out 

from that farm, like wise in 

aviation industry too. 

“My point is that 

Technopreneurship is actually 

the way to go for your 

generation. 

I standing in front of you is a 

testimony that your first degree 

or second degree does not matter 

anymore,” Oyenuag averred. 

Also speaking, the Managing 

Director, New Horizons, Mr. Tim 

Akano, charged students to see 

every problem as an opportunity 

for them to make business out of 

it. He said the bigger the problem, 

the bigger the opportunity of 

becoming millionaires, but he 

urged them not to go into 

business because they want to 

become billionaires rather 

because they want to solve a 

problem and then money follows 

as a reward. 

Akano gave instance of former 

student of the institution whom 

he discovered four years ago and 

groomed who has become a big 

name in tech industry in Nigeria, 

Mr. Samuel Ekpe. According to 

him, the most crucial skills that 

students need to survive aside 

their first degrees are: critical 

thinking, creativity, collaboration 

and communication. 

C 

M 

Y 

K


MOBILE MARKET 

Smart products available for Easter 

celebration across Nigeria online shops 

By Juliet Umeh 

It is Easter week; a lot of 

people are expected to relax at 

home in this period of celebration. 

There are different kinds of 

smart products across Nigeria 

Generic five in one 

multifunction electric 

facial cleansing brush 

For as many that wants to look good 

this Easter period, this smart 

multifunctional electric facial 

cleansing is here to help you. Its key 

features include smooth skin texture, 

exfoliate dead skin cells to reveal 

radiant and youthful skin, effectively 

cleaning through pores, prevents 

whelk and fade the black eye, 

restores soft and smooth skin, 

reduces and erase fine lines and 

blackheads. 

•Xtouch AIR- FRYER- 

AF2901 

LG Mini Audio 

Hi-Fi 

With its key features, 

LG Mini Audio Hi- 

Fi, has the capacity to 

turn homes into a cinema . 

It has 330W, bass blast, Led 

lightening speaker, 

Bluetooth, dual USB, auto 

USB. 

Panasonic wireless 

intercom cordless 

phone 

The Panasonic KX-TG1311 

cordless phone is trending 

presently in the industry of 

wireless communication. The 

handset is portable and handy and 

it connects on one touch dial to 

any of the extension numbers 

within range and its reception is 

crisp clear. 

online shops to help you achieve 

that. 

This week, Vanguard Mobile 

Market presents you smart 

products to achieve a well 

deserved holiday rest. 

•Electric facial brush 

Xtouch-Air fryer 

The XTouch air fryer is a 

countertop device that 

combines a low-fat fryer and 

cooker. It allows one to eat 

healthier without giving up on the 

taste and texture of your favourite 

meals. Its unique rapid-air 

technology circulates hot air with 

speed and precision for faster 

cooking and perfect results with a 

tablespoon or less of oil. It cooks 

fries with 70 perfect less fat; bake 

or grill meats, burgers, wings and 

fish with no oil at all. 

•LG Mini Audio Hi-Fi 

Wireless intercom for home 

NCC decry continued fraudulent SIM registrations 

The Nigerian Communications 

Commission, 

NCC, in March 2011 issued 

directives to telecom 

service providers to commence 

Subscriber Identification 

Module (SIM) 

cards registration, nationwide. 

Mobile phone subscribers 

in Nigeria were urged 

to register their SIM 

cards with only appointed 

agents. 

The Commission also 

directed that all SIM 

cards, irrespective of the 

network, were to be registered 

in one spot where 

the registration centres 

were located. The exercise 

was initiated following 

the spate of kidnapping 

and general insecurity 

challenges in the 

country at the time. 

A total of N6.1billion 

approved by the National 

Assembly was set 

aside for the exercise 

which initially had a six 

months deadline from 

the date of commencement. 

Subscribers were 

mandated to provide 

national identity card, 

international passport, 

driver’s licence or authentication 

letter with 

passport photograph 

signed by traditional ruler/community 

leader in 

the case of rural dwellers. 

Biometric information 

and digital photograph 

were also part of 

subscriber information 

required in order to ensure 

proper data capturing 

and building of reliable 

data. The exercise 

was equally made to be 

free for all subscribers 

because of its importance 

to national security 

Ȧt the end of the initial 

deadline, it was discovered 

that a lot of improperly 

registered, unregistered 

and pre-registered 

SIM cards, characterised 

the exercise. Worried by 

this development, the 

Commission in 2017 set 

up a 12-member committee 

to tackle the problem, 

and vowed that the menace 

will no longer be tolerated. 

The commission based 

on the report of the committee 

fined some operators 

found to have either 

deliberately flouted the 

registration principles or 

refused to correct their 

mistakes when informed. 

However, even with all 

these measures and other 

warnings, the commission 

says many agents 

still fraudulently violate 

the SIM card registration 

rules, till date, thereby 

aggravating the security 

situation in the country. 

•SIM Registration exercise 

Therefore, the Commission 

recently organised a 

one-day sensitization 

workshop on the dangers 

of using fraudulently activated 

SIM cards, in Keffi, 

Nasarawa state. 

The Executive Vice 

Chairman of the Commission, 

Prof Umar Danbatta, 

who was represented 

by the director Stakeholder 

Management, Mr 

Efosa Idehen in his opening 

remarks said the objective 

of the workshop 

was to discuss and resolve 

the challenges leading 

to non-compliance 

with the instruments of 

SIM registration. 

He stated that the availability 

of improperly registered 

SIMs in any corner 

of Nigeria is a threat 

to the security of the 

country. He noted that 

such SIMs aid financial 

By Prince Osuagwu 

Pan-African e-com 

merce platform, 

Jumia, at the weekend 

listed in the New York 

Stock Exchange helping 

to fly Africa’s flag higher 

in New York. 

The listing sparked off 

celebrations in all of the 

e-commerce platform’s 

offices across Africa as 

employees rang the bell 

simultaneously as it was 

done in New York. 

Jumia said that was 

necessary because the 

listing was made possible 

with the team spirit 

that all Jumia employees 

across Africa exhibited 

Co-founders and Co- 

Chief Executives, Sacha 

Poignonnec and Jeremy 

Hodara, said: “This 

achievement has been 

made possible by the 

crimes whose victims 

are mainly hardworking 

citizens of the country 

even as they frustrate 

the activities of law enforcement 

agencies in 

trying to apprehend major 

criminals. 

Idehen said NCC will 

try as much as possible to 

implement the rules that 

are available to it in dealing 

with defaulters. 

He said: “This issue of 

getting a Sim card and 

insisting on registering it 

immediately was not envisaged. 

It was intended 

to be activated for 30 

days, so within that 

time, a user will have 

had time to register his or 

her line. But we found out 

operators were violating 

the rules by fully activating 

the lines. That was 

why we resorted to having 

it registered before 

Jumia lists on New York 

Stock Exchange 

hard work of our teams, 

the trust of our consumers, 

as well as the commitment 

of our sellers 

and partners. All stakeholders 

deserve credit 

for this milestone, and 

we are just at the beginning 

of a long and great 

journey. We are going to 

continue to focus on our 

mission and to work 

even harder to help consumers, 

sellers, partners 

and all stakeholders 

benefit from this technological 

revolution”. 

Founded in 2012, 

Jumia started a mission 

to improve the quality of 

everyday life in Africa, 

by leveraging technology 

to deliver innovative, 

convenient and affordable 

online services to 

consumers. Jumia further 

empowers businesses 

to grow, by using its 

platform to reach and 

serve consumers across 

the continent. 

Jumia is currently active 

in 14 African countries 

with more than 

81,000 active sellers 

transacting online businesses 

with millions of 

consumers. The e-commerce 

platform says it 

directly employs more 

than 5,000 team members 

in Africa.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17, 2019 

Cabotage: NEXIM Bank provides alternative funding for vessel acquisition 

By Godwin Oritse 

THE Nigerian Export – 

Import Bank, NEXIM, 

is advocating alternative 

sources of funding for vessel 

acquisition the bank said it is 

doing so because the 

Cabotage Vessel Financing 

Fund, CVFF, alone cannot 

meet the asset demands of 

indigenous shipping firms 

operating in the nation’s 

coastal trade. 

Speaking at the just 

concluded Stakeholders’ 

Consultative meeting on the 

Cessation of Cabotage 

Waivers organised by the 

Nigerian Maritime 

Administration and Safety 

Agency, NIMASA, in Lagos, 

the Managing Director and 

Chief Executive of NEXIM 

Bank, Mr. Abubakar Bello 

said that the maritime sector 

is key to trade and the 

economy, as there is a strong 

correlation between increase 

in growth of Gross Domestic 

Product, GDP per capita and 

the closing of infrastructure 

(quantity and quality) gap. It 

added that shipping is also 

instrumental to the 

development of the external 

sector of the economy. 

Bello who was represented 

by his Special Assistant, Mr. 

Hope Yongo stated that 

maritime facilitates and 

promotes trade connectivity 

and market linkage just as it 

also 

promotes 

competitiveness and 

enhances market 

diversification 

He opined that if the 

industry is properly 

coordinated, it would 

encourage integration into 

regional and global value 

chains, thereby facilitating 

industrialization and 

technology transfer. 

He explained that 

NEXIM’s role in the 

maritime industry 

particularly the shipping 

sub-sector, involves support 

to the maritime sector 

through either its 

developmental role in the 

Continues on page 2 

maritimerepor6005@gmail.com 

VOl. 2 No. 40 

Why institutions must monitor export for 

full economic benefit to Nigeria - LCCI 


Federal institutions in the 

country must embark of 

strict monitoring of export to 

ensure that the economy 

2018 Logistics Performance Index Chat 

derives full economic benefit 

as some exports are not 

documented. 

Vanguard Maritime Report 

gathered that most of the 

goods exported through the 

borders are done unofficially 

and, therefore, are not 

recorded for the economy. 

This also affects the volume 

of contribution of export to 

the nation’s Gross Domestic 

Product, GDP at the end of 

every year. 


also gathered that some 

goods, especially food stuff, 

are being exported by 

Nigerians unofficially to 

Europe and United States of 

America, USA. 

Speaking on the issue, 

Director General of the 

Lagos Chamber of 

Commerce and Industry, 

LCCI, Madu Yusuf, to 


that informal export takes 

place mostly at the subregional 

trade level. 

Yusuf explained that most 

Nigerian manufactured 

goods are found in countries 

in the sub-region because of 

the informal trade and are 

not recorded by the 

economy. 

According to him, “Most of 

the trade in the Sub-region 

are done informally. When 

you go across the West 

African countries you will see 

so many made in Nigerian 

goods, especially 

manufactured goods. 

“So the challenges of 

documentation across 

boards can be very 

frustrating. I am talking of 

the West African Sub-region 

because the informal trade 

is striving and most of the 

informal trade are not 

documented. 

“For other export not 

being captured by our 

institutions, I think it is a 

function of the quality of our 

institutions because if they 

do what they should do 

without compromising there 

is no reason why those 

things should not be 

captured. 

Continues on page 2

2 

NEWS 



Cabotage waivers has been retrogressive 

— Maritime stakeholders 

. . . Lament lack of data to monitor waiver applications 

. . . Waivers cost Nigeria trillions of Naira - Customs 


M 

A R I T I M E 

stakeholders have 

said that the Coastal and 

Shipping Act otherwise known 

as Cabotage law has been 

more retrogressive than 

progressive. 

Speaking at the just 

concluded conference on the 

strategic plan for cessation of 

grant of Cabotage waivers, Mr. 

Mike Igbokwe said that the 

issue of Waiver was supposed 

to be a temporary measure 

pending when Nigerians 

would builtd capacity to take 

over its coastal trade. 

Igbokwe, a maritime lawyer 

and Senior Advocate of 

Nigeria, SAN, said that fifteen 

years after the law was passed, 

not much has been done to 

enhance indigenous capacity 

adding that foreigners still 

dominated trading activities 

within coastal waters. 

“Waivers are supposed to be 

temporary, for 15 years we have 

been on the same spot. 

Cabotage waiver was meant to 

build capacity and replace foreign 

element that dominate Cabotage 

trade and with time compete 

internationally” he stated. 

Similarly, Mrs Rollens Macfoy, 

Executive Director, Ocean 

Services said that the Nigerian 

Maritime Administration and 

Safety Agency, NIMASA, does 

not have data to monitor 

applications of waivers who have 

applied before examining new 

applications for a new waivers. 

Macfoy said “There is no 

database in NIMASA, the same 

vessel that applied for waivers 

two years ago can come again 

and apply for another waiver 

without looking at the value 

such applicant has brought to 

the table to help grow capacity 

of local players in the 

industry”. 

The Assistant Comptroller 

NigerStar 7 acquires pipe-laying vessel 

NigerStar 7 a subsidiary of 

NigerDock has acquired a 

pipelay vessel ‘Seven Antares’ 

perfect for conventional, heavylifting 

and hook-up projects. 

The vessel according to Derek 

Izedonmwen, Sales & Marketing 

Director of NigerStar 7 will provide 

both NigerStar 7 and Nigeria a 

fully will also positively change the 

face of the oil and gas and maritime 

industries and contribute to growth 

of both industries. 

The vessel, which was built in 

2009, has a 300t main crane 

capacity and is a 120t S-lay vessel 

with capacity to lay pipe of up to 

60-inch diameter; with an 

accommodation area in excess of 

330 berths and a deck area of over 

1300m². 

The acquisition of the Seven 

Antares adds up to other recent 

investments made by NigerStar 7 to 

strengthen its local fleet and its 

commitment to the development of 

Nigerian offshore oil and gas 

industry. This reinforces the 

company’s leading role in the 

ownership of Nigerian flagged 

vessels and reflects its strategy of 

domiciling its fleet with the objective 

of meeting clients’ needs and the 

requirements of the Nigerian Local 

Content Act. 

“ I’m deeply proud of this 

investment, as it reinforces 

NigerStar 7 commitment to invest in 

Nigeria through the acquisition of 

strategic local assets and to continue 

to invest and to develop our people. 

The Seven Antares is currently 

laying pipe for one of our clients and 

I’m sure she will be kept busy 

supporting the growth of Nigeria’s 

energy industry.” 

General of Customs in charge 

of Zone ‘A’ of the Nigeria 

Customs Service, Mrs Kaycee 

Ekekezie, said the country has 

lost trillions of Naira to waivers 

adding that NIMASA was 

charting new and good course 

for the industry by making plans 

to stop issuance of waivers. 

She said “We all know that 

Nigeria is an import based 

economy, all these waivers that 

are being granted here and 

there, affects our revenue and 

we in the Customs will be very 

glad when a stop is put to these 

“Sometimes the exchange 

rate policy can hinder people 

from proper declaration before 

we had the Import/export (I/ 

E) window because if you 

brought in your export 

proceed, you would be 

compell to exchange it at the 

rate far lower than the market 

rate. 

So many people were not 

declaring but now that we 

have the I/E window, a lot of 

people are declaring their 

exports. If people are not 

declaring it must be that 

people around the borders, 

the seaport or the airport or 

wherever are compromising. 

“It is when people 

compromise that others do 

not comply with the rules. 

The challenge is more with 

our institutions, especially 

the Customs to do what they 

need to do. It is like 

smuggling, smuggling goods 

out of the country, just like we 

are having the problem of 

smuggling goods into the 

country. 

I know it is an institutional 

problem that is why people 

can do whatever they like. So 

we must strengthen our 

institutions. They need to 

also demonstrate greater 

integrity in their work, then 

our trade policy must also be 

right,” he noted. 

Chairman of the 

Association of Nigeria 

Licensed Customs Agents, 

ANLCA, Olumide Fakanlu, 

said there are a lot of exports 

going on presently that are 

not done officially. 

He stressed the need for the 

CBN to enforce stricter 

monitoring of export out of 

the country to ensure that the 

income from such 

transactions are repatriated 

and captured by the 

economy. 

According to him, “We 

Cabotage: NEXIM 

Bank provides 

alternative funding 

for vessel 

acquisition 

Continues from page 1 

regional Sealink Project or 

various funding supportive 

roles, such as Financial 

Advisory / Structured Trade 

and Project Finance, Export 

Credit Agencies financing 

arrangements / lines of 

credits window, 

syndication / joint financing 

arrangements and provision 

of risk mitigation instruments. 

The Bank’s chief executive 

in appraising the maritime 

industry, noted that the 

National Bureau of Statistical 

data showed that the annual 

GDP contribution of the 

transportation sector was less 

than two percent with the 

shipping sector contributing 

less than 0.1%. 

Explaining further, Bello 

said that there are diversified 

sources and types of funding 

to finance ship acquisitions 

and /or any maritime assets, 

some of which include 

Bank Loans, Asset 

Acquisition, structured project 

finance, co-financing, 

syndication, guarantees / 

syndicated guarantees and 

forfeiting arrangement 

He, however, warned that 

Commercial Bank Loans may be 

attractive if funding would be for 

a long tenor or through a 

concessional line of credit and / 

or loan syndication arrangements 

Bello also said that Export 

Credit Agencies financing 

arrangements like Buyer’s 

Credit, Seller’s Credit and Export 

Credit Insurance are options local 

players can take advantage of to 

grow their business. 

Nation’s institutions must monitor export 

for full economic benefit to Nigeria 

Continues from page 1 

From left: NPA Board 

Member, Dr. Ekpa 

Anthonia Akpabio, 

Chairman NPA Board, 

Emmanuel Adesoye, the 

Representative of the 

Managing Director of the 

Nigerian Ports Authority 

(NPA), the Executive 

Director, Marine & 

Operations, Dr. Sokonte 

Davies and the Port 

Manager, Tin Can Island 

Port Complex, Engr. 

Emmanuel Akporherhe 

during the tour of the 

Ports by the Board 

members. 

waivers. “There could be other 

incentives for investors but not 

outright waivers like that. 

“So let us start thinking of 

generating employment, and 

we will have something we will 

call our own”. 

The Customs boss explained 

that the agency cannot stop 

waiver because it is only a 

revenue collecting agency for 

that government adding that 

there is a limit to their function 

as an agency. 

should be able and ready to 

embark on aggressive 

exportation as against the 

present craze for import 

items, originally not just 

export without the necessary 

documentation and 

necessary benefits to the 

country. 

“Many of the exports do not 

pass through the normal 

processes and are of no benefit 

to Nigeria because you cannot 

record it as income to the 

economy. The CBN too has 

to monitor because it is 

supposed to come back to the 

country. 

If money is being remitted 

back to the country that will 

then be part of our 

productivity and it is then we 

can now say one dollar is 

equal to one naira. Properly 

monitoring will help our 

small and medium scale 

enterprises to grow,” he 

noted.



The worrisome issue of 

sea time training for past 

graduates of the Maritime 

Academy of Nigeria, MAN 

Oron, in Akwa Ibom State, 

will not affect new intakes, the 

Rector, Duja Effedua, has 

assured. 

Giving the assurance in 

Lagos at the inauguration of 

the new leadership of the Ship 

Owners Association of 

Nigeria, SOAN weekend, 

Effedua, said the academy has 

reached agreement with SOAN 

to absolve them from the 

completion of their first year at 

the academy. 

Tin-can port 

receives 213 

vessels with 

6.8m tonnage 

Q1, 19 


& Godwin Oritse 

Tin-can Island port 

received a total of 213 

vessels that brought in 

6,778,397/gross tonnage in the 

first quarter of this year Port 

Manager,Emmanuel 

Akporherhe has said. 

Akporherhe disclosed this 

Friday during the facility tour 

of the port by the board 

members of Nigerian Ports 

Authority, NPA. 

The port manager said that 

the total throughput for the 

period above was 4,790,282 

He told the visiting board 

members that the success 

recorded in the first quarter of 

the year was as a result of a 

collective effort put in place by 

him and his staff, adding that 

it would not have been easy for 

him alone to achieve that 

without the efforts of staff of the 

port. 

Highlighting some of the 

challenges facing the port, the 

port manager said the bad 

roads and heavy traffic on 

Apapa road almost crippled and 

greatly hampered some of the 

port activities. 

In his response, the board 

chairman, Emmanuel Adesoye, 

promised that adequate 

arrangement and plans will be 

put in place to tackle the road 

issue, stressing that gridlock 

will also be given adequate 

attention. 

Regulations & Policies 3 


Cadets: Why new intakes wouldn’t have 

sea time training problem — Rector 

He pointed out that as a first 

step, they had to drastically 

reduce the number of 

admission from between 1,200 

- 2,000 to less than 250 to 

ensure the quality of their 

training as well as sea time for 

them. 

According to him, “On our 

part as management in 

conjunction with the board 

members, we have decided to 

reduce the cadet intake from 

1,800 to about 30 in a class. 

So with the 30 we can manage. 

“We have invited SOAN to 

come. It is not difficult for 

them to put two cadets onboard 

each of their vessels which is 

about 15 to 20 ships and l know 

ship owners have over a 100 

ships in their fleet. 

“The time the cadets have to 

spend is about four years. After 

National Diploma, ND1, the 

cadets go for one year sea time 

training and come back for 

ND2. 

“The first year they spend 

onboard the academy pays, it 

is not going to be free but we 

expect the ship owners should 

give us some concession too, 

it is part of what we intend to 

discuss with them when they 

come. “We give them a sea log 

book to record the number of 

hours they spend at sea. So for 

that one year, they would have 

gained some sea time hours 

and then they come back for 

ND2. 

“When they complete ND2, 

they go for another one year 

that means that they have two 

years onboard. Then by the 

time they come back for their 

Higher National Diploma, 

HND1, during their one year 

break, they go back that 

means three years onboard. 

“When they graduate after 

HND2, they are free. Where 

they have worked, if they have 

actually asserted themselves 

and have made themselves 

dependable, then the ship 

owner will recall them just like 

we have with youth corpers,” 

he noted. 

Hajia Lami Tumaka, Director Special Duties representing Dr. Dakuku Peterside, Director General of NIMASA conducting 

the Deputy Governor of Niger State, Alhaji Mohammed Ahmed Ketso round some of the relief materials donated by 

NIMASA in Minna. 

NIMASA donates relief material to flood victims in Niger state 


THE Nigerian Maritime 

Administration and 

Safety Agency (NIMASA) in 

continuation of its nationwide 

donation of relief items to 

victims affected by flood in 

some 20 states of the country 

has made presentation to the 

people so affected in Niger 

State. 

NIMASA’s Director 

General, Dr. Dakuku 

Peterside said who spoke at 

the presentation ceremony in 

Minna, said that the donated 

material will alleviate the 

suffering of the people who 

were displaced by floods in 

the state last year. 

Peterside who was 

represented by Hajia Lami 

Tumaka, Director Special 

Duties, External Relations 

and Technical Cooperation, 

commiserated with the 

families of those who lost 

loved ones and property and 

assured of the Agency’s 

preparedness to extend 

support to Nigerians in 

distress. 

According to the DG, “we 

are here to extend our hand of 

fellowship to you and to let you 

know that NIMASA cares. 

The fact that you are here 

today, does not make you any 

less Nigerian, but for the 

circumstances that brought 

you here. As a socially 

responsible corporate entity, 

NIMASA remains committed 

to supporting all Nigerians in 

distress, no matter how little. 

“This exercise will take us to 

20 states covering the six Geo- 

Political Zones where 

Nigerians have been 

displaced through natural 

disasters, insurgency and 

other forms of conflict. This is 

just our way of supporting the 

Federal and State 

governments in catering for 

the needs of the displaced so 

that they do not feel 

abandoned in their times of 

need”.

4 

Terminals & Ships 



By Eguono Odjegba 

Last Monday’s shooting 

and killing of Mr. 

Innocent Oshemi , an 

operative of the Nigeria 

Security and Civil Defence 

Corps, NSCDC, posted to the 

Lagos Deep Offshore 

Logistics, LADOL, Free Zone 

has been described as a oneoff-case 

by LADOL’s 

management, saying it was 

not sufficient to portray the 

Civil Defence in poor light. 

The shooting and killing 

that took place at LADOL’s 

operational base in Lagos has, 

however, stirred up calls for 

thorough investigation by 

both the Nigerian 

government and the Korean 

Embassy, whose national 

escaped death by the 

whisker. 

A statement by the company 

said, “We note that this is an 

isolated incident which 

should not be interpreted to 

portray NSCDC in a poor 

light. We also commend and 

thank the LADOL security 

team who acted 

professionally and calmly to 

ensure the situation was 

resolved quickly”. 

Apart from Osheni who 

died following reported gun 

attack by his colleague, 

whose name remained 

unknown as at the time of 

filling this report at the 

premises of Samsung Heavy 

Industries (SHI), LADOL’s 

technical partner located in 

the free zone, a Korean staff 

of SHI escaped the shooting 

with wounds. 

Although the cause of the 

shooting remained wrapped 

in secrecy by LADOL, 

Samsung Heavy Industries 

Nigeria has called the 


THE Ship Owners 

Association of Nigeria, 

SOAN is positioning itself to 

access a N1.26 trillion ($3.5 

billion) funds for ship expansion 

by the National Content 

Development and 

Management Board NCDB, 

President of SOAN, 

Mkgoerge Onyung has said. 

Onyung disclosed this at the 

inauguration of the new 

executive of the Association in 

Lagos. 

He said that the $3.5 billion 

is part of $15 billion local 

content fund to be used to 

further develop local content 

in oil and gas sector of the 

economy. 

He also assured SOAN 

members that the executive 

will work towards addressing 

the challenges such as piracy, 

access to loans, granting of 

waivers to foreigners to operate 

in the Cabotage area amongst 

others. 

From left, immediate past President of the Shipowners Association of Nigeria, SOAN, Engr Greg Ogbeifun and a 

former Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, at a maritime 

stakeholders meeting on the cessation of Cabotage waivers held in Lagos last week. 

Korean shooting sparks diplomatic furore 

•As LADOL identifies with Civil Defence Corps 

Nigerian authorities and the 

Korean embassy to 

commence full investigation 

into unfortunate incident. 

Following Monday’s 

shooting which led to the 

death of an officer of the 

Nigeria Security and Civil 

Defence Corps (NSCDC), 

Mr. Innocent Oshemi posted 

to Lagos Deep Offshore 

Logistics (LADOL) Free 

Zone,Samsung Heavy 

Industries Nigeria has called 

SOAN to access N1.26tn NCDMB 

ship expansion fund 

According to him, “I did not 

create the fund, I went to the 

Nigerian Oil and Gas Forum, 

NODUF, which took place in 

Yenagoa, Bayelsa early this 

month. It was there that the 

Executive Secretary of 

NCDMB, Simbi Wabote, 

revealed that there is going to 

be a$15 billion that will be spent 

in the oil and gas industry in 

Nigeria. 

“The fund is expected to be 

domiciled in Nigeria for local 

content and out of the $15 

billion, there is a $3.5 billion 

marine spread for shipping and 

vessels that will partake in the 

oil and gas industry. 

“The new executive will be 

creating groups within our 

membership to address 

focused issues that affects us. 

“This will range from piracy, 

to bank loans, to Cabotage 

Vessel Financing Fund, CVFF, 

to Cabotage, to waivers etc. 

“It will be a focused 

engagement that will 

continuously dialogue and 

the Nigerian authorities and 

the Korean embassy to 

commence full investigation 

into the unfortunate incident. 


Nigeria, in a statement on 

Wednesday said that one of 

its Korean employees had 

been critically injured after 

being shot by an armed guard 

from LADOL Free Zone, 

adding that it had arranged 

expert medical care for the 

affected employee. It said 

negotiate with stakeholders to 

ensure that we get the best for 

stakeholders and SOAN 

members,” he noted. 


DIRECTIVES by police 

authority to sanitize 

operations of its men at the port 

last week created anxieties 

amongst importers and clearing 

and forwarding practitioners. 

This is coming on the heels of 

perceived misunderstanding by 

clearing agents and freight 

forwarders who want the police 

authority to reassure the 

industry that its directives to 

police formations within and 

around the port industry should 

henceforth cease from arresting 

containerized cargo is adhered 

to; and not subject to semantics 

or official interpretation. 

While the acting Inspector 

General of Police, IGP 

Mohammed Adamu penultimate 

it will conduct a full 

investigation and demands 

answers from LADOL as to 

how this employee was 

screened, and what 

protection they can offer to 

workers within the LADOL 

Free Zone who are now 

extremely concerned for their 

safety and welfare,” the 

company said. 


learnt that although the 

wounded Korean was not 

directly involved in the 

argument believed to have 

sparked the shooting, he was 

a victim of stray bullet by a 

trigger happy operative of the 

Defence Corps on security 

duty at the place. 

Additional sources indicated 

that after killing his colleague 

at about 1.53 pm local time, the 

NSCDC officer sought to 

escape as he made his way 

towards the exit of the SHI- 

MCI yard but was confronted 

by guards and other Korean 

SHI-MCI employees and 

prevented from leaving the 

yard. 

Meanwhile, LADOL has 

expressed condolences to the 

family of the late NSCDC 

officer, as well as the injured 


Nigeria staff member 

(Samsung). It said in a 

statement that the Samsung 

staff member is in stable 

condition and is now returning 

to South Korea, adding, “We 

are providing every support we 

can to those impacted and their 

families. We commend the 

NSCDC team in LADOL, 

particularly their commander 

on the scene who swiftly 

brought the situation under 

control. 

Controversy trails resolution on container stoppage by police 

week directed that henceforth only 

the Maritime Command of the 

Police should engage in stoppage 

of containers, the position was 

reportedly watered down the 

following week, that police action 

stopping containers from 

exiting the port on grounds of 

any suspicion should be 

through the Nigerian 

Shippers’ Council, NSC, who 

will in turn execute the 

stoppage. 

Chairman, Association of 

Nigerian Licensed Customs 

Agents, ANLCA, National 

Committee on Police 

Investigation Activities, Hon. 

Ben Anyanwu who made the 

latest development known last 

week while briefing the 

National Executive Committee 

(NECOM) of ANLCA 

disclosed that the development 

followed a tripartite meeting of 

the ANLCA, the NSC and the 

AIG Maritime, AIG Abdul 

Dahiru Danwawu at the 

Shippers’Council 

headquarters. 

Anyanwu noted that the AIG 

informed them at the meeting 

that the IGP has directed that 

henceforth, any investigative 

activities concerning the port 

and cargo clearance from any 

other Police formation should 

be directed to the AIG 

Maritime saying that no other 

Police formation had any right 

to come to investigate any of 

the activities in the port even 

as he had directed that 

pending cases be transferred to 

the AIG Maritime.



THE Norway- Nigeria 

fish trade currently 

stands at 680, 136 metric 

million tonnes valued at 

N316million in the last ten 

years, records from the 

Norwegian Seafood Council, 

NSC, has shown. 

The record obtained by 

Vanguard Maritime Report, 

showed that Herring fish 

recorded the highest volume 

of fish import from Norway as 


Norway-Nigeria fish trade hits N316m in ten years 


& Cynthia Alo 

T HEDirector 

General of Lagos 

Chamber of Commerce and 

Industry, LCCI, Muda Yusuf, 

has described the traffic 

situation in the port town of 

Apapa as a clear indication of a 

dysfunctional system and 

incapability of those in power. 

Speaking with Vanguard 

Maritime Report in Lagos, 

Yusuf described the impact of 

the Apapa gridlock as 

exposing the level of 

mismanagement of the 

country’s resources and her 

infrastructures. 

He said: The Apapa gridlock 

and what we are witnessing is 

a symptom of much deeper 

shortcomings in the 

management of government 

business. If the refineries were 

working, the trucks will not be 

converging in Lagos to lift 

imported petroleum products. 

If the pipelines were in good 

state, the bulk of the products 

would be transported 

seamlessly to the various 

depots in the country. 

this particular fish product 

with a total volume of 

459,729metric tonnes in ten 

years as against Salmon fish 

with only 1,754metric tons 

within the same period. 

The record also showed that 

Mackerel fish with 184, 787 

metric tons, was the second 

highest fish imported to 

Nigeria from Norway. 

For Horse Mackerel, Saithe 

and Tusk fish, a total of 19,158 

metric tonnes, 11,451metric 

tons, and 3,257 metric tonnes 

Apapa gridlock, a clear dysfunctional 

system — LCCI boss 

“If the rail system had not 

collapsed, most of the products 

would have been transported by 

rail at even cheaper cost. If 

the government had not 

entangled itself in the complex 

web of petroleum subsidy, the 

supply side issues would have 

been substantially resolved. 

According to him, the cost to 

the economy is phenomenal. 

Where energy is needed to 

power, the economy is in gross 

shortage of supply noting that 

the situation is heightened by 

a collapsing public power 

supply system. 

Many industries and 

business enterprises have 

been groaning as a 

consequence of energy crisis. 

Many have cut down on the 

number of work hours. 

He noted that the aviation 

system is not left out of this 

menace saying, “Flights are 

being cancelled on daily basis 

because aviation fuel could not 

be supplied on account of the 

gridlock on the Apapa Oshodi 

axis.” 

He further said that the 

convergence of trucks on 

Lagos ports has created an 

were recorded. Although, there 

were other fish import from 

Norway to Nigeria but they 

were in very insignificant 

volumes and value. 

A breakdown of the figure 

also showed that over 

N14million was expended on 

the fish products from for the 

year 2018 while N36.8million 

in 2009 was the highest in the 

period under review. 

For 2008, 2010 and 2011, a 

total of N36.3million, 

N45.5million and 

unprecedented traffic gridlock 

on the Apapa axis of Lagos 

where there is now considerable 

loss of man hours. “Generally 

the toll on the welfare of citizens 

is profound.” He added. 


Against the backdrop of 

efforts to strengthen the 

integrity of container clearance 

from the ports, the Maritime 

Police Command has arrested 

and detained ten containers of 

imports, said to be undergoing 

litigation at the Lagos Division 

of the Federal High Court. 

This is even as the Assistant 

Inspector General of the 

Maritime Police Command, AIG 

Abdul Dahiru Danwawu has 

directed the immediate release 

of all containers put on hold in 

all terminals and shipping 

companies by the Police to their 

consignees and or agents 

without further delay. 

In a letter addressed to the 

Customs Area Controller, 

Tincan Island Port command of 

the Nigeria Customs Service 

Customs & Imports 5 

N29.5million were recorded as 

monies expended on fish 

imports from Norway. 

A further breakdown of the 

report also showed that 

N30.5million was recorded as 

the sum spent in procuring fish 

in 2012 by Nigerian importers 

as against N19.1 in 2013. 

While N44.2million, 

N28.8million and 

N13.7million were recorded in 

2014, 2015 and 2016 

respectively, N17.3 was 

recorded in 2017. 

Speaking on the 

development, Mr. Trond 

Kostveit said that an increased 

export of fish from Norway to 

Nigeria has been projected 

adding that there has been a 

long standing economic 

relationship between both 

countries that has been 

mutually benefiting. 

. . . As Maritime Command detains 10 

containers 

(NCS), Comptroller Musa Baba 

Abdullahi dated 2nd April, 2019 

and signed by the O/C 

Investigation, Ishaku Agwom, 

the AIG said the Police Force 

would from time to time 

communicate with the NCS of 

further directives in writing. 

The ten containers however 

still under detention are : MSKU 

– 2620080, PONU – 0082513, 

TEMU – 2557894, MRKU – 

9951827, MSKU – 5100950, 

TCLU – 2007105, MRKU – 

9358302, MSKU – 5836750, 

PONU – 0040420 and PONU – 

0954025; said to be lying at the 

premises of Maersk Line Nigeria 

Limited, Tincan and Apapa, 

Lagos. Danwawu said the 

containers are subject of 

litigation at the Federal High 

Court, Lagos and must not be 

released until the order of a 

competent court of law is given. 

From left, Mrs Kaycee Ekekezie, Assistant Comptroller General of Customs in charge of the Zone ‘A’ in Lagos, 

Comptroller of Customs Tade Adetoye, and Deputy Comptroller of Customs in charge of enforcement at the Tin- 

Can Island Command of the Nigeria Customs Service. 

LCCI seeks 

urgent 

intervention of 

FG over Customs 

disruption for 

importers’business 

By Naomi Uzor 

The Lagos Chamber of 

commerce and Industry 

has sought the urgent 

intervention of the federal 

government to stop the 

disruption that the numerous 

customs units are creating for 

importers, within and outside 

the ports. 

In a statement by the Director 

General of LCCI, Mr. Muda 

Yusuf, he said the practice was 

a negation of the ease of doing 

business agenda of the 

government and it was hurting 

investors. 

He said “Delays lead to huge 

demurrage paid by importers 

to shipping companies and 

Terminal operators. It also 

affects the production cycle of 

manufacturers with 

implications for cost escalation” 

. 

He said the chamber was 

concerned over the role of 

maritime police in the clearance 

of cargo at Lagos Ports, as 

there were reports of frequent 

obstruction of release of cargo 

by Maritime police even when 

the release has been duly 

authorized by statutory 

agencies charged with the 

responsibility of cargo 

examination. 

“The involvement of 

maritime police in the cargo 

release process is a needless 

duplication, causing avoidable 

delays and huge demurrage 

payment by importers. Already 

the port police are involved in 

the examination and release of 

cargo at the ports. The frequent 

blocking of cargo by the 

maritime police is undermining 

the ease of doing business 

policy of the federal government 

“Before cargoes are released 

DSS and Port Police, are 

security agencies that 

authorize release of cargo. The 

interception of cargo by the 

maritime police is a 

contravention of the 

presidential Executive order on 

ports processes. The LCCI 

calls on the Inspector General 

of Police to urgently intervene 

to redress the situation in the 

interest of the Nigerian 

economy” . 

Muda disclosed that the 

LCCI has received reports of 

undue delay in the issuance of 

Pre-Arrival Assessment Report 

(PAAR) to importers, adding that 

the delays create bottlenecks 

which make the PAAR 

administration process 

vulnerable to corrupt practices. 

“The LCCI, therefore, calls on 

the Comptroller General of the 

Nigeria Customs to investigate 

incessant delays in the release 

of PAAR and the associated 

transparency issues.”

6 

INTERVIEW 

Ports system 

disruption is official 

Chief Ernest Elochukwu, a former National President 

and later, Chairman Board of Trustees of the 

Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents, ANLCA, 

needs no introduction. 

Erudite, articulate, penetrating, frank, straightforward 

and unsparing in his political and economic analysis, he 

bestrides the ports industry like a colossus. Petit and 

characteristically punchy and fiery every time he engages 

in public discourse, officials prefer to avoid engaging 

him while opponents find it impossible to ignore his 

critical views. 

In this chat with Vanguard Maritime Report, Elochukwu 

took a long look at our port practices and conclude 

government is the enabler of system disruptions. 

Excerpt: 


E 

xpectations that some 

of the critical 

negatives affecting our 

ports system will be 

resolved within reasonable 

time frame is becoming a 

mirage. These issues range 

from failed port access 

roads to 24hrs ports 

operation executive order. 

How does this make you 

feel? 

Well if you ask me… this 

is only a reflection of 

incompetence and 

retrogression as I would call 

it that is the hallmark of this 

nation called Nigeria, 

because first we talk about 

the Apapa port, the port was 

built long before 

independence in the 1940s. 

In other countries 

provisions are always made 

for expansion because 

proper planning, or in fact, 

planning at all will 

envisage that volume would 

be increasing periodically. 

And that also will increase 

the usage of the port 

facilities including the 

capacity of the access roads 

to contend with whatever 

activities are going on 

there. So avoiding system 

maintenance is part of our 

lack of planning which has 

always been our portion 

even from our origin. In 

other climes wherever 

there is any such challenge 

the first thing to do is to 

create an alternative. 

As in creating alternative 

ports? 

Not necessarily that, as 

in backup strategies. It will 

not make sense if the whole 

ports of Apapa or Tin Can 

or wherever, is put out of 

use or in fact put out of 

partial use all because the 

access roads are to be 

rehabilitated, that is a 

wrong approach. There 

ought to be a kind of fall 

back situation, a kind of 

alternative should be in use 

while the port roads are 

repaired. I think that it is 

only in Nigeria for instance 

you find that when the 

second runway is going to 

be maintained the airport is 

closed for months while in 

other lands an available 

runaway is used while the 

second is being 

rehabilitated. Invariably 

one can say it is the 

hallmark of incompetence 

and our planlessness. 

Inevitably if these ports 

here (Lagos) will not be 

used, it will actually mean 

that cargo will be diverted 

to other ports. But if we are 

looking at creating 

alternative traffic for say 

ports of Calabar, Warri and 

all that, and even the old 

Port Harcourt seaport, I will 

say that it is neither here 

nor there because one….it 

will amount to disrupting 

peoples plan of business. 

Take for instance an 

importer that has planned 

to receive his cargo in Lagos 

and hence has 

shipped it to 

Apapa or Tin 

Can…telling 

him to go and 

receive it 

elsewhere is 

actually 

putting him in 

distress. So it 

is not just 

about the 

traffic it could 

create if the 

other ports are 

being used as 

alternative… 

already there is 

a problem it 

has created. 

And in all 

aggregate 

when we put 

these things 

together, they 

will impact on 

the overall 

economic performance of 

the ports which will still be 

negative. 

Are you saying this will 

create additional conflicts 

on cargo clearance? 

Oh yes, whichever 

alternative you apply will 

definitely create cost 

because if you go for an 

alternative port the cost of 

transporting the cargo from 

wherever location back to 

Lagos is a cost. And even if 

the cargo is being cleared 

here by any other magic 

which I haven’t seen. 

Assuming we are talking 

about partial use of the 

roads while the 

rehabilitation is going on, it 

is still going to amount to 

additional cost, which 

again will 

impact on 

Invariably 

one can say it 

is the hallmark 

of 

incompetence 

and our 

planlessness. 

Inevitably if 

these ports 

here (Lagos) 

will not be 

used, it will 

actually mean 

that cargo will 

be diverted to 

other ports 

•Ernest Elochukwu 

the final 

cost of the 

goods to the 

consumers. 

These are 

the ripple 

effects of 

p o o r 

planning on 

our system. 

How did 

we get to 

this sorry 

state? 

It is 

obvious; 

this is a 

country 

where we 

don’t pay 

attention to 

little details 

o f 

productivity 

and the variables that 

account for it. It is a place 

where people go to work 

without anybody bothering 

to know what they can 

produce at the end of the 

day. It is actually such that 

productivity index are 

actually nonexistent, here 

when you ask people…all 

they do know is that they go 

to work and probably do 

what is available. In other 

words they are not going to 

work with a target of what 

is to be done. In other 

progressive climes, 

everybody that goes to 

work has a target, here we 

don’t have a targe. For most 

people they don’t even 

realize that this is system 

disruption; it’s actually 

going to have a big impact 

on the economy itself. 

These impacts also include 

delays and costs, and so if 

there are better planners, 

some of these things would 

have been taken into 

consideration at the onset to 

ensure that what they are 

going to do will have a 

minimal impact on the 

performance of the 

economy. 

The presidency in 2017 

and 2018 respectively 

issued an Executive Order 

for 24hrs ports operation 

and later Ease of Doing 

Business. Can you match 

these interventions with 

realistic gains in the port 

sector? 

Well your guess is as good 

as mine; in fact, I would 

have depended on your 

investigative report of what 

has been the outcome of 

those interventions. My 

take is that most of the 

times, without sounding 

disrespectful to anybody, I 

want to say that those in 

government believe they 

know it all and sometimes 

they go ahead to do their 

own things and at the end 

of the day put all of us back 



to square one. 

Yes it is a good thing that 

the Vice President who was 

Ag. President at the first 

instance of intervention 

recognized the fact that 

doing business in Nigeria 

is a nightmare both to the 

business person and even 

the interest of the nation 

that is supposed to be 

protected. It is just like the 

case of the reforms, first and 

foremost the idea of reforms 

presupposes that things are 

not going right; it means all 

is not well. 

Sadly, in the process of 

carrying out the reforms we 

now have a situation where 

we again use the same 

nonperforming agencies to 

be the drivers of the 

reforms and all we end up 

getting is cosmetics. Our 

government idea of reforms 

is pathetic, if you ask the 

officials on ports operations 

reform you go to some of 

these agencies you see a lot 

of computers…the new 

song is that “we are 

computer or ICT literate/ 

compliant”. To them, with 

increased computer 

awareness a reform has 

taken place,it is so sad. A 

reform should be thinking 

about the deliverables, in 

other words, that are we 

reforming? 

What are the specifics we 

want to achieve with the 

reforms? In the past for 

instance when government 

talked about 48hrs cargo 

clearance, it was something 

that was meant to sound 

good to the ears. As the 

President of ANLCA I was 

part of that reform, we 

asked some crucial 

questions that were not 

answered. For instance the 

impact of reform, is it the 

total number of hours that 

is going to take the cargo 

that have arrived the port to 

exit the port to the importers 

warehouse? Or is it 48hrs as 

in two days? we believe that 

the intention was for two days 

but then, at the end of the day, 

will the 48hrs on delivery 

target be met, what have we 

been getting? By now we can’t 

get anything less than three 

weeks. I am saying for every 

reason you put a process, a 

cargo to go by itself he process 

should drive itself from the 

point of clearing it and coming 

out, it will take not less than 

two to three weeks. 

Then, or now? 

Now and because when we 

talk about reforms there are 

many things they don’t put 

into consideration. How have 

the process been streamlined? 

Any process that does not run 

seamlessly can never achieve 

that success of reform. The 

processes of clearing have not 

yet been put on its own to run, 

in other words, without been 

propelled, without 

interference.



Foreign Report 7 

Sliding freight rates send more big 

bulk ships to scrapyards 

A 

sharp decline in dry 

cargo ship freight rates in 

the first quarter sent more 

giant ships to scrapyards in 

Southeast Asia in the first 

three months of the year. 

But analysts expect a slow 

recovery in Chinese imports of 

commodities such as iron ore 

will likely boost demand and 

put the brakes on recycling 

later this year. 

Ship-broker BTIG said in a 

report that 107,000 

deadweight metric tons of ship 

steel were recycled in the first 

three months of this year, up 

35% from 78,000 metric tons 

in the same period a year ago. 

Of 23 vessels scrapped, 16 

were capesize vessels, the 

biggest cargo ships that move 

products such as iron, 

aluminum, coal and cement 

from mines in Australia and 

Latin America to China. 

Spain took over from 

Britain command of a 

European Union maritime 

mission that combats piracy 

off the coast of Somalia as 

Britain’s planned departure 

from the bloc nears. 

Spanish vice admiral 

Antonio Martorell relieved 

British major general Charlie 

Strickland as commander of 

the so-called “Operation 

Atalanta” during a solemn 

ceremony held at the Rota 

naval base in southern Spain, 

where US troop are also 

stationed. 

The ceremony was held on 

the day Britain was originally 

set to leave the European 

Union. British lawmakers 

voted down an unpopular 

divorce deal for a third time 

Shipowners generally step 

up scrapping when the cost of 

operating vessels or idling and 

maintaining them outweighs 

the price of scrap metal. 

Vale S.A.’s mine-waste dam 

disaster in Brazil in January 

curbed iron ore production, 

idling a number of capes, 

brokers in London and 

Singapore said. The situation 

was exacerbated by a seasonal 

lull in Chinese industrial 

output during the long Lunar 

New Year holidays in 

February. 

Capes now command daily 

freight rates of around $9,000, 

well below the average $25,000 

needed to break even. The 

Baltic Dry index, which 

measures the cost of moving 

commodities across the seas, 

was at 726 points on Friday, 

down 27% in the past 12 

months. 

on Friday. 

“It is honestly a sad day for 

the UK …but it is an exciting 

day for Spain,” Strickland 

said during the ceremony. 

“Atalanta is so much more 

than ships in the Indian 

Ocean and aircrafts in the 

skies. Atalanta is a 

sophisticated multilayered 

operation using hard and soft 

power to continue to 

suppress piracy and to take 

a powerful role in the broader 

security architecture of this 

key region of the world.” 

The European Council 

announced in July that it 

would transfer the 

headquarters of Atalanta 

which employs 101 people 

from Northwood outside of 

London to Rota. 

The ship-breaking industry 

has annual revenue up to $5 

billion and 2018 was one of the 

busiest years ever, according 

to Anil Sharma, chief executive 

of U.S. and Dubai-based 

GMS, the biggest cash buyer 

of ships headed for scrap. 

Crude oil tankers and dry 

bulk vessels were the ship 

types that were mostly broken 

up. Brokers expect up to 20% 

less ship steel in terms of 

tonnage to be recycled this 

year. 

China’s iron ore imports rose 

3.5% in March, compared with 

a year earlier, after touching a 

10-month-low in February, 

according to Chinese customs 

data on Friday, with steel mills 

replenishing inventories. 

Imports came in at 89 million 

metric tons, up from 83 million 

in February and 86 million in 

March 2018. 

•Newly acquired pipe laying vessel by NigerStar, a subsidiary of NigerDock 

Spain takes over EU anti-piracy mission from Britain 

due to Brexit 

The operation’s 

headquarters is just one of 

the European institutions 

which Britain is losing as a 

result of its impending EU 

exit. 

The European Medicines 

Agency moved to Amsterdam 

hile the European Banking 

Authority was relocated to 

Paris. 

While Spain took over the 

Atalanta’s command centre, 

France’s historic naval base 

in Brest on the tip of Brittany 

won the Maritime Security 

Centre of Africa which was 

also based in Northwood. 

The EU launched Atalanta 

in 2008 to fight brazen acts 

of piracy off the coast of 

Somalia, including the 

Meet the man fighting 

armed pirates to protect 

ships crossing high-risk seas 

After just six weeks in the job, 

he and his colleagues 

encountered a gang of armed 

pirates in the Red Sea off East 

Africa. They were based on a 

“floating hotel” but the client 

vessel they boarded from the 

base headed to port in Eritrea 

to refuel, get supplies and carry 

out essential repairs. Mr Regis 

and his team were left on a 

desert island with their weapons 

to avoid conflict in the 

politically unstable country. 

He recalled: “We loaded our 

weapons and ammunition, plus 

some supplies, on a small 

dinghy and headed off, but had 

to swim the rest of the way, 

pulling the dinghy because of 

coral around the island. 

“A couple of the guys already 

there started to wave madly and 

we realised we were 

surrounded by fins – there were 

tiger and hammerhead sharks 

in the area. 

spectacular hijacking of a 

Spanish tuna boat in 2009. 

The number of attacks off 

the coast of Somalia in the 

Indian Ocean has fallen from 

a peak of 176 in 2011 to just 

two in 2018, according to 

Atalanta. 

The European Union has 

extended Operation Atalanta 

to 2020 and gave it a budget 

of 12 million euros for 2019 

and 2020. 

Italy had also sought to win 

the headquarters of Atalanta. 

It had proposed that it be 

moved to a base in Rome 

which already holds the 

headquarters of Operation 

Sophia against smugglers of 

migrants in the central 

Mediterranean. 

“But we got to the beach and 

decided to cache our weapons 

in the sand and dug a shallow 

grave using our hands. 

“We got our weapons out, 

loaded a few and put a couple 

of pistols in the rucksack. 

“I hung back with a loaded 

rifle like a sniper while three 

guys carrying AK-47s came to 

the shore confronting our party. 

“There was a tense stand-off, 

with what I took to be their 

leader shouting aggressively in 

a language we did not know. It 

went on for about 10 minutes.” 

Eventually the intruders took 

off, but Mr Regis and his marine 

colleagues feared the worst, 

setting up sentry points across 

the island in case the men 

returned. 

He said: “We were on the 

island for four days instead of 

the anticipated 24 hours. 

“We were going to defend 

ourselves at all costs; we were 

in a full military mode. 

“But we were running out of 

food and, more worryingly, 

water. We caught crabs on the 

beach and managed to fish a 

little to keep us going but the 

water was our main concern.” 

On more than one occasion, 

the daring former commando 

was forced to use his gun to fend 

off pirates who tried to climb 

aboard despite the razor wire 

coiled around the deck. 

After risking his life for five 

years, Mr Regis realised the 

anti-piracy measures available 

were simply not doing their job 

and set out to solve the problem. 

He said: “Part of my role was 

to advise the captain on how 

best to prepare their ship to 

prevent hijackings, and I was 

not happy with the equipment 

that was available. 

“I thought that there had to be 

a better way to do this.” 

His solution was a system of 

anti-piracy barriers to deflect 

ladders, grappling hooks and 

climbing poles. 

Each unit can be fitted by the 

crew in less than a minute. 

Mr Regis co-founded ARX 

Maritime with Josh Hutchison 

and the company has become a 

global success story, recently 

reporting 300 per cent year-onyear 

growth since it was formed 

in 2016. 

There were 201 recorded 

pirate attacks around the world 

last year, up from the previous 

two years. 

In the past two weeks alone, 

pirates have attacked ships off 

Peru, Venezuela, Dominican 

Republic and Nigeria, with the 

Gulf of Guinea now the world’s 

worst hotspot. 

Mr Regis added: “Everything 

we do is about protecting 

seafarers. It’s a dangerous job 

and a very lonely job. I’ve seen 

the terror in their eyes when a 

vessel has come under attack. 

“And a story that really 

resonated with me was a pirate 

attack off the coast of Suriname, 

South America, last year. 

“Pirates attacked fishermen 

with machetes and forced them 

overboard, some with weights 

tied to their ankles. They stood 

no chance. 

“We must do what we can to 

protect them and, like so often, 

what we’ve come up with is a 

very simple deterrent.”


Data & Figures 

maritimerepor6005@gmail.com

Vanguard, Wednesday, APRIL 17, 2019 — 25 

Google AI lab berths in Accra 

By Prince Osuagwu 

CSEAN tasks FG on national cyber security centre 

By Juliet Umeh Remi Afon, said: 

“considering the 

precarious nature of our 

The Cyber Security cyberspace, we believe 

Experts Association that establishing a 

of Nigeria, National Cyber Security 

CSEAN, has urged the Centre by the Federal 

Federal Government to Government, will help 

establish a National build a resilient cyber 

Cyber Security Centre, security defence for our 

saying it will ostensibly country. 

tackle the menace of “Unfortunately, 

cyber crimes in Nigeria. cybersecurity in Nigeria 

The association’s currently lacks the 

position was part of the appropriate long-term 

resolutions at this year’s funding in both the 

Cyber Secure Nigeria 

Conference, which was 

organised by CSEAN in 

Abuja. 

The conference which 

attracted security By Chinasa Afigbo 

agencies and 

stakeholders from the 

T 

public and private sectors he Central Bank of 

of the economy served as Nigeria, CBN, has 

a platform for experts to declared MTN Nigeria 

x-ray the cyber security ‘Telco Partner of the 

situation in Nigeria and Year’ at the just 

advised the government concluded 2019 

on possible ways to Electronic Payments 

tackle the menace. Incentive Scheme, EPIS 

Also part of the Efficiency Awards. 

resolutions at the Organized by the 

conference was for the Nigeria Inter-Bank 

government to Settlement Systems, 

deliberately give the NIBSS, in collaboration 

National Cyber Security with the CBN, the 

Centre, 

the annual EPIS was 

responsibility of designed to recognise, 

coordinating and incentivise, reward and 

implementing the encourage highperforming 

stakeholders 

National cyber security 

policy and strategy. in Nigeria’s payment 

President of CSEAN, space, with the objective 

*Head Google AI Lab, Ghana, Moustapha Cisse, at the launch. 

The Google Artifi 

cial Intelligence 

Laboratory, AI 

Lab, which the search 

engine platform announced 

last year, has finally 

berthed in Accra, 

Ghana. 

The lab opened for 

business, officially, at 

the weekend with a 

charge to the Ghana 

team to build AI-powered 

solutions to realworld 

problems, including 

helping communities 

in Africa and beyond 

to improve their lives. 

Head, Google AI centre, 

Accra, Ghana, Moustapha 

Cisse said Google 

uses Machine Learning, 

ML and AI in all of 

its products having discovered 

that they are involved 

in people’s everyday 

lives, even without 

realising it. 

“Machine learning is 

used for everything from 

filtering out spam mails 

to powering the Google 

Assistant on smart speakers. 

It also features in 

taking low-light photos 

on the Pixel 3 and helping 

the world speak the 

same language through 

Google Translate, among 

others” said Cisse. 

Google said machine 

learning and Artificial 

Intelligence are emerging 

technologies that 

are socially beneficial 

and uphold the highest 

standards of scientific 

excellence. 

Cisse said: “Based on 

its seven guiding principles 

for ethical use of AI 

and ML, Google is taking 

a thoughtful approach 

to help nurture 

an emerging technology. 

Google’s AI Centre 

was opened in Ghana 

because building a technology 

that benefits 

people everywhere, 

needs to begin where 

there are people with a 

diverse range of backgrounds, 

experiences 

and viewpoints. The researchers 

of Google AI 

centre in Accra bring a 

fresh perspective and 

expertise to build new 

public and private sector. 

But going forward, the 

Federal Government 

needs to invest in 

research, which findings 

will meet and respond to 

cybersecurity threats in 

a timely fashion and as 

well, nurture human 

resource capabilities,” he 

said. 

His view was that all 

over the world, new 

regulations are being 

adopted to protect 

personal data and 

respond to the everchanging, 

complex 

technological landscape. 

He said that was why the 

3-day conference was 

themed “Implementing 

Cybersecurity and Data 

Privacy Practices in 

Nigeria”. 

He said cybercriminals 

are collaborating, 

sharing information and 

providing round the 

clock support services in 

the dark web on various 

cybercrime activities 

MTN Nigeria wins CBN innovation award again 

of driving innovation as 

well as improving 

performance and 

efficiency across the 

value chain. 

At the event which 

held weekend at the 

Convention Centre of 

Eko Hotel, the ‘Telco 

Partner of the Year’ 

award was presented to 

MTN Nigeria by the 

Deputy Governor, CBN, 

Adebisi Shonubi, in 

appreciation of its 

outstanding contribution 

towards the development 

of innovative payment 

channels in 2018. 


award, General 

Manager, Mobile 

Financial Services, MTN 

technologies in Africa 

that can contribute positively 

to life here, as 

well as around the 

globe. 

“Google AI Accra forms 

part of the company’s 

structured efforts to explore 

and integrate more 

diverse experiences / 

learnings beyond 

present-day centres of 

innovation. 

Nigeria, UsoroUsoro 

said the company was 

pleased to have been 

recognised by the apex 

bank for its immense 

contributions to 

government’s cashless 

policy. 

He said: “As a 

technology company and 

partner in the 

development of Nigeria’s 

economy, MTN will 

relentlessly continue to 

innovate and proffer 

solutions to help the 

CBN simplify the 

country’s payment 

system, reach the 

unbanked and under 

banked, and enable 

Nigerians to access a 

better quality of life”. 

NIMC attains Info security 

standards for data 

protection 

By Chinaaa Afigbo 

The National Identity 

Management 

Commission, 

NIMC, has obtained the 

highest global standards 

for Information Security 

Management System, 

ISMS. 

Director-General of 

NIMC, Engr. Aliyu Aziz, 

who revealed this in 

Abuja, said it was in the 

commission’s 

determination to ensure 

the security of data and 

information obtained from 

citizens as it steps up 

enrolment and issuance of 

the 

National 

Identification Number 

(NIN). 

According to Aziz, “We 

obtained the ISO/IEC 

27001:2013, which is a 

global information 

security standard that 

formally specifies an 

Information Security 

Management System 

(ISMS) to safeguard the 

data and information 

obtained from citizens and 

legal residents in line with 

global best practices. 

“ISMS standard 

prescribes a set of best 

practices that include 

documentation 

requirements, divisions of 

responsibility, availability, 

access control, security, 

auditing and corrective as 

ranging from malware 

creation, compromised 

passwords sale to zeroday 

vulnerabilities while 

government and private 

sectors in Nigeria are 

working in silos. 

He advised 

government to partner 

and engage with industry 

and cybersecurity 

organisations. 

Meanwhile, Nigeria’s 

Vice President, Prof. 

Yemi Osinbajo has said 

the best way to curtail 

well as preventive 

measures.” 

He added that in this era 

of rising cyber-attacks, 

national institutions such 

as NIMC that hold 

national data are taking 

several security 

precautions to keep their 

information vault safe. 

The ISO/IEC 27001 is a 

robust framework that 

helps organisations 

protect information such 

as financial data, 

intellectual property or 

sensitive customer 

information. It also helps 

them identify risks and 

puts in place security 

measures that are right for 

their data, so that they can 

manage or reduce risks to 

their information. 

One of the applets on 

the national e-ID card is 

the payment applet 

which requires NIMC to 

acquire certification of 

MasterCard Global 

Vendor Certification 

Program. 

NIMC by so doing, 

become one of the few 

Government-owned 

facilities certified under 

the platform in Africa. 

NIMC said acquiring 

the certification was after 

realising that large 

segments of the Nigerian 

population remain 

outside of the banking 

and payments systems. 

cybercrime in Nigeria is 

for stakeholders to 

implement global best 

practices, saying it will 

ensure speedy 

implementation of 

requisite policies. 

Osinbajo, who was 

represented by the 

Minister 

of 

Communications, Mr 

Adebayo Shittu, added 

that there was a need to 

work together as nobody, 

is immune to the 

menace. 

From Left: Deputy Governor, CBN, Adebisi Shonubi presents 

award of ‘Telco Partner of the Year’ to Snr. Manager, Customer 

and Channel Management, MTN, Chioma Nwahiri and Obed 

Esejowho, Segment Manager, MTN at the just-concluded 2019 

EPIS Awards.’


WITH CHARLES KUMOLU 

midweekpersonality@gmail.com 

08052140865 (sms only) 

PERSONALITY ETHICS 

I keep learning and 

growing 

Love is not a 

birthright but an 

active action 

Failure is a mindset 

Run your race 

Fond memories 

One of the key values I 

learned while growing up was 

the importance of giving a 

child a very good childhood. 

Childhood is not something 

you can ever get back. It is, 

therefore, necessary to make 

it as memorable for every 

child. I have many fond memories 

of many childhood experiences. 

Children remember 

the gifts you give them 

and the memories you make 

together and how you make 

them feel. As a middle child, 

I grew up saying I would not 

want to have three children. 

I felt that as the middle child, 

I was sandwiched between 

the first and the last and was 

compared to my siblings a lot. 

I did not feel as special as my 

older sibling. As a parent, I 

ensure not to compare my 

children to each other or 

anyone else for that matter. I 

advise all parents not to 

compare children to each 

other, every child is unique 

and special in their own way. 

Raising adults 

One of the things I have 

come to learn as a mum myself 

is that I am not raising 

children, I am raising adults. 

This makes my husband and 

I very intentional parents. If 

you want children who can 

take care of themselves, you 

start now when they are 

children. Give them chores, 

teach them about money, and 

nurture each child's gifts and 

talents. Parents do not have 

all the answers, so as a 

parent, work on yourself so 

that you are flexible and adapt 

to each child's unique makeup. 

Dealing with differences 

My background was one 

where education was taken 

seriously. I was not raised to 

believe there were certain 

things I could not do as a girl 

child. My parents gave my 

siblings and me the best 

education they could afford 

and raised us to be bold. I 

definitely think boldness has 

followed me through to adulthood 

and I have continued to 

ask questions and believe in 

dealing with differences as 

honestly as possible. My 

mum always encouraged us to 

have a career and to have a 

family. 

I have also learned the 

importance of resolving 

conflicts quickly. I have seen 

what damage unresolved 

conflict can have on families. 

YETTY WILLIAMS: 

My passion to profit story 

This conversation with Ivy League, product, and CEO of LagosMums, Yetty 

Williams definitely highlights the importance of sound education, good 

parental background, and curiosity. The three factors combined to give the 

serial entrepreneur, economist, mathematician, and Neuro-linguistic coach 

fame, satisfaction. Before venturing into entrepreneurship, she had worked 

at Bloomberg Financial Markets Wachovia Bank (now Wells Fargo), Shell, 

Persianas, Lafarge, and Union Bank. She tells her story 

We will always have disagreements, 

but we need to be able 

to discuss honestly and resolve 

them. We can always 

agree to disagree, respect our 

differences and still get along. 

The choices I made: 

The choices I made during 

my educational journey gave 

me the opportunity to develop 

my interests. While I was in 

secondary school you know 

how you needed to choose 

which path you were going 

taking. It was either science 

or the arts. I remember even 

back then not fitting easily into 

either bucket. I was a bit of a 

hybrid. I first selected science 

but I dropped Biology after 

one year, after which I 

dropped chemistry. It was a 

bit unusual but I knew what I 

liked and what I didn't like. I 

was just a hybrid student 

liking a mix of subjects. One 

of my favourite subjects was 

Physics because I loved 

seeing how things worked. I 

also loved Economics, 

Literature, English, and 

writing, I used to write 

storybooks. 

Allowed to explore 

I went to university in the 

US and the beauty was that I 

did not choose a major until 

the third year, so we were 

allowed to explore. I loved 

various subjects such as 

Psychology, Logic, Statistics 

and in Economics I loved 

Econometrics. It is the 

branch of economics that 

borders on the use of mathematical 

methods especially 

statistics in describing economic 

systems. When I eventually 

chose my major I graduated 

with a Bachelor of Science 

in Economics and a minor 

in mathematics. I 

worked for a few years before 

going back for my Masters in 

Business Administration. 

One thing that was constant 

through all these years was 

that I seemed unique because 

I did not particularly like A 

or B. I didn't necessarily want 

to follow one of the regular 

paths like being a doctor, 

lawyer, engineer or banker. 

I didn't even want to be an 

economist per se. 

Confusing and varied 

interests 

When I was asked what my 

passion was, I struggled to 

give a definite answer. The 

truth is that life has many 

twists and turns and you are 

constantly learning about 

yourself; we really should not 

be asking teenagers or young 

adults to say the one path they 

want to go on. That is what 

we understood then but now 

things have evolved to allow 

students to explore variety of 

interests without being forced 

to fit under specific labels. 

I always thought I would 

have a nine to five job and 

grow through the ranks. I 

never thought I would be an 

entrepreneur, I sometimes 

nursed the idea of having a 

women's magazine and 

remember being so excited 

when Genevieve launched. 

One constant throughout my 

journey to date is that I love 

to ask questions. It helped me 

to navigate my sometimes 

confusing and varied 

interests. 

Pushing the status quo 

Growing up I was always 

the child who would ask 

"why?" I always wanted to 

understand things. The habit 

made me ask my mum a 

million questions. Sometimes 

she would respond and 

say "because I am your mother 

I would respond." It used 

to exasperate her sometimes. 

One of my mottos is: ask what 

is the worst that would 

happen? As I have grown I 

added that there could be a 

yes lurking somewhere if one 

can find it. I have always been 

a curious person. I was 

learning by asking questions, 

seeking to understand, and 

pushing the status quo. 

During the early days in my 

career, I used to get bored relatively 

quickly on jobs. I got 

bored quickly with routine and 

was always coming up with 

ideas and trying new things. 

Out of curiosity 

I landed my very first fulltime 

job out of curiosity. My 

very first job out of University 

was at Bloomberg Financial 

Markets in Princeton, New 

Jersey. I had an internship 

while I was in school in my 

final year. I was impressed 

that my friends in university 

had jobs to pay their fees. 

Though I didn't need the money 

for fees, I wanted experience 

and thought the extra 

money would be handy. I applied 

and got an internship at 

an asset management firm as 

a final year student at the University 

of Pittsburgh. The job 

required me to use the 

Bloomberg terminal for research 

and my tasks. I remember 

thinking that the terminal 

was such an amazing tool and 

thought it would be nice to 

work there. I started browsing 

their job page and decided to 

apply for a job at Bloomberg. 

It was the only job I applied 

for. The initial plan was to 

graduate and come back to 

Nigeria for my National 

Youth Service, NYSC. My 

first surprise was when I was 

called for the interview. The 

next surprise was when I got 

the job offer on the same day 

before I even left the 

Bloomberg office in Skillman. 

LagosMums 

When I had my second child 

it was on a website for mums 

in the DC area in the US that I 

found a school for my toddler 

and a pediatrician for my 

baby. This sparked an idea in 

me. Back then there were no 

online sites dedicated to giving 

a new mum or a parent 

the information she needed 

as a mum in Lagos or Nigeria. 

I decided to start LagoMums 

and parenting. Rather than 

searching for information for 

our children and being sent 

to foreign sites, I a hub and 

community for mums and 

parents locally to connect 

and ask questions on parenting. 

For example, there were 

certain myths about motherhood 

to debunk, and there 

was a world of questions parents 

had and needed people 

going through the same experience 

to respond to them. 

It is to provide a solution 

for mothers primarily located 

in Nigeria. 

Read full version on 

www.vanguardngr.com

•Drake 

•Niniola 

Afro-pop music legend, 

Innocent Idibia, a.k.a 

2Face, now fondly called 

‘2Baba’, has shared his 

dissatisfaction with how 

Africans value themselves 

and their heritage. According 

to the ‘Gaga Shuffle’ 

crooner, it is high time 

Africans began to place 

high value on their race 

because they have been 

living a fake life for many 

years. 

“Who are we? What’s 

our true history? What has 

made us not to believe in 

our own things? Why do 

we think black is not beautiful? 

Why don’t we value 

African things unless it’s 

validated by non-Afri- 

By Tolulope Abereoje 

Over the weekend, 

Nigerian songstress, 

Niniola Apata and 

world famous Canadian 

rapper, Aubrey Drake 

Graham, popularly 

known as Drake, have 

sparked off dating rumor 

as the latter made a request 

of her song during 

Fresh trouble for Zlatan as 

artiste accuse him of fraud 

Canadian rapper, 

Drake, Niniola, spark 

off dating rumor 

a radio show in the United 

Kingdom. 

Recall that Niniola recently 

went wild with joy 

when the rapper recently 

followed her on Instagram 

and in reaction to 

this; she took to social 

media to celebrate the 

development. “Imagine 

waking up in the morning 

to find out Drake just 

followed you. This Isolo 

girl! I followed back immediately. 

@champagnepapi 

welcome!” she 

mused. 

While the ‘Maradona’ 

hit-maker was yet to get 

over that excitement 

Drake requested for her 

song during a radio show 

he was co-hosting with 

Tiffany Calver on BBC 

1xtra in the United Kingdom. 

In excitement, she 

once again took to her Instagram 

page to celebrate 

the news. “When your 

new best friend, @cham- 

pagnepapi, starts to 

watch your back while cohosting 

the show with 

@tiffanycalver on 

@bbc1xtra,” she wrote. 

Also joining in celebrating 

this feat was her sister, 

Teni, who hinted that 

she and her sister, Niniola, 

would soon be travelling 

to see Drake in Los 

Angeles. 

“I can collapse. We are 

going to Los Angeles! My 

elder sister has become a 

star! Congratulations to 

the Apata family! Drake is 

now following my sister 

@officialniniola on Instagram. 

I will be sending 

invitation card for the party. 

Thanks and God bless. 

Number 9 Apata gang”, 

she wrote. The radio request 

has led to tongue 

wagging speculations 

and led many to cross 

their fingers as no one is 

sure of what to expect 

next from the duo. 

It’s high time Africans value 

themselves — 2Face 

Trouble may be loom 

ing for popular street 

music rave of the moment, 

Omoniyi Temidayo, a.k.a 

‘Zlatan Ibile’, as fast rising 

afro-beat singer; Mayowa 

Bae has accused him 

of defrauding him. 

According to Mayowa 

Bae who spoke to E-Daily 

he had paid the sum of 

N200,000 to Zlatan for a 

music collaboration since 

November 2018, but the 

rapper has since refused 

to fulfill his end of the 

bargain as they both 

agreed. 

“In November 2018, I 

listened to a beat my producer 

made in the studio 

and I started vibin to it; 

before we knew it, I recorded 

the chorus and 

made the first verse. But 

while I was about recording 

the second verse, my 

producer suggested that 

I collaborate with Zlatan 

on the song. I asked who 

cans? Is what we practice 

our true religion? We need 

to un-wash the brainwashed 

Africa. It’s never 

too late to start; we need a 

serious repackaging of 

our educational system in 

Africa; a massive re-orientation 

of our mindset, our 

values, religion, history, 

reward/award system. 

Blaming and all that has 

to stop. How do we move 

forward? Solutions”, he 

said. 

However, after coming 

under serious attacks for 

sharing his thoughts, he 

noted that in 2019, he 

would hardly have time 

for anything or anyone 

that would want to pose 

as bad energy to him. 

He said; “No time for 

bad energy this year, no 

time for anybody that 

wants to claim they are 

holy on top of my pain. If 

I say something that you 

are uncomfortable with 

please kindly say yours 

that you feel is correct. Life 

is too simple like that.” 

•Zlatan 

•2Face Idibia 

Zlatan was and my producer 

said he took the last 

verse in Chinko Ekun’s 

‘Able God’. I contacted a 

friend who knows him 

and he gave me his contact. 

I contacted him and 

sent him the song, he listened 

and we agreed on 

recording the song together. 

He asked for some 

amount which I paid to 

him within two days. He 

confirmed he got the money 

and ever since then he 

started feigning busy; his 

number too was always 

busy. I called some of his 

close friends like DJ 4Kerty, 

Drumphase, Billy Q 

and other guys to talk to 

him; he told them he will 

do it that I should give 

him time. Since November 

2018 till now I haven’t 

gotten the song; now I’m 

asking for a refund because 

I’m over the recording 

already, as I’m working 

on better projects already.” 

He added; “I called his 

management to tell them 

what’s happening, after 

few hours they called me 

and told me he said I 

should not worry that he 

will get back to me. I waited 

for months but he 

didn’t get back to me as 

promised. When I called 

the management again 

they said they were sorry 

that they can’t do anything 

about the matter because 

at first I didn’t come 

through them, that since 

I contacted him directly 

there was nothing they 

could do. I kept on calling, 

sending text, sending 

mails but all ignored.” 

•Omotola 

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17, 2019 — 27 

Continuous assault, killings 

by uniformed men will make 

Nigeria collapse, Omotola 

tells Buhari, Osinbajo 

Following the recent 

indiscriminate murder 

of one Miss Ada Ifeanyi 

by men of the Nigeria 

Police Force, veteran Nollywood 

actress, Omotola 

Jalade-Ekeinde has joined 

others to condemn the incessant 

killing of innocent 

unarmed Nigerians by trig- 

ger happy men of the 

Nigeria Police Force. 

A 20-year-old lady 

identified as Ada Ifeanyi 

and her 32-year old 

boyfriend, Emmanuel 

Akomafuwa were shot 

severally in the Ajegunle 

area of Lagos State 

on Saturday, April 13, 

2019, after a group of 

policemen who have 

been identified as operatives 

from the Trinity 

Police station ordered 

them to stop and they 

didn’t. 

While Ada, who was 

shot twice, died immediately, 

Emmanuel who 

sustained grievous injuries 

is still battling for 

his life. The incident 

happened at about 7am 

and it has left friends, 

family and the entire 

country in distress. 

Reacting to the matter 

which has continued 

to generate concern, 

Omotola spared 

no words in advising the 

federal government to 

wade into the matter 

before it gets out of 

hand. 

“The country under your 

watch is hellish! The lack 

of money in circulation, 

now coupled with the continuous 

assault and killings 

by uniformed men will 

make this country implode. 

It is unbearable! Do something! 

Insecurity, fear and 

desperation everywhere,” 

she blurted on twitter. 

Meanwhile, mother of the 

deceased lady, Mrs. Mercy 

John has lamented her 

daughter’s murder, calling 

for justice. 

“I spoke with her on Friday 

afternoon and she 

promised to come to see 

me next week so we could 

celebrate Easter together. 

She’s a daughter I don’t 

want to miss in life. When 

they called me around 7am 

that my daughter had been 

shot by the Police, I rushed 

down there and saw my 

child lying dead. A girl of 

just 20 years died like a 

chicken! What did they find 

on her that made them 

shoot her? If they had shot 

the tyre, at least the car 

would have stopped. Is that 

what the government wants 

for us? I want justice for my 

child!” she lamented. 

However, the Lagos State 

Commissioner of Police, 

CP Zubairu Muazu has revealed 

that members of the 

team suspected to be involved 

in the shooting are 

from Trinity Police Station 

and are currently facing internal 

disciplinary proceedings 

at the Command 

Headquarters Ikeja. Their 

rifles have been retrieved 

for forensic analysis by 

Ballisticians and if found 

wanting, they would be 

prosecuted in a conventional 

court for murder.

28— Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17, 2019 

VOL. 2 NO. 46 

BY DENNIS AGBO 

‘The Catholic Church has 

ended the seven- day mourning 

of its member, Miss 

Ngozi Eze, who was gangraped 

before being strangulated 

to death by unknown 

persons at Imufu, Enugu Ezike, 

Igbo Eze North Local 

Government Area of Enugu 

State. 

The church members ended 

the one week mourning 

of the deceased with a Rosary 

procession which started 

from the boundary between 

Imufu and Ogrute in the area 

through the MCC Aji Road 

to the scene where her corpse 

was discovered on Tuesday, 

March 27, in a bush. 

The Parish Priest of St Joseph’s. 

Rev Father Rufus 

Achinike, C.S.Sp, and his 

Assistant, Rev Fr. Johnson 

Nwanonenenyi, led the procession 

of the Catholic faithful 

as they prayed for God’s 

forgiveness of her sins as well 

as intervention to ensure the 

arrest of her murderers. 

Ngozi had gone to the 

Township One School, 

Ogrute for private lessons 

that would enable her pass 

the ongoing JAMB examinations 

on March 26, but did 

Two governors in Imo State, 

Rochas Okorocha (outgoing 

governor) and Emeka Ihedioha 

(governor-elect) have dramatically 

showcased their capacity, 

during their inspection 

of Owerri Airport fire. 

Southeast Voice observed 

that the drama put political 

analysts into dilemma on who 

between Okorocha and Ihedioha, 

should visit the Owerri 

Airport in a situation like 

this. 

Okorocha had claimed that 

Ihedioha was already acting 

as a governor by visiting the 

Owerri Airport fire scene. 

It came to a point that the circumstances 

that led to the fire 

incident at Imo Airport were 

suddenly trivialized on the basis 

of politics. 

It also became an incident of 

trying to define who is a governor 

and a governor-elect. 

As both of them took the aura 

surrounding their positions of 

authority to inspect the fire 

incident on 8 April, 2019, some 

have described it as a political 

storm which took over the 

political space immediately as 

the duo had concluded their 

inspections of the fire incident. 

Governor Okorocha had accused 

Ihedioha of impersonation 

while Ihedioha who is 

the governor elect claimed he 

was at the airport to show con- 

Catholic faithful in fervent 

prayers for arrest of gangsters 

who raped member to death 

.as 2000 women demonstrate over killings in Enugu 

communities 

A cross section of Isiugwu women protesting series of killings in their 

not return home, as her naked 

corpse was discovered 

by passersby in a bush the 

following day. Before 

Ngozi’s death, a widow in 

the community, Mrs Nweeja 

Emmanuel Abugu Onah 

was abducted from her matrimonial 

home and killee by 

unknown persons. Her 

corpse is yet to be recovered. 

Meanwhile, the prayers by 

the Catholic faithful is said 

to be yielding fruits as homicide 

detectives were said 

to have made some “breakthrough 

towards arresting 

Ngozi’s killers.” 

However, as Ngozi’s murder 

was making the rounds 

over 2000 women, all 

dressed in black attire also 

demonstrated along the major 

roads of Ogrute, the 

headquarters of Igbo-Eze 

North Local Government, 

over the unresolved murder 

of four members of another 

nearby Isiugwu Community. 

The women listed those 

killed whithin some intervals 

to include Christiana Ezeja, 

Felix Idoko, Ernest Aleke 

and Ike Idoko. The fifth person, 

Madam Ngozi Ossai 

reportedly escaped death by 

the whiskers as the attackers 

could not succeed in killing 

her due to the timely intervention 

of her son. 

At a church service to mark 

the end of late Ngozi Eze’s 

mourning, Rev Fr Achinike, 

prayed God to ensure that 

detectives unravelled those 

behind such dastardly act. 

Both the Secretary to Igbo- 

Eze North Local Government, 

Mr Hillary Ogili, and 

the Divisional Police Officer, 

DPO, for the area, Mr C.N. 

Attah, who addressed the 

women demonstrators from 

Isiugwu, commended them 

for being peaceful. Attah 

said that three of the victims 

were killed before he was 

posted to the local government, 

while Mr Ogili said 

that their agonies would be 

conveyed to both the state 

government and the police 

for necessary action.community 

A drama of two governors at Owerri Airport fire 

By Chinonso Alozie, 

Owerri 

cern as a critical stakeholder 

in the state. 

With this subtle display of 

power, the discussion to what 

might have led to the ugly 

incident of the fire incident 

was probably thrown into the 

garbage. 

As the drum for political superiority 

started playing, 

Okorocha became infuriated 

that Ihedioha as a governorelect 

carried out an inspection 

at the Owerri Airport fire 

incident. 

He was embittered by the 

action of the governor-elect, 

jumping into the conclusion 

that Ihedioha, a governorelect, 

was impersonating him 

(Okorocha) as the governor of 

the state. 

Okorocha not satisfied with 

calling Ihedioha an impersonator 

but was particularly 

peeved in his own thinking 

that Ihedioha, for inspecting 

a fire incident has taken over 

his job as Imo State governor 

and demanded that Ihedioha 

should leave his job for 

him and wait for his own time. 

However, the governor-elect 

who might have understood 

his limit as governor-elect 

quickly at the scene of the fire 

incident, described himself as 

a critical stakeholder who has 

come to see for himself the 

extent of damages done by 

the inferno. 

He was mindful of the limit 

of his position as a governorelect 

and that could be the 

reason why he played smart 

by presenting himself as a 

stakeholder, a position anybody 

could claim to visit a 

scene of such an incident like 

that of Owerri Airport fire. 

Ihedioha was conducted 

round the Airport to inspect 

the damages by the management 

of the Airport just like 

Governor Rochas Okorocha 

was also taken round to ascertain 

the damaged facilities. 

So, it became a drama of two 

governors, the difference was 

that one was 

outgoing and 

and the other, 

incoming 

governor. 

Southeast 

Voice gathered 

that 

Okorocha 

through his 

Chief Press 

Secretary, 

Sam Onwuemeodo, 

said: 

“Owelle 

Rochas Okorocha 

is the 

governor of 

Imo State as 

we write and 

for Chief 

Emeka Ihedioha 

who 

was announced 

winner 

of the 

governorship 

election in 

the State by 

Mr. Francis Ezeonu led INEC 

in Owerri to be acting as governor 

and conducting activities 

meant for a sitting governor 

is impersonation. And he 

should be advised to maintain 

certain level of decorum or 

decency. 

“In less than thirty minutes 

after the reported fire incident 

at the Imo Airport, Ihedioha 

rushed to the airport to inspect 

damages caused by the 

fire and also issued directives 

to the management of the air- 

port. 

“Did he do that in his capacity 

as what? Is he the governor 

of the state? And the 

speed with which he rushed 

to the airport was suspicious. 

Perhaps, he knew what 

caused the fire incident because 

as a PDP man, there is 

no part in any movie they cannot 

act, including acting like 

James Bond (007). 

“Again, for Ihedioha to set up 

what he termed Transition 

Technical Committee of one 

hundred and thirty-nine (139) 

members and that of the Governorship 

Inauguration Committee 

of three hundred and 

twenty-three (323) members 

making the total number to be 

four hundred and sixty-two 

(462) shows that he does not 

even know what the governorship 

of a state is all about. He 

therefore needs some tutorials 

in that regard.” 

Southeast Voice also got Ihedioha’s 

brief remarks at the 

Owerri Airport where he 

said: ”It makes sense as a 

stakeholder to visit the airport, 

we found out that the 

area that was caught up with 

fire and was gutted down is 

the executive house of the airport. 

Yes, there will be initial 

hiccups. We are happy it did 

not affect flight operations.

NSUKKA- Bothered by the 

rising national hunger index, 

agricultural students in 

South Eastern geopolitical 

zone, under the auspices of 

National Association of Agricultural 

Students, NAAS, 

weekend mulled on measures 

to ensure food security 

for in the region in particular 

and Nigeria as a country. 

Dwelling on the theme, 

“Pathway to Sustainable Agriculture 

and Food Security,” 

at the Princess Alexandra 

Auditorium, University of 

Nigeria, Nsukka, UNN, the 

students said part of the reasons 

for embarking on the 

three-day convention was 

also to guarantee job security 

for the graduates of agricultural 

disciplines being 

churned out by universities 

and polytechnics within the 

region and the nation at 

large. 

While educating the students 

on ‘Commercial Agriculture, 

Value Chain and 

Agric Graduate Empowerment’, 

the Dean, Faculty of 

Agriculture, Nnamdi Azikiwe 

University, Awka and 

Consultant, Microfinance, 

Agriculture and Rural Development, 

Prof. Charles Onugu, 

said the nation needs the 

students of agriculture now 

than ever before to cushion 

the effects of underproduction 

of food items occasioned 

by the herders/farmers onslaught 

in the country, urging 

the students to venture 

into the branch of the agriculture 

they are passionate 

about. 

Prof. Onugu, who commended 

the students’ association 

for forming co-operative 

society which will enable 

them to access loans 

from banks without collateral, 

said that Bank of Agriculture, 

microfinance banks and 

other financial institutions 

designated by the Central 

Bank of Nigeria, CBN, 

would always oblige requests 

from co-operative societies 

in accessing loans for 

commercial agriculture. 

“In the agric value chain, 

there are a lot of options, 

choose areas you have prowess 

at; if it is seed supply, 

fertilizer supply, piggery, 

food processing, production…; 

just take a particular 

area and specialize in it. You 

don’t need to be Dangote or 

THE TEAM 

SUPERVISING EDITOR: 

Chioma Gabriel, Lagos 

(08052201257) 

EDITOR: 

Emeka Mamah, Enugu 

email: 

emekemamah@yahoo.com 

Anayo Okoli, Umuahia 

Vincent Ujumadu, Awka 

Chidi Nkwopara, Owerri 

Peter Okutu, Abakaliki 

Chimaobi Nwaiwu, 

Nnewi 

Nwabueze Okonkwo, 

Onitsha 

Ugochukwu Alaribe, Aba 

Denis Agbo, Enugu 


Southeast Agric students mull 

measures to guarantee national 

food, job security 

By Ikechukwu Odu 

Dean, Faculty of Agriculture, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Prof. Charles Onugu (8th left), and 

the South East Regional Co-coordinator of NAAS, Frank Iregbu (middle), being flanked by the students 

during a three-day convention of NAAS at the Princess Alexandra Auditorium, UNN. 

to have fat bank accounts 

before you could venture into 

agriculture. The most important 

thing is the passion and 

the determination to succeed. 

“One of the things they have 

done so well is forming cooperative 

society. Through 

this society, access to credit 

is easier and they would not 

require collateral. With this, 

they are protected, they can 

have individual loans 

through the platform of cooperatives 

and most banks 

would grant them loans…,” 

the don said. 

Also speaking to Southeast 

Voice, a lecturer in the Department 

of Animal Science, 

UNN, Dave Chinonso Emmanuel, 

said the essence of 

the convention is to guarantee 

food security for the nation, 

adding that Nigeria 

which was found on the foundation 

of robust agricultural 

productions should not abandon 

the practice because of 

oil boom. 

He said Nigeria’s rising 

hunger index is a worrisome 

development which should 

not be allowed to subsist 

owing to the prestigious position 

of Nigeria as the giant 

of Africa and the most populous 

black nation, urging the 

students to embark on 

projects and share the proceeds 

amongst themselves 

Abia govt to offset medical bills 

of lady attacked by herdsman 

BY ANAYO OKOLI/UGO- 

CHUKWU ALARIBE 

U MUAHIA—PERHAPS 

due to the work of the 

committee headed by the State 

Commissioner of Police, which 

handles issues between herdsmen 

and farmers in the, clashes 

between them have been on 

the decline until last week 

when a Fulani herdsman brazenly 

attacked a lady in Aba, 

for her temerity to challenge 

them for leading in front of her 

shop. 

The herdsman, Salisu Garba, 

in the course of the attack allegedly 

cut off four fingers of 

the lady, a shop owner, Esther 

Ibem Nmecha. 

South East Voice gathered that 

Garuba was leading his cows 

along No 1 Pepples Road, Ogbor-Hill, 

Aba, when the victim 

confronted him and urged him 

to take the animals away from 

her business premises where 

she sells drinks. 

Narrating her ordeal in the 

hands of the herdsman, Esther 

Nmecha said; “On Sunday 31st 

of March, around 4:37pm, I was 

going to my shop at No.1 Pepples 

Road, Ogbor Hill. I 

couldn’t pass or enter my shop 

because a herdsman blocked 

the way with his cows. 

“I asked the herdsman to 

move the cows out of the shop 

area, but the he threatened to 

cut off my head. I thought it was 

a joke and insisted that the 

herdsman moved his cow, but 

before I could know what was 

happening, he hit me with a 

stick. As if that was not enough, 

he brought out a machete, trying 

to cut off my head, I defended 

it with my hand and it cut off 

my four fingers. People were 

not around. 

“When the herdsman saw that 

blood was gushing out and that 

my cries attracted attention, he 

ran away, I pursued him with 

the blood and was shouting. I 

ran to the military checkpoint 

near the area and reported the 

incident and the soldiers arrested 

him. But they knelt him 

down and flogged him with his 

machete before handing him 

over to the police”. 

Nmecha, who is currently receiving 

treatment at the Abia 

State University Teaching, AB- 

SUTH, Aba, hails from Asaga in 

Ohafia council area of the State. 

Arraigned in court 

On the strength of the offence 

he committed, the Abia State 

Police Command has arraigned 

him in court for murder and he 

has been remanded in prison 

custody. The Abia State police 

command spokesman, Geoffrey 

Ogbonna, a superintendent of 

police, confirmed the incident 

and the arraignment. 

Abia govt to offset medical 

bills 

Meanwhile, the Abia State 

Government has pledged to offset 

the medical bills of the victim. 

Mrs. Nkechi Ikpeazu, the 

wife of the Abia State governor 

made the pledge when visited 

the victim at the ABSUTH, Aba, 

last Friday. She also assured her 

that the government would ensure 

that she gets justice as well. 

According to her, Governor 

Okezie Ikpeazu was aware of 

the incident and had directed 

that Nmecha be given every 

necessary medical attention 

she deserves. The governor’s 

wife also said that the government 

was working hard to ensure 

that a recurrence of such 

act was not witnessed in the 

state again. 

“I just came back and heard 

about what happened and I 

decided to visit the victim. The 

governor has said that the government 

will settle every medical 

bill. I am therefore pleading 

with the hospital management 

to do whatever you can and be 

assured that government will 

take care of everything. 

“I know that the man who did 

this is already in the custody 

and the government is not 

keeping silent. Something 

must be done to see that we 

don’t have this kind of thing 

again”, Mrs. Ikpeazu said. 

In his remarks, the Chief Executive, 

Hospital Management 

Board, HMB, Abia State, Dr. 

Ngozi Nduka, said that efforts 

were on ground to get specialists 

to see how the victim could 

still make use of her severed left 

hand. 

“We have prosthesis. We are 

going to invite plastic surgeons 

to see what they can do. The fingers 

are already off. We are not 

going to fix them back because 

they didn’t come with her. She 

came here without those fingers. 

If the plastic surgeons 

want to have her fingers fixed 

with prosthesis (artificial fingers) 

then she can still use those 

fingers. 

“Thank God it is on her left fingers 

except if she is left handed. 

So, I believe that with the 

plastic surgeons coming in, 

there could be some forms of 

rehabilitation to ensure that her 

fingers are still usable.” 

to ensure food security for the 

country. He further advised 

some of the students who are 

beneficiaries of Npower programme 

by the federal government 

to utilize the knowledge 

gotten from the convention 

in investing the stipend 

gradually in establishing 

their private farms. 

The regional co-coordinator 

of NAAS, Frank Iregbu, who 

expressed worry over nonchalant 

attitude of most Nigerian 

graduates of Agriculture 

to venture into practice, 

stated that this convention 

would rejuvenate their spirits 

to take their pride of place 

as the only discipline with the 

ability to feed the nation by 

practicing what they have 

learnt over the years from 

their respective institutions. 

He called on the federal 

government to initiate a 

scheme geared towards carrying 

Nigerian graduates of 

Agriculture along, stressing 

that they are bothered by the 

fact that government’s attention 

is mostly on the illiterate 

farmers with no prerequisite 

knowledge of agricultural 

practices. 

Some of the students who 

spoke to South East Voice 

expressed optimism and assured 

that they would not 

rest on their oars in ensuring 

that there is enough food 

for the nation at large. Miracle 

Chiamaka, and Ukegbu 

Clinton, from the Departments 

of Soil Science and 

Agricultural Extension respectively, 

UNN, said the 

convention would help them 

to make known to concerned 

authorities, the needs of students 

in that discipline, adding 

that it had also exposed 

their minds to job opportunities 

and areas of investments 

on their discipline. 

The convention, which is the 

first for the region drew students 

from UNN, Ebonyi 

State University, EBSU, 

Enugu State University of 

Science and Technology, 

ESUT, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, 

Awka among other 

universities in the South 

Eastern Region of Nigeria.


Our son’s wife threw him out 

and we want him out too! 

Dear Bunmi. 

Our 34-year-old son moved 

out of the family home as soon 

as he graduated six years 

ago, partly because we 

wouldn’t let him smoke or 

come home drunk. 

Three years ago, he got 

married and moved in with 

his wife’s family and had a 

child. Now he’s been thrown 

out of the house. We let him 

back home expecting it to be 

for a few months until he 

could find somewhere more 

permanent. 

But not only has he made no 

effort to look for a place of his 

own, he smokes in the house 

and even complains about his 

meals. My husband is too 

disappointed by his 

behaviour. Things just can’t 

go on the way they are. 

Rele, by e-mail. 

Dear Rele, 

Sometimes, no matter what 

you say or do, children will 

want to do their own thing. 

But their upbringing sets the 

tone for much of their 

behaviour. If you let them 

behave like tyrants as 

children, they’ll continue to 

do so as adults. 

It sounds to me as if you’ve 

never drawn a line and said: 

“This far and no further." The 

result is a selfishness and selfdestructiveness 

that does no 

good to anyone. 

I sympathise with your 

husband’s frustration but I 

wonder if it would help if he 

stood up for both of you and 

start saying ‘no’. 

Your son is never going to 

be able to function well as an 

adult, a husband or a father 

unless he starts taking 

responsibility for his actions— 

and that might begin when 

you stop letting him get away 

with murder. Start today. 

Tell your son he should start 

thinking of leaving as soon as 

possible. Give him a date by 

which he must have a place 

of his own and insist if he 

doesn’t have one, he still 

moves out. Until then, he 

keeps to your rules. 

How could mum leave after all these years? 

Dear Bunmi, 

My parents have always 

fought like cat and dog. I got 

married to the first man that 

proposed to get away from 

their constant arguments and 

frosty atmosphere. 

Recently, mum’s late 

father’s estate was finally 

settled and she inherited a 

lovely flat. She’s since made 

it clear to us children she 

intends to leave dad as soon 

as the flat becomes vacant. 

They’ve been married for 

over 30 years and I’m sure our 

dad hasn’t a clue about how 

to look after himself and I 

can’t help feeling that mum’s 

being unreasonable, running 

out on him at this stage in their 

lives. 

It seems sad to get to this 

age and go their separate 

ways. Do you think I can make 

her reconsider? 

Abiola, by e-mail. 

Dear Abiola, 

Your mother has obviously 

given her decision to leave a 

great thought before the good 

fortune of an alternative came 

in to help her make up her 

mind. 

After all these years of 

rancour with your dad, she’s 

obviously had enough and 

wants to spend the rest of her 

life doing things that bring 

her happiness. 

After the initial shock, which 

you and your siblings should 

help him get over, both your 

parents will eventually be 

happier. Times have changed. 

If a couple aren’t happy, no 

one expects them to stick 

things out just for 

appearance’s sake. I know it 

is hard to accept but this is 

your mum’s decision. 

If she’s in good health, she 

could have years left to live 

and she probably doesn’t 

want to spend them in 

marriage. 

Don’t worry about your dad. 

With time he’ll come to accept 

his new status and could also 

make a happier life for 

himself. 

I don’t understand why 

I’m being unfaithful to my 

boyfriend as I love him a lot; 

I just believe that since I feel 

no guilt, there is no reason to 

stop. How can I stop? I don’t 

want to lose my boyfriend 

who is the best thing that has 

happened to me 

No guilt about being unfaithful 

Dear Bunmi, 

I’ve been in a serious 

relationship for close to a year 

now, but my problem is that I 

can’t stop cheating. I’ve always 

been a flirt and my boyfriend 

thinks I mean no harm by it. 

Recently, I’ve been doing more 

than flirting. 

A few weeks ago, I even 

allowed myself to be seduced 

by one of my boyfriend’s mates! 

I know it makes me look slutty, 

but I felt no qualms 

whatsoever—he’s just one of 

the few men I’ve cheated with 

since I started going out with 

this guy. 

I don’t understand why I’m 

being unfaithful to my 

boyfriend as I love him a lot. I 

just believe that since I feel no 

guilt, there is no reason to stop. 

How can I stop? I don’t want to 

lose my boyfriend who is the 

best thing that has happened 

to me. 

Wosilat, by e-mail. 

Dear Wosilat, 

I don’t think you are ready for 

a proper relationship. You might 

love your boyfriend, but you’re 

obviously not committed to him. 

There are many reasons why 

people stray. 

Maybe you’re attached to the 

thrill of secret flings or you’re 

frightened of being tied to only 

one relationship. You need to 

Can I learn to live with his 

philandering? 

Dear Bunmi, 

I am 28 and my husband is 

three years older. We’ve been 

married for four years and have 

two lovely children. He has 

always cheated on me, even 

before we got married. Every time 

he has told me that these women 

mean nothing to him and that he 

loves only me, so I have learnt to 

forgive him. As far as I know, 

he’s been quiet now for about four 

months. 

I love my husband a lot and I 

don’t want to lose him, but I can’t 

get images of him with other 

women out of my head. 

I’ve tried to talk to him but he 

just gets angry and tells me to 

stop nagging. I’m scared that if I 

don’t put all this behind me and 

start to trust him, our marriage 

might suffer. 

I don’t think I can cope if he 

leaves. I’m scared of being on my 

own in spite of the fact that I have 

a good job and I don’t want to 

meet another man only to go 

through the whole heart-ache all 

over again. 

Tessy, by e-mail. 

Dear Tessy, 

Your response to this man’s 

repeated infidelity is inhibited by 

your fear of being on your own 

He said I asked for it! 

Dear Bunmi, 

I attended a friend’s party 

recently and accepted an offer of 

a lift from one of the guests as it 

was almost midnight. He’s not a 

boyfriend though he’s fairly well 

known to me. On the way home, 

he started fondling me and 

putting my hand on his crotch. 

I told him in no uncertain terms 

what I thought of his action, only 

for him to drive to a quiet spot 

and tried to rape me. I fought him 

off very violently and escaped into 

the night. 

I nearly died of fright as I made 

my way back to the main road 

and had to walk for a long time 

before I arrived at another 

friend’s place, who put me up for 

the night. 

Unfortunately, the man was not 

sorry for what he did and some 

of his friends agreed that 

search your mind to see if you’re 

really in love with this man. 

Your best bet is to let your steady 

go before he discovers what you 

are up to and be thoroughly 

disgusted with you. 

Tell him you need a breather, 

then see if you can change your 

ways by considering your 

reputation and fear of STDs, 

especially AIDS. When you are 

sure you can be trusted, that’s 

when you’re ready to commit. 

with two children. I sympathise, 

yet your well-being and success 

as a woman do not depend on 

any one man. Right now, this 

marriage is not making you 

happy. You deserve the love of 

someone who will be true. 

A woman may rationalise her 

partner’s infidelity, as he is likely 

to do, and tells herself that his 

having sex with other people is 

unimportant. Your husband was 

telling the truth when he said 

that these brief encounters meant 

nothing to him. 

He has opportunistic sex when 

it was on offer, not because the 

women are beautiful, not even for 

the sake of variety, but because it 

stroked his ego. 

No woman feels secure if her 

partner has sex with other 

people, no matter how 

insignificant they are to him. Of 

course, you’re plagued by cruel 

images of his infidelity. 

One day, one of these women 

may gain his affection and steal 

him away from you and the 

children. You must not tolerate 

this. 

Don’t criticise your husband. 

Explain to him that his behaviour 

is endangering your love. If he 

still cannot commit, then you’ll 

either take him as he is or leave. 

sometimes, if you accept a lift you 

must expect to be made a pass 

at. Is this fair? 

Susan, by e-mail. 

Dear Susan, 

You can’t rule out bad behaviour 

among some men no matter how 

respectable they look. 

Thankfully, not all of them are 

louts. To help you be on your 

guard, here are some tips experts 

advise you follow when going to 

a party or on a date: 

Always tell someone which 

party you are going and when 

you expect to be back. Carry a 

charged mobile phone and 

money if you are travelling by 

public transport. Don’t take 

drinks from strangers, or leave 

your drink unattended. Met 

someone new? Don’t go home 

with them or ask them back. 

Arrange another date. 

Agree with your mates to look 

out for each other. Then if you 

feel unsafe or ill, you’d have 

someone to turn to. Don’t ever 

walk home on your own. Don’t 

drink and drive. Take car keys 

away from a friend who might 

be tempted. 

On public transport, sit near the 

driver with an eye to the exit door. 

If using a taxi, avoid unlicensed 

ones (Kabukabu) and avoid a 

taxi that is already occupied. 

Lastly, stay alert and aware. 

Think ahead — what would you 

do if something went wrong? 

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

If Buhari was from Sudan, Atiku 

should be from Cameroon 

APIECE of information that 

emanated from the 

Presidential Election Petition 

Tribunal, where the Peoples 

Democratic Party, PDP, candidate, 

Atiku Abubakar, is contesting the 

declaration of incumbent 

president and the All Progressives 

Congress, APC, candidate, 

Muhammadu Buhari, as victor in 

the February 2019 presidential 

election, is that Atiku Abubakar is 

not a Nigerian by birth. We owe 

this piece of intelligence to the APC. 

The party in its response to 

Atiku’s petition to the Presidential 

Election Tribunal says Atiku, from 

the beginning, ought to have been 

disqualified from the election 

owing to this important question 

about his citizenship. For the APC, 

Atiku is an impostor, an alien 

masquerading as a Nigerian. For 

this reason, the party would want 

the world to believe, the PDP 

candidate’s status as a contestant 

in the February elections was an 

aberration that undermines his 

quest for justice. 

Although the APC would contest 

the figures from the Independent 

National Electoral Commission’s, 

INEC, back server the PDP claims 

gives its victory, the party offers no 

serious argument to demonstrate 

that it won the presidential election 

honestly. The citizenship of some 

of our leaders have been a question 

of controversy over the years. 

Either because of their criminal 

indifference to the state of Nigeria 

or their active destruction of the 

country’s economy or due to the 

mischief of their detractors, the 

national origin of some of 

Nigeria’s past and present rulers 

has been under severe questioning 

for a long time. 

If not their country of birth then 

their state of origin, all of which 

gestures at the fact that they are 

people of dubious origin. From 

Yakubu Gowon, the much admired 

Murtala Muhammed and 

Olusegun Obasanjo to Ibrahim 

Babangida and Sani Abacha 

(especially Sani Abacha), to 

incumbent Muhammad Buhari, 

Nigerians have an axe to grind with 

their leaders on matters pertaining 

to their place and time of birth, 

when they are not questioning their 

educational qualifications. 

In the heat of the electoral 

campaigns last year, the rumour 

mill was stirred alive with a double 

whammy of a claim that the 

present occupant of Aso Rock 

Villa, President Muhammadu 

Buhari, is a clone of the “original” 

Buhari who had been bed-ridden 

and, allegedly, died while 

recuperating in hospital in the 

United Kingdom. This apparently 

tall story was spurn by Nnamdi 

Kanu, leader of the Indigenous 

Peoples of Biafra, IPOB, and his 

supporters. 

According to this narrative, the 

Buhari clone, Jubril or Jubrila Al 

Sudan, was from Sudan. This yarn 

gained global traction and was 

serious enough to attract the 

attention of the international 

media. A British friend did contact 

me wanting to know the veracity 

of the claim. Aso Rock was no 

doubt rattled even as some of the 

president’s men and women 

struggled in vain to feign 

indifference, dismissing the 

rumour as unworthy of their 

response. But try as they might, the 

rumour pursued them everywhere 

they went. 

The APC offers no 

further proof of 

Atiku’s citizenship 

than its excursion 

into historical 

analysis of Nigeria 

and Cameroon’s 

position as, 

respectively, a British 

and German territory 

Such was the whole drama 

surrounding it that President 

Buhari was forced to respond to it 

while on a visit abroad. The 

rumour was only blown overboard 

by the increased heat and demands 

of the presidential campaigns. 

Nigerians probably imagined they 

have heard the last of that matter 

until the latest “bombshell” from 

the Presidential Election Tribunal. 

The long and short of the APC 

claim is that Atiku is not a 

Nigerian, as the part of northern 

Adamawa State where he had been 


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born on November 26, 1946 only 

became a Nigerian territory in 

1961. 

Prior to this date, it was in the 

Cameroons. This is the gospel on 

Atiku’s nativity, according to the 

APC. What this tells us- that is if a 

political party of national 

standing, one that serves as 

platform for the incumbent 

president could make this claimwhat 

it should tell us is that there 

might be some truth to the claim 

that many of our leaders are indeed 

foreigners. Some of those 

suspected of such dubious 

citizenship occupy different 

positions in the civil service, the 

security agencies, the state and 

federal legislatures and, indeed, 

our government houses. 

If any of these claims about our 

past and present rulers are 

anything to go by, then, such 

impostors have occupied our seat 

of power in Lagos or Abuja. In the 

particular case of Atiku, he is a 

former vice president. Which by 

implication, that is going by the 

APC claim, means that a former 

vice president of Nigeria is a 

foreigner from Cameroon. There 

must be something between 

Nigeria and Cameroon. For it was 

to the same Cameroon Gowon 

allegedly gifted the Bakassi 

Peninsular as a birthday present. 

Now we hear Atiku is from there. 

Yet, the APC offers no further 

proof of Atiku’s citizenship than its 

excursion into historical analysis 

of Nigeria and Cameroon’s 

position as, respectively, a British 

and German territory. The party 

does not report evidence of Atiku’s 

acts of disloyalty to Nigeria. Or why 

Nigerians should truly not trust 

Atiku as a president. Does Atiku 

hold the citizenship of Cameroon 

or of any other country for that 

matter, the APC does not tell us. 

Did Atiku possibly acquire his 

citizenship by birth or 

Zamfara gold: Threat to development and national stability 

By Inwalomhe Donald 

ZAMFARA gold miners war of exgenerals 

and politicians is a threat to 

stability and development. More than 5,000 

people have been killed in five years. Then the 

Federal Government suddenly woke up to ban 

illegal mining in the North, a crime ignored 

for several decades because of the privileged 

persons involved. 

Although Zamfara gold should provide 

development opportunities, but renewed gold 

interest in the state represents a real threat to 

stability in a still vulnerable North-West 

ravaged by conflicts. Mining has begun, but 

the gold is nurturing old resentments among 

local communities and contributing to border 

tensions with neighbouring tribes. Now that 

gold reserves are confirmed in the North-West, 

this would exacerbate deep-rooted conflict 

dynamics there. An upsurge in fighting since 

the start of 2010, including the emergence of 

bandits and the resumption of armed groups’ 

mining of gold, has further complicated 

stability in the North-West, which is the new 

focus for gold exploration. New gold reserves 

are also creating new centres of power and 

question the North-West’s traditional economic 

hub and political influence. Preventive action 

is needed to turn a real threat to stability and 

to a genuine development opportunity. 

The Zamfara gold remains a major obstacle 

to peace and a driver of the black market 

economy in the state. It provides a significant 

source of income to armed actors, from the 

North-West who kill and sexually abuse 

civilians with impunity; and several of these 

armed groups trade gold for weapons and 

ammunition. While progress has been made 

on reducing armed groups’ profits from conflict 

minerals in the North-West, gold continues to 

finance armed groups in the region. 

Trade in gold and other minerals from 

Zamfara State has helped fund years of fighting 

between bandits and government forces in the 

country’s North-West zone. Politicians and 

retired military generals are fuelling Zamfara 

free for all gold mines wars; same mineral 

wars that almost destroyed Liberia, Sierra 

Leone, and many other African countries. The 

bandits raze markets and homes and kill 

villagers indiscriminately. Zamfara is rich in 

gold. Unfortunately, mining gold in Zamfara 

is unstructured, largely informal and illegal. 

Artisans, most of whom are unskilled, are in 

charge of the extraction, purification and 

commercialisation of the gold on a small 

scale. 

For the traditional rulers to accuse the 

Airforce of missing the actual culprits and 

hitting “many innocent villagers” in 

‘misdirected airstrikes,’calls for more 

stakeholders engagement. “Reports from 

Mutu in Gusau and Tsafe local government 

areas, Tangaram in Anka local government 

and Dumburum in Zurmi local area, among 

others, are that the areas shelled were not the 

actual hideouts of the bandits and the victims 

were innocent civilians. We call on the Federal 

Government to come to the aid of the state, 

especially the people in our rural communities 

who are in very dire need of life supporting 

materials. Thousands have left their homes, 

and farming and all economic activities have 

been put to standstill in most rural areas,” the 

emirs were quoted as saying. 

"The bandits also rustle livestock across 

villages and communities in Zamfara. 

Hundreds of cows, goats and birds have been 

forcefully taken from homes by rampaging 

bandits. From Ajia and Wonaka in Birnin 

Magaji local government, to Kayayi village 

in Shinkafi local government, from Yan 

Taskuwa to Kucheri, from Tungar Kolo to all 

the Kara markets in Zamfara, the bandits have 

left sorrow, tears and blood in their wake. 

"The spate of killings in Zamfara has also 

prevented farmers from going about their 

business. As a consequence, food is becoming 

scarce in Zamfara. The Zamfara gold mines 

wars have spread to Kaduna linking Abuja, 

the federal capital. This prompted, for the first 

time, President Muhammadu Buhari to cut 

short his foreign jamboree on April 10 as the 

military appears to have no control over the 

widespread war in which cattle rustlers, armed 

robbers, kidnappers, bandits are hired in the 

supremacy warfare. 

"The mass lead poisoning from mining 

activities in Zamfara State, which was 

discovered in March 2010, continues to affect 

villagers in three local government areas of 

Anka, Bukkuyum and Maru. Incidentally, the 

mining communities are also not immune 

from activities of these bandits. On November 

8, 2016, no fewer than 45 illegal gold miners 

were killed in Bindim Village, in Maru Local 

Government Area of the state. 

"According to a survivor of the afternoon 

attack, the bandits, numbering about 50, 

cordoned off the entire area before ransacking 

The spate of killings in 

Zamfara has also prevented 

farmers from going about 

their business 

the mines, demanding for gold and other 

precious stones from the miners. There is 

nothing to suggest that the culprits were ever 

arrested despite the pledge made by the police. 

Gold in Zamfara is found in the Maru, Anka, 

Malele, Tsohon Birnin Gwari-Kwaga, 

Gurmana, Bin Yaurin Okolom-Dogon Daji 

and Iperindo areas, all associated with the 

schist belts of northwest and southwest of the 

country. There are also a number of smaller 

occurrences beyond these major areas.” 

Among the old or earliest is Zamfara State 

which leads in gold occurrences in the country. 

In Zamfara State there are gold occurrences 

in Maru which houses two old gold mines. 

naturalisation, the APC offers no 

explanation. 

All the party has to say is what 

sounds like backroom gossip. It is 

the kind of argument or response 

that could only come from people 

who have nothing serious or 

important to say. It reminds one of 

the “birther” argument of Donald 

Trump and his ilk who claimed 

that Barack Obama was not born 

in America and could not possibly 

be an American. Trump whose 

hatred for Obama and possibly all 

Black people has no limit would 

hold on to his position even in the 

face of evidence that disproved his 

claim. 

It is possible, probable even, that 

some of Nigeria’s past and present 

rulers were/are foreigners, which 

is an issue Nigerians need to 

address with all the seriousness it 

deserves. But making glib 

accusations about an opponent’s 

citizenship trivialises a serious 

issue. This should not be the 

response from a political party 

that has been accused of the 

criminal rigging of an election. 

The APC might think this is 

payback time for the PDP on the 

Jubril Al Sudan issue, but the point 

at issue calls for more seriousness. 

It demands a response that 

Nigerians should find convincing 

enough as not to believe that the 

APC is operating illegitimately 

with a stolen mandate. Such a 

government will not inspire the 

respect or allegiance of Nigerians, 

or those who feel defrauded by its 

actions. 

If Abuja felt outraged by reports 

of PDP hiring lobbyists in the US 

to delegitimise the Buhari 

administration (for claiming a 

fraudulent mandate?), such 

outrage can only come from a 

position of righteousness and or 

justice. 

These gold mines are the Duki mine, hosted 

by a shear zone traversing a quartzite-schist 

series, often exploiting the S1 schistosity 

planes. The second old gold mine is in 

Mararaba, which is a two sub-parallel quartz 

veins system. 

Apart from these two most important mines 

in Maru, in Anka there are also minor ones 

such as Kwali, Jameson, Zuzzurfa and Kuba, 

hosted by schist, phyllites and quartzites of the 

schist belts. Zamfara also has gold occurrence 

in Malele, which is the extreme southern part 

of the Maru schist belt. The mineral in this 

area was discovered in 1934 with the most 

prominent of the veins being 1.5m thick, 370m 

long and a grade of about 30ppm Au. 

A major outbreak of lead poisoning in 

children has been occurring in Zamfara State 

since at least March 2010, and is linked to the 

processing of lead-rich ore for the extraction 

of gold. Since 2010, Zamfara State Ministry 

of Health was informed by Medecins Sans 

Frontires, MSF, of an increasing number of 

childhood deaths and illness in villages in the 

two local government areas of Bukkuyum and 

Anka. At the request of the Federal Ministry of 

Health, the United States Centres for Disease 

Control, US CDC, deployed a response team 

to assist in investigating this outbreak. 

At the same time, the Blacksmith Institute 

sent a team from TerraGraphics 

Environmental Engineering Inc to conduct an 

environmental assessment. These teams 

worked with national and state authorities, 

MSF, and the country office of the World Health 

Organisation, WHO. The investigations 

confirmed severe lead poisoning in more than 

100 children in the villages of Dareta and 

Yargalma, with a mean blood lead 

concentration of 119 g/dL (levels as low as 10 

g/dL are associated with impaired neurological 

development in young children). Moreover, 

lead concentrations in soil of >100,000 ppm 

were found in and around habitations in the 

villages (the limit for residential areas applied 

in •Donald, the USA a and commentator France is 400 on national ppm). issues, 

wrote from Sokoto. 

C 

M 

Y 

K

32—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, APRIL17, 2019 

YOUR LUCK TODAY 

By Joshua Adeyemo Phone 08056180139 

ARIES: IF you wait too long before an important (financial) 

decision is taken, you may find yourself keeping date with what 

you don’t bargain for. 

TAURUS: Movement of the Moon can influence you to become 

more self assertive to the betterment of your cause. However, 

it’s important to care about your tomorrow others. 

GEMINI: BETTER than yesterday and luckily for you, opportunity 

to rectify mistakes made yesterday may come today to 

the betterment of your finances. Don’t try to buy love with money. 

CANCER: BETTER than yesterday as you will be at a more 

comfortable place today and suddenly discover that your hope 

is alive. Don’t give in to deception via love. 

LEO: ROMANTIC Planetary position may bring temptation 

through matters – of the heart on through friends. But your best 

bet now is to be moderately ambitious. 

VIRGO: IF you have experienced tension yesterday, such will 

give way to conducive atmosphere today. This is not the right 

time to become desperate about love at work. 

LIBRA: EVERYBODY needs other people’s co operation just 

like you today but you will not be compelled by situation to 

dance to others’ tune; meaning that you can do things your own 

way and rightly expect success 

SCORPIO: THOSE of you willing to give others the needed co 

operation will be in better position to consolidate on progress 

you have made recently. Don’t allow sex to distract you. 

L E I S U R E 

TAKE HEART — ELLA RANDLE 

“See life’s challenges as an opportunity for 

growth and self-discovery.” - Take Heart Quotes- 

Changing our mindsets can transform our attitudes. 

Slightly altering your perception can also help you imagine 

what the other person might be experiencing. You 

may want to ask yourself, what is happening in this 

person’s life that is making them behave this way. Do 

not allow their behavior affect you. 

– Ella Randle 

TERROR MUDA in “Never say goodbye” 

SAYINGS OF 

OUR PEOPLE 

The grasshopper 

which is 

always near its 

mother eats the 

best food. 

~Ghanaian Proverb 

By Kola Fayemi 

SAGITTARIUS: WATCHOUT for minor and avoidable but 

costly mistake within your working arena, especially if you are 

in charge of other people’s money. If you develop new romantic 

liaison today, it may not last. 

CAPRICORN: AS the saying goes “time waits for nobody” it’s 

important you guard against unnecessary procrastination capable 

of putting you at tight corner tomorrow. Be loving. 

DUDU in “ROLLING HOT” By A.O. OLAIDE 

AQUARIUS: IT’S better you conclude what you’ve been doing 

for a while rather than starting something new you don’t know 

when to finish it. Be more family minded. 

PISCES: IF careless remarks are made by you today, it would 

back fire at resumption of work tomorrow morning. Those 

who are eager for romantic attention will have their dream 

coming true sooner. Be family minded. 

ASTROLOGICAL COUNSELLING 

ASTROLOGICAL COUNSELLING 

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

trological 

Counselling, P.M.B 100 

007, 7, Apapa, Lagos 

Should I go for oil? 

Dear Joshua, 

AS the saying goes” health is wealth”, I want you to kindly analyse 

my star and tell me everything about my health according to my 

star. 

I am into oil business and so far, God has been kind to me: yet I 

want to know if I’m not on the wrong path because things do go 

wrong very badly sometimes. And what other business is good for 

me? 

Mike, Lgoas. 

Dear Mike, 

Things do go wrong when your calculations and timing are wrong. 

Therefore, oil is the best for you. Another good line for you is 

commercial involvement with anything liquid. 

OUR HEALTH 

Scorpio and Libra that hosted both your natal Sun and Moon are 

members of very strong star signs health wise. Scorpio, in particular, 

has unusual survival ability. That is to say, even when health 

related challenges come, your survival endowment will always see 

you through. 

Your major challenge is from your constant worries about too 

many things, especially on career related issues. Business miscalculation 

can be another source of health related challenge. You 

will agree with the fact that both constant worries and business 

miscalculation can affect one’s circulatory system. 

Other things to watch out for include: Urino genital organs, minor 

accident (fire), bones dislocations, a few other times, skin infections 

and, of course, fever. Always take care of the stomach. Please take 

note that all these are mere warnings as there is nothing fatalistic 

about them; a good guard, though. 

YOUR CAREER 

Oil related Neptune was the closet heavenly body to the sun when 

you were born at positive angle to Pluto in Leo. Thus, having things 

to do with oil along your career/business lines is not by accident. 

Then preponderance of water element and fixed quality in the 

distribution of the planets in your chart are favorable to commercial 

involvement with liquid. 

VIRGINIA 

HOME & ABROAD 

dadadekola@yahoo.com 

By Lawrence Akapa



Army smashes biggest camp operated 

coming from the illegal 

by oil thieves in Delta 

By Onoyume 

Onoyume 

W Nigerian ARRI—THE 

Army has 

smashed one of the biggest 

camps operated by oil 

thieves in Delta State, 

destroying about 60 Cotonu 

boats, 150 storage tanks, 

700 drums used by the oil 

thieves for their illicit trade. 

Commander Sector I, 

Operation Delta Safe, 

OPDS, Warri, Delta State, 

Colonel Baba Manu-led 

his men with two swamp 

boggy into the camp 

covering about 20 

kilometres located between 

Ogevughe and Otujeremi 

in Ughelli North Local 


state. 


the vandals who mostly 

vandalized oil facilities 

around OML 34 fled the 

camp on sighting the 

soldiers driving into the 

place. 

The camp according to 

community folks was the 

heart of illegal oil refining 

activities. 

“It was a community of its 

DRAW: From left; Kola Ogunwumi, Marketing Manager, Redington (Telco, 

West Africa); Nwaochei Genevive, Senior Administrative Officer, National 

Lottery Regulatory Commission; Olafisayo Fapohunda, Marketing Executive, 

Redington Apple-Business and Okpetu Monday, Sales Officer, Slot Systems 

Limited at the fifth SLOT-Phone-A-Car raffle draw in Lagos. 

‘Ugborodo Community youths vow to stop PANOCEAN, 

Chevron operations’ 

By Gab Ejuwa 

U GBORODO 

Community youths 

in Warri South West Local 

Government Area of Delta 

State, have vowed to stop 

the operations of Panocean 

Oil Corporation Nigeria 

Mazi Alakwe 

is dead 

Late Mazi Alakwe. 

MAZI 

Andrew 

Alakwe 

of Umuezeala Umuchoke 

in Umuozu, Nwangele 

Local Government Area, 

Imo State is dead, aged 96. 

He died on February 20, 

2019 and will be buried on 

April 24, 2019 at his family 

home in Umuezeala 

Umuchoke, Umuozu. 

Funeral mass holds on 

same day at St. Anthony’s 

Catholic Church, Umuozu 

by Most Rev. Augustine 

Ukwuoma by 10am. 

He is survived by a 

widow, brother, sister, 

children 

and 

grandchildren, among 

whom is Vanguard's Prisca 

Sam-Duru. 

own with all forms of illegal 

oil activities taking place 

here. The activities of the 

oil thieves have resulted to 

severe pollution of our 

environment 

“At night before the 

soldiers came to chase them 

away, you saw thick and 

poisonous smoke from all 

sides of the camp going into 

the air. The smoke was 

Limited and Chevron 

Nigeria Limited, if they 

fail to address their 

demands of stable 

electricity supply, 

employment, increment 

in salaries of community 

workers, construction of 

well equipped hospital, 

Late Madam 

Onwuchekwa 

for burial 

Late Mrs Onwuchekwa 

PIONEER MD/CEO of 

Aquila Capital, Chuka 

Onwuchekwa's mother, 

Madam Benedith 

Onwuchekwa of 

Umuaniche, Abam Village, 

Azia in Ihiala LGA, 

Anambra State is dead, 

aged 77. 

Vigil mass holds at 

Onwuchekwa’s compound 

on April 24 in Umuaniche, 

Abam Village, Azia. Funeral 

service is at Mary the 

Queen Catholic Church in 

Azia, after which her body 

would be lowered at her 

residence in Umuaniche 

Condolence visits by 

friends and families starts 

on Thursday, while 

thanksgiving service holds 

on Sunday. 

refining of stolen crude,” 

a community source said. 

Some of the community 

members who spoke under 

condition of anonymity 

said, “We suggest that the 

soldiers should stay a little 

more time in the area to 

stop the hoodlums from 

resuming their operations. 

Once they are sure that the 

soldiers have withdrawn 

they will resume their 

activities again.” 

portable water supply, 

among others. 

In a statement by 

National Youth Leader of 

Ugborodo Community, Ofe 

Nene addressed to 


Buhari, he drew his (Mr. 

President’s) attention to the 

deliberate injustice being 

done to Ugborodo 

community youths and 

workers by Chevron and 

Panocean. 

The youths explained 

that Panocean has been 

building an export pipeline 

from Amukpe to Ugborodo 

(Excravos) but didn’t 

employ the community 

youths and had hooked the 

pipeline to the export line 

at Ugborodo with a control 

platform fully completed 

and ready for 

commissioning soon. 

The youths noted that 

there was an agreement 

between Chevron and 

Ugborodo Community in 

2017 to increase all the 

community workers 

salaries by two percent 

every two years from 

Some of the soldiers said 

items destroyed during the 

operation included 

machines used by the oil 

thieves to vandalize oil 

pipelines. 

When contacted , 

Spokesman 6 Division of 

the Nigerian army, Col 

Aminu Ilyasu said there 

will be no hiding place for 

oil thieves, adding that they 

had become threat to 

national economy and the 

nation’s oil assets. 

February 2017 but Chevron 

refused to honour the 

agreement since the first 

two years after the 

expiration of the agreement 

in February 2019. 

“Before Chevron 

Excravos Export System 

Project, EESP, in 2017, there 

was also a gentle man 

agreement between 

Chevron and Ugborodo 

Community that they will 

build multi-purpose 

centres/town halls in all the 

communities of Ugborodo 

as well as Ugbegungun 

community respectively as 

part of their corporate social 

responsibility to us but 

since they started the 

project, they have refused 

to honour the gentle man 

agreement reached till 

date and are carrying on 

with total lack of 

commitment to honour it.” 

The youths lamented lack 

of portable water supply, 

stable electricity supply, 

and well-equipped 

hospital despite being host 

to several oil wells, 

platforms and facilities. 

Edwin Clark varsity to graduate 

first set of students in November 

By Festus Ahon 

A Chancellor SABA—VICE 

of Edwin 

Clark University, 

Kiagbodo, Delta State, Prof 

T. O. Olagbemiro has said 

that the University would 

graduate its first set of 

students in November, 

2019, adding that 

institution was founded on 

Christian principles and 

values with focus on 

imparting academic and 

moral values on her 

students. 

Speaking at the 4th 

Matriculation ceremony of 

the University, Olagbemiro 

warned the students, “As 

you begin your academic 

career in this university, 

there will be no room for 

cultism, acts of immorality, 

examination malpractices, 

bullying, intimidation, 

discrimination, dereliction, 

insubordination, 

hooliganism, gangsterism, 

improper dressing or other 

forms of youthful 

exuberance usually 

associated with students. 

You must shun these vices 

as you would shun a leper. 

“We are joyous that you 

have come to Edwin Clark 

University, a citadel of 

higher learning, where 

knowledge and 

development is our 

watchword. You have come 

to Kiagbodo, the serene 

and rural environment, 

very conducive for learning 

and character formation. 

You are privileged to be 

admitted into a University 

that has international 

connections and repute 

with options of exposure to 

international educational 

experience from 

internationally renowned 

institutions, where we have 

linkage or collaboration. 

“From a humble 

beginning with two 

Faculties in 2015, i.e., the 

Faculty of Humanities, 

Social and Management 

Sciences and the Faculty of 

Science, the University has 

rapidly expanded with the 

establishment of two 

additional Faculties - the 

Faculty of Law (2016) and 

Faculty of Agricultural 

Sciences (2017), 

comprising of Crop 

Science, Animal Science, 

Forestry and Wildlife, 

Fisheries and Aquaculture.'' 

Bayelsa guber: PDP warns 

members against anti-party 

activities 

By Samuel 

Oyadongha 

Y People’s ENAGOA—THE 

Democratic 

Party, PDP, in Bayelsa State 

has called on its members 

to shun any act capable of 

robbing the party of victory 

in the governorship election 

slated for November 2, 2019. 

The party during an 

expanded State Executive 

Council, SEC, meeting 

which had in attendance 

Governor Seriake Dickson 

and other party chieftains, 

described the coming 

election as an isolated one 

and that all hands must be 

on deck at ensuring that it 

records a landslide victory. 

It frowned at the activities 

of some of its members 

during the previous 

elections and cautioned 

against the repeat of such 

ignoble act, noting that the 

task before it was enormous. 

The SEC during the 

meeting ratified the reports 

of the disciplinary 

committee set up to review 

the activities of some of its 

members during the last 

general election. 

Dickson warned against 

anti party activities on the 

part of the members, 

adding that for Bayelsa to 

maintain her position as a 

stronghold of PDP, there was 

need for members to put 

aside their differences and 

work for the success of the 

party in the coming election. 

Dickson said, “There are 

two systems that will clash 

again in this governorship 

election. The state system 

which I lead with our 

teaming supporters and the 

federal system that will be 

deployed in this election. As 

a result, the old way of 

playing politics must 

change. 

“Bayelsa is a stronghold 

of PDP. We are going to 

prove that again with our 

voters cards in the 

forthcoming governorship 

election. We cannot be 

intimidated by heavy 

presence of security 

operatives and political 

thugs. They had failed in 

the past. They will fail again 

this time around.'' 

Isoko group alleges injustice in ministerial appointments 

By Ochuko Akuopha 

O Equity LEH—ISOKO 

Group has 

alleged injustice and lack 

of fairness in the 

appointment of members of 

the Federal Executive 

Council from Delta State, 

appealing to President 

Muhammadu Buhari to 

appoint the next Minister 

from the stateand amongst 

the Isoko people. 

The group, in a statement 

by its Convener, Mr. Silas 

Bwowe and others, said: 

“Other than ramshackle 

police stations, electricity 

poles and cables that 

deliver epileptic power, 

there is no federal presence 

throughout Isoko land. 

“This, undoubtedly, is 

gross injustice, unfairness 

and inequity to an area that 

has helped to sustain the 

federal economy through 

its oil production that 

started way back in 1958 at 

Uzere, the second place oil 

was discovered and 

produced in commercial 

quantity in Nigeria. Since 

then, our oil fields have 

remained among the 

largest on-shore producers 

in the country. 

“Since the advent of 

democracy in 1999, all 

other ethnic groups in 

Delta State have had 

Ministers, some several 

times over. But no Isoko 

man has been appointed 

Minister. In fact, this has 

been the case since 1973. 

What a shame. 

“For the avoidance of 

doubt, in 1999, President 

Obasanjo appointed Mr. 

Chris Agbobu from Anioma 

as Minister of State for 

Agriculture and Dr. Ngozi 

Okonjo-Iweala as a twotime 

Minister of Finance 

and Coordinating Minister 

of the Economy. 

“The current Minister of 

State, Ministry of Petroleum 

Resources is also from 

Anioma. This is in addition 

to the Governor of Central 

Bank of Nigeria who hails 

from the same Anioma axis 

of the State. 

“Urhobo has had three 

Ministers since 1999.''


JTF sets ablaze 2 criminals' 

hideouts in Onitsha 

By Nwabueze 

Okonkwo 

ONITSHA —THE Joint 

Task Force, JTF, set up 

by Anambra State 

Government to wage war 

against criminals in the 

state has set ablaze two 

suspected criminal 

hideouts in Okpoko, 

Ogbaru Local Government 

Area of the state in a mopup 

exercise. 

The JTF operatives 

comprising the Army, 

police, civil defence corps, 

Federal Road Safety 

Corps, vigilante operatives, 

NDLEA and DSS, stormed 

the hideouts in a convoy of 

about 20 vehicles and a 

caterpillar to arrest the 

occupants but when they 

could not find any, they 

resorted to setting them 

ablaze. 

It was gathered that after 

setting the hideouts ablaze, 

the JTF also brought out all 

properties from a suspected 

criminal's room in a nearby 

house and set them ablaze 

before removing a Biafran 

flag hoisted by members of 

Chief Ralph Uwazuruikeled 

Biafra Independence 

Movement, BIM, at their 

Okpoko office. 

BIM condemns 

dismantling of Biafra 

flag by JTF 

Reacting to the removal 

of the flag, the BIM 

regional administrator for 

Ogbaru, Chief Amadi 

Ifeanyi expressed surprise 

over the action of the JTF 

and demanded the return 

of the flag, adding that they 

are a non-violent 

organisation fighting for 

the actualisation of a 

sovereign state of Biafra 

and not criminals as they 

are being portrayed. 

The BIM members 

therefore gave the JTF a 

seven-day ultimatum 

within which to return the 

flag and give them chance 

to continue with their 

struggle for the 

actualization of Biafra as an 

independent republic. 

Electoral violence high in 

S-East —WACOL 

By Dennis Agbo 

E NUGU—WOMEN 

Aid Collective, 

WACOL, with its partner, 

the International 

Foundation for Electoral 

Systems, IFES, has noted 

that electoral violence was 

high in the southeast 

geopolitical zone in the just 

concluded 2019 general 

elections. 

The group said that with 

no less than 18 recorded 

deaths in the zone and 530 

injured persons with 

various degrees of injures, 

the rate of electoral violence 

in the area was 

unacceptable. 

It 

therefore 

recommended use of 

electronic voting; voter 

sensitization; jobs creation; 

unbundling/restructuring 

of the Independent 


Commission, INEC; 

implementation of electoral 

reform reports and 

criminalisation of vote– 

buying as means of 

curtailing electoral violence 

in Nigeria. 

WACOL made the recommendations 

when it presented 

the southeast report 

of the Nigeria Election 

Violence Report, 

NEVR, project for the 

2019 general elections in 

Enugu, yesterday. 

WACOL Researcher and 

Data analyst, Dr. Malachy 

Ochie, while presenting 

the report said that out of 

the 18 deaths in the south 

east, Enugu State recorded 

one; Imo State six deaths; 

Anambra State two; while 

Ebonyi State recorded nine 

deaths which was the 

highest in the zone. 

In the report presented to 

stakeholders drawn from 

various civil society groups 

and the media 

organisations, Ochie said 

that the project was 

envisioned to develop the 

capacity of civil society to 

monitor, analyze and 

respond to incidents of 

election-related conflicts 

before, during and after 

general elections in 

Okafor declares interest in 

Reps speakership 

By Emman 

Ovuakporie 

ABUJA—JOHN Chike 

Okafor, representing 

Ehime Mbani/ Ihite/ 

Obowo Federal 

Constituency of Imo State 

yesterday declared an 

intention to run for office of 

the speaker. 

Okafor said: ”I have 

formally written to my 

party's chairman last 

Thursday that I am ready 

to contest in the race." 

While addressing the 

press, Okafor said he is 

ready to run for the House 

of Representatives top 

position and so far, the 

South East has not been 

given a fair deal. 

Okafor explained that”in 

2015, I wanted to run for 

the same office but I was 

politely informed that I was 

not a ranking member and 

here I am again in 2019. 

“I have done the right 

thing by writing my 

chairman of my intention to 

run because I know I am 

eminently qualified to pilot 

the affairs of the nineth 

House." 

Imo Assembly recalls 5 suspended 

lawmakers 

Nkwerre 

By Chinonso 

Alozie 

OWERRI—THE five 

suspended members 

of Imo State House of 

Assembly were yesterday 

re-admitted into the 

House. 

The Speaker, Acho Ihim, 

announced their recall at 

the plenary at 1:48pm 

yesterday, disclosing that 

all issues surrounding 

their suspension had been 

resolved. 

The affected lawmakers 

were Ifeanyi Nnataraonye 

(Mbaitoli); Uche 

Oguwuike (Ikeduru); 

Donatus Onuigwe (Oru 

West); Chiji Collins (Isiala 

Mbano); and Nkenna 

Nzeruo (Oru east). 

Vanguard had reported 

that the leadership of the 

House last week instructed 

the clerk to write to the 

suspended lawmakers, to 

come on April 16, 2019 and 

interface with the House at 

the executive session for a 

possible recall. 

The Speaker said: “You 

will recall that some of the 

suspended lawmakers 

were asked in the last 

sitting to come and 

interface with the House 

and I am glad to announce 

to you now that the issues 

of the suspended members 

have been resolved. They 

have been re-admitted into 

the House.” 

It should be recalled that 

the power play that led to 

the suspension of the said 

lawmakers was linked to the 

dramatic impeachment of 

the outgoing Deputy 

Governor of Imo State, Eze 

Madumere, who at that 

time of political game, was 

reinstated by the court. 

However, the event that 

led to the return of the 

suspended lawmakers, 

started when some of their 

colleagues at the plenary 

raised an eyebrow over the 

delay in recalling them. 

It started last week when 

the member representing 

State 

Constituency, Chika 

Madumere, raised a point 

of order appealing to his 

fellow members to join him 

in the move to ensure that 

their suspended colleagues 

were recalled. 

In Madumere’s view, “I 

rise to appeal to my 

colleagues in the House 

that five of our members 

who were suspended 

should be recalled so that 

they can represent their 

respective constituencies.” 

Joining in the campaign 

to recall the suspended 

members was Mr. Lawman 

Duruji, representing 

Ehime Mbano State 

constituency among 

others. 

LAUNCHING: From left—Evon Idahosa, Founder & ED, Pathfinders Justice Initiative; Tim 

Singleton, Director of Communications, DFID Nigeria; Yinka Omorogbe, Attorney General of 

Edo State; Dame Julie Okah-Donli, DG, NAPTIP; John Primrose, Deputy Head of Office, DFID 

Nigeria; Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Senior Special Asst to the President on Foreign Affairs and 

Diaspora; and Rufus Idris, Portfolio Manager, Market Development Programme in the Niger 

Delta, at the launch of the "Not for Sale" campaign held in Abuja. 

Enugu govt to release N400m World Bank 

counterpart fund for rural devt 

By Chinedu 

Adonu 

E NUGU—IN 

line with its 

infrastructural 

development agenda in the 

rural areas, Enugu State 

government has promised 

to release N400 million 

World Bank counterpart 

fund to build more rural 

access roads across the 

state. 

The focal person, Chief 

Uche Nnadi made this 

known yesterday during a 

three-day World Bank, 

French Development 

Agency and Federal Project 

Management Unit 

supervision mission of the 

projects in Enugu. 

Nnaji also disclosed that 

another N395 million 

would be released to Rural 

Access and Mobility 

Project, RAMP, in the state 

soon. 

“The state government 

has made N400 million 

World Bank counterpart 

fund available and will soon 

release it to RAMP. 

"Another N395 million will 

be released but we are 

waiting for Exco to meet 

and approve it”, he said. 

Speaking after the project 

monitoring, the national 

coordinator, RAMP, 

Ubandoma Ularama, 

commended the contractors 

for using quality material 

for the projects. 

According to Ularama, 

“Actually, there are about 

Ihedioha wants Diaspora Imo to play 

active role in governance 

By Chidi 

Nkwopara 

OWERRI—A call has 

gone to Imo people in 

Diaspora to “play active role 

in the governance of their 

state, instead of distancing 

themselves from the 

happenings at home”. 

The Imo State Governorelect, 

Chief Emeka 

Ihedioha, who made the 

call at the weekend, while 

addressing Imo people in 

the United Kingdom, also 

urged them to get prepared 

to play more active and 

challenging roles in the 

incoming administration. 

According to reports 

115km of roads being 

rehabilitated under Phase 

1 of the project and we 

visited some roads in two 

LGAs in the state (Oji 

River/ Isi-Uzo). I was 

surprised to see the level 

of development that is 

going on there". 

Also speaking, the Enugu 

State coordinator of RAMP, 

monitored in Owerri, Chief 

Ihedioha also encouraged 

them to take what he called 

“committed interest and full 

participation in the running 

of Imo State. 

“I assure you that I will 

begin to tackle the huge 

problems facing the state, 

which have sadly inflicted 

an equally massive 

suffering on the hapless 

masses”, Chief Ihedioha 

said. 

While restating his 

campaign promise of 

running an inclusive 

government that would 

accommodate every Imolite 

in the Rebuild Imo Project, 

Chinedu Ugwu, lamented 

the delay encounterd on 

the project, saying that 

most of the contractors are 

doing good jobs. 

“The contractor's pace 

appears slow but the 

supervision consultant 

made them understand 

they need to work faster 

because of the rainy 

season." 

Ihedioha also disclosed that 

his administration will 

religiously respect the rule 

of law. 

“To enhance the task of 

rebuilding the state, my 

administration will restore 

respect for the rule of law 

and due process through 

re-establishing the sanctity 

of the separation of powers 

among the three tiers of 

government”, Ihedioha 

said. 

The governor-elect, who 

expressed regret over the 

comatose situation of the 27 

local council areas of the 

state in the past eight years, 

however promised to 

ensure the full autonomy of 

the local government 

administration in the state.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17 , 2019 — 35 


INEC presents Certificate of Return to 

here.” 

Gov Wike 

The 

By Egufe 

Yafugborhi 

R 

I V E R S — 

INDEPENDENT 


Commission, INEC, 

yesterday, presented 

Certificate of Return to the 

re-elected Rivers state 

governor, Nyesom Wike at 

the commission’s 

headquarters in Port 

Harcourt. 

Governor Wike was reelected 

by the people of 

Rivers state on March 9, 

2019 with the collation of 

governorship election 

results concluded on April 

3, 2019. 

INEC Returning Officer, 

Deputy Vice Chancellor of 

Federal University, 

Otuoke, Prof Teddy Adias 

declared governor Wike 

winner after he polled 

886,264 votes, to defeat 

African Alliance Congress, 

AAC, candidate, 

Biokpomabo Awara who 

scored 173,859 votes. 

Rivers state Deputy 

Governor-Elect, Dr Ipalibo 

Banigo and members-elect 

of the Rivers State House 

of Assembly also received 

their Certificates of Return. 

National Commissioner 

in charge of Rivers, 

Bayelsa and Edo States, 

Mrs May Agbamuche- 

Mbu presented the 

Certificate of Return to Wike 

in the presence of his wife, 

Justice Eberechi Nyesom- 

Wike. 

Speaking, Governor 

Wike dedicated the 

Certificate of Return to the 

people of Rivers State who 

overwhelmingly voted for 

him. 

He also dedicated the 

victory to Rivers people 

killed by the Nigerian Army 

in defence of their votes and 

democracy. He said that 

their sacrifices will never be 

forgotten. 

He said, “Today, I 

dedicate this victory to the 

people of Rivers State. I 

also dedicate this victory to 

those killed by the Nigerian 

Army in defence of votes 

and democracy. But for 

their sacrifice, we would 

not be here.” 

He berated the Nigerian 

Army for the negative roles 

they played during the 

2019 general election in 

Rivers State. 

“The duty of the Army is 

not to take over INEC office 

and carry out Collation. We 

saw the Army take over 

INEC functions and that of 

the police. Go to Bori camp, 

you will see INEC 

materials . Is it where it is 

supposed to be? But for 

God, we wouldn’t have 

been here. All powers 

came, but God intervened 

and that’s why we are 

Governor 

commended the Police and 

DSS for living up their 

responsibilities during the 

2019 general election. 

He, however, urged 

INEC to take steps to 

investigate why Rivers 

State is only violent during 

elections. 

Governor Wike 

commended INEC for their 

steadfast commitment to the 

legal conclusion of Rivers 

elections, despite the 

pressure for them to do 

otherwise. 

He said: “I commend INEC for 

standing firm on the side of the 

truth. I commend INEC officials 

for being firm.” 

He urged INEC Headquarters 

to take immediate measures to 

ensure the total rehabilitation of 

the INEC Rivers office. 

The governor said that as a 

matter of state policy, the Rivers 

state government will take steps 

to assist families of those who 

were victims of election violence. 

Edo 2020 guber election: Group endorses 

Obaseki 

By Gabriel 

Enogholase 

BENIN—AHEAD of 

the 2020 

governorship election in 

Edo State, a political 

organisation, Edo in 

Safe Hands, has 

endorsed Governor 

Godwin Obaseki and his 

deputy, Philip Shaibu, 

for re-election on the 

platform of the All 

Progressives Congress, 

APC. 

Spokesperson of the 

group, Nosa Ogbeide, 

in a statement, said the 

group threw its weight 

behind the governor 

because of his 

unprecedented 

development and 

focused leadership, 

which has endeared him 

to all Edo people. 

“Our decision to 

canvass for the 

nomination and reelection 

of Governor 

Obaseki and his deputy, 

Shaibu, under the 

platform of APC in the 

2020 gubernatorial 

election in Edo State is 

premised on the fact that 

the administration has 

done well in the three 

years of its first term in 

office”, the group said. 

Ogbeide said the 

administration’s reforms 

have touched on a lot of 

issues that people hold 

dearly, which is why 

there is a groundswell of 

support for the 

government, calling on 

the party structure to 

respect the wishes of 

Edo people. 

“We insist that the APC 

in Edo State should 

ensure that Obaseki/ 

Shaibu gets the party’s 

nomination. The 

governor’s re-election in 

2020 will be taken care 

of by Edo people as 

payback for his visionary 

and impactful 

leadership,” he said. 

According to Ogbeide, 

the Obaseki/Shaibu-led 

administration has 

rekindled hope in Edo 

people among who are 

“traders, teachers, 

pensioners, and youths, 

among others.” 

He noted, “For prompt 

payment of teachers and 

other civil servants who 

are being paid monthly 

as and when due, when 

workers in some other 

states are languishing in 

penury, the Obaseki-led 

administration deserves 

re-election to continue its 

mandate to develop the 

state. 

“As things stand today, 

every Edo person is 

proud of what the state 

government represents 

and its unwavering 

commitment to 

improving livelihoods 

through infrastructural 

development and socioeconomic 

reforms. 

“Traders cannot forget in a 

hurry Governor Obaseki’s zero 

tolerance for illegal levies and 

taxes by touts in markets. They 

don’t want a return of the dark 

days. 

NUJ flays return of 

roadblocks by Delta 

police 

By Ochuko Akuopha 

O LEH—NIGERIA 

Union of 

Journalists NUJ, Delta 

State Council has 

frowned at the return of 

roadblocks mounted by 

police officers in the state 

despite the ban on 

roadblocks on Nigerian 

highways by the 

Inspector General of 

Police, Mr Mohammad 

Adamu. 

State Council of the 

union in a statement by 

its Chairman, Mr 

Michael Ikeogwu and 

Secretary, Mr Churchill 

Oyowe wondered if 

Delta State was 

exempted from the ban 

on roadblocks by the 

Inspector General of 

Police. 

Describing 

the 

roadblocks as instrument 

of extortion and 

harassment, NUJ said 

the practice was 

subjecting Deltans and 

motorists plying roads in 

Delta State to untold 

hardship, intimidation 

and unwarranted delays, 

sometimes arrest. 

They said, “We are at a 

crossroad as to whether 

Delta State is exempted 

from the ban on road 

blocks. We cannot see 

why the police personnel 

under Delta Command 

flagrantly flout the order 

of the IGP pretending to 

be staging nipping 

points for routine checks 

whereas what we see on 

ground are full blown 

roadblocks for distorting 

smooth flow of traffic, 

intimidation, extortion 

and unwarranted arrests. 

Igbanke Grammar school Old 

Students reunite, launch 

school building 

I GBANKE—TOWN, 

Orhionmwon Local 

Government Area of Edo 

State, will be agog come 

Saturday, as old students of 

the prestigious Igbanke 

Grammar School, will 

reunite in a colourful 

reunion. 

The old students will also 

launch a new block of 

classrooms during the 

gathering, which will be 

attend by the Education 

Commissioner, senior 

public servants, politicians, 

among other dignitaries. 

Already, the school is 

wearing a new look as 

preparation for the 

reunions which is expected 

to attract the Who-is-Who 

in both Edo and Delta 

states, gets underway. 

Chairman of the Steering 

Committee, Mr. Jacob Erhabor, 

in a statement said, the event is 

expected to reunite old students 

from the 1972 through 2018 sets. 

He enjoined all old students of 

the school to take advantage of 

the event to catch up with old 

classmates and old friends 

Igbanke Unity Forum presents furniture to 

13 Primary Schools 

IGBANKE—UNITY Forum, 

IUF, will on April 20, 2019, 

present school furniture to all 13 

primary schools at Igbanke, 

Orhionmwon Local Government 

Area, Edo State. 

Co-founder of the IUF, Mr. 

Collins Edomaruse, said in a 

statement that the furniture will 

be officially presented to head 

teachers of the schools by the 

state’s commissioner of 

education at the main field of 

Igbanke Primary School, 

Igbanke. 

Mr. Edomaruse, a former editor 

at THISDAY and Publisher of 

METROWATCH Online 

newspaper, said the IUF, a 

FaceBook-based non-profit and 

non-political organisation, was 

founded three years ago. 

With a membership strength of 

about 4,000, the IUF was founded 

to address the education needs 

of all Igbanke children schooling 

at both the primary and 

secondary schools.


With right investments, 

future is bright for 

Nigerian pharma industry 

— Abbas Virji, CEO Shalina Healthcare Ltd. 

By Sola Ogundipe 

THE future is bright for 

the 

local 

pharmaceutical 

manufacturing industry in 

Nigeria if adequate 

measures and investments 

are made to develop the 

largely untapped potential. 

The Chief Executive 

Officer, Shalina Healthcare 

Nigeria Ltd, Mr. Abbas 

Virji, said the company was 

interested in employing 

smart Nigerians. 

"My job as the Chief 

Executive of our group is 

essentially HR, Virji stated. 

“I spend about half of my 

time on human resources 

and I feel my job is to find 

smart people with good 

ideas, people that are going 

to expand our horizon. The 

only way we can do that is 

if I find people that are 

smarter than me. 

"I have come across a lot 

of smart people in Nigeria 

in the pharmaceutical 

market. There are qualified 

and experienced 

professionals working in 

the pharmaceutical industry 

that have not had 

opportunity to utilise their 

knowledge and for us, part 

of our responsibility is to 

create that opportunity and 

the environment where 

people can leverage their 

skills and knowledge and 

make meaningful 

contribution." 

Abbas said they try to 

recruit people with 

experience and support 

them by bringing in new 

talent that they can train 

and invest in so that they 

can continue to follow their 

systems 

"There are excellent 

pharmaceutical companies 

here, however we really 

want to be the best in Africa 

by adding value, being at 

the forefront of innovation 

and doing what we need 

to do to make investments 

where we can generate 

returns and create value. 

"It is a logical step for us 

to make these investments 

as there is no way the 

number of factories we 

have currently can cater to 

the demand that we have, 

so there is a shortage. There 

is a gap - a supply and 

manufacturing gap, and it 

makes sense that if we are 

serious players and 

interested to be here for the 

long term, we need to make 

Part of our 

responsibility 

is to create 

opportunity 

and the 

environment 

where 

people can 

leverage 

their skills 

and 

knowledge 

PharmAccess, others harp on PPP for quality 

healthcare in Nigeria 


TO achieve a 

Universal Health 

Coverage, UHC, health 

professionals and other 

stakeholders in the health 

sector have said that Public- 

Private-Partnership was 

inevitable in delivering 

quality health care in 

Nigeria. 

Speaking at a policy 

dialogue tagged: 

"Disrupting Healthcare - 

PPPs as a model Adoption 

for Health System 

Strengthening in Nigeria", 

the Country Director, 

PharmAccess Foundation, 

Ms. Ndili Njide, who noted 

that government cannot 

solve the problems in the 

health sector alone said 

Universal Health Coverage 

can only be achieved 

through quality and 

affordable health care 

delivery. 

According to her, there is 

a need to deploy an 

integrated approach to 

tackle identified challenges 

in the health sector. 

Njide explained that the 

purpose of the PPPs in the 

health sector was to try 

different solutions to break 

cycles of challenges. 

"The aim is to disrupt the 

health care system in a 

positive way. "PPPs strategy 

is capable of covering the 

infrastructure challenges in 

the health sector. The fund 

government is 

appropriating in the budget 

is clearly not enough. So, 

the Federal and State 

governments will clearly 

have to collaborate with the 

private sector to fill this 

gap," she stated. 

On his part, Lagos State 

Commissioner for Health, 

Dr Jide Idris, said the old 

methods of leaving 

everything to the 

government can no longer 

work as a lot of challenges 

investments in where 

those gaps exist.” 

In his views, if you use 

good quality 

manufacturing and 

packaging materials, you 

will generate good quality 

finished products. 

"You get this done 

through the processes 

and systems that you 

implement and we make 

sure the employees are 

following the systems and 

processes through 

training. 

Giving an assessment of 

the pharmaceutical 

are coming up. 

"A lot of things are 

changing, disease pattern 

is changing, other things 

are coming up, and 

technology is taking over 

the health space. We 

cannot but move along 

with all these things, we 

cannot continue to do 

things the old way, 

especially when we know 

the challenges we have in 

the health sector. We have 

challenges in 

infrastructure, challenges 

at the different level of 

care, human resources is 

a major challenge right 

now. We have public 

health issues that people 

don't even focus on, and 

disease pattern is 

changing, resources are 

not available. 

Continuing, the State 

Commissioner argued 

that no government in 

Nigeria is adequately 

funding the health sector 

* Mr. Abbas Virji 

industry, the Managing 

Director, Shalina Healthcare 

Ltd., Mr. Somnath Malakar, 

said the prospects of 

harnessing the potentials 

are huge. 

Malakar, who spoke 

during the business partner 

conference held by Shalina 

Healthcare Ltd. in Lagos, 

said no multinational could 

survive in a country if it does 

not have plans to grow the 

local industry. 

His words: "The local 

pharmaceutical industry of 

Nigeria, first and foremost 

has a huge potential and 

every company operating in 

this country has to play its 

role not only in the global 

even when every citizen 

wants quality and efficient 

service delivery. 

"At the primary care level, 

I can tell you we have at 

least 120 wards with no 

facility at all and there are 

people leaving there, we 

have 64 slum areas in Lagos 

that have no health facility 

as well and we have private 

sector people in those areas 

who can perform these 

function." 

Idris insisted that there 

must be a partnership and 

that is the way forward for 

the health sector in Nigeria. 

Speaking, Business 

Development Director, 

Medical Credit Fund, Mr 

Olufisayo Okunsanya, 

noted that trust and 

accountability were needed 

to ensure that money spent 

for the right reasons are 

accounted for as long as 

there was global partners' 

involvement in funding 

health care in the country. 

market, but to protect their 

brands and consumers”. 

" I think the government 

also will have to facilitate 

the entire ecosystem, so that 

it helps the companies to 

function and operate 

seamlessly to be able to take 

the business and the 

industry forward." 

Malakar said Shalina has 

a lot of faith in the future of 

Nigeria's local industry and 

that’s the reason why we 

are investing in it. 

"We really think that there 

is a bright future. There is 

a huge potential in this 

industry and I think we are 

just at the tip of that 

juncture where is it going 

to take off very shortly for 

SYNLAB relocates to 

Victoria Island 


FOR improved services, 

the Management of 

SYNLAB, formerly Pathcare 

Laboratories has 

announced the relocation of 

its Victoria Island branch to 

Adetokunbo Ademola 

Street, Victoria Island, 

Lagos. 

Speaking on the relocation, 

Dr. Tolulope Adewole, 

Executive Director, 

Operations, SYNLAB 

Nigeria, said “Our new 

location is more spacious 

with more than double the 

previous phlebotomy room 

capacity, reducing waiting 

time for our clients. 

The new location offers 

better parking facilities, 

while the modern interior 

and improved customer 

care is poised for a better 

customer experience.” 

He urged residents and 

those who work on the 

Island to “come and visit us 

at our new home and 

experience healthcare as it 

should be, and not what we 

the better. 

"That is the reason we as 

a company are investing in 

the future of the local 

industry and why initiatives 

such as the Shalina Young 

Talents Award, SYTA, is 

catching young talents, 

trying to build relevance 

and saliency of our brand 

to them, so that tomorrow, 

when they become 

professionals and go into 

different fields, they carry 

us along with them as well.” 

On the premise that India 

has been quite successful 

in manufacturing to the 

extent that it has over 9,000 

pharmaceutical industries 

as against 450 in the whole 

of Africa, Malakar noted 

specific lessons for Nigeria. 

"To begin with, there are 

two simple but effective 

lessons," he said. 

"One is to groom local 

talent, because no matter 

how globally a company 

operates, unless it localised 

and suits itself to the needs 

of the region or country, it 

is going to be difficult in the 

coming days for the 

company to be successful in 

that country. 

"Number two is that 

people will have to adopt 

technology, that is the truth 

that nobody can run away 

from. Competition is 

always going to be there 

and things will get more 

difficult and competitive. 

“The situation may get 

worse because there will be 

many elements which will 

not be in our control. The 

only way we can cope up 

with this will be through 

adopting technology as one 

of our enablers. 

know it as.” 

SYNLAB presently offers 

access to more than 5,000 

tests, including some of the 

most advanced genetic 

tests. The company prides 

itself in the reliability and 

accuracy of their test 

results. 

In line with its vision to 

make healthcare accessible, 

SYNLAB has also opened 

a new ultra-modern 

laboratory in Abuja and a 

patient care centre in 

Calabar during the first 

months of 2019. 

Construction is already 

underway on its Abeokuta 

facility. 

Over the past 15 years, 

SYNLAB has brought 

international expertise, 

world-class healthcare, new 

specialised services and 

enhanced medical 

diagnostic to Nigerians. 

The SYNLAB Group, 

Europe’s number one 

medical diagnostics 

provider, operates in more 

than 40 countries across 

four continents.


EMPOWERMENT: From left; Korede Afolabi, National Coordinator, Noiler for 

Rural Women Empowerement; Felicia Nwadiaro, Rivers State representative; Mariam 

Adepoju, Osun State rep; Dr Ayoola Oduntan, GMD, Amo Farms Sieberer Hatchery; 

Comfort Samson-Shallangwa, Taraba State rep; Caroline Ejigbo, Kogi State rep and 

Dr Anand Bunra, Chief Operating Officer at the Noiler for Rural Women 

Empowerement Initiative launch in Lagos. Photo: Lamidi Bamidele. 

PALM SUNDAY SERVICE: From left; Chief Charles Oladeinde Williams, Executive 

Chairman, Unity Hospitals Group Ltd., Ikeja; his wife, Lady Gloria; the Presbyter, 

Very Revd John Olanrewaju Solubi and his wife, Sis. Dorcas at the Wesley Cathedral, 

Olowogbowo, Lagos 2019 Annual Palm Sunday Thanksgiving Service, on Sunday. 

SEMINAR: From left; DCC Adewale Okulenu (retd); Mrs Chinwe Uwaegbute; 

Uwe Hassenkamp; Femi Aderemi; Managing Director of Temple Group Limited, 

Segun Obayendo; Segun Ogunnaike, DCC Collins Obodo (retd); Victor Erhabor 

and others at a two-day seminar in Abuja to chart a framework for a sustainable 

development in computerised vehicle inspection for the country. 

DECORATION: 

From left: 

Commander, 

Rapid Response 

Squad (RRS), DCP 

Olatunji Disu; Head 

Operations, RRS, 

SP. Akinwunmi Oke 

and CSP. Samuel 

Awopetu, during 

official decoration 

of Akinwunmi Oke 

to the new rank of 

Supretendent of 

Police (SP) at the 

RRS head office in 

Alausa Lagos 

yesterday.


A view of debris inside Notre-Dame Cathedral, in Paris, France, April 16, 2019. Christophe Petit 

Tesson/Pool via REUTERS 

Notre Dame restoration to take 15 yrs' 

' 

*Macron pushes for 5 years 

*Companies, individuals pour money into rebuilding fund 

*Trump calls Macron;Putin sends experts 

*Bells to ring across England tomorrow 

French President, 

Emmanuel Macron, 

speaking in a televised 

address to the nation, 

said he wants the Notre 

Dame Cathedral to be rebuilt 

in five years but experts 

said it could take 15 

years to be restored. 

“We will rebuild Notre 

Dame even more beautiful 

and I want that to be 

done in the next five 

years,” he said. 

He continued: “Throughout 

our history, we 

have built towns, ports, 

churches. Many have 

been burnt due to revolutions, 

wars, due to mankind’s 

mistakes. Each 

time we have rebuilt 

them. 

“The fire of Notre Dame 

reminds us that our story 

never ends. And that we 

will always have challenges 

to overcome. What 

we believe to be indestructible 

can also be 

touched,” Macron said. 

However, experts said 

the full restoration of 

Notre Dame Cathedral 

will take between “10 to 

15 years,” according to 

Frédéric Létoffé, the head 

of the group of companies 

for the Restoration of 

Historic Monuments. 

Létoffé, speaking at a 

news conference in Paris 

on Tuesday, said the site 

will need to be secured 

before any restoration 

work can take place. 

“This will require a lot 

of work since, beyond 

shoring and reinforcement, 

it will be necessary 

to build a scaffolding with 

an umbrella to be able to 

cover the entire roof that 

went missing, to ensure 

protection against weathering” 

he said. 

Meanwhile, President 

Trump spoke to French 

Macron in a phone call 

this morning to offer condolences 

for the fire at 

Notre Dame Cathedral, 

White House press secretary 

Sarah Sanders said 

in a statement. 

“The United States 

stands with French citizens, 

the city of Paris, and 

the millions of visitors 

from around the world 

who have sought solace 

in that iconic structure,” 

she said. 

Symbol of France 

Sanders added:”The 

Cathedral has served as 

a spiritual home for almost 

a millennium, and 

we are saddened to witness 

the damage to this 

architectural masterpiece. 

Notre Dame will 

continue to serve as a 

symbol of France, including 

its freedom of religion 

and democracy. France 

is the oldest ally of the 

United States, and we remember 

with grateful 

hearts the tolling of Notre 

Dame’s bells on September 

12, 2001, in solemn 

recognition of the tragic 

September 11th attacks 

on American soil. Those 

bells will sound again. 

We stand with France today 

and offer our assistance 

in the rehabilitation 

of this irreplaceable symbol 

of Western civilization. 

Vive la France!” 

Also, the bells on Westminster 

Abbey in London 

rang out at 5:43 p.m. local 

time to mark the moment 

the Notre Dame fire 

began, UK Prime Minister 

Theresa May said. 

She said the move 

“underlines our solidarity 

with France and her 

people.” 

“And later this week, on 

Maundy Thursday, bells 

will ring at cathedrals and 

churches across England,” 

May said. 

May said experts from 

Historic England will coordinate 

with their colleagues 

across the area to 

make an offer of support 

once the full extent of the 

damage has been assessed. 

“Notre-Dame is 

one of the most beautiful 

buildings in the world — 

a symbol of France and 

the French people, and 

cherished across the 

globe. Russian President, 

Vladimir Putin also 

pledged to send 

rebuilding experts to 

France. 

Teams still surveying 

structural risk 

In addition, French Interior 

Minister Christophe 

Castaner told reporters 

outside the cathedral 

that workers will attempt 

to preserve the infrastructure 

of the Notre 

Dame over the next 48 

hours. There is still structural 

risk to the building, 

which is being surveyed, 

he said. 

Castaner added that it 

will take an enormous 

amount of time to reconstruct 

the building, saying 

that the process would 

take “days (and) 

months.” 

He said there was no 

suggestion that the cause 

was anything other than 

accidental, but confirmed 

that an investigation is 

underway to identify the 

precise reason for the 

blaze. 

As Paris looks to restore 

the iconic cathedral to its 

former glory, it appears 

funding won’t be an 

issue. 

Mobilising funds 

Individuals and groups 

are mobilising to help rebuild 

Notre-Dame. Hundreds 

of millions of euros 

have already been 

pledged.French 

cosmetics company 

L’Oréal, along with The 

Bettencourt Meyers 

family and the Bettencourt 

Schueller Foundation, 

have said they will 

donate 200 million euros 

($226 million) to the restoration 

efforts. 

That puts the amount of 

donations so far from 

French tycoons and businesses, 

confirmed by 

CNN, at 601 million euros 

($679 million). 

Air France said in a 

statement that the company 

would offer free flights 

to anyone involved in the 

reconstruction. 

Billionaire François- 

Henri Pinault, chairman 

and CEO of the Kering 

group that owns the Gucci 

and Yves Saint Laurent 

fashion brands, pledged 

€100m (£86m; $113m), 

AFP news agency reports. 

Another €200m was 

pledged by Bernard Arnault’s 

family and their 

company LVMH. 

Kenyan family files lawsuit 

against Boeing over Ethiopian 

Airlines crash 

A 

Kenyan family has filed a lawsuit in Chicago 

against American aviation giant Boeing over a 

March 10 Ethiopian Airlines crash that killed 157 

people, lawyers and family members said on Tuesday. 

Siblings of 29-year-old engineer George Kabau 

said they wanted to force the company to release documents 

and emails relating to its 737 MAX 8 model, 

which was grounded worldwide after two major plane 

crashed in Ethiopia and Indonesia. 

A preliminary report released earlier this month indicated 

Ethiopian Airlines pilots wrestled with a computer 

system that repeatedly ordered the nose down 

because of faulty sensor data. The same system was a 

focus of the preliminary report into the October Lion 

Air crash in Indonesia, which killed 189 people. 

Dozens of families are already suing Boeing over 

the Lion Air crash, and three lawsuits have already 

been lodged over the Ethiopian Airlines crash, by the 

families of two Americans, including consumer activist 

Ralph Nader’s great niece, and a Rwandan. 

Lion Air’s co-founder on Monday lashed out at Boeing’s 

handling of the accidents. 

Kabua’s sister, Esther Kabau-Wanyoike, choked up 

as she told a press conference that she wanted to use 

her brother’s death to improve aviation safety. 

“He didn’t leave a child. My mum is devastated,” 

she said. “We can use his demise to ensure safer travel 

for all.” 

Indonesians choose president, 

parliament in world’s biggest 

one-day vote 

Indonesians vote in the world’s biggest single-day 

election today, with polling stations opening first 

in the east of the sprawling equatorial archipelago 

after a six-month campaign to choose a new president 

and parliament. President Joko Widodo, a furniture 

businessman who entered politics 14 years ago 

as a small-city mayor, is seeking re-election against 

former general Prabowo Subianto, whom he narrowly 

defeated in the last election, in 2014. The economy 

has dominated a hard-fought campaign, though the 

rise of political Islam has loomed over the vote in the 

world’s most populous Muslim-majority country. 

Most opinion polls give Widodo a double-digit lead 

but the opposition says the race is much closer. It alleges 

data irregularities that could affect millions of 

voters and has vowed legal or “people power” action 

if its concerns are ignored. 

Algerian military considering 

all options to end crisis 

Algeria’s army chief said on Tuesday the military was 

considering all options to resolve the national political 

crisis and warned “time is running out”, after weeks 

of anti-government protests. 

Lieutenant-General Ahmed Gaed Salah’s remarks were 

the strongest indication yet that the military, which has 

said it supports a transition period after the April 2 resignation 

of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, is losing patience. 

In a speech broadcast on state television, Salah, speaking 

at a military base in the central town of Ouargla, 

urged protesters, who have been gathering since Feb. 

22, to avoid violence. 

“All options are open in the pursuit of overcoming the 

different difficulties and finding a solution to the crisis as 

soon as possible, in a way that serves our nation’s interests 

without regard to individual interests,” he said. 

Salah did not specify what measures the army could 

take. But he said: “We have no ambition but to protect our 

nation.”The army patiently monitored the mostly peaceful 

protests which sometimes swelled to hundreds of thousands 

of people. 

CONGO: Nido to elect new president 

in July ...suspends interim president 

By Ebunoluwa Sessou 

Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation, NIDO, Afri 

ca, has said that it is prepared to elect a new 

president in July, 2019 when the organisation would 

be celebrating the Diaspora Day, DD. The organisation 

has also suspended the present interim NIDO 

chairman, Dr Chikelu Obinna Kingsman , and declared 

the seat vacant henceforth until the new election 

takes place in the upcoming Diaspora Day DD in 

July, 2019. 

United Nations Global Goodwill Ambassador, Dr. 

Babatunde Lee disclosed this to Vanguard in a press 

statement, saying the organisation could no longer 

allow the present interim chairman, to continue posing 

as president of NIDO in Congo.

Vanguard WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17, 2019 — 39 

WeeFree 

Is African church a real 

church with all their voodoo 

practices? Even their 

treatment of each other as 

reported by this article is 

indicative of their dark 

ways. 

Benjamin 

It is in Africa church that 

all sorts of rituals and 

polygamy are encouraged. 

It is against the kingdom 

of God. 

Benjamin Adagbasi1 

Polygamy not permitted in 

christianity 

African Church crisis worsens as South 

South sacks South West Bishops 

Sobola Akinleye 

Olusola redman 

Likening a Church to a 

Cult, Sometimes if u don’t 

know anything any something 

u don’t just open your 

mouth. The African Church 

which has been in existence 

since 1901 came out of the 

Anglican communion as a 

result of oppression from the 

whites in the church at that 

time. They have almost the 

same doctrine but the 

difference is church service 

is done using the Mother 

tongue while in places like 

Abuja among others, we 

use English. The Church 

follows only the tenents laid 

down by Christ Jesus and 

openly condemns cultism 

and has nothing to do with 

any Cult. We only preach 

Jesus. 

You do not need WAEC certificate to become President in Nigeria 

– Festus Keyamo 

Enitan Oluyemo ed 

Read the message again. No 

where is written WAEC. The 

constitution says “School 

Certificate or its equivalent”. It 

did not clarify whether Primary 

or Secondary, and Private school 

certificate is equally school 

certificate.It is a high time that 

the so called legislators state 

clearly the requirements for 

various elective posts in Nigeria, 

but I am sure that they will never 

do that because they are 

beneficiaries of the faulty 

constitution. 

tonyraba 

The problem here is the 

constitution not Festus. His 

position is logical. Let us fault 

our faulty constitution if we 

must succeed as a Nation. 

NIGERIA 

Nigeria constitution should be 

revisited. 

Vincent Duruji NIGERIA 

Constitution that gives 

immunity to ex-president, 

enabling them to keep their loot. 

Trending on the Twitter 

Muhammadu Buhari 

@MBuhari 

We will never give up on our 

missing daughters, including 

Leah Sharibu; and all the other 

people held hostage by Boko 

Haram. In the last four years 

our security agencies have 

paul osa 

The Church will soon start 

appearing before tribunals. 

Blake Johnson 

It is laughable when you 

see this happening in the 

Church. 

Second Sight17 hours ago 

If ethnic intolerance and 

discrimination can happen 

within Christianity then it’s 

successfully rescued thousands 

of captives, and they will not 

relent until every captive is free. 

Ben Murray-Bruce 

@benmurraybruce 

I keep on warning that the world 

is abandoning petrol powered 

cars. Why should we subsidise a 

dying industry? We should 

subsidise a living industry like 

the education sector or we 

become the fly that follows the 

corpse into the grave. Money 

should go to education not fuel 

subsidy. 

Ugwu Chukwudi Richie 

@Ugwucr 

Unless we RESTRUCTURE 

Nigeria on the bases of fiscal 

and social-poli-economic lines, 

truly over for any alliance 

between East and West. 

Things can only get worse 

from here. The devil has 

won. 

it is waste of time. It is the truth. 

No one 

@ilynem 

Do you know if former President 

Jonathan had been allowed to 

remove fuel subsidy and let the 

price float, by now the price 

would have stabilized as more 

producers would enter the the 

market and we would have 

saved trillions? I was against it 

then. 

ncc.gov.ng 

@NgComCommission 

Calls to emergency services are 

free of charge? Are you being 

charged? Contact your service 

provider for resolution. 

#serviceobligation 

#consumereducation


THE past three 

editions of this 

article have 

been devoted to areas 

in the country’s 

legislative framework 

which require 

amendment so as to 

bring about the 

election 

of 

transformational 

leaders. Some of the 

s u g g e s t e d 

amendments which 

relate to the process of 

elections and other 

connected matters can 

be summarised as 

follows: 

I. Amendment to the 

Electoral Act to allow for 

realtime electronic 

transfer and collation of 

results from the unit 

level to other levels of 

the election. This will 

protect election 

materials and electoral 

officers from attacks as 

witnessed in the just 

concluded elections. 

II. Amendment to the 

Constitution to provide 

for the judicial 

resolution of all preelection 

matters 

touching on the 

nomination of 

candidates well before 

the conduct of the 

elections. 

Nomination of 

candidates 

This will provide 

certainty to the electoral 

body, the political 

parties, candidates and 

the voting public 

regarding who the real 

candidates of the 

parties are well before 

the conduct of the 

election. It will prevent 

cases witnessed 

recently in which the 

courts even after the 

conduct of the last 

elections still made 

pronouncements about 

the nomination of 

candidates. 

III. Amendment to 

the Constitution to make 

political office less 

attractive and thereby 

reduce the win at cost 

mentality of Nigerian 

politicians who still see 

occupation of political 

office not as a means to 

an end of service to the 

public, but the ultimate 

end itself. 

IV. Amendment to the 

Constitution to make 

the terms of office of 

anyone elected as 

President or Governor, 

a single term of sixyears. 

This will ensure 

that anyone who 

occupies those offices 

will not be unduly 

preoccupied with 

seeking and winning 

re-election and will 

devote himself to 

performance in the 

INEC: Need to amend the Constitution 

and electoral law (4) 

single term that he 

has. 

Conclusion: On the 

whole, that Nigeria is 

still where it is today is 

largely due to the fact 

that the country still 

operates the 1999 

Constitution which has 

been shown to have 

failed in many respects. 

Indeed, it is beyond 

comprehension that 20 

years after Nigeria 

returned to democratic 

governance in 1999, we 

have retained the 1999 

military Constitution as 

our supreme law. 

The 1999 Constitution 

continues to limit the 

capabilities of states 

and local governments 

to 

sustain 

developmental 

Our current 

claim to being a 

federation is 

not only 

comical and 

deceitful, it 

indeed requires 

urgent surgical 

operation 

initiatives and projects. 

The current situation 

whereby state 

governments have to go 

to Abuja every month 

with the begging bowl 

for federal allocations is 

an aberration that 

explains the poor state 

of Nigeria’s federalism 

today. 

We have gradually 

replaced the derivation 

formula and the tenets 

of true federalism, with 

an allocation formula 

that is only imaginable 

under a unitary state. 

The Western Region is 

the worst victim of the 

Unitary Constitution 

which has affected 

education, health and 

e c o n o m i c 

development. Virtually 

all the educational, 

economic and 

a g r i c u l t u r a l 

programmes put in 

place by Chief 

Awolowo had 

collapsed. 

In a truly federal 

constitution, provinces 

or states have 

constitutional authority 

to control resources 

derived from their 

territories. Fiscal 

federalism as a tenet of 

federalism dictates 

equitable sharing of 

expenditure and fiscal 

instrument among the 

central, states and local 

tiers of government. 

Under a truly 

federalist state, fiscal 

autonomy and 

responsibility is 

granted to subnational 

governments, with state 


having adequate 

resources to perform 

their functions 

autonomously, such that 

no tier is subservient to 

the other. 

In Canada, for 

example, oil and gas 

resources are owned 

and controlled by the 

provinces. Section 109 

of 

Canada’s 

Constitution Act, 1867 

explicitly vests 

ownership rights to all 

lands, mines, minerals 

and royalties for oil and 

gas resources to the 

provinces in which they 

are derived. The oil rich 

province of Alberta, for 

example, retains its oil 

wealth and pays a 

predetermined amount 

of contribution to the 

federal government. 

This is in far contrast 

to the current situation 

in Nigeria where the 

Federal Government 

exercises ownership 

rights and control over 

oil and gas resources 

found in different states, 

and in the reverse pays 

allocation to oil and gas 

owning states. This 

warped model of 

federalism serves as 

disincentives to states 


to develop other forms 

of resources in their 

territories. 

For example, in the 

First Republic, the 

Western Region had a 

functional economy 

based primarily on 

cocoa farming and 

exports. Recognising 

the fiscal autonomy of 

states and local 

governments will go a 

long way to boost 

innovation and spur 

investment in other key 

sectors such as 

agriculture. 

The uneven allocation 

of powers and 

responsibility between 

federal, state and local 

governments is at the 

heart of the ongoing 

agitation for a 

restructuring of the 

Nigerian federation. 

Although federalism 

has no universally 

applicable template, as 

it is a context specific 

notion that must be 

driven by the political 

and structural realities 

of every country. 

However, there are few 

common characteristics 

that are basic and 

fundamental to a true 

federation, the most 

important of which is: 

an equal distribution or 

allocation of powers, 

such that each unit has 

ultimate sovereignty, 

with none preeminent 

over or subordinate to 

the other. 

While the Federal 

Government is to have 

power over matters that 

are of general interest to 

the nation, states and 

local governments in a 

federalist nation ought 

to have powers over 

matters that are 

peculiar to their local 

communities. In their 

exercise of their 

powers, all tiers must 

retain substantial 

autonomy on a wide 

range of subjects, to 

enable them run their 

governments and 

manage their affairs. As 

summed up by Eso JSC 

in Nkwocha V 

Governor of Anambra 

State, “the bedrock of 

federalism lies in each 

tier of government 

being a master in its 

own domain”. 

This is the kind of 

reform 

and 

restructuring that we 

need in Nigeria. Our 

current claim to being a 

federation is not only 

comical and deceitful, it 

indeed requires urgent 

surgical operation. 

Restructuring is not a call 

for disunity or conflict, it 

is a well-informed call for 

a speedy return to the 

confederation principles 

contained in the 

Independence 

Constitution which our 

regional leaders 

negotiated with the 

British between 1957 and 

1959. The earlier we 

restructure the country to 

revert to true federalism, 

the sooner we can begin 

to witness economic 

recovery. 

Fiscal federalism and 

financial autonomy will go 

a long way to address 

some of the perennial 

agitations and crises, 

such as the Niger-Delta 

crises and threats of 

secession by various 

ethnic groups that have 

remained insurmountable 

for decades. Without 

urgent and true 

restructuring, Nigeria’s 

search for peace, security 

and progress may remain 

elusive.

9th NASS: Fresh crisis 

looms in APC over 

leadership slots 

Continues from Page 5 

allocation of the present 


APC Youth leaders 

reject NWC’s micro 

zoning formula 

Rising from a meeting 

in Abuja, the zonal and 

state youth leaders 

condemned the zoning 

arrangement, especially 

as it relates to the 

National Assembly, and 

called for an immediate 

reversal to a looming 

logjam. 

The meeting, under the 

aegis of Forum of APC 

Youth Leaders also called 

for an immediate 

convocation of a meeting 

of the National Executive 

Committee, NEC, of the 

party where salient 

issues would be resolved 

as a way of saving the 

party from impending 


In a communiqué at the 

end of the meeting by 

chairman of the forum, 

Terver Aginde, they said 

that the party’s NWC had 

undermined the 

independence of the 

legislature by imposing 

the micro-zoning formula 

without consultations. 

“Whilst we agree with 

the initiative to 

determine National 

Assembly leadership 

within defined 

parameters of zoning and 

ranking to ensure 

stability and discipline 

within the ranks of the 

party, we must do so 

without undermining the 

independence of the 

legislature. 

“We consider the micro 

vanguardnews @vanguardnews @vanguardnews 

zoning as a recipe for 

chaos, mindful of the 

experience of 2015. It is 

anomalous to have 

made a pronouncement 

on the position of the 

Senate Presidency and 

Speakership of the 

House 

of 

Representatives to the 

exclusion of other 

positions and other 

zones. The purported 

NWC decision is 

suspect; not even the 

respected and revered 

National Caucus of the 

APC comprising major 

stakeholders such as 

President Buhari, APC 

governors, party 

stalwarts and BOT 

members addressed the 

issue. 

“We are curious to ask, 

for instance, how the 

decision was arrived at, 

who moved the motion 

for micro-zoning, who 

seconded the motion, 

who voted for microzoning 

and who was 

against micro-zoning. 

We dare ask, who is 

benefiting from this 

micro-zoning 

arrangement, an 

individual or party? 

Party members will be 

glad to see the minutes 

of the meeting where 

such decision was 

taken.” 

All zones must be 

represented – Nabena 

To Nabena, the 

Deputy National 

Publicity Secretary of 

the APC, there must be 

equity in the zoning of 

principal offices in the 

9th National Assembly, 

saying all geopolitical 

zones must be fairly 

represented both in the 

Naira down to N360/$ as CBN 

injects $210m 

By Elizabeth Adegbesan 

THE Naira yesterday depreciated to N360 per 

dollar in the parallel market even as the 

Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) injected $210 

million to boost the interbank segment of the foreign 

exchange market. 

Figures obtained from the apex bank showed that 

authorized dealers in the wholesale segment of the 

market were offered the sum of $100 million. 

Similarly, the Small and Medium Enterprises 

(SMEs) segment received the sum of $55 million, 

while customers requiring foreign exchange for 

invisibles were also allocated the sum of $55 million. 

According to naijabdcs.com, the live exchange 

rate platform of the Association of Bureaux De 

Change Operators (ABCON), the parallel market 

exchange rose to N360 per dollar from N359 per 

dollar on Monday, translating to one naira 

depreciation of the Naira. 

However, the naira appreciated by seven kobo in 

the Investors and Exporters (I&E) window. 

Data from FMDQ showed that the indicative 

exchange rate for the I&E window dropped to 

N 360.23 per dollar from N360.30 per dollar on 

Monday, translating to seven kobo appreciation for 

the naira. 

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17, 2019 —41 

NEWS HOTLINES 

018773962, 

08052867058 

NYSC PASSING OUT CEREMONY —Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, accompanied by 

the NYSC state co-ordinator, Mrs Loto Bolade Omolayo, inspects a special parade team of corps members, 

during the 2019 NYSC passing out ceremony of batch A, at Kaiama, Kolokuma/Opokuma L.G.A. 

executive and legislative 

arms. 

Calling for the 

exclusion of the North- 

West and South-West from 

the zoning of the Senate 

President and House 

Speaker as well as their 

deputies, he said with 

the president and vice 

president coming from 

the North-West and 

South-West respectively, 

the party’s leadership 

should ensure that the 

zoning arrangement for 

the Senate President, 

Deputy Senate President, 

Speaker and Deputy 

Speaker of the House of 

Representatives in the 

incoming 9th National 

Assembly reflects the 

remaining four 

geopolitical regions of 

the country. 

Addressing journalists, 

yesterday, in Abuja, 

Nabena warned that if the 

party does not get it right 

now, 2023 elections might 

turn out to be a free for 

all, with its attendant 

electoral consequences. 

“The APC has elected 

National Assembly 

members from all 

geopolitical zones of the 

country. Hence, the 

party’s leadership and 

indeed the presidency 

must make deliberate 

efforts to provide a fair 

and justifiable zoning 

arrangement for the 9th 

National Assembly 

leadership.’’ 

Nabena, however, 

recommended a zoning 

arrangement for the 

remaining positions. 

“The Deputy Senate 

President should be 

zoned to the South-south 

while the Speaker and 

Deputy Speaker of the 


should be zoned to the 

North-Central and South- 

East in any order agreed 

by the party’s 

leadership.” 

N’Delta youths back 

Dogara for Speaker 

Meanwhile, some 

youth groups, opinion 

leaders 

and 

stakeholders in Niger 

Delta have thrown their 

weight behind Dogara as 

the next Speaker. 

A prominent opinion 

leader, Dr Ufuoma 

Omakara, who made the 

disclosure, said the 

Niger Delta youth 

groups and stakeholders 

have embarked on 

strategic and systematic 

lobby of relevant 

Justice Hussein 

Baba-Yusuf of an 

FCT High Court 

Maitama yesterday, 

issued a production 

warrant to the Director 

General, Department of 

State Service, DSS, to 

produce Col. Sambo 

Dasuki (retd) in court to 

face his trial on May 24. 

Dasuki, a former 

National Security 

Adviser to ex -president 

, Dr Goodluck Jonathan 

was arraigned by 

Economic and Financial 

Crimes Commission, 

EFCC, since 2015. 

On trial with him are 

Aminu Baba-Kusa, a 

former NNPC Executive 

Director, and two firms- 

Acacia Holdings and 

Reliance Referral 

Hospital. 

They were arraigned 

on 32-count charge of 

breach of trust, 

misappropriation and 

dishonest release and 

receiving of various 

sums of money to the 

tune of N33.3 billion. 

The judge, Baba-Yusuf 

personalities, including 

federal lawmakers from 

the oil-rich region to 

work towards the reelection 

of Dogara as 

Speaker. 

He said: “The decision 

is part of resolutions 

reached at the special 

meeting of leaders of 

affiliate groups under 

the aegis of the Coalition 

of Niger-Delta Youth 

Groups 

and 

Stakeholders’ Forum, 

over the weekend. 

“The decision to 

support Dogara was 

informed by his 

outstanding leadership 

qualities that saw the 

House remaining wellcoordinated 

since 2015 

when he assumed office 

as Speaker. 

“The Nigerian House 

of Representatives has 

neither seen such 

tranquillity, nor 

exhibited the diligence 

that has been its 

hallmark since the return 

to democracy in 1999, 

until the coming of the 

Dogara leadership, 

which gave a sense of 

belonging to the Green 

Chamber Lawmakers as 

well as brought pride to 

Nigerians.” 

Court orders DSS to produce 

Dasuki on May 24 for trial 

ordered for a production 

warrant to be issued on 

the Director General of 

DSS to produce Dasuki in 

court for his trial at the 

next adjourned date. 

Production warrant is 

issued when a defendant 

is in the custody of the 

state as is in Dasuki ‘s 

case. 

The judge also ordered 

the prosecution to liaise 

with the DSS to produce 

the defendant whenever 

his matter comes up. 

“Hence I will issue a 

production warrant to the 

DG, DSS to produce the 

defendant for his trial on 

the next adjourned date.” 

He then adjourned till 

May 24 for trial. 

Earlier, the prosecuting 

counsel Mr Oluwaleke 

Atolegbe had expressed 

surprise when he found 

out that Dasuki was not 

in court. 

Atolegbe told the court 

that it was the duty of the 

DSS to produce the 

dependant who was in 

their custody. 

Dasuki ‘s counsel, Mr 

Victor Okwudiri told the 

court that it was the duty 

of the prosecution to 

produce the defendant 

in court and it was their 

duty also to explain his 

absence in court. 

Counsel for the 2nd 

defendant , Mr Solomon 

Umoh, SAN told the 

court that it was now a 

common knowledge that 

the defendant was in the 

custody of the state. 

He said much as the 

ACJA allows for trial in 

absentia, this was an 

occasion where the law 

did not contemplate, 

“My Lord can use his 

inherent power in two 

ways. 

“One issuance of 

production warrant and 

secondly, issuance of 

bench warrant ‘ the 

prosecution should find 

a way of producing the 

defendant in court,” he 

said. 

Counsel for the third 

and fourth, Mr A Rilman 

and A. Ayodele aligned 

with him.

42 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY APRIL 17, 2019 

Why Obaseki’s second term endorsements’re 

raising dust in Edo 

•No rift with Oshiomhole — APC Chieftain 

By Alemma-Ozioruva Aliu 

BENIN CITY – SUPPORTERS 

and members of Governor 

Godwin Obaseki’s government of 

Edo state woke up few days ago to 

see a press statement from the Oredo 

leadership of the All Progressives Congress, 

APC, adopting Obaseki as its 

sole candidate for the Edo State governorship 

election which is due by 

2020. 

The leaders and members, in the 

said meeting, also showered encomiums 

on the National Chairman of 

the party, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole 

who they described as an uncommon 

leader that is leading the 

party on the right track going by the 

outcome of the just concluded general 

elections. 

The press statement also said the 

decisions were reached at an expanded 

meeting of the leaders of Oredo 

LGA APC, held on March 31, in Benin 

City, which was attended by party 

leaders where they said they unanimously 

endorsed Governor Obaseki’s 

candidature. 

Apart from Oredo APC, the governor 

also got the endorsement of the 

Edo in Safe Hand Group, whose 

Spokesman, Mr. Nosa Idele Ogbeide, 

said the group threw its weight behind 

Obaseki because of his unprecedented 

development and focused 

leadership, as well as the Obaseki/ 

Shaibu Movement, OSM, which 

said the governor and his deputy must 

get their second term tickets. 

Shortly after this, the state executive 

committee of the APC also passed 

a vote of confidence on the governor 

and his team for the successes they 

achieved in the recently concluded 

state House of Assembly election 

where the APC won the 24 seats in the 

House. 

The endorsements is causing some 

ripples among some aspirants who 

are believed to be waiting for a nod 

from the National Chairman of the 

party, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole 

to launch their ambition. 

Three persons said to be interested 

in the position are Oshiomhole’s 

former deputy, Hon Pius Odubu, 

2012 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) 

governorship candidate, Major General 

Charles Airhiavbere, retd, and a 

former Minister of State for Works, 

Dr Chris Ogienmwonyi. Of this three 

only Airhiavbere has publicly indicated 

interest to contest. 

The decision of Oredo APC which 

is the home local government of the 

governor immediately sparked a similar 

action from one of the leaders of 

the APC in Edo North, Senator Domingo 

Obende, who in a telephone conversation, 

said Obaseki has done well 

to merit an automatic ticket for a second 

term. 

Obende who represented Edo North 

in the Senate from 2011 to 2015 said 

with the performances of Obaseki in 

the last two years, “there is no vacancy 

in Osadebey Avenue and to whom 

much is given much is expected. Governor 

Godwin Obaseki has given his 

all to us and I believe that is not the 

finality of his capacity. The only good 

thing that can happen to us in Edo 

State is for him to come back for second 

term so that he can download all 

his investment experiences and the 

opportunities so that Edo State can 

be better for it.” 

He said Obaseki has demonstrated 

the positive sides of continuity as 

he has been able to take the state successfully 

from where Oshiomhole left 

it to a new level. 

Barely 24 hours after these endorse- 

NINTH REPS SPEAKER: It’s ridiculous to say APC 

has endorsed Gbaja – Bago campaign team 

By Levinus Nwabughiogu 

ABUJA-The campaign team of 

Hon. Mohammed Bago has 

vehemently refuted some media 

reports that the ruling All 

Progressives Congress, APC has 

adopted Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila 

as its preferred choice for the 

speaker of the 9th House of 

Representatives. 

A statement issued by the 

campaign organization and 

signed by a scribe of the media 

unit, Hon. Victor Afam Ogene in 

Abuja on Monday, described the 

report as preposterous, untrue 

and misleading, saying that at no 

time did the party endorse anyone 

among the aspirants jostling for 

the office. 

Ogene who is also former 

Deputy Chairman, House 

Committee on Media and 

Publicity of the 7th Assembly, 

however said that the 

organization had implicit 

confidence and trust in the party 

to zone the speakership ticket to 

North-Central for equity and 

social justice. 

He added that Mohammed 

Bago, who he described as a loyal 

party man and aspirant to the 

speakership position was 

optimistic that the party would 

eventually adopt him as the sole 

candidate. 

The statement read thus: “Our 

attention has been drawn to some 

reports in the mainstream and 

online media that our political 

party, the ruling All Progressives 

Congress, APC has endorsed 

Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila for the 

•Obaseki 

ments, some members of the APC in 

Oredo started kicking claiming that 

the issue of adoption was not in the 

agenda in the said meeting. 

It was gathered that when somebody 

in that meeting was made to 

move the motion, it was not seconded. 

Investigations by Vanguard revealed 

that some of the architects of 

the endorsement did that to curry the 

favour of Governor Obaseki because 

of the ignoble role they allegedly 

played during the presidential 

office of the Speaker, House of 


“The report was based on a 

private ‘source’ within the 

National Working Committee, 

NWC of the party rather than 

official source. 

“We totally discountenance the 

report. It is untrue, preposterous, 

ridiculous and at best, the figment 

of imagination of the writer. 

“Besides, we are also aware of a 

statement titled “Reaction to 

Prevailing Questions” by the 

National Publicity Secretary of the 

party, Malam Lanre Issa-Onilu 

issued on Sunday, April 14, 2019. 

“We have carefully perused the 

statement and confirmed that 

there was no mention of any 

endorsement whatsoever of 

Gbajabiamila. 

“For starters, the party through 

its spokesman only okayed a move 

and National Assembly elections 

where they under-disbursed money 

released for them to mobilise members 

of the party and party agents 

for the election. 

It was reliably gathered that the 

sum of N38 million is yet to be accounted 

for by some leaders of the 

APC from Oredo local government 

area as at the time of this report. 

A source told Vanguard: “While 

leaders of some other local government 

areas added to what was released 

some leaders in Oredo chose 

to release far below what was budgeted 

for them.” 

He said the bubble burst when the 

governor called a meeting to review 

the election and to know why the party 

lost particularly in his local government 

area despite the huge resources 

released for the exercise. 

It was gathered that members of 

the party in the meeting were 

shocked when the governor brought 

documents showing what was released 

for logistics for every unit and 

wards and discovered a huge gap 

with what those given the responsibility 

eventually gave to unit and 

ward leaders. 

This action was said to have infuriated 

the governor that he expressed 

disappointment in some leaders of 

the party and then set up a 24 member 

interim management committee 

which he used to prosecute the 

House of Assembly election which 

the party overwhelmingly won. The 

committee is also to investigate 

where the N38 million deficit went 

into. 

The source said: “The 24 member 

•Insists ticket is coming to N/Central for equity sake 

•Bago 

by Senator Ahmed Lawan to 

interface with his colleagues in 

the opposition Peoples 

Democratic Party, PDP and others. 

“Members of the public would 

recall that it is no longer news 

that the party has since zoned the 

senate presidential slot of the 9th 

National Assembly to the North 

east geo-political zone of the 

country. 

“Onilu’s reaction to the agitation 

for positions in the House of 

Representatives was that the party 

would soon come out with a 

zoning arrangement. 

“He said: “On zoning and 

leadership of House of 

Representatives: Our party will 

soon release the zoning 

arrangements for the principal 

positions of the incoming 9th 

National Assembly. 

“The party will also make its 

interim committee which is made 

up of two persons from each ward in 

the local government were shocked 

at the press release. They wanted to 

immediately counter the statement 

but they were advised to be cautious 

because the situation is delicate. On 

one hand, if they kick against it, it 

would be seen as if they are working 

against the party and the governor 

and if they embrace it, it will jeopardise 

the investigation the governor 

has sent them to do. That is why they 

have been silent about that but going 

about their investigation into the 

N38 million yet to be accounted for 

in Oredo. So the insinuation that 

they were sponsored by the governor 

is not true.” 

The source said what is not in 

doubt is that the governor would seek 

re-election but publicly launching his 

bid ought to be much later in the 

year. 

On the alleged frosty relationship 

between the governor and 

Oshiomhole, he said that is not 

also true “because these people 

have come a long way, if there 

are differences between them, 

they can always resolve them. 

Whatever is happening is being 

largely mis-presented before the 

public and other party members.’’ 

Similarly, Senator Obende 

shared part of this view when he 

told Vanguard on phone that “It 

is because Comrade Adams Oshiomhole 

love good things, that 

was why he brought Godwin 

Obaseki to us in the first instance. 

Comrade Oshiomhole was governor 

for eight years, I am very 

convinced that he is not going to 

be averse to Godwin going for 

second term more so since 

Obaseki is doing very well. He 

has been able to sustain Oshiomhole’s 

legacies which is not common 

in this part of the world.” 

position clear in the coming days 

on the principal positions in the 

House of Representatives”. 

“To this end, we are persuaded 

to see the media report as 

misleading and a conscious 

fabrication to cause a stir and 

disaffection in the party and 

amongst the aspirants to office of 

the Speaker. 

“The party has not endorsed 

anybody for speakership. In fact, 

as a loyal party man, our 

principal, Hon. Mohammed Bago 

who is in the race, is also in high 

hopes that the party would 

eventually adopt him as the sole 

candidate for the office. 

“The reason is simple: Bago has 

the requisite legislative and 

leadership skills to lead the 9th 

House. 

“Besides this factor comes even 

the bigger and more sensitive 

issue of equity and social justice. 

Our principal hails from North 

central zone which has been 

denied the office in the last 20 

years of our democratic 

experience. 

“We trust our party to do nothing 

but justice to the zone. We cannot 

cede a position to a zone that 

already has the Vice President of 

Nigeria and other key offices in 

the present government. 

“So, while we wait on the party 

to do the right thing - which is to 

settle for Bago as the sole 

candidate for the speakership - 

we urge all stakeholders to 

critically examine the issues at 

stake and take a dispassionate 

position, so as to further engender 

unity in our great party.”

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY APRIL 17, 2019 — 43 

By Chioma Onuegbu 

THE Akwa Ibom State 

Sixth Assembly under 

the leadership of Mr. 

Onofiok Luke, the member 

representing Nsit Ubium 

state constituency will end in 

June. 

Luke, a two-term member 

and the 11 th speaker of the 

House of Assembly is 

proceeding to the House of 

Representatives after 

winning the election for the 

Etinan Federal constituency 

in the just concluded 

election. 

Currently, the state 

Legislature is having 25 out 

of 26 members that were 

successful in the just 

concluded elections. 

Of the number, 11 are 

newly-elected while 14 are 

returning members and all 

were elected on the platform 

of the People’s Democratic 

Party, PDP. 

New members 

The newly elected 

members include Otobong 

Effiong Bob of Nsit Ubium, 

Godwin Ekpo (Ibiono Ibom), 

Ifiok Udoh (Nsit Ibom), 

Anietie Eka (Uyo) and Kufre- 

Abasi Edidem of Itu. 

Others are Udeme J. Otong 

(Abak constituency), Mfon 

Frank Idung (Etim Ekpo/Ika 

constituency) Asuquo Nana 

Udo (Ikono constituency), 

Okon Asuquo Frank (Mbo), 

Victor Patrick Ekwere 

(Mkpat Enin), and Charity 

Friday Ido (Ukanafun). 

Returnees 

The 14 returning 

Lawmakers include Hon 

David Lawrence Udofa ( 

Eket), Usoro Akpanusoh 

(Esit Eket/Ibeno), Uduak 

Odudoh (Ikot Abasi/Eastern 

Obolo), Idongesit Ntekpere 

(Ikot Ekpene/Obot Akara), 

Emmanuel Bassey (Ini), 

Princess Felicia Bassey 

(Okobo), Nse Essien (Onna) 

Effiong Bassey (Oron/Udung 

ABUJA-JOHN Chike 

Okafor representing 

Ehime Mbani/ Ihite/ 

Obowo 

Federal 

Constituency of Imo State, 

yesterday, declared his 

intention to run for office of 

the speaker of the House of 


“I formally wrote my party 

chairman, last Thursday, 

that I am ready to contest in 

the race,’’ he told reporters, 

in Abuja, adding that he is 

very ready to run for the 


top position and so far the 

South East has not been 

given a fair deal. 

Okafor explained that “in 

2015, I wanted to run for 

same office but I was politely 

informed that I was not a 

ranking member and here I 

am again in 2019. I have 

done the right thing by 

writing my chairman of my 

SEVENTH ASSEMBLY: Who 

speaks for Akwa Ibom? 

Uko). 

The rest are Aniekan Uko 

(Ibesikpo Asutan), Mark 

Esset (Nsit Atai), Aniefiok 

Denis Akpan (Etinan) 

Aniekan Bassey (Uruan), 

Udo Kerian Akpan (Oruk 

Anam), and Asuquo 

Archibong (Urue Offong / 

Oruko). 

Since they received their 

Certificates of Return there 

have been debates among 

Akwa Ibom citizens 

regarding who among the 

lawmakers should succeed 

Onofiok Luke. 

Zoning arrangement 

Going by the zoning 

arrangement of state chapter 

of the PDP, all lawmakers 

from Uyo Senatorial district 

(Akwa Ibom North East) are 

qualified for the 7th 

speakership position. 

With the zoning of the 

governorship position to 

Eket senatorial district 

(Akwa Ibom South) and the 

deputy governorship to Ikot 

Ekpene senatorial district 

(Akwa Ibom North West) the 

Speakership automatically 

goes to Uyo Senatorial 

district. 

In 1999, when Obong Victor 

Attah from Uyo was the 

governor, the deputy 

governor went to Ikot 

Ekpene, and the speaker 

seat was zoned to Eket zone. 

During the period, Bassey 

Essien from Esit Eket 

constituency was elected 

speaker and according to 

records when he was 

removed, Nelson Effiong 

from Oron state constituency 

was elected to succeed him. 

Similarly, during the 

administration of Godswill 

Akpabio (Ikot Ekpene) as 

governor, the number three 

position was still with Uyo 

senatorial district given that 

throughout Akpabio’s eight 

years in office the deputy 

governorship seat was zoned 

to Eket. 

The deputy governors under 

Akpabio were Engr. Patrick 

Ekpotu from Ikot Abasi local 

government area, Obong 

Nsima Ekere, also from Ikot 

Abasi and Lady Valerie Ebe 

from Mkpat Enin local 

government area, all in Eket 

district. 

However, analysts have 

been assessing the capacity, 

competence and political 

relevance of the lawmakers 

from the nine local 

government areas of Uyo, 

Uruan, Ibesikpo Asutan, Itu, 

Ibiono Ibom, Nsit Ibom, Nsit 

Ubium, Nsit Atai, and 

Etinan in an effort to identify 

who the cap will fit for the 

number three seat. 

Although there are five 

greenhorns and four 

returning lawmakers, the 

expectation of many Akwa 

Ibomites is that the contest 

is going to be between the 

returning lawmakers. 

NASS: Why South-East should produce next speaker – Okafor 

Joins race, says South-East has not been given a fair deal 

By Emman Ovuakporie 

•Onofiok Luke 

intention to run because I 

know I am eminently 

qualified to pilot the affairs 

of the Ninth House. As a 

former senior bank manager 

and commissioner of 

•Okafor 

Finance, I strongly believe 

that running this House 

won’t be an issue.’’ 

On why the South East must 

produce the next speaker, 

Okafor said: “In 2015, the 

•Udom Emmanuel 

APC polled over 198, 000 

votes in the South-East 

while in 2019, it polled over 

403,000 votes. This is a 

remarkable improvement 

from what transpired in 2015 

and APC is a government of 

the future so it must 

embrace inclusivity and give 

South-East a sense of 

belonging.’’ 

Meanwhile, the Arewa 

Good Governance and 

Transparency Initiative For 

Buhari has endorsed Okafor 

for the speakership, 

describing him as the most 

credible candidate to mount 

House leadership saddle in 

June. 

While endorsing the 

legislator, President of the 

group, Abdulbashir 

Abubakar thanked Okafor 

for accepting to protect the 

interest of all Nigerians in 

the Green Chamber, if 

elected. 

The contenders 

On this score, the 

searchlight is on Aniekan 

Uko of Ibesikpo Asutan 

constituency, Aniefiok Denis 

Akpan of Etinan state 

constituency, Aniekan 

Bassey of Uruan, Aniekan 

Bassey of Uruan, and Mark 

Esset of Nsit Atai, who are 

retuning legislators. 

In the unlikely event of a 

fresh lawmaker getting the 

nod, those on the radar are 

Anietie Eka of Uyo, Kufre- 

Abasi Edidem of Itu, 

Otobong Effiong Bob of Nsit 

Ubium, Godwin Ekpo of 

Ibiono Ibom, and Ifiok Udoh 

of Nsit Ibom. 

Udom Emmanuel’s 

influence 

However, Governor Udom 

Emmanuel is expected to 

play a crucial role over who 

will emerge as speaker. 

Already, the governor is 

said to have a preferred 

candidate, a notion as some 

PDP stakeholders have 

dismissed as hog-wash. 

The notion is however not 

unconnected with the events 

of the 2015 and the Sixth 

Assembly where the former 

governor, Godswill Akpabio 

and other political forces 

initially stopped Onofiok 

Luke from being elected 

speaker initially, even when 

many of the state lawmakers 

and stakeholders had 

pencilled him down as the 

preferred candidate. 

Onofiok Luke only emerged 

Speaker in December 2015, 

about six months later after 

the inauguration of the Sixth 

Assembly following the 

nullification of the election of 

Aniekan Uko as member 

representing Ibesikpo 

Asutan state constituency by 

the Appeal Court sitting in 

Abuja. 

A chieftain of the PDP, who 

did not want his name 

mentioned is optimistic that 

the governor would not want 

to interfere in the business 

of the legislature especially 

as regards the election of the 

next speaker. 

“For now nobody knows or 

can say who the governor is 

interested in, but I doubt that 

he has anybody in mind for 

the speakership position. 

The lawmakers are 

supposed to elect whoever 

they want to be their 

speaker without influence 

from the outside. All I know 

is that the position is zoned 

to Uyo senatorial district and 

there are many eligible 

members from the Senatorial 

district for the position,” the 

chieftain said. 

Meanwhile, the result of the 

election into the Essien 

Udim state constituency seat 

is still pending following 

alleged electoral malpractice 

and irregularities. 

The Resident Electoral 

Commissioner in Akwa Ibom 

State Mr. Mike Igini had 

after presenting Certificates 

of Return to the 25 successful 

lawmakers, told newsmen 

that the Essien Udim case 

would be determined by 



INEC, Abuja.


KOGI WEST: Why I want election 

nullified – Adeyemi 

*Smart Adeyemi 

By Boluwaji Obahopo 

LOKOJA - Senator 

Smart Adeyemi, 

who represent Kogi West 

senatorial district between 

2007 and 2015 has 

said he is challenging 

the declaration of Senator 

Dino Melaye as winner 

of the 2019 Senate 

election in the zone because 

the result was not 

the true reflection of 

votes cast. 

Adeyemi ran on the 

platform of the All Progressives 

Congress, 

APC, against Melaye of 

the Peoples Democratic 

Party, PDP. 

Adeyemi spoke at the 

inauguration of the National/House 

of Assembly 

Election Petition Tribunal 

for Kogi State sitting 

at the Court 3, Magistrate 

Court, Wuze 

zone, Abuja which had 

Justice O. A. Chijoke as 

chairman of the three - 

man panel. 

Adeyemi said there are 

clear indications of alterations, 

cancellation, manipulations 

and other irregularities 

in the result 

declared by the electoral 

umpire. 

Aside that, he also said 

the Independent National 


INEC acted contrary 

to the February 15, 

2019 Kogi High Court 

judgement which declared 

that election results 

collation and other 

matters with regards to 

Kogi West should be carried 

out at the district 

headquarters in Kabba 

and not in Lokoja. 

“While we were gathered 

in Kabba, we were 

surprised when we 

heard that the collation 

of result had been taking 

to Lokoja. The 

change of venue for the 

result collation gave the 

PDP opportunity to alter 

and manipulate the result 

on their way to 

Lokoja. 

“The case which Justice 

Okorowo made the 

ruling for collation of result 

to be held at the district 

headquarters in 

Kabba was instituted by 

Dino Melaye and the 

PDP; it certainly calls for 

concern that they can 

now sit comfortably with 

Battle against Ihedioha’s victory 

fruitless — Okewulonu 

By Chinonso Alozie 

THE Chairman of 

the inauguration 

and hand-over committee 

of the Imo State 

Governor-elect, Emeka 

Ihedioha, Chris 

Okewulonu, has said 

that the litigation 

against Ihedioha’s victory 

would be in vain. 

Okewulonu, who 

gave his reason in 

Owerri, added that 

Ihedioha’s emergence 

was as a result of the 

collective efforts of the 

people of the state. 

Okewulonu, a former 

Secretary to the Imo 

State Government, in 

his thinking said that 

the governor-elect 

would end nepotism as 

well as run an inclusive 


His words: “Emeka 

Ihedioha’s government 

is one that has 

from the beginning 

being consistent with 

his ambitious agenda 

anchored on high 

standards of procedure, 

rigorous adherence 

to due process, 

and excellence in the 

delivery of results. In 

line with the high 

standards which are 

expected to constitute 

the defining hallmarks, 

in all ramifications 

of his administration 

in Imo State.” 

He pointed out that 

the “Calibre and pedigree 

of members of 

*Dino Melaye 

the change of venue.” 

The senator said there 

are clear evidences in 

some local government 

areas that the number of 

votes cast exceeded the 

total number of PVCs 

distributed and wondered 

how that can be 

possible when voters can 

only vote with collected 

PVC. 

Adeyemi’s Counsel, 

Mr. Adekunle Otitoju, 

who corroborated his client’s 

statement said they 

filed their application for 

issuance of hearing notice 

on April 5 and received 

answers from the 

1st and 3rd respondents 

(Dino and INEC respectively) 

and are ready to 

kick-start hearing. 

Otitoju said the 

change of collation centre 

for the Kogi West 

election against court 

ruling and other irregularities 

observed run 

contrary to the electoral 

law. “In pursuant to 

these issues that run 

contrary against the regulation 

of election, our 

only prayer is that the 

election should be nullified 

and a new one 

conducted.” 

*Ihedioha 

the Inauguration 

Committee, has once 

again demonstrated 

Ihedioha’s unwavering 

commitment towards 

restoring sanity, 

pragmatism and 

the spirit of thoroughness 

in the affairs of 


“Ihedioha engaged 

in a meticulous selection 

of the committee’s 

membership 

from diverse backgrounds, 

with persons 

who have distinguished 

themselves in 

respective fields of 

endeavour, will indeed 

make our assignment 

less cumbersome.” 

editor@yahoo.com 

INEC and the just con- 

cluded 2019 general 

elections 

It is now clear and evident that 

there is no honesty in the electoral 

system in Nigeria, which ought not 

to be so! The Independent National 

Electoral Commission, INEC is not 

being truthful as established by our 

famous Humprey Nwosu, how do 

we save Nigeria from total disintegration? 

The fortunes of this great 

nation is fast heading to destruction 

as a result of selfish interest. 

Barr Anthony Obi 08056009586 

Politicians and election 

petitions 

Election petition is suis generis 

and a party seeking the nullification 

of a declared election results must 

prove to the court or tribunal that 

he scored the majority of the lawful 

votes cast in the said election. Most 

election petitions in Nigeria fails due 

to lack of materials evidence and 

must be filed within 21days after the 

date of the conduct of the election 

in question. A candidate for an 

election must be prepared and vigilant 

to get all every record pertaining 

to the election if he does not 

want to be short changed. 

Barr Anthony Obi 08161280012 

Insurgency and insecuri- 

ty 

Terrorism has been in existence 

for a long time, Nigerians are just 

facing our own share of it through 

the Boko Haram sect. Unfortunately, 

it is not going to be an easy battle 

to fight because of Boko Haram’s 

link with the deadly ISIS, and 

alleged covert support from 

sponsors like the Saudi government. 

How then are we ready to rid the 

country of this devilish campaign of 

killing and bombings, and where do 

we go from here?. 

Clem Eruke 08153089490 

President Buhari elevating 

national interest above rule of 

law 

This is democracy not military regime, 

so the rule of law is supreme. 

It is only the rule of law that can 

guarantee the nation’s interests and 

promote the freedom, welfare and 

happiness of Nigerians. Therefore, 

a good government is one that ensures 

the security and larger interests 

of the nation as a means of 

guaranteeing the safety and interest 

of its people. 

Romanus 08057907482 

President Buhari accus- 

es late Ghadaffi’s hit men 

over killings in Nigeria 

I disagreed with President 

Buhari over alleged statements from 

him that late Ghadaffi’s hit men were 

responsible for the killings going on 

across parts of Nigeria. The hit men 

SAYINGS OF OUR ELDERS 

Disappointments were not meant to destroy you. They were meant to 

strengthen you and give you fortitude to accomplish your God-given destiny. 

- Hausa proverb 

could not have successfully moved 

from the far Northern states to those 

near Southern parts like Benue, Plateau 

and Taraba to carry out their heinous 

act without being noticed. The 

Federal Government should take 

blames and act to protect innocent citizens 

from these ethnic cleansing. 

Frank writes in from Benue state 

Fulani herdsmen and in- 

surgency 

The problem with Nigeria is that 

we know the truth but we lack the 

courage to say it if it does not fit our 

purpose to fulfill our satanic desired 

objective! The killing of those 

unarmed farmers and villagers by the 

Fulani herdsmen is not right and 

beside why is it that the leadership 

of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders has 

not been invited for questionings over 

the killings of farmers across the 

country and failure to checkmate the 

activities of its members? Those who 

kill must be killed also. 

Anonymous 08035456749 

Inflation and state of the 

economy 

Inflation is something that every 

Central Banks including the Central 

Banks of Nigeria,CBN and responsible 

government should be worry 

about and strive to manage and keep 

within reasonable and acceptable 

limits for the benefit of the economy 

and standard living of Nigerians because 

it is dangerous. The masses 

are suffering due to poverty and inflation 

in the Nigeria; inflation can 

destabilise an economy, drive out 

foreign investors due to exchange 

rate and hurts our buying power and 

make it difficult for people to afford 

basic needs. When will the APC’s led 

government deliver all dividends of 

good governance they promised during 

2015 elections and declared to 

provide for the masses? President 

Buhari and the APC should please 

change their policies for the benefits 

of the masses because Nigerians are 

at the receiving ends, the economy 

is in shambles. 

Anonymous 08067557715 

Closure of Nigeria’s bor- 

der 

It is a welcome development on 

the federal government decision to 

shut Nigeria’s borders over rice 

smuggling. Kudos to Chief Audu 

Ogbeh’s decision, it is really commendable. 

Nigerians must be protected 

medically and Nigerian farmers 

should be encouraged for desired 

results. If Nigerian farmers are being 

encouraged and empowered , I 

believe they can feed these nation but 

is unfortunate that smugglers and 

their collaborators are sabotaging this 

effort. Before the Federal 

Government shut the nation’s borders 

there should be provisions for the 

masses, keep it up. 

Alh Usman Hassan 08131822223 

Send us your Sayings of Our Elders. They must be African sayings 

or proverbs. Biblical or English proverbs are unacceptable. Address 

your sayings to: wwwsimade@yahoo.co.uk

Vanguard WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17, 2019 — 45 

Ebuehi doubtful for AFCON selection 

Emery: Top four 

in our hands 

•Emery 

Benfica right back Ty 

rone Ebuehi made 

his international bow for 

Nigeria on the 1st of June 

2017 in a friendly encounter 

against Togo but 

couldn’t add to his international 

cap until November 

2017. 

Ebuehi was given some 

game-time by Gernot 

Rohr in Nigeria’s 4-2 victory 

against Argentina 

and the Portuguesebased 

fullback was lively 

throughout the time he 

spent on the pitch. 

His fine display was 

enough to win him a 

place in the Super Eagles 

World Cup squad and he 

went on to make his competitive 

debut for the West 

African giants when he 

came on for Bryan Idowu 

against Iceland in Russia. 

As it looks like the 

youngster is finally getting 

the chance he deserves 

with the Eagles, 

Ebuehi unfortunately 

picked up a long-term injury 

which has prevented 

him from making his competitive 

debut for Benfica. 

With less than two 

months to this year’s AF- 

CON 2019 tournament, 

Unai Emery says a Champions League spot 

is in Arsenal’s hands but admits that his 

side should have controlled the match better 

against 10-man Watford. 

•Ebuehi 

Rohr is expected to submit 

his provisional list and it 

remains unknown if Ebuehi 

will be included in team. 

Though the youngster 

is close to returning to full 

training, it appears too 

late for him to regain his 

spot in the team. 

Arsenal took the lead after 10 minutes 

when Ben Foster’s clearance rebounded off 

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang into the net, 

and one minute later Troy Deeney was given 

a straight red card after he was deemed to 

have elbowed Lucas Torreira. 

The 1-0 win sends them fourth, level on 

points with Chelsea but with a game in hand. 

While Emery was thrilled to take home 

all three points, he was disappointed his side 

failed to score a second goal. 

“Our position in the table is very 

important,” he said. “It is in our hands, to 

take the top four. 

“We were working to push the goalkeeper 

when he wanted to play like he was playing. 

It’s a very good action from Auba. 

“I think we can control the match better, 

and I think it was very important in this 

position with one player more, to break their 

lines and to attack the last third better’’ 

John Mikel Obi says he’s 

only focused on helping 

Middlesbrough pick a 

playoff ticket and not 

thinking about his contract 

which is set to expire at the 

end of the season. 

Mikel has captained the 

Tony Pulis’s side to a back 

to back victories in the 

English Championship 

after seven games without 

a win. 

The former Chelsea 

midfielder joined the 

Teesside in January on a 

six months deal and talks 

about his future came up 

afterthe weekend a 1-0 

victory against Hull City. 

“I don’t know, I haven’t 

thought about anything – 

four games to go, that’s all 

I’m thinking about,” he told 

the club’s website. 

By Jacob Ajom 

On August 12th, 1989 

the Super Eagles 

defeated Angola 1- 

0 at the National Stadium 

Lagos in an AFCON 

qualifier. The victory was 

overshadowed by what 

turned out to be the saddest 

day in the history of Nigeria 

football after dynamic 

midfielder, Samuel 

Sochukwuma Okwaraji 

collapsed and died on the 

field, 10 minutes to the end 

of the match. 

Okwaraji’s commitment 

to the Nigerian cause was 

exemplery as he was one 

player who never 

demanded for refunds for 

his numerous flights to 

Nigeria each time he was 

called for national duties. 

And former British and 

Mikel eager to help 

Boro up, down plays 

contract extension 

Mikel however added 

that he’s only thinking 

about their next league 

match against 

Oghenekaro Etebo’s 

Stoke City on Friday. 

“We are creating lots of 

chances, if we take them 

we’ll win two or three nil 

every game. There are 

nerves but we are 

professionals and we 

have to deal with it.” 

“They have to continue. 

As an experienced 

player, I always talk to 

them on the pitch, he 

concluded. 

Oboh tasks Nigerians to emulate late Okwaraji 

•Okwaraji 

Commonwealth 

Lightheavyweight boxing 

champion, Peter Oboh has 

charged sports 

administrators in the 

country not to forget 

Nigeria’s past heroes, while 

admonishing current 

sportsmen and women to 

emulate former stars like 

the late Okwaraji who 

•Mikel 

sacrificed their all for their 

fatherland. 

Oboh said, “Most people 

are after what they can get 

from the country while the 

late Okwaraji was 

concerned with what he 

could contribute to his 

country, Nigeria,” adding, 

“this young man never 

demanded for refund of 

monies he used to pay his 

way any time he was called 

upon for national duty, 

unlike most of his 

contemporaries.” 

He advised that 

government must do 

everything to preserve the 

Sam Okwaraji statue, 

mounted at the gate of the 

national stadium, Lagos by 

former Lagos State 

governor Babatunde Raji 

Fashola.


AFCON: Amuneke 

predicts early exit 

for Eagles, Egypt, 

Senegal, others 

Tanzania’s head coach 

Emmanuel Amuneke has 

predicted that some of the 

bigger names in African football 

like Nigeria, Egypt, Ghana, 

Senegal could make an early exit 

from June’s Africa Cup of 

Nations. 

The former Nigeria and 

Barcelona star thinks some of the 

lesser names at the finals have a 

point to prove. 

Tanzania have qualified for their 

first finals since 1980 and will 

face Algeria, Senegal and Kenya 

in Egypt. 

“Don’t be surprised if you see 

some of these so-called big teams 

packing their bags early in the 

tournament,” he said. 

“I personally don’t fear any 

team and I know the so-called 

small teams are going to the 

Nations Cup with a lot of appetite 

to try and prove a point. 

Five –time champions 

Nigeria will guarantee 

a return to the FIFA 

U17 World Cup finals if they 

overcome Angola’s U17 squad 

in their second match at the 

WAFU Cup: Falcons up against Mali, 

Niger, Burkina Faso 

African champions Nigeria 

will contend with Burkina 

Faso, Niger Republic and Mali in 

the group phase of this year’s 

WAFU B Women’s Tournament 

taking place in Abidjan, 8th – 18th 

May. They will play in Group B. 

Host nation Cote d’Ivoire, 

alongside Togo, Senegal and 

Ghana will battle things out in 

Group A. 

Next month’s tournament will 

serve as the last preparatory 

competition for the Super Falcons 

before they fly to their final camp 

in Austria ahead of the 8th FIFA 

Women’s World Cup finals in 

France. 

Already, the Falcons have 

participated in tune–up 

tournaments in China, Cyprus and 

Spain, and pundits already rate the 

WAFU B Women’s 

tournament 2019 

GROUP A: 

Cote d’Ivoire, Togo, Senegal, Ghana 

GROUP B: 

Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Niger Republic, 

Mali 

“Every team 

that has 

qualified for is 

strong enough 

and now it’s 

about how much 

more work the • Amunike 

technical teams 

and players do. 

“The small 

details will count during the 

improved because younger boys 

tournament, but I like the hunger 

have changed their attitudes and 

that my team has. 

want to shine to improve their 

“Many people thought 

daily lives and families.” 

Tanzania could not qualify and 

Amuneke, who coached 

now we are there and we need 

Nigeria to the 2015 Under-17 

to prove yet another point.” 

World Cup, has the full backing 

The 1994 African Footballer of 

of the Tanzania Football 

the Year also believes expanding 

Federation (TFF). 

the tournament from 16 teams to 

“I trust in Amuneke and the 

24 is a good thing. 

players to continue doing us 

“It is good Caf has adopted the 24- 

proud,” Wallace Karia the TFF 

team system which gives chance to 

President said. “We will make 

many other teams,” he told BBC Sport. 

sure all that the technical team 

“Generally teams have 

asks for is provided so that the 

team is well prepared.” 

U17 AFCON: Eaglets 

target Brazil 2019 

ticket 

Africa U17 

Cup of 

Nations in 

Dar es 

Salaam, 

Tanzania 

today. 

A 

reproachable slack approach 

saw the Golden Eaglets slump 

from 3-1 lead to conceding 

three goals and falling behind 

against host nation Tanzania 

in the tournament opener on 

Sunday, but they woke from 

Class of 2019 as the side that have 

been afforded the best preparation 

for the World Cup finals by the 

nation’s football–governing body. 

slumber in good time to win 

with two spectacular goals and 

pocket three precious points in 

a 5-4 win. 

Angola’s 1-0 win over 

Uganda hours later has 

ensured that the winner of the 

top-of-the-table duel between 

Nigeria and Angola on 

Wednesday would have one 

leg in the semi finals and 

automatically in the FIFA U17 

World Cup slated for Brazil 

later this year. 

All four semi finalists at the 

ongoing championship in 

Tanzania will represent Africa 

in Brazil. 

After the WAFU B 

tournament, the 

Falcons will spend two 

weeks at the Avita Resort 

in Bad Tatzmannsdorf 

in Austria to put 

finishing touches to 

their preparations, 

before moving to 

France. 

The nine–time 

African champions are 

up against Norway at 

the Stade Auguste- 

Delaune in Reims on 

8th June, before facing 

Iwobi sets EPL record 

Alex Iwobi is the owner 

of a Premier League 

record in the 2018- 

2019 campaign after helping 

Arsenal beat Isaac Success’s 

Watford at Vicarage Road on 

Monday night. 

According to football statistics 

website Whoscored.com, the 

Nigeria national player made 

seven key passes from open 

play in Arsenal’s 1-0 win over 

Watford on Monday night, a 

record in a Premier League 

match this season. 

By registering seven key 

passes, Iwobi had five final 

passes more than teammates 

Aaron Ramsey, Granit Xhaka 

and Mesut Ozil. 

Isaac Success was among the 

six Watford players that 

Former Athletics Federation of 

Nigeria president, Dan 

Ngerem has been appointed 

chairman sub committee talents and 

opportunities in the transitional 

technical committee of governorelect 

for Imo State, Emeka 

Ihedioha. 

Ngerem, an astute sports 

administrator, businessman and keen 

golfer has since resumed work with the 

finished the match with one 

key pass, the others being 

Daryl Janmaat, Christian 

Kabasele, Abdoulaye 

Doucouré, Will Hughes and 

Troy Deeney 

Eagles to play Senegal in 

AFCON friendly 

Senegalese Football 

Association president, 

Augustin Senghor has 

confirmed that the Terangha Lions 

will face three-time African 

champions, the Super Eagles of 

Nigeria in a friendly game ahead 

of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations 

in Egypt. 

Super Eagles head coach Gernot 

Roh said after the draw for the 

competition that his side will play 

two pre-tournament friendlies 

against Ghana and Senegal. 

“We have two friendlies against 

Ghana and Senegal, “Rohr stated. 

“Ghana in Nigeria and Senegal 

probably one week before the 

tournament here in Egypt.” 

“It would be a great showpiece 

of football, but it is important for 

our players to avoid injuries as the 

season heads towards the end.” 

According to a report in Afrik-foot. 

com Senghor and president of 

Nigeria Football Federation Amaju 

Melvin Pinnick met after the draw 

to discuss modalities concerning the 

friendly fixture and the former is 

keen for the game to go ahead. 

Head coach of the Terangha Lions 

Aliou Cisse and Rohr were also 

present at the meeting The two 

coaches are expected to meet later to 

decide on the venue game and other 

important details.The Super Eagles 

will face Guinea, Madagascar and 

Burundi in Group B. 

Ngerem heads talents and 

opportunities committee of Imo 

Governor-elect 

Pep Guardiola says winning 

the Champions League 

would pale in comparison 

to another Premier League title 

with Manchester City. 

City host Tottenham in the 

second leg of the Champions 

League quarter-finals tonight, 

looking to overturn a 1-0 defeat 

and progress to the last four. 

Zenith Bank charges Eaglets to grab World Cup ticket 

Players of the U-17 nation 

al team, the Golden Eaglets, 

competing in the ongoing 

African Nations Cup for 

this cadre, have been urged to 

go all out and secure a ticket 

for Nigeria in the forthcoming 

FIFA U-17 World Cup finals 

billed to take place in 

Korea Republic at the Stade des 

Alpes in Grenoble on 12th June and 

host nation France at the Roazhon 

Park in Rennes on 17th June. 

Brazil later this year. 

Zenith Bank plc, partners 

of the Nigeria Football 

Federation, gave this 

charge on Tuesday, urging 

the team to record a resounding 

victory over Angola 

today. 

It is of note that Zenith 

transitional committee whose main aim 

is to kick-start a viable administration 

for the incoming Governor. 

No doubt Ngerem will drum it into 

the ear of the newly Governor, on 

how to revive sports in Imo State 

known for producing top quality 

sports talents most especially in 

Athletics, Football and Handball. 

Imo just like most of the Eastern 

States in sports did not enjoy much 

patronage, but with Ngerem, that 

might likely change. 

Guardiola: I didn't come to 

City to win Champions League 

Bank is the sole sponsor of the 

NFF future Eagles project where 

U-13 and U-15 players compete 

for honours over the years. 

As the Eaglets take on Angola 

today, a win will be enough to 

guarantee Nigeria a place in the 

FIFA U-17 World Cup finals taking 

place in Brazil. 

Guardiola was unable to claim 

a Champions League title at 

Bayern Munich and last won it 

eight years ago after guiding 

Barcelona to their second triumph 

in three seasons. 

“I know people say I came here 

to win the Champions League, but 

I didn’t come here to win the 

Champions League, honestly,” 

Guardiola said ahead of today’s 

second leg against Spurs. 

“I came here to play the way my 

team has been playing in the last 

20 months. That is why I came here 

- to play the way I want to play and 

of course I want to win the 

Champions League. 

“I was at a big club in Bayern 

Munich and after three seasons I 

won absolutely everything except 

the Champions League. It was a 

big failure. What can I say, I accept 

that, I know that. I have to live with 

that but it is not a big, big problem.


•Dembele 

ARSENAL fans are set to be 

guarded by 800 cops during 

their Europea League clash in 

Naples amid fears about football 

hooligans in the notorious Italian city. 

The Gunners hold a 2-0 lead over Gli 

Azzurri and authorities have taken the 

steps to ensure the safety of travelling 

away fans after a series of high-profile 

incidents. 

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, 

via Sports Witness, police in Italy hold 

a strong fear over the “presence of 

hooligans” and have increased their onduty 

force. 

Arsenal fans have been urged to 

gather at the “Maritime Station” where 

they will be given an escort to the San 

Paolo Stadium via buses provided. 

Recent history of English supporters 

being targeted by local fans have 

necessitated the increased security 

after both Manchester City and 

Liverpool fans have been injured on 

Europa League: 

Arsenal fans to be guarded 

by 800 cops amid hooligan 

fears at Napoli 

recent European trips. 

Three Citizens were ambushed 

during an attack by Napoli Ultras at a 

restaurant in 2017 while a Kopite was 

left hurt after the Reds Champions 

League defeat in October. 

Gli Azzurri fans were also involved 

in ugly skirmishes with FC Zurich 

supporters in in Switzerland ahead of 

their Europa League round of 32 clash 

in February. 

An Inter Milan faithful was also 

killed at a game against Napoli in a 

match also marred by racism that 

almost caused Serie A football to be 

suspended in December. 

Defender Kalidou Koulibaly was 

targeted with monkey noises during the 

defeat at the San Siro and he also faced 

vile chants by an Arsenal fan during 

the first-leg. 

Dembele better than Neymar 

—Barca President 

B 

arcelona president Josep 

Maria Bartomeu has 

claimed that Ousmane 

Dembele is “a much better 

player than Neymar”. 

Dembele was signed as 

Neymar’s replacement when 

the latter left Camp Nou 

from Paris Saint- 

Germain in 2017. Neymar 

has missed a chunk of this 

season with a foot injury, but 

the Brazil international is 

regarded as one of the best 

players in world football. 

Scholes charged by FA 

for betting 

aul Scholes has been 

Pcharged 

with 

misconduct in relation to the 

FA’s betting rules. 

It is alleged he placed 140 

bets on football matches, 

contrary to FA Rule E8, 

•Scholes 

Hajj becomes CAF’s 

5 th General Secretary 

ollowing the dismissal of 

FAmr Fahmy as the 

General Secretary of CAF last 

week, the confederation 

yesterday announced the 

appointment of Mouad Hajji, 

a Moroccan as the 

replacement. 

We can confirm that Hajji, a 

Chief of Staff at the Ministry 

of Youth and Sports in 

Morocco has become the fifth 

person since 1961 to occupy 

the seat and also the second 

Moroccan to break the 

dynasty of Egypt’s Fahmy 

Family. 

The other Moroccan to head 

the CAF Secretariat was 

Hicham El Amrani, who 

replaced Amr Fahmy’s father, 

Mustapha after the Egyptian 

moved to Zurich as the 

director of competitions at 

FIFA. 

El Amrani resigned his 

position after long-standing 

CAF president, Issa Hayatou 

of Cameroon was ousted by 

Ahmad. 

According to a media 

statement by CAF, its 

Executive Committee 

decided on the restructuring 

of the CAF Administration at 

its last meeting. Among the 

steps taken was the dismissal 

Bartomeu, though, has said 

that Dembele is the superior 

footballer, despite the 

Frenchman thus far failing to 

show a level of consistency in 

Spain. 

“I explained that we have a 

project with Dembele and 

[Philippe] Coutinho with 

Neymar’s money,” Bartomeu 

told TVE. “Dembele’s level is 

better now than Neymar’s, 

he’s a much better player than 

Neymar and he’s already 

adapted.” 

between August 2015 and 

January 2019. 

That period relates to when 

Scholes was a part-owner of 

non-league side Salford City 

but before his appointment as 

Oldham manager in 

February 2019. He has 

until April 26, 2019 to 

respond to the charge. 

Scholes was Oldham 

manager for a month 

before quitting in March 

saying his position at the 

Sky Bet League Two club 

had become untenable. 

He made 720 

appearances for 

Manchester United in all 

competitions, winning 11 

Premier League titles. The 

44-year-old also made 66 

appearances for England, 

scoring 14 times. 

of Amr Fahmy as General 

Secretary. 

Even though no reason was 

given, a publication in 

E u r o p e , 

insideworldfootball.com 

alleged that the dismissed 

scribe was punished on 

allegation of complicity in 

corruption allegation against 

the CAF president. 

The Deputy General 

Secretary in charge of 

Administration and Finance, 

Essadik Alaoui, who 

hierarchically should have 

taken over from Fahmy was 

reported to have departed on 

amicable understanding with 

the confederation. 

•Hajji 

Tickets for Liverpool’s ‘title’ clash 

against Wolves go for £6,000 

TICKETS 

for 

Liverpool’s last game 

of the season against 

Wolves are selling for almost 

£6,000 online. 

The race for the Premier 

League title could well go to 

the final game of the season, 

with the Reds welcoming 

Nuno Espirito Santo’s side to 

Anfield. 

Their rivals for the big prize 

are Manchester City, who are 

away to Brighton on May 12. 

But Liverpool fans are 

growing increasingly 

confident that their 29-yearwait 

for the title could end this 

season. 

But for those who want to 

say “we were there” for the 

crowning moment against 

Wolves at home, they will 

have to dig deep. 

On the website Football 

Live Tickets, some seats are 

going for £5,950 for the last 

game. 

There are some cheaper 

alternative - £5,750 and £5,695 

to sit in the Longside Lower 

Central. 

The cheapest ticket comes 

in at £600. Incredibly the 

most expensive ticket on the 

club’s official website is a 

mere £59. 

The re-selling prices have 

been met with anger by many 

Liverpool fans on social 

Champions League: 

Porto boss hopeful of 

win against Liverpool 

media. 

One posted on Twitter that 

it is “disgusting”. 

Another Reds supporter 

added that it is “the harsh 

reality”. 

Others called on the club to 

“ban the site from selling”. 

C Porto coach Sergio Conceicao reckons 

FLiverpool are “the best team in the world” 

on their day as the Portuguese side face up to 

the daunting prospect of overturning a twogoal 

deficit in their Champions League 

quarter-final. 

The teams meet at the Estadio do Dragao 

tonight in the second leg of their last-eight 

tie, with Porto needing a historic comeback to 

go through after losing 2-0 at Anfield last week 

with Naby Keita and Roberto Firmino scoring. 

“They are everything I like about football. I 

like the way they play, the way they are with 

the ball and without it,” Conceicao said at an 

eve-of-game press conference on Tuesday. 

“In my opinion, a lot of the time just now 

they are the best team in the world.” 

Porto lost 5-0 at home to Liverpool a year 

ago when the clubs met in the last 16. 

Despite that, Conceicao, who also expressed 

solidarity towards Liverpool fans the day after 

the 30th anniversary of the “dark moment” of 

the Hillsborough disaster, was not giving up 

on turning the tie around. 

Liverpool are two points 

clear of Manchester City 

having played a game more. 

But out of the two teams, 

Jurgen Klopp’s side appear to 

have the easiest run-in on 

paper. 

They will play Cardiff 

away, Huddersfield at home, 

Newcastle away, then Wolves 

at home. 

Manchester City play 

Tottenham at home, fierce 

rivals Manchester United 

away, Burnley away, Leicester 

at home, and Brighton away. 

•Alli 

Alli train for City tie 

ele Alli and Erik Lamela 

Dface late fitness tests ahead of Tottenham’s 

Champions League quarter-final second leg 

against Manchester City. 

The pair both trained with the rest of the Spurs 

squad on Tuesday and have travelled to 

Manchester. 

Tottenham will take a 1-0 aggregate lead to 

the Etihad stadium for tonight’s game.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17, 2019 

TODAY’S PUZZLE 

Sudoku 

FRIDAY’S ANSWER 

TODAY’S CROSSWORD 

QUICK CROSSWORD 

THURSDAY’S SOLUTION 

How to Play Sudoku 

ACROSS 

1 Pitiable (8) 

6 By way of (3) 

9 Not loud (5) 

10 Stretchy (7) 

11 Melted cheese on hot 

toast (7) 

13 Arena for debate (5) 

14 Unhappier (6) 

15 Story in instalments (6 

18 Ingenuous (5) 

20 Excel (7) 

21 Letter (7) 

22 New England state (5) 

23 Male cat (3) 

24 Answer (8) 

DOWN 

2 Dressed (7) 

3 Possessed (3) 

4 A score (6) 

5 Driver (9) 

6 Elector (5) 

7 Proficient (12) 

8 Incarceration (12) 

12 Yeoman warder of 

the Tower of London (9) 

16 Letters in sloping 

type (7) 

17 Appraise (6) 

19 Colloquial saying (5) 

22 Low (3) 

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

of the same number). 

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

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

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

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

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

multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination. 

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17042019 - 9th NASS: Fresh crisis looms in APC over leadership slots

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