06062019 - NSECURITY: Danjuma, Lekwot, others take Nigeria's case to UK

OLU FASAN 

STATE OF THE NATION 

13 

Why militants Insecurity 2019 UTME: No cut-off 

put off 

No government in a 

won’t stop marks yet, says JAMB 

declaration 

democracy should make 

unproven allegations of of N’ Delta rice 28-yr-old man stabbed to 

treason against political Republic production death in Enugu for seizing 

opponents 32 June 1 33 

—FARMERS girlfriend's phone 

Operators, shareholders seek technical suspension of Oando shares 

8 

6 

19 

VOL. 26: NO. 63826 THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2019 

INSECURITY: 

Danjuma, Lekwot, others 

take Nigeria's case to UK 

•Asemota, Dogonyaro, Anigbogu, Owojaiye, Okpaleke, Ihonde on the delegation 

•Buhari fighting Jihad, Christian elders tell UK Parliament 

•Say Nigeria needs democracy, not Sharia 

•Stronger laws needed to tackle crimes — IGP ADAMU 

•Gen. T.Y. Danjuma 

•Gen. Joshua Dogonyaro 

DEPUTY SENATE LEADERSHIP: 

Insecurity: 

Okowa, 

Obaseki 

meet in 

Asaba, 

chart 

common 

front 12 

•Gen. Zamani Lekwot 

•Amb. Moses Ihonde 

•Solomon Asemota 

APC yet to zone position to S-South —CAUCUS 

•We never endorsed anyone for speaker’s position —PDP House caucus 

OLOWO STOOL: 

Don't allow repeat 

of 1999 bloodbath, 

community leader 

warns 

PDP recruited our 

members to destroy 

APGA —PARTY CHIEFTAIN 

Benue govt, Tsav 

in verbal exchange 

over IDPs 

39 13 

COLUMNISTS: GAMBO DORI 17 DELE COLE 17 AMAECHI 40 

8 

9 

15 

By Clifford Ndujihe 

& Sam Eyoboka 

L AGOS—Former 

Defence Minister, 

Lt. General Theophilus 

Danjuma, retd; former 

Military Governor of 

Rivers State, General 

Zamani Lekwot, retd, 

and Chief Solomon 

Asemota, SAN, have told 

the United Kingdom 

Parliament that 

President Muhammadu 

Buhari was pursuing a 

jihad or Islamisation 

agenda and not serious 

about tackling insecurity 

arising from Boko 

Haram insurgency and 

herdsmen-farmers crises 

Continues on Page 5 

Mr & Mrs 

C 

M 

Y 

K

2— Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2019

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2019—3


vanguardnews @vanguardnews @vanguardnews 

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2019 — 5 

POCKET CARTOON 

Ghana's Nana Akufo-Addo in Aso Rock —President Muhammadu Buhari 

receives in audience, President of Ghana H.E. Nana Akufo-Addo in State 

House, Abuja, yesterday. State House photo. 



Continues from Page 1 Nigeria, urged 

deepening of democracy 

in the country. 

and rejection of sharia, 

The trio acted under the stated their position in a 

aegis of Nigerian paper dated June 3 to the 

Christian Elders Forum, All Party Parliamentary 

NCEF, which also has Group for International 

General Joshua Freedom of Religion or 

Dogonyaro, retd; Justice Belief, APPG, UK 

Kalajine Anigbogu, Elder Parliament. 

Matthew Owojaiye, Dr. Titled: "Competing 

Kate Okpaleke and Elder Ideologies of Democracy 

Moses Ihonde, as and Sharia in Nigeria; 

members. 

The 

Nuance 

The Christian elders, Understating of the 

who blamed Lord Lugard Drivers of the Conflict in 

for sowing the seed of Nigeria by Farmers and 

ethno-religious crises Herders," the paper was 

and dichotomy between in response to the 

Northern and Southern request of the APPG for 

written submissions to 

its inquiry on ongoing 

violence between farmers 

and herders in Nigeria. 

They cited the 

prevailing waves of 

insecurity and quoted 

President Buhari’s pre- 

2015 comments 

supporting the sharia 

movement, "why he 

could die for the course 

of Islam, why they could 

not be blackmailed into 

killing the sharia idea, 

why sharia must be 

spread all over Nigeria, 

why Boko Haram 

members should be 

given VIP treatment and 

not killed, and why 

Muslims should only 

vote for those who will 

promote Islam" among 

others to back their 

claim. 

"The action taken so far 

by the government 

suggests collusion or 

cover up by refusing to 

call jihad by its proper 

name. When a crime is 

committed and acts of 

subjugation and/or 

humiliation is added 

such as rape or religious 

signs or cries, this is 

jihad. Because the 

violence is motivated by 

ideological reasons, 

action taken by all 

interested parties must 

be directed towards the 

prevention of violence. 

Bullets do not kill 

ideology; it is a better 

ideology over time that 

can eliminate Boko 

Haram and Fulani 

herdsmen and this is 

Democracy," they said. 

The paper read in part: 

Amalgamation 

and/or 

Annexation 

historic 

background 

information 

"British man on the 

spot, Lord Lugard 

promoted Islam by 

preventing proselytizing 

in Muslim areas of 

Nigeria especially the 

emirates. Lugard was in 

love with Muslim North 

especially the Sultanate 

of Sokoto, for their 

contribution towards the 

war effort. He further 

created Northern 

Nigeria Corporation 

which Turkey did not 

offer as reasons why the 

Muslim North was 

entitled to special 

treatment and, above all, 

he (Lugard) was a 

disgruntled “suitor” who 

seemed to have lost his 

faith in Christianity 

before he got married to 

Miss Flora Shaw. He 

hated educated black 

people and the South 

had many of them by 

1914 dispensed with 

during a period of 

racism. Lugard created 

Muslim Northern 

Nigeria and annexed 

(not amalgamated) 

Southern Nigeria to 

provide access to the sea 

and sustenance for 

Muslim North. He would 

rather have traditional 

leaders to rule, than 

educated Africans. He 

ensured this, even after 

retirement from the 

colonial services. 

"At independence, the 

British saw Islamism 

creeping into Nigeria 

and tried to make up 

with Human Rights in 

the Constitution. 

"At the same time the 

British government 

ensured dominance of 

the North in terms of size 

as against the South that 

was divided into East, 

West and, later Midwest. 

"Democracy was 

agreed upon by all the 

parties, North, East and 

West during the 

Independence 

Conferences but the 

Intelligence Department 

was structured to 

promote Sharia as an 

alternative source of 

legislation. 

"At independence in 

1960, the first law 

enacted by the 

Parliament was the 

Emergency Act of 1961. 

This was a strange way 

of celebrating freedom. 

This law was followed by 

a contrived Emergency 

in Western Region in 

1963 resulting in the 

Continues on Page 41 

By Bose Adelaja,Dickson Omobola, 

Tolulope Oke, Chiamaka Uba, 

Erinfolami Abdulkudus& Janet 

Somoye 

INSECURITY: Cancellation of Sallah celebration in Katsina (4) 

I 

think the governor did 

doing the right thing . 

The governor is just 

displaying an attribute 

peculiar to leadership 

because a leader is one 

who sees ahead and 

farther than others. 

Mr. Felix Oladeji, 

Analyst 

IT shows the high level 

o 

f 

irresponsibility on the 

part of this 

administration. It is no 

longer news that the 

north has been 

experiencing incessant 

attacks by bandits and 

terrorists. This 

administration is 

expected to have tackled 

the problem of insecurity 

but it appears incapable. 

Mr. Favour Olabanji, 

Student 

THIS is another 

indicator that nobody 

is truly secure in Nigeria 

today. 

The government at the 

centre is just too far from 

the man on the street. 

The moribund state of the 

local government has not 

helped our security 

situation. 

It is high time we 

stopped our fire brigade 

approach to security 

matters. 

Mr. William Jimoh 

Analyst 

Irefuse to believe it is 

right to cancel Sallah 

celebration in President 

Buhari’s state as 

a result of insecurity. If 

Sallah celebration is 

cancelled in Katsina due 

to insecurity, justice 

demands that same 

should apply to other 

states because there is no 

place is safe in Nigeria. 

Miss Sandra Ohagba 

Teacher 

I 

don't think it is the 

right thing to do. 

The people in the state 

are entitled to Sallah 

celebration with or 

without insecurity. 

My advise is that they 

should tread with 

caution and be vigilant. 

The situation in Nigeria 

is very scary and the 

government is doing 

n o t h i n g . 

Miss Chiamaka 

O n y e m a 

G r a d u a t e 

WHAT the state gov 

ernment did was 

right. The action even 

confirmed our fears about 

the security situation in 

the country. Of what use 

are our security agencies 

if they cannot stop kidnapping 

and other violent 

crimes in the country? 

Our President is not 

doing enough in every 

area. He should be told 

to perform his functions 

and stop making statements 

about those that 

voted for him and the 

people who did not vote. 

Mr. Emmanuel Otobo, 

Worker

6—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2019 

Traffic 

robbers land 

in Police net 

By Esther Onyegbula 

THREE 

notorious 

members of a robbery 

gang that specialised in 

posing as commercial 

motorcycles to rob commuters 

while in traffic are currently 

being investigated by the 

Lagos State Police 

Command. 

One of the suspects, Shefiu 

Aliu, was arrested around 

NEPA, Ayobo-Ipaja, June 3 

at about 9p.m. by a 

surveillance patrol team 

attached to Ipaja Police 

Station. 

He was arrested while 

attempting to snatch 

handsets and handbags 

from two females namely 

Grace Williams and Deborah 

Williams. 

Similarly, at about 

10.10p.m. of the same date, 

surveillance patrol team from 

the same Ipaja Police Station, 

deployed to Zion Church 

area, Aina-Obembe Road, 

Baruwa, arrested one 

Biodun Oladimeji and Afiz 

Tajudeen a.k.a Arapa after 

snatching a bag from one 

Obiako Ruth. 

Court slams 

N2.5m damages 

on pastor for 

trespass 

By Alemma Aliu 

BENIN CITY—A Benin 

High Court has 

slammed N2.5 million 

damages on a pastor, 

Clifford Osawaru, for 

trespassing into a parcel of 

land in Benin. 

The court, presided over by 

Justice Ada Ehigiamusoe, 

affirmed Alhaji Tanko 

Ileogben as the rightful 

owner of the land measuring 

300 by 500 feet, situated at 

Plot 36-39 Block K, 

Evbuoriaria Layout, Benin 

City. 

Delivering judgment on 

the case, Justice 

Ehigiamusoe said the 

amount was meant for 

“general, special and 

exemplary damages over act 

of trespass and granted 

possession of the said land 

to the claimant.” 

In compliance with the 

judgment, the claimant who 

was accompanied with 

policemen along with the 

court bailiff have moved to 

execute a warrant of 

possession, writ of 

attachment to execute the 

judgment. 

The process of mapping 

the parcel of land with red 

tape has been concluded by 

court officials, while 

surveyors were on ground to 

determine its boundaries. 

28-yr-old man stabbed to death in 

Enugu for seizing girlfriend's phone 

By Ikechukwu Odu 

NSUKKA—THE 

sleepy 

community of Unadu, Igbo- 

Eze South Local Government Area 

of Enugu State, yesterday, was 

thrown into pandemonium 

following the death of a 28-yearold 

man identified as Nnabuike 

Eze. 

It was gathered that late Eze had 

a misunderstanding with his 

girlfriend (name withheld) which 

made him to seize her phone. 

According to a source that 

pleaded for anonymity, the 

girlfriend later came to 

demand for the phone from 

the deceased, but he did not 

oblige her request which made 

her to send her other male 

friends to collect the phone 

from him. 

It was learned that the two 

male friends she sent 

engaged the deceased in a 

fight in an attempt to collect 

the item from him, but their 

efforts were futile. 

The source further disclosed 

that the late Eze later sent the 

phone to her protesting 

girlfriend through a friend, 

but she was at home when 

the friend brought the phone. 

An eyewitness' account 

confirmed that the deceased 

was relaxing at a beer palour 

yesterday when someone 

stabbed him on the throat and 

abandoned him in a pool of 

his blood. 

It was further revealed that 

other fun-seekers and even 

the owner of the beer palour, 

identified as Onwa, where 

the late Eze was relaxing, 

scampered for safety. 

When help did not come his 

way, the deceased managed to 

stand up but only took few steps 

before collapsing to death due 

to loss of much blood. 

Confirming the incident, the 

state command Police Public 

Relations Officer, Ebere 

Amaraizu, said some persons 

have been arrested in 

connection with the incident 

and are now helping the Police 

in their investigations. 

The remains of the deceased 

had been deposited in a morgue 

for autopsy. 

FOR TOBACCO REGULATION: Officials of Federal Ministry of Health; Nigeria Tobacco Control Alliance, 

NTCA; Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, CTFK; Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria, ERA/FoEN; 

Cedars Foundation; University of Abuja Smoke-Free Club; Nigeria Medical Association, NMA, among others, at a sensitisation 

rally on the newly-passed National Tobacco Control, NTC, Act and Tobacco Regulations, as part of activities to mark the 2019 

World No Tobacco Day on the theme Tobacco and Lung Health, in Abuja. 

I went into robbery because my work wasn't lucrative 

anymore—Herbalist 

By Dayo Johnson 

AKURE— A 47-year-old 

herbalist, Martins Kolawole, 

arrested for the murder of the Bursar 

of the Anglican Communion in Ondo 

State, Gabriel Abiodun, has said he 

took to robbing because his work as a 

herbalist was no longer lucrative. 

Kolawole and an alleged 

accomplice, 54-year-old Chief 

Lawrence Ojo, were paraded by the 

state police command. 

Recall that late Abiodun was shot 

dead by killers that invaded the Akure 

Diocesan office of the Anglican 

Communion in the state and carted 

away N500,000 church money meant 

to pay workers. 

He was trailed from one of the 

banks, where he had withdrawn the 

money, by the robbers. 

In an interview, the herbalist 

confessed that he was given N90,000 

in the first operation after robbing a 

bank customer who withdrew a large 

sum from the bank. 

His words: “I bought two tyres for 

my car out of my share and spent the 

rest on merriment. This was the 

second trip I will go with the gang. 

“My job is to drive the get-away 

vehicle after other members have 

robbed the unsuspecting bank 

customer. We have informants inside 

the bank. We trail our victim from the 

bank until he or she gets to a 

safe place and we descend on 

them.” 

Asked why he abandoned the 

herbalist trade, Martins said: “It 

was no more lucrative and I 

decided to look for another 

quick avenue to make money. I 

have four children and my wife 

has left me many years ago.” 

Parading the suspects, the 

state Police Commissioner, 

Undie Adie, said: “On May 28, 

at about 4p.m., one Adeyinka 

Adeniyi of 2, Mama Eko Street 

off Orita Obele Estate, Akure, 

went to an Alagbaka branch of 

a bank and withdrew N450,000. 

By Davies Iheamnachor 

PORT HARCOURT—A local 

vigilante group in Rivers 

State, ONELGA Security 

Planning and Advisory 

Committee, OSPAC, has burst 

a den of kidnappers and 

arrested over 10 suspects. 

The incident happened in a 

forest between Ndele and 

Rumuji community in Emohua 

Local Government Area of the 

state. 

It was gathered that the 

“He kept the money in a safe 

in his car and drove to his 

building site at Adegbola Area, 

Akure, unknown to him that he 

was being trailed by robbers. 

“He parked the car and went 

into the site. When he came 

back, he discovered that his car 

was broken into and the money 

carted away and the Special 

Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, 

were promptly contacted. 

“Detectives swung into 

action and arrested one 

Martins Adetoye Kolawole 

and Chief Lawrence Adebayo 

Ojo. 

“On interrogation, they 

confessed to committing the 

crime. Their operational 

suspects were members of a 

cult gang and kidnappers 

terrorising travellers on 

Ndele axis of the East-West 

Road. 

It was learned that Rumuji 

community had, following a 

rise in cult and criminal 

activities in their area, 

engaged the services of 

OSPAC to come and restore 

peace. 

Vanguard also learned that 

the local vigilante group had 

arrived the community on 

vehicles which they always used 

to monitor their victims from, one 

Toyota Camry with number plates 

JJJ 752 EKY and a Sienna bus 

with number plates LSR 792 BE, 

were impounded.” 

The Police chief said 

investigation is still ongoing to 

track down one Gbenga, who is a 

member of the gang. 

“It is sad to say that this same 

gang was responsible for the 

death of one Gabriel Abiodun, 

a bursar and verger to the 

Anglican Church Diocese, 

Akure, recently, as one of the 

suspects in that incident, 

Martins Adetoye, was easily 

identified by one of the lucky 

victims of the attack,” he added. 

Vigilante busts kidnappers’ den in Rivers, nabs 10 suspects 

Monday and made the notable 

achievement a day later. 

A source, who related the 

development on condition of 

anonymity, berated the Police, 

saying “what the Police, Rumuji 

Divisional Headquarters could 

not achieve, OSPAC of 

yesterday has done. 

“Combat against insecurity is 

not all about suspending those 

occupying traditional stool and 

ranting all day on air, but 

positive, rational concepts has 

it all.”

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2019—7 

Yul Edochie turns preacher 

after surviving car crash 

ACE Nollywood actor, Yul 

Edochie, who an auto 

accident on a recent trip to the 

East, has turned to an evangelist 

preachng the importance of 

getting close to God. 

He made this known 

through his Instagram 

account, @yuledochie, 

yesterday. 

He wrote: “All I can say is 

thank you Lord, thank you 

Jesus, thank you Jehovah. 

God is real and God is alive. 

Thank you blessed Mother 

Mary 

“I left Lagos, yesterday, 

heading to the East. Just 

before I got to Ore, doing 

100 to 120 kilometre per 

IBADAN—NO fewer than 20 

persons were, yesterday, 

rescued by Oyo State Police 

Command from a detention 

camp allegedly being operated 

by an Islamic cleric at Agugu 

area of Ibadan. 

There were contradictory 

reports on the motive of the 

owner of the alleged detention 

camp. 

While some residents, who live 

in the area, said the man was a 

spiritualist who treats mentally 

deranged people in a traditional 

way, some claimed that the man 

allegedly uses the place as a 

shrine. 

The Police confirmed that 20 

perceived victims had been 

evacuated from the place, but 

added that it was yet to be 

confirmed whether the man who 

was identified as Alfa Oloore used 

the place as a shrine or not. 

Just like Soka kidnappers' den 

some years ago, the discovery 

attracted residents of the area who 

thronged the place with all sorts 

of stories. 

Vanguard gathered that those 

evacuated from the shrine looked 

weak and lean. 

A source further told Vanguard 

that most of the victims appeared 

to have some mental challenges. 

While confirming the arrest of 

the owner of the camp, Police 

Public Relations Officer of the 

Oyo Police Command, SP 

Gbenga Fadeyi, said: “I can 

confirm that there was an arrest 

of the owner of the shrine where 

many inmates were evacuated. 

“But some people came later 

to the Police Station to say they 

were the ones who gave their 

children to the owner of the 

shrine, who they also claimed 

to be a spiritualist. 

“In fact, some of those 

recovered from the shrine had 

issues; some behave like drug 

addicts, some like mentally 

deranged persons and so on. 

“But what the Police want to 

do is embark on thorough 

hour, my car lost control and 

started veering off to the 

right. 

“I tried to 

steer it 

back on 

track 

a n d 

t h e 

next 

thing I 

knew I 

w a s 

upside 

Police rescue 20 persons from 

Alfa's detention camp in Ibadan 

investigation into the matter and 

come up with a report.” 

The inmates, many of who were 

skinny and malnourished, have 

been successfully rescued and 

were in the custody of the Police. 

The owner and operator of the 

shrine, Alfa Oloore, has been 

By Kingsley Omonobi 

ABUJA—FOLLOWING the 

publication of a video of troops 

manhandling some arrested 

bandits, the Chief of Defence Staff, 

General Abayomi Olonisakin, has 

ordered the arrest and 

investigation of the personnel 

involved. 

His directive was made known 

in a statement yesterday, by Col 

Onyema Nwachukwu, Acting 

Director of Defence Information, 

entitled AFN Condemns Illtreatment 

of Arrested Suspects in 

Trending Video. 

It said: “The attention of the 

Defence Headquarters, DHQ, 

have been drawn to a video footage 

trending in the social media, 

visually displaying the 

maltreatment of some suspected 

bandits and kidnappers who were 

arrested along Abuja-Kaduna 

Road during a recent operation. 

“Apparently the troops had in 

down, tumbling, till the car 

finally ended up in a gutter.” 

Edochie said he 

miraculously came out alive 

with a few cuts and bruises. 

His words: “I thank the 

Almighty God for his 

mercies. I thank our blessed 

Mother Mary and to all the 

angels sent by God to protect 

me always; thank you. 

“I also thank all my fans 

and friends all over the world 

who always pray for me and 

wish me well. God is alive. 

Life can end in a second. 

“The money, the cars, the 

mansions, the fame, the good 

life, all vanity. Be close to 

God. God is everything.” 

arrested and detained for 

questioning. 

According to eyewitnesses, 

Oloore, who claimed to be a 

spiritualist and a healer, had 

been operating the shrine for 

many years with suspicion 

and dread. 

Defence Hqtrs orders arrest, 

investigation over allegations 

of bandits' maltreatment 

THE Federal Road Safety Corps, 

FRSC, says at least 1,618 

people have lost their lives through 

road accidents between December 

2018 and February 2019. 

The information is contained in 

the Report of Road Traffic Crash for 

December 2018, January and 

December 2019, released by the 

FRSC. 

According to the report, over 

21,577 people were involved in 

road crashes involving cars, 

their overzealousness tied one 

of the suspects to a stake in a 

desperate attempt to extract 

information from him. 

“he DHQ wishes to 

unambiguously state that the act 

exhibited by the troops in the 

video footage is very 

unprofessional and an outright 

violation of the code of conduct 

handed down to guide the 

conduct and behaviour of troops 

of the AFN during operations. 

“The DHQ, therefore, in very 

strong terms condemn this act 

of ineptitude and exhibition of 

lawlessness. 

“The DHQ considers the 

conduct of the troops highly 

regrettable. In order to promptly 

address the anomaly, Chief of 

Defence Staff has ordered a 

thorough investigation into the 

incident to bring to book all 

those found culpable in 

accordance with the military 

justice system.” 

1,618 die from road accidents 

minibuses, motorcycles, trucks, 

tankers and trailers. 

Further analysis shows that 

the top five causes of road 

accidents were speed violation, 

wrongful overtaking, 

dangerous driving, tyre burst 

and brake failure. 

The FRSC report identified 

Kaduna-Abuja Road as the 

most prevalent route in cases of 

accident fatality within the 

period under review. 

... with Emma'nKen (08163121378) 

Put on inner light! Olopa 

Bovi wants to pick one 

This evangelist has not heard of the 

miracle of 5 loaves and 2 fishes abi? 

Experience! Dem don show 

this aunty shege before.


2019 UTME: No cut-off marks 

yet, says JAMB 

LAGOS— THE Joint 

Admissions and 

Matriculation Board, 

JAMB, said yesterday, it 

has not published the 

national and general 

minimum cut-off marks for 

placement of candidates 

into the nation’s tertiary 

institutions as speculated in 

some quarters. 

The board’s Head, Media 

and Information, Dr Fabian 

Benjamin, who disclosed 

this in an interview with the 

News Agency of Nigeria, 

NAN, in Lagos, said there 

was no truth in such 

speculations. 

He said some persons, 

whom he described as 

fraudulent elements were 

behind the development, 

with a ploy to defraud 

innocent Nigerians, 

especially candidates. 

Benjamin said the cut-off 

marks could only be arrived 

at with the inputs of critical 

stakeholders in the 

education sector scheduled 

for days ahead. 

“We want to seize this 

opportunity to caution the 

public especially 

candidates, not to allow 

themselves to be swindled 

by these desperate 

individuals that are 

peddling this rumour. 

“The board is yet to come 

up with any cut-off mark for 

placements into the various 

tertiary institutions across 

the country. 

“The cut-off marks cannot 

be decided upon without 

the input of critical 

stakeholders of the 

education sector at an 

elaborate policy meeting,” 

he said. 

Benjamin explained that 

the next policy meeting 

would be holding on 

Tuesday, June 11, at 

Gbongan in Osun State. 

He noted that already, 

preparations for the 

meeting had been 

concluded, adding that 

officials of the Ministry of 

Education were expected to 

attend. 

According to him, other 

key stakeholders were also 

expected to grace the 

occasion, to determine the 

national cut-off mark. 

He said it was only after 

this had been achieved that 

the candidates would be 

availed of the cut-off marks 

of the various tertiary 

institutions across the 

country. 

He said: “The cut-off 

marks are the minimum 

expectation for every 

institution and that does not 

mean by attaining such 

cut-off mark, it therefore 

means an automatic 

placement into schools of 

first choice. 

“We, therefore, want to 

appeal to the general 

public, especially 

candidates, not to fall prey 

to fraudsters. 

“The board will continue 

to provide information to 

the public on its processes 

and activities at every 

stage,” Benjamin assured. 

NAN reports that over 1.8 

million candidates had 

registered for the 2019 

Unified Tertiary 

Matriculation Examination, 

UTME. 

Switzerland sues Nigeria 

over detained vessel 

THE Swiss government 

has filed a suit against 

Nigeria at the international 

court over the detention of its 

vessel, San Padre Pio. 

Operation forward base of 

the Nigerian Navy in Bonny, 

Rivers State, had arrested the 

ship on January 23, 2018. 

The oil tanker, registered 

with canton Vaud shipping 

company, ABC Maritime, 

and its crew members, were 

detained for alleged diesel 

smuggling, and violation of 

Nigeria’s territorial waters. 

The captain of the ship had 

denied the allegations, 

saying he had all papers 

covering him and the 

transactions. 

Some crew members, 

except four Ukrainians, had 

already been allowed to leave 

the ship, which has the 

capacity for 5,500 tonnes of 

cargo. 

Switzerland had made 

diplomatic efforts to secure the 

release of the ship but 

nothing fruitful came out of 

that. 

The navy had handed over 

the vessel to the Economic 

and Financial Crimes 

Commission, EFCC, but the 

commission did not arraign 

those arrested in court. 

In a statement, the Swiss 

foreign ministry said on May 

21, it requested the 

International Tribunal in 

charge of the law of the sea 

to order Nigeria to release the 

tanker vessel, its crew and 

cargo. 

It said the ship and the 

cargo had been losing their 

value, causing damage to the 

companies involved. 

Commenting on the issue, 

a senior lawyer who did not 

want to be quoted, told 

TheCable that more cases 

would be filed against the 

Federal Government over the 

“impunity of the naval 

authorities.” 

Noting that the navy was 

currently detaining at least 

150 people without trial, he 

said: “Many more cases are 

going to be filed against the 

federal government in 

municipal and foreign courts 

due to the provocative 

impunity of the nation’s naval 

authorities who are behaving 

as if they are above the law,” 

he said. 

“From the information at my 

disposal, the Nigerian navy 

is detaining not less than 150 

people without trial. Some 

have been incarcerated 

incommunicado for over two 

years.” 

EID-EL-FITR: Fun-seekers enjoying the holidays at ther Millennium Park, Abuja, 

yesterday. Photo: Abayomi Adeshida. 

IGP calls for stronger laws against 

kidnapping, other crimes 

•As Operation Puff Adder arrests 2,175 suspects 

By Emma 

Nnadozie, Crime 

Editor 

THE Inspector-General of 

Police, Muhammed 

Adamu, yesterday, called for 

a tougher legislation against 

kidnapping and banditry. 

He also canvassed 

possible state seizure of 

assets linked to illicit 

proceeds from kidnapping 

and other heinous crimes. 

According to him, this will 

act as a strong disincentive 

to potential kidnappers and 

other violent criminals. 

The police boss spoke 

while addressing a 

delegation of Nasarawa 

State chapter of Association 

of Local Governments of 

Nigeria, ALGON, led by 

Speakership: Gbajabiamila denies 

being convicted in USA for fraud 

•Expect more hardcore evidence —CUPP spokesman 

By Emman 

Ovuakporie & 

Levinus 

Nwabughiogu 

ABUJA—An aspirant to 

the position of speaker of 

the incoming House of 

Representatives of the 9th 

National Assembly, Femi 

Gbajabiamila, has denied 

being convicted by the 

Supreme Court of the State 

of Georgia in the United 

States of America over 

criminal offences. 

This is, however, contrary 

to the position taken by 

Coalition of United Political 

Parties, CUPP, which on 

Tuesday in Abuja, publicly 

showed documented 

evidence that Gbajabiamila 

was, indeed, convicted by the 

court on criminal actions. 

Beside the CUPP’s legal 

action, a national tax payer, 

Phillip Undie, is also in court 

against Gbajabiamila, 

praying the court to stop him 

on the account of his criminal 

conviction. 

But while the case is 

expected to be heard by a 

Federal High Court in Abuja, 

tomorrow, Director-General of 

Gbajabiamila Campaign 

Council, Abdulmumuni 

Jubrin, said his principal has 

never been found culpable by 

any legal authorities 

anywhere in the world. 

Jubrin, who spoke at a 

press conference in Abuja, 

yesterday, said his reaction 

was a response to CUPP’s 

claim. 

Flanked by some 

supporters at the briefing, 

Jubrin said: “In the last few 

weeks, the media has been 

awashed, once again, with 

what has become a recurring 

fabrication of false 

accusations and outright lies 

against the person of the 

Leader, House of 

Representatives, Femi 

Gbajabiamila. 

“The latest was a live press 

conference addressed, 

yesterday, by someone 

claiming to be speaking on 

behalf of Coalition of United 

Political Party, CUPP. But for 

the publicity the press 

conference attracted, we 

would have simply ignored 

the baseless and unfounded 

allegations. 

“For the benefit of doubt, we 

wish to once again state 

emphatically that Femi 

Gbajabiamila has never been 

convicted for any crime in the 

United States of America, 

Nigeria or any other country 

around the world for that 

matter. 

‘’He has never been 

accused of corruption and 

has no corruption case 

hanging on his neck in 

Nigeria or any where around 

the world. 

“He has not committed 

perjury and has never 

committed perjury in Nigeria 

or any country of the world. 

He was eligible to contest in 

all previous elections he won 

and, indeed, eligible and 

qualified to contest for the 

office of speaker, House of 

Representatives, in the 9th 

Assembly." 

Jubrin further stated that 

Gbajabiamila was yet to be 

served with any court 

summons as at yesterday. 

We'll produce more 

evidence— CUPP 

Meanwhile, in a swift 

reaction to Jubrin’s press 

conference, spokesman of 

CUPP, Ikenga Ugochinyere, 

said he was prepared to 

unveil further evidence 

detailing Gbajabiamila’s 

corrupt activities. 

He said: “This is to inform 

the general public that CUPP 

is battle ready and will be 

releasing fresh evidence 

involving his USA 

immigration status, including 

his social security number 

containing a different date of 

birth from the one he is using 

in Nigeria and the foreign 

account he operated before 

2007 against the CCB Act. 

“We are on standby to fire a 

new salvo from the opposition 

headquarters if Gbajabiamila 

and his boy attack the CUPP 

today. The CUPP has 

reserved the mother of all 

offensive that will even 

ensure that Gbajabiamila will 

not even be eligible on election 

day.” 

Alhaji. Aminu Muazu 

Maifata, who paid him the 

traditional Sallah homage in 

his official quarters in Abuja. 

He announced that 2,175 

suspected criminals had 

been arrested with 834 arms, 

19,009 live ammunitionand 

two rocket launchers 

recovered within three 

months of launching 

Operation Puff Adder by 

the police in the ongoing 

fight against criminal 

elements across the country. 

He noted that the call for 

a tougher legislation against 

kidnapping and banditry 

has become necessary 

against the increasingly 

daring resort to these forms 

of crimes by criminal 

elements in the society. 

The IGP also seized the 

opportunity of the visit to 

inform the visitors on the 

successes recorded by 

Operation Puff Adder in the 

ongoing fight against 

criminal elements across the 

country, stating that since 

its launch on April 5, 2019, 

till date, a total of 63 

kidnapped victims had 

been rescued unhurt by 

police operatives. 

“Similarly, 2,175 suspects 

were arrested for 

kidnapping, 852 for armed 

robbery, 865 for murder and 

99 for cultism. 

"Also, 834 arms, including 

two rocket launchers and 

19,009 live ammunition 

were recovered, with Oyo 

State recording the highest 

number of 9,500.” 

The IGP stated that the 

Police were re-jigging their 

strategies to ensure 

proactive interception of 

illicit weapons destined for 

Nigeria and at the same time 

mop up unauthorised 

weapons in circulation. 

According to him, while a 

good number of the cases 

are already being 

prosecuted in courts across 

the country, many of the 

cases are still under active 

investigation owing largely 

to the complexity of 

investigating and 

managing organised 

crimes.


2019 presidential poll: Legal 

moves to disqualify Buhari 

shift to A-Court 

By Ikechukwu 

Nnochiri 

ABUJA—The Abuja 

Division of the Court of 

Appeal has been asked to 

invoke its original 

jurisdiction to determine 

whether President 

Muhammadu Buhari 

supplied false information 

about his educational 

qualification and certificates, 

in the Form CF001 he 

submitted to Independent 

National Electoral 

Commission, INEC, before 

the 2019 general elections. 

The appellate court is in an 

appeal marked CA/A/436/ 

2019, further urged to 

determine whether the office 

of the Attorney-General of 

the Federation and Minister 

of Justice, is competent to file 

processes to defend the 

allegation that President 

Buhari lied on oath about his 

qualifications. 

The appeal was lodged by 

three litigants, Kalu Agu, 

Labaran Ismail and Hassy 

El-Kuris, who identified 

themselves as electorate and 

tax payers. 

The trio are challenging the 

dismissal of a suit they filed 

against President Buhari, 

prior to the February 23 

presidential election. 

Trial Justice Ahmed 

Mohammed of the Federal 

High Court in Abuja had in 

HEALTH TIPS 

By Sola Ogundipe 

Health screenings every 

woman must undergo 

A woman is naturally at a 

greater risk for a number of 

diseases than men, 

detecting these diseases at 

an early stage makes them 

easy to cure. 

It is, therefore, your 

responsibility to ensure 

your own safety and wellbeing. 

Take cognisance of 

recommended health 

screenings every woman 

must undergo. 

One of these essential 

tests is the Pap smear test, 

which checks the cervix 

and the vagina for any 

abnormal cells that could 

become cancerous. 

Ideally, this is a test that 

should be conducted as 

soon as you’re 21 and 

should be repeated every 

three years. Once you are 

30, you may wait five years 

between tests unless you 

see any abnormal changes 

in your body. 

Doctors recommend that 

every woman should 

undergo a mammogram 

screening as soon as she is 

aged 40 and over. 

Mammograms are a lowdose 

X-ray that screens 

a judgment on May 2, dismissed 

the suit marked 

FHC/ABJ/CS/1310/2018, on 

the premise that it was 

statute- barred. 

Cited as defendants in the 

matter were President 

Buhari, the All Progressives 

Congress, APC, and INEC. 

They had, among other 

things, prayed the high court 

to determine "whether 

having regard to the 

information in the Affidavit 

contained in the 1st 

Defendant’s INEC FORM 

CF001 regarding his 

educational qualifications/ 

certificates, the Defendant 

has submitted false 

information to the 3rd 

Defendant. 

“Whether from the facts 

and exhibits contained in the 

affidavit in support of this 

Originating Summons, and 

having regard to section 

31(5) and (6) of the Electoral 

Act, 2010 ( as amended), the 

1st Defendant is disqualified 

from running for the office of 

President of the Federal 

Republic of Nigeria in the 

2019 general elections. 

“Whether the 1st 

Defendant having submitted 

false information to the 3rd 

Defendant, the 2nd 

Defendant can validly 

present the 1st Defendant as 

its Candidate for the office 

of President of the Federal 

Republic of Nigeria for the 

2019 general elections." 

your breast and other 

surrounding tissues for 

cancerous lumps too small 

to feel during a regular 

breast examination. Early 

detection of breast cancer 

can lead to a cure. 

You should not ignore 

carrying out a daily health 

routine called tBreast Self 

Examination, BSE, to help 

detect breast lumps. 

Weakened bones after 

menopause puts you at a 

greater risk of osteoporosis, 

where the weakened bones 

begin to deteriorate. A test 

called osteoporosis X-ray is 

recommended for all 

women after the age of 65. 

Ovarian cancer affects 

women aged above 50 and 

is often fatal hence the 

screening should be done 

regularly. 

Heart disease kills more 

women than men each 

year. Therefore, it becomes 

important that women 

above 50 and those with a 

family history of the disease 

should undergo yearly 

screening to monitor their 

heart for any abnormalities. 

SALLAH HOMAGE: President Muhammadu Buhari with Mairo Almakura, Alayangi 

Sylva, Mrs. Akpabio and Mrs. Munira Marwa and others during sallah homage to the 

President by the women, in Abuja, yesterday. 

Operators, shareholders seek technical 

suspension of Oando shares 

•Call for FG’s intervention to resolve crisis 

•SEC holds meeting regarding court order 

By Peter 

Egwuatu 

OPERATORS in the 

capital market and 

shareholders have called on 

Securities and Exchange 

Commission, SEC, and 

Nigerian Stock Exchange, 

NSE, to place the shares of 

Oando Plc on technical 

suspension to protect 

minority shareholders of the 

company, which share price 

has fallen by over 20 per cent 

in the past two trading days. 

They also stated that the 

court injunction obtained by 

Oando could lead to long 

legal battle, which could 

further affect the company’s 

shares price on the NSE, if it 

was not placed on 

suspension. 

The operators also called 

on the Federal Government 

to urgently intervene in the 

conflict between the SEC and 

Oando Plc. 

Meanwhile, the SEC 

executives, at press time, 

were still holding meeting 

regarding the court order 

obtained by Oando. 

Spokesperson for SEC, 

Mrs Efe Ebelo, said : “SEC 

is still holding a meeting. I 

can’t speak now.” 

National Chairman, New 

Dimension Shareholders 

Association of Nigeria, Mr 

Patrick Ajudua, who spoke 

the minds of its members in 

a chat with Vanguard, said: 

“The SEC findings on 

Oando speak volume. As 

shareholders of the 

company, we are more 

interested in protection of 

minority shareholders, their 

investments and protection 

of capital market. 

‘’The consequences of this 

far-reaching 

recommendation from the 

regulator has tremendous 

effect on the share price of 

the company, both local and 

international, market 

integrity, rule of law and 

expected returns on 

investment. 

‘’For purposes of fair 

hearing, we expect the 

company to come out with 

its position on the matter as 

this will allow the 

shareholders to take a 

position with respect to the 

issue at hand. 

‘But going by the findings 

of the investigator, the board 

and management of the 

company have much 

clarification to make, the role 

played by the external 

auditor, the audit committee, 

the external board evaluators 

and even the regulators, who 

have unfettered access to the 

account of the company, who 

gave approval to the account 

as presented, should also be 

indicted. 

‘’I believe that SEC, as 

currently constituted, has no 

power to take such a farreaching 

decision without 

the consent of a board. The 

regulator has been operating 

without a board for more 

than four years and as such, 

is like a car without a pilot, a 

human being with body 

without the head. Even the 

USA SEC has not operated 

without a board since 1939." 

Reacting as well to the 

outcome of a forensic audit 

on Oando released by SEC 

on May 31, as well as a court 

injunction restraining SEC 

from sacking Oando’s 

Group Chief Executive 

Officer, Mr Adewale Tinubu, 

and his deputy, capital 

market operators applauded 

the courage of SEC’s acting 

Director-General, Ms Mary 

Uduk, in releasing the 

outcome of the forensic audit. 

Senate leadership: APC yet to zone 

position to S-South— Caucus 

By Henry Umoru 

& Levinus 

Nwabughiogu 

ABUJA—AHEAD of the 

inauguration of the 9th 

National Assembly and 

election of presiding officers, 

concerned caucus of All 

Progressives Congress, 

APC, yesterday, said the 

party was yet to zone the 

position of Deputy Senate 

President to the South- 

South geo-political zone. 

This came on a day 

Peoples Democratic Party, 

PDP, caucus in the House 

of Representatives said it 

had yet to endorse House 

Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila, 

or any other aspirant for the 

position of speaker in the 

incoming 9th National 

Assembly. 

In a statement signed by 

Segun Bello and Sunday 

Umutu in Abuja, yesterday, 

the APC leaders took a 

swipe at Senator Ita Enang 

on his position that Senator 

Ovie Omo-Agege (APC, 

Delta Central), had been 

endorsed for the position of 

Deputy Senate President. 

According to the APC 

leaders, Senator Ita Enang 

cannot speak for the party 

and can no longer speak for 

the Presidency, considering 

the fact that he was no longer 

Senoir Special Assistant to 


Buhari on National 

Assembly Matters (Senate). 

They said in a statement: 

“Section 151 of the 1999 

Constitution states that the 

appointment of all special 

advisers shall cease when 

the President ceases to hold 

office, while Section 171 

states that the appointment 

of the Secretary to the 

Government of the 

Federation and any office or 

the personal staff of the 

President shall cease when 

the President ceases to hold 

office. 

“Therefore, our attention 

has been drawn to the 

statement of Senator Ita 

Enang in an interview in 

7.00am news on Radio 

Nigeria on Wednesday, 5th 

June, 2019. 

“In the interview, Senator 

Enang stated that Senator 

Lawan Ahmad will emerge 

as Senate President of the 

9th Senate, while Femi 

Gbajiabiamila will emerge as 

speaker, House of 

Representatives. He went 

on to state that Senator Ovie 

Omo-Agege will emerge as 


“Although, in the 

interview he was referred to 

as the Senior Special 

Assistant to the President on 

National Assembly Matters, 

we write to state that he 

spoke on personal capacity 

and expressed his own 

opinion and certainly not in 

any way the position of the 

Presidency. 

“It should be noted that his 

appointment as Senior 

Special Assistant to the 

President on National 

Assembly Matters ceased 

with the end of the 

President’s first term on 

May 29, 2019, as provided 

in Section 151(3) of the 1999 

Constitution (As 

Amended). 

“Therefore, his statement 

about Senator Ovie Omo- 

Agege should be seen 

wholly as figment of his 

imagination, because he 

has probably supported 

him." 

Meanwhile, PDP caucus 

in the House of 

Representatives has said it 

never endorsed Femi 

Gbajabiamila or any other 

aspirant for position of 

speaker. 

In a statement by the 

Minority Leader, Leo Igor, 

the caucus stated that at no 

time did it ask member to 

vote a particular candidate. 

Ogor stated that the Sallah 

message in which the 

caucus stated that members 

of the PDP were free to 

attend political meetings 

and sessions of the aspirants 

did not translate to 

endorsement or asking 

members to vote for them.

10 — VANGUARD, THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2019 

We’re committed to zero 

tolerance for potholes in Lagos 

— SANWO-OLU 

By Olasunkanmi 

Akoni & Monsuru 

Olowoopejo 

L 

A G O S — 

GOVERNOR 

Babajide Sanwo-Olu of 

Lagos State, yesterday, 

expressed 

his 

administration’s 

commitment on zero 

tolerance for potholes on 

roads, saying plans have 

been concluded to create 

help lines to assist residents 

report failed portion of roads 

in the state for prompt 

repairs. 

He said this at the Eidel-Fitr 

Get-Together Party, 

held at the State House, 

Alausa, Ikeja, which was 

also attended by his deputy, 

Dr. Obafemi Hamzat; 

former deputy governor, 

Abiodun Ogunleye; 

Police charge hoteliers to 

monitor activities of cultists 

By Victor 

Arjiromanus 

LAGOS—THE Anti- 

Cultism Unit of the 

Nigeria Police has urged 

hoteliers in Lagos State to 

be more security 

conscious by monitoring 

activities of cultists, who 

use hotels as their meeting 

places. 

The Commander, Anti- 

Cultism Unit, CSP Udom 

Uduak, gave the charge 

in a meeting with 

Hoteliers, community 

leaders and local security 

men, at the Gbagada 

Police division, Lagos, as 

part of measures by the 

Lagos State Police 

Command to address the 

prevailing surge in cult 

activities. 

Uduak said: “Some of 

these cultists use your 

hotels as meeting venues 

to plan their activities and 

religious leaders, and hosts 

of others. 

Sanwo-Olu said: “We will 

be establishing helplines to 

basically make residents 

report failed portions of 

roads within their 

communities to the state 

government. 

“The roads that will be 

accommodated under this 

platform are roads that need 

little repairs to make them 

motorable and not those that 

require total reconstruction. 

“I must tell you that road 

repairs is an issue that our 

government is keen to 

address immediately. We 

will need the information 

from you so that we can set 

target for ourselves on what 

we aim to achieve within 

specific time. 

“And this will further give 

us the opportunity to hold 

the agency accountable if 

they fail to do it.” 

sometimes, to relax after 

their evil deed. This is 

why you must be alert and 

work with the Police to 

bring them to book, by 

reporting to us, whenever 

there is any sign that 

identifies them as cult 

groups. 

“You should also 

improve the technological 

watch of your hotels by 

embracing electronic 

surveillance, such as 

Close Circuit Television, 

CCTV, chips, recorders 

and other means of 

identifying them, so that 

we can easily get them 

during 

our 

investigations.’’ 

In his remarks, the first 

Vice President, Lagos 

Hotelier Association, 

LHA, Isiaka Olayinka 

promised to support the 

Police in the fight to 

bring cultism in Lagos to 

an end. 

Makinde tells ex-office holders 

to return official vehicles 

within 48hrs 

By Adeola Badru 

I GOVERNOR B A D A N Seyi 

— 

Mankide of Oyo State, 

yesterday, ordered all 

former political office 

holders in the state to 

immediately return 

government vehicles 

and other assets in their 

custody. 

The governor, in 

statement by his Chief 

Press Secretary, Mr. 

Taiwo Adisa, said that 

former officials must 

ensure the return of the 

state’s assets within 48 

hours. 

The statement reads: 

“It has been observed 

that that some former 

political office holders 

are still in possession of 

official vehicles attached 

to their offices despite 

the fact that they are no 

longer in the service of 

Oyo State. 

“Consequently, 

Governor Seyi Makinde 

has, therefore, directed 

that all former political 

functionaries who are 

still in possession of 

government vehicles 

should return the same 

to government transport 

pool within 48 hours.” 

The statement added 

that anyone who fails to 

comply with the 

directive should be 

ready to face security 

agencies. 

It added that the 

government will not fail 

to take all necessary 

steps to ensure the 

retrieval of its assets. 

EID-EL-FITR: From left; Baba Adinni of Lagos, Sheik Abdul Hafeez About; Wife of Lagos State Governor, 

Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu; Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu; his Deputy, Dr. Kadir Obafemi Hamzat; his 

wife, Latifat Oluremi Hamzat and Chief Imam of Lagos, Shiek Sulaimon Oluwatoyin Abou-Nolla, during 

2019 Get-Together Eid-El-Fitr (Itunu Awe) celebration at Lagos House, Ikeja Lagos yesterday. 

How decision to prosecute Tinubu at 

CCT was taken — EX-AGF, ADOKE 

LAttorney-General AGOS—FORMER 

of 

the Federation and 

Minister of Justice, Mr. 

Mohammed Adoke, SAN, 

has explained how the 

Goodluck Jonathan 

administration took the 

decision to prosecute 

National Leader of the All 


APC, Asiwaju Bola 

Tinubu, at the Code of 

Conduct Tribunal. 

In an interview with 

Premium Times, Mr. 

Adoke, who said he was 

against Tinubu’s 

prosecution, however, 

disclosed that a popular 

human rights lawyer, close 

to the APC leader, 

engineered the trial. 

He, however, refused to 

mention the lawyer who 

engineered Tinubu’s trial at 

the CCT. 

In an attempt to set the 

records straight, Adoke 

said: “Let me clarify this 

issue very well. Bola 

Tinubu’s trial took place; it 

was his case with Code of 

Conduct Tribunal. It was a 

very unfortunate thing. But 

what most people don’t 

know is that a lot of people 

who claimed to be close to 

Bola Tinubu, a particular 

human rights lawyer, was 

the one that engineered 

that trial.” 

When asked to mention 

the lawyer’s name, he said: 

“You will read it in my 

book.” 

He said: “It is there in my 

book; a particular human 

rights lawyer was the one 

going around the political 

authorities at that time 

saying “is this how you 

people are going to allow 

Tinubu? He has stolen 

Lagos blind, is this how you 

are going allow him to take 

over Nigeria, you people 

should move against him”. 

At the end of the day, the 

Code of Conduct Bureau 

people, on the instigation 

of this lawyer and I am 

happy that Mike 

Oghiadomhe is alive. I am 

happy Ita Ekpenyong is 

alive and I wish that the late 

Azazi is alive because they 

would have been able to 

corroborate this story. 

Tinubu’s CCT trial 

“How Bola Tinubu’s trial 

came about was 

unnecessary. Again, the 

same lawyer was one of 

those who went to tell 

Tinubu that “ohh… It is 

Adoke that is against you”. 

That was why at that time 

Bola Tinubu, I think in 2012 

or thereabout, came out to 

say that “the Attorney 

General is against me” until 

he spoke to me through Lai 

Mohammed who, 

incidentally, was a great 

friend of mine before he 

became a minister and who 

has 24/7 access to me when 

I was minister.” 

In addition, the former 

AGF said: “Let me tell you 

something, what was 

happening was that, I told 

you in government there 

are many mansions, there 

are many interest groups, 

and there is so much sense 

of blackmail. I was fighting 

on so many fronts. Some of 

these anti-corruption 

agencies will go and say 

“we are trying to fight 

corruption, it is the Attorney 

General that is not allowing 

us” and you know how they 

use the issue of corruption 

as a base. It is so easy. So, 

when they continue that, I 

had advised that to me it 

was unnecessary, but since 

they didn’t listen, the CCB 

people came, we said 

“well, we don’t believe in 

this prosecution” but they 

said they have a private 

lawyer who will prosecute 

for them under the fiat; we 

gave them the fiat. 

“After giving them the fiat, 

when the case collapsed in 

court and they wanted to go 

and appeal, I stood my 

ground and overruled 

them. I didn’t do that 

because it was Bola Tinubu, 

I did it because that was the 

right thing to do. That was 

why I refused to go on that 

appeal. But it would 

interest you to note that a 

year or thereabout after the 

CCT case, one of the 

members of the tribunal 

came to us that we should 

reopen that case that they 

made a mistake, they can 

still convict Bola Tinubu. We 

told him that we don’t use 

our office for settling scores. 

I never said this to 

anybody. I mentioned it to 

the president that ‘look at 

what this idiot has come to 

tell me. The president and 

I laughed it off.” 

I've not left PDP, Bode George insinuating it 

•He's a failed gov candidate — Bode George 

By Dapo Akinrefon 

LAGOS—THE Peoples 

Democratic Party, PDP, 

governorship candidate in 

the 2019 election in Lagos, 

Mr. Jimi Agbaje, yesterday, 

denied reports that he had 

dumped the party for the All 


APC. 

He, however, fingered 

National Vice Chairman of 

the PDP, Chief Bode George 

for insinuating that he has 

defected to APC 

Agbaje, in a statement by 

his media aide, Felix 

Oboagwina, said: “People 

should please tell Bode 

George to shut up and 

leave PDP if he lacks any 

value to add to the party, 

instead of being a dog in the 

manger hampering the 

progress of the party in 

Lagos State.” 

He said: “That false 

narrative is the product of a 

sick mind. Or how else do 

you describe someone who 

just sits down to concoct 

fiction and markets it as 

reality? He should tell the 

world where he got the 

news being spreading 

round. 

“These shameless party 

leaders have 2023 in mind. 

The game-plan is 

mischievously simple: Give 

the dog a bad name and 

chase it away from the party. 

By 2023, this mudslinging 

will have scared off credible 

people from the party, which 

will leave the whole field to 

them to continue to corner 

party resources." 

He’s a failed gov 

candidate — Bode George 

In his reaction, Chief 

Bode George, who spoke 

through his Special Adviser, 

Prince Uthman Shodipe 

said: “We have read with 

disgust an absolute report of 

idiocy that emanated from 

one Mr. Jimi Agbaje, who 

was a failed governorship 

candidate of the PDP in last 

general election in Lagos 

State, against the leader of 

the party in the state, Chief 

George. 

“For the records, it is a 

public knowledge that Chief 

Bode George gave Agbaje 

his break in politics; he gave 

him the PDP platform 

without knowing him and 

also empowered him. It is 

sad and shameful that 

Agbaje has bitten the hand 

that feeds him. 

"Whether he has gone to 

APC or wherever it is none 

of our business. We don’t 

know where he concocted 

this malady about Bode 

George saying that he has 

gone to APC. Bode George 

lifted him up in 2015 without 

knowing him; he secured 

the party’s ticket but his 

heart is not with the PDP."

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ 

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2019 —11 

LUXURY DUPLEX SAGA: 

My ordeal in the hands of Onye Eze, 

fake policemen —Okoro Blessing 

•Blessing 

•Mercy Aigbe 

Nigeria not the only country popular for 

internet fraud— Actress, Stella Damasus 

By Rotimi Agbana 

eteran Nollywood actress, Stella Damasus Aboderin, may not have 

Vjoined the recent campaign against internet fraud, popularly 

known as Yahoo Yahoo in Nigeria, but because 

the international community has been misled 

to believe that it is only in Nigeria that the 

crime is rampant, she has decided to share 

her view on the matter. 

According to the actress who is currently 

based in the United States of America 

with her husband, Daniel Ademinokan, 

a popular Nigerian filmmaker, movie 

director and cinematographer, internet 

fraud is also on the rise in the United 

States of America. 

“People think Nigeria is filled with 

scammers’ right? They have not 

experienced America. I get more 

than eight scam calls daily in this 

country and their methods are 

high tech. Please be careful with 

who you give information to. 

Scam alert, fraud America”, 

she said. 

Speaking further, she advised 

people who mistake fame for 

wealth not to be deceived 

because they may end up 

shooting themselves in the 

foot. 

“Fame does not mean 

success. Fame does not mean 

wealth. If you use fame to 

deceive others I truly hope 

you don’t end up deceiving 

yourself and believing your 

own lie. The good news is 

that you can use fame to 

become successful and 

wealthy. Take time off the fake 

life and learn from the millions 

of courses that can teach you 

how to create wealth.” 


Barely two weeks ago, the internet was awash with a video where popular relationship blogger/expert, 

Okoro Blessing Nkiruka, was allegedly arrested and physically assaulted by one Onye Eze, a China 

based Nigerian billionaire businessman, for allegedly posing as the owner of a luxury 7-bedroom duplex, 

belonging to him. 

Recounting her ordeal with Onye Eze during a chat with E-Daily, the victim, Okoro, explained how she was lured 

to the premises of the said duplex, located in Bricks Estate, Independence Layout, Enugu State, where she was 

forced at gunpoint to confess to a crime she didn’t commit. 

“Someone invited me to the place and I sped down. Three guys came with belts and asked me to kneel down, I 

refused. It was when the gun men came that I had to kneel down. They locked the gate and said they were going 

to kill me, bury me there and nothing will happen. That would have been the truth because I left my house and 

nobody knew where I was, and they had already collected my phone.” 

“I asked them what I did; they said the Inspector General of Police asked them to bring me. I asked if I could talk 

to him but they said they would slap me, that they will take me to SARS office. I was happy because I wanted 

to leave that environment because I was alone with them. That was when they handcuffed me and started 

doing the video that went viral. They asked me to say the things I said. I have not for once said that the house 

is mine; Onye Eze has his building and I have mine. I don’t know where this confession thing came from. But 

that is how the social media works; they choose what they want to believe. Maybe because they have heard 

that Onye Eze is a billionaire. It’s their perception. I have not even finished the gate of my house; I’m still doing 

the interlocks”, she said. 

She added; “Onye Eze asked me to start rolling on the ground; I was rolling on the ground when that 

uniformed police man came out of the car. I ran to him and told him that I work with the police. If he was really 

a policeman, he would have asked me to identify myself when I said that I work with the police. But he said 

I should get out; he started ranting that he was going to shoot me. I was all alone there with nine people in 

front of me. There were four gun men in front of me with four guns to my head when I was doing that 

Instagram live video. From investigations those men are not real policemen. The handcuffs were to threaten 

me to confess; they weren’t police officers. It was just one person that was dressed like a police officer. Now 

they are making it look as if I went to do a video in the house and they caught me; that’s the impression 

they’re giving people and that’s what I’m trying to counter. All that drama was uncalled for.” 

“Instablog said I took a picture with Onye Eze’s building and later trespassed into an uncompleted 

building close to his house to take another picture, which is a lie. I posted that picture about two years 

ago when I was still building my house and I deleted it because people advised me to wait till my house 

is completed before I post it. So, I was trying to talk to them that there is nothing like an uncompleted 

building close to Onye Eze’s house. I’ve sent pictures and videos to Instablog severally but they did not 

post them and I gave up. 

“After making the video, my captors asked for N1million so that they can delete it, but I told them I 

didn’t have that amount. They asked how much I had and I said just fifty thousand. They later asked 

if I could transfer it but I said my phone was dead. Onye Eze was right there when all this was 

happening and he didn’t interfere. He was acting like the boss, making calls to his boys in China. I 

kept telling him that I wasn’t dragging any building with him; our buildings are at different locations”, 

she said. 

However, in a chat chat with E-Daily, the Enugu State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Amarizu 

Ebere said he couldn’t disclose much on the matter because the case is currently under investigation. 

“The matter is currently under police investigation. Blessing Okoro wrote a petition to the 

Enugu State Police Command and the matter is presently being investigated. You know that 

whenever someone makes a report of this nature to the police, it has to be investigated. So, if 

I disclose anything to you on the matter now, it may mar the process since the case is still 

under investigation”, he said. 

•Stella Damasus 

Wizkid, Larry Gaaga turn 

me on— Mercy Aigbe 


ollywood diva, Mercy Aigbe, may not be as controversial as she 

Nhas been touted but she sure knows how to court public attention 

whenever the need arises. The latest is her crave for popular pop music 

singer, Wizkid and record label executive cum artiste, Larry Gaaga. 

Yesterday, June 5, 2019, in a video which she posted on her Instagram 

page, Mercy Aigbe pleaded with the public to arrange a meeting between 

Wizkid, Larry Gaaga and herself because their recent music collaboration 

titled ‘On a low’, turns her on. 

“This song turns me on so bad. 

Somebody get me 

Larry Gaaga or Wizkid or better 

still both of them”, she 

said. 

However, the question on the lips 

of many now is what 

she really meant by saying the 

song ‘turns her on’. 

While some insinuate that it 

may be sexually 

related, others claim it may just 

be a mood related 

thing. 

•Tboss 

•Ibinabo 

Respect Regina 

Daniel’s decision, 

Ibinabo tells critics 

•Says ‘I can stake 

everything on Ned 

Nwoko’s integrity’ 

By Tolulope Abereoje 

mid continued controversies 

Atrailing Regina Daniel’s 

marriage to Prince Ned Nwoko, 

Nollywood actress and ex-president 

of the Actors Guild of Nigeria, 

Ibinabo Fiberesima, has thrown her 

weight behind Regina’s decision to 

marry her lover who’s true age has 

been a topic for household 

discussions. 

According to Ibinabo, neither 

Regina nor Ned should be criticized 

for their choices as neither of them 

was forced into the union; adding 

that she (Regina) does not deserve 

to be insulted or mocked for the 

choice she made considering she is 

an adult and thus is responsible for 

her decisions. 

“She will not be the first in this 

scenario and will not be the last and 

I strongly detest her being made a 

victim of her success. Regina is not 

underage; she is a full-fledged 

professional, an adult under the 

Nigerian law and is qualified to 

make her own decisions. Majority of 

those crying blue murder and 

insulting Prince Ned Nwoko would 

sacrifice their families to be in 

Regina’s shoes. Finally, the girl 

doesn’t give two about your opinion, 

she made her choice and everyone is 

bound to respect same,” she said. 

She went on to vouch for Ned 

Nwoko, describing him as a kind 

philanthropist who has helped a lot 

of people across the world. 

“I can stake everything on Prince 

Ned Nwoko’s integrity. I know him 

personally and so I can vouch for 

him. If he’s found happiness in 

Regina and she’s accepted to 

reciprocate, then I think it’s the 

height of hypocrisy and joblessness 

to interfere in their lives. I stand with 

Prince Ned and Regina Nwoko and 

their inalienable right to happiness. 

I say to them happy married life. May 

God bless your union with joy and 

beautiful children and may he use 

you both as a source of succor to many 

Nigerians, amen,” she said. 

Why social media should be 

banned in Nigeria —Tboss 

By Tolulope Abereoje 

ormer BBNaija housemate, Tokunbo Idowu, a.k.a 

F Tboss seems to have fallen out with the 

social media community as she recently called for 

the ban of social media in Nigeria. Although the 

TV star has been able to stay relevant after her 

exit from the Big Brother House, thanks to social 

media, she seems to have had enough of its 

unofficial judges. 

In a post shared on her Instastory, she stated that 

there are too many mean and toxic people out there 

on social media and for that reason; it should be 

banned in Nigeria. 

“Personally, I think social media ought to be 

banned in Nigeria. Just so many mean people on 

there,” she said. 

This appears to be coming from a place of 

experience as the TV star has in the past 

suffered in the hands of social media judges 

on some of her personal issues, has had false 

rumors spread about her and has gotten 

backlashes on certain posts.


Bayelsa guber poll: I'll hand 

over to another PDP gov 

— Dickson 

By Samuel 

Oyadongha 

Y GOVERNOR ENAGOA— 

Seriake 

Dickson of Bayelsa State, 

yesterday, said he will lead 

Peoples Democratic Party, 

PDP, with the support of 

leaders of the state to ensure 

that the baton of leadership 

is handed over to another 

PDP governor. 

Dickson stated this at a 

PDP stakeholders meeting in 

Yenagoa. 

The governor in a 

statement by his Special 

Adviser on Media Relations, 

Fidelis Soriwei, advised the 

PDP governorship aspirants 

to play opposition politics 

rather than scheming and 

causing divisions in the PDP. 

Dickson reminded the 

people that, the last election 

showed how the Federal 

Government deployed its 

might to undermine the 

security of the state in favour 

of their party members. 

He, therefore, urged the 

PDP aspirants seeking 

elective positions in the 

forthcoming local 

government council and 

governorship polls to 

embark on massive 

mobilisation of people 

across the communities to 

achieve victory for the party. 

He said: “Another PDP 

governor will be elected in 

the next election. I urge all 

the people to step into the 

communities and mobilise 

the people. It will be my 

pleasure to lead PDP with 

your support so that another 

PDP governor will be 

elected. 

“How we survived during 

the 2015 governorship 

election is by the grace of 

God and our mobilisation 

skills. You now have people 

who know how to play 

opposition politics. As we 

begin the transition 

programme, we expect you 

to put on the toga of an 

opposition person." 

Dickson, who also raised 

the alarm over the gradual 

decline of revenues from the 

Federation Account 

Allocation Committee, 

FAAC, said the state’s 

earnings for March alone 

was more than N3 billion less, 

despite the increase in crude 

oil price. 

A-Ibom govt planning to sponsor 

protest against LG autonomy, 

APC youths allege 

By Chioma 

Onuegbu 

UYO —National Youth 

Caucus of All 


APC, Akwa Ibom State 

chapter has alleged that the 

state government in 

collaboration with 31 local 

government chairmen has 

concluded plans to sponsor 

street protest against the 

implementation of the 

Local Government 

Autonomy. 

State Chairman of APC 

youth group, Obong 

Iniobong John, in a 

statement, said: "Having 

failed to get the court to stop 

the implementation of the 

autonomy granted the local 

governments by the 

Federal Government, 

Akwa Ibom State 

government, in 

collaboration with the 31 

local government 

chairmen, has concluded 

plans to sponsor street 

protest against the 


directive of the Federal 

Government. 

“A meeting to perfect 

plans for the arranged 

protest took place today 

(yesterday) at the Shelter 

Afeique residence of an 

immediate past 

commissioner in the state. 

Present at the meeting 

were the 31 council 

chairmen, top officials of the 

state PDP and some 

members of the dissolved 

state executive council. 

“The anti-people protest, 

which is tentatively fixed for 

Thursday (today), will 

involve all the council 

chairmen, ward councillors, 

supervisors, PDP officials at 

all levels, members of the 

PDP Youth Caucus, youth 

council and Dakkada 

ambassadors.” 

Security: Okowa, Obasaki meet in 

Asaba, chart common front 

•Make case for improved NDDC, power supply 

By Festus Ahon 

A SABA—GOVERNOR 

Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta 

State and his Edo State 

counterpart, Mr Godwin 

Obaseki, yesterday, 

brainstormed on how to 

improve on the security 

situation as well as deepen 

the economic ties of the two 

sister states. 

Obasaki, who arrived 

Government House, Asaba 

with members of Executive 

Council was received by 

Okowa and his team. The two 

governors who apparently cut 

short their Sallah break, went 

into closed door meeting, 

which lasted 45 minutes. 

Speaking to newsmen after 

the closed door meeting, 

Okowa said: “It was a 

meeting between brothers, 

friends who are now 

governors and more 

interesting is that, our states 

belonged to the old Bendel 

Court strikes out suit 

against NUCFRLANMPE 

By Henry Ojelu 

BENIN— AN Edo State 

High Court sitting in 

Benin City has struck out the 

suit by a firm, J.C. Udeozor 

& Sons Global Industries Ltd, 

against National Union of 

Chemical, Footwear, Robber, 

Leather and Non-Metallic 

Products Employees, 

NUCFRLANMPE, seeking 

to stop its staff from joining 

the union. 

The firm through its lawyer, 

Tom Osa-Ogbeide, had in 

November 2018 approached 

to court for a declarative relief 

against the union over its 

attempt to coerce its workers 

to become members of the 

union. 

The firm urged the court 

NDDC boss shocked over 2-year power blackout 

in Amaechi’s hometown 

By Egufe 

Yafugborhi 

PORT HARCOURT— 

MANAGING Director of 

Niger Delta Development 

Commission, NDDC, Prof 

Nelson Brambaifa, has 

expressed shock on realising 

that communities in Ikwerre 

Kingdom, Rivers State, 

including Ubima, country 

home of Minister of 

Transportation, Rotimi 

Amaechi, have been without 

public power supply for over 

two years. 

Brambaifa, during a visit to 

Isiokpo, headquarters of 

Ikwerre Local Government 

Area of the state, assured the 

Chairman, Supreme 

Council of Ikwerre 

Traditional Rulers, Eze 

Blessing Wagor, Nye-Nwe 

Ali of ongoing NDDC project 

to restore electricity to the 

kingdom, beginning with 

Ubima and Isiokpo. 

The prolong power 

PRESENTATION: From left, Board members, Mr. Misan Eresanara; Dr. Dolapo Ogunbawo; 

Chairman, Mr. Victor Osibodu all of Special Olympics (SO Nigeria); Managing Director/ 

Chief Executive Officer, Central Securities Clearing System, CSCS, Plc, Mr. Haruna Jalo- 

Waziri; and Chief Risk Officer, CSCS, Mr. Ayokunle Adaralegbe, at the cheque presentation 

ceremony to Special Olympics Nigeria as Champion Partner, in Lagos. 

blackout in the 

communities, he noted, was 

“absurd,” stating that the 

situation needed to be 

corrected urgently as part 

of a regionwide intervention 

in communities of the Niger 

Delta region. 

He said the interventionist 

project, “almost completed, 

will be commissioned in the 

next two weeks” as NDDC 

was using the restoration 

project for Ubima and 

Isiokpo as pilot scheme for 

other distressed areas in 

Niger Delta. 

to hold that the attempt to 

force its staffs to join the 

union was an infringement 

on their fundamental human 

rights. 

But in a preliminary 

objection, the union, through 

its counsel, O.M, Atoyebi 

asked the court to strike out 

the suit for lack of 

jurisdiction. 

The union argued that in 

an action for the enforcement 

of fundamental human 

rights, where the main claim 

is not securing the 

enforcement of a 

fundamental human rights, 

the jurisdiction of the court 

cannot be properly exercised 

as it will be incompetent. 

Delivering judgment in 

the suit, trial judge, Justice 

E. Ikponwmwen, agreed 

with the argument of the 

union and held that the 

action falls within the 

exclusive jurisdiction of the 

National Industrial Court. 

He said: “I have examined 

carefully all the arguments 

of learned counsel and the 

processes filed. In deciding 

a matter, the court must firstly 

examine whether it has the 

requisite jurisdiction. This is 

a fundamental issue and the 

first process to examine is the 

originating process. 

"Accordingly, this suit is 

struck out for want of 

requisite jurisdiction.” 

and he came with ideas that 

will move the two states 

forward.” 

Noting that it was not the 

first time they were meeting 

to discuss in a convivial 

atmosphere, he said: “We 

want to leverage on our 

strong ties as members of old 

Bendel State to better the lot 

of our people.” 

Obasaki in a brief speech 

said it was important for them 

to discuss issues of common 

interests such as economy, 

security, energy, Niger Delta 

Development Commission, 

NDDC, among others. 

Noting that Edo and Delta 

states share the longest 

boundary and historical 

background, Obaseki said: “I 

am here to congratulate my 

friend and brother for his 

victory at the poll and 

successful inauguration for a 

second term. We came from 

the legacy Bendel State, we 

discussed economic 

cooperation between our two 

states. 

“Today, Edo and Delta 

states could be the main 

power house of the country 

giving our energy and 

agricultural potentials. We 

looked into how to strengthen 

our economic ties and our 

participation in Bayelsa, 

Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Cross 

River, Edo and Delta, 

BRACED, Commission. 

“We looked at insecurity in 

our common borders, 

especially communal clashes 

and general insecurity and 

we agreed to ask the 

Assistant Inspector-General 

of Police and the 

Commissioners of Police to 

come up with a plan to 

restore security in our states. 

“We also agreed to ask for 

the inauguration of the 

NDDC advisory committee of 

governors and also to work 

with our colleagues to 

improve governance in the 

commission. We are of the 

view that based on the 

resources the commission 

receives, there is need for 

improvement in project 

conception, location and 

execution because nothing 

stops the commission from 

using 50 per cent of its 

resources to solve the energy 

problem of the region. 

“Also, a regional Master 

Plan is necessary for 

implementation by NDDC 

and we also looked at the area 

of energy as Delta, Edo, 

Ondo and Ekiti States are 

major stakeholders in 

BEDEC, so, we need to be 

proactive to strengthen 

BEDEC to provide electricity 

to our people and restructure 

the company so as to make it 

work efficiently for the 

region.”


PDP chides Buhari over 

“Necessary Evil” remark 

By Dirisu Yakubu 

A BUJA—PEOPLES 

Democratic Party, PDP, 

yesterday , berated President 

Muhammadu Buhari for 

referring to residents of the 

Federal Capital Territory, FCT, 

Abuja as “necessary evil” while 

addressing a delegation of the 

city on a Sallah homage at the 

State House on Tuesday. 

The party said such resort to 

branding of Nigerians for rightly 

exercising their rights is 

completely unpresidential and 

must be condemned by all. 

In a statement by party’s 

spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan, 

the PDP described President 

Buhari’s comment as inciting, 

divisive and “capable of 

demonizing innocent compatriots 

and setting them up for 

victimization by overzealous 

Insecurity won’t stop rice 

production — RIFAN 

By Gabriel Ewepu 

ABUJA—RICE 

Farmers 

Association of Nigeria, 

RIFAN, yesterday, assured 

Nigerians that current insecurity 

challenges in the country would 

not stop rice production in the 

country. 

National President, RIFAN, 

Aminu Goronyo, while speaking 

with Vanguard on the availability 

of locally produced rice in the 

market and its affordability, said 

“Of course, insecurity is not 

everywhere. It is not possible to 

have insecurity virtually 

everywhere. There are areas that 

have insecurity issues but the 

major areas where rice is being 

produced are free from insecurity. 

There is no state in Nigeria where 

rice is not being produced. For 

example we have our outreach in 

Ebonyi State, we have another 

one in Cross River, rice is being 

produced there. We have another 

in Abia. Rice is being produced 

there. In Ondo, rice is being 

produced there. In Nasarawa, in 

Sokoto, in Kebbi rice is being 

produced. 

“The government is doing 

everything possible because the 

issue of insecurity is a 

government issue and the 

government is doing everything 

possible to make sure we have 

security in the country. We have 

about 24 mills in this country that 

are integrated and about 210 

medium rice mills we have 3,800 

small mills in the country that mill 

rice to international standard. 

“Among these mills there are 

those that can produce up to 100 

metric tonnes per day, there are 

others that produce 50 metric 

tonnes, those that produce 20 

metric tonnes and while some five 

metric tonnes, it depends on their 

size and capacity and they are 

everywhere in the country. 

“The local rice is more in the 

market it is about 70-80 per 

cent. We are producing 

between 7.5 to 8 million metric 

tonnes annually right from 

2016.” 

He also disclosed that "rice 

farmers under the Anchor 

Borrowers Scheme are fully 

insured by the Nigeria 

Agricultural Insurance 

Corporation, NAIC, so even 

they had their farms flooded 

they are covered." 

Family planning: Experts lament 

increased population, lack of resources 

By Marie-Therese 

Nanlong 

JOS—EXPERTS in family 

planning and reproductive 

health in Plateau State, have 

decried the uncontrolled 

population growth in the country, 

lamenting that Nigeria’s 

population is growing faster than 

its resources posing a great 

danger to the country’s future. 

They contended that if the trend 

is not checked, it will result in the 

total collapse of the country’s 

economy as well as more 

insecurity. 

The Head of Voice for Family 

Planning and Reproductive 

Health Centre, Dr. Josiah Mutihir, 

who addressed journalists in Jos, 

blamed insurgency and other 

violent crimes in the country on 

lack of resources to meet the 

growing population saying, 

“Ideally, population should only 

grow according to resources but 

in developing countries, it’s the 

reverse and this poses a great 

challenge to socioeconomic 

agencies.” 

The statement continued: 

“President Buhari should note 

that he was not only rejected by 

FCT residents but also by an 

overwhelming majority of 

Nigerians across the states of the 

federation, who voted massively 

for the PDP, only for the 

Independent National Electoral 

Commission, INEC, to subvert 

the will of the people in his favour; 

consequent upon which our party 

and presidential candidate have 

headed for the retrieval of this 

stolen mandate at the tribunal.” 

The statement also flayed the 

President for saying that “to make 

FCT secure is to make myself 

secure and the Vice President”. 

“The party holds that it is the 

duty of the President to provide 

security for all parts of the country, 

irrespective of where he and the 

Vice President reside or how 

Nigerians cast their votes. 

development. Aside from voting 

for politicians with our numbers 

(large population), I don’t know 

what else we get from having 

large families that we can’t cater 

for. We seek to outnumber one 

another for religious and cultural 

supremacy but what other than 

enmity do we get?” 

Corroborating , State 

Reproductive Health 

Coordinator, Mrs. Hannatu 

Dung, lamented the lack of 

qualified medical personnel and 

facilities to provide family 

planning services saying based 

on last year’s statistic, the State 

had “89 doctors, 221 male nurses, 

395 female nurses/midwives, 93 

community health officers, 746 

senior male and female CHEWs, 

346 junior male and female 

CHEWs, 142 male/female EHO, 

386 male and female EHA, 234 

male and female Lab technicians, 

six male and female Pharm 

Technicians and 83 Health Record 

Officers with only 696 PHCs 

offering family planning 

services.” 

Benue govt, Tsav in verbal 

exchange over IDPs 

By Peter Duru 

MAKURDI—BENUE State 

government and former 

Lagos State Police Commissioner, 

Alhaji Abubakar Tsav have been 

embroiled in verbal exchange 

over the plight of victims of 

herdsmen crisis in the state taking 

refuge in Internally Displaced 

Persons, IDPs, camps in parts of 

the state. 

While Alhaji Tsav accused the 

state government of not doing 

enough for the victims, the state 

government on the other hand 

claimed the former police boss is 

politicizing the plight of the IDPs 

to curry favour and lobby for 

appointment in Abuja. 

Tsav in a recent outburst alleged 

that “instead of taking steps to get 

these unfortunate victims of 

herdsmen aggression out of this 

unnecessary hardship and 

suffering, the Government of 

Benue state is politicizing the 

whole matter. 

“I have been to the IDP camp 

in Daudu severally, and I am 

saddened with what I saw. The 

camp is made up of several 

Fulani-like huts which can easily 

submerge if there is slight 

torrential rain in the area. This 

situation is capable of nurturing 

and spreading life-threatening 

epidemic in the camp. Children 

are denied schools and there is 

no medical care for the IDPs. The 

situation is horrifying.” 

But reacting on behalf of the 

state government, former Media 

Adviser to the State Governor, 

Tahav Agerzua said, “our 

attention has been drawn to 

media reports in which a chieftain 

of the All Progressives Congress, 

APC, Alhaji Abubakar Tsav, 

criticized Governor Samuel 

Ortom for what he described as 

politicizing the issue of the IDPs 

in the state. If Alhaji Tsav had a 

genuine concern on state matters 

there are better channels of 

communication with the Governor 

other than in the media and playing 

politics with the issue. This is not 

surprising as it has become apparent that 

his criticism is founded on partisanship 

and nothing else. Yet as a member of the 

ruling or governing party which controls 

the security agencies, it is the 

responsibility of his party and the federal 

government it controls to provide security 

for the lives and property of Nigerians 

and to cater for their general welfare. 

“That the APC has failed to live up to 

its responsibilities the consequence of 

which is the sacking of thousands of 

people from their ancestral homes who 

have resorted to IDP camps is already 

an indictment on that party and its 

members. 

“Tsav should not have been the one 

to raise the issue of those displaced. More 

so that as a privileged Nigerian he has 

not shown his own contributions towards 

alleviating the plight of those affected. 

The Benue State Government has also 

taken Alhaji Tsav to court for falsehood 

and the matter is still pending. From the 

foregoing the retired police commissioner 

cannot be disposed to making fair 

comments on Governor Ortom and his 

administration.” 

CONFERENCE: From left—Favour Benson, Founder, Jashabel Touch A Heart (JTAH) 

foundation; Erelu Abiola Dosunmu, Special Guest of Honour; Cherry Eromosele, Chief 

Marketing and Communication Officer, Interswitch with award of one of 10 Most Inspiring 

Women in Nigeria; Daniel Atokolo, Commander, The National Agency for the Prohibition 

of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) and Lillian Amah-Aluko, Chief Operating Officer, 

Zmirage Multimedia Ltd during the National Women and Girl-Child Stakeholders' 

conference held in Lagos, yesterday. Photo: Lamidi Bamidele 

Boko Haram: Zulum increases civilian JTF 

monthly allowance 

By Ndahi Marama 

M GOVERNOR AIDUGURI— 

Babagana 

zulum of Borno State, yesterday 

announced an increase in the 

monthly allowances of members 

of the Civilian Joint Task Force, 

CJTF, in the state from N15,000 

to N20,000. 

He said the increase became 

necessary in view of the role the 

CJTF and local hunters were 

doing in complementing the 

security agencies in the fight 

against Boko Haram insurgents 

and criminality in the state and 

the north east in general. 

The CJTF was introduced by the 

former governor Kashim 

Shettima that has been of 

tremendous assistance in the fight 

against terrorism in the state. 

Addressing members of the 

civilian JTF, vigilante and hunters 

at the Multipurpose Hall, 

Government House, Maiduguri, 

the governor expressed gratitude 

to them for their role in fighting 

the insurgency. 

According to him, “As 

responsible government, your 

efforts towards restoring peace to 

our dear state cannot be over 

emphasized. From now 

henceforth, government has 

approved the immediate increase 

of your monthly allowances from 

N15,000 to N20,000 beginning 

from this month of June 2019. I 

direct everyone of you to please 

open an individual account to 

effect payment as soon as 

possible. I want to also urge you 

to redouble your effort in the fight 

against Boko Haram and other 

criminal activities in our dear state 

and the north east in general. 

My advice for you is to shun 

injustice and distant yourself from 

drug abuse as Government is 

doing everything possible to 

better your lives.”. 

He informed that he had 

provided additional operational 

vehicles to the CJTF to effectively 

cover and monitor activities 

around Bakassi Internally 

Displaced Persons, IDPs, camps 

and ajilari areas which had 

witnessed deadly attacks by 

insurgents in the last one week, 

adding that an office 

accommodation would also be 

given to them for effective 

operations. 

Bolt Riders liven Ramadan for destitute 

By Akeem Salau 

BOLT RIDERS in Lagos and 

Abuja have teamed up in an 

effort at bringing hope to 

destitutes during Ramadan by 

donating clothes, food items, 

toiletries and other nonperishable 

goods. 

Bolt which is Europe and 

Africa’s fastest growing 

transportation service also makes 

it easy for people to donate items 

through a special category on the 

Bolt app while drivers arrive at 

the pick-up locations and collect 

donations free of charge. 

Bolt, formerly known as Taxify 

also donated over 1000 clothes 

and hundreds of food items and 

toiletries to SOS Children’s Villages in 

Isolo, Lagos and various IDP camps 

across Abuja. 

National Fund Development and 

Communication Coordinator at the SOS 

Children’s village, Gboyega Fadowole- 

Aje commended Bolt for their partnership 

and immense support towards 

contributing to enriching the lives of 

children and young people in the 

programme of SOS Children’s Villages 

in Nigeria and expressed hope that this 

would continue. 

Regional Manager for Bolt in West 

Africa, Uche Okafor said: “The spirit of 

Ramadan is one of sharing and giving, 

values which are at the heart of our 

organization. This campaign was 

designed so that people across the 

country could help those in need without 

worrying about traffic or how to donate.


CALL FOR RESIGNATION: 

Oshiomhole has done well 

— SEN IBRAHIM 


A 

B U J A — 

CHAIRMAN, 

Senate Committee on 

Labour and Employment, 

Senator Abu Ibrahim, APC, 

Katsina South has 

described the call by the 

Deputy National Chairman 

of the All Progressives 

Congress, Senator Lawal 

Shuaibu, for the party’s 

National Chairman, Adams 

Oshiomhole, to resign over 

alleged incompetence as 

unnecessary. 

At a briefing in Abuja, 

Senator Ibrahim who noted 

that Oshiomhole had done 

well for the party and had 

the qualification and 

experience to lead the party, 

said as a human being, he 

was liable to make mistake. 

Senator Ibrahim said, 

“The APC National 

Chairman, Adams 

Oshiomhole has done well, 

he must allow democracy to 

take place, he had the 

qualification to lead the 

party and if there are issues 

like not calling for meetings, 

the party can sit down with 

him, talk, know what is 

wrong and as well solve the 

problems.” 

Also ahead of the 


signed 2019 budget, 

Senator Ibrahim urged 


Buhari, to put in place a 

budget 

implementation 

committee, saying such 

committee when 

constituted, would help 

monitor execution of 

projects under the 2019 

fiscal year. 

According to him, the 

committee at the end of the 

day, would ensure that 

ministers and heads of 

Departments and 

Agencies, implement fully 

or to a very reasonable 

percentage, the approved 

budget. 

Senator Ibrahim 

explained that regular 

monitoring of project 

execution by ministers had 

become very imperative as 

it would help check lapses 

that might occur after the 

release of funds as 

witnessed during past 

governments. 

Buhari, Saraki condole with ThisDay MD over 

wife's death 

Kingdom after a three-year 


&Johnbosco 

Agbakwuru 

THE 

Managing 

Director of ThisDay 

Newspapers, Mr. Eniola 

Bello has lost his wife, Mrs 

Helen Olufunke Eniola- 

Olaitan, at the age of 50. 

She died June 4, 04 2019 

at New Cross Hospital, 

Wolverhampton, United 

Kingdom after a three-year 

battle with breast cancer. 

A statement by her 

husband, Bello, said “With 

deep pains yet 

thanksgiving to God, this is 

to formally announce the 

eternal transition of my 

friend, companion, critic, 

lover and wife of 23 years, 

Mrs Helen Olufunke 

Eniola-Olaitan (nee 

Alemeru), who died late 

morning of June 4, 2019 at 

New Cross Hospital, 

Wolverhampton, United 

titanic battle with breast 

cancer. 

''A devoted mother, loving 

wife, committed friend, 

generous giver, passionate 

mobiliser and humble soul, 

the deceased who 

graduated in Business 

Administration at Kwara 

State Polytechnic and 

Management at Lagos 

State University was a 

banker, businesswoman, 

and distance-learning tutor 

with The Skills Network, 

UK. 

''Born August 04 1969, 

Mrs Eniola-Olaitan is 

survived by her husband, 

four children, an aged 

mother as well as brothers 

and sisters.'' 

Meanwhile, President 

Muhammadu Buhari and 

Senate President, Dr. 

Bukola Saraki, have 

commiserated with Mr. 

Bello’s family and ThisDay 

Newspapers. 

President Buhari in a 

statement by his Special 

Adviser on Media and 

Publicity, Chief Femi 

Adesina in Abuja on 

Wednesday said he joined 

family, friends and 

professional colleagues of 

the columnist in mourning 

Helen, whose motherly 

love and kindness will be 

sorely missed by the family. 

He urged family and 

loved ones to find solace in 

God and the seeds of 

goodness and charity sown 

in many lives by Bello’s 

wife, believing she lived 

and stood for virtues that 

will continue to resonate. 

President Buhari prayed 

that the Almighty God will 

grant Helen’s soul eternal 

rest, and comfort her family. 

On his part, the Senate 

President in a statement by 

his Special Adviser on 

Media and Publicity, 

Yusuph Olaniyonu, 

described the untimely 

passage of Mrs. Helen 

Eniola-Bello as a very 

painful loss. 

He said: “Mrs. Helen 

We're committed to total elimination of insurgents — CAS 

THE Chief of Air Staff 

(CAS), Air Marshal 

Sadique Abubakar has reiterated 

the commitment of 

Nigerian Air Force (NAF) 

to the complete elimination 

of insurgents in the country. 

Abubakar made the 

commitment yesterday at 

Eid-El-Fitr luncheon with 

troops of the Air Task Force 

at the Air Force Base, Yola. 

Abubakar, whose speech 

was read by the 

Commander of 153 Base 

Services Group, Yola, Air 

Commodore Anthony 

Ndace, said the 

procurement of Super 

Tucano aircraft and other 

facilities for NAF, would be 

a game-changer for its 

operations. 

“Let me reassure us all 

that procurement of 

additional platforms such 

as the super Tucano aircraft 

and other platforms, would 

certainly be a game 

changer for our operations. 

“We are committed to total 

elimination of insurgency 

in our country; the 

internally displaced 

persons need to return to 

their homes.'' 

Late Mrs Eniola-Olaitan. 

Eniola-Bello was a dutiful 

mother and a pillar of 

support to her husband. 

Her humility and 

selflessness endeared her 

to all. I am deeply 

saddened that we lost her 

to illness so soon. We shall 

all miss her.” 

The Senate President who 

condoled with Bello, his 

immediate family, the 

ThisDay Group and the 

Nigerian media over the 

irreparable loss, urged him 

to take solace in the fact 

that God has a reason for 

everything, this 

unexplainable 

circumstance 

notwithstanding. 

“God gives and God 

takes. We cannot query 

God,” he stated. 

He prayed God to grant 

the soul of the deceased 

eternal rest and her family 

and loved ones the fortitude 

to bear the painful loss. 

OBSEQUIES FOR LATE MRS THERESA OMOSEBHOA 

Mrs Theresa Omosebhoa, late wife of Dr. Christopher Abebe, former UAC Chairman, was buried May 31, 2019 in Iruekpen, Edo State. 

Son of the deceased, Dr. John Abebe. 

Dame Maiden Alax-Ibru, Publisher of Guardian (left ) Dr. Kehinde Dina and others at the vigil mass. 

From left; Ken Obogwu, Rtd Justice Niyi Ademola and 

Patrick Solomon. A cross section of sympathizers at the vigil mass Yemisi and John Abebe.


FOR GBAJABIAMILA: Director General of Femi/Wase Speakership Campaign, Abdulmumin 

Jibrin(2nd left), addressing journalists on perceived campaign of calumny against Femi Gbajabiamila in 

Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO: Gbemiga Olamikan. 

Ihedioha has no programme, 

only wants to squander N42.5bn 

I left behind—Okorocha 

FORMER governor of 

Imo State, Rochas 

Okorocha, yesterday, took 

a swipe at his successor, 

Chief Emeka Ihedioha, 

saying the governor has no 

programme for Imo people, 

but preparing the grounds 

towards squandering the 

N42.5 billion he, Okorocha, 

left in the state 

government’s coffers. 

A statement by Sam 

Onwuemeodo, Special 

Adviser, Media to the 

former governor, said: “On 

Tuesday, June 4, Governor 

Emeka Ihedioha of Imo 

State said his predecessor, 

Rochas Okorocha operated 

from a bush bar in 

Government House, which 

he said was an eyesore 

and that is the reason he 

has decided to operate from 

outside at the moment. 

“He had earlier described 

the entire Government 

House as a decayed place. 

From all indications, Chief 

Ihedioha has no 

programme for Imo people. 

He appears stranded since 

May 29, when he took over. 

That is why he has never 

made any policy statement 

or any comment associated 

with governance. 

“He has been threatening 

fire and brimstone and 

trying to incite Imo people 

against Okorocha, but has 

met brick wall.” 

Okorocha said Ihedioha’s 

constant negative remarks 

about the brand new 

Government House 

Okorocha handed over to 

him was just to find a way 

of squandering the N42.5 

billion the former governor 

left behind for him. 

His words: “He has come 

with the known Peoples 

Democratic Party, PDP, style 

of giving flimsy excuses as 

prelude to wasteful 

expenditures 

“The Government House 

Chief Ihedioha is labouring 

in vain to run down is the 

same one of note including 

front row media 

practitioners in the country 

had visited at one time or 

the other and made their 

complimentary remarks. It 

is the same Government 

House most Imo people 

have also been to. 

“We want to say again that 

the Government House 

Okorocha handed over to 

Governor Ihedioha was 

brand new with ultramodern 

structures, unlike 

the ghetto the PDP 

administrations had 

operated from for 12 years. 

Okorocha urged Ihedioha 

to appreciate the fact that 

he is a civilian governor 

and not a military 

administrator and therefore 

minimise his rate of giving 

ultimatums and issuing 

threats, adding “he is also 

fond of saying ‘I will do this 

I will do that’. The 

government is not his 

private property. He 

should be advised on 

certain democratic ethos.” 

PDP recruited our members to 

destroy APGA—Party chieftain 

By Ugochukwu 

Alaribe 

ABA—ALL Progressive 

Grand Alliance, APGA, 

in Abia State, has alleged 

that Peoples Democratic 

Party, PDP, recruited some 

of its members to 

destabilise the party in the 

state. 

Briefing newsmen in 

Umuahia, the newlyelected 

state chairman of 

Abia APGA, Chief Nkem 

Okoro, said some persons 

who have been 

masquerading as APGA 

leaders were recruited by 

the state government to 

hijack the party to douse the 

only opposition voice in the 

state. 

The party maintained that 

PDP is afraid of APGA’s 

petition at tribunal and has 

sponsored its former 

chairman to destabilise 

and derail the course of 

justice in the state. 

Okoro, who described 

APGA as the main 

opposition party and one 

that does not dance to the 

tune of the government in 

power, explained that the 

newly-elected 26-man 

executive committee are 

committed to refocusing the 

party in line with the vision 

of its founding fathers. 

He said: “The purported 

By Nwabueze 

Okonkwo 

ONITSHA—BARELY a 

week to the expiration 

of a two-week deadline 

issued by Host 

Communities of Nigeria 

Producing Oil and Gas, 

HOSCON, to oil-drilling 

companies operating in 

Anambra State to come 

forward for negotiations on 

the way forward, they have 

reminded the companies of 

exercise and the illegal 

gathering of some persons 

at the party’s secretariat on 

May 23, masterminded by 

the former state chairman, 

Rev. Augustine Ehiemere 

and his co-travellers, were 

nothing but a sham and 

nullity, hence a court of 

competent jurisdiction 

declared it null and void.” 

the need to comply with the 

directive or be prepared to 

pack their bags and 

baggage and vacate the 

state. 

HOSCON had issued 

the ultimatum to the three 

oil prospecting companies 

operating in some 

communities of Ogbaru 

Local Government Area of 

the state, asking them to 

come for negotiations that 

will protect the interests of 

the companies and 

S-East lawmakers not 

doing enough to end 

herdsmen attacks— Cleric 

By Ugochukwu 

Alaribe 

ABA—A 

cleric, 

Samuel Okonkwo, 

has accused members of 

the National Assembly 

from the South-East zone 

of exhibiting nonchalant 

attitude over the problem 

of herdsmen attacks in 

the zone. 

Speaking in Aba, 

Okonkwo, who is the 

founder of John 3:16 

Ministries, lamented 

that NASS members 

from the South-West and 

South-South have 

served quit notices to 

herdsmen in their areas, 

while their South-East 

counterparts are yet to 

show concern for the 

safety of their 

By Vincent 

Ujumadu 

A WKA—THE 

Nigerian Institute 

of Architects, NIA, has 

picked holes with the 

panel of inquiry set up 

by Governor Willie 

Obiano to look into the 

immediate and remote 

causes of the recent 

building collapse in 

Onitsha in which two 

people died, while 

several people sustained 

injuries. 

Addressing reporters 

in Awka, Anambra State 

chairman of NIA, Mr. 

Osita Okafor, argued that 

what the state 

government needed to 

do was to implement the 

white paper on the report 

of an earlier panel that 

investigated similar 

collapse of buildings in 

various parts of the state 

in 2014. 


key thing in the white 

Anambra communities to oil firms: 

Come for negotiations or vacate oil fields 

constituents. 

Okonkwo recalled how 

a herdsman almost killed 

a widow in Aba, but ended 

up cutting off the woman’s 

three fingers for daring to 

question why he took his 

cattle to her business 

premises and destroyed 

some of her wares. 

He added that since after 

the incident, no member 

of the National Assembly 

from the South-East has 

condemned the action of 

the herdsman. 

He noted that “from what 

is happening, the fate of 

Ndigbo does not lie in their 

leaders. National 

Assembly members from 

the South-East have not 

shown concern over the 

problem of herdsmen 

attacks.” 

Onitsha building collapse: 

Architects fault 

Obiano’s probe panel 

communities to avoid 

clashing with angry youths, 

who have been itching to 

disrupt the activities of the 

oil companies, at the 

expiration of the deadline. 

Chairman, Elders 

Advisory Council of 

HOSCON and traditional 

ruler of Ifitedunu 

community in Dunukofia 

Local Government Area of 

Anambra State, Igwe 

Emeka Ilouno, gave the 

reminder in Awka. 

paper was the 

recommendation of onestop 

approach towards 

curbing the menace of 

building collapse, instead 

of wasting state resources 

to set up another panel 

whose composition did 

not include an architect, 

who is a major stakeholder 

in the building industry. 

He argued that the only 

core professionals in the 

building industry were the 

architects and the 

engineers, adding that 

excluding them in a panel 

meant to correct anomalies 

in the industry might not 

achieve the desired 

objective. 

Okafor said: “Recall that 

Anambra State 

government has set up a 

10-man panel of inquiry 

into the collapsed building 

at Onitsha. We, Anambra 

State chapter of NIA, are 

taken aback by the 

inauguration of the panel 

without implementation of 

recommendations of 

former panels set up by the 

same government on June 

9, 2014. 

“We use this opportunity 

to draw government’s 

attention to the 

implementation of an 

already published white 

paper report on building 

collapse published on 

October 13, 2014. 

“That white paper 

stressed the need for a 

one-stop approval 

process. By this process, 

all relevant professionals 

in the building industry 

vet documents submitted 

for approval by the 

relevant body.”


MOU: From left— 

Oluwatoyin Sanni, 

CEO, Emerging Africa 

Capital Group; Teju 

Abisoye, Acting 

Executive Secretary, 

Lagos State 

Employment Trust 

Fund, LSETF; Nkem 

Okocha, Founder, 

Mamamoni Limited 

and Okhai Olaghere, 

Director, Fosad 

Consulting, during the 

Memorandum of 

Understanding, MOU, 

signing between LSETF 

and Mamamoni Ltd on 

empowering 100 

women startups in 

Lagos. 

Kogi APC group passes confidence vote in 

Oshiomhole •Fingers Bello in alleged plot to remove him 

LOKOJA—THE Kogi 

Rainbow Democrats, a 

pressure group within the 

All Progressives Congress, 

APC, in Kogi State says the 

group will resist any 

attempt by governor 

Yahaya Bello to coerce the 

National Working 

Committee, NWC, of the 

party into giving him 

second term ticket against 

the wishes of the APC 

members in the state. 

While condemning the 

recent letter by the Deputy 

National Chairman 

(North), Senator Lawal 

Shuaibu, who called for the 

resignation of the national 

chairman of the party, 

Comrade Adams 

Deltans appreciate Okowa, Ibori synergy for 

stronger Delta —PDP chieftan 

By Elizabeth 

Uwandu 

A remarkable 

SABA—THE 

achievements of the Okowa 

administration in good 

governance has been 

traced to the leadership 

synergy of two goal 

oriented brothers and 

political associates; Chief 

James Ibori and incumbent 

governor, Senator Dr 

Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa. 

The assertion was made 

by the immediate past 

Executive Assistant to Delta 

State Governor on 

Communications, Dr Fred 

Latimore Oghenesivbe, 

By Alemma Aliu 

BENIN 

CITY—AS 

Nigeria prepares for 

June 12 Democracy Day, a 

group, Castle Of Legends 

Initiative, COLI, yesterday 

called for the 

immortalisation of foremost 

nationalist, Chief Anthony 

Enahoro who they said is 

being left un-honoured 

among his generation of 

those who fought for the 

independence of Nigeria. 

Addressing a press 

conference in Benin City 

yesterday, Chairman of the 

group, Chief David 

Edebiri,the Esogban of 

Oshiomhole, the group 

alleged that the Kogi State 

government was 

sponsoring rebellion 

against Oshiomhole, 

however, they vowed to 

resist them. 

They stated this in a 

communique signed by 

Mallam Yusuf Adamu 

Dogoyaro, Chief Convener. 

According to the 

communique "As a noble 

socio-political assembly of 

Kogi people, we are 

constrained to postulate in 

the haze generated by the 

reckless and anti-party 

diatribe against the most 

dynamic chairman of 

APC’s history (Comrade 

Adams Oshiohmole ) by the 

while responding to questions 

during a phone-in radio 

program where his 

views were sort on the cordiality 

of the two Delta foremost 

leaders. 

Oghenesivbe, a member 

of the Nigerian Institute of 

International Affairs (NIIA) 

and International 

Communication 

Association (ICA), noted 

that Deltans trusted and 

still appreciate the synergy 

of both leaders especially in 

sustaining progressive 

political structures and 

pointing the way forward in 

institutionalizing the 

fundamentals of good 

governance through 

so-called National Vice 

Chairman of the APC - who 

is currently on the payroll 

of the Kogi State government. 

"Gov. Yahaya Bello and 

few anti-democrats in the 

APC at the expense of the 

suffering, suppressed and 

depressed Kogi tax payers; 

and whose ultimate goal is 

to distract President 

Muhammadu Buhari from 

clinical evaluation of the 

monumental failure that lies 

ahead of the APC in Kogi if the 

governor is returned. 

"We here and now call for the 

immediate and unconditional 

expulsion of the APC national 

Vice Chairman for his infantile, 

mischievous and inglorious 

betrayal of the spirit of his party 

by fanning the embers of discord 

and acting in manners to breach 

public peace in Kogi State. 

"It is obvious that people like 

the Kogi governor can never 

be comfortable with the 

Oshiomhole led APC due to the 

abysmal performance of the 

administration in Kogi state. 

The hallmark of the 

Oshiomhole led NWC has been 

the task on party leaders across 

board to ensure they deliver 

dividends of democracy to the 

people through the provision 

of basic amenities. 

"The party under 

Oshiomhole has stressed the 

need for party members to be 

disciplined, imbibe internal 

democracy and rule of law." 

credible choice of leaders. 

He observed that the 

enviable and watertight 

relationship between the 

governor and Chief Ibori 

has grown stronger in terms 

of mutual political cross 

fertilization of 

socioeconomic ideas, moderation 

and restructuring 

of political structures, 

strategic team work in 

peace building, positive 

external political relations 

and steady partnership in 

advancing the prosperity, 

progress and unity of the 

good people of Delta 

State. 

GridCodes tech'll boost 

crime fighting —Onu 

By Emmanuel 

Elebeke 

A immediate 

BUJA—THE 

past 

minister of Science and 

Technology, Dr. 

Ogbonnaya Onu says that 

Immortalise Enahoro, group tells FG 

Benin lauded President 

Muhammadu Buhari on 

his recognition of the late 

Chief M.K.O Abiola and 

the declaration of June 12 

as Nigeria's Democracy 

Day but said that such 

recognition and honours 

would not be complete 

without Enahoro being 

honoured. 

"We cherish these 

landmark developments, as 

they are capable of 

galvanising our people 

towards increased patriotism and 

strengthening commitment to 

national service. 

“It is in furtherance of this 

laudable initiative that the COLI 

call on President Buhari to give 

kind consideration to the 

immortalisation of late Enahoro, 

which is long overdue. He was a 

journalist, politician and ebullient 

nationalist fighter. In all of these 

endeavours, he was in the 

forefront of the struggle for 

Nigeria’s independence and 

defence of the rights of our people 

in the face of the high-handed 

and draconian policies of the 

colonial administration. It is also 

on record that Chief Anthony 

Enahoro moved the historic 

motion in 1953 calling on the 

British government to grant selfgovernment 

in 1956." 

Nigeria could effectively 

improve governance, 

boost commerce, fight 

crime and better manage 

intelligence through the 

adoption of locally made 

GridCodes technology. 

Onu stated this while 

setting up an interministerial 

committee on 

the adoption of Gridcodes 

technology. 

He said the setting up 

of the committee was in 

furtherance of a directive 

given by the Chairman of 

the Nigerian Digital 

Addressing Council, Vice 

President, Prof. Yemi 

OsiIbajo, to review 

GridCodes Technology 

for national adoption by 

the Federal Government. 

The Vice President had 

directed that a special 

consideration be given to 

every local technology for 

National Digital 

Addressing Scheme. 

US services sector activity perks 

up, eases gloom over economy 

United States (US) services sector activity expanded at a 

brisk pace in May and industries hired more workers, 

offering some respite for an economy that is slowing 

following a temporary boost from exports and an 

accumulation of inventories in the first quarter. 

The survey from the Institute for Supply Management 

(ISM) yesterday followed a raft of weak reports on 

consumer spending, housing and manufacturing that 

suggested a sharp loss of momentum in economic growth 

early in the second quarter. 

Slowing growth, worsening trade tensions between the 

United States and China, and looming U.S. tariffs on goods 

imported from Mexico have led some economists to expect 

the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates this year. 

The U.S. central bank early this year suspended its threeyear 

monetary policy tightening campaign. Fed Chairman 

Jerome Powell on Tuesday said the central bank was closely 

monitoring the implications of the trade tensions on the 

economy and would “act as appropriate to sustain the 

expansion.” 

Oil slumps 4% on US inventory 

build, equity rally caps losses 

Brent futures were down $1.77, or 2.9 percent at 

$60.20 a barrel by 10:54 a.m. EDT (1454 GMT), 

having briefly traded in positive territory early in the 

session. WTI was down $2.17, or 4 percent, at $51.31 a 

barrel. 

U.S. crude, gasoline and distillate stocks rose last week, 

the Energy Information Administration said on 

Wednesday. Crude inventories rose 6.8 million barrels 

in May 2019, compared with analyst expectations for a 

decrease of 849,000 barrels. 

“The across-the-board inventory builds makes for a 

very bearish report,” said John Kilduff, a partner at Again 

Capital. A surge in imports and a increase in domestic 

production boosted inventories, he said. “The inventory 

gains came despite strong demand for crude oil from 

refiners and gasoline from drivers,” he said. 

The rise in refinery runs has paled in comparison to 

the jump in imports, particularly waterborne imports to 

the Gulf and West Coasts, said Matt Smith, director of 

commodity research at ClipperData. 

W/Africa Crude: Trading favours late 

buyers as prices trend downward 

Slower than usual trading for July-loading cargoes 

has encouraged sellers to drop prices but with offers 

remaining relatively high, especially for some Nigerian 

grades, traders said late buyers will stand to benefit from 

discounts. 

Heavy delays of around a week were reported to loadings 

on the Trans Forcados Pipeline despite flows reportedly 

resuming on May 24 after a shut-down caused by a fire. 

Shorter delays were reported to loadings of Bonny Light, 

also operated by Royal Dutch Shell. 

Angolan crude cargoes, which have been significantly 

discounted across the board in recent days, started to sell 

more rapidly. One of three Mostarda grade cargoes on 

offer was heard to have been sold to India’s Reliance — 

likely an early July loading shipment by Angola’s Sonangol, 

though the seller and the price did not emerge. 

The slow sale and repeated discounts from about $1.20 

above dated Brent in late May to around 30 cents this 

week mark a lack-lustre month for the new, high-sulphur 

offshore grade amid sluggish Asian refining margins. 

Chinese importers to apply for 

tariff waivers on US goods 

Chinese importers are preparing applications 

for waivers on import tariffs levied on more 

than 700 U.S. goods in the Sino-U.S trade war, after 

the finance ministry said it would start taking 

submissions. 

The Ministry of Finance last week posted a list of 

goods for which waivers could be granted that 

includes meats such as beef and pork, soybeans, coal 

and copper scrap. 

The waivers are for tariffs imposed in July last year 

on $50 billion worth of U.S. goods in retaliation for 

similar measures taken by Washington. Beijing has 

since imposed additional tariffs on thousands of 

goods as a bitter trade war has escalated. 

“We’re preparing our application, we’ll soon submit 

our materials,” said Shi Lei, a manager at meat 

importer Beijing Hopewise. “This is good news for 

us.” 

Stories credited to Reuters

Zamfara judgement: There is 

triumph in defeat 

IHAVE always looked forward 

to any pronouncement from 

Professor Itse Sagay with 

palpitating anticipation, and 

whenever it came I gulped it with 

relish. With Sagay there is never 

beating about the bush. He would 

not refer to a spade as a tool with a 

sharp-edged typically rectangular 

metal blade with a long handle, 

etc. No. Sagay will call a spade, a 

spade. Full stop. 

That’s why his commentary on 

the Zamfara nullified elections 

was a delight. Obviously he had a 

different opinion from what the 

Supreme Court Judges 

pronounced and he went on to say 

it as only Sagay would. Here are 

my picks from the comments made 

by the professor of law as 

published in the Daily Post of May 

30. He described the judgement as: 

‘a national tragedy’, 

‘unimaginable injustice’, 

‘unprecedented tragedy’, 

‘installing losers in office’, 

‘undemocratic calamity’, 

‘technical law completely 

overthrowing justice’, and ‘burying 

democracy’. He concludes by 

urging the All Progressive 

Congress, APC, to approach the 

Supreme Court to review its 

judgement. 

The national chairman of the 

APC, Comrade Adams 

Oshiomhole, had earlier spoken in 

a similar vein but to my surprise 

his tones were 

uncharacteristically subdued. The 

only allusion to anger in his 

remarks was when he said ‘the 

Supreme Court ruling amounted 

to imposing total strangers on the 

people of Zamfara’. He seemed to 

face the reality of living with the 

ruling. The party he said would not 

appeal the Supreme Court ruling, 

instead it will now take its case to 

God. 

I can understand the anger of 

Professor Sagay who is not only a 

member of the APC, but also holds 

office as Chairman of the 

Presidential Advisory Committee 

Against Corruption. I sympathise 

with him, along with Comrade 

Oshiomhole and all those who 

voted massively for the APC to win 

virtually every seat in the Zamfara 

election only to find out all their 

efforts were wasted. According to 

the Supreme Court, their votes 

were wasted votes.The Supreme 

Court went on to award all the 

seats (with the exception of one) 

that the APC won to the opposition 

PDP who came a distant second in 

the elections. In one of the strangest 

twist of events in election annals, 

those who were declared winners 

became losers, and the losers 

became winners. In other words, 

triumph became a defeat and 

defeat was amply rewarded. One 

only finds this kind of scenario in 

the fictional world of Frank Kafka. 

But that’s how far our sympathies 

can go. The fact is that there seem 

to be no one sympathising with 

what happened to the APC in 

Zamfara. Most people would 

readily rather gloat over the 

misfortune that had afflicted the 

party. I spoke to a number of 

people and they just shrugged their 

shoulders and said that the APC in 

Zamfara State dug its own grave. 

They asked: Why sympathise with 

a party that frittered away the trust 

of their supporters in the courts as 

a result of intra-party feuding that 

became impossible to settle 

amicably? 

The Zamfara saga played out in 

the open, right from the day when 

the primary elections started. 

Former Governor AbdulAziz Yari 

with the might of Zamfara 

government on one side, and 

Senator Kabiru Marafa and the 

group dubbed Abuja politicians as 

protagonists in the other camp, led 

A great pity that 

the Zamfara 

matter ended the 

way it did in the 

style of Kunar 

Bakin Wake 

their troops in a relentless, pitched 

battle. Admittedly many states had 

this kind of problem in all the 

major parties, but somehow they 

were able sort out themselves and 

hold acceptable versions of 

primaries. But despite all 

admonishes from the APC party 

headquarters, all the camps in the 

Zamfara debacle continued to 

feud, mulishly bent on selfdestruction, 

disregarding all 

entreaties. Obviously Senator 

Marafa was not in the mood to 

back down and Governor Yari was 

unyielding, so convinced of his 

powers as chief-of-state. The stage 

was, therefore, set for this grand 

tragedy to the party. 

As I watched the events unfold, I 

recall the story of Kunar Bakin 

Wake, a Hausa story I read many 

years ago. Those familiar with this 


17 

Hausa mythology will recall the 

account: It is a story of a powerful 

prince in one of the towns in the 

defunct Hausa Kingdoms. The 

prince clearly intoxicated by his 

powers preferred to ride on the 

shoulders of strong young men, 

instead of riding horses and camels 

which he had plenty. 

The young men in the town hated 

the prince for this strange 

preference, but all of them just 

sulked, and acquiesced when 

called by the prince for a ride. One 

day, Bakin Wake, a strong hefty 

young man decided that whenever 

the prince called on him for a ride 

he would take them to the next level 

and end it all. And that was what 

he did when his turn came to give 

the prince a ride. That fateful day 

Bakin Wake went to the palace and 

picked the prince on his broad, 

muscular shoulders for an evening 

ride. 

The prince was gaily dressed, 

resplendent in a bulbous gown 

with a colourful turban on his 

head. He rode on the shoulders of 

Bakin Wake through the town 

holding a whip in his hand which 

he used to prod Bakin Wake and 

also acknowledge the greetings of 

his subjects he met on the way. 

However, in a bizarre turn of 

events, Bakin Wake held on to his 

rider and diverted to a rubbish 

dump that was furiously on fire 

where he threw himself and the 

prince, both of them perishing in 

the raging inferno. 

A great pity that the Zamfara 

matter ended the way it did in the 

style of Kunar Bakin Wake. A 

greater pity that no one is shedding 

any tears for what had befallen the 

party there. One only hopes that 

the Supreme Court 

pronouncement that has now 

entered the history books in what 

lawyers would now refer to as a 

landmark judgement, will serve as 

a check on the haughtiness of 

many of our political actors. 

FROM MY MAIL BAG: 

Many thanks to readers who 

faithfully follow this column and 

raise issues with me. My last two 

pieces on the Kano Emirate 

attracted many reactions. My 

elder, Inuwa Jibrin, a veteran 

journalist living in Kaduna was one 

of the first to call. He goes over my 

column always with a fine tooth 

comb. He pointed out to me that 

the Attah of Igala, I referred, to as 

Umaru Obosi was actually Umaru 

Ameh Oboni. This was further 

corroborated by a text from 

Jonathan Achimugu. 

Similarly, Shehu of Borno, 

Sanda Umar Kyarimi whom I 

wrote died in 1968, actually died 

in 1967. I thank Baba Gana from 

UMTH Maiduguri for this 

correction. Inuwa Jibrin also 

pointed out to me that the Emir of 

Kano, Mohammadu Inuwa Abbas 

that was appointed in 1963 reigned 

for six months and not three 

months as I wrote. Baba D 

Hamidu also sent a text 

wondering why I skipped the 

Lamido of Adamawa Ahmadu, the 

son of Lamido Maigari,who was 

deposed in 1953 and exiled to Biu, 

where he lived and died. He was 

succeeded by Lamido Aliyu, the 

father of the current Lamido 

Barkindo, who was destined to 

enjoy a very long reign. 

On the article titled, "Banditry – 

the Police Hold the Key", Professor 

Hamman Tukur wrote: "I hope 

your article will help in bringing 

the problem of effective policing 

to the front burner. The fact is 

Nigeria Police is ill equipped, 

poorly trained and motivated. A 

Senator gets N13.5m as monthly 

running cost, how much does a 

Commissioner of Police get? It is 

too much optimism to expect a 

police that collects money from 

motorists on the highway to 

contain banditry or any form of 

insecurity. It is sad that it doesn’t 

appear the government has any 

effective solution. It is addressing 

the problem as if it has all the time 

in the world. Same persons, same 

methods will always give same 

results. May God protect us". 

Creating a sustainable and accountable 

democratic system in Nigeria 

IAM very worried about the state 

of Nigeria’s democracy. Not 

because I think that we have witnessed 

anything unusual in our 2019 elections, 

but because we think it is unusual. We 

seem to think that our democratic 

process took a step back during this 

political process. 

It didn’t. It has always been this way. 

All we have seen is the exploitation of 

the same flaws that have existed for a 

very long time, and which ultimately 

have the potential to create such 

division, that our integrity as a nation 

is under threat. 

For a young, and immature 

democracy, and that is what we 

remain, there is a certain expectation 

that the system will have flaws. That it 

will be imperfect. But the requirement 

for the population to continue to believe 

in that system is that it shows progress 

towards a better, more inclusive, more 

representative solution to our 

democratic needs. 

To understand the trajectory of this 

problem, we just need to look at voter 

turnout in our presidential and then 

gubernatorial elections. In 2015, voterturnout 

at the national level, as a 

percentage of registered voters, was 

around 40 per cent. I think 69 million 

registered voters resulted in 

approximately 30 million votes. In 

2019, with registered voters up to over 

80 million, we saw fewer votes. 

As a simple metric, when more 

people have the ability to vote, and less 

do, there is something wrong with the 

system. Less people have belief in its 

integrity, less people believe that if 

they vote it will change anything; more 

people feel that voting puts them at 

risk and so we end up with a 

government that is elected by a smaller 

There are solutions to 

these problems which, with 

proper leadership, can be 

implemented quickly 

and smaller percentage of the 

population. Continuing that journey 

only has one result: Government by the 

few over the many. 

Despite the disappointing trajectory, 

I do not believe that all is lost. There 

are solutions to these problems, which 

with proper leadership can be 

implemented quickly. I want to talk 

about four key areas of intervention 

that can put us on the right track, and 

I hope that this triggers some debate. 

I am not taking a partisan position. 

These views are expressed with no 

agenda beyond the desire to see that 

some of the fundamental building 

blocks our nation needs to thrive, are 

built. 

The starting point, and the focus of 

this article, is a clear understanding 

of the numbers, and that 

starts at the very basic 

question about our 

population, its size, its 

growth rate and its 

geographic diversity. We must know 

how many people live in Nigeria, 

where they live and some basic 

information about them. You cannot 

operate an independent, transparent 

and accountable political system 

without this. I will present some views 

on how to solve this later on. 

The second intervention is the depth 

of political, and broader, education of 

our people. The manipulation of 

elections is only possible because the 

population allows it. Whether you are 

a hired thug, a vote seller, a 

compromised agent, a greedy INEC 

official or an intimidated activist, your 

complicity in a broken system starts 

from a lack of understanding, and is 

extenuated by a lack of belief in its 

integrity. Which brings me to the third 

intervention? We must take action to 

reform the structure, number and 

governance of our political parties. 

They must be accountable and the 

rules that govern them must be 

enforced. 

Finally, we must make some changes 

to the voting system that we use. I don’t 

think it is possible for any truly 

independent commentator to look at 

how the elections were conducted and 

claim that the system works. It 

absolutely does not. It remains hugely 

susceptible to manipulation. By both 

sides. But some simple reforms, the 

more nuanced use of technology, and 

a voters database that reflects the 

actual population would dramatically 

enhance the integrity of the process. 

I will interrogate each of these themes 

in individual articles over the coming 

weeks, and I want to reiterate that this 

process is one of reflection. It has no 

political bias. I have spent nearly five 

decades in pursuit of a system that can 

empower Nigeria to achieve its 

potential. 

I have seen and understand many of 

our mistakes. I know the flaws that exist 

that politicians retain, in order to 

exploit, and I believe that failing to 

address them means that the ethnic, 

religious, demographic and 

kleptocratic drivers that seek to exploit 

division, will remain in the 

ascendancy, with dire consequences. 

I believe that they can be countered. 

That investments in education, 

political institutions, data and 

technology are the solution and that 

with the appropriate political will can 

be achieved quickly. 

C 

M 

Y 

K

18 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2019 

MILLIONS of Nigerians were both 

shocked and disappointed on May 29, 

2019, when President Muhammadu 

Buhari did not give an inauguration 

speech after he was sworn-in for a 

second term in Abuja. That was a serious 

slight on a hallowed democratic 

tradition observed all over the world, 

even in countries with entrenched dictatorships. 

Nigerians were left on their own to 

guess what might have gone wrong. 

Some defenders of the President, 

while admitting not to know exactly 

the reason for that strange snub of 

expectant Nigerians, guessed it was 

probably in line with the regime’s 

forewarning that this year’s 

inauguration would be low-keyed. 

Some guessed that the President 

decided to postpone his speech till the 

new Democracy Day of June 12, 2019. 

None of these can serve as a viable 

excuse for what happened. A five- 

Speechless inauguration was wrong 

minute speech would not have removed 

the low-key from the event. 

Inauguration Day is different from 

Democracy Day. Inauguration Day is 

a milestone ceremony ushering a 

leader to the seat of power to which 

he has been elected or re-elected by 

the supreme will of the people. 

It is a day for him to thank them for 

choosing him to serve, an opportunity 

for the leader to open his goodie bag 

and unfold his strategies for 

delivering on his campaign promises. 

Buhari missed an opportunity to tell 

Nigerians how far he went with his 

Three-Point Agenda: the Economy, 

Security and Anti-Graft war, in the past 

four years; and how he intends to take 

it to the “Next Level” in the next four 

years. 

He missed the opportunity to 

recharge the sagging morale of the 

nation where, out of extreme poverty, 

unemployment and depression bred 

by growing hopelessness, many 

youths are committing suicide or 

resorting to evil and violent means of 

survival such as kidnapping, 

terrorism, ritual killings, Yahoo-Yahoo 

and others. 

The President missed an opportunity 

to rekindle the hopes of Nigerians in 

the capacity of his government and the 

armed forces to protect them from 

armed groups such as bandits, 

herdsmen, Boko Haram and cultists. 

He should have given us something 

to hold him by as we embrace the next 

four years under his stewardship. 

Instead he left us with nothing. 

Democracy Day, June 12, 2019, will 

be a different kettle of fish. It will be 

a day to examine how our democracy 

has fared with a view to strengthening 

our institutions for better service 

delivery. 

It will be a day to remember those 

who struggled to free us from military 

dictatorship, and pay tribute to those 

who made the supreme sacrifices. It 

will have little or nothing to do with 

how the President intends to serve us 

in the next four years. 

That speechless inauguration was 

rather unfortunate! 

OPINION 

Dangers of food and water in plastics 

By Kayode Ojewale 

MANY Nigerians did not 

understand the message of the 

immediate past Agriculture Minister, 

Audu Ogbeh, when sometime ago he 

warned his compatriots against the use 

of cellophane in their food regime. 

He was speaking from a scientifically 

informed position we should align with 

for the good health of society. 

The former minister raised an alarm 

that Nigerians who are eating beans 

pudding(‘moin-moin’) cooked in 

cellophane(nylon) bags risk serious 

health challenge as the product is 

poisonous. 

According to him, cellophane bags 

contain large doses of dioxin that are 

harmful to health. Let me also add that 

liquid milk tin is also dangerous for 

packaging moin moin when cooking as 

leaching of chemical from the milk tin 

into the content will still occur. 

The healthy alternative for packaging 

or wrapping moin moin when steaming 

is the use of local green leaves which 

do not contain poisonous substances. 

These leaves rather add flavour, 

antioxidants and aroma to the moin 

moin. 

Plastics, no doubt, have become a part 

of our daily lives, especially in the 

kitchen. The role of plastics as 

packaging and storage containers for our 

food cannot be overemphasized. Plastics 

are light-weight, readily available and 

cheap, hence their heavy demand in the 

kitchen. 

Plastics like PET bottles also become 

handy for packaging water in various 

sizes. Cooking oil is also packaged in 

plastic kegs, jerry cans and bottles of 

different sizes. 

Some electric jugs, insulated food 

warmers, food flasks, food serving 

spoons (for staple and swallow foods) – 

spatula and ladle for soup, sieve and 

many other kitchen utensils are made 

of plastics. Plastics can, however, be 

hazardous to human lives depending 

on the plastic type, how it is used and 

what it is used for. 

Sadly, we hardly can do without 

plastics in our food chain - from 

production, preparation, processing up 

to packaging, plastics are involved. In 

addition, storage and reheating of 

leftover foods are done mostly in plastic 

containers. 

Findings have also revealed that 

almost all plastic packaging materials 

used for food contain substances that can 

leach into the food. Leaching, in this 

context, is the release of harmful 

chemicals from plastics or cellophane 

(nylon) bags into the contents it carries, 

be it food or liquid when heated. 

On the basis of recycling symbol or 

code, plastics can be grouped into seven. 

It is also on this basis that plastics are 

regarded as harmful or safe and ecofriendly. 

You may not have noticed this - 

every plastic bottle or container has a 

recycling symbol. The symbol is a 

number which ranges from one to seven 

and written in a triangle drawn with a 

chasing arrow symbol. Just look at the 

bottom of any plastic product, imprinted 

somewhere on the underside is a 

number inscribed in the arrow-chasing 

triangle and with acronym or symbol just 

below the triangle. 

Plastic products labelled code #1 

stands for PET (Polyethylene 

terephthalate); code #2, HDPE (Highdensity 

Polyethylene); code #3, PVC 

(Polyvinyl Chloride); code #4, LDPE 

(Low-density Polyethylene); code #5, 

PP (Polypropylene); code #6, PS 

Consumption of sachet and 

bottled water exposed to 

sunlight with temperature 

over 28 degrees Celcius is 

hazardous and can damage 

the immune system, lead to 

failure of kidney and liver 

(Polystyrene) and code #7, PC 

(Polycarbonates). 

Food safety experts and toxicologists 

say plastic products with recycling codes 

#3, #6 and #7 are toxic and should be 

avoided, particularly if using them for 

food and drinks because they leach 

harmful chemicals. Some experts have 

argued that plastics labelled code #1 are 

not safe because they leach antimony 

trioxide (a possible carcinogen) when 

heated, while others believe PET bottles 

are safe. 

Other plastics with recycle codes #2, 

#4 and #5 are likely to be free of 

Bisphenol A (BPA), phthalates and other 

dangerous chemicals of concern. The 

consumption of sachet and bottled water 

exposed to sunlight with temperature 

over 28 degrees Celcius is hazardous 

and can damage the immune system, 

lead to failure of kidney and liver. 

In order to live and lead a healthy life, 

avoid eating hot food from plastics. Also 

remember to use plastics with recycle 

codes #1, #2, #4 and #5 only for food 

and drinks purposes, while plastics with 

codes #3, #6 and #7 should be avoided 

when it comes to food. However, to play 

safe and be extra cautious, avoid taking 

hot food from any plastic irrespective of 

the recycling code under it. 

Those in the habit of buying food in 

cellophane bags and then eating from it 

should desist from such practices as large 

doses of dioxin enter the body through 

the food. 

Same is also applicable to people who 

buy and drink freshly prepared hot 

antimalarial herbal concoction (agboiba) 

from road side sellers inside nylons or 

plastic cups. Taking hot coffee or water 

from styrofoam (disposable) cups is 

similar as well. 

To ensure an all-round awareness at 

all levels for rural and city dwellers, 

government should sensitise its citizens 

on harmful consequences of plastic 

toxins when leached out into our food 

and water after exposure to heat. 

When citizens are well educated and 

informed on plastic toxins, they will take 

healthy and informed decisions. 

•Ojewale wrote via 

kayodeojewale@gmail.com.

RSA Funds in equity market drop by 

N10.7bn in March 

By Peter Egwuatu 

The total Retirement 

Savings Account, RSA, 

Funds invested in the equity 

segment of the Nigerian capital 

market stood at N480.1 billion 

at the end of March 31, 2019, 

down 2.2 percent or N10.7 

billion from N490.8 billion at 

the end of February 28, 2019. 

The breakdown of the figures 

obtained byVanguard from the 

National Pension Commission, 

Pencom, showed that Pension 

Funds Administrators, PFAs, 

committed N937 .18 million of 

RSA Fund I against N874.4 

million in February, N391.507 

billion of RSA Fund II against 

N399.513 in February, 

N391.507 billion of RSA Fund 

III against N84.159 in 

February, and N5.576 billion of 

RSA Fund IV as against 

N6.252 billion in February. 

Meanwhile, the Securities 

and Exchange Commission, 

SEC, recently met with Pencom 

to discuss how to boost 

investment in the capital 

market. Both the SEC and 

Pencom have pledged to work 

together to ensure more 

Nigerians are brought into the 

financial literacy net. 

This was part of the 

resolutions at a meeting 

between the Technical 

Committee on Financial 

Literacy, FLTC, and Pencom in 

Abuja. 

Head, Market Development 

Department of the SEC, who 

led the FLTC to Pencom, Mr. 

Edward Okolo, said the aim of 

the visit is to further strengthen 

collaboration between the 

committee and Pencom in a bid 

to improve financial literacy 

among Nigerians. 

He disclosed that the 

Committee is currently in 

partnership with FMDQ on the 

training of students on their 

platform so as to increase their 

interest in Capital Market 

Issues. 

CURRENCY BUYING SELLING 

US DOLLAR 

POUNDS 

EURO 

FRANC 

YEN 

CFA 

WAUA 

RENMINBI 

RIYAL 

SDR 

DANISH 

RAND 

$105.35 1.60 

2,352.00 1.00 

$12.31 -0.12 

$61.63 0.35 

$53.49 0.24 

305.95 306.45 306.95 

386.3843 387.0157 387.6472 

342.664 343.224 343.784 

306.8091 307.3105 307.8119 

2.825 2.8296 2.8343 

0.501 0.511 0.521 

420.7962 421.4839 422.1716 

44.2909 44.3637 44.4366 

81.5823 81.7156 81.849 

421.4767 422.1655 422.8543 

45.8751 45.95 46.025 

. 21.0686 21.103 21.1375 

CBN Exchange rate as at 04/06/2019 

“We would like to have an 

open window to collaborate 

with you, where we could get 

ideas from you. We should try 

to collaborate more with the 

investors and give them 

avenues for value 

optimization” Okolo added. 

Also commenting, member of 

the Committee, Omagbitse 

Barrow expressed the need for 

the committee to collaborate 

with relevant agencies and 

foster a multi directional 

approach to what the Financial 

Literacy Committee does. 

According to Barrow, “We 

believe that when more 

members of the public are 

financially literate, they will 

make better financial decisions 

and deepen their participation 

in the market. 

“We have to work at financial 

literacy from the foundation, 

how to get people to manage 

their resources better before we 

can move on to investing in the 

capital market. The more 

people who are selling their 

products are interested in 


financial literacy the more 

products they will sell. Let’s 

broaden financial literacy 

approach so that the public will 

get value from the financial 

system. Financial literacy is 

about the people, he investors 

and ordinary Nigerians. 

In his remarks, Head 

Investment Supervision 

Division, Pencom, Dr. Farouk 

Aminu disclosed that the 

Commission has started 

courses in some universities on 

pension issues and expressed 

the need for more synergy 

among regulators in promoting 

financial health of Nigerians. 

from left, Francisca Gbobodo, fellow AERMP, Olayinka Odutola, DG/CEO AERMP, Biyi 

OLagbami Executive Director / Chief Risk Officer Ecobank, S.Taiwo Ige Mrs, President AERMP, 

Damilola Owoeye, fellow AERMP at the courtesy visit of the officials of the Association of 

Enterprise Risk Management Professionals , AERMP to Ecobank Plc at Ecobank headquarters 

in Lagos 

World Bank lowers growth forecast for Nigeria’s 

economy to 2.1% 

By Babajide Komolafe 

The World Bank yesterday 

announced a forecast of 2.1 percent 

growth for Nigeria’s economy in 

2019, citing foreign exchange 

restrictions and a lack of 

reforms to boost economic 

capacity. 

The new forecast was 

contained a World Bank 

report titled, “June 2019 

Global Economic Prospects: 

Heightened Tensions, 

Subdued Investment.” 

The 2.1 percent forecast is 

0.1 percentage point lower 

than the 2.2 percent 

contained in the January 

edition of the same report. 

The bank also lowered its 

2020 growth forecast for 

Nigeria’s economy by 0.2 

percentage points to 2.2 

percent, while it affirmed 

2.4 percent growth forecast 

for 2021. 

“In Nigeria, growth is 

expected at 2.1 percent this 

year—a weaker-thanexpected 

pace reflecting the 

continued constraints from 

foreign exchange 

restrictions, supply 

disruptions in the oil sector, 

and a lack of much-needed reforms 

to spur new capacity. Growth is 

projected to remain broadly stable 

in 2020, before strengthening to 2.4 

percent in 2021,” the report said. 

In the same vein the World Bank 

slashed its economic growth forecast 

for the sub-Saharan African region 

by 0.4 percentage points to 2.9 

percent for 2019. 

Explaining the basis for the lower 

growth forecast for the region, the 

World Bank stated: “ 

Growth in the region is projected 

at 2.9 percent this year, up from 2.5 

percent in 2018, but half a 

percentage point lower than 

previously forecast, reflecting more 

pronounced domestic headwinds 

and weaker-than-expected external 

demand. This translates into per 

capita growth of a mere 0.2 percent 

for 2019, following three consecutive 

years of contraction. 

“Growth in the region is expected 

to improve gradually over the 

forecast horizon, reaching 

3.3percent in 2020 and 3.5 percent 

in 2021. 

“This cyclical recovery is weaker 

than previously envisioned— 

despite some increase in 

commodity prices—reflecting in 

part weaker demand growth in 

major trading partners and, in 

particular, an increasingly 

challenging business environment 

in Sudan amid heightened political 

uncertainty.’’ 

Nestle to 

leverage 

research to boost 

local content 

By Peter Egwuatu 

Nestle Nigeria Plc has 

indicated its readiness 

to leverage its research and 

development capabilities to 

enhance the use of local raw 

materials in its factories. 

The Chairman of the 

company, Mr David 

Ifezulike, while commending 

stakeholders for their 

support over the years at the 

50thAnnual General 

Meeting, AGM said: “ We 

will continue to leverage our 

research and development 

capabilities to delight our 

consumers, enhance 

earnings while creating value 

for our business and every 

one across our value chain.” 

While commenting on the 

company’s marketing 

strategy, he said: “As in the 

past years, Nestle’s brands 

remained leaders in their 

categories even with the 

influx of competitive brands 

in the market. Our marketing 

initiatives focused in 

creating nutrition awareness 

for our consumers who 

continue to trust us to deliver 

quality nutritious products. 

The extension of single serve 

pack formats helped drive 

penetration of our well level 

brands.” 

Commenting on its 

workforce, Ifezulike said: 

“We are as always, dedicated 

to building the capability of 

our people to deliver at their 

full potentials, investing in 

relevant people development 

initiatives. Notwithstanding 

the 

challenging 

environment, our company 

engaged 92 new employees 

in 2018 in furtherance of our 

business objectives as we 

continue to derive greater 

efficiency across our 

operations.” 

In the review of its financial 

performance for the year 

2018, he said: “Despite the 

challenges in the operating 

environment, our revenue 

increased by 9 percent and 

profit after tax was 28 percent 

higher than our achievement 

in 2017. The earnings per 

share grew to N54.26 from 

N42.55 in 2017; Net assets 

per share stood at N47.50 as 

against N25.00 in 2017, 

while our final dividend per 

share was N38.50 as against 

N27.50 per share in 2017.” 

The shareholders 

commended the Company for 

its performance over the 

years, however demanded 

that the Board consider the 

issuance of bonus share to 

appreciate their loyalty over 

the years. 

FG seeks US help in tackling unemployment 

By Victor Ahiuma-Young 

THE Federal Government 

has pleaded with the United 

States of America for assistance in 

tackling the unemployment 

challenges bedevilling the country. 

Permanent Secretary, Federal 

Ministry of Labour and 

Employment, William Alo, made the 

request in Abuja when he received 

in audience a delegation from the 

U.S. Department of Labour, led by 

Kurt A. Petermeyer, the Regional 

Administrator, Occupational Safety 

and Health Administration. 

Alo explained that if the US could 

help in upgrading the Skill 

Acquisition Centres, SACs, in the 

country, it would be of immense 

benefit to Nigeria as it would 

enhance job creation. 

Listing such crimes as child 

labour, forced labour and other ills 

as fallouts of unemployment, Alo 

believes that the repositioning of the 

SACs in the country would create 

more employment opportunities for 

the unemployed youths and others. 

He acknowledged the US as a 

long-standing dependable partner 

to Nigeria, and noted that “US’ 

intervention will help to reduce the 

crime rate among the youths, as 

many of them will get off the crime 

track when employed.” 

Speaking earlier, the Regional 

Administrator, Occupational Safety 

and Health Administration, Kurt A. 

Petermeyer, said the group was on 

skills and facilities assessment visit 

to determine areas of possible 

assistance to Nigeria.

20 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2019






Kogi gov’s wife partners 

Heal for Africa For Girl 

Hygiene in Kogi 

By Boluwaji Obahopo, 

LOKOJA 

Wife of Kogi State governor, 

Mrs. Rashida Bello has called 

on stakeholders to join the 

advocacy and step up action 

on menstrual hygiene 

management in the state. 

Mrs Bello spoke on the 

sideline of the 2019 Menstral 

Hygiene day organised by the 

Heal for Africa Initiative with 

the theme: It’s Time for Action. 

The governor’s wife said this 

year's theme not only 

emphasizes the urgency of 

public health issues but also 

highlights the transformative 

power of quality menstrual 

hygiene education and 

strategic menstrual hygiene 

management, MHM 

interventions to the overall 

development of girls and 

women. 

“As the global community 

works towards achieving the 

Sustainable Development 

Goals, SDGs, it is essential to 

come together and support 

these adolescent girls by 

educating them on how to 

adhere to basic hygienic 

methods, so as to enable them 

truly fulfil their potentials as 

key actors in achieving a 

sustainable and equitable 

world.” 

Mrs. Bello promised that her 

Foundation will have a 

continuous collaboration with 

Heal for Africa Initiative, “to 

stand in the gap to ensure that 

girls and women in Kogi State 

can manage their periods 

safely, privately and with 

dignity, in order for them to 

fulfill their dreams and 

harness their full potentials.” 

She called on stakeholders 

to support programs like this 

which aims to empower the 

girl-child and women. “This 

will improve confidence, 

sense of belonging and 

opportunity to live a 

meaningful and productive 

life.” 

The Executive Director, Heal 

for Africa Initiative, Dr. Kelechi 

Okoro emphasized the need 

to make policies that 

accelerate Menstrual Hygiene 

POWA flags off ‘Our Barracks, Our Pride’ 

initiative in Delta 

…presents cleaning items to 3 police barracks 


ABUJA- THE Police Offic 

ers’ Wives Association, 

POWA, Delta State Command, 

has flagged off the 

Our Barracks, Our Pride initiative 

in three Police Divisions 

in Asaba, Delta State. 

The flag off of the initiative 

which was conceived by 

the wife of the Inspector- 

General of Police, Hajiya 

Adamu, was launched by 

the chairperson, POWA, Delta 

State Command, Mrs 

Bola Adeleke alongside other 

executive members on 

June 1, 2019. 

According to Adeleke, the 

IGP’s wife thought it necessary 

to come up with the 

Our Barracks, Our Pride initiative 

that would ensure officers 

and men together with 

their families live in clean 

and healthy environment to 

do their jobs, which will also 

promote sound health, prevent 

diseases and save money 

on health- related issues, 

hence reintroducing sanitation 

exercise in all barracks 

across the country under the 

initiative. 

Meanwhile, she and other 

members of the association 

•National President, Police Officers' 

Wives Asoociation, POWA, Hajiya Fatima 

Mohammadu Adamu 

also embarked on a barracks 

inspection and sanitation 

exercise to flag off the initiative. 

The event kicked off at the 

‘A’ Division Barrack Asaba 

and was coordinated by the 

wife of the Divisional Police 

Officer, DPO, Chinenye Fasugba, 

where the women 

came out en masse to participate 

in the exercise. 

The team then proceeded 

to the’ B’ Division Barrack 

in Asaba, where they were 

received massively and participated 

in the exercise. 

education and 

advocacy. 

“With our 

advocacy, we are 

tackling menstrual 

h y g i e n e 

challenges beyond 

girls and schools. 

We need to 

focus on the 

attitude 

of the 

people 

towards 

menstruation, 

sustainable 

products, 

a n d 

favourable 

policies. 

Everyone must be involved. 

The boys and men, the 

religious and traditional 

leaders, government and 

policymakers.” 

The event witnessed a 

plenary session where 

stakeholders from the 

ministries of health, 

agriculture, education, 

environment, women affairs 

as well as professional and 

Then they ended the exercise 

at the 'C' Division Barrack 

Asaba, with high turnout 

of women and their families. 

Meanwhile, the exercise 

was also observed simultaneously 

in all Police Divisions 

in the state as was directed 

by the POWA chairperson. 

High point of flag-off of 

the Barracks, Our Pride initiative 

was the presentation 

of cleaning items to the 

three divisions by the POWA 

chairperson, which were 

•Rashida Bello 

strategic 

partners discussed gender-based 

issues. 

The discussions were centered 

on sustainable solutions for 

menstrual hygiene management 

in Kogi State with emphasis on 

addressing the multifaceted 

challenges girls and women face 

during their periods. 

•Chairperson, Police Officers’ Wives Association, 

POWA, Delta State Command, Mrs Bola Adeleke . 

•Futi 

waste buckets, waste bags, 

rakes and brooms. 

She said: "Our Barracks, 

Our Pride is an initiative by 

the wife of the Inspector- 

General of Police, Hajiya 

Adamu, because she is concerned 

about the health of 

all families of officers and 

men of the Force across the 

country living in Police barracks. 

“This flag off is done in all 

the 36 states and the Federal 

Capital Territory. We in 

Continues on page .. 

WIMBIZ for 2019 

CEO/Policymaker 

Interactive 

Series 

Women 

in 

Management, Business 

and Public Service, 

WIMBIZ, is set to hold its 

CEO/Policymaker Interactive 

Breakfast Series on 

Tuesday, June 11, 2019, in 

Lagos. 

According to a statement 

by the organisers: “In line 

with our vision to be the catalyst 

that elevates the status 

and influence of women 

and their contribution to 

nation-building, WIMBIZ 

holds stakeholder engagement 

sessions with chief 

executive officers and policymakers 

across various 

industries and sectors to 

discuss and proffer solutions 

to the critical challenges 

that women face”. 

The 2019 CEO Forum, 

themed: Hidden Figures: 

The Cost of Exclusion, will 

highlight the cost of exclusion 

to our economic 

growth, the correlation between 

gender affirmative 

reforms and GDP, Economic 

Growth, Job Creation & 

Wealth Distribution. It will 

also highlight the mechanism 

that ensures the deepening 

of reforms; completion 

and implementation of 

pending initiatives; including 

engagement with the 

public and the validation of 

completed reforms. The program 

will further stimulate 

open and broad dialogue 

between CEOs, Policymakers 

and Practitioners on the 

role of the Private Sector in 

advocating and driving reforms. 

WIMBIZ is a non-profit 

organisation that has over 

the last 17 years implemented 

programs and has contributory 

associate pool of 

over 750 accomplished women 

in management, business 

and public service as 

well as over 9,700 women in 

its database. 

C 

M 

YK


POWA flags off ‘Our Barracks, 

Our Pride’ initiative in Delta 

Continued from page 

......... 

Police Officers’ Wives Association, 

Delta State Command, are 

here to flag it off also. 

“Women residing in the barracks 

are to make neatness their 

watchword not only outside but 

inside the home, because God 

created women to be in the forefront 

of promoting and sustaining 

cleanliness as wives, mothers 

and daughters. I will also implore 

you to always observe personal 

hygiene because cleanliness 

is next to godliness. 

“The benefits of cleanliness cannot 

be over-emphasized. When you 

are conscious and always ensure your 

house and surroundings are clean, 

you will promote sound health, prevent 

diseases and save money on 

health-related issues, germs will reduce, 

and you will be healthy and 

happy at all times. 

“This exercise is also being observed 

simultaneously round all Police 

Divisions in the state as we are 

here now,” she stated. 

Foundation advocates laws to reduce 

sickle cell, as 1500 children test 

positive annually 

…POWA collaborates on campaign 

against sickle cell 


THE Erikpejaiye Otoikhian, EO 

Foundation, is advocating laws 

that would reduce the occurrence 

of sickle cell anemia in marriages 

across the country with the 

9th Assembly set to be inaugurated 

at both federal and state levels. 

The Founder, EO Foundation, 

Prof. Cyril Otoikhian, made the 

call at the Skills Acquisition and 

Public Lecture organised by EO 

Foundation in partnership with 

Police Officers’ Wives Association, 

POWA, Lagos State Command, last 

week, at Alausa, Ikeja. 

According to Otoikhian, the sickle 

cell crisis calls for state governments 

to come up with the law in 

order to stem the rising tide of children 

suffering as result of their 

parents’ incompatible genotypes, 

hence, the need to criminalise such 

marriages. 

He further stressed and cautioned 

that sickle cell disorder has 

no cure as claimed by some medical 

practitioners and herbalists, 

and that the way out is to know 

your genotype and discontinue any 

marriage relationship that would 

lead to sickle cell anemia. 

He also pointed out that women 

bear the larger burden in terms of 

caring for children suffering from 

the disorder, hence the importance 

of creating awareness about the 

disorder among women. 

The Skills Acquisition and Public 

Lecture had talks, entrepreneurial 

classes and award presentation 

to individuals and institutions 

that have supported 

the Foundation. 

Some of the awardees were the 

Assistant Commissioner of Police, 

Alausa, Ikeja, Olubode Ojajuni, 

Lagos State Command; 

The Chairman of Saroe Foundation, 

Rev Roseline Ohio Ehimiagbe 

and the Welfare Officer, 

POWA, Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos 

State Command, Ele-ojo Vera 

Saudi. 

He said: “The level of pain, 

oppression, abuse and exploitation 

that persons with sickle cell 

anemia go through makes it imperative 

for government to intervene 

and come up with a law 

that will prosecute persons or 

institutions that conduct marriages 

for persons with sickle 

cell disorder. 

“It is sad that Nigeria remains 

the number one sickle cell endemic 

country in Africa with 150,000 children 

born with the disorder every 

year, and it is unacceptable by us in 

EO Foundation. Sickle cell disorder 

has no cure but it is preventable and 

avoidable. 

“I passionately appeal to the 9th 

Assembly to make sure that the Sickle 

Cell law is passed and President 

Muhammadu Buhari signs it into 

law prohibiting sickle cell reproduction.” 

Meanwhile, Otoikhian also acknowledged 

the policies of some religious 

organisations on making it 

compulsory for their members who 

intend to be wedded by them to go 

for genotype test in order to avoid 

giving birth to children who would 

become the victims of sickle cell anemia. 

Also speaking on the issue, Welfare 

Officer, POWA, Alausa, Ikeja, 

Lagos State Command, Vera Saudi, 

expressed joy over the enlightenment 

on sickle cell anemia, describing 

it as ‘an eye opener’ for her and 

women in the command. 

Saudi added that she would take 

the message to her family in order 

for them to make the right decision 

and choice on whom to marry so they 

would not become victims of the 

menace. 

Also reacting, the Assistant Commissioner 

of Police, ACP, Olubode Ojajuni, 

who was former Lagos State Police 

Command Public Relations Officer said 

the information and enlightenment from 

EO Foundation was timely as it concerns 

the present and future of young 

people who are planning marriage relationship 

that would definitely produce 

children. 

Ojajuni promised to support EO 

Foundation in its public enlightenment 

campaigns across Police barracks in the 

state as it would go a long way in tackling 

the menace. 

“We need to know more about sickle 

cell especially for us who are in the 

security service of the nation. Most 

times, we are not at home, we don’t 

have time to check our status. 

“According to the foundation, it is not 

a curable disease but we are glad to 

know that we can avoid it when we 

know our genotype and take precautionary 

measures so we can have a 

peaceful and enduring life throughout 

our lifetime,” he said. 

•Some women cleaning their surrounding during the launch of ‘Our Barracks, Our 

Pride’ initiative in Ugheli Division. 

Rotary donation: Our pupils will 

no longer see WC as a plate 

– School manager 

By Elizabeth Uwandu 

Mrs. Nkemakola Okere, the 

Manager of Teslim Elias Model 

Primary School has said that the 

donation of 12 cubicles/refurbished 

toilets by Rotary Club of Lagos Island, 

RCLI District 9110 will 

make her pupils not to see water 

closet, WC as plates anymore. 

Speaking at the handover ceremony 

in the school premises recently, 

Mrs Okere explained that the donation 

by the Rotarians will make children 

of the poor heave a sigh of relief. 

According to her: "When the Rotary 

Club came and asked me what I 

needed most to be done among the 

challenges facing the school, I told 

them that the toilets were in bad 

shape. The septic tank was broken 

and excreta kept on gushing out of 

the soak-away. Surprisingly, within 

a month, 10 cubicles of the toilet and 

two for the teachers were made available. 

“I don’t know how to appreciate 

them enough and the chairman and 

members of our local government in 

making the children of the poor, 

mostly those living under the bridge 

now, understand how to use the modern 

toilet. They will no longer see 

WC as a plate,” she beamed. 

At the commissioning, Vipul Agarwal, 

President, RCLI while noting 

that education was one of its key priorities, 

reiterated that the humanitarian 

body decided to spend over 

N2.5 billion to renovate the toilet facilities 

of Teslim Elias Model School 

and Union Baptist Secondary 

School, both at Lagos Island in order 

to allow the children from an 

underprivileged background enjoy 

basic infrastructure. 

Thanking the Lagos Island LGA for 

making the renovation possible, Agarwal 

said: “Good investment is needed 

to maintain infrastructure in public 

schools. We, therefore aim at giving 

the children from the poor background 

a big improvement in health and sanitation. 

“This first project has seen RCLI fully 

rehabilitating the toilet block for boys, 

girls and teachers, giving it a new look 

and functionality. All sanitary fittings, 

plumbing, tiling, doors, windows, 

roofs, ceilings, electricity, water borehole, 

and soak-away pit and septic 

tank have been fully repaired. For the 

first time in many years, children have 

access to proper toilets with flowing 

water,” he said. 

Expressing delight on the new shape 

of the toilet and the efforts of RCLI, 

Vice-Chairman, Lagos Island Local 

Government, Wadood Bashorun said: 

“We feel elated as the Club has done 

a very good job for us in renovating 

and alleviating the sufferings of the 

pupils." 

When asked what the LGA did to 

address the issue of dilapidated toilet 

before Rotary's intervention, the VC 

who doubles as the education supervisor 

said: “Before now, the toilet was 

in very bad shape. However, on assumption 

of office last year, during a 

tour of primary schools in the area, we 

itemised the problems of each primary 

school; that was how we knew about 

the dilapidated toilet. So, when they 

came and said they needed to carry 

out a project, we gave them this one,” 

he explained.


Since govt gives free condoms 

for sex, why not free pads for 

girls – child rights activist 

By Prisca Sam-Duru 

THE increasing diffi 

culty that needy 

women and girls face in 

handling their monthly 

periods due to lack of access 

to sanitary products, 

according to writer 

and child rights activist, 

Betty Abah, has made it 

pertinent for the Nigerian 

government to provide 

free sanitary pads to 

such women since they 

have been giving out 

free condoms for sex. 

Abah, who is the 

founder and Executive 

Director of The Centre 

for Children’s Health 

Education, Orientation 

and Protection, CEE- 

HOPE, an NGO that 

works with vulnerable 

children especially girls, 

stated this at a one-day 

conference held in Lagos 

to commemorate this 

year’s Menstrual Hygiene 

Day, which witnessed 

the participation 

of about 300 children 

from 15 schools across 

Lagos and Ogun states. 

The conference was 

held on Tuesday at the 

Inner Court House of 

Glory Hall, Ifako- 

Ogba, Lagos, in collaboration 

with the NGO, 

Girls On A Mission, 

GOAM, Australia. 

“The conference would 

serve the double purpose 

of drawing attention of 

the government and other 

stakeholders to the difficulties 

that women and 

girls in prison, detention 

centres, in Internally Displaced 

(IDP) camps, 

those fleeing conflicts, 

those with mental health 

issues and those facing 

economic difficulties, face. 

Before now, period was 

regarded as a taboo topic 

but it is time to end the 

silence and put it in public 

domain. This is something 

that affects millions 

of girls especially because 

we are going through a 

major economic depression 

and many families’ 

purchasing powers are 

Children’s Day: How itel Mobile feted 

children across Nigeria 

down to zero. It’s time to 

ask questions such as ‘can 

sanitary pads be made 

more affordable for our 

women and girls? Can 

government help with tax 

reductions or even make 

it tax-free so that needy 

women can afford them? 

Can they be distributed 

free of charge as is being 

done already in other 

countries? she asked. According 

to her, the lack of 

money to purchase sanitary 

pads put many girls 

in very vulnerable situation 

which makes them to 

be involved in contractual 

sex to get money to buy 

pads and many get infected 

in the process while 

many girls miss school 

when they are in their 

period and have no 

money to buy pads. 

“Imagine that due 

to unavailability of 

sanitary pad, a child 

misses school. Some resort 

to the use of rags and 

other things that are 

harmful to health, this is 

not supposed to be so. 

Government distributes 

free condoms for sex 

which is by choice and I 

believe that if they can do 

that, why not also distribute 

free sanitary pads to 

women and girls for their 

monthly menstrual flow 

which is never by choice.” 

Abah also said the event 

was to sensitise the school 

girls on how to avoid rape 

since they are the ones 

mostly targeted for rape 

as well as provide career 

and motivational talks. 

Doctor and Founder, 

Atayese Health Network 

and Bambo Hospital, Dr. 

Adeolu Olusodo, also buttressed 

the point that the 

issue of menstrual hygiene 

should be given 

more attention by government 

as women are at the 

centre of procreation and 

therefore most relevant in 

the sustainability of hu- 

mankind. Dr Olusodo who 

also runs medical services 

for the ultra-poor in 

slum communities across 

Lagos lectured the students 

on the biology of 

menstrual cycle and how 

they can understand their 

cycle and report abnormalities. 

Yinka Kenny, founder of 

the YinkaKenny Girls 

Care Foundation spoke 

on menstrual hygiene 

management. According 

to her: “Menstruation is a 

responsibility that nature 

has bestowed upon us, it 

cannot be avoided and we 

need to ensure we do our 

bit to stay healthy in order 

to avoid infections.” 

She also advocated free 

sanitary pads for economically-disadvantaged 

women and girls. 

Eminent rape crises 

management expert and 

Executive Director, Media 

Concern for Women and 

Children, MEDIACON, 

Dr. Princess Kayode- 

Olufemi, addressed the 

children on steps to take 

to avoid rape. She explained 

that once they 

attain puberty, they can 

be pregnant and urged 

them to ensure they 

avoid unprotected sex 

and rape. 

TO 

celebrate 

Children’s Day 

this year, itel Mobile 

treated children 

nationwide to a special 

superhero 

themed parties as 

part of the brand’s 

CSR Initiative 

tagged: Love Always 

On. The 

smartphone brand, 

who believes that 

today’s children are 

tomorrow’s super 

heroes, decided to 

make the annual celebration 

a day to remember 

for children, 

their parents, 

and guardians. 

The party was 

joined by hundreds 

of children including 

pupils from different 

schools and 

communities across 

different cities from 

Lagos, Abuja, Yola, 

Onitsha, Ogbomosho, 

Kaduna and 

Port-Harcourt. 

Featuring a beehive 

of fun activities 

like face-painting, 

carousel rides, football 

game, and lots 

of other exciting 

side attractions, including 

the brand’s 

happy mascot, iBoy 

who came to the party 

in the company of 

other popular cartoon 

friends, itel 

Mobile tried its best 

to make sure all the 

children were happy 

and satisfied. 

Winners of the 

games got amazing 

gifts such as educational 

materials and 

branded gift bags, 

bringing the fun, 

games, and gifts to 

more than 2,500 children 

in Lagos State. 

In Abuja, the brand 

“Today’s children 

are tomorrow’s 

heroes” 

partnered with Oma 

Ventures to show the 

importance of giving 

love, attention and 

affection to children 

in the IDP camp on 

the 23rd of May, 2019. 

In Onitsha, itel Mobile 

celebrated the 

day with children in 

Red Cross Orphanage 

Home in partnership 

with Iknobert International 

Limited, EBI 

Father Communication 

and Royal Global 

Ink Communication 

on the 23rd of May, 

2019. 

In Ogbomosho, the 

brand in conjunction 

with Ajilete FM, 

Gbambari, and Tundex 

Multibiz Golden 

Venture on 23rd 

May, 2019 showed 

love to children on 

this special day. 

The students of Victory 

Academy in 

Kakuri, Kaduna were 

not left out of the 

love from itel Mobile 

on 24th May, 2019. 

The brand engaged 

children in career 

talks, heroic stories 

and exciting games 

in Jimeta,Yola on the 

24th May 2019. 

In Port Harcourt, 

itel Mobile in conjunction 

with JJ 

Phones, Vinchino 

and Daniella Best 

treated physically 

challenged kids in 

the city to a day of 

fun and thrills 

Commenting on the 

celebration, Oke 

Umurhowo, itel Mobile’s 

Marketing 

Communications 

Manager, West Africa, 

said: “At itel Mobile, 

we believe children 

are our future 

heroes and every 

child has the potential 

to change the 

world if given the 

right motivation, 

and itel has always 

been concerned 

about children’s 

growth and education.”

28 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2019





Send Opinions & Letters to: 

opinions1234@yahoo.com 

NEARLY four months after 

this year’s presidential 

election, the animus between the two 

leading candidates, President 

Muhammadu Buhari and former 

Vice President Atiku Abubakar, and 

their parties is stronger and more 

deep-seated than during the 

campaign. Otherwise, how else can 

one explain the recent sensational, 

yet unproven, allegation by the 

Buhari government that Atiku and 

his party, the Peoples Democratic 

Party, PDP, were plotting a coup 

against the president? 

Of course, lest we forget, Nigeria 

is a country where politicians talk 

and act with reckless abandon, 

where elections are characterised by 

intemperate language, mudslinging 

and hate speeches. Before coming to 

the coup allegation, here, for context, 

are some of the wild allegations and 

incendiary comments made by the 

leading politicians during the 

election. 

Take Atiku. He alleged that 

Buhari’s party, All Progressives 

Congress, APC, was training 

operatives in China to manipulate 

the card readers. The aim, he said, 

was to slow down the card readers in 

states where he was electorally 

strong, while accelerating them in 

Buhari’s strongholds. Now, if this 

allegation was true, it would 

obviously have amounted to a 

serious and widespread electoral 

fraud, warranting the cancellation 

of all the elections or their results, 

not to mention the prosecution and 

possible jailing of the perpetrators 

The reckless alarmism about 

‘coup plot’ against Buhari 

of such a systemic electoral crime. 

Except that the allegation wasn’t true 

at all or, at least, not proven! Atiku 

provided not a shred of evidence to 

support his serious claim. 

Then, take Buhari. In one 

campaign rally in the North, he 

invoked the word “fitna”. His 

supporters called it a “joke”. But the 

dictionary defines fitna as “unrest or 

rebellion”. How, you might wonder, 

would the president joke with such a 

word? But it was Nasir el-Rufai, 

Kaduna State governor, who 

plumbed the depths in the hatespeech 

infamy. He reportedly told 

foreign observers that if they 

interfered in the elections they would 

leave in “body bags”, that is, dead! 

How could any responsible 

politician say such an abhorrent 

thing? Well, el-Rufai, to his eternal 

embarrassment, did. It was beyond 

the pale! 

All of which brings us to the 

allegation of a coup plot, by far the 

most reckless and insouciant 

behaviour, given its wider 

implications. In early May this year, 

the Chief of Army Staff, General 

Tukur Buratai, alleged that there was 

a coup plot. A week later, on May 

14, the Defence Headquarters said 

there was a document in circulation 

seeking the overthrow of President 

No government in 

a democracy should 

make unproven 

allegations of 

treason against 

political opponents 

Buhari through a coup and named 

an organisation it called “Nigerian 

Continuity and Progress” as the 

group behind the alleged coup plot. 

The following day, on May 15, the 

Minister of Information, Lai 

Mohammed, ratcheted up the 

rhetoric by specifically linking Atiku 

and the PDP to the alleged coup plan. 

His words: “The PDP and Atiku 

were working to make Nigeria 

ungovernable with the intention of 

overthrowing President 

Muhammadu Buhari”. He went on: 

“Our interventions are based on 

credible evidence”, adding that “no 

government with the kind of evidence 

that we have – plans to subvert the 

power of the state – will keep quiet”. 

This was not the first time that the 

military would make allegations of 

a coup plot against the Buhari 

administration. There have been 

several allegations. For instance, in 

2017, the same chief of army staff, 

General Buratai, said that “some 

individuals have been approaching 

some officers and soldiers for 

undisclosed political reasons”. This 

was widely interpreted as an alleged 

coup plot, and prompted a warning 

from the APC national leader, Bola 

Tinubu, to those “trying to entice the 

military out of the barracks”: “Don’t 

try it!” 

But this time, not only did the 

military allege a coup plan, the 

government explicitly linked a 

national political leader and a major 

opposition party to it. But if the 

government has the kind of “credible 

evidence” it said it had, one would 

have expected it to go beyond not 

keeping quiet and actually prosecute 

the alleged coup plotters. How many 

governments would have credible 

evidence of a plan to subvert the state 

without holding those involved 

accountable for their actions? 

Attempts to subvert a state or to 

overthrow a legitimate government 

are certainly serious crimes that 

shouldn’t be swept under the carpet! 

The truth, though, is that there was 

no such evidence that Atiku and the 

PDP were planning to overthrow the 

Buhari government. As Premium 

Times, the respected online 

investigative newspaper, recently put 

it: “There is no evidence that the 

document (allegedly seeking to 

overthrow Buhari) was ever 

circulated”. Leaving aside Premium 

Times investigations and findings, 

the Buhari government discredits 

itself by failing to provide 

incontrovertible evidence to support 

its weighty allegation that a former 

vice president and a leading 

presidential candidate and a major 

opposition party were plotting to 

overthrow it. 

On the Richter scale of political 

irresponsibility, the government’s 

coup scare was of the highest possible 

magnitude. No government in a 

democracy should make unproven 

allegations of treason against 

political opponents. For in such 

behaviour lies the seed of tyranny, 

the silencing of political opponents 

through trumped-up subversion 

charges. 

Surely, the government’s coup 

allegation against the opposition 

was reckless. Even sadder was the 

lock-step choreography between the 

military and the government. The 

Nigerian military is prone to 

politicisation. Yet, its integrity lies in 

being completely professional and 

apolitical. The unproven coup 

allegation hasn’t helped its image! 

Electricity theft regulation and timely law to salvage energy loss 

By Cyril Omote 

NIGERIANS are desirous of a growth in 

the power sector. Such growth or 

progression, hopefully, is to be predicated on 

regular power supply, eradication of estimated 

billing through the provision of meters to all 

customers and efficient service delivery by the 

distribution companies (Discos) who are at the 

end of the power sector value chain. 

Observers are quick to point out that such 

growth coming from a background with an 

order of magnitude of deficiency and 

inefficiency in the power sector caused by 

historical neglect, will require an associated 

order of magnitude of investment, 

commitment, focus, and patience, for its 

turnaround. 

Efficient electricity market is and continues 

to be a defined outcome of the power sector 

reform effort. The elimination of estimated 

billing, largely, is one of the expected outcomes 

for an efficient market. However, attainment 

of this efficiency is also predicated on other 

factors such as appropriate electricity pricing, 

increased generation, efficient regulation, 

forex availability, consistency of regulation and 

policy-making and implementation, 

favourable lending terms, and the reduction 

or absence of electricity theft that, unfortunately, 

have been the albatross of the sector till date. 

Good a thing the Muhammad Buhari-led 

administration has made the eradication of 

corruption in all facets of national life one of 

its cardinal focus. Analysts believe that 

corruption is not limited to financial crimes 

alone, as we have the siege in many facets of 

national life where people contravene the 

normal legal convention and shortcuts the 

benefits of many entities or people for few 

individuals such as energy theft. Therefore 

there is no gainsaying that electricity line 

disruption and stealing should be considered 

economic crimes in Nigeria, hence under the 

scope of operations of the anti-graft agency, 

the Economic and Financial Crimes 

Commission, EFCC. 

Little wonder then that recently the EFCC 

was reported to have begun the investigation 

into alleged collusion by some electricity 

distribution firms’ workers, consumers and 

meter manufacturing companies to steal 

electricity by bypassing the meter. It would be 

recalled that Nigeria’s Minister of Power, 

Works andHousing, Mr. Babatunde 

Fashola, recently pointed out electricity 

distribution companies in the country are 

facing technical and commercial losses 

running at 75 per cent in some areas. Hence, 

making the sector not attractive to potential 

investors. 

Electricity theft can be defined as the illegal 

use of electricity service with the intention to 

avoid billing charge. It is a problem for the 

electricity supply industry in many countries 

with huge consequences in loss of revenue and 

danger to life and property. In developed 

countries, it appears to be more controlled 

which is evident in low levels of non-technical 

losses. 

The deliberate stealing of electricity is 

widespread and happens through various 

schemes, including direct connection to the 

overhead low tension distribution cables, 

bypassing the meter so that only a small load 

is connected to it while the rest are connected 

directly to the supply behind the meter or 

tampering with the meter to make its reading 

inaccurate. 

The deliberate stealing of electricity is more 

often than not aided and abetted by experienced 

(current or past) technicians who understand 

how the systems work. Executive Director, 

Research and Advocacy, Association of Nigeria 

Electricity Distributors, ANED, Mr. Sunday 

Oduntan, disclosed at a recent programme in 

Port Harcourt that the body has carried out a 

research on energy theft in the country and the 

result was disheartening. “One major challenge 

is the low level of power available for 

Nigerians, even the little that is available is 

stolen by consumers. 

“We have done a research that shows that 

47per cent of installed prepaid meters are bypassed 

within the first four weeks of installation 

by the customers. Which means we have so 

many energy thieves in our country.” 

There is an existing federal legislation that 

prescribes a 21-year jail term for energy theft 

offenders. The law is now being replicated at 

the state level as states are expected to pass the 

law for implementation. The evil thing about 

energy theft is that those not involved are 

indirectly paying for those involved, hence the 

need for all and sundry to fight the 

cankerworm. If there is no energy theft the 

efficiency desired from power service providers 

will be achieved. 

It is, therefore, salutary that the regulatory 

agency in the power sector, Nigeria Electricity 

Regulatory Commission, NERC, has presented 

a bill to the Senate seeking a seven-year jail 

term for electricity theft. The bill is entitled: ‘A 

Bill for an Act to prohibit and prevent electricity 

theft, power infrastructure vandalisation and 

power company protection 2017.’ It was 

presented by the Chairman, Senate 

Committee on Power, Steel Development and 

Metallurgy, Eyinnaya Abaribe. The 

commission claimed that stealing and 

sabotage were responsible for between 30 per 

cent and 35 per cent energy loss in the country. 

It frowned on some consumers who it 

claimed by-passed meters and also vandalise 

transformers and feeder pillars, among others. 

“If we fail to act decisively in correcting the ills 

of the power sector, including public power 

leakage, the opportunity for the country to 

recover could be lost,” the commission warned. 

In the same vein, worried by the spate of 

incessant challenges in the power sector 

Vandals and those who 

involved in all forms of 

electrical theft now risk twoyear 

jail term with an option 

of N2 million fine 

manifesting in the form of vandalism of 

electricity distribution network, equipment and 

installations, illegal tampering of meters and 

connections, meter bypass and other forms of 

electrical theft, Ekiti State government 

inaugurated the Ekiti State Electricity 

Regulation Act 2015 that makes vandals in 

Ekiti State risk a two-year jail term following 

the inauguration of the Act 2015 by Governor 

Kayode Fayemi. 

The governor who was represented by the 

Secretary to the State Government, Mr. 

Biodun Oyebanji said the law was made to 

protect suppliers and the users of electricity. 

The customers, he said, have responsibility to 

BEDC Electricity Plc by ensuring they do not 

tamper with electrical fittings, meters or 

vandalize transformers, while the distribution 

company also have the responsibility of 

providing efficient power with billing 

commensurate with power supply. 

According to the SSG, the content of the Act 

seeks to deter illegal and unauthorised use of 

regulated electricity supply as well as to protect 

electricity infrastructure. Vandals and those 

involved in all forms of electrical theft now 

risk two-year jail term with an option of N2 

million fine. 

The law also mandates the establishment of 

electricity committees in all communities in 

the state to partner with the State Electricity 

Board in ensuring the prevention of trespass 

upon or damage to substations, buildings, 

cable, poles, transformers, electrical 

installation or premises appertaining to any 

supply undertaking or otherwise belonging 

thereto. 

The challenge of energy theft is so daunting 

to the extent that such theft of electricity and 

associated loss of revenue, may have compelled 

the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company to 

acquire and install an Integrated Commercial 

Management System, InCMS, worth N2.4 

million to check repeated theft of electricity by 

consumers within its network coverage. 

Besides reducing losses to electricity theft, the 

automated system according to the Disco was 

equally expected to improve the service 

experience of its consumers. 

It is high time the wave of curbing energy 

theft took firm root in Edo State where the 

service providers, BEDC Electricity Plc., says 

between 30 and 50 per cent of energy 

distributed is lost to energy theft. It is, therefore, 

a timely step by the Edo State House of 

Assembly which mooted and passed into law 

the Electricity Theft and Other Related 

Offences, and Establishment of the Special 

Offences (Electricity Theft) Court and For 

Other Purposes Connected thereto. 

Tough times await illegal consumers of 

electricity in the state as the enacted law 

prohibits energy theft and other related 

offences and also establish a special offences 

court to prosecute offenders. It provides that 

an offender should pay all calculated loss of 

revenue in addition to being liable for an 

imprisonment for a term not exceeding two 

years if convicted by a court and payment of 

penalty and reconnection fee. 

Continues online 

•Omote, a public affairs analyst, wrote from 

Benin City


Okowa extols Utuama at 72 

By Festus Ahon 

A State 

SABA—DELTA 

governor, 

Senator Ifeanyi Okowa has 

described the immediate 

past Deputy Governor of 

the state, Prof. Amos 

Utuama, SAN as a 

committed patriot, astute 

administrator and a leader 

of impeccable disposition. 

Okowa in a statement 

congratulating the former 

deputy governor, who 

turned 72 years, yesterday, 

said the invaluable service 

of Prof Utuama to Deltans 

will remain indelible in 

their hearts. 

Okowa said, “It is with 

profound joy that I write on 

behalf of my family, the 

government and people of 

Delta State, to express our 

very warm felicitation to 

you as you turn 72 years 

today. 

“In the last 72 years, you 

have touched a lot of lives, 

from impacting knowledge 

as a law teacher, to serving 

as the Chief Law Officer 

....As Delta community hails 

him on infrastructural devt 

By Ochuko Akuopha 

OLEH—THE people 

of Ikpide-Irri 

Community in Isoko South 

Local Government Area, 

Delta State, have 

commended Governor 

Ifeanyi Okowa for the 

infrastructural development 

in the area. 

The people, who 

celebrated the second term 

inauguration of the 

governor at their town hall, 

noted that the construction 

of internal roads and 

drainage by the state 

government was about 80 

percent completed. 

Speaking during the 

ceremony, President 

General of the community, 

Gbajabiamila has qualities of a 

Speaker — WAIVE 

THE 

member-elect 

for Ughelli North, 

Ughelli South and Udu 

Federal Constituency, Delta 

State in the House of 

Representatives, Mr. 

Francis Waive, has said the 

incumbent Majority Leader 

of the House, Femi 

Gbajabiamila, has all the 

qualities to emerge the next 

Speaker of the House. 

Speaking to journalists in 

Abuja, Waive said 

Gbajabiamila was very 

much in the race for the 

esteemed office of the 

Speaker and the vice 

chairman of the National 

Assembly, calling on 

members-elect and 

contenders for the seat to 

step down and give 

Gbajabiamila unstinted 

support. 

According to him, 

“Gbajamiala is my choice for 

the Speakership. With over 

17 years legislative 

experience working as 

Minority and then 

Majority Leader, I am 

thrilled by the way he 

treats fellow members. 

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

and later as deputy 

governor of our dear state. 

You have indeed shown that 

you are born to serve and 

you served the state and the 

nation passionately. 

“Your humility and 

commitment to service is 

unassailable and this was 

even as a former deputy 

governor, you led our party, 

the Peoples Democratic 

Party, PDP, in Ughelli South 

Local Government Area to 

a resounding victory in the 

2019 general election. 

‘’Your charisma, 

exemplary life, and 

commitment to the growth 

and development of our 

dear state had been 

acknowledged by Deltans 

of all walks of life. 

“I join your family, 

friends, political associates 

and well-wishers to thank 

Almighty God for His 

continued guidance, 

protection and provision for 

you in the past 72 years of 

a life of forthrightness and 

outstanding patriotism with 

which He has blessed you.” 

Mr. Mike Omojefe said that 

the 30.05 kilometres of 

internal road was approved 

and awarded for 

construction as first phase of 

road projects in the 

community, disclosing that 

the second phase would 

soon commence. 

Thanking Okowa for the 

functional health centre in 

the community, Omojefe 

said medical personnel had 

been deployed to the area 

to ensure effective health 

service delivery to the 

people. 

He said the construction 

of the water tank would 

soon be completed and 

water treatment device 

installed before it would be 

ready for use. 

“He knows everyone by 

name and relates with 

everyone as though you 

were the one and only 

member of the House. His 

sound education as a lawyer 

and solid contacts in the 

polity stand him out. 

Fortunately, he is the 

candidate of my party, the 

All Progressives Congress. 

“So it is natural for the 

Majority Leader and his 

deputy, Wase to step in as 

Speaker and Deputy 

Speaker, respectively.” 

WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY: From left: Mr Vishal Kaveti, Commercial Director, The La Casera Company 

Plc (TLCC); Mr Chinedum Okereke, Managing Director, TLCC; Mrs Ruth Ode, Senior Brand Manager, La 

Casera and Mrs Aderonke Adesoye, Assistant Chief Scientific Officer, LAWMA dduring the 2019 world 

Environment Day Commemoration by TLCC in Lagos,yesterday. Photo: Akeem Salau. 

Why militants put off declaring 

N’Delta Republic June 1 

By Emma Amaize 

& Akpokona 

Omafuaire 

W 

A R R I — 

MILITANTS 

under the coalition of 

Network of Niger Delta 

Republic Fighters, NNDRF, 

who threatened last month 

to declare a Republic of 

Niger Delta, June 1, 

allegedly made a strategic 

retreat, following a strong 

repudiation of the plan by 

traditional rulers, leaders 

and ex-agitators from the 

region. 

Some of the traditional 

rulers from South-South 

region, who President 


summoned to a meeting in 

Abuja, May 27, to prevail 

on the boys to back down, 

returned home and sent 

messages through 

emissaries to leaders of the 

militants to retreat. 

The Nigerian military 

acting on a tip off, 

however, still laid siege 

to communities in 

Gbaramatu Kingdom, 

home town of ex-militant 

leader, Government 

Ekpemupolo, alias 

Tompolo, in Warri South- 

West Local Government 

Area, Delta State. Tompolo 

has been underground for 

about three years over his 

money laundering case 

with the Economic and 

Financial Crimes 

Commission, EFCC. 

However, the biggest 

threat to the declaration was 

the sturdy opposition by 

several agitating groups in 

the region, some of which 

threatened to lead security 

agencies to the perpetrators 

if they declared a Niger 

Delta Republic and go 

ahead to bomb oil facilities. 

The 21st Century 

Youths of Niger Delta 

and Agitators with 

Conscience on May 25, 

publicly dissociated the 

group from NNDRF, 

saying the plot to declare 

Niger Delta Republic, 

June 1, would endanger 

the lives of the people and 

leaders of the region. 

Despite the fact that 

NNDRF had aborted the 

plan, Commandant 

General, Riverine Security 

(Coast Guard of the 

Federation, Commander 

Bibi Oduku, met with exmilitant 

leaders across the 

Niger Delta at Apelebiri, 

Oduku’s hometown in 

Patani in Delta state, last 

weekend, to review the 

development. 

It was learned that selfstyled 

“General” Jetli led 

other ex-militants from the 

region to the meeting 

where they extensively 

discussed the issue of 

Niger Delta Republic. 

A source, who attended 

the meeting, said, “The exmilitant 

leader, who 

headed the visiting team, 

‘General Jetli said the 

people of Niger Delta were 

not ready to lose their sons 

and daughters because of 

personal interest and 

avoidable clash with the 

Federal Government over 

declaration of Niger Delta 

Republic. 

“The ex-militant leader 

spoke on peace and their 

readiness to work with the 

Riverine Security to support 

government to end the 

activities of those campaigning 

for Niger Delta 

Republic. 

“Another ex-militant 

leader, ‘General’ Super 

Oweikeme said the Niger 

Delta Republic campaign 

was already a threat to 

market women in the 

riverine areas because 

some groups used the 

medium to carry out 

illegality in there,” he said. 

Speaking at the meeting, 

Commander Oduku said, 

“The Federal Government 

had already put security 

agencies on ground to 

apprehend any law 

breaker, while Riverine 

Security is working with the 

Nigeria Police, Army, Navy 

and other security agencies 

to nip the plan. 

“We are working hard to 

fish out any group or 

groups funding and 

supporting the declaration 

of Niger Delta Republic 

and other criminal 

activities and I assure 

you that there will be 

peace in Niger Delta.” 

Direct council funding'll deepen grassroots 

democracy, says A’Ibom TUC 

By Harris-Okon 

Emmanuel 

UYO—AKWA Ibom 

State Council of 

Trade Union Congress, 

TUC, has said that the 

direct funding of local 

government from the 

Deputy Speaker: ‘Omo-Agege remains our choice' 

AS the date to elect 

new principal officers 

for the Senate draws closer, 

a political pressure group, 

South South APC Elites 

Movement, has restated its 

position to President 

Muhammadu Buhari over 

the nomination of Sen. 

Ovie Omo-Agege for the 


The group in a statement 

by its National Chairman, 

Mr. Kester Keiruoboh, 

noted that no sentiment was 

attached to their choice of 

Omo-Agege but that his 

nomination came from their 

findings and his loyalty to 

the party and the president 

during the election 

sequence controversy that 

rocked the 8th Assembly. 

The group said, “To 

avoid the repeat of the 

leadership tussle that 

played out in the 8th 

Assembly, a trusted and 

loyal party man must be a 

criterion in the choice of 

leadership of the 9th 

Assembly, hence, the 

people of South South are 

calling on APC leaders and 

President Buhari to support 

Omo-Agege for the Deputy 

Senate President. 

“Omo-Agege, in his first 

tenure in the Senate 

exhibited a high sense of 

commitment and loyalty to 

the leadership of the party, 

and same he will display if 

given a responsibility as the 

Deputy Senate President.'' 

Federation Account will 

deepen democratic ethos 

at the grassroots. 

State TUC Chairman, 

Akamba Awah, in an 

interview with Vanguard, 

applauded the Federal 

Government for taking the 

bull by the horn as the 

policy would enable LGAs 

meet some of their 

obligations thereby 

fulfilling their constitutional 

duties to the grassroots 

people. 

Awah said, “To me, it is 

good radiant to bad 

rubbish. Why I say so is that 

over the years, we have 

been battling with the 

payment of gratuities and 

pensions to local 

government workers. 

“ It has always been a 

ding-dong battle between 

the state government and 

the local government, 

where governors would say 

that they are not the ones to 

pay salaries to the local government, 

that the local government 

should pay and 

the local government would 

say that they have a Joint 

Account. 

“And this ding-dong affair 

has been going on like that. 

I think it is the best, but the 

question is who supervises 

the local government now? 

Would the Chairmen use 

the money to pay salaries 

and fund their pensions 

and gratuities? The local 

government has a local 

government pension board, 

which has been starved of 

funds. 

“I think it would make for 

proper democracy at the 

grassroots, where a 

governor would not 

interfere with who becomes 

the chairman. Since the 

governors know they do 

not have a hand in it, the 

grassroots would choose 

their leader.''


UNN-SUG, Foundation fight 

rise in suicide among youths 

By Vincent 

Ujumadu& 

Ikechukwu Odu 

AWKA—A 

nongovernmental 

organisation, JohnBosco 

Onunkwo Foundation, 

has evolved measures to 

curb the increasing rate of 

suicide among Nigerian 

youths. 

Also, the Students Union 

Government of University 

of Nigeria, Nsukka, SUG- 

UNN, on Tuesday, 

launched an anti-suicide 

campaign to counsel 

students against nursing 

suicide thoughts. 

At a symposium 

organised in collaboration 

with the Anambra State 

chapter of Good 

Governance Ambassadors 

of Nigeria in Awka, the 

Foundation described as 

worrisome, a situation 

whereby many youths 

resorted to taking their own 

lives, apparently out of 

frustration. 

Founder of the 

Foundation, Chief 

Johnbosco Onunkwo, said 

there was no reason for 

any youth to commit 

suicide when there were 

many things he could do. 

According to him, 

Nigerian youths should 

tap into their talents to get 

greener pastures, noting 

that doing so would go a 

long way to reduce suicide 

and other social vices. 

He said: “We have to tell 

the people that 

government cannot do 

everything for them. Time 

has come when the people 

should call themselves to 

a meeting and begin to 

think about what they can 

Muslims should partner on fight 

against insecurity—Imam 

By Chinenyeh 

Ozor 

AS Muslims end the 

Ramadan fast, the 

Imam of University of 

Nigeria, Nsukka, UNN, 

Sheikh Adams 

Akachukwu Idoko, has 

called for a coalition of 

Christian Association of 

Nigeria, CAN, and 

Muslim faithful to fight 

insecurity in the country. 

Sheik Idoko made the 

call in a sermon he 

delivered at UNN's 

mosque to mark the end 

of Ramadan fast, saying 

joint efforts of CAN and 

Muslims would be the 

best option to fight 

insecurity to a logical 

conclusion in the country. 

He said for the country 

to move forward, citizens 

must shun ethnic and 

do within themselves 

and be able to stand. 

“I believe in capacity 

building and I believe in 

the diversification 

agenda of President 

Muhammadu Buhari, 

where he said people 

should not only think of 

one source, but should 

think about 

diversification because it 

is a survival strategy.” 

Onunkwo explained 

that the conversation 

series with the youths 

would become a regular 

affair to help them attain 

e c o n o m i c 

independence. 

...UNN-SUG 

The campaign by the 

UNN-SUG, tagged 

Mental Health 

Awareness Campaign: 

Suicide is not an Option, 

was launched by the 

SUG to dissuade 

students from 

considering suicide 

when faced with 

challenges of life. 

While speaking to 

Vanguard on the 

campaign, the SUG’s 

chairman on 

Information and 

Editorials, Kelechi 

Ndieze, said the 

initiative was spurred 

by sudden attempts by 

students to take their 

lives. 

He disclosed that 

apart from 400 Level 

student of English and 

Literary Studies of the 

institution, Chukwu- 

Emeka Ugwuoke who 

committed suicide, five 

other students had made 

attempts to take their 

lives on campus. 

religious discrimination, 

noting that terrorism, 

kidnap and 

unwarranted destruction 

has been the bane of the 

country in recent past. 

He used the 

opportunity to call on 

the Federal 

Government to put in 

more efforts for the 

release of Leah 

Sharibu, who was 

abducted along with 

her school mates and 

still being held captive 

over one year after her 

mates have been 

released. 

The Sheikh explained 

that one of the ways to 

restore peaceful coexistence 

in the country 

is for citizens to shun any 

form of discrimination 

and think of ways to 

move the nation forward. 

Ihedioha yet to confirm Okorocha's 

compliance with handover deadline 

•To review Ekekwu Market relocation order, suspends dredging activities 

By Chinonso Alozie 

O 

W E R R I — 

GOVERNOR 

Emeka Ihedioha of Imo 

State has not officially 

confirmed whether his 

predecessor, Rochas 

Okorocha, has met with the 

deadline issued to him 

(Okorocha) to conclude his 

official handover of 

documents. 

Vanguard had observed 

that Ihedioha, Monday, 

gave Okorocha till 

midnight of Tuesday to 

make a proper hand over 

to him (Ihedioha). 

To ensure that this is 

accomplished, the 

governor ordered the 

Permanent Secretary and 

Head of Service, Emeka 

Duru and Ama Eluwa, 

respectively, under 

Okorocha to ensure the 

midnight deadline was 

obeyed. 

After the expiration of 

the deadline, Vanguard 

was told that “there is no 

clear picture of whether the 

order was carried out 

owing to the fact that the 

government has not 

officially confirmed that it 

has got any handover 

document from Okorocha.” 

Meanwhile, Ihedioha 

has played down the issue 

of zoning of the state 

House of Assembly 

speakership slot. 

Vanguard gathered 

yesterday in Owerri that 

the first time the governor 

spoke on his expectation 

of a Speaker during a 

retreat for incoming 

House of Assembly 

members-elect, he deemphasised 

the 

campaign of producing a 

Speaker based on political 

zoning. 

Vanguard was also told 

that Ihedioha 

intentionally skipped the 

issue of making any 

pronouncement on the 

controversial zoning 

formula for the 

speakership position, so 

as not to reveal his stand 

to the elected lawmakers. 

He rather highlighted his 

support for a Speaker who 

is ready to work. 

...Ekekwu Market 

In a related 

development, the governor 

yesterday, visited the 

Owerri Ekeukwu Market 

along Douglas Road and 

promised to review the 

controversial relocation 

order by the Rochas 

Okorocha’s administration. 

Governor Ihedioha said 

his visit was to mark this 

year’s 

World 

Environmental Day, as well 

as to heighten the 

campaign to make Owerri 

the cleanest city in Nigeria. 

He added that the plan 

to review the troubles 

surrounding the market 

would be done with the 

communities. 

It should be recalled that 

when Ekeukwu Owerri 

Market was demolished, it 

caused chaos when a 

teenager, Somtochukwu 

was killed by ‘a stray bullet’. 

Also, the governor 

ordered immediate shut 

down of all dredging 

activities in the state and 

visited the erosion sites in 

the state and the relief 

market, adding that he 

noticed that for the past 

eight years, the issue of 

environment was 

neglected. 

While addressing the 

traders at Ekeukwu 

Market, he said: “I want to 

assure you that we are 

going to review the 

situation of Ekeukwu 

Owerri Market. We have 

decided to revisit it and 

after consultation with 

relevant stakeholders, 

particularly the Owerri 

people, we shall take a 

decision that will be in the 

overall interest of Imo 

State. 

“Also, I have come to 

confirm reports about the 

state of things on Douglas 

Road, Owerri. This road 

was closed by the last 

administration for about two 

years and our findings 

show that the closure has 

made movements difficult. 

“I hereby order that 

Douglas Road be reopened 

for our people to use.” 

FCMB MILLIONAIRE PROMO: From left— Retail Cluster Head, Rivers/Bayelsa Zone, 

First City Monument Bank, FCMB, Mr. Timadi Komienfa; Head of Operations, Trans-Amadi Branch, 

Mrs. Victoria Okike; winner of the star prize of N1 million at the first draws of FCMB Millionaire Promo 

Season 6, for South-east & South-South regions, Mrs. Helen Okon, and Regional Head of the bank, Mr. 

Okey Ogelle, during the cheque presentation to the winner in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. 

Illegal revenue collectors warned to steer clear of 

Anambra motor parks 

Odumegwu Ojukwu 

By Chimaobi 

Nwaiwu 

NNEWI—Sequel to 

penultimate Friday's 

attack on 15 persons by 

unidentified youths in 

Onitsha, illegal revenue 

collectors in Anambra State 

have been warned to steer 

clear of motor parks in 

Anambra State, particularly 

in Onitsha. 

The warning was issued 

by Anambra State 

government via Anambra 

State Park Management 

Committee, which said it 

will also not tolerate any 

unlawful activity in the 

motor parks in the state. 

Unidentified youths 

wielding machetes and 

other dangerous weapons, 

chanting songs in protest 

of suspension of levies they 

collect, had penultimate 

Friday invaded the Niger 

Bridge head area of 

Onitsha-Enugu 

Expressway, near Dim 

Chukwuemeka 

Statue, attacked everybody 

on sight and injured about 

15 persons. 

Many people running for 

safety equally sustained 

injuries, while some were 

knocked down by motorists 

and tricyclists. 

Angered by the 

development, Anambra 

State Park Management 

Committee, the body the 

state government 

contracted for the 

management of motor 

parks and collection of 

government-approved 

levies, has directed strict 

enforcement of the ban and 

warned illegal revenue 

collectors to steer clear of 

their motor parks, saying 

that they will not tolerate 

collection of suspended 

levies and in the process 

tarnish the image of the 

committee. 

Addressing newsmen 

yesterday, through their 

lawyer, Mr. Felix Obi- 

Okafor, the state park 

managers alleged that the 

touts and their sponsors are 

determined to destroy their 

name.


VISIT: From left, President, South African Academy of Engineering, Dr. Trueman Goba; Secretary/ 

Treasurer, Council of Academies of Engineering and Technological Sciences, CAETS, Dr. Ruth 

David; President, Nigerian Academy of Engineering, Prof. Fola Lasisi, and immediate past President 

of CAETS/ President, National Academy of Engineering, Uruguay, Acad Lucio Caceres, during the 

visit of a delegation of CAETS to Nigerian Academy of Engineering to formalise the academy 

membership with the World Academy umbrella body, in Lagos. 

NFIU: Labour lauds FG, banks for 

smooth take-off 

By Victor Young 

NIGERIA Union of 

Local Government 

Employees, NULGE, and 

Senior Staff Association of 

Statutory Corporations and 

Government Owned 

Companies, SSASCGOC, 

yesterday, in Abuja, praised 

the Federal Government 

and financial institutions 

over seamless take-off of 

the Nigerian Financial 

Intelligence Unit, NFIU, in 

the country. 

NULGE and 

SSASCGOC commended 

the government and banks 

for adhering strictly to the 

guidelines of the NFIU, 

especially on joint statelocal 

government account 

and local government 

funds. 

Leaders of the two unions 

expressed joy over the 

smooth take-off despite the 

stiff opposition from 

governors. 

National President of 

NULGE, Ibrahim Khaleel, 

said the NFIU initiative 

would halt looting of council 

funds and bring about 

development to local 

government areas that had 

been lacking under the 

previous system. 

According to him, “the 

Federal Government, 

especially President 

Muhammadu Buhari, 

should be commended for 

standing on the side of the 

people, rule of laws and the 

development of the country, 

by insisting on NFIU 

guidelines. Also, the 

financial institutions must 

be commended for strict 

adherence to the rules, 

while we praise the NFIU 

for leading the way in 

doing a very good job. 

"Effective regulation of 

arbitrary withdrawals of 

local government funds by 

state governments from the 

joint local government/state 

joint accounts by NFIU, as 

we have seen with the 

take-off now, would reduce 

looting of council finances.” 

Commending the new 

guideline, NULGE 

president described it as a 

giant step towards granting 

financial autonomy to local 

governments. 

He said: “To encourage 

the Federal Government, 

President Buhari, banks 

and other financial 

institutions and NFIU, the 

union will train its members 

across the length and 

breadth of the country to 

keep eagle eyes on the 

operations of the funds 

going to local government 

councils henceforth." 

Similarly, SSASCGOC 

General Secretary, Ayo 

Olorunfemi, applauded the 

unit for taking the step, the 

Federal Government and 

President Buhari for the 

initiative. 

According to him,”the 

state governors have over 

the years frustrated 

development at the 

grassroots by refusing to 

allow financial autonomy 

for local government 

councils." 

He commended 

President Buhari for 

sanctioning the guidelines, 

which had renewed the 

faith of Nigerians and the 

Labour movement in the 

anti-corruption fight of the 

present government. 

World Environmental Day: Group 

wants end to gas-flaring in Bayelsa 

By Samuel 

Oyadongha 

Y ENAGOA—AN 

environment advocacy 

group, SING Foundation, 

yesterday, staged a 

procession in the streets of 

Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, to 

mark the World 

Environment Day, WED, 

calling on the Federal 

Government to end gasflaring 

in the state and 

Niger Delta. 

Accompanied by officials 

of Environment Rights 

Action/Friends of the Earth, 

ERA/FoEN, the group 

lamented that the 

continued illegal acts of 

gas-flaring in some Bayelsa 

communities, including 

Polako community in 

Yenagoa Local Government 

Area of the state, was a 

clear case of genocide 

against the people by the 

oil multinationals. 

Members of the group, 

led by Tony Ile, supported 

by Mohammed Hassan of 

SING Foundation and 

Morris Alagoa of ERA, 

noted with concern that 

despite a Federal High 

Court judgment delivered 

against one of the oil majors 

in Benin City, Edo State in 

1984, the issue of gasflaring 

had continued to 

devastate homes, farms 

and indigenes of oil bearing 

communities of the region. 

Ile, in a speech read and 

presented to Chairman of 

Nigeria Union of 

Journalists, NUJ, Mr 

Samuel Numunengi, on 

behalf of Executive Director 

of SING, Idris Usman, said 

the theme of this year’s 

celebration “Beat Air 

Pollution,” was to raise 

serious awareness on the 

menacing trend of gasflaring 

and other oil 

exploration activities in the 

Niger Delta region.” 

It is worrisome to note that 

nearly 77million people 

worldwide die prematurely 

each year from air pollution. 

“The SING foundation 

will also be using the 

opportunity of this year’s 

event, to urge government, 

oil companies, 

manufacturing industries, 

communities and 

individuals to come 

together to explore options 

of renewable energy and 

green technologies, in 

order to improve air 

qualities in cities and 

communities across the 

Niger Delta and the 

country at large." 

It’s time to stop capital 

flight through TVET 

—FG 

By Chioma 

Onuegbu 

UYO —THE Federal 

Government has said 

it is time to stop the capital 

flight resulting from 

outsourcing of products and 

jobs to other countries by 

encouraging Technical 

Education and Training, 

TVET, concept throughout 

the country. 

Speaking at the 5th 

edition of National 

Students’ Vocational Skills 

Competition in Uyo, Akwa 

Ibom State, Permanent 

Secretary, Federal Ministry 

of Education, Mr. Sonny 

Echono, said the Federal 

Government was 

encouraging initiatives to 

shift attention towards skills 

acquisition. 

Echono said: “It is time 

we start to produce much 

of what we consume and 

stop the capital flight 

resulting from outsourcing 

of products and jobs to 

other countries. National 

students’ vocational skills 

competition is one of the 

many ways to get us started 

in repositioning our 

economy for global 

competition. 

“Emphatically, TVET is 

the most effective tool for the 

society to develop its 

members' potential to 

respond to the present and 

future challenges of the 

society. 

“The Federal 

Government through 

several of its initiatives, 

among which is TVET, are 

embracing education for 

self-reliance, job and 

wealth creation by shifting 

attention towards skills 

acquisition courses." 

ERA to FG: Establish $100bn 

remediation fund for N-Delta 

By Davies 

Iheamnachor 

PORT HARCOURT— 

Environmental Rights 

Action/Friends of the Earth 

Nigeria, ERA, has tasked 

the Federal Government to 

show seriousness in 

protecting the nation’s 

environment, regretting 

that the Federal 

Government does not have 

a National Environmental 

Action Plan. 

ERA also urged the 

Federal Government to 

establish a remediation 

fund of $100 billion for the 

clean-up of the entire Niger 

Delta to restore the 

environment and sustain 

rural livelihoods, adding 

that air pollution is major 

problem confronting Niger 

Omorodion tasks Buhari, govs 

on dividends of democracy 

P RESIDENT 


and state governors have 

been urged to give 

Nigerians real dividends of 

democracy as they enter the 

next level of their 

administrations. 

According to the 

Chairman of Hensmor 

Group of Companies, Chief 

Henry Omorodion, in a 

statement: “It is no doubt 

that Nigerians have been 

patient and understanding 

with the government during 

the first tenure of the 

administration. Having 

been voted into power 

again, Nigerians now 

expect the present 

administration to perform 

positively and add value by 

making meaningful impact 

on the lives of the citizens 

by availability of democracy 

dividends and fulfillment of 

the electoral promises to the 

people.” 

The oil magnate, who is 

also the Odunanoba of 

Benin Kingdom, while 

Delta people. 

Executive Director of 

ERA, Dr. Godwin Ojo, who 

spoke, yesterday, in Port 

Harcourt, Rivers State, 

during a World 

Environmental Day media 

briefing with theme Air 

Pollution and Energy 

Transition for Nigeria, Ojo 

noted that the government 

had not shown enough 

commitment in handling 

issues concerning 

environments, stressing the 

need to end gas flaring. 

Ojo said: “We urge the 

Federal Government to 

demonstrate seriousness on 

environmental protection 

and establish a remediation 

fund of $100b for the cleanup 

of the entire Niger Delta 

to restore the environment 

and sustain rural 

livelihoods." 

2nd tenure: Don advises Buhari 

to complete Ajaokuta steel 

FORMER President, 

Nigerian Metallurgical 

Society, Prof. Benjamin 

Adewuyi, has urged 


Buhari to ensure the 

completion of Ajaokuta Steel 

Company during his second 

tenure. 

Adewuyi in an interview 

in Abuja, said Buhari should 

ensure that the long 

moribund steel company 

became operational in his 

second tenure to boost the 

economy. 

He explained that the 

project, when completed, 

arms and ammunition, cars 

among others that were 

now being imported could 

be manufactured in the 

company. 

He said: “Ajaokuta has the 

capacity to produce cars, 

arms for the military among 

others and can also provide 

massive employment for the 

youths. 

“We are only deceiving 

ourselves that we are 

manufacturing cars locally, 

without Ajaokuta steel 

functioning, we cannot 

manufacture our own cars. 

“We have many brilliant 

youths among us that 

cannot carry out any 

innovation because we lack 

the materials they require, 

Mr President should revisit 

Ajaokuta Steel Company 

and kick start the project,”he 

said. 

He said Nigeria would 

continue to suffer the 

repercussion of the 

negligence of Ajaokuta 

steel, as the country 

continue to depend on 

imported steel made from 

scrap metals. 

congratulating Buhari on 

his re-election and 

inauguration urged him to 

be focused in the discharge 

of his duty as President of 

Nigeria in view of the 

yearnings and expectations 

from his administration in 

line with his campaign 

promises. 

Omorodion also 

commended the service 

chiefs who have continued 

to maintain peace and 

helped the president to keep 

Nigeria as a united nation 

despite continued threat of 

disintegration. He urged 

Nigerians to be patient to 

avoid heating the polity as 

well as fanning embers of 

disunity. 

He said the president, at 

this time, "requires prayers 

and every one’s support for 

nation building," pleading 

with "Nigerians to keep 

faith with President Buhari’s 

administration as the 

President will soon put 

smiles on every one’s face

36— Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2019 

How 

infrastructure 

decay in tertiary 

institutions 

affects students 

By Dayo Adesulu, Anayo 

Okoli, Olasunkanmi 

Akoni, Egufe Yafugborhi, 

Ola Ajayi, Monsurudeen 

Olowoopejo, Elizabeth 

Uwandu,Emmanuel Unah, 

Chinonso Alozie, Davies 

Iheamnachor, Harris 

Emmanuel Chioma 

Onuegbu and Ike 

Uchechukwu 

FINDINGS have shown that 

lack of infrastructure, 

especially accommodation, has 

remained one of the major 

challenges facing many universities 

across the country. Indeed, most 

campuses of tertiary insitutions are 

replete with decayed infrastructure 

such as hostels, lecture halls and 

roads. It is one of the issues which 

have continued to trigger students 

protest in both Federal and State 

universities. 

Though the students sometimes 

exhibit youthful exuberance, most of 

their agitations are predicated on 

their welfare and living 

conditions. In most universities, the 

living conditions of these students 

leave much to be desired. 

Although, students’ 

accommodation is an integral part 

of students’ personnel management, 

on-campus accommodation has not 

received adequate attention, rather 

it has been characterized by 

inadequate maintenance. This 

situation is rather disheartening 

since students need comfortable 

accommodation in order to 

conveniently carry out their primary 

objective of learning. 

There have been reported cases of 

students taking ill in hostels as a 

result of poor sanitary conditions. 

The on-campus residence is 

provided by the institution within its 

premises, to cater for its students, 

while the off-campus residence are 

mostly private hostels and other 

forms of accommodation where 

students reside in exchange for a fee. 

Lagos State 

There are two public universities 

in Lagos State, the University of 

Lagos, UNILAG, and Lagos State 

University, LASU. 

UNILAG has three campuses 

located in the Mainland of Lagos. 

From a modest intake of 131 

students in 1962, enrolment in the 

university has now grown to over 

40,000. The University’s staff 

strength is 3,365 made up 1,386 

Administrative and Technical, 1,164 

Junior and 813 Academic Staff. 

Over the years, the University has 

been providing accommodation to 

a reasonable percentage of its 

student population. Our findings 

revealed that over 6,000 students are 

accommodated in its 13 halls of 

residence. These include virtually all 

foreign students who applied for 

accommodation. 

The priority order for allocation 

into the halls of residence is as 

follows: final year students, students’ 

union executives, foreign students, 

sportsmen and women, and first year 

students. 

The University’s off-campus 

accommodation policy is’ 

applicable to all 2nd Year students. 

Nevertheless, both residential and 

non-residential students enjoy 

common on-campus facilities of 

catering, sports and recreation, 

Clubs and associations and health 

services. 

However, when our correspondent 

visited the institution, it was 

discovered that the halls lacked 

proper facility management. Aside 

that the rooms were well ventilated 

there were obvious lapses in other 

simple activities, including waste 

collection, that were needed in each 

hall. 

Though the halls were painted, 

What has 

continued to 

attach some 

students to the 

hostels are 

basically two 

things, water and 

power supply, 

aside these, it does 

not worth living 

•A crowded hostel room at UNICAL. 

•A decaying hostel at UNIPORT. 

Vanguard: “The rooms are not 

conducive for habitation. For 

instance the doors are bad and the 

institution has not made any plans 

to replace them. Also, the toilets are 

another issue entirely because they 

are not well kept. I stayed at Mariere 

Hall, each floor has 18 rooms with 

eight toilets. And the toilets need 

upgrading. 

“The N25,000 hostel fee is not 

justifiable. Four students are asked 

to stay in an apartment which had 

never been renovated. All they did 

annually is to change the mattresses 

and fumigate the house. And you 

hear them say they have carried out 

renovation.” 

According to him, “what has 

continued to attach some students to 

the hostels are basically two things, 

water and power supply, aside these, 

it does not worth living.” 

“At the Master level, the fee is N65, 

000. Though in their hostel, the 

standard is a bit higher than the 

undergraduate. Because they are the 

lowest on the ladder, they tend to bear 

the brunt.” 

Efforts to reach the university’s 

Principal Assistant Registrar, 

Communication Unit, Mrs. Taiwo 

Oloyede, was unsuccessful at press 

time, as several calls made to her 

phone were not returned. 

In LASU, the university caters for 

a population of over 35,000 students 

enrolled full-time. Presently, it has 

no accommodation for its students. 

LASU was conceived as a nonresidential 

urban university. 

It is reported that the female hostel 

accommodation in the school is 

being done through balloting and 

the only hostel in the institution, 

dubbed Female Hostel, is currently 

undergoing renovation. 

Presently, students have sought 

alternative accommodation around 

the institution. Some are currently 

squatting with colleagues, while 

others relocated to living with 

relations within the environment. It 

was gathered that the least decent 

off-campus 

standard 

accommodation goes for N120,000 

per annum in the area, while a room 

cost N50,000. 

In his reaction, the Coordinator, 

Centre for Information, Press and 

Public Relations, LASU, Mr. 

Ademola Adekoya said efforts were 

being made to address it. 

“We are aware of the 

accommodation issue of our 

students. And you are aware that 

Lagos State government had 

pledged to build a 6,000 bed 

capacity in the campus. We are still 

expecting that promise to be 

fulfilled. 

“It is just for them to start the 

foundation. Unfortunately, it has not 

started, maybe the new 

administration will kick start it. We 

are not happy about the delay,” he 

stated. 

Cross River State 

The University of Calabar and 

the Cross River State University 

of Technology are the two universities 

in Cross River State. 

The University of Calabar which 

has a large population of students of 

about twenty thousand with many 

of them coming from different parts 

of the country, has a number of blocks 

which serve as hostels. On the other 

hand, the Cross River State 

University of Technology whose 

students are predominantly from 

within the state has just a block each 

dedicated to female and male 

students for accommodation. 

however the beautification could 

At Unical, hostels built in 

not prevent visitors from noticing 

the 80s where majority of the 

the lapses on the building, from the 

students lived is called Malabo. 

faulty water pipes that had 

The harsh living conditions 

continued to spill water on the 

there have made it synonymous 

buildings. 

Olatunji Muiz, an old student told Continues on page 37


How infrastructure decay in tertiary institutions 

affects students 

Continues from page 36 

with suffering. The name, 

Malabo is derived from the 

capital of Equatorial Guinea 

having served as a camp for 

Nigerians deported from that 

country in the seventies. 

In Malabo, there are three hostels 

for male students: halls 4, 5 and 6. It 

was until recently that hall 6 was 

rehabilitated and transformed to a 

female hostel adding it to halls 8 and 

9 which are for female students. 

A peep into halls 4 and 5, the 

male blocks reveals a nauseating 

environment which can hardly make 

life convenient for learning. The 

rooms are congested, the beds are 

old and dilapidated, broken sewage 

pipes, bathrooms are without 

doors, toilets are overflowing 

with faeces and the floor is covered 

with slime. 

Chibuike, one of the students said: 

‘’In each room, we have four bed 

spaces and each is a double bunk. 

On each bed, you find about four or 

five students and each floor has over 

one hundred rooms with just ten 

toilets. Don’t forget some of the 

toilets like the ones on the ground 

floor have been under lock and key 

for many years now because they are 

bad”. 

He said in the morning during 

what he calls, ‘rush hour,’ students 

have to queue for long periods before 

having access to the toilets and 

bathrooms. 

“These hostels were built in the 

eighties when the student population 

was very low and over the years, there 

have been no improvement in these 

facilities and the ones that are here 

are hardly maintained”. 

‘’The population of female in the 

school is higher which accounts for 

the school authorities changing of 

hall six to female hostel to accord 

the females more bed spaces.’’ 

Osun State 

The two federal and state 

universities in Osun State University 

of Ibadan and Ladoke Akintola 

University of Technology, 

LAUTECH. 

For LAUTECH, it has no 

accommodation provision for its 

students. A female students said: 

‘’There is no single hall of residence 

on campus. We have to sort out things 

for ourselves since there is no 

accommodation directly built by the 

school management.”. 

•One of the congested hostels at UNIPORT. 

At the University of Ibadan, there 

are ten halls of residence for both 

undergraduate and post graduate 

students. Due to their large number, 

eight of them are allocated to the 

undergraduates while the remaining 

two are for the post graduate. The 

halls for the undergraduates are 

Nnamdi Azikwe Hall, Independence 

Hall, Ahmadu Bello Hall, Tedder 

Hall, 

Mellamby Hall, Kuti Hall, Queen 

Elizabeth 11 Hall, Queen Idia Hall 

while Obafemi Awolowo and 

Abdulsalami A. Abubakar Halls are 

for postgraduate students. 

When Vanguard went round some 

of the halls of residence, it was 

observed that majority of them are 

being renovated. Halls visited 

include Queen Idia, Queen 

Elizabeth, Independence, Nnamdi 

Azikwe, Kuti, Tedder and Mellanby. 

All these halls except Queen 

Elizabeth are wearing new look. 

Imo State 

IMSU, is a state owned tertiary 

institution with a non-residential 

hostels. 

It was gathered in Owerri that 

thousands of it’s students have been 

faced with difficulties of paying for 

accommodation outside the school 

premises, which are not regulated. 

As such, some of them claimed 

they had to pay between N100,000 

to N120,000 above depending on the 

quality and proximity of the House 

to the location of the institution. 

To this extent, Vanguard called the 

Public Relation Officer, PRO, Obi 

Njoku, who said that the ongoing 

construction of the hostel buildings 

have reached 95 percent completion 

and that soon, it will be completed 

and commissioned. 

Rivers State 

Reports reaching Vanguard 

revealed that at University of Port 

Harcourt, UNIPORT, every student in 

These hostels were 

built in the eighties 

when the student 

population was very 

low and over the 

years there have been 

no improvement in 

these facilities and 

the ones that are here 

are hardly maintained 

the hostels relies on own toilet bucket. 

With age and inadequate 

maintenance telling on the 

infrastructure, hostels at the University 

of Port Harcourt, are not in the best of 

shape as in most public schools across 

the nation. 

At the Abuja axis of the main campus 

where most of Uniport’s hostels are 

clustered, the first thing you notice is 

that they are unkempt, water systems 

and toilet facilities defective and 

hygiene consequently compromised. 

A 200 Level Finance and Banking 

Student in one of the hostels told 

Vanguard, “It’s a helpless situation we 

all have to bear. A major challenge is 

that we all live under broken down 

water system in virtually all the hostels 

here. 

“The hostel walls and ground are 

messy and smelling, so much you find 

people catching malaria and fever 

often because the places are so 

mosquitoes friendly and windows not 

netted.” 

A 300 Level Theatre Art student at 

the Dan Etete Hostel said, “The toilet 

and bathrooms are no go areas. Some 

of us, students don’t help matters too. 

Because water doesn’t flow in the toilets 

and bathrooms, some just go in, mess 

up the place and don’t flush it. 

“To avoid contacting toilet diseases, 

the trend is virtually every hosteler own 

a toilet bucket. When pressed, you go in 

and you don’t sit on the WC. You drop it 

on your water prepared toilet bucket 

and pour it into the WC when you are 

done. 

“There is need for provision of more 

hostels though, but there’s also greater 

need for regular power supply to the 

hostels. Many times, when supply gets 

really epileptic, students have to trek 

slavish distances to lecturers quarters 

or other places to fetch water.” 

The situation was no less piteous at 

the Rivers State University 

and sister Ignatius Ajuru 

University of Education, 

both also in different Port 

Harcourt localities when 

paid facility inspection 

visits. 

Akwa Ibom State 

H o s t e l 

accommodation is a 

challenge in AkwaIbom 

public universities 

Our findings shew that 

the Male and female 

hostels at the town campus 

(UNIUYO) within Uyo, 

the state capital are 

relatively old such that 

some students even 

preferred to live off 

campus. 

At the permanent site, University of 

Uyo UNIUYO, (federal) Nwaniba in 

Uyo local government area, has two 

hostels, one for female and one for 

male students (30 rooms capacity of 

4bedspace for each) all bungalows. 

These two hostels called presidential 

hostels according to investigation are 

occupied mostly by Engineering 

students because they were the first 

faculty to relocate to the site. 

Majority of the students of Faculty 

of Sciences stay off campus due to lack 

of accommodation on campus. 

During a visit to the Akwa Ibom state 

University (AKSU) Ikot Akpaden main 

campus in Mkpat Enin local 

government area and Obio Akpa, 

Annex campus in Oruk Anam LGA, 

however it was observed that the two 

campuses of the state University does 

not have hostels for students. 

It was observed that the students stay 

off campus and most of the buildings 

owned by private individuals are not 

far away from the school. 

It was gathered that Obio Akpa 

community leaders during a recent 

stakeholders meeting had suggested 

that government should build hostels 

for students inside the campus. 

Bayelsa State 

Many students in public universities 

in the predominantly riverine Bayelsa 

State depend on hostels on campus 

because of the cost implication when 

compared to accommodation off 

campus. 

From the Bayelsa owned Niger 

Delta University, NDU in Amassoma, 

Southern Ijaw Local Government Area 

to the Federal University, Otuoke, 

FUO, in Ogbia Local Government 

Area, the condition of hostels 

accommodation are almost the same. 

It was gathered that the number of 

students per room is by far higher than 

the stipulated number per room. This 

scenario is therefore putting enormous 

pressure on the facilities and other 

amenities. 

Students said that the hostels are 

overcrowded and in dire need of 

rehabilitation particularly in the 

sanitation areas. 

However, the only favourable 

condition about both institutions’ 

hostels is that there is constant 

electricity and water supply, a 

development that has helped to 

mitigate the discomfort facing the 

students. 

Abia State 

At Abia State University, Uturu, 

students complained that they are 

packed in the hostels like sardines. 

Two students share a small bunk 

made for one person. Students said 

they pay for bed spaces with the hope 

that they would occupy the little bed. 

One of them said, when he returned 

from class one day, he discovered 

that another student has officially 

been sent to pair up in his small bed. 

Besides, a room designed to 

accommodate 8 students may end 

up accommodating as many as 16 

students or more. In some cases, you 

see as many as 20 students because 

some of the students would on their 

own collect some money from 

student to squat them. 

Perhaps, this is the reason why 

many students prefer to stay outside 

the campus irrespective of the high 

cost of rents outside the campus. 

In addition, amenities like light 

and water are not always available. 

Recently, in ABSU, the management 

had to shut down the institution and 

sent the students home because there 

was no water.

38—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 6 , 2019 

A scorecard of fundamental progress 

in Nigeria’s aviation sector 

By Olu Ayela 

THE altitude to which the 

aviation sector flew in the last 

four years under the guidance and 

piloting of the Nigerian aviation 

is like a period gone wrong. This 

is evidently in stark contrast to 

what those who fly through 

airspace in Nigeria were used to 

before the emergence of the 

minister and an equally 

resourceful team, chief of whom 

is Engr.Saleh Dunoma. It may be 

said that Dunoma was of the time 

in comparison, Dunoma 

seamlessly flowed with Sirika in 

implementing a phenomenal 

dream for the aviation sector. 

Perhaps the most fundamental 

of the progress achieved in the 

aviation sector under theMinister 

of State, Aviation, Capt. Hadi 

Sirika were not only 

transformational they were by all 

measures transcendental. They 

were inspirational works that was 

radically different from the 

jumbled mess of the 

reconstruction and the 

psychological imperative that 

success is non-negotiable in order 

to firmly place Nigeria aviation in 

the top echelon of the world’s 

aviation configuration. That 

philosophy to ride the storm and 

rough weather to a landing point 

changed the whole equation of 

the aviation sector. Once the flight 

of building an aviation sector that 

would reposition Nigeria was on 

and on auto cruise, it was all 

smooth ride waiting for a landing 

of huge gains. 

Supportive value of 

professionalism 

A supportive value of 

professionalism that became the 

hallmark of engagement was 

introduced. In the place of 

management by emotions was the 

advent of management through 

implanted strategy. Where there 

was confusion, a sense of clarity 

became the order of the day. All 

these were supplemented by the 

re-invigoration of structures, 

systems and processes that were 

hitherto abandoned. Also relevant 

to the sustenance of the 

procedures is the investment in 

the people that coordinated the 

various sub sectors and strata that 

made up the aviation hub. It all 

culminated in a very functional 

sector that witnessed the scorecard 

of progress and bounteous harvest 

in the form of facilities that were 

spread in the aviation sector 

across the country. 

This monumental progress that 

happened internally also reechoed 

across the aviation sector 

in international circles with huge 

rippling effects and an attendant 

infusion of a high degree of 

confidence in the aviation in 

Nigeria. What transpired in the 

past four years has proved not 

only to be safety-critical, securitycritical, 

passenger-centric but 

human capital development 

focussed. The beauty of the 

programme is that it touched all 

areas of the country where an 

airport is cited; whether South 

West, South East, South South, 

North West, North Central, North 

East is immaterial. 

It is imperative and significant 

to take a statistical excursion into 

the not too distant past of the 

aviation sector as it will put into 

bold relief the tremendous 

improvement and achievement of 

Alhaji Sirika's emergence in 2015. 

From that auspicious moment of 

taking over, the government 

embarked on a massive and an 

ambitious work of One Hundred 

and Fifty-Seven projects in the 

industry and in the four year of 

organized and smart work One 

Hundred and Thirty-Four of them 

were fully completed and in use. 

This represents more than Eighty- 

Five percent completion rate. For 

the remaining Twenty-Three 

projects, Fourteen percent are 

already above Fifty percent 

completion with just Thirteen 

percent only below Fifty percent 

completion point. 

This is a scorecard that should 

inspire testimonies of stride 

measuredly taken to advance the 

aviation sector as the work cuts 

across all components of the sector 

without discrimination and a 

feeling of favouritism. With the 

knowledge that the airport system 

is only as strong as the weakest 

part, there was a all-inclusive 

development of aviation agencies 

across board. As projects are 

being provided in the Federal 

Airports Authority of Nigeria ( 

FAAN), so also is the 

enhancement going on at Nigeria 

Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), 

while the Nigerian Airspace 

Management Agency (NAMA) is 

being enriched as well and the 

Nigerian Meteorological Agency( 

NiMET) becoming a beneficiary 

of the upgrades conceived by a 

broad minded administration that 

is after the satisfaction of all airport 

users and the common good of all 

Nigerians. 

International and continental 

acceptance was just around the 

corner as Nigeria was investing 

in both human and infrastructures 

development. The certification of 

NIMET for conformity with the 

requirements of ISO 9001 2015 in 

the provision of meteorological 

services to the aviation industry 

and other user- sectors has 

positioned the agency as the core 

service provider in the continent 

not just for the aviation sector but 

to all industries whose businesses 

are weather dependent. The 

agency competency and 

capabilities have opened doors of 

collaboration with national and 

international organisations to 

improve weather and climate 

services delivery. 

Training meteorological 

personnel 

Some of the countries 

depending on NIMET services 

include Liberia and Sierra Leone 

while the Agency is currently 

training meteorological personnel 

from the Republic of Gambia in 

Banjul. International recognition 

has emerged in form of the 

partnerships with Met Agencies 

of Korea, Finland and India. 

This relationship could not have 

come at a better time as it will 

improve the capacity of the 

agency to ensure that local content 

becomes central to its work in the 

future with a view to developing 

Hadi A Sirika, former 

Minister of State, Aviation 

our capacity to design and 

fabricate automatic weather 

equipment and meteorological 

satellite system. At the policy level, 

this administration was also in 

compliance, ensuring that a new 

Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulation 

of 2016 was enacted to give legal 

strength to the activities of the 

aviation sector. 

An outstanding outcome of this 

wholesome of this 

administration’s intervention is 

the sustenance of safety, which has 

been remarkable and 

extraordinary. It is on record that 

since this administration came onboard, 

there has not been a 

commercial airlines accident. 

However, the only accident to 

have been recorded which is the 

one that involved Vice-President 

Yemi Osibanjo turned out to be a 

feather in the cap of the 

A n o t h e r 

remarkable stride 

for this 

administration is 

the record 

certification of 

airports that was 

finally put in the 

aviation kitty 

administration. In a few hours 

after the dust have settled over 

the air mishap, the Accident 

Investigation Bureau (AIB) 

vowed that it would publish the 

preliminary report in few days. In 

honour of their pledge standing 

true to their word, in less than two 

weeks, AIB issued the 

preliminary report on the accident 

and this singular action received 

applauds from all stakeholders 

including Aviation Round Table 

(ART). It was a commendable 

achievement that had not gone 

unnoticed in the aviation sector 

worldwide. Never has this level 

of promptness and sensitivity 

been demonstrated in working to 

determine the cause of air 

accidents in Nigeria. That level 

of tardiness has gone with the 

wind of yester years. The bureau 

is adequately funded to 

investigate any major incident or 

accident and to indicate the level 

of confidence in its operation, it 

currently has Memorandum of 

Understanding (MoU) with the 

Sao Tome and Principle. 

Another remarkable stride for 

this administration is the record 

certification of airports that was 

finally put in the aviation kitty. The 

aviation sector in Nigeria has 

never been so applauded as the 

world did with the certification of 

two airports with three others on 

the verge of being certified. This 

is the first time in the history of 

the country to attain certification 

and become International Civil 

Aviation Organisation (ICAO) 

compliant standards in terms of 

security and safety. It was a 

process which began more than a 

decade ago and has finally put 

Nigeria ahead of all other 

countries in Africa being the only 

country with two certified airports 

in the continent. 

Effective implementation level 

In this context of certification, 

Nigeria achieved an effective 

implementation level of 67.36 per 

cent during the recent 

International Civil Aviation 

Organisation (ICAO) Universal 

Safety Oversight Audit 

Programme carried out in March, 

2016. Nigeria showed a rating that 

is above the global average of 

63.54 per cent. The icing on the 

cake is the 96.5 percent that 

Nigeria also recorded in ICAO 

Universal Security Audit. 

Eminently aware that accidents 

could happen even if everything 

has been done to perfection, he 

paid a huge premium on the 

Accident Rescue and 

Resuscitation Centre which is 

another record breaker, being the 

first of its kind in the airport. 

A comprehensive overhaul was 

achieved in the aviation sector 

with Nigeria now on a pedestal 

that can rightly be adjudged as 

the highest in the continent. 

Attaining Level 3 out of 4 levels, 

guarantees Nigeria a place 

among the elite of aviation savvy 

countries in the world. It has 

changed the colour of Nigeria 

from the indicator of red to green 

on the ICAO dashboard. In line 

with ICAO and WMO standards, 

in July 2017, the Nigerian 

Meteorological Agency acquired 

ISO9001 2015 certificate, which 

qualifies it to offer aeronautical 

meteorological services. The 

agency also became the first in 

Africa to be so certified in that 

category. 

The story could not be 

completely told without the other 

forms of intervention that relates 

to human capital development 

and others that are ancillary to the 

aviation industry. First is the 

compassionate move by the 

administration to offset a colossal 

part of severance and retirement 

benefits to 5,966 staff of the former 

national carrier, Nigeria Airways. 

It was an event that brought relief 

to many who had suffered untold 

hardship and even to the point of 

death since the liquidation of the 

airline sixteen years ago. That act 

of abandonment of those who had 

labored for the country by 

successive ministers and 

governments was not a very good 

advertisement for the aviation 

sector. Mercifully, redemption 

came from this administration. 

There is a promise that all 

outstanding relating to the 

severance pay shall be settled 

once and for all. 

What can not also be forgotten 

is the strategic negotiation that this 

administration sought in shoring 

up the finances of not just ailing 

airlines but those in operation. 

The re-introduction of zero import 

duties on aircraft, engine and 

introduction of the same scheme 

for aircraft spare parts is 

phenomenal. Unknown to many, 

airlines like Arik Air and Aero 

Contractors were given a lifeline 

and a new lease of life and back 

in the air because this 

administration cared. There are 

numerous workers of these 

airlines that has been removed 

from the unemployment market 

and who knows how many 

dependents were saved from 

depression and whose sense of 

confidence were restored because 

of that single move? 

Beyond financial aids, the 

administration also provided the 

enabling environment for 

domestic airlines in the country 

to attain certification in the IATA 

Operational Safety Audit (IOSA). 

Currently five Nigerian domestic 

airlines have Certification and 

others have been designated 

some of them for international 

operations. Within the period 

under review, the framework for 

a safe and competitive aviation 

industry provided by this 

administration resulted in the 

unprecedented growth of the 

sector which translated an 

average growth of 33 per cent on 

domestic operations and 13.5 per 

cent on international operations 

between January 2017 and June, 

2018. Like many other records 

achieved by this administration, 

it has never happened in Nigeria. 

In under scoring the crucial role 

of energy in the Aviation sector 

and the risk and destruction to 

lives and properties in an airport 

that has irregular power supply 

Capt. Sirika ensured that a 10 

Megawatts (MW) Independent 

Power Plant for the Nnamdi 

Azikiwe International Airport, was 

built in Abuja to complement the 

power needs of the airport as well 

as other vital ventures that are in 

operation in the airport. According 

to him there were a lot of planning 

deficiencies identified with the 

new terminal because which did 

not take into consideration the 

status of power in the aviation 

value chain. deficiency. The 19 

MW plant became the response 

of a forward-looking administrator 

who must correct errors that were 

passed over to him by a regime 

that is concerned about the 

holistic development of the 

aviation sector. This independent 

power plant is part of the process 

of correcting among others the 

deficiencies inherent in the 

construction of the airport. Rather 

than just an energy plant, it is 

peace of mind for pilots, 

passengers, ground crews, their 

relatives and the entire aviation 

industry worldwide. 

Intensity of the work and 

the extensive nature 

The intensity of the work and 

the extensive nature it took by 

Sirika to reposition the nation’s 

aviation sector is worthy of 

commendation as he may be 

taking a bow out of the sector. The 

aphorism that it is fitting to exit 

the stage when the ovation is 

louder may not be part of the 

operational principles in this side 

of the world, we hope that if 

peradventure Sirika wants to 

leave the scene, he should be 

recognised by the government as 

one of the few high performing 

administrator of this regime. He 

deserves our appreciation and 

continued support even if he 

could be around serving in a 

consultative capacity in the 

aviation sector. Like wine Sirika 

can only get better in the years 

ahead. 

Olu Ayela, is a veteran 

Journalist based in Lagos.


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

OLOWO STOOL: Don’t allow 

repeat of 1999 bloodbath, 

community leader pleads 

From left, Oyo State Governor, Mr. Seyi Makinde; Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu Adetunji and 

Are Musulumi of Yorubaland, Alhaji Dawud Akinola when the Governor hosted Muslim community at 

Oyo the State Government House as part of activities marking the eid-el-fitri. Photo: Dare Fasube. 

WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY: UN urges govts 

to take action on air pollution to save lives, planet 

By Chioma Obinna 

& Daud Olatunji 

A BEOKUTA— 

UNITED Nations 

Secretary-General, António 

Guterres has urged 

governments around the 

world to tackle air pollution 

to save lives and the planet. 

This came as an 

environmental protection 

expert, Mr. Egbemuyiwa 

Olatunji, yesterday, 

disclosed that air pollution 

has led to death of seven 

million people yearly 

globally. 

Guterres, who noted that 

no fewer than seven million 

lives are lost every year and 

children’s development 

damaged, described the 

many air pollutants that 

cause global warming, as 

“an existential threat.” 

In his message to mark 

the World Environment 

Day, the UN Secretary- 

General recalled his recent 

experience in the South 

Pacific Island states, 

Guterres said he had seen 

first-hand the severe and 

worsening impacts of the 

global climate emergency. 

He said the action to fight 

climate change is “the 

battle of our lives,” that we 

must win, by taxing 

pollution, ending fossil fuel 

subsidies, and halting 

construction of new coal 

•As expert says air pollution responsible for 7m deaths yearly 

plants. “We need a green 

economy not a grey 

economy.” he stated. 

Air pollution goes to the 

heart of social justice and 

global inequality. According 

to the World Health 

Organization, 97 per cent of 

cities in low- and middleincome 

countries with more 

than 100,000 inhabitants do 

not meet air quality 

guidelines. That 

percentage falls to 49 in 

high-income countries. 

Air pollution responsible 

for 7 million deaths yearly 

— Expert 

Meanwhile, Olatunji said 

72 percent of Nigerians 

were exposed to air 

pollution daily due to 

cooking with solid fuels. 

The environmental expert 

disclosed this at a media 

chat in Abeokuta, Ogun 

State organised by the State 

Ministry of Environment to 

commemorate the World 

Environment day. 

Olatunji said statistics 

obtained from State 

Global Air Report 2018 

has shown that there 

were 150 deaths per 

standardised deaths per 

100,000 people attributable 

to air pollution in Nigeria 

DIBAN campaigns against underage drinking 

By Lamidi Bamidele 

L Distillers 

AGOS—THE 

and 

Blenders Association of 

Nigeria, DIBAN, under the 

auspices of the 

Manufacturers Association 

of Nigeria, MAN, said it 

has stepped up its advocacy 

campaigns to promote 

responsible consumption of 

alcoholic beverages while 

discouraging its sale to 

users below the age of 18. 

In a statement by 

Chairman of DIBAN, Mr. 

Patrick Anegbe, the 

association said the body 

I FOUNDER B A D A of N the 

— 

One Love Family, Sat Guru 

Maharaj ji, yesterday, 

called on President 

Muhammed Buhari to 

appoint him as his ‘spiritual 

adviser.’ 

He said this has become 

necessary because other 

religious groups and their 

leaders have failed. 

Maharaj ji made the 

request during a press 

conference to mark the 26 

years ‘Anniversary 

Celebrations of Nigeria 

had taken up the advocacy 

as a corporate social 

responsibility through 

outdoors messaging on 

Billboards, Mass Transit 

Buses and radio 

campaigns to sensitize 

consumers about the 

dangers of excessive 

alcohol consumption and 

advocating moderation. 

Some of the campaign 

themes include: Drink 

moderately, Health is 

Wealth, Enjoy life to the 

fullest and Don’t mix. 

Anegbe said: “As part of 

DIBAN’s Corporate Social 

Responsibility initiatives, 

Declaration as the new 

Holy Land of the 

Universe.’ 

The event was held at 

Maharaj ji village, along 

Lagos/Ibadan Expressway. 

He said among his 

expectations was for the 

president to appoint him to 

oversee the ministries of 

water resources, 

agriculture, and oil and gas 

in Mr Buhari’s second 

term. 

Apart from his request for 

appointment, the 

controversial cleric also 

we will also embark on 

various advocacy 

campaigns, which will 

include massive training 

of our distributors and 

retailers on the need to 

avoid sale of alcoholic 

beverages to underage. 

''This will require the 

development of 

appropriate training 

manual, which will be in 

major Nigerian 

languages. To restrict 

access of the underage to 

Alcohol Beverages, the 

industry will strengthen 

the supervision of 

distributors and retailers.'' 

in 2016. 

Speaking on the theme 

Beat Air Pollution, he said 

Nigeria was the 4th worst 

country managing air 

pollution globally. 

His words: “The State of 

Global Air Report (2018) 

notes that there were 150 

deaths per aged 

standardised deaths per 

100,000 people attributable 

to air pollution in Nigeria in 

2016 (the latest available 

data), making Nigeria 

fourth worst country 

behind Afghanistan with 

406, Pakistan, 207, and India 

195 deaths per country.'' 

Appoint me special adviser to oversee petroleum, 

other ministries, Guru Maharaji tells Buhari 

spoke on other issues. 

He said the federal 

government needs to 

increase the wages and 

improve on the welfare of 

judges in the country to 

stop the temptation of 

receiving bribes directly or 

through agents. He also 

called for the creation of 

state police, saying it would 

help improve the security 

situation in the country. 

The cleric advised the 

federal government to 

reveal the names of those 

involved in the 

mismanagement of funds 

of some privatised 

Nigerian companies, 

including Nigerian 

Airways, Ajaokuta Steel, 

Delta Steel, and Nigeria 

Electric Power Authority 

among others. 

He called for the creation 

of the Ministry of Culture 

and Tradition, and the 

establishment of a ‘social 

security system to give all 

unemployed High School 

graduates the sum of 

N6,000, National Diploma 

holders the sum of N8,000, 

Higher National Diploma 

and Degree the sum of 

N15,000 monthly.’ 

He said such will take 

them away from criminal 

activities. 

By Dayo Johnson 

AKURE—AHEAD of 

the selection of a 

new Olowo of Owo in 

Ondo State, a community 

leader in the town, 

Agboola Ogunmolawa 

has pleaded that the 

1999 bloodbath over the 

stool should not be 

allowed to repeat itself. 

Some prominent 

personalities were killed 

over the crisis that engulfed 

the town during the obaship 

tussle between 1999 and 

2003. 

Already 14 Princes 

have signified their 

interest in the stool with 

the Ogunoye royal 

lineage denouncing the 

alleged consensus 

candidature of Ajibade 

Gbadegesin Ogunoye by 

some pockets of leaders 

in the family. 

Addressing newsmen, 

the community leader, 

equally appealed 

passionately to the 

Omolowos and 

kingmakers saddled with 

the responsibility of 

selecting the new Olowo 

to be firm and 

transparent. 

Ogunmolawa said: “I 

want to appeal to the 

entire Owo people to be 

peaceful as the selection 

process commences. We 

don’t want a repeat of 

the 1999 bloodbath to 

repeat itself in the 

community. 

“I also appeal to the 

Omoolowos and 

kingmakers to be firm 

and transparent while 

carrying out their duty of 

picking a new Olowo for 

the community.” 

In addition, 

Ogunmolawa, the 

Asiwaju of Methodist 

Church Cathedral in 

Akure urged the 

Omolowos “to be 

meticulous and 

transparent in their 

responsibility to produce 

the next Olowo’s 

selection is not option 

A4, you should do the 

will of the people. 

“Traditionally, they 

should consult Ifa oracle 

to choose for them, but 

anybody in that position 

should not be partial, I 

know Ifa will not give us 

incompetent person.” 

ACCDA congratulates Dapo 

Abiodun 

AREPO—THE Arepo 

Central Community 

Development Association, 

ACCDA, yesterday, 

congratulated Governor 

Dapo Abiodun of Ogun 

State and his deputy Engr. 

Mrs. Noimot Salako- 

Oyedele as they assumed 

the mantle of leadership of 

the Gateway State praying 

that their administration 

and tenure in office will 

surely usher Ogun state 

into its greater greatness. 

In a statement by its 

President, Prince Kehinde 

Adeyemo, the association 

stated that the election of 

the duo, as the new 

helmsmen of the state, was 

a positive development 

and a big relief to the 

communities and citizens 

in the state who have in the 

last eight years suffered 

lack of inclusive 

governance and poor 

infrastructural 

development. 

Specifically, the ACCDA 

commended Governor 

Abiodun on his victory 

despite huge opposition 

but reminded him not to 

forget his electoral 

promises which centre on 

transparency, 

development, 

inclusiveness and good 

governance stating that all 

of these are much desired 

to fast-pace growth and 

development of the entire 

state rather than an 

“arrogant concentration of 

infrastructure in one 

region” of the state. 

Adeyemo disclosed that 

although residents in Arepo 

community have made 

several efforts, levying 

themselves and making 

monetary contributions to 

fix the road, yet not much 

has been achieved as the 

road requires government 

attention with wholistic 

reconstruction. 

The road was built by 

former Governor Gbenga 

Daniel 15 years ago and 

has since gone into 

disrepair. 

He lamented that Arepo 

Community which boasts 

of Journalists Estate, the 

first of its kind in Africa and 

the whole of the world has 

rather than attract the 

attention and care of the 

state government been 

carelessly and recklessly 

abandoned by an 

unlistening governor. 

However, the ACCDA 

has appealed to Gov. Dapo 

Abiodun and his new team 

to write their names in gold 

by urgently directing 

immediate reconstruction 

of the road as awarded 

while giving the 

community a fresh breather 

by providing other social 

amenities 

and 

infrastructure befitting of a 

fast growing border 

community which holds 

high potentials for the state 

in curbing rural-urban 

migration and other 

economic benefits.


Buhari’s ‘necessary evil’ comment: 

Nigerians are in for it 

PRESIDENT Muhammadu 

Buhari makes no pretence 

that he is not in a hurry, if ever, to 

walk away from narrow political 

alley or climb out of the dark ditch 

of provincialism into bright 

national light. 

Even when his confederates 

befuddle the unwary by 

ingeniously clarifying what they 

know he didn’t mean to say, but 

which they claim he meant, he 

himself re-clarifies, for the 

avoidance of doubt, what he 

meant. 

Buhari did exactly that on 

Tuesday, June 5, when a highpowered 

Abuja delegation paid 

him Sallah homage in the Villa. 

The delegation, led by Vice 

President Yemi Osinbajo, included 

former Imo State Governor, 

Rochas Okorocha; Secretary to 

the Government of the 

Federation, Boss Mustapha; 

Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari; Chief 

of Defence Staff, General 

Abayomi Olonisakin; Chief of 

Army Staff, Lieutenant General 

Tukur Buratai; Chief of Naval 

Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas; 

and Chief of Air Staff, Air 

Marshal Sadique Abubakar. 

Others included Inspector- 

General of Police, Mohammed 

Adamu; National Security 

Adviser, Babagana Monguno; 

Director-General of Department 

of State Service, Yusuf Magaji 

Bichi; Permanent Secretary, State 

House, Jalal Arabi; Senator 

Philip Aduda; former 

Communication Minister, 

Adebayo Shittu; and Central 

Bank of Nigeria Governor, 

Godwin Emefiele. 

Complaining about 

his government 

Buhari, who pleaded with the All 

Progressives Congress, APC, 

leaders and his supporters to stop 

complaining about his 

government to avoid making it 

unpopular, called Federal Capital 

Territory, FCT, residents 

“necessary evil”. 

Why? 

Because the majority of the FCT 

electorate voted for candidates of 

the Peoples Democratic Party, 

PDP, in the last election. 

The result declared by the 

Independent National Electoral 

Commission, INEC, claimed that 

Buhari won majority votes in 19 

states with a total 15,191,847 

votes to defeat Atiku Abubakar of 

the PDP who garnered 11,262,978 

and won majority votes in 17 

states. 

However, the most dramatic 

result came from Abuja, Nigeria’s 

seat of power. 

There, Atiku polled 259,997 

(61.33 per cent) to drub Buhari 

who got only 152,224 (35.91 per 

cent) in what ordinarily should be 

his political fortress. 

Worse, Buhari lost in the polling 

booths in and around Aso Rock, a 

clear no confidence vote in him 

by FCT residents. 

The message sank in and the 

Ramadan homage presented him 

an opportunity to vent his spleen. 

But that only reminded his 

visitors that Abuja residents 

preferred Atiku at the polls. 

Buhari’s avowal that he really 

does not have any choice in 

protecting the seat of power 

because any negative thing that 

happens to it would also affect 

him betrayed his negative and 

anti-sportsman emotions when it 

comes to elections. 

“I want to appreciate the 

number two man of the country 

because he knows what we are 

going through very quietly. I am 

very pleased that you came with 

this very powerful constituency,” 

he told Osinbajo. 

“I appeal to you to remain 

exemplary so that those under 

you will know that the country is 

doing very well. If you break 

down and complain, the impact 

will reverberate all over and then, 

government will not be popular 

and whatever efforts we are 

making will not be appreciated. 

“I have just spoken to the 

senator (Phillip Aduda) on my 

left and I told him that his 

constituency did not vote for me. 

So, I was very pleased that when 

they made the arrangement they 

put him very far away from me. I 

have all the results of all 

constituencies. 

Elections are 

over; this is 

time for 

governance 

and the entire 

country is the 

president’s 

constituency 

“I am not threatening FCT 

because to make FCT secure is to 

make myself secure and the vice 

president. I think they are 

necessary evil and that was why 

they decided to vote for PDP.” 

Does it mean that if his own 

personal security was not 

involved, Buhari would have 

threatened Abuja residents 

because they rejected him at the 

polls? 

People dismiss his faux pas as a 

joke. But is it? I doubt! The Bible 

says in Matthew 12:34 that: “Out 

of the abundance of the heart the 

mouth speaks.” 

Those who think that Buhari 

was being humorous may well 

remember his blooper during his 

visit to the United States when he 

spoke on security and 

counterterrorism in Nigeria and 

West Africa at the United States 

Institute of Peace, USIP, on July 

22, 2015. 

Taking questions on the last of 

the four-day visit in a session 

moderated by former U.S. 

Undersecretary of State for 

African Affairs, Johnnie Carson, 

Buhari stunned his audience 

while responding to a question 

from Pauline Baker, President 

Emeritus of The Fund for Peace, 

wonder if you would 

tell us how you intend to approach 

it with particular reference to the 

amnesty, bunkering, and 

inclusive development?” Baker 

asked. 

Buhari, who initially seemed 

out of depth with the term 

“inclusive development” 

riposted: “(Going by election 

results), constituencies that gave 

me 97 per cent cannot in all 

honesty be treated, on some 

issues, with constituencies that 

gave me five per cent. I think these 

are political realities. 

“While certainly there will be 

justice for everybody the people 

who voted, and made their votes 

count, they must feel the 

government has appreciated the 

effort in putting the government 

in place. I think this is really fair 

....” And that was exactly what 

Buhari did in the four years of his 

first term. 

While he was rewarding those 

who voted for him, so much so 

that his first task was to ask Jim 

Jong Kim, then President of the 

World Bank, to focus the bank’s 

intervention efforts in Nigeria in 

the “Northern region”, he at the 

same time claimed not to know 

what those who gave him five per 

cent vote really wanted. 

Provision of 

security 

who inquired about 

security in the Niger 

Delta, having been 

disappointed that the 

area never came up in 

Buhari’s discussions in 

Washington. 

“My question 

relates to another area 

of Nigeria that hasn’t 

gotten a lot of 

attention during this 

trip and that is the 

Niger Delta. It’s a 

challenge that you are 

going to face. I 

For how long will Buhari 

continue on this cynical 

leadership trajectory? How can a 

president who claims to belong 

to everybody and nobody 

continue to allocate our collective 

values based on the quantum of 

votes he secured in different parts 

of the country? 

So, if he and Osinbajo were not 

resident in Abuja and if the city 

was not the seat of power, the 

president wouldn’t have cared a 

hoot? It is the responsibility of the 

president to provide security for 

all parts of the country, 

irrespective of where he and the 

vice president reside or how 

Nigerians cast their votes. 

Elections are over. This is time 

for governance and the entire 

country is the president’s 

constituency. 

Just as the resources of the 

Nigerian state which he has been 

called upon to allocate do not 

belong to only those who voted 

for him, he has no right to exclude 

anyone or any section that 

rejected him at the ballot box. 

In the 12 years Buhari contested 

for Aso Rock and failed, he 

garnered more votes in the North 

West than his opponents, yet 

former Presidents Olusegun 

Obasanjo and Goodluck 

Jonathan who beat him did not 

punish the region because they got 

fewer votes than him. 

Calling Abuja residents “evil” 

because of their democratic 

choice is most unpresidential. 

If that is a foretaste of what to 

expect during Buhari’s “Next 

Level” governance which has just 

kicked off, then Nigerians are, 

indeed, in for it. 

Edo group carpets former SSA to 

president over comments on NASS 

leadership 

Senators. 

By Alemma- 

Ozioruva Aliu 

BENIN 

CITY— 

LEADERSHIP of Edo 

Youth Political Forum 

yesterday carpeted the 

utterances credited to former 

Senior Special Assistant to 


Buhari on National Assembly, 

Ita Enang that Senator Ahmed 

Lawan and Senator Ovie 

Omo-Agege were the 

president’s favourites for 

Senate President and Deputy 


A statement by the 

president of the group, 

Benjamin Agbohaode said 

they would protest any action 

against the emergence of the 

current Deputy Chief Whip of 

the Senate, Francis 

Alimikhena. 

According to the statement, 

“the Radio Interview granted 

by Senator Ita Enang was a 

biased opinion expressed from 

an uninformed position of 

ignorance. He is not a serving 

Senator and do not have the 

capacity to speak for elected 

DELTA—THE 

Benjamin 

Iwetan leadership of Host 

Communities of Nigeria 

(Producing Oil & Gas) 

HOSTCOM, Delta State 

Chapter, has called on Delta 

State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi 

Okowa to as a matter of urgency 

find a lasting solution to the 

factional crisis rocking the 

organisation to avert a 

breakdown of law and order in 

the state. 

This call is contained in a 

communique issued at the end 

of its 2019 first quarter 

leadership meeting held in 

Warri, Delta State, recently. 

The communique signed by 

the State Chairman, Hon. 

Benjamin Iwetan, chairmen, 

secretaries and youth leaders of 

Itsekiri, Ijaw, Isoko, Urhobo as 

well as Ndokwa Nations, noted 

that they are patiently waiting 

for the reconciliation meeting 

between both factions as 

proposed by a former SSA to 

By Monsuru 

Olowoopejo 

AHEAD INAUGURATION 

of the ninth National 

Assembly, an ethnic group, 

Communities Council of 

Nigeria, has thrown its weight 

behind the Senator 

representing Kano South 

Senatorial District, Kabiru 

Gaya, for the seat of deputy 


The group, representing over 

350 ethnic groups, stressed 

that if Gaya emerges, 

Nigerians will gain freedom 

as he will ensure justice. 

In a press statement signed 

by its National President, 

Ezeani Bruno, it explained 

that their support for Gaya was 

because of his actions, 

participation and zeal to build 

a formidable, harmonious and 

President 

Muhammadu Buhari and the 

APC National Chairman has 

not appointed him as the 

spokesperson of the All 

Progressive Congress (APC) 

therefore he should stop 

exceeding his boundaries in 

order not to overheat the 

polity. 

“President Muhammadu 

Buhari understood that we are 

in democracy and has given 

the Senators their 

independence to choose their 

leaders. As an incumbent 

Deputy Chief whip of the 

Senate, Senator Francis 

Alimikhena is well equipped 

and refined for such position 

and not for triviality. 

“Senator Ovie Omo Agege 

cannot emerge as a Deputy 

President of the Senate when 

he has not sat in the chamber 

up to the required number of 

times that a Senator is 

expected to be in the chamber 

and he only joined the APC to 

to seek for party ticket and 

may defect again from the 

party due to his nature of 

being unstable in political 

parties.” 

Find lasting solution to HOSTCOM 

factional crisis, Group tells Okowa 

Governor Okowa. 

The communique which was 

signed by Engr. Tuoyo Woligho, 

Pa Otimeyin Tonukarin and 

Comrade Ajemiero Mene Ejegi, 

chairman, secretary and youth 

leader respectively of Itsekiri 

Chapter, was also signed by 

Robinson Ugbone, Elvis Inor 

and Friday Ojiko, chairman, 

secretary and youth leader, 

respectively for Ijaw Chapter of 

HOSTCOM. 

While Chief Smart Ikogba, 

Pius Ebase and Oviri Kevin 

Ovuevarie, chairman, secretary 

and youth leader, respectively, 

signed for Isoko Chapter of the 

factional HOSTCOM, 

O’Connel Obiomah, Urhobo 

Leader and Chief Harrison 

Abuge, Chairman, signed for 

Urhobo Nation. 

Ndokwa Leader, Osita 

Ijeoma, Rev. Lucky Nzegu, 

secretary and Clement 

Ojimiwe, youth leader, signed 

for Ndokwa ethnic Nationality. 

Group backs Gaya for Deputy 

Senate President 

prosperous united Nigeria 

through effective legislature. 

“The most distinguished 

senator has all it takes to be the 

Deputy Senate President of the 

9th Assembly, haven done 

wonderfully well in his 

previous terms. 

“We speak out of a deep belief 

in the ideals and potentials of 

this trained architect, who will 

never seek refuge in reaction, 

but will match leadership to the 

possibilities of progress and 

give meaning to old values. 

His cause has been that of the 

common man,” the statement 

reads. 

According to the group, 

Gaya will be coming to the 

upper chamber of the National 

Assembly for the fourth time to 

represent Kano South 

Senatorial District.

vanguardnews @vanguardnews @vanguardnews 



Continues from Page 5 

Western crisis of 1965 

and the coup of January 

and July 1966. The July 

coup was a jihad that 

resulted in the killing of 

innocent Nigerians 

especially the Ndigbo 

who were mainly 

Christians. This jihad 

resulted in the pogrom 

that led to the Civil War 

of 1967 – 1970. The 

jihad continued with the 

Maitatsine riots which 

was supposed to be 

between Muslim sects 

but in reality provided 

an excuse to attack and 

kill Ndigbo especially 

the shop owners and 

their shops were looted. 

There was no correlation 

between Maitatsine and 

Christian shop owners. 

“Maitatsine” became an 

excuse for jihad against 

other Muslims to ensure 

that they fall in line 

especially in Bulunkutu, 

Jimeta, etc. Having 

subdued the North and 

moderate Muslims 

including the overthrow 

of Christian General, 

Yakubu Gowon and a 

moderate Muslim 

President, Shehu 

Shagari, today, 2019, 

Nigeria has a group of 

Christian Clergy 

(Mukharabat), men and 

women paid 

handsomely and 

granted national 

Honors, whose duties 

include speaking in 

defense of Islam and 

Sharia." 

Role of Religion 

"There was a 

commission of inquiry in 

1982 in Nigeria which 

discovered that the three 

persons named above 

introduced the doctrine 

and operational manual 

of Muslim Brotherhood 

into Nigeria. The 

Maitatsine inquiry 

showed clearly the use 

of state violence to quell 

religious fanaticism thus 

began the process of 

state force to bring other 

Muslim sects into line; 

the same was applied to 

El Zakzaky in 2016, a 

Shiite who was an ally 

of the Sunni in the 

1970s to 1980s. It also 

provided political 

reasons for the 

dominance of Muslim 

North over Christian 

South. Shekau’s video 

“the religion of Allah not 

the religion of 

Democracy” in 

December 17, 2014 

shows the role of 

religion in the crisis in 

Nigeria." 

Evidence of 

organized coordination 

"The Intelligence 

Service is the only 

organization in Nigeria 

since independence that 

has not been subjected 

to a commission of 

inquiry. It was 

strengthened when 

Murtala Mohammed 

was assassinated and 

became an instrument 

for the “protection of 

Muslims and the 

promotion of Sharia.” 

The Intelligence Service 

constituted the 

“invisible government”. 

Evidence of this fact can 

be found in the 

leadership and 

personnel of the 

organization. The videos 

made by Boko Haram 

also showed organized 

co-ordination." 

Evidence of 

support 

"A former Governor of 

Borno State started the 

Boko Haram and coopted 

the head of Boko 

Haram sect, Yesufu into 

his cabinet. A member of 

NCEF and former Chief 

of Army Staff had to call 

on Nigerians to resort to 

self defense when the 

telephone of a terrorist 

was discovered to 

contain numbers of 

government and top 

officials in the Armed 

Forces. No commission 

of inquiry was set up, 

but a committee of the 

military was alleged to 

have found the military 

blameless. Today, all 

Ethnic Nationalities 

have been advised to 

resort to self-help. This 

is not evidence of an 

organized society." 

Disproportionate 

Number of 

Victims 

"This can be attributed 

to various acts of “stealth 

jihad” by the Federal 

Government whereby 

arms in the hands of law 

abiding citizens mainly 

Christians were 

confiscated while the 

Fulani herdsmen and 

Boko Haram retain their 

AK47 rifles. When these 

terrorists are arrested, 

they are “re-habilitated” 

and sent back into the 

society. They are never 

prosecuted. 

Finance for 

Weapons 

"The case of an arms 

dealer, a Nigerian who 

lives in Egypt was 

reported to the 

Department of State 

Security (DSS). The DSS 

did not carry out the 

directive of President 

Jonathan that the 

suspect be arrested and 

interrogated. 

Intelligence report in 

2010, found (former 

governor of Borno) 

personal involvement in 

the recruitment, training 

and dispatch of Boko 

Haram fighters. During 

the period of Jonathan, 

the Islamists 

consolidated and the 

result is what is taking 

place presently in 

Nigeria. The DG SSS 

was accused by the 

NCEF of disloyalty to 

President Jonathan in a 

letter to that 

organization 

December 2017." 

in 

Evidence of 

collusion 

"It is also clear that it 

is stealth jihad to have 

a Constitution that 

prohibits State Police 

even as money in 

billions of dollars is 

voted for vigilantes and 

religious police, thus 

rendering the Police 

weakened by stealth 

jihad while Boko Haram 

and Fulani herdsmen 

execute 

the 

conventional jihad. This 

is the conclusion that 

one can draw from these 

statements of President 

Buhari over the years 

below: 

i. “I will continue to 

show openly the total 

commitment to the 

Sharia movement;” 

ii. “Why should 

Christians be concerned 

when Muslims cut off 

their limbs after all the 

limbs cut off are Muslim 

ones;” 

iii. “I can die for the 

course of Islam, if 

necessary. We are 

prepared to fight 

another civil war; “ 

iv. “We cannot be 

blackmailed into killing 

the Sharia idea. Sharia 

must be spread all over 

Nigeria.” 

v. “Boko Haram 

members should be 

pampered and given 

VIP treatment but not 

killed. It is injustice to 

kill them;” 

vi. “That Muslims 


NEWS HOTLINES 

018773962, 

08052867058 

SALLAH—Speaker, House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara (right), with 

former Military President, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (rtd), when 

the Speaker visited him in Minna, Niger State, yesterday. 

should only vote those 

who will promote Islam. 

“We are more than 

Christians if you add our 

Muslim brothers in the 

South-West.” Buhari was 

caught on video tapes 

before he became 

president in 2015.” 

Action so far 

taken 

The action taken so far 

by the government 

suggests collusion or 

cover up by refusing to 

call jihad by its proper 

name. When a crime is 

committed and acts of 

subjugation and/or 

humiliation is added 

such as rape or religious 

signs or cries, this is 

jihad. Because the 


ideological reasons, 

action taken by all 

interested parties must 

be directed towards the 

prevention of violence. 

Bullets do not kill 

ideology; it is a better 

ideology over time that 

can eliminate Boko 


herdsmen and this is 

Democracy.’’ 

Action taken to 

prevent further 

conflict 

"Knowledge, 

information and 

understanding. It took 

over 20 years of study to 

appreciate that the 


ideology. All forms of 

distraction and 

propaganda are utilized 

to change the narrative: 

poverty, illiteracy, 

change of climate, etc. 

The truth is Sharia 

ideology 

is 

incompatible with 

Democracy. A multicultural, 

multi-religion 

and multi-ethnic 

country like Nigeria 

requires Democracy not 

Sharia. 

"The Peace Accord 

between the Federal 

Government and Boko 

Haram brokered by 

Canon Stephen Davis 

was never signed by the 

Federal Government 

after Boko Haram 

leaders signed in July 

2013. Two of the seven 

Boko Haram leaders 

who signed the 

agreement lost their 

lives in questionable 

circumstances." 

Fake news 

"Democracy and 

Sharia are no fake news. 

Those who cry fake news 

are those promoting 

jihad and Taqiyya, so as 

to provide an excuse for 

stealth jihad and the 

protection of jihadists. 

An Imam in Plateau 

State was rewarded for 

saving hundred of 

Christians from the 

jihadists which showed 

that not all Imams in 

Nigeria are Jihadists." 

Conflict 

primarily 

ideological 

"The conflicting 

ideologies of 

Democracy and Sharia 

are responsible for the 

refusal of the Muslim 

North to say thank you 

to the Christian South 

for the growth and 

development of the 

Muslim North. To do 

so would contravene 

the tenets of Islam and 

Islamic supremacy 

over other religions 

and peoples. In the 

paper of the National 

Christian Elders 

Forum titled Testimony 

of Hope in Democracy 

of May 17, 2019, we 

suggested that Boko 


herdsmen are 

perceived solutions to 

what Northern Muslim 

elite and student 

groups saw as an 

instrument for 

solidifying an Islamic 

identity in the face of 

continuing Christian 

advances in Nigeria. It 

is time that the peoples 

of Nigeria and the UK 

appreciate that 

Democracy and Sharia 

is incompatible. What 

Nigeria needs is 

Democracy. It will be 

very clear that Sharia 

is no match for 

Democracy with 

respect to life being 

more abundant. 

Unfortunately, Britain 

seems to have been 

taken over by Muslims 

and very soon would 

need help, if they do 

not appreciate that it is 

an ideology (Sharia) 

that is staring them in 

the face."


08152060944 

What Buhari must t do differently now---La 

---Lawy 

wyer 

ers 

By Henry Ojelu 

Creation of State Police 

should be his priority 

- Prof. Ojukwu, SAN 

A second term for President 

Buhari offers a great 

opportunity for him to write 

his name down in history as 

the leader that changed 

Nigeria positively. I dream of 

a Buhari regime that will 

tackle headlong the issue of 

security which has become the 

most challenging subject of 

governance. I hope the 

President will pay greater 

attention to this and 

“personally” take charge 

especially with the crimes of 

kidnapping and murders by 

herdsmen in parts of the 

country. In that wise, the 

President should as a matter 

of urgency, approve the 

principle of having State 

Police and support the 

necessary constitutional, 

legal and executive actions to 

make it happen. This should 

be treated by the President as 

most urgent. 

I am happy that the President 

has himself recently raised the 

amber on obedience to rule of law 

and court decisions. I will like to 

see the President’s executive 

orders on this and actual 

enforcement and obedience to 

rule of law by political and public 

service leaders no matter the 

status. We cannot survive as a 

democratic nation without 

adherence to rule of law, 

including the very important 

obedience to court decisions and 

independence of the judiciary. 

I commend the actions of 

government so far at stabilising 

our economy and building 

infrastructure across the country. 

I commend his government on 

the fight against corruption. But 

in this second term, I hope 

President Buhari will do more on 

these frontiers, improve 

employment opportunities for our 

citizens and reduce poverty, 

continue with greater impetus on 

the reconstruction of our decayed 

infrastructure and take more 

appropriate measures to really 

begin a real fight against 

corruption, especially on the 

fronts of re-orientation, education 

and community involvement. I 

pray that the President will 

appoint honest men with real 

capacity as his Ministers and 

other leaders to assist him focus 

on the enormous responsibility of 

governing Nigeria today and in 

so doing, do everything within 

the principle of merit to be sure 

every part of the country feel 

included in governance. 

Adoption of 2014 National 

Conference very vital 

- Ozekhome, SAN 

President Buhari, before the 

much awaited Election 

Petition Tribunal judgment must 

quickly take Nigeria out of the 

social, economic and political 

doldrums he and his APC 

government have sunk it. He 

should be more nationalistic in his 

approach to governance; less 

sectional, less partial, nepotic, 

cronystic and prependalistic. He 

should drop his stiff garb of 

suffocating military 

imperiousness and jackbootism 

and know that he is now supposed 

With the swearing in of President Muhammadu Buhari 

for a second term in office, opinions vary regarding how 

well he has fulfilled the promises he made 

to the country in his first term. While the President and his 

handlers believe they have delivered on key areas such as 

security, economy, infrastructure, power, employment and 

fight against corruption, critics and opposition elements 

describe Buhari’s first term as four years of empty promises. 

They point to worsening economic hardship, unemployment, 

kidnapping, killings in most parts of the county and decaying 

infrastructure as an indication of a failed administration. 

Many believe that Buhari’s scorecard fell short of the 

*Ojukwu, SAN *Ozekhome, SAN *Falana, SAN *Ubani *Ojo 

most important amongst them government solves security and 

is the vexed but overdue issue of electricity issues, that will be 

devolution of powers and fantastic. Even the first lady 

restructuring of the unworking raised alarm on the issue of 

Nigerian contraption, to become insecurity in the country. This 

a truly fiscal and federal system shows the extent and enormity 

of government. 

of the problems. 

to be a democrat, subject to due 

process of law, with the attendant 

democratic safeguards. Buhari 

should allow rule of law to 

flourish, learn to obey court orders 

and respect citizens’ cherished 

and inalienable fundamental 

human rights. Buhari must, as 

president of a whole nation, drop 

his 97 per cent/5 per cent 

bellyaching mantra and 

endeavour to be less divisive and 

vindictive; and treat all Nigerians 

equally and as one, whether they 

presumably voted for him or not. 

He must stop promoting the 

superiority, suzerignty and 

sovereignty of his ethnic group 

over and above the other more 

than 350 ethnic groups in 

Nigeria. 

He must give democracy 

dividends to the Nigerian people 

through the provision of 

adequate security (section 14 of 

the 1999 Constitution), robust 

economy and infrastructure 

development. He should think 

outside the box of how to fight 

corruption, as his performance 

in this regard has been woeful, 

selective, exclusionary and 

favoritism-based. Nigeria is 

more corrupt today than ever 

before (according to latest 

Transparency International 

Corruption Perception Index). 

Where corruption could be said 

to have been “democratized” by 

previous governments before 

him, corruption under Buhari 

has been greatly ”privatised” by 

a few high-headed cabalistic 

elements. Thus, corruption 

money, unlike before now, no 

longer circulate, or sip down to 

the common people. It has been 

hijacked, privatised and held 

down by the jugular by these few 

elements at the precincts and 

corridors of temporary power. 

More importantly, Buhari should 

dust up the over 600 groundbreaking 

recommendations of 

the 2014 National Conference 

scripted by 491 delegates from 

across Nigeria (wherein I was a 

Federal Government delegate, 

and voted “Cicero of the 2014 

National Conference”) and 

implement them. Some of the 

Nothing will change under 

Buhari – Falana 

With a comatose economy, with 

insecurity and unemployment, 

with detention of citizens without 

trial, with disobedience of court 

orders and official impunity all 

over the place, nothing will 

change during President Buhari’s 

second term. 

Security and energy should 

be key focus - Ojo 

The paramount priority is 

security and energy. Once the 

government solves security 

issues, there is peace, security of 

lives and property, investors 

can come in with their 

investments and grow the 

economy and jobs for 

unemployed graduates. With 

electricity in place, industries 

will improve. This will drive the 

economy of the country. The 

manufacturing companies, 

tailors, vulcanisers and others 

will get something doing and they 

will be able to feed their families 

and pay school fees. Otherwise, 

restiveness will be the order of 

the day. Idle mind will engage in 

cultism, yahoo etc and will 

stretch the anti-graft bodies to 

breaking point. The government 

must as a matter of urgency, 

address these key issues. If the 

Fundamentally, 

the president 

should 

appointment 

ministers who 

have the interest 

of Nigeria and 

Nigerians at 

heart 

expectation of Nigerians, who bought into his change mantra. 

In this edition, Vanguard Law and Human Right sought the 

views of lawyers on what they think should be the focus of 

President Buhari second and what the president must do 

differently to meet the needs of the people. 

Those who shared their opinion include, Prof. Ernest Ojukwu, 

SAN, rights activists, Mr Mike Ezekhome, SAN; Femi Falana, 

SAN; Senior Law Lecturer, Lagos State University, Gbenga 

Ojo; former 2 nd Vice-President, Nigeria Bar Association, NBA, 

Monday Ubani; rights activist, Yemi Omodele and Executive 

Director, Cadrell Advocacy Centre, Evans Ufeli. 

Appointment of right 

persons as ministers key to 

development - Omodele 

Before and during the swearing 

in of President Buhari on May 29, 

2015, expectations were high. 

However, few months after the 

swearing in, many Nigerians 

were a bit disappointed due to 

style of governance and the 

unexpected economic hardship. 

Despite these, Nigerians still 

elected him for another four 

years. Therefore, it is expected 

of the administration to correct 

the mistakes of the last four 

years. He should add more value 

and show concern for citizens, 

give priority to education at all 

levels, create an avenue to 

discourage wasting of 

government resources, sanitize 

all sectors of the administration 

in terms of corruption, make 

Nigerians smile about their take 

home, encourage more 

Nigerians to participate in 

agriculture, ensure the aviation 

sector works, ensure availability 

of petroleum products, among 

others. The president should 

appoint ministers who have the 

interest of Nigeria and Nigerians 

at heart. 

Inclusive policies and 

government is vital -Ubani 

On my expectations on the 

president on his second tenure, I 

wish him to address the issue of 

energy, roads, railway, 

unemployment, inflation, 

foreign exchange and interest 

rates in the economy. 

On security, decentralise the 

structure of the Police and 

ensure that crime is detected and 

fought with technology. On 

corruption fight, let him discover 

all the avenues through which 

the elite steal from the system and 

block them. They steal through 

security votes, local government 

funds and bogus award of 

contracts, he should stop them 

from using these methods. 

Furthermore, those who are 

caught stealing should be dealt 

with through a strengthened 

judicial system. On a final note, 

the president must run an 

inclusive government, reconcile 

the entire country through 

humane and inclusive policies 

that will propel growth for the 

country. 

He must address Nigeria’s 

problems with every sense of 

urgency all the time. 

Let him surround himself with 

technocrats with sense of 

patriotism to move the country 

forward. 

Wastage must be 

discouraged - Ufeli 

My expectations on Buhari’s 

second term are that he should 

deliver on the promises of 

democracy that he made to 

Nigerians. He has sworn to an 

oath for the second time even 

when he is yet to deliver on the 

economy, security and 

corruption as he promised in his 

first term under the change 

agenda. 

The president should improve on 

the security strategy of the 

country, develop a smart system 

through technology to address 

the situation and deploy the 

requisite incentives, welfare 

packages and equipment to the 

armed forces. In so doing, he 

would have created an enabling 

environment for farmers to 

return to their farms and traders 

will return to their businesses and 

displaced citizens can go back to 

their homes. This will revive the 

economy and production will 

increase and the informal sector 

of the economy will find its 

bearing and the citizens will once 

again come alive. While 

government succeeded in 

chasing the insurgents (Boko 

Haram) to a point, the 

resurgence of the herdsmen 

concomitantly threw the nation 

into turmoil and this hasn’t been 

addressed. Buhari must address 

this now. 

C 

M 

Y 

K

The Small and Medium 

Enterprises 

Development Agency of 

Nigeria (SMEDAN) has 

called on small and 

medium enterprises 

(SMEs) to leverage 

opportunities offered by 

financial institutions in 

the country to grow the 

sector. 

Lagos State Coordinator, 

SMEDAN, Yinka Fischer, 

stated this at the maiden 

edition of Business 

Funding and 

Acceleration Summit for 

SMEs in Lagos. 

He explained that 

SMEs urged to leverage financial opportunities 

SMEDAN was set up to 

encourage small 

businesses in a bid to 

create job opportunities 

for the nation's teeming 

population as well as 

facilitate finance for SMEs 

development. 

Fischer urged SMEs to 

leverage the financial 

opportunities offered by 

financial institutions 

aimed at supporting 

businesses. According to 

him, most SMEs were not 

well informed about the 

financial opportunities 

available in the country. 

SMEDAN, Manufacturers 

Association of Nigeria 

(MAN) and stakeholders 

in the financial industry 

convened the summit to 

explore financial 

opportunities for SMEs in 

the country. They noted 

that SMEs and the 

business community 

need support and 

encouragement to 

provide job opportunities 

and create wealth in the 

economy. 

In his remark, Director- 

General, MAN, Segun 

Ajayi-Kadir, said the 

summit was part of MAN's 

mandate to disseminate 

information critical to 

people and its members. 

Ajayi-Kadir who was 

represented by MAN's 

Director of Corporate 

Affairs, Ambrose Oruche, 

said the summit was aimed 

at bridging the gap 

between the funds 

available in the market 

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2019 — 43 

and the complaints by 

users who did not get 

those funds. 

He stated: "The plan is to 

get the fund providers and 

users in one forum to 

discuss how best to get 

these funds readily 

available for businesses to 

grow. It is going to be an 

annual forum to ensure 

that we bridge the funding 

gap for genuine 

businesses in the country." 

Also speaking at the event, 

an Assistant Manager in 

Bank of Industry (BoI), 

Mohammed Ismail, said 

there are many products 

accessible to businesses in 

the development finance 

institution provided the 

SMEs met the 

requirements. 

He noted that there were 

intervention funds by 

Central Bank of Nigeria 

(CBN) and other funds 

currently being managed 

by BoI available to 

existing and prospective 

businesses, adding that 

the bank was established 

to support genuine 

businesses in the country. 

BoI's disbursement sement to MSMEs up 

by 14.9% in 2018 

By Yinka Kolawole 

The Bank of Industry 

(BoI) disbursed a 

total of N33.9 

billion to micro, small 

and medium enterprises 

(MSMEs) in 2018, 

representing an increase 

of 14.9 percent over the 

N29.5 billion disbursed 

in 2017. 

Chairman, BoI, Aliyu 

Dikko, disclosed this at 

the bank's recently held 

59th Annual General 

Meeting (AGM) in 

Abuja. 

He said that between 

January and December 

2018, a total of N259.6 

billion was disbursed by 

BoI to support the 

industrialisation policy 

of the federal 

government. This, 

according to him, 

represents an increase of 

N147.1 billion or 130 

percent when compared 

to N112.5 billion 

disbursed to businesses 

in the 2017 financial 

year. 

Giving the breakdown, 

Dikko said that N33.9 

billion was disbursed to 

MSMEs while the 

balance of N225.7 

billion was deployed to 

support large 

enterprises. 

Speaking on the financial 

performance, he said 

that during the period, 

the group's total asset 

grew by 49 percent from 

N713.3 billion in 2017 

to 1.07 trillion in 2018. 

The BoI boss further 

declared that the bank's 

total equity increased 

by 12.5 percent from 

N241 billion in 2017 to 

N258.3 billion in 2018, 

while profit before tax 

rose to N36.7 billion, 

indicating a 39 percent 

increase over N26.4 

billion recorded in the 

previous year. 

Simple way to register your business with Corporate Affairs Commission 

Dikko said the 

management of the bank 

proposed N2 billion 

dividend pay-out, 

which was unanimously 

approved by 

shareholders of the 

bank. 

He said: "The bank's 

developmental impact 

profile and financial 

performance are 

fundamental indicators 

of our success." 

In his remark, Managing 

Director, BoI, Mr 

Olukayode Pitan, said 

the bank would 

continue 

its 

intervention 

programme in the 

various sectors of the 

economy. He said the 

bank facilitated the 

disbursement of N29 

billion to 1.55 million 

beneficiaries nationwide 

through its flagship 

products such as 

TraderMoni and 

MarketMoni. This, he 

noted, is in partnership 

with the federal 

government with 

respect to its 

Government Enterprise 

and Empowerment 

Programme (GEEP), a 

component of its Social 

I n v e s t m e n t 

Budgets & forecast for SMEs (1) 

Even though there has been considerable 

improvement in the appreciation of the peculiar 

nature of small & medium enterprise, SMEs, in terms 

of standard operating procedures, SOPs, most banks 

expect the small business owner to operate a 

semblance of formalization in their business 

approach. 

For the purpose of the topic of this discussion one of 

the SOPs a bank would require of any company that 

intends to access its business loan is the presentation 

of a credible budget, which includes a financial 

forecast. 

A budget and financial forecast assist you to meet 

your business goals. They are a future prediction of 

your business finances. 

Your bank would like to see the potentials of your 

business in terms of sustainability and growth, 

especially, its ability to generate enough cash to repay 

whatever loan that may be advanced to it. In other 

words, the bank wants to see the future of your 

business. 

Predicting the financial future of your business is not 

easy, especially if you're starting a business and don't 

have a trading history. However, forecasting and 

making adjustments frequently will enable you to 

become more accurate. 

So beyond whatever the bank may require it is in the 

interest of the business and the owner to see the future 

with a view to both motivate action today and 

navigate tomorrow's challenges. 

Monthly or weekly forecasts may be necessary when 

starting your business, experiencing rapid growth, 

or having financial difficulties. Regular forecasts allow 

you to closely monitor your finances and develop 

strategies to fix problems before they become major 

issues. 

Monthly or quarterly forecasts may be more 

appropriate for a stable, established business. Off 

course you will need to establish an annual budget 

which is a build-up of all the weekly, monthly and 

quarterly forecasts. 

Next week we look into the detailed content of a 

typical financial forecast. 

SMEDAN AN DG decries MSMEs’ attitude tow 

owar 

ards ds expor 

xport t drive 

The Director General, 

Small and Medium 

E n t e r p r i s e s 

Development Agency of 

Nigeria (SMEDAN), Dr. 

Dikko Umaru Radda, has 

decried the attitude of 

Nigeria MSMEs towards 

taking advantage of 

export windows due to 

poor quality of Nigerian 

products. 

Radda was speaking at 

the knowledge sharing 

session under the 

agency's Enterprise 

Network Initiative (ENI) 

programme held in Aba, 

Abia State. The DG was 

represented by the 

Director, Policy 

Partnership and 

Coordinaton, Dr. Friday 

Okpara. 

In a statement by 

Ibrahim Mohammed, 

Head, Corporate Affairs 

Unit, SMEDAN, it quoted 

Programmes (SIPs). 


products were 

specifically aimed at 

providing soft loans at 

no interest rate to small 

entrepreneurs. 

He also said the bank was 

working with the federal 

government in the 

implementation of the N- 

Power programme, 

under which soft loans 

worth N15.34 billion 

were provided to 

199,989 beneficiaries to 

purchase work-tools in 

sectors such as 

agriculture, health and 

education. 

the DG as saying 

ECOWAS, Asian, 

European and American 

markets as well as other 

African countries as 

yearning for Nigeria 

products. The Director- 

General noted that the 

quality of Nigerian 

products should be 

enhanced and the ease of 

doing business 

improved. 

Radda added that 

Nigeria MSMEs should 

explore the huge 

markets with its unique 

products and that the 

standards and 

specifications should be 

enhanced and improved. 

He also said labelling and 

packaging should meet 

international standards. 

"We should critically 

overhaul our strategy 

structure and system to 

be export ready," he 

added. 

The SMEDAN DG 

explained that ENI is 

based on a unique 

organizational model for 

the Nigeria sector, 

adding the initiative was 

apt given the present 

realities of the nation's 

economy which was in 

dire need of enhanced 

capacity to push her 

global competitiveness 

and inclusive growth.


YOUR LUCK TODAY 

By Joshua Adeyemo Phone 08056180139 

GEMINI: Conjunction between the Sun and Mercury 

in your Star Sign will enhance your brilliance to 

the betterment of your cause. Back your hopes and 

wishes along your career line with practical approach. 

CANCER: This is a good day to seek good advice 

from professionals, especially if what at hand is legal 

related. Both your present and immediate future should 

be taken more seriously. 

LEO: Romantic attractions through your career/business 

lines may become a little stronger than before. 

But your best bet now is to utilize your closeness to 

influential people to better your career line. 

VIRGO: Although others may try to oppose your brilliant 

ideas it indicated that you will laugh last today, 

especially if you refuse to be intimidated. Love and 

listen to your spouse. 

LIBRA: The language that will appeal to you more 

today is hard work, and whoever is coming with idea 

of joining the band wagon of merry making may be 

talking to the wrong channel. Watch your health. 

L E I S U R E 

TAKE HEART — ELLA RANDLE 

“When we cultivate being a loving heart, we become 

like the Sun that shines on everything and 

everyone.”-Take Heart Quotes- 

What is love? Love is what we do and how we demonstrate 

our actions to match our intentions and this love 

is demonstrated through patience, compassion, kindness, 

humility, understanding and most significantly 

a focus on self improvement. We can only be of more 

help to others when we do better for ourselves. Ella 

Randle 

TERROR MUDA in “Never say goodbye” 

SAYINGS OF 

OUR PEOPLE 

Getting only a 

beautiful 

woman is like 

planting a vine 

on the roadside 

everyone 

feeds on it. 

~African Proverb 

By Kola Fayemi 

SCORPIO: Young-at-heart among you are in for an 

exciting day when both excitement and satisfaction can 

go together. Enterprising business personalities among 

you will smile. Take your health seriously. 

SAGITTARIUS: Naturally you are the ambitious type 

and good opportunity to exhibit your innate ability 

will come your way. Please try not to neglect your domestic 

responsibilities; be more family minded. 

CAPRICORN: Opportunity to consolidate on progress 

made yesterday will come. This is a good day to make 

practical your new ideas at work. Lovers will smile. 

New attractions while on the move indicated. 

AQUARIUS: Although tomorrow will prove more 

successful for you, here is a day you can enhance your 

financial prospects through practical and ambitious 

approach from you. Be more family minded. 

PISCES: If you are already committed emotionally, 

it is better you discourage new romantic attractions 

while on the move or else you find yourself at cross 

roads sooner than you can imagine. 

DUDU in “ROLLING HOT” By A.O. OLAIDE 

ARIES: Whatever happens success will crown your 

efforts today. Yet you will need to keep both yours and 

other people secrets because of another day. Utilize 

your new ideas and take good advice. 

TAURUS: Your close friends and other influential 

personalities are willing to assist you to make it a successful 

day. You are becoming more irresistible to the 

members of your opposite sex. Be more loving. 

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 

Basic characteristics of Aries 

Being natives of the first Zodiac sign, Arians 

are forced most times to rely on their initiatives 

by necessity rather than mere wishful thinking. 

And as the saying goes “necessity is the mother 

of invention” they bring new ideas and techniques 

that make them respectable leaders both 

in the academic world and in business/professional 

circle. 

However, that is not to say Arians cannot record 

any meaningful progress without going through 

severe pains or difficulties. You are the ambitious 

type who truly crave for importance and 

recognition. And the Aries cardinal connection 

will induce you to take practical actions that 

will ensure your becoming very prominent. 

Arians are truly active and impatient. The element 

of fire in their system makes them enthusiastic 

set of people with abilities to instil confidence 

in others and burn themselves and others 

with fire of desire to excel. That is another 

talent for leadership. If they (Aries born people) 

can cultivate consistency, they would wear down 

any opponent- be it physical or other-wise. 

Influence of Aries indicates leadership ability, 

boldness, ruggedness, aggressive approach and 

competitive spirit. Mars that rules Aries makes 

it’s natives combatants in many ways and most 

often times they are winners. Aries born people 

feel their needs and wants profoundly and then 

give in to strong desire - especially as it concern 

their wishes. 

You will agree with the fact that desire often 

leads to ambition, thus most Arians are ambitious 

and if any body dare to block their ways or 

try to obstruct their. 

VIRGINIA 

HOME & ABROAD 

dadadekola@yahoo.com 

By Lawrence Akapa

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2019 — 45 

(sms only) 

08052202308 

Govt policies stifling our ability to 

create jobs---Food, beverage employers 

•Task FG on policies to boost manufacturing sector 

(Left to right) French President Emmanuel Macron, Britain’s Prime Minister 

Theresa May, Prince Charles and Queen Elizabeth, US President Donald 

Trump with wife Melania, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Dutch Prime 

Minister Mark Rutte and Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau [Carlos at 

the 75th anniversary of D-Day Landings in Portsmouth. Photo:Reuters 

US senators seek to block Trump 

arms sales to Saudi Arabia 

A 

bipartisan group of 

seven influential 

United States senators 

said on Wednesday they 

intend to force congressional 

votes on 22 resolutions 

that would block President 

Donald Trump’s recently-announced 

sales of 

US weapons to Saudi Arabia 

and the United Arab 

Emirates (UAE). 

Secretary of State Mike 

Pompeo had informed- 

Congress on May 24 the 

Trump administration was 

declaring a national security 

emergency in order to 

waive congressional review 

of $8.1bn in arms 

sales to Saudi Arabia and 

the UAE. Pompeo cited 

military tension with Iran 

for the emergency declaration, 

prompting senators to 

dispute the validity of Pompeo’s 

claim. 

“Congress has an essential 

oversight role in the 

decision to sell weapons 

and we must ensure proper 

procedures are in place 

in any weapons transfer,” 

Senator Todd Young, a 

member of the Republican 

leadership team in the Senate, 

said in a joint statement 

issued by the senators 

on Wednesday. 

“In light of the ongoing 

humanitarian crisis in Yemen, 

we have an obligation 

to ensure the adequate 

guardrails are in place and 

that weapons transfers to 

Saudi Arabia and the United 

Arab Emirates do not 

exacerbate the conflict,” 

Young said, adding alleged 

threats from Iran “do 

not justify” the Trump administration 

sidestepping 

Congress. 

Meanwhile, arriving in 

Ireland for the first time as 

U.S. president on 

Wednesday, Trump sought 

to reassure the country that 

Britain’s exit from the European 

Union would work 

out fine for its near neighbour. 

Prime Minister Leo 

Varadkar planned to use 

a meeting with Trump, 

who has been a vocal supporter 

of Brexit, to underline 

Ireland’s concerns 

over the departure, his 

deputy said. 

Fake News: Ghana pulls out of MoU 

with CRCC — Nigeria 

GHANA’s Ministry of 

Railways Development 

in Accra has pulled 

out of the Memorandum of 

Understanding, MoU, 

signed in March 2019 with 

the China Railway Construction 

Corporation (international) 

Nigeria Limited 

on account of alleged 

breach of confidentiality. 

The sudden withdrawal 

from the MoU , it was 

gathered, was triggered 

by a popular online 

publication (name withheld) 

which claimed: 

“CRCC to construct 560km 

railway line for $2bn , same 

cost as 156KM Lagos – 

Ibadan rail.” 

The Ghanaian authority 

was infuriated by the publication, 

claiming it had not 

signed any contract with 

CRCC-Nigeria on rail 

project, thereby calling off 

any MoU it had with the 

latter. 

In a letter signed by Ghana’s 

Minister of Railways 

Development , Mr. Joe 

Ghartey, and addressed 

to the Managing Director 

of CRCC-Nigeria, he 

decried the media publication, 

saying it contained 

“a lot of factual inaccuracies”. 

Besides, he said the picture 

attached to the publication 

was from an event 

that was not related in any 

way with engagement with 

CRCC-Nigeria, represented 

by its Managing Director, 

Mr. Dou Yisup. 

For these infractions, 

Ghartey said the Ghanaian 

authority did not want to 

proceed with the relationship 

between the parties 

as established by the nonbinding 

MoU. 

The MoU was signed by 

officials of both Ghanaian’s 

Ministry of Railway 

Departments and Messrs 

CRCC. 

World leaders mark 75th 

anniversary of D-Day landings 

US 

President 

Donald Trump 

has joined European 

leaders in Portsmouth, 

on Britain’s southern 

coast, to commemorate 

the 75th anniversary of 

the D-Day landings of 

World War II. 

Trump is concluding his 

state visit to the United 

Kingdom by marking 

the anniversary of the 

departure of more than 

150,000 troops from British 

shores, heading for 

the beaches of Nazi-occupied 

northern France. 

The soldiers who 

stormed those beaches in 

1945 were drawn from a 

wide coalition of nations, 

and the US president 

joined British Prime 

Minister Theresa May, 

French President Emmanuel 

Macron, German 

Chancellor Angela 

Merkel and Canadian 

Prime Minister 

Justin Trudeau along 

with other leaders for 

the ceremonial military 

parade on Wednesday 

morning. 

“There was concern 

that the controversy following 

Donald Trump’s 

visit might disturb or 

overshadow the events 

here, which mark a sacrifice 

shared by so many 

nations,” said Al 

Jazeera’s Neave Barker, 

reporting from Portsmouth. 

Stories by Victor 

Ahiuma-Young & 

Maryann Michael 

I NCREASINGLY, 

private sector ability to 

generate and sustain jobs 

has been an issue of concern 

as operators are 

rather retrenching, instead 

of creating or sustaining 

jobs. 

At its 40th Annual General 

Meeting, AGM, in Lagos, 

Association of Food, 

Beverage and Tobacco 

Employers, AFBTE, 

raised the alarm that government 

policies are hindering 

members’ ability to 

sustain or even create 

jobs. 

Addressing members 

and other guests, President 

of the association, 

Chief Patrick Anegbe, lamented 

among others, the 

state of infrastructure in the 

country, saying: “With respect 

to infrastructure, the 

recurring issue of 

infrastructural decay was 

still evident as many businesses 

struggled to survive 

in the year. Government’s 

effort both at the 

federal and state levels in 

this critical area was not 

too impactful. Businesses 

continued to spend a large 

chunk of their resources to 

provide their requirements. 

Those who could 

not cope have had to either 

cut their cost by 

among others shutting 

some of their production 

lines or shutting their businesses 

completely. The result 

has been an upsurge 

in unemployment as a result 

of layoffs. 

“Also, the Federal Government 

in most cases 

through its Ministries and 

Agencies introduced some 

policy measures in the 

year which negated the 

policy on Ease of Doing 

Business. These changes 

include the upward review 

of Excise Duty on Alcoholic 

Beverages and Tobacco 

products, the proposed 

implementation of 

the Transfer Pricing Regulations, 

the planned ban 

on production of alcoholic 

beverages in sachets and 

small size Pet bottles, the 

demand by the National 

Regulatory Commission 

for payment in respect of 

sales promotion organised 

by companies under the 

guise that it is lottery, just 

to mention but a few. All 

of these threatened the existence 

of some businesses 

in our industry.” 

Difficuties in doing business 

Continuing, he said: 

“The Federal Government 

in most cases through its 

Ministries and Agencies 

introduced some policy 

measures in the year 

which negated the policy 

on Ease of Doing Business. 

These changes include 

the upward review 

of Excise Duty on Alcoholic 

Beverages and Tobacco 

products, the proposed 

implementation of 

the Transfer Pricing Regulations, 

the planned ban 

on production of alcoholic 

beverages in sachets and 

small size Pet bottles, the 

demand by the National 

Regulatory Commission 

for payment in respect of 

sales promotion organised 

by companies under the 

guise that it is lottery, just 

to mention but a few. All 

of these threatened the existence 

of some businesses 

in our industry. 

State legislations 

Some State legislations 

and regulations were other 

issues of concern in the 

year. These include 

among others: the Lagos 

State Government’s increase 

in Land Use 

Charge, Ogun and Lagos 

states Water Abstraction 

Charges and multiple 

tax imposition, etc. 

The result of the above 

was obvious in the industry, 

some member-companies 

carried out redundancy 

exercise while 

some others increased 

their use of third party 

provided resources. The 

story has not really 

changed as at the first 

quarter of 2019.” 

AFBTE President also 

informed that “The Food 

and Beverage Industry 

has a unique role in expanding 

economic opportunities 

because it is 

universal to human life 

and health. The industry 

operates at multiple levels 

of the society and as 

such, there is need to take 

food safety seriously because 

of its rampant cases 

of adulteration and he 

therefore, urges membercompanies 

to also adhere 

strictly to regulations and 

seek the assistance of the 

secretariat where they are 

unjustly treated. 

Late PENGASSAN President, 

a stabilzer----Perm Sec 

•Trust Fund for children's education 

underway, says Acting President 

THE 

Permanent 

Secretary, Federal 

Ministry of Labour and 

Employment, William Alo, 

has said the late President 

of Petroleum and Natural 

Gas Senior Staff Association 

of Nigeria, 

PENGASSAN, Francis 

Olabode Johnson, FOJ, 

employed his wealth of 

experience and administrative 

ingenuity to bringing 

about good industrial 

relations that stabilized the 

sector. 

This came as Acting 

President of the association, 

Frank Esanubi, disclosed 

that the 

PENGASSAN, alongside 

social partners, would set 

up a trust fund for the education 

of the children of the 

late President. 

Meanwhile, Mr. Alo has 

expressed shock, deep 

sorrow and pain over the 

death of FOJ. 

Speaking when he led a 

delegation of the management 

staff of the Ministry 

on a condolence visit to 

PENGASSAN's office in 

Abuja, the Permanent Secretary 

paid glowing tribute 

to FOJ, describing him 

as a dependable ally of the 

Ministry, whose support 

and contribution assisted 

the Ministry in achieving 

*Late Johnson 

its mandate of maintaining 

industrial peace and 

harmony in the country. 

Lauding the late FOJ 

on his achievements in 

the Petroleum and Natural 

Gas sector, Alo said: 

“The late PENGASSAN 

President employed his 

wealth of experience and 

administrative ingenuity 

to bringing about good 

industrial relations that 

have stabilized the sector.” 

He enjoined those he 

left behind to bear his 

death with fortitude and 

be consoled by the numerous 

testimonies about 

the good life he lived. 

The Permanent Secretary 

urged PENGASSAN 

not to forget the family of 

the late Johnson, and 

pledged that Government 

would sustain the 

industrial peace and harmony 

he fought for.


Maradona offers to 

coach Man Utd 

Diego Maradona claims that he is the 

man to turn Manchester United 

around - adding that Paul Pogba does not 

work hard enough. 

United face a return to Europa League football 

next season after a run of just two wins from their 

final 12 games in all competitions under the 

tutelage of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. 

Solksjaer only signed a three-year deal at the 

end of March, but Maradona, who is currently 

managing Dorados in Mexico’s second tier, 

believes he has what it takes to restore United to 

their former glory. 

“If Manchester [United] need a coach, I’m the 

man to do it,” Maradona said in an interview 

with FourFourTwo magazine. 

“I know they sell lots of shirts around the world, 

but they need to win trophies, too. I can do that for 

them. 

“Manchester United used to be my favourite 

English team for so long. So many great players 

and a great team under Alex Ferguson. But now I 

have to say Man City. I know you shouldn’t 

change like that but it’s because of Kun [Aguero]. 

We speak a lot and he plays in a very good team.” 

Juve to have 

Pogba talks 

Juventus will have a discus 

sion over whether to resign 

Paul Pogba when a new head 

coach is appointed, says the club’s 

sporting director. 

According to Sky in Italy, the 

Italian champions have made 

contact with Pogba’s agent Mino 

Raiola over a potential summer 

move - and it is understood that 

Manchester United have been informed 

of Juventus’ interest. 

Pogba rejoined United from Juventus 

for a then world-record fee 

back in 2016, but despite leading 

United’s scoring charts last season, 

he is yet to completely convince 

fans he is firing on all cylinders. 

Juventus sporting director Fabio 

Paratici, also responding to 

rumours linking the club with Federico 

Chiesa, gave a timeline of 

when any interest in Pogba could 

commence. 

“Federico Chiesa? We certainly 

have a competitive team,” Patatici 

told a Football Leader 2019 

event on Tuesday. “As far as the 

market is concerned, we await the 

name of the coach. 

“We will make the necessary assessments 

after announcing it. 

Pogba? The same, we’ll speak with 

the new coach.” 

FIFA President Gianni 

Infantino was re-elected to 

office at the body’s 69th Congress 

in Paris, France on Wednesday. He 

was re-elected by acclamation by 

FIFA’s 211 member associations as 

he was the only candidate for the 

position. 

First elected at an extraordinary 

congress in February 2016, 

following a meltdown that 

consumed Sepp Blatter, FIFA’s 

ninth president will now start his 

first full four-year term. 

“In just over three years, this 

organization went from being toxic, 

Mbappé father eyes PSG 

exit for son 

Kylian Mbappé wants to leave 

Paris Saint-Germain and 

has already taken steps to 

make it happen. This is the story 

that came out of Spanish 

programme El Larguero early 

yesterday morning. 

According to the Cadena SER 

show, the father of French striker, 

Wilfried Mbappé, held a meeting in 

Zurich, Switzerland, with a person 

described as “someone very 

important in world football.” 

It is said that the young star is not 

comfortable in the PSG dressing 

room and that the problem lies with 

two key figures at the club: 

manager Thomas Tuchel and 

teammate Neymar Jr. 

The German coach is blamed for 

restricting the opportunities for 

Mbappé to win the Golden Shoe, the 

award for Europe’s top scorer, by 

putting Neymar and Cavani on 

penalty duty. Winning this would 

have meant a bonus payment of 1.5 

Copa America: Neymar may 

opt out after rape allegation 

The rape allegation levelled 

against Neymar could 

prompt the Brazil forward to skip 

the Copa America, according to 

Brazilian 

Football 

Confederation (CBF) vicepresident 

Francisco Noveletto. 

Sao Paulo police have 

confirmed to Goal that there has 

been a complaint made against 

the player from a Brazilian 

woman he met in Paris. 

Infantino re-elected as FIFA President 

almost criminal, to being what it 

should be: an institution that 

develops football,” Infantino said 

after his re-election. “This new FIFA 

has a mission and a plan for it, which 

is why the next four years have, in 

fact, already started. We have laid 

solid building blocks for the future.” 

Wednesday’s Congress, which 

had in attendance NFF President 

Amaju Pinnick and General 

Secretary Mohammed Sanusi, 

approved FIFA’s detailed budget 

for next year, which includes the 

sum of $810 million to be invested 

in the game worldwide. 

Netherlands vs England 

Sterling set to captain Three Lions 

million euros for the forward. In 

the end, Barcelona’s Lionel Messi 

took the award, and the bonus, after 

scoring 36 LaLiga goals (four 

penalties), with Mbappé on 33 Ligue 

1 goals (1 penalty). 

Raheem Sterling will 

reportedly captain 

England for today’ s 

Nations League semi-final clash 

against the Netherlands. 

Sterling’s management 

company, Colossal Sports 

Management, issued a press 

release on Tuesday claiming he 

will be given the armband on his 

50th cap, The Guardian report 

If true, this could mean Harry 

Kane and Jordan Henderson will 

not start the semi-final match,. 

The pair were involved in last 

weekend’s Champions League 

final, along with five others, and 

only joined up with the rest of the 

England squad this week. 

Kane has captained England in 

15 of his 35 appearances, and was 

skipper at last summer’s World 

Cup, while Henderson has worn 

the armband on six occasions. 

The Football Association, 

however, said manager Gareth 

Southgate is yet to formalise his 

selection plans for today’s fixture. 

Hazard’s transfer talks with Madrid break 

down 

Real Madrid were hoping to 

present Eden Hazard as 

their new player on 

Monday 3 June, following the 

conclusion of the European club 

season and ahead of the 

The police would not discuss 

details of the ongoing 

investigation following the 

complaint filed by the woman 

on May 31. 

Brazilian outlet UOL was the 

first to report the accusations 

and claim statements made to 

authorities are being 

kept confidential. 

Neymar denies the 

allegations, and his 

camp maintains the 27- 

year-old’s innocence, 

stating that he was the 

target of a blackmail 

attempt, while the 

player’s father believes 

WhatsApp messages 

sent to his son’s phone 

from the woman would 

be used to help clear his 

name. 

This all comes just days 

before Neymar is set to 

play a key role in Brazil’s 

Copa America 

campaign, with the 

Selecao hosting a 

tournament they have not 

won since 2007. 

Former UEFA president, Johansson dies 

Lennart Johansson, a Swede 

who presided over 

European soccer for 17 years as 

its Champions League turned 

into a global commercial 

juggernaut, has died after a short 

illness aged 89, Sweden’s 

Football Association said on 

Wednesday. 

Johansson, president of 

international fixtures. Chelsea, 

however, have made it clear from 

the start that they were not going to 

make it easy 

Los Blancos’ general director José 

Ángel Sánchez was in London to 

finalise the deal that has been the worst 

kept secret of the last few months. Our 

A 

rape complaint filed against Ju 

ventus’ football player Cristiano 

Ronaldo in the US, which decreased the 

club’s shares by 15%, was dropped, 

Bloomberg reported yesterday. 

The request for the complaint 

to be dropped was filed 

last month at the Nevada state 

court in Las Vegas. The document 

does not say whether the 

woman who accused Ronaldo 

has reached an agreement 

with him, Bloomberg said. 

The New York Times said 

in March that Juventus, the 

Italian league’s champion, 

would not participate in the 

US International Champions 

Cup this summer to prevent 

European football association 

UEFA from 1990 to 2007, was a 

driving force behind the formation 

of the Champions League, giving 

the continent’s championship a 

new identity and a huge revenue 

stream for big clubs. 

“Swedish football is in 

mourning,” the Swedish FA said 

in a statement. 

Liverpool, Origi talk new contract terms 

Divock Origi has confirmed he 

will hold talks with Liverpool over 

his future in the next few weeks, 

and admits winning a Premier 

League title will be a "big goal" for 

the Reds next term. 

Origi had limited opportunities for 

Liverpool last season but chipped 

in with some important goals, most 

notably the second in the 2-0 

Champions League final victory 

over Tottenham and a brace in the 

4-0 semi-final defeat of Barcelona 

at Anfield. 

The 24-year-old striker made a 

total of 12 Premier League 

appearances having spent the 

previous term on loan at Wolfsburg, 

where he featured in 31 of their 34 

Bundesliga fixtures. 

Speaking ahead of Belgium's 

Euro 2020 qualifiers against 

Kazakhstan and Scotland, Origi 

said: "The next few weeks we'll have 

to sit down and see what the future 

holds. 

understanding now, however, is that 

Sánchez has flown back to the Spanish 

capital with nothing yet agreed. 

The obstacle that lies in the way of 

the move remains to be the difference 

between both parties on the player’s 

valuation. With only a year left on 

his contract, Madrid have been keen 

not to go above 100 million euros, 

while the Stamford Bridge club are 

looking for something in the region 

of €120 million. An attempt to close 

this impasse saw Sánchez 

reportedly offering the extra €20 

million in potential add-ons, 

although this too was knocked back. 

Whether or not Madrid will give 

in and pay more than they want to 

or Chelsea run the risk of keeping 

an unhappy player and lose him for 

nothing in a year, will likely be 

determined over the next few days. 

Rape accusation against Ronaldo dropped 

Ronaldo from being detained in the US 

regarding this case. 

In September last year, US 34-yearold 

Katheryn Mayorga had filed a complaint 

against Ronaldo for a crime allegedly 

committed in 2009. 

The case was reopened after 

the woman presented new 

information on the alleged 

rape, collaborating with authorities 

in the investigation. 

In Nevada, sexual offences 

are not determined if they 

are not appropriately reported 

to authorities. 

The defence of Ronaldo 

always said that what happened 

between him and 

Mayorga was by mutual 

agreement.

By Ben Efe 

Athletics Federation of 

Nigeria members are 

expected to meet with 

Nigeria Olympic Committee 

chiefs today in Abuja with a 

view of quelling the crisis that 

was towed by the controversial 

$150,000 IAAF grants. 

But athletics stakeholders 

have urged the NOC and the 

Sports ministry not to 

undermine the committee that 

has been set up by the AFN 

board meeting of Tuesday May 

28 to unravel the circumstances 

surrounding the 

misappropriated IAAF funds 

and other allocations made to 

the AFN and were utilised by 

the the suspended president, 

Ibrahim Gusau without the 

approval of the board. 

“Why didn’t NOC intervene 

when the federation drifted 

into the crisis after the 2017 

elections? 

“Is now that they know that 

all is not well with the AFN? 

As far we are concerned a 

panel has been set to find out 

what happened to the IAAF 

grants. We have documents of 

and Gusau must give us 

answers,” said Brown Ebewele. 

Another member who 

requested anonymity added 

that the NOC must not make 

any attempt to brush the matter 

aside. 

AFN saga: NOC intervention not 

necessary, say stakeholders 

‘What the NOC is doing is 

trying to assert an authority 

that does not exist because the 

body thinks Nigerians are 

naive and ignorant of the rules 

governing international sports.’ 

‘The AFN, for the avoidance 

of doubt is only answerable to 

its parent body,the 

International Association of 

Wrestling: Yenagoa agog for Gov. 

Dickson National Classics 

By Solomon Nwoke 

The city of Yenagoa – the 

Bayelsa State capital – is 

now bubbling with great 

excitement and anticipation 

ahead of the 3rd Gov. Dickson 

National Wrestling Classics. 

The tournament, which will be 

staged at the Indoor Sports Hall 

of the Samson Siasia Stadium 

between June 15 and 30, will 

have in 

attendance 

around 600 

athletes and 

officials from no 

fewer than 20 

states and 16 

wrestling clubs 

in Nigeria, who 

have already 

registered for the 

competition. 

Apart from 

being crowned 

National 

champions, athletes who excel at 

the Classics will represent 

Nigeria at the 12th All-Africa 

Games in Morocco, as well as 

the 2019 World Wrestling 

Championships in Kazakhstan 

in September. 

While highlighting the 

importance of the 3rd Gov. 

Dickson Classics, President of 

the Nigeria Wrestling Federation 

(NWF), Hon. Daniel Igali also 

called on athletes, officials, 

At the blast of the final 

whistle which brought 

the 2018/2019 UEFA 

Champions League to an end, 

fans of Liverpool Football Club 

erupted in volcanic excitement 

as their team clinched the 

coveted trophy for the sixth time 

in their history. 

International premium beer 

brand, Heineken who has 

sponsored the popular football 

league for 20 years held an 

exclusive screening for football 

fans and enthusiasts at the all 

new upgraded Heineken House 

as part of its UNMISSABLE 

journalists and fans to come out 

en masse to make the 

competition a huge success. 

“This championship has added 

relevance because of the 

Olympics coming up next year,” 

the Olympic Champion said. “As 

a result, we are expecting very 

high level of participation and 

competition at this tournament. 

The Local Organising 

Committee (LOC) of Lagos 

Open Tennis has 

congratulated Mr. Babajide 

Sanwo-Olu on his inauguration 

as the new Executive Governor 

of Lagos State on 29 May, 2019. 

The Lagos Open, formerly the 

Governor’s Cup Lagos Tennis 

Championship, has been an 

Athletics Federations (IAAF) 

who has acknowledged the 

decision taken by the AFN 

board on Tuesday May 28,2019 

asking the 

president,Honourable Ibrahim 

Shehu Gusau to step aside 

following allegations of gross 

misconduct and 

misappropriation of funds 

levelled against him.’ 

FIFA Women WC: Super Falcons can 

reach knock-out stage, says Dennerby 

The 2019 FIFA Women Cup 

takes off Friday in France 

with the hosts facing 

South Korea, while the Super 

Falcons will open their group A 

account with Norway on 

Saturday. 

Speaking on the Super Falcons 

chances coach Thomas 

Dennerby submitted that the 

Africa Champions have a good 

chance of reaching the knockout 

stages, adding that the team 

is prepared and ready to go. 

“Our ambition is to get to the 

last 16 at least,” Dennerby 

“We know that Norway is a 

good tournament team, they 

have a good record. But they are 

not at the same level as they 

were in the ‘90s, so we must 

believe we have a chance. 

“I hope that we can do that and 

get through to the round of 16, 

then win one more game. 

“The team have the capacity to 

do that. We have really worked 


StarTimes bags exclusive rights for Copa 

América Brasil 2019 

Africa’s leading digital TV 

operator has acquired 

exclusive broadcasting 

rights for CONMEBOL Copa 

América Brasil 2019 in Sub- 

Saharan Africa. 

The 46th edition of Copa 

America will take place from 

June 14th to July 7th in 5 cities 

from Brazil. Twelve teams will 

be competing including two 

guests, Japan and Qatar. 

“South America has some of the 

best teams in the world. We are 

happy to give our 25 million 

users the chance to watch Messi 

or Neymar playing with their 

hard to be the best Nigerian 

team ever to go to the World 

Cup.” 

While they have been the 

dominant force in African 

women’s football, Nigeria only 

qualified for France on the back 

of two penalty shootout wins 

and Dennerby says that is a 

reflection of the increased 

competition on the continent. 

“I think the standard has 

improved across Africa,” said 

Dennerby. 

Falcons 

Lagos Open Tennis team felicitates with Gov. Sanwo-Olu 

annual international tournament 

being staged to celebrate the 

sitting Governor of Lagos since 

the administration of Asiwaju 

Bola Ahmed Tinubu to the 

government of Babatunde Raji 

Fashola and erstwhile Governor 

Akinwunmi Ambode. 

A statement issued on behalf of 

the Chairman, Chief Pius 

Champions League: How Liverpool fans celebrated club’s 

triumph at Heineken House 

campaign which began early this 

year. 

The venue hosted hundreds of 

fans from both competing clubs 

and some neutrals who were 

lucky to receive an invite to be 

part of the exclusive experience. 

A penalty within the first 

minute of the game served as the 

perfect start for Liverpool after a 

low cross by Sadio Mane struck 

the outstretched arm of Moussa 

Sissoko inside the 18-yard box. 

Syinix Unveils Musa as brand ambassador 

By Destiny Eseaga 

Super Eagle striker Ahmed 

Musa was at the weekend 

in Lagos unveiled as 

Syinix’s brand ambassador. 

At the same time, Musa 

unveiled the new Syinix big 

screen TV: Syinix 65" TV and 

AFCON 2019: Eagles have good players, but 

lack team to play – Finidi George 

announced the new slogan 

“bigger better , buy Syinix” 

together, it would also lead. 

Justifying the choice of Ahmed 

Musa, Syinix explained that the 

Al-Nassr of Saudi Arabia 

forward has made remarkable 

achievement in his football 

By Davies Iheamnachor 

inidi George, a former right 

winger of the Super Eagle, has 

Ftold Vanguard Sports in Port 

Harcourt that the Super Eagles have 

good players, but lacked a team to 

play the African Cup of Nation, 

“We are still struggling, all we have 

is a bunch of good players here and 

there, but we don’t have a team. It is 

about putting up a good team and we 

are yet to see that. 

The AFCON is coming up, we hope 

we can see the Super Eagles play as 

a team and a good football nation. We 

have good players but it’s about 

putting a good team together. 

“In our time we had a good team 

and not individual players. So, I 

hope we will be able to show that in 

the AFCON.” 

On the troubling report of suffering 

Akinyelure, Trustees and 

members of the LOC reads: 

“Congratulations to His 

Excellency, Mr. Babajide Olusola 

Sanwo-Olu, and best wishes as 

you assume the office of 

Governor of Lagos State. The sun 

is shining all over as you 

commence the journey of 

building a greater Lagos.” 

national teams. Apart from 

Africa, the continent with the 

craziest fans of football is South 

America and this year the 

tournament will be held in the 

best football country, Brazil. It 

will be intense,” explains Shi 

Maochu, StarTimes Sport 

Director. 

Shi said: “Consistent with 

StarTimes’ mission and values, 

our search for best sport contents 

is always at the heart of our 

commitment to service 

excellence. In this regard, 

CONMEBOL Copa América 

Brasil 2019 will definitely make 

African football fans delighted in 

the coming days.” 

StarTimes will broadcast all 

Copa América matches on its 5 

sports channels, as well as on 

StarTimes ON streaming 

application, live and in HD in all 

Sub-Saharan Africa. 

AFCON 2019: Rohr lines up ‘backbenchers’ 

against Zimbabwe 

Super Eagles coach 

Gernot Rohr has 

revealed that he will 

give Super Eagles stars who 

did not feature regularly for 

their clubs this season a 

career, has a huge number of 

fans, positive personal image as 

well as good reputation 

Speaking at the unveiling, 

Musa said: “Syinix and I have 

such a shared perspective, we 

both believe that technology 

should service human being and 

help us lead a better life, and we 

all want to do our best to let 

more people live better. 

of ex-footballers in the nation, George 

advocated for the formation of Ex- 

Footballers’ union to carter for the 

welfare of the retired players. 

He said: “We don’t have strong 

football union, like Ex-Players Union. 

We depend on NFF to do everything. 

I will not blame the NFF in the 

suffering of our ex-footballers, but 

they should take part of the blame. 

“We have to do a good job by 

establishing ex-footballers union that 

will generate fund and handle issues 

of welfare of Ex-footballers. 

“We also need to get people that will 

embrace and support us with fund so 

that when one of us is sick, we will 

have to go to that fund and get 

money and help the person. We will 

not wait to accuse the NFF of not 

doing enough, we have to come 

together and pursue a common 

course.” 

AFCON: Musa, Iwobi, 

Abdulahi arrive camp 

S 

By Ochuko Akuopha 

UPER Eagles trio of Ahmed 

Musa, Alex Iwobi and Shehu 

Abdulahi yesterday, joined the 

camp of the African Cup of 

Nations, as the team defiled heavy 

down pour to intensify 

preparations for the tournament. 

Odion Ighalo and Trust Ekong 

were however, still missing as team 

captain Mikel Obi, Oghenekaro 

Etabo, Samuel Kalu and John Ogu 

dazzled to the admiration of the 

cheering spectators at the Stephen 

Keshi Stadium, Asaba, Delta State. 

Leon Balogun who according to the 

team coach Gernot Rohr, “had a 

little foot injury” trained alone. 

Addressing newsmen after the 

training session, Rohr reiterated 

the preparedness of the team to 

play in any weather condition at the 

tournament. 

Rohr said:, “We are preparing the 

team to adapt to every weather 

condition because it can rain and it 

can be very hot. They must be able 

to adapt to every climatic 

condition.” 

On his part, John Ogu said:, “We 

know that task ahead of us and we 

will go there and try to win. We 

must stay focused irrespective of 

any weather condition. 

“We have not been to AFCON since 

2013 so we want to make Nigerians 

happy. 

chance to prove their worth 

against Zimbabwe on Saturday. 

These include Leon Balogun 

and Kelechi Iheanacho. 

Balogun was limited to 10 

appearances across all 

competitions for his Premier 

League club Brighton & Hove 

Albion while Iheanacho made 

nine starts in 30 league games 

for Leicester City. 

Despite their limited playing 

time at their respective clubs, 

Rohr included them in his 25- 

man provisional squad for the 

forthcoming Africa Cup of 

Nations (Afcon) in Egypt.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2019 

TODAY’S PUZZLE 

Sudoku 

FRIDAY’S ANSWER 

TODAY’S CROSSWORD 

QUICK CROSSWORD 

THURSDAY’S SOLUTION 

How to Play Sudoku 

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

of the same number). 

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

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

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

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

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

multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination. 

ACROSS 

1 Aid in crime (4) 

3 Tyrannical (8) 

9 Young dogs (7) 

10 Ravine (5) 

11 Synthetic fabric (5 

12 Religious festival in 

spring (6) 

14 Deposit that forms on 

teeth (6) 

16 Farm livestock (6) 

19 Loll (6) 

21 Dark brown fur (5) 

24 Motive (5) 

25 Songbird (7) 

26 Capsize (8) 

27 Autumn (4) 

DOWN 

1 Harshness of manner (8) 

2 Vacant (5) 

4 Simpler (6) 

5 Attendants (5) 

6 Torture (7) 

7 Head-cook (4) 

8 Austrian capital (6) 

13 Postponement (8) 

15 Ecstasy (7) 

17 Ludicrous (6) 

18 Not so fast (6) 

20 Stave off (5) 

22 Strong very light wood (5) 

23 Reverberation (4) 

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

08027767834; 01-4544821. Abuja office: 7, Dambata Close, Area 7, Garki, 09-2921024. Ikeja office: 73, Awolowo Way. V.I. Office: Murplus Plaza, 27, Sanusi Fafunwa Street. Asaba: 21, Anwai 

Road. Benin City: 4E, Arusa Street. Port Harcourt: 50, Ikwerre Road; Warri: 102, Efurun-Sapele Road. Advert: advertproduction@yahoo.com; E-mail: editor@vanguardngr.com, 

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

06062019 - NSECURITY: Danjuma, Lekwot, others take Nigeria's case to UK

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