11082020 - Insecurity: Defend yourselves, Catholic bishops tell Nigerians

NBA, PDP kick as Buhari says 

with Army, Police, APC could've 

overrun opposition 

JAMB shifts 2020 admissions date to Sept 7 8 

Business activities rise first time in 4 months — ANALYSTS REPORT 

8 

Blasphemy: Shariah 

court sentences man, 

30, to death by 

hanging in Kano 4 

19 

VOL. 27: NO. 64133 TUESDAY, AUGUSt 11, 2020 

Insecurity: Defend yourselves, 

Catholic bishops tell Nigerians 

As N-East govs tell Buhari to address root causes of Boko Haram's insurgency 

•President meets govs, security heads in Aso Rock •Our adoption of new strategies 

‘ll restore security — BUHARI •Nigeria gets new equipment to fight insurgency 

•STF arrests 8 suspects over Southern Kaduna killings •Gunmen shoot man, abduct 

girl in Katsina, kill school proprietor in Taraba 

Majek 

Fashek for 

burial in 

US, says 

family 4 

13 feared 

dead over 

chieftaincy 

tussle in 

4 

Benue 

COVID-19: 

All 774 

LGA’s may 

be affected 

soon, 

says FG 

7 

N-EAST GOVS MEET BUHARI... 

North-East Governors, from left, Darius Ishaku of Taraba; Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa; Mai Mala Buni 

of Yobe; Babagana Zulum of Borno and Bala Mohammed of Bauchi on their way to a meeting with President 

Muhammadu Buhari and security chiefs at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO: STATE HOUSE 

Edo: Harsh words, as Wike 9 

alleges APC plot to void polls 

•Wike talks better than he campaigns, governs -- APC Campaign 

•Obaseki’s Esan Agenda deceptive, says Ize-Iyamu 

•PFN tasks Buhari on violence, electoral reforms 

COLUMNISTS 

ODUMAKIN 16 

TENIOLA 

18 

See 

inside 

5 

Ex-PHCN 

staff's 

severance 

pay 

gulped 

7 

N409bn, 

says BPE 

Naira now 

N385.5/$ in 

I&E window 

Mr & Mrs 

35

2,— Vanguard, TUESDAY, AUGUST 11, 2020

Vanguard, TUESDAY, AUGUST 11, 2020 —3

4 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, AUGUST 11, 2020 

Truck crushes 

2 undergrads 

in Ekiti 

By Rotimi 

Ojomoyela 

ADO 

EKITI—TWO 

u n i v e r s i t y 

undergraduates were, 

Sunday, crushed by a truck 

in Ikere Ekiti when their bike 

was reportedly rammed into 

by a truck. 

It was gathered that the 

victims, Ojo Hezekiah 

Abidemi (25) and Ojo 

Ayomide (21), were students 

of University of Nigeria, 

Nsukka, Ekiti State College 

of Education, Ikere Ekiti 

Campus. 

Sources close to the victims, 

who preferred to remain 

anonymous, told journalists 

that they were making moves 

Sunday evening to travel to 

Akure, Ondo State capital to 

see their parents when the 

accident occured. 

The eye witness said it took 

the intervention of spirited 

individuals to prevail on 

some rampaging youths, who 

wanted to set the truck 

ablaze. 

According to the eye 

witness, “the two students 

were on a motorcycle and 

were going to Akure when 

they collided with a truck and 

died on the spot. 

“The victims had stopped 

over to re-fuel at a fuel station 

and were about entering the 

road when a truck, which was 

on a high speed overran them 

and the two died instantly.” 

Confirming the incident, 

the Police Public Relations 

Officer, Ekiti Command, ASP 

Sunday Abutu, said the two 

were killed by a moving truck 

and their bodies had been 

deposited in the morgue. 

Abutu said: “It was sad and 

unfortunate that two young 

men could be killed due to 

avoidable accident. 

Preliminary investigation 

revealed that it was a case of 

collision and we appeal to 

motorists and other road 

users to always exercise 

restraint on roads.” 

He added that the driver of 

the truck had been arrested 

and detained by the police. 

2 killed in Ekiti over stoppage of Ogun festival 

•Corpses deposited at the palace, monarch whisked away 

By Rotimi Ojomoyela 

ADO-EKITI — TWO persons 

were reportedly shot dead in Ire 

Ekiti,Oye Local Government Area 

of Ekiti State, yesterday, over the 

crisis that ensued following the 

stoppage of this year’s Ogun Onire 

festival by the state government due 

to COVID-19. 

To combat the spread of 

coronavirus in Ekiti State, Governor 

Kayode Fayemi stopped the 

celebration of traditional festivals 

across the state and in an attempt to 

enforce the precautionary directive 

by the state government, the Onire 

of Ore Ekiti, Oba Victor Bobade, told 

the Ogun adherents to shelve this 

year’s celebration, which allegedly 

pitted him against the worshippers. 

The crisis, which started Sunday, 

continued unabated yesterday, as a 

vehicle belonging to the town’s 

monarch, Oba Victor Bobade, was 

said to have been set ablaze by some 

irate youths, who also vandalised 

the palace. 

The street lights in the community 

were not spared by the rampaging 

youths, who were protesting the 

action to halt the festival. 

The state Police Commissioner, 

Mr.Tunde Mobayo, swiftly drafted 

policemen to the town. 

It was gathered that the victims 

were allegedly hit by stray bullets 

fired while making attempts to quell 

the raging crisis that paralysed 

business activities for the whole day. 

The corpses were deposited at the 

palace of the monarch, who had 

since fled for the safety of his life. 

Multiple sources said the town is 

currently boiling as relatives of 

victims have continued to protest the 

killing of their loved ones. 

The sources said: “We have been 

having a serious battle in the town 

since our monarch urged the Ogun 

Onire worshippers to stop their 

festival. And the crisis between the 

factions loyal to the Oba and the 

worshippers led to the death of the 

victims.” 

NABBED: Some suspected bandits and criminals arrested by Operation Safe 

Haven in Kafanchan, southern part of Kaduna State, and shown to newsmen in 

Jos, yesterday. Photo: NAN. 

Blasphemy: Shariah court sentences 

man, 30, to death by hanging in Kano 

By Bashir Bello 

KANO— An Upper Shariah 

Court sitting in Hausawa 

Filin Hockey in Kano State, 

yesterday, sentenced a 30-yearold 

man, Sharrif Yahaya, to 

death by hanging for blasphemy 

against the Holy Prophet 

Muhammad (PBUH). 

Also, Umar Farouq, 17-yearold, 

was sentenced to 10 years 

imprisonment for making a 

derogatory statement against 

his creator, Almighty Allah. 

It was gathered that the duo 

were a die-hard follower of the 

Tijjaniyya sect. 

The Presiding Judge, 

13 feared dead over chieftaincy stool in Benue 

By Peter Duru 

MAKURDI—ABOUT 13 

persons were feared 

dead in an early morning 

attack on Ukpogo community, 

Edikwu Apa Local 

Government Area of Benue 

State, yesterday, by suspected 

armed militia gang over 

disputed chieftaincy stool. 

The attackers that reportedly 

invaded the community at 

about 4:30 am also left some 

of their victims injured. 

Vanguard also gathered that 

the dispute over the stool of 

Alegwu of Edikwu that has 

claimed many lives in the 

community dates back to 1994 

when an aggrieved contender 

to the stool (name withheld), 

who had been on self-exile 

since the dispute began, 

allegedly hired armed militia 

gangs. 

He was said to have 

disagreed with the choice of 

the kingmakers, who elected 

late Chief Otokpa Imoni as 

Alegwu of Edikwu before his 

demise in 2018. 

It was also gathered that for 

the timely intervention of the 

joint military operation in the 

state, code-named Operation 

Whirl Stroke, OPWS, who 

mobilised to forestall further 

attacks, the death toll and 

casualty figure would have 

been higher. 

Confirming the attack, 

acting Alegwu of Edikwu, 

Chief Otokpa David Imoni, 

said the aggrieved contender 

had declared war on his 

people with the active support 

of some politicians and had 

overtime sent armed militia to 

attack his people to compel 

them to accept him as the 

traditional ruler even after 

taking the matter to court. 

He said: “This present one 

took place this morning 

(yesterday) when hooded gunwielding 

militiamen entered 

Ukpogo community at about 

4:30 am and started shooting 

anything that showed sign of 

life. 

“13 dead bodies were found 

after their departure around 

6:00 am.” 

Contacted, the Police Public 

Relations Officer, DSP 

Catherine Anene, confirmed 

the attack and the 13 deaths. 

Muhammad Aliyu Kani, gave 

the judgement after finding the 

accused guilty of the offences. 

The prosecutor, Inspector 

Yargoje, in a First Information 

Report, FIR, said Sharrif was 

charged to court for insulting 

religious creed contrary to 

section 382 (6) of Kano State 

Shariah Penal Code Law 2000. 

He said: “That you, Sharrif 

Yahaya, resident of Sharrif 

quarters, Kano on 28/02/2020 

between the hours of 20:00 and 

23:00 with the intention to hurt 

the feelings of Muslim faithful 

made a post via WhatsApp group 

named 'Gidan Umma Abiha' 

some abusive and degrading 

audio statements in which you 

called Prophet Muhammad 

PBUH a theist (Mushrik), who 

propagates Shrik and whose 

position is lower than that of 

Inyass in the hereafter.” 

The convicts all pleaded guilty 

to the offences. 

Recall that the development 

involving Sharrif didn’t go down 

well with some youths, who set 

his residence ablaze and 

proceeded to stage a peaceful 

protest to the Kano Hisbah Corps 

(Shariah Police) to press home 

their demand for his prosecution. 

However, it was gathered that 

the convicts have the grace of 30 

days to appeal the judgement. 

Contacted, the Police Public 

Relations Officer, Mr Sunday Abutu, 

confirmed that two persons were 

killed during the crisis contrary to 

three being bandied around. 

He said: “Yes, there has been a 

crisis in the town since Sunday. We 

have been trying to quell it. Some 

group of youths came and attacked 

the palace, destroyed things and 

burnt some vehicles that belong to 

the king. We got a distress call and 

had to mobilise policemen there and 

we were able to rescue the chiefs 

from the palace. We are still 

monitoring the situation. 

“On my desk here, I have two 

persons. Their bodies have been 

deposited in the morgue. We have 

been able to arrest one of the gang 

leaders and he is in our custody.” 

Majek Fashek 

to be buried in 

US, says 

family 

Late Majek Fashek 

By Benjamin Njoku 

NIGERIAN reggae legend, 

Majek Fashek, who died on 

June 1, 2020, in the United States of 

America will finally be laid to rest in 

New York. 

This was announced by his son, 

Randy Fashek, in a viral video, which 

he released yesterday. 

Randy, who is based in Brooklyn, 

also thanked fans and well-wishers 

for their love and support, adding 

that the family was forced to take the 

decision to bury the late reggae icon 

in New York due to the COVID-19 

outbreak. 

No dates has yet been announced 

for the burial. 

However, when Vanguard 

contacted the late singer’s manager, 

Omenka Uzoma Day, he also 

confirmed the development, but 

expressed sadness that the rain 

maker will be buried outside the 

shores of the country. 

“Yes, he will be buried in the United 

States. That’s the decision of his 

family but I insist that Majek Fashek 

should be buried in his motherland. 

We are still discussing and anything 

can change,” Uzoma said. 

Also, reacting to the development, 

reggae icon, Orits Wiliki welcomed 

the decision to bury the reggae star 

in a foreign land. 

According to him, a lot of 

unforeseen circumstances forced the 

family to take such a decision. 

Majek, who toured the world with 

hit songs such as the ‘Prisoner of 

Conscience’ and ‘Send Down the 

Rain’, died in New York about three 

months ago at the age of 57. 

Indeed, fans of Majek Fashek, 

who had been looking forward to 

paying their last respect to the reggae 

icon at his home country will be 

disappointed with the development.

vanguardnews 

@vanguardnews 

Vanguard, TUESDAY, AUGUST 11, 2020 — 5 

NEWS HOTLINES 

018773962, 

POCKET CARTOON 

@vanguardnews 08052867058 

GREENWEALTH PROJECT: From left, Adebola Adetayo, Managing Director; Dr Emmanuel Ijewere, 

Director; Taiwo Oluwadahunsola, Chief Executive Officer, and Kuku Quareeb, Financial Consultant, all of 

Green Eagles Agribusiness Solutions Limited, during the press briefing on the launch of the Greenwealth 

Project in Lagos. Photo: Akeem Salau. 



By Chidi Nkwopara, 

Johnbosco 

Agbakwuru, Marie 

Therese-Nanlong, 

Femi Bolaji & Andy 

Asemota 

OWERRI — 

Catholic 

Bishops have 

asked Nigerians to rise and 

defend themselves against 

attacks by bandits, 

herdsmen, kidnappers and 

other violent criminals 

across the country. 

The Bishops spoke as 

North-East governors 

yesterday, for the second 

time in four days, told 

President Muhammadu 

Buhari that there was the 

need to address the root 

causes of Boko Haram 

insurgency in the zone. 

This came as the Special 

Task Force, Operation Safe 

Haven, OPSH, 

maintaining peace in 

Plateau and parts of 

Southern Kaduna and 

Bauchi states, has arrested 

eight suspects in 

connection with recent 

killings in Southern 

Kaduna. 

This is even as gunmen 

shot a man, kidnapped a 

girl in Katsina State on 

Sunday night, while 

bandits killed a school 

proprietor who was on his 

way to Taraba from Abuja 

same Sunday. He was 

killed a few kilometres to 

Taraba State. 

Rising from the second 

plenary meeting of Owerri 

Ecclesiastical Province at 

Bishop’s House, Okigwe, 

the Catholic Bishops in a 

communique issued at the 

end of the meeting, 

expressed concern over 

growing insecurity in the 

country and asked 

Nigerians to be vigilant 

and be ready to defend 

themselves. 

‘Defend 

yourselves, 

pray’ 

In the communiqué, 

signed by the Chairman 

and Secretary, Archbishop 

Anthony J.V. Obinna and 

Most Rev. Augustine T. 

Ukwuoma, respectively, the 

Bishops said: “Bearing in 

mind that no economic or 

educational endeavour can 

thrive in a volatile and 

unsafe environment, the 

security and safety of the 

nation at large and 

Igboland in particular, 

deserve special attention. 

“Kidnapping, banditry, 

armed robbery, incessant 

killings, which have 

continued unabated, cast 

serious doubts on the 

willingness and capability 

of our security outfits to rise 

up to their constitutional 

responsibilities. 

“Rise up in prayer to God 

in vigilance and in 

legitimate self-defence, for 

the right to life, to our 

homes and to our lands is 

God-given.” 

The Bishops also called 

on governors, as chief 

security officers of their 

states, to protect their 

people’s lives, homes and 

their lands, appealing 

specially to Imo and Abia 

state governors to protect 

their domains against 

marauding herdsmen, 

kidnappers and other 

violent criminals 

terrorizing the people. 

On COVID-19, the 

Bishops noted that nothing 

had shaken the world to its 

foundations as coronavirus, 

saying “amid the 

unprecedented panic, 

tension and confusion 

provoked by the COVID- 

19 pandemic, and in the 

face of the resurgent 

insecurity in our land and 

across the nation, we have 

every reason to thank God, 

who has kept us alive by 

His mercy.” 

Reaffirming that COVID- 

19 is real, the Bishops 

stressed the need for 

governments at all levels to 

rise to their responsibility of 

ensuring adequate 

provisions of basic 

amenities, such as running 

water. 

“Particular attention 

should be paid to 

improving our poor 

healthcare facilities, 

making provision for more 

testing centres with 

affordable services and 

enough personal protective 

equipment for our 

healthcare workers,’’ the 

Bishops pleaded. 

On the effect of the 

pandemic on education, 

the Bishop’s said: “The 

pandemic has also 

impacted negatively on our 

educational system. Our 

schools at all levels have 

been closed for months. 

With everybody at home, 

there has been an increase 

in domestic violence, 

abuses and all sorts of 

crimes. 

“The inadequacy of our 

educational system and 

formation have been laid 

bare. Some climes have 

tried to bridge the gap 

through online education. 

Unfortunately, we lack the 

basic infrastructure to cue 

in, except in a handful of 

places and schools. 

“But this is too few, too 

selective and too expensive 

to provide for an integral 

human forum, which is the 

goal of education. 

“This is a challenge for all 

stakeholders in education. 

The billions of Naira 

embezzled regularly could 

be gainfully used in 

meeting these challenges.” 

Tackle B-Haram 

from the roots, 

N-East govs tell 

Buhari 

In a similar development, 

North-East governors 

yesterday rose from a 

meeting with President 

Muhammadu Buhari at the 

President Villa, Abuja, 

asking the President to 

address the root cause of 

Boko Haram insurgency in 

the zone. 

The governors had, at a 

meeting in Maiduguri last 

weekend, also pleaded with 

President Buhari to 

Continues on Page 35 

By Bose Adelaja, 

& 

Olayinka Latona 

On FG raising hate speech fine from N500,000 to N5m (3) 

This is enslavement! It’s 

an anti-democratic tool. 

If people can no longer have 

freedom of speech, it will 

sabotage the main 

responsibility of political watch 

dogs. Most times, what they 

tag hate speech is criticism to 

put government in check. 

Lawmakers should scrutinize 

the contents of this bill to 

preserve our democracy. 

—Opeyemi Ogungbe, 

Educator 

Nigeria 

is 

under a democratic 

government, so people have the 

right to air their views on how 

they feel about things. The FG 

is out of line here. This is not a 

military system and as such, the 

FG should not force their opinion 

on innocent citizens. With the 

current hardship in the country, 

people are entitled to air their 

feelings and not be silenced. 

—Memudu Oluwatoyosi, 

Entrepreneur 

What constitutes hate 

speech? Personally, 

I don’t see a need for the 

hate speech bill and fine. 

They should focus on fixing 

the country and see hate 

speech die a natural death. 

Also, instead of having hate 

speech bill, they should 

penalize fake news 

merchants. 

—Usoh John, Civil 

Servant 

I 

perceive that the 

decision to raise the 

fine to N5m is an attempt 

by the Federal 

Government to limit 

freedom of speech, a 

fundamental right of 

Nigerians as enshrined 

in the Constitution of the 

country. 

—Ogunkunle 

Emmanuel, Content 

Creator 

Increased hate speech 

fine is good because it 

will help reduce the rate at 

which people broadcast 

hate speech on air and 

social media. Government 

should not see this as an 

avenue to embezzle funds 

or accuse innocent people 

of hate speech in order to 

get more people to pay 

fine. 

—Adegboye Theophilus, 

Accountant 

I 

don’t think the NASS 

members know what is 

coming up next. The country 

is going through tough times 

and they are expected to find 

means to help the 

masses; instead, they are 

looking for ways to gag the 

citizens with this miserable fine. 

Are they planning to hide under 

the hate speech bill to perpetrate 

more evil? May God save us. 

—Adeleke Toluwani, 

Analyst

6 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, AUGUST 11, 2020


:Vanguard News 

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

• Na'Abba 

• Utomi 

State of the Nation: Why we’re returning 

to trenches —Utomi, Na’Abba, others 

By Clifford Ndujihe & 

Olayinka Ajayi 

ABUJA—LEADERS of the 

National Consultative 

Front, NCfront, a frontline 

political pressure group, yesterday 

dissected the state of 

the nation and returned grim 

verdict: Nigeria is on the edge 

the brink and all hands must 

be on the deck to save the 

country. 

Consequently, the leaders 

said they are returning to the 

trenches to halt the free fall 

into the abyss. 

Leaders of the group, who 

spoke yesterday at the maiden 

press briefing also held via 

zoom include former Presidential 

Candidate, Professor 

Pat Utomi; and former 

Speaker of the House of Representatives, 

Alhaji Ghali 

Umar Na’Abba. 

We’re at ‘if we 

die, we die’ 

stage 

Apart from his speech, Professor 

Utomi told Vanguard 

they could no longer 

afford to stay in their comfort 

zones because ‘’ we are at the 

stage of if we die, we die.’’ 

“The NCF is a child of necessity, 

it is clear that our country 

is drifting badly. The executive 

branch and legislative 

branch seem to be confused 

over what their roles are. It just 

seems that what they are doing 

is struggling for spoils. 

Corruption has become so 

frightening. We saw the reality 

show from the National 

Assembly on the NDDC 

probes. By the time they get to 

key parastatals, we will all be 

on the ground. That’s how bad 

it is,’’ he said. 

How Nigeria can 

move out of 

despair 

Noting that the basis of politics 

is to right the wrong when 

something goes wrong, 

Utomi continued: “How can 

Nigerians move out of despair 

that we see everywhere? 

How can democracy be by the 

people and for the people rather 

than for politicians and by 

politicians? 

“If we don’t stop these things 

(President Muhammadu) 

Buhari will want to extend his 

stay. We must massively mobilise 

people and have the kind 

of orange revolution that they 

had in Ukraine to take our 

country back. 

Politicians must be sensible, 

rise to the occasion 

“If politicians are sensible 

and don’t want to end up the 

way Nicolae Ceau’escu ended 

up, that he was killed on 

the street like a dog, they better 

begin to wind back now 

and make laws that would 

stop the godfatherism business 

and have people who are 

willing to serve selflessly for a 

limited period of time. We 

want a part time legislature. 

NCF’s aim 

“Our aim is to layout a system 

that will bring out people 

who are ordinarily not interested 

in politics and in what is 

going on in the society, especially 

the youth because it’s 

their future that is being ruined. 

We will mobilise them 

massively. So, it’s a coalition 

of interest that will advance 

all. 

“I was in Cairo, when the 

Arab spring started, I saw ordinary 

people passionate 

about taking their country 

back. So that can be done here. 

There is nothing different. 

Youths keep talking about the 

fear of being arrested, in our 

days, we were arrested several 

times and were released. 

“When late Solomon Lar 

and others went to see late 

General Sani Abacha, they 

said, ‘we have to go, if we die, 

we die.’ We must get to the 

stage of if we die, we die and 

that is where we are now.” 

Duty to save Nigeria 

Before the chat with Vanguard, 

Utomi had in a speech 

titled: ‘’A Duty to save Nigeria,’’ 

recalled many times the 

people and leaders had risen 

in the past to save Nigeria, 

saying leaders of the NCF are 

determined ‘’to take action, 

mobilize the people and insist 

on a peaceful path to 

progress in the face of deteriorating 

conditions in our national 

life.’’ 

He decried the flickering 

flames of violence and killings 

across the country, highwire 

graft, and cost of governance, 

saying: ‘’Sadly, for our 

history, I have been here several 

times before. I was here 

when as a 19-year-old student 

leader Nigeria went through 

two coups resulting in the end 

of the Gowon era and the killing 

of General Murtala Mohammed. 

And we had to get 

on the streets to protest the 

state of the nation. 

How patriots 

saved Nigeria in 

the past 

‘’I was there in 1993 when 

the election of Chief MKO 

Abiola was annulled by a 

handful of officers. I was on 

the streets even though I was 

a dozen years past typical age 

of street protests. I then helped 

call out professionals who 

were concerned for their country. 

The Concerned Professionals 

helped end military rule. 

‘’Again in 2009 when the 

Ex-PHCN staff severance benefits 

gulped N409bn, says BPE 

•N7.48bn paid to union 

By Emma Ujah, 

Abuja Bureau Chief 

ABUJA—FEDERAL Gov 

ernment has spent 

N409.915 billion on payment 

of severance benefits to exworkers 

and death benefits of 

the defunct Power Holding 

Company of Nigeria, PHCN. 

The Bureau of Public Enterprises, 

BPE, disclosed this in a 

statement by its Head of Public 

Communications, Amina 

Othman, yesterday. 

According to the agency 

the payment streams were 

categorized into two - severance 

payments to former 

active staff of PHCN and the 

payment of PHCN retirees/ 

death benefits which PHCN 

could not pay before it handed 

over to the successor companies. 

It explained that for active 

workers, the total number 

submitted to the BPE by 

PHCN was 47,913, adding 

that of the number, 47,275, 

representing 99 percent, had 

been fully paid. BPE said these 

were forwarded to the Office 

of the Accountant General of 

the Federation, OAGF, for 

payment in 36 batches. 

The 638 outstanding active 

staff, BPE said, consisted 

of 167 duplicate and blank 

ABUJA — ALLEGATION 

of sex/human trafficking, 

which led to the arrest of Mr 

Dafe Sejebor, former Group 

General Manager of National 

Petroleum Investment 

Management Services, 

NAPIMS, has been described 

as entirely false. 

Sejebor was arrested in the 

United State over his alleged 

involvement in human trafficking. 

The allegation and 

charge of sex trafficking 

against Sejebor were dismissed 

on February 19, 2020. 

His counsel, Mr Mark Bennett, 

confirmed the dismissal 

of the charge against his client 

in a statement. 

He said, ‘’Mr Sejebor was 

arrested on March 27, 2019, 

and erroneously charged 

with misdemeanour prostitution’ 

spaces on the list; 414 that 

never turned up for verification; 

25 that had been audited 

and were awaiting cashbacking; 

nine with initial documentation 

problems soon to 

be audited; and another 23 

with documentation problems. 

The agency added that in 

the course of the verification, 

81 people were found to be 

short-paid, which had been 

corrected and cash-backed, 

while 180 cases recently 

treated and recomputed for 

short–payment were awaiting 

cash backing. BPE explained 

further: “4,438 PHCN Retirees/NOKs 

(Next Of Kins) have 

been submitted to BPE in eight 

batches and to date, 3,131 

representing, 71 percent of the 

beneficiaries have been fully 

paid their entitlements with 

1,307 yet to be paid. 

‘’This is as a result of 15 of 

them having error in serial 

numbering, 66 possible duplicates 

in submissions which 

14 of them have been recently 

audited; and 196 have been 

cleared and are awaiting 

cash-backing, 392 cleared 

and sent to the pension Transitional 

Arrangement Directorate, 

PTAD, for pension related 

benefits and 694 to the 

Presidential Initiative for Continuous 

Auditing (PICA) for Gratuities 

and Deceased Benefits.” 

‘’ Reports that Mr Sejebor 

was arrested for or accused of 

sex trafficking are entirely 

false. The charge against Mr 

Sejebor was dismissed on 

February 19, 2020, and the 

official records have been expunged 

by Court order of 

May 20, 2020 (Expunction 

Order 2920-15803). There 

will be no legal consequences 

from this arrest. He may lawfully 

deny, even under oath, 

that the arrest ever occurred.’’. 

However,” 

Also reacting to the dismissal 

of the allegation against 

Sejebor, an Urhobo youth 

leader, Mr Edewo Umukoro, 

congratulated Sejebor, adding 

that the dismissal has vindicated 

Sejebor. 

Mukoro noted that the development 

was good for the 

image of Urhobo Nation in 

Delta State and Nigeria as a 

country. 

COVID-19: All 774 LGAs likely to be affected soon — FG 

• 1,000 fatailty mark a wake up call – Ehanire 

By Chioma Obinna & 

Omeiza Ajayi 

ABUJA—AS the number 

of confirmed cases of 

COVID-19 in Nigeria continues 

to rise, the Federal Government 

has warned that the 

nation is at a very dangerous 

stage of community transmission, 

even as it expressed concern 

that the pandemic may 

spread to all the 774 Local 

Government Areas, LGAs, of 

the Federation. 

Currently, only 85 LGAs, 

spread across 20 states, in 

which tests have not been conducted 

are yet to record a positive 

case of the disease. 

Chairman of the Presidential 

Taskforce, PTF on COV- 

ID-19 and Secretary to the 

Government of the Federation, 

SGF, Mr Boss Mustapha 

who disclosed this at Monday’s 

briefing of the Taskforce, 

said the number of LGAs with 

50 percent of the COVID-19 

burden has now extended to 

20 from 11 previously, adding 

that for technical reasons 

it has not been feasible isolating 

those areas for precision 

lockdowns. 

He said: “Nigeria, with 46, 

577 confirmed cases and 945 

cumulative deaths, remains 

respectively the third and 

fourth highest in these parameters. 

As we emphasised at the 

last briefing, Nigeria is yet to 

reach the peak of the pandemic. 

Therefore, the low test/ case 

confirmation numbers coming 

out daily should not be 

misinterpreted to mean that 

we have overcome. We have 

Presidency was taken hostage 

by a cabal and a very gravely 

ill President (Umaru Musa) 

Yar’Adua battled for his life, I 

was there. We called out citizens 

to A Save Nigeria movement. 

And we saw a doctrine 

of necessity pull us through. 

‘’In recent weeks as many of 

us watched corruption reality 

shows from the National Assembly, 

looming constitutional 

crisis between the executive 

and legislative arms of government, 

terror on the streets 

and our rural backyards, insurgency, 

and banditry, mixed 

with harrowing kidnapping 

and rape cases, we have come 

to a realization that the imperative 

of now is that of 

awakening Nigerians to the 

urgency of saving Nigeria. We 

face an existential crisis today.’’ 

Nigeria sliding into anarchy 

Concurring, Na’ Abba said: 

Over the past two decades of our 

new democratic experience, we 

have had to watch our dear country, 

with dismay, disappointment 

and utter shock, slide into anarchy, 

collapse, ruin and rot. The 

promise that democracy held for 

us has become elusive to realize. 

The country has been left to drift. 

‘’Hardly can any sector of the 

country be said to be working as 

government seems ineffectual, 

irresponsive and incompetent. 

Unemployment, particularly 

among our youths has reached 

and passed unprecedented levels, 

while unnecessary loss of human 

lives due to insecurity has 

become a recurring decimal with 

scores of Nigerians being killed 

on a daily basis."" 

over time ramped up testing 

but more needs to be done to 

raise the quantum of test per 

million population. 

“Our analysis has however 

shown that five States still account 

for 60 percent of cumulative 

cases; 689 out of 774 

LGAs have reported a case; 

85 LGAs in 20 States still remain 

with no testing done and 

no case reported; and 50 percent 

of all cases are in 20 percent 

LGAs”. 

Further, the PTF Chairman 

said even though the country 

has capacity to test 10, 000 

people daily, only about 2,000 

tests are currently being conducted, 

urging state governments 

to ramp up testing in 

their areas of responsibility. 

1,000 fatailty 

mark a wake up 

Alleged sex trafficking: Court 

dismissed charge against 

ex-NAPIM’s boss, Sejebor, says, 

counsel 

call —Ehanire 

Also speaking, the Minister 

of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire 

who expressed worry that the 

country was approaching the 

1,000 mark in COVID-19 fatality, 

said it was a wakeup call 

to the reality of the pandemic. 

Stating that the strategy of 

the government was to reduce 

fatality rate to less than 1 percent, 

Ehanire announced that 

the Federal government has 

reactivated the Basic Health- 

Care Fund, BHCPF. 

He said National Council 

of Health, has reversed the 

guidelines for monitoring and 

disbursement of BHCPF 

funds, adding that the suspended 

funds were resumed 

to support the much needed 

efforts to COVID response. 

“The new system has better 

structure and transparency 

and accountability. Development 

partners are urged to 

support the new system and 

the ministry of health is available 

to attend to concerns of 

donors. COVID will surely 

give us the opportunity to 

strengthen our health system. 

Ehanire said government is 

turning its preferences therefore 

to gadgets that provide 

oxygen, like oxygen generators 

to be in many facilities, including 

General hospitals and larger Primary 

Healthcare Centres PHCs. 

“Solar-powered aggregates, 

where available, will be prioritized. 

Federal Health Institutions 

with oxygen plants should activate 

them as a matter of priority 

and ensure they can deliver to 

their A & E Dept. The other 

measure is the activation of the 

Ambulance service to move patients 

to treatment centres."


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

Reps uncover illegal N7bn spent 

on Kashimbila power project 

•Demand explanation for unauthorised 

N2bn, others deposited in commercial banks 

By Levinus 

Nwabughiogu 

ABUJA—HOUSE 

of 

Representatives on Public 

Accounts yesterday discovered 

unbudgeted N7 billion, alleged to have 

been spent by the Federal Ministry of 

Power on Kashimbila power project. 

The committee also discovered some 

money government kept in commercial 

banks in 2015 without authorization. 

It, therefore, demanded explanation 

for the N2 billion deposited in a 

commercial bank by the Ministry in 2013 

without any record provided to the office 

of the Auditor General. 

The committee also requested to know 

the duration of the deposit, the interest 

so far yielded and all the correspondences 

between the office of the Accountant 

General of the Federation and the 

Ministry on the money. 

Chairman of the Committee, Wole 

Oke, described the expenditure by the 

Ministry as extra- budgetary and also 

demanded the 2015 appropriation of the 

Ministry. 

But in response to the discoveries, the 

Permanent Secretary of the ministry, 

Didi Esther Wilson-Jack, said the N7 

billion which the Ministry kept in four 

commercial banks in 2015 were meant 

for the Kashimbila hydropower project. 

Agreeing that the money was not 

captured in the Ministry’s budget for that 

year, Jack said it was a special intervention 

fund released to the Ministry by the 

government. 

She, however, added that the Ministry 

got the approval of the Accountant 

General of the Federation to lodge the 

money in the four banks. 

Wilson-Jack further explained 

that shortly after the introduction 

of the Treasury Single Account, 

TSA, by the government, the 

money was also moved from the 

commercial banks to the TSA 

account of the Ministry. 

She said the Ministry was trying to 

recover the money from the bank, 

stressing that it had already reported 

them to the Central Bank of Nigeria, 

CBN, over violation of banking 

regulations. 

Wilson-Jack said the Ministry wrote 

to the Accountant General in December 

2012 seeking permission to open an 

account with Aso Savings and Loans 

Limited to address issues of staff housing, 

and got approval in January 2013 when 

the lodgment was made. 

Further enquiries by the committee 

on the whereabouts of the money saw 

the Director of Finance of the Ministry, 

A.J. Omotayo, explaining that the 

ministry has spent the money on the 

project. 

The committee, which demanded for 

details of the expenditures, also 

summoned the management of Aso 

Savings and Loans Limited over the N2 

billion deposited with them by the 

Ministry of Power since 2013 which the 

Ministry said was meant for staff housing 

scheme. 

The committee equally demanded the 

appearance of the Central Bank of Nigeria 

for more details. 

The House Committee deferred about 

12 of the 14 queries of the Ministry, while 

setting up an ad hoc committee to liaise 

with the Ministry to reconcile relevant 

documents. 

On the query of the Auditor General 

of the Federation concerning the refund 

of about N30 million said was an extra 

spending by the Ministry on the World 

Energy Summit which took place in 2015, 

the Permanent Secretary said that there 

was no extra budgetary spending on the 

summit. 

She said: “Two approvals was 

made for the World Energy Summit. 

One was N44.671 million for the 

acquisition of space and construction 

of pavilion. But as a result of paucity 

of funds, only N39.446 million was 

released and duly retired. 

JAMB shifts 2020 admissions date to 

Sept 7 •Withholds prison inmates’ UTME results 

By Joseph Erunke 

ABUJA—THE Joint Admissions and 

Matriculation Board, JAMB, has 

shifted the commencement of 2020 

admissions into tertiary institutions to 

September. 

It said post-Unified Tertiary 

Matriculation Examination (post- 

UTME) screening for the 2020 admission 

processes will now begin not earlier than 

September 7, 2020, in universities, 

polytechnics and colleges of education 

in the country. 

The Board said the shift in the date of 

the admission process from the earlier 

announced August 21, was to 

accommodate candidates who will be 

taking part in this year’s school-based 

Senior School Certificate Examination. 

Registrar of JAMB, Professor Ishaq 

Oloyede, who disclosed this after a 

consultative virtual meeting with vice 

chancellors, rectors, and provosts of 

tertiary education institutions yesterday, 

said: “The view of JAMB is that while 

we go on consulting at a point when it 

becomes necessary for decision, we 

should all come together and take 

decision. 

‘’Currently, as you are aware, WAEC 

starts the Senior School Certificate 

Examination on August 17, it will go on 

till September 7. Similarly, on September 

21 or thereabout, NABTEB will 

commence its own examination that will 

go on till October 15, and immediately 

after that, NECO starts on the 

November 5 and hold till 18. 

“Rather than making candidates run, 

particularly, when they will have to write 

their school certificate exam in different 

towns and rush to university elsewhere 

for post-UTME, like somebody rushing 

from Sokoto to Ibadan for post-UTME, 

we believe as custodian of the highest 

sector of the education system, we 

should avoid that,” Oloyede said. 

The JAMB boss said institutions, 

which post-UTME screening was 

mandatory for candidates, would have 

to spread such exercise in two phases. 

He said: “For those (institutions) 

which want to take post-UTME, that 

cannot be earlier than September 7 and 

it will be held twice- 7 September to 4 

October, and then it will be held for the 

second time on November 18 to mop up 

those who are taking their school 

certificate examination.” 

Oloyede, who commended the various 

submissions of heads of tertiary 

institutions during the meeting, said 

institutions that conduct admissions 

without the administration of any-post 

UTME screening should also ensure 

candidates whose SSCE results will be 

released towards the end of the year were 

not denied participation in the admission 

exercise. 

The JAMB’s registrar also revealed 

that the Board has withheld results of 

candidates that sat for this year’s UTME 

at Correctional Service centres (prisons) 

over suspected infractions. 

“There are candidates who took exams 

in the prison yards that we know are not 

prisoners, so we wrote to the correctional 

centres to explain how that happened, 

because we didn’t want non-prisoners 

to take advantage of the concessions we 

give to inmates,” Oloyede said. 

BUHARI MEETS NORTH EAST GOVS, SECURITY CHIEFS: Governor Babagana Zulum 

of Borno State (right) with his Adamawa counterpart, Governor Ahmadu Fintiri briefing 

State House correspondents after a meeting of President Muhammadu Buhari with governors 

of the North-East and Security Heads at the Presidential Villa, Abuja yesterday. 

NBA, PDP kick, as Buhari says with Army, 

Police, APC could’ve overrun opposition 

•Mistakes cost APC some states – Buhari •President’s statement unfortunate 

– NBA •PDP raps Buhari over comments on use of security to muscle elections 

By Johnbosco 

Agbakwuru, Dirisu 

Yakubu & Henry Ojelu 

A BUJA—PRESIDENT 

Muhammadu Buhari said 

yesterday that ruling All Progressives 

Congress, APC, could have used the 

Army and the Police to overrun the 

opposition but for the interest of the 

nation. 

Buhari also said mistakes made by the 

APC led to the party losing some states 

to the opposition Peoples Democratic 

Party, PDP in the 2019 elections. 

But the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, 

described the President’s statement as 

unfortunate, saying the President was 

not doing anybody a favour by adhering 

to the rule of law. 

The President, who stated this at a 

meeting with North East governors at 

the President Villa, Abuja, told the 

governors: “I assure you that the 

government is doing its best. Lack of 

resources has hit us very hard. 

‘’COVID-19 is a phenomenon. It has 

no respect for colour, you can’t smell it, 

you can’t see it, you can’t hear it. America 

and us are the same. It is a fantastic 

phenomenon. I think we should all go 

back to God. 

“I assure you North East governors, 

especially the governor of Borno State, 

that we go to bed and wake up thinking 

about you and how to secure our country. 

That is the fundamental responsibility of 

a government; security. 

‘’In our party, we recognize this. We 

campaigned on three fundamental issues: 

security, economy and fighting corruption. 

“Nigerians, we thank God, understood 

us and they voted for us. In 2019, we 

went round the whole country, saying 

the same thing and apologizing for not 

doing better, but we are doing our best. I 

think Nigerians believe us and we did 

our best. 

“It is true that we lost some states as a 

ruling party in a developing country, which 

is normal. I am proud of that because we 

are impartial, that is why as ruling party, 

we lost some states. That means we have 

our own mistakes. 

“Some of those that defeated us are 

sitting here (PDP governors). We know 

we are a developing country but we 

respect our country, otherwise, with the 

use of Army, the police and the rest of 

them, we could have overrun you. 

We just wanted to show that we are 

humane and we are Nigerians. We 

will continue to do our best.” 

Reacting to the President’s statement, 

National Publicity Secretary of Nigerian 

Bar Association, NBA, Kunle Edun, said 

no president, governor or political leader 

could say he was doing Nigeria and 

Nigerians any good by adhering to the 

dictates of the rule of law. 

He said: “The truism that no one is 

above the law and that the law is no 

respecter of any person, creed, status or 

political affiliation finds its abode more in 

a democratic system of government. It is 

the people of Nigeria that donated 

political power to the elected leaders in 

return for the state guaranteeing their 

security and welfare. 

“No President, Governor or political 

leader can say that he is doing Nigeria 

and Nigerians any good by adhering to 

the dictates of the rule of law. He has 

sworn to the Oath of Allegiance and must 

be bound by it. 

‘’It is unfortunate that many political 

leaders think and act like slave masters 

immediately they get into office. History 

will always record each for what he says 

and does in office.” 

Also reacting, Peoples Democratic 

Party, PDP, said it was a sad commentary 

for President Muhammadu Buhari, who 

won election on a free ballot in 2015, to 

contemplate or bemoan “how he could 

have used security agencies to 

undermine the integrity of the electoral 

process in our country.” 

The party in a statement by its 

spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan, said 

Nigerians were aware that in the 2019 

presidential election, such despotic and 

oppressive tactics were deployed to 

circumvent the electoral process and the 

wishes of Nigerians. 

The statement read: “As a party, the 

PDP hopes this is not foreplay of what 

the All Progressives Congress, APC and 

Buhari Presidency is planning to exert 

in the Edo and Ondo governorship 

elections scheduled for September and 

October 2020 respectively. 

“Nigerians witnessed the overrunning 

of Ekiti, Osun, Kogi, Bayelsa and Kano 

states by the APC using compromised 

security officials and thugs. In Kogi State, 

a police helicopter was used to disperse 

the electorate, who were on the queue 

to perform their civic duties on Election 

Day. Mrs. Salome Abuh, a frontline PDP 

woman leader was burnt to death. 

“Contrary to Mr. President’s expressed 

concerns, Nigerians have never 

witnessed the level of electoral impunity 

seen under his administration. 

“The President must advise his party 

to allow INEC to carry out its 

responsibilities without interference.” 

FG sets up c'ttee on Open Treasury Portal 

By Emma Ujah 

ABUJA—THE Office of 

the Accountant-General of the 

Federation, OAGF, has inaugurated the 

Committee on the Federal Government 

Financial Transparency Guidelines and 

Open Treasury Portal. 

The group would work out the 

guidelines on the implementation of the 

Transparency and Open Government 

Policy for making public, financial 

information of all Ministries, 

Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to 

promote accountability and anticorruption 

campaign. 

The OAGF in a statement by its Press 

Officer, Esther Okoro, in Abuja, 

yesterday, said the committee would give 

the direction for the Financial 

Transparency Guidelines and Open 

Treasury Portal, approved by the federal 

government on July 4, 2018. 

The approved Transparency Policy 

provides for Transparency requirements, 

thresholds and responsibilities as part of 

Government Policy on accountability in 

line with Freedom of Information Act 

2014. 

The Office of the Accountant-General 

of the Federation would provide 

secretariat services for the Committee, 

the Committee shall be free to request 

for information or clarifications from 

anyone involved in the implementation 

of the Transparency Policy and the 

Committee shall be free to seek and 

obtain service of independent experts to 

support their work if required. 

The committee would be report to the 

Accountant-General of the Federation, 

Mr. Ahmed Idris, in a month. 

In his remarks, the Chairman of the 

Committee, Mr. Idris Mamman said that 

it was an opportunity to complement the 

efforts of the Federal Government and 

that members would demonstrate 

patriotism by serving well and rendering 

selfless service for the good of the nation 

and well-meaning Nigerians.

— 


Harsh words, as PDP, APC allege bid to void poll 

By Omeiza Ajayi, 

Davies 

Iheamnachor & 

Ozioruva Aliu 

PORT HARCOURT— 

GOVERNOR Nyesom 

Wike of Rivers State, 

yesterday, alleged that the 

All Progressives Congress, 

APC, was not ready for the 

governorship election in 

Edo State. He said that the 

APC was working to 

ensure the cancellation of 

the poll by the 

Independent National 

Electoral Commission, 

INEC. 

Wike, who is Chairman, 

National Campaign 

Council of the People’s 

Democratic Party, PDP, 

however, said that 

Governor Godwin Obaseki 

of Edo State and PDP 

candidate was not an 

ingrate as claimed by the 

former Chairman of the 

APC, Adams Oshiomhole 

and candidate of the party, 

Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, 

noting that they were 

rather the ungrateful 

individuals. 

But in a swift reaction, the 

APC lampooned Governor 

Wike for accusing it of 

plans to rig the forthcoming 

governorship election in 

Edo. 

This came as Obaseki 

said he was wellgrounded 

on how to 

develop and build 

sustainable development, 

saying he has spent a better 

part of his life helping to 

develop Nigeria's 

economy. 

Similarly, the APC 

governorship candidate, 

Pastor Ize-Iyamu, vowed to 

empower and harness the 

agricultural potentials of 

Edo Central, Esan land, if 

elected governor of Edo 

State on September 19. 

APC not ready for 

election —Wike 

Wike, who spoke in Port 

Harcourt, was reacting to 

issues raised during the 

Edo State APC campaign 

last week. He said that 

APC was only targeting to 

cause violence in the poll 

to make INEC stop and 

cancel the election till 

November when Obaseki’s 

tenure would elapse. 

Calling on the police and 

other security agencies to 

use the poll to rebuild their 

tarnished image, he said: 

“We have enough 

intelligence on what they 

want to do with the security 

in the election, but we will 

scuttle it. 

“The Police is supposed 

to use Edo State election 

to clear their name and 

regain the people's 

confidence in them. APC 

wants to ensure that there 

will be enough violence 

during the election. Like 

the Chairman of INEC has 

said that the election will 

be stopped if there is 

violence, they want to 

cause violence so that the 

election will stop. 

“They are not interested 

in the election so that INEC 

will stop it and then wait 

•APC plotting poll cancellation—Wike 

•He talks better than he campaigns, governs -- APC Campaign 

•Obaseki’s Esan Agenda deceptive, says Ize-Iyamu 

•PFN tasks Buhari on violence, electoral reforms 

till November when 

Obaseki’s tenure will end. 

It is a calculation that they 

do not want the election to 

hold because Edo people 

are tired of the lies from 

Oshiomhole.” 

Oshiomhole, Ize-Iyamu 

ingrates, not Obaseki 

Besides, the governor 

stated that the former APC 

National Chairman has 

been decimated at APC 

national office but wants to 

fall back on Edo State. 

The governor said: 

“Obaseki is not an ingrate, 

rather it is Oshiomhole that 

is fighting him (Obaseki) 

and his boy, Ize-Iyamu, 

who are the ingrates. 

“Oshiomhole had in 2016 

said that Obaseki is the 

brain box behind his 

success as a governor. 

How can he now turn 

around to say the same 

person that was behind 

him as a brain box is now 

an ingrate? 

“One thing that should 

be important in our 

elections is character and 

Obaseki has it. Ize-Iyamu 

was charged to court by this 

APC government for 

corruption. Now, they are 

saying he has not been 

proven guilty. There is no 

fight against corruption 

anywhere, all we have is 

witch-hunting.” 

Wike talks better than 

he campaigns, governs — 

APC Campaign 

Reacting to Governor 

Wike’s statement, 

Chairman, Edo State 

Media Campaign Council 

of the APC governorship 

election, Mr. John Mayaki, 

said the APC was more 

worried about the election 

postponement because the 

party knows that Governor 

Obaseki is capable of 

“every thuggish, violent 

trick in the book” and that 

a postponement of the 

election can only mean 

that the governor is “up to 

his old tricks again.” 

Mayaki said: “Governor 

Wike, like his counterpart 

in Edo State, Governor 

Obaseki, should focus on 

the claims against him of 

alleged violation of human 

rights. 

“I do not know if 

Governor Wike 

manufactures these tales 

himself or if he has a team 

of lazy children’s books 

writers, who manufacture 

these claims. I am torn 

between answering him 

seriously and stepping 

down to match his humour. 

“To start with, let him 

provide proof for anything 

he said. He cannot. How 

does the party that is not 

in power plan to use the 

police in Edo State? He 

meant to accuse us but 

ended up insulting the 

Nigeria Police Force. I 

think they need to address 

the disrespectful and 

sickening way he spoke 

•PDP candidate, Governor Godwin Obaseki and 

APC candidate ,Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu 

about them. This is not the 

first time that the governor 

has demonstrated a 

pedestrian restrain in his 

words. 

“The inane speculation 

cannot hold water, as we 

stand to gain no further 

advantage should Mr. 

Obaseki leave the office. 

“Already, the state is 

against the man. Going by 

the dramatic way Governor 

Wike has conducted 

himself, especially during 

the COVID-19 lockdown, 

would it be incorrect to 

point out that Governor 

Wike talks shop better than 

he campaigns? He does it 

better than he governs. He 

needs to know that their 

focus now should be 

fabricating a manifesto that 

can win them at least a 

third of the votes in Edo 

State. Our simple agenda 

will get us all of the votes 

otherwise.” 

I understand how 

economies are built — 

Obaseki 

Governor Obaseki on his 

part said: “We must, as the 

government, set a new 

agenda, but what is 

painful is that traducers are 

ignorant about 

governance. 

“Honestly speaking, I 

know how to raise money 

to build our economy. 

Money is not a problem. 

The role of government is 

to serve as an enabler, to 

enable you to make money. 

Somehow I don’t know 

how it got to the brain of 

government as if it is an 

offence for you to make 

money. 

The governor, who spoke 

when a coalition of various 

unions, traders and 

association paid him a 

thank-you visit at 

Government House, Benin 

City, said: “I understand 

how economies are built; 

economies are built with 

small businesses. Whether 

we like it or not, today’s 

world is about technology. 

With coronavirus today, 

nobody can travel 

anywhere; you sit in your 

place and do your 

businesses. The 

government must make 

sure that it provides the 

infrastructure that will 

Why I left PDP — Ajayi 

•He's desperate to be governor, says PDP 

•Akeredolu hits Mimiko's ZLP 

By Dayo Johnson 

AKURE—THE Ondo 

State Deputy 

Governor, Mr. Agboola 

Ajayi, yesterday, 

explained why he resigned 

from the People’s 


after his 48 days sojourn in 

the party. 

Ajayi is billed to defect to 

the Zenith Labour Party, on 

Thursday, in Akure. 

The Deputy Governor 

rejoined the PDP on June 

21, 2020. 

In a statement by his 

Media Adviser, Allen 

Sowore, in Akure, the 

Deputy Governor said: 

“This decision to resign is 

as a result of the call on the 

Deputy Governor by a 

majority of the good people 

of Ondo State to give hope 

to the hopeless, provide 

credible and purposeful 

leadership in our dear 

State.” 

The statement reads: 

“Ondo State Deputy 

Governor, Mr. Agboola 

Ajayi has resigned his 

membership of the PDP. 

“The Deputy Governor 

appreciates the National 

Leadership and members 

of the party for their warm 

reception and acceptance 

in the short period he 

rejoined the party. 

“He wishes to reassure 

his teeming supporters to 

remain focused and 

committed as he will be 

announcing his next line 

of action shortly. 

“The chairman of the 

PDP in Apoi Ward ii of Ese- 

Odo Local Government 

Area, Festus Oboro 

acknowledged the receipt 

of the resignation letter on 

the 9th of August, 2020.” 

enable business owners to 

transact effectively. 

“Those who are fighting 

us don’t know how to 

manage resources. They 

are a group of wasters. 

They do not know that 

Nigeria is much bigger, 

much greater than what 

we are seeing today. 

“The government is not 

a businessman, the 

government does not know 

how to do business, all 

government responsibility 

is to provide an enabling 

environment where people 

can do their businesses 

and in return, they pay 

their taxes to the 

government which will 

enable the government to 

continue to provide security 

and 

enabling 

environment. That is the 

fight, and except we do 

that, this country cannot 

make progress.” 

Obaseki’s Esan Agenda 

deceptive— Ize-Iyamu 

On his part, the APC 

candidate, Pastor Ize- 

Iyamu, at the official kickoff 

of his campaign in the 

state at Igueben LGA, Esan 

South-East LGA, Ubiaja, 

and Uromi LGA, where he 

was received by large 

crowds, promised to 

empower and harness the 

agricultural potentials of 

Edo Central, Esan land, if 

elected governor of the 

state. 

Ize-Iyamu accused the 

incumbent Obaseki of 

running with a deceitful 

‘Esan Agenda’ as a ploy to 

gain sympathetic votes, 

stating that the governor’s 

actions in the last four 

years have brought no 

development to the Esan 

people. 

Also speaking, 

Oshiomhole, who was 

received with loud cheers 

from the crowd, said 

Obaseki failed to continue 

He is desperate, says 

PDP 

Reacting to the Deputy 

Governor’s resignation, 

the PDP in Ondo State said 

Ajayi’s exit is of no effect 

to the party adding that he 

was desperate to become 

governor. 

In a statement by the 

party’s Publicity Secretary, 

Mr. Kennedy Peretei in 

Akure, the party said: “Mr. 

Ajayi’s exit from the PDP 

does not affect our 

prospects of victory in the 

governorship election.” 

The statement reads: 

“The PDP in Ondo State 

has received the exit of 

Deputy Governor of Ondo 

State, Mr. Ajayi, from the 

party, from just online 

publications. 

“As a party, we have not 

received his letter of 

resignation but we wish 

him well in his political 

journey. " 

Akeredolu hits ZLP 

In what looked like a 

declaration of war with his 

with his administrative 

style of implementation of 

plans and visible 

execution of projects that 

provide relief to the 

people. Instead, he said 

the incumbent Governor 

wasted state resources on 

consultants and MOUs 

that failed to translate into 

any meaningful 

achievement. 

PFN tasks Buhari on 

violence, electoral 

reforms 

Meanwhile, the 

Pentecostal Fellowship of 

Nigeria, PFN, has called 

on 

President 

Muhammadu Buhari to 

ensure peaceful election in 

Edo State and do more than 

the government is 

currently doing to ensure 

the safety of lives and 

properties. 

Addressing newsmen in 

Benin City, yesterday, 

President of PFN, Rev 

Felix Omobude flanked by 

the Deputy National 

President of PFN, Bishop 

Wale Oke and Bishop John 

Praise called on the 

authorities to ensure the 

safety of lives in the 

country. 

He said: “The PFN calls 

on the President Buhariled 

Federal Government to 

secure the country. Very 

worrisome is this 

insurgence of Boko Haram, 

ISAWP and other foreign 

interests that have invaded 

our land. The forests are not 

safe, the highways are not 

safe, and our farmers can 

no longer go to their farms. 

Whether you call them 

herdsmen or you call them 

gunmen or you call them 

bandits, the story is the 

same. We call on the 

government to rise to her 

responsibility to allow 

Nigerians to be able to 

sleep with their two eyes 

closed.” 

friend of many years, 

Governor Rotimi 

Akeredolu blasted the 

Zenith Labour Party, ZLP, 

led by former governor, Dr. 

Olusegun Mimiko, saying: 

“They said they are coming 

with a third force under 

ZLP, that party is dead on 

arrival. It could best be 

described as a car without 

an engine. We are waiting 

for them. 

“They spent eight years 

in this state and left so 

many debts that we are still 

paying, they left undone 

so many things that we 

have now done to the glory 

of God." 

Mass defection looms in 

APC, PDP 

Meanwhile, Vanguard 

gathered that with Ajayi’s 

defection, some aggrieved 

members of the APC and 

PDP may move to the ZLP. 

The planned defection of 

bigwigs from the two 

parties was to help Ajayi 

realise his governorship 

ambition in the new party.


:Vanguard 

News 

COVID-19: No death in 

our isolation centres 

—Oyo Task Force 

• We’ve touched over 200,000 

households in Ondo, says Akeredolu 

By Dayo Johnson & 

Ola Ajayi 

IBADAN—OYO State Task 

Force on COVID-19 said 

yesterday that Isolation Centres 

run by the state had not recorded 

any fatality since the outbreak 

of the pandemic in the state. 

This feat, according to the 

Chief Press Secretary to 

Governor Seyi Makinde, Mr. 

Taiwo Adisa, was due to the 

holistic approach adopted by 

medical personnel managing 

the COVID-19 situation. 

Adisa, who doubles as one of 

the Risk Communication 

Coordinators of the Oyo State 

COVID-19 Task Force, clarified 

that though 31 deaths have 

been recorded in the state since 

the index case of the virus was 

discovered in March, none of 

the fatalities took place in the 

isolation centres set up by the 

state government. 

The statement also quoted the 

State’s Incident Manager and 

coordinator of the Emergency 

Operations Centre, EOC, Dr. 

Taiwo Ladipo, and the 

Coordinator, Oyo State 

Isolation Centres, Professor 

Temitope Alonge, as confirming 

the development. 

The isolation centres in the 

state include those at the 

Infectious Disease Centre, 

Olodo, Ibadan; Chest Hospital, 

Agbami, Ibadan; Igbo-Ora in 

Ibarapa; Saki, in Oke-Ogun; 

Aawe, near Oyo; and the 

LAUTECH Teaching Hospital, 

Ogbomoso. 

“Yes, I can confirm to you that 

Oyo State has not recorded any 

fatality in any of its isolation 

centres since the outbreak of 

COVID-19 in the state. That’s 

a fact and it is a landmark 

achievement,” Dr. Ladipo said. 

He also stated that the state 

has tested 14,356 samples, 

recording 2,860 positive cases, 

1,420 recovered cases and 31 

deaths. 

Alonge, who confirmed the 

development said: There is 

always the God factor. God has 

been good to us. Then our 

treatments commence urgently 

and we pay attention to every 

complaint of the patients. Our 

health care workers have been 

prudent and meticulous, 

because, most times, when these 

patients come in and claim 

they have no symptoms, we 

take time to check them and 

ask detailed questions. 

“So, we found out that in 

clerking them, many of them 

that claim they do not have 

symptoms have. So, we address 

those symptoms and we have 

added all manners of care to 

address their symptoms. 

“The symptoms they think 

they don’t have or they think 

can be ignored, when they 

present them to us, we pay 

attention and deal with them. 

Of course, if we deal with that 

along with Coronavirus, we 

capture virtually all their 

complaints.” 

We’ve touched over 

200,000 households 

in Ondo, says 

—Akeredolu 

Meanwhile, Governor 

Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State, 

yesterday, disclosed that over 200,000 

households have benefitted from 

palliative distributed since the outbreak 

of the COVID-19 in the state. 

He said this at the flag-off ceremony 

of CA-COVID 19 Palliative items 

distribution in Akure. 

Akeredolu said: “To us, it can be 

likened to a state of warfare. We are 

fighting an invisible enemy. 

“Many are carrying the bullet 

wound without knowing and 

many are already sent to early 

graves and many more might 

still go unless we brace up and 

do what is right as individuals 

and communities. 

“We started by setting up a palliative 

committee to gather and distribute food 

items to the people through the Local 

Government Distribution 

Committees. 


Insurgency: Fake news hampering 

military operations —Oyetola 

By Shina Abubakar & 

Deola Badru 

IPPIS: ASUU to present alternative to FG 

By Ola Ajayi 

I BADAN—AS 

controversy rages 

between the Federal 

Government and the 

Academic Staff Union of 

Universities, ASUU, over 

the controversial Integrated 

Payroll and Personnel 

Information System, IPPIS, 

ASUU said, yesterday, that 

it is ready to present an 

PRESENTATION—From left: Oluwakoyejo Oluwatosin, CEO, Chronicles Software; Mrs. Alabi 

(recipient's Mother); Tosin Alabi, Winner; Alabi (recipient's father), during SuccessBOX Mega 

Excellence Award presentation, at Elizade Plaza, Anthony, Lagos. 

O 

S 

O G B O — 

GOVERNOR 

Adegboyega Oyetola of 

Osun State, yesterday, 

lamented that the fake news 

syndrome is fuelling 

insecurity and hampering 

military efforts to end 

insurgency in the country. 

This is as the Chief of 

Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur 

Buratai said the Army is 

ever ready to end the raging 

security challenges, adding 

that it would leave no stone 

unturned in curbing 

criminal activities and 

ensuring general security in 

Nigeria. 

The Governor spoke at the 

10th edition of the Social 

Media Seminar organised 

by the Department of Civil- 

alternative system that 

would achieve a better 

result. 

President of the union, 

Professor Biodun 

Ogunyemi, stated this in a 

letter addressed to Zonal 

coordinators, chairpersons 

and members of the union 

in Ibadan by Chairman 

ASUU, University of 

Ibadan, Professor Ayo 

Akinwole. 

He said the union would 

make an initial 

presentation of its 

University Transparency 

and Accountability 

Solution, UTAS, to the 

Federal Government. 

The union president 

described IPPIS as “a 

business venture of some 

interest groups” in Nigeria 

adding that “their profit 

margin increases by the 

increasing number of 

University staff they can 

capture” and admonished 

members of the Union not 

to waver in their resolve to 

reject the IPPIS. 

Professor Ogunyemi 

said: “As expected, the 

vested interests are 

Military Affairs in 

conjunction with the 

Security Affairs Limited for 

social media influencers, 

bloggers, online journalists 

and members of the Civil 

Society Organisations, at 

Aenon Suites and Hotels 

International, GRA, 

Osogbo, Osun. 

While advocating for a 

collective effort in the battle 

against the raging 

insecurity in the country, 

Oyetola disclosed the need 

for collaborative effort and 

patriotism from both the 

military and the civilians to 

win the war against 

insurgency. 

The governor said: “This 

is the right time for this 

seminar. The fake news 

syndrome is menacingly 

fuelling the raging 

insecurity and hampering 

uncomfortable with the 

emergence of the 

university transparency 

(UTAS) because of its 

potential for exposing the 

IPPIS fraud. 

“The impression earlier 

created was that no further 

payment of salaries could 

be made without data 

capture. 

“However, the IPPIS 

office has forcefully 

transferred all academic 

staff in federal universities to the 

platform and what is being done 

now is to formalise the process. 

“Deliberate withholding and 

distortion of salary paid by the 

office of the Accountant-General 

of the Federation, OAGF, are 

ploys to hoodwink and arm-twist 

ASUU members to swallow their 

vomit on IPPIS. 

“At this stage, it is unedifying 

to see ASUU members filling to 

the Bursar’s Office of OAGF for 

IPPIS data capture. Apart from 

betraying the Union, many of 

those who attempted to go solo, 

have also been ridiculed beyond 

description. Even non-members 

respect the ASUU for its informed 

and principled position on 

IPPIS.” 

the modest efforts of the 

military to stem the tide of 

insecurity in the country. 

“Communication is 

central to military and 

security operations. It can 

make or mar security 

strategies and operations 

and consequently secure 

the nation or expose it to 

jeopardy. 

“It is, therefore, gratifying 

that the Nigerian Army has 

organised this seminar to 

provide an avenue for it to 

enlighten the civil populace 

about its activities and to 

collaborate with social 

media practitioners to seek 

their cooperation and to 

curb the fake news 

syndrome that is cancerous 

to military operations.” 

In his remarks, the Chief 

of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. 

Buratai said the seminar 

was one of the fora the Army 

uses to disseminate prompt 

information to curb the 

menace of fake news 

syndrome. 

Buratai, who was 

represented by the Chief of 

Policy and Plans, Nigerian 

Army Headquarters, Lt. 

Gen. Lamidi Adeosun, 

said: “The Nigerian Army 

under my leadership is 

fully aware of a high level 

of cooperation and goodwill 

we enjoy from the members 

of the public across the 

country. 

“The Nigerian Army has 

therefore over the years 

taken deliberate efforts in 

ensuring it gives back to the 

society in the areas of 

corporate social 

responsibilities as this had 

engendered closer 

cooperation to the civil 

components and ultimately 

in providing conducive 

environment for the 

execution of our onerous 

tasks.” 

Makinde sacks Works 

commissioner, swaps two 

others 

By Deola Badru 

I BADAN—GOVERNOR 

Seyi Makinde of Oyo 

State, yesterday, sacked the 

Commissioner for Works, 

Infrastructure and 

Transport, Professor 

Raphael Afonja. 

The governor, in a letter 

dated August 10, 2020, and 

signed by the Secretary to 

the State Government, SSG, 

Mrs. Olubamiwo Adeosun, 

said the termination takes 

immediate effect. 

A statement by the Chief 

Press Secretary to the 

Governor, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, 

quoted the letter titled: 

‘Termination of 

appointment’ as saying: “I 

wish to convey the approval 

of His Excellency, Governor 

Seyi Makinde, on the 

termination of your 

appointment as Commissioner, 

with immediate effect. 

“Consequent upon the above 

development, you are hereby 

directed to hand over all the 

government items in your 

possession to the Permanent 

Secretary (Ministry of Works, 

Infrastructure and Transport). 

“I am to add that your 

contribution within the time of 

your sojourn is appreciated and 

commendable, and therefore, 

wish you success in your future 

endeavours. I thank you.” 

Similarly, the governor 

approved the redeployment of two 

Commissioners, who were asked 

to swap portfolios. 

An internal memo signed by 

the SSG with the subject: 

‘Redeployment of EXCO 

members’ indicated that the 

Commissioner for Special Duties, 

Chief Bayo Lawal, has been moved 

to the Ministry of Local 

Government and Chieftaincy 

Affairs, while his counterpart who 

was manning that Ministry, Mrs. 

Funmilayo Orisadeyi, is to move 

to the Ministry of Special Duties. 

The memo indicated that the 

redeployment takes immediate 

effect.


:Vanguard :@vanguardnews :@vanguardnewsNEWS HOTLINES: 

DONATION—From left: Adesegun Dosumu, Chairman, Oloye Estate CDA, Erunwen-Ikorodu; 

Comrade Lanre Arogundade, Director, International Press Centre, presenting a plaque to Mrs. 

Olatokunbo Obafemi-Adegbola, Treasurer, Golden Dames Club, Ikorodu, and Mrs. Oluwagbemiga 

Benson, President of the club, during the hand-over ceremony of a 'Deed of Gift' on six plots of 

land, donated by the Golden Dames to the CDA, on behalf of Lagos State government, for the 

construction of a public secondary school, held in Ikorodu, Lagos State, weekend. Photo: Lamidi 

Bamidele. 

Kashamu: People can mourn me the way 

they like when I die —Obasanjo 

Apresident, BEOKUTA—FORMER 

Chief Olusegun 

Obasanjo, yesterday, responded 

to the criticisms that trailed his 

controversial condolence 

message on the death of Senator 

Buruji Kashamu 

Obasanjo, in the condolence 

message, said the late Kashamu, 

who was wanted in the United 

States of America for alleged drug 

offences, was able to escape justice 

but could not evade death. 

“Senator Esho Jinadu (Buruji 

Kashmu) in his lifetime used the 

manoeuvre of law and politics to 

escape from facing justice on the 

alleged criminal offence in 

Nigeria and outside Nigeria. 

“But no legal, political, cultural, 

social, or even medical 

manoeuvre could stop the cold 

hands of death when the Creator 

of all of us decides that the time 

is up. 

“May Allah forgive his sin and 

accept his soul into Aljanah, and 

may God grant his family and 

friends fortitude to bear the 

....Says, 'I’m not gloating over Kashamu’s demise' 

irreparable loss,” Obasanjo had 

said. 

Notable personalities including 

APC National Leader, Asiwaju 

Bola Tinubu; former governor of 

Ekiti State, Mr. Ayodele Fayose 

among others lambasted 

Obasanjo for his remarks which 

they said demonstrated 

disrespect for the dead. 

But in his response to the 

criticism, the former President 

told PREMIUM TIMES, it was 

okay for people to mourn every 

death but that the living, 

including him, must draw the 

right lessons from the lives of 

those who have died. 

I am not gloating over 

Kashmu’s death 

Obasanjo said: “When I was 

growing up, in our community, 

when anyone known with bad 

character died, we usually only 

mourn him and bury him. No 

eulogy. No praise-singing. 

“There is an English saying 

that urges us never to talk ill of 

the dead. But in this case, we are 

not talking ill of the dead. We are 

only drawing lessons from the life 

and history of the dead. I am not 

gloating over his death. It is sad 

for anyone to die and we must 

mourn him. 

“But we must learn from such a 

passage. There will be bad 

lessons. There will be good 

lessons. But we should not just 

be praise-singing or eulogising 

the dead, especially when there 

is no need to do so. 

“We should not cover up bad 

histories and conducts so that the 

right lessons can be learned. 

“But we must learn from such a 

passage. There will be bad 

lessons. There will be good 

lessons. But we should not just 

be praise-singing or eulogising 

the dead, especially when there 

is no need to do so. 

“We should not cover up bad 

histories and conducts so that the 

right lessons can be learned.” 

NUPENG suspends strike, reaches pact with 

Lagos govt 

By Olasunkanmi 

Akoni 

LAGOS—THE Nigeria Union 

of Petroleum and Natural Gas 

Workers, NUPENG, yesterday, 

directed Petroleum Tankers 

Drivers, to suspend its ongoing 

Lagos has recorded 200 COVID-19 

deaths —Abayomi 

LAGOS—LAGOS 

State 

Commissioner for Health, 

Professor Akin Abayomi, said 

yesterday that the death toll 

recorded from COVID-19 in 

Lagos state has risen to 200. 

Giving an update on the 

COVID-19 situation, Abayomi 

said as of August 8, 71 new 

infections were confirmed out of 

a total of 844 tests conducted. 

Abayomi said the total number 

of tests conducted so far stands at 

68,929 while the number of 

infections is now 15,797. 

The commissioner added that 

68 of the cases are currently under 

isolation in public and private 

care centres while 1,400 active 

cases in communities are yet to 

turn up for admission. 

He said: “71 new COVID-19 

strike in Lagos State area after the 

union reached an agreement with 

Lagos State government and 

other stakeholders to address its 

demands. 

Tanker drivers had Monday 

began an indefinite strike, 

following Friday’s directive by 

NUPENG for members of the 

PTD, in Lagos zone to shut fuel 

infections were confirmed in 

Lagos out of a total 844 COVID- 

19 tests conducted. The new cases 

bring the total number of 

confirmed COVID-19 infections 

in Lagos to 15,797. 

“Total number of COVID-19 

tests conducted so far in Lagos 

now stands at 68,929… 2,269 of 

the confirmed cases have since 

been discharged from COVID-19 

Care Centres following full 

recovery. 11,860 of the confirmed 

cases monitored in communities 

by COVID-19 Lagos Response 

Team have either fully recovered 

or positively responding to 

treatments. 68 of the cases are 

currently under isolation in public 

and private care centres. 1,400 

active cases in communities are 

yet to turn up for admission in 

COVID-19 Lagos care centres." 

distribution in Lagos and its 

environs over take-over of access 

roads to tank farms and fuel depots 

by containerised trucks, among 

other grievances. 

But in a communiqué at the end 

of the close-door meeting, 

NUPENG, reads as follows: “The 

Lagos State Government will 

meet with the heads of all security 

agencies and secure their 

commitment to ensure the free 

passage of petroleum products vehicles 

given their importance to economy. 

“The menace of area boys will be 

handled by relevant government 

agencies and a dedicated phone number 

will be established, within the next week, 

to ensure that petroleum products 

transporters have prompt access to 

security agencies. 

“The issue of extra-ordinary levies by 

a particular local government will be 

investigated and local government will 

immediately be advised to collect only 

levies that are legally due. 

“It is understood by the parties that 

road works are a necessary path to 

progress; the state government will 

continue to relate with all road users in 

the planning and execution of road 

works in the state. 

“The downstream petroleum union 

has committed to ensuring that all 

tankers are loaded within the capacities 

provided for in the regulations and 

communicated by DPR." 

That day, no be you go drive the car home! 

After two years in the marriage, the 

man will start singing: ‘My wife is 

lazy, she doesn't do laundry’ 

Poverty 

paves 

the way 

for high 

birth 

rate!


By Davies 

Iheamnachor 

PORT 

HARCOURT— 

RIVERS State House of Assembly 

has okayed the request 

by Governor Nyesom Wike to 

obtain a loan of N18 billion from 

Access Bank Plc, for construction 

of the fourth flyover and other 

projects in the state. 

The House gave the approval, 

yesterday, after deliberation on a letter 

from the governor, seeking the 

approval of the House for the loan. 

:Vanguard 

News 

Speaker of the House, Ikunyi- 

Owaji Ibani, in the letter read at 

plenary, said the loan was needed 

for the construction of the forth 

flyover bridge at Government Reserved 

Area (GRA), Junction on 

the Port Harcourt/Aba express 

road, dualization of Mummy 'B' 

road to stadium road, Tombia Street 

to Ikwerre road and for payment 

of compensation to those whose 

property would be affected by the 

construction projects. 

Ibani, in the letter, announced 

the governor's assurance that the 


AWARD: From left—Mr. Crusoe Osagie, SA, Media to Edo State Governor, Hon. Efe Stewart, Commissioner 

for Information, Edo State; Governor Godwin Obaseki receiving an Award of Excellence from Sir Roland 

Osakue, NUJ Chairman, Edo State Chapter and Mrs. Imelda Osayande. 

Rivers Assembly okays N18bn, Access Bank 

loan for state 

debt would not be left for successive 

administration to pay, but that 

same would be fully paid off before 

the end of his (Wike's) tenure 

in 2023. 

Wike had also in the letter 

pointed out that proceeds from 

internally generated revenue, 

IGR, would be used to service the 

loan. 

Deliberating on the request, 

Majority Leader of the house, 

Martin Amaewhule, and the lawmaker 

representing Tai constituency, 

Matthew Dike, observed 

that all the indices required for 

the loan facility had been clearly 

stated in the letter from the gov- 

Buhari must call Malami to order —Owie 

FORMER CHIEF Whip of 

the Nigerian Senate, Senator 

Rowland Owie, has asked President 

Muhammadu Buhari to call the Attorney 

General and Minister for Justice, 

Abubakar Malami, SAN, to order, 

on account of the controversial 

directive he gave to the Nigerian 

Police, regarding the controversial 

members of the Edo State House of 

Assembly, who went on rampage 

last week. 

It will be recalled that the 14 absentee 

members of the Edo State 

House of Assembly, whose seats 

were declared vacant, together with 

three other members of the House 

attempted to forcefully take over the 

legislative affairs of the Assembly 

Thursday last week, but were unable 

to gain entrance into the premises. 

They later went to a private residence 

in Benin City, to conduct the 

inauguration of their purported faction 

of the Assembly, with the aid of 

a retired Deputy Clerk of the Assembly. 

Victor Edoror, one of the lawmakers-elect, 

whose seats were declared 

vacant last year justified their action 

on the basis of a letter written by the 

Attorney General of the Federation, 

directing the Inspector General of 

Police to give them security cover. 

In the statement yesterday, Senator 

Owie, described the action of 

the embattled lawmakers that took 

place at a private residence under 

the guise of inauguration as an attack 

on the rule of law, parliamentary 

sanctity and the very foundation 

of democracy in Nigeria. 

He noted that the act of even 

using a detachment of fully armed 

Police officers from Abuja to takeover 

the Assembly premises, without 

prior clearance from the Edo 

State Commissioner of Police, was 

nothing short of a failed coup d'etat. 

ernor, and urged the House to 

grant the request. 

Amaewhule in his address insisted 

that the loan would deepen 

the infrastructural development 

and enhance completion of 

all ongoing projects in the state. 

He said: "The projects that are 

on ground justify the collection of 

the loan and there is no gainsaying 

that the burden will not be 

left to the next administration of 

the state." 

However, Ibani, who said that the 

projects outlined for execution with 

the N18 billion loan request, got 

approval relying on a majority vote 

in favour by the lawmakers. 

Cameroon lauds Ayade for hospitality to its refugees 

in C'River 

C ALABAR—GOVER 

NOR Ben Ayade of Cross 

River State has expressed optimism 

that the return of peace in 

Southern Cameroon will pave the 

way for the return of thousands of 

Cameroonian refugees to their 

home country. 

COVID-19: Karo lauds Okowa’s 

response 

THE United Nations 

Ambassador on 

Sustainable Development Goals, 

Amb. Oghenekaro Ekewenu, has 

commended ded the Delta State 

Governor Ifeanyi Okowa-led 

administration's response 

towards the coronavirus 

pandemic. 

Ekewenu, who spoke during a 

webinar (Web-based seminar) 

noted that Delta State has been 

a trailblazer for the work done so 

far to contain the spread of the 

virus. 

"Delta State, is the first, outside 

Lagos, to have pragmatic 

governor with genuine love and 

concern for the people working 

round the clock ensuring Deltans 

are safe. 

''The NCDC has a good working 

relationship with the Delta State 

Government," he said. 

Amb Karo also noted that Delta 

has a good collaboration with the 

Federal Government, with both 

playing an important role in all its 

Isolation centres. 

"Governor Okowa approached 

the pandemic with a robust and 

scientific touch, taking nuanced 

measures to ensure the health 

and wellbeing of all Deltans. 

''As a professional medical expert 

who is working with professionals 

in different fields, Governor 

Okowa has been just in his 

approach toward the fight against 

COVID-19," Karo said. 

This came as the Cameroonian 

Consul- General in Calabar, Mr 

Onono Patrice commended the 

government and people of Cross 

River State for showing tremendous 

hospitality to the refugees. 

Ayade, who spoke while receiving 

a delegation of Consular officials 

led by Patrice at the Conference 

Room of the Governor's Office 

in Calabar, commended the 

Cameroonian government for taking 

steps to bring normalcy to the 

troubled parts of the country's 

South. 

Said Ayade: "I am delighted to 

host you today as you come as a 

messenger to deliver the message 

of the impending visit of my counterpart 

in Southwest Cameroon. I 

want to hereby, tell you that I have 

without hesitation approved the 

courtesy visit which you will organise 

with the Secretary to Government 

and my Commissioner for 

Foreign Affairs. They will work with 

you towards fixing a date that will 

be suitable for me to receive him 

here in Calabar and afterwards embark 

on a journey to Obudu. 

"I am happy to hear that your 

country is making efforts for peace 

to return to those two major provinces. 

I am particularly happy to 

Owie, therefore, requested President 

Buhari to not only condemn 

the act of legislative lawlessness 

exhibited by the lawmakers but also 

call Malami to order. 

He warned that if nothing was 

done by the presidency in condemning 

the Edo Assembly incident, 

which he deemed treasonable , 

any one could do the same at the 

federal level and it would be too late 

for anyone to cry wolf at that time. 

hear that you have started reconstruction 

of the provinces because 

what makes us human beings is 

the spirit of compassion. The international 

view about what is 

happening in Cameroon is not 

good for the black man. 

"And so, anything we can do to 

assist our brothers from Cameroon 

to return to their home land 

and have a sense of dignity, a 

sense of humanity and in value 

and worth for mankind, we will 

do." 

Speaking earlier, the Consul- 

General told Governor Ayade that 

he was instructed by President 

Biya to pay him a visit to intimate 

him of the desire of the governor 

of that country's South West region 

to visit the state. 

Patrice said, "Our visit this morning 

is instructed by the president 

of the Republic of Cameroon, His 

Excellency Paul Biya. He had instructed 

a consul visit to our refugees 

in Cross River State and this 

consul visit is a mission of the governor 

of the South West region 

which is the region that shares 

border with Cross River State. And 

Cross River State is hosting about 

62 percent of the total Cameroonian 

refugees in Nigeria.‘‘ 

Factionalisation of C'River PDP: 

Wike has no hand in it —Jarigbe 

By Ike 

Uchechukwu 

C ALABAR—FOL 

LOWING the rumours 

that Governor 

Nyesom Wike of Rivers 

State, was behind the factionalisation 

of the People's 

Democratic Party, 

PDP, in Cross River State, 

the member representing 

Ogoja/ Yala in the House 

of Representatives, Jarigbe 

Agom has described 

it as false. 

Jarigbe said it was unfortunate 

that a man like 

Wike, who he described 

as the fulcrum of the party 

at the national level 

could be dragged into the 

Cross River politics. 

Speaking with journalists 

in Calabar, Jarigbe 

said Wike was a man of 

integrity, who is very 

busy with adding value 

One killed as suspected cult groups 

clash in A'Ibom community 

to the people of Rivers 

and does not have time 

to be concerned with 

whatever that was going 

on in Cross River State. 

He said: "Wike is a man 

of honour. He is too busy 

adding value to the lives 

of his people in Rivers State 

to be enmeshed in what is 

going on in the state. I don't 

see him as that kind of a 

person. 

"I don't see Governor 

Wike as that kind of a person. 

He is one of those I 

can rightly refer to as a fulcrum 

of PDP in this country. 

"We have never met with 

Wike on any of these issues 

concerning Cross River 

PDP and I will advise we 

put our house together and 

deal with what is before us 

now and leave him out of 

this," he said. 

By Chioma 

Onuegbu 

UYO—ONE person 

has been killed in a 

clash between suspected 

rival cult groups terrorising 

communities in Oruk 

Anam Local Government 

Area of Akwa Ibom State. 

The victim simply identified 

as 'Ufot" was reportedly 

killed last Saturday 

when the hoodlums invaded 

Ikot Obio Idang 

village in Oruk Anam 

council. 

A resident of the area, 

who made this known to 

newsmen, yesterday, in 

Uyo said, even members 

of the village clan council, 

who were gathered in 

a solemn assembly at 

Mbiaso village, a nearby 

village to Ikot Obio 

Idang took to their heels 

when they heard of the 

fresh attack. 

He revealed that the 

hoodlums had the following 

day, Sunday invaded 

a Church, ransacked 

the church and in the 

process left scores of the 

worshippers with injuries. 

Our source said trouble 

started when the hoodlums 

learned that Inen 

community leaders gathered 

at the clan council 

hall, praying for God's 

intervention over the 

cult killings and other violent 

crimes that have 

bedevilled the area for 

some time now. 

An eyewitness identified 

as Udo Akanimoh, 

added that the Qua Iboe 

and the Apostolic 

Churches worshippers 

located close to where 

the incident occurred 

were forced to dismiss as 

the hoodlums mishandled 

the people. 

When contacted, the 

Police Public Relations 

Officer, Mr Frederick 

Nnudam confirmed the 

incident. 

He said, "I am aware 

that one person was 

killed during a cult clash 

in Oruk Anam. We are on 

top of the situation and 

those behind the crime 

will be arrested. We are 

sure the situation will be 

a thing of the past soon."




CONGRESS: Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State (2nd right); his deputy, Mrs. Cecilia 

Ezeilo (right); Senator Ike Ekweremadu (2nd left), and National Youth Leader of the Peoples 

Democratic Party', PDP, Sunday Udeh-Okoye, acknowledging cheers from PDP delegates, 

during the party's state congress, in Enugu. 

2023: Other tribes cannot decide who’ll 

carry the flag for Igbo —Anambra ex-CJ 

• Nigeria in jeopardy and only an Igbo can fix it —Ezenagu 

By Vincent 

Ujumadu & Chinedu 

Adonu 

AWKA—AS the debate on 

the 2023 Nigeria’s presidential 

election continues, the 

immediate past Chief Judge 

of Anambra State, Professor 

Peter Umeadi has said that it 

would be improper for other 

tribes to determine for the Igbo 

nation who should be the 

presidential candidate from 

the area. 

Umeadi is believed to be 

nursing a presidential ambition 

on the platform of All Progressive 

Grand Alliance, 

APGA, and many political and 

other interest groups have 

been visiting his Nri, Anaocha 

local government area country 

home in Anambra State to 

assure him of their support 

should he secure the party’s 

ticket. 

Receiving one of such 

groups led by some members 

of the Peoples Democratic Party, 

PDP, Umeadi said it is the 

duty of the Igbo –speaking 

people of Nigeria to decide 

the person that should carry 

their presidential flag, taking 

into consideration several issues, 

including experience, 

integrity and capacity of the 

person concerned. 

According to him, Igbo people 

know their sons and what 

they can do, adding that when 

the time comes, they would 

tell other Nigerians who they 

want to present as their presidential 

candidate. 

“Other tribes should not decide 

for the Igbo who should 

be their candidate and the 

platform that candidate should 

run the election in 2023. It is 

our belief that the easiest 

means to achieve our ambition 

is through APGA. But we 

have to unite to be able to 

achieve what we want,” he 

said. 

During the visit, 

a governorship aspirant on 

the platform of APGA, Damian 

Okolo expressed delight 

that Umeadi had decided to 

contest the election under 

APGA. 

Okolo observed that every 

tribe had something to identify 

it with, adding that it was 

therefore necessary for the 

Igbo to remain committed to 

the growth of APGA. 

He said: “We should rally 

round APGA to ensure that 

the identity of the Igbo remains 

intact and prominent 

politically. We are happy 

that the former Chief Judge 

of Anambra State has indicated 

interest to vie for the 

president of Nigeria on the 

platform of APGA and we, 

the Igbo nation, his immediate 

constituency, will give 

him maximum support. 

“I want to sound a note of 

warning that if anything 

happens to APGA, Igbo 

would be relegated to the 

background politically. I 

therefore, want to pledge 

that if I win the ticket of 

APGA at next year’s governorship 

primaries and win 

the governorship election in 

November 2021, we will 

work hard to realize the presidential 

ambition of Justice 

Umeadi. 

“Immediately after the 

swearing in of the Anambra 

governor in March 2022, the 

next project will be the 2023 

presidential election and it 

is our hope that Justice 

Umeadi will be the APGA 

candidate in that election. 

“But everybody must work 

hard to enable us achieve 

this objective. Igbo must 

have a say in Nigeria and 

the only way to ensure that 

is to have a bargaining power.” 

Nigeria in 

jeopardy and only 

an Igbo can fix it 

—Ezenagu 

In a related development, 

the President General of 

Ndigbo United Forum, NUF, 

Godson Ezenagu, has said 

that only a Nigerian President 

of Igbo extraction can 

properly fix Nigeria. 

Besides, Ezenagu, argued 

that equity, fairness, conscience 

and principles of natural 

justice demand that 

Ndigbo be given the opportunity 

to produce the president 

in 2023. 

He said the more the people 

of the South East are being 

marginalized, the more 

the country continues to pass 

through difficult times. 

According to him, further 

denying the Igbo a chance 

of producing the president 

would further divide the nation, 

warning that it could 

lead to anarchy and disintegration. 

“We are not talking about 

strength, numerical strength, 

because the North is bigger 

in number. What we are talking 

about is alignment and 

we are talking about equity, 

conscience and principles of 

natural justice. 

“All things being equal, 

when three persons are eating 

and you have six meat 

in the soup, it is expected that 

once you take 1, the other one 

will take 1 and the rest takes 

1 and it has to go two rounds. 

“But when a region takes 

one, two, three, it means they 

are cheating the other regions 

and you know Nigeria 

nation came by amalgamation. 

If the voice is not the 

same thing, there will be no 

amalgamation and the question 

is how long can you perfectly 

go on marginalizing 

the other region? 

“If Nigerians will understand 

it, they should know 

that denying the Igbo race 

chance to become the Nigerian 

president is further dividing 

the nation and could 

lead to anarchy because it is 

injustice. 

“Let me tell you; as long as 

Nigeria keeps kicking 

against a President of Igbo 

extraction, the more the country 

will suffer. How long shall 

Ndigbo continue to miss in 

the affairs of the government? 

The economy of the country 

is down; Naira is falling every 

day; Nigerian nation is 

in jeopardy and it is only an 

Igbo man that can fix Nigeria 

back. 

“Igbo Presidency is feasible 

and it is the only way to 

avoid catastrophe, restiveness, 

victimization and unrest 

in Nigeria”, Ezenagu, a 

former federal law maker cautioned. 

Insisting on equity and 

fairness, Ezenagu continued: 

“We have to live by consensus 

not by force. If you 

live by force, you will have 

a limited time. If they want 

to give the South East Presidency, 

it must be by agreement 

as was done in 1999 

when they made Obasanjo 

the president of Nigeria by 

consensus agreement. 

“The whole region agreed 

to give it to Yoruba and ordered 

all political parties to 

pick their candidates from 

the South West to make sure 

that a candidate from the 

South West won. This is the 

kind of thing, a replica we 

are demanding for in 2023. 

“Let me tell you; it is marginalization 

that is fueling 

the agitation for Biafra. After 

the Nigerian—Biafran 

war, Nigeria said no victor 

no vanquished but up till 

today, some people are being 

marginalized. The agitation 

for Biafra sovereignty 

is a right of Ndigbo”. 

Scott hails Esiso emergence as Delta PDP Chairman 

By Jeremiah Urowayino 

UGHELLI—A Peoples 


chieftain in Delta State and 

Ughelli North PDP Chairmanship 

aspirant, Olorogun 

Udu Omo Scott has 

congratulated Delta State 

People's Democratic Party 

(PDP), Chairman elect, 

Barr. Kingsley Esiso and 

other executive council members 

of the party in the state. 

In a congratulatory message 

in Asaba , Scott described 

the emergence of Esiso 

as Delta PDP Chairman 

as the will of God . 

Scott commended Governor 

Ifeanyi Okowa , the 

members of the Peoples 

Democratic Party, PDP in the 

state for peacefully organising 

the Delta State People's 

Democratic Party congress. 

"The Delta PDP Congress 

I just witnessed is peaceful 

and I must commend the 

Delta State governor, Sen Ifeanyi 

Okowa, members of 

the People's Democratic Party 

for successfully organising 

an enviable congress." 

Ikpeazu shuts Aba shoe plaza, 

as traders destroy fire truck 

By Ugochukwu 

Alaribe & Eric Ugbor 

UMUAHIA—ABIA State 

Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu 

has ordered the immediate 

closure of Ariaria 

Shoe Plaza within the 

Umuehilegbu Industrial 

Market following an attack 

on the personnel and truck 

of the State Fire Service. 

Vanguard gathered that 

the Abia firefighters arrived 

the market to fight an inferno 

which engulfed a section 

of the Aba Shoe plaza 

market, popularly known as 

‘Bakassi market’ when some 

shoemakers attacked them, 

destroyed their vehicle and 

injured most of them. 

Though no life was lost in 

the incident, the shoe makers 

were said to have been 

angered by the late arrival 

of the fire service to the market 

when the inferno had 

consumed most of their 

shops and properties. 

Reacting to the attack on 

the fire service, Gov. Ikpeazu, 

in a statement signed by 

his Chief of Staff, Dr. Anthony 

Agbazuere, ordered the 

closure of the market and 

also suspended the chairman 

and all members of the 

management committee of 

the market. 

The governor further directed 

the Police and other 

security agencies to arrest 

all perpetrators of the act. 

Contacted, Aba Zonal 

Commander of the Abia 

State Fire Service, Mr. Okezie 

Uche , explained that they 

escaped death by the whiskers 

following the attack on 

them by the shoemakers. 

In his words: “The shoemakers 

attacked us, destroyed 

our vehicle and injured 

us without any form 

of provocation except for 

them coming to extinguish 

the fire. We got a call about 

a fire outbreak at shoe plaza 

in Ariaria International 

market. They attacked and 

didn't allow us to do our job 

when we got there.They 

started beating us, stole our 

phones, destroyed our vehicle 

for no reason. I don't 

know what they really 

wanted from us. 

"These people started 

beating us while the fire 

was still burning. Police 

came to our rescue. They 

beat our driver, one of our 

workers got his arm broken." 

A fire service personnel 

who declined to have his 

name on print told Vanguard 

that the damaged vehicle 

is the only functional 

fire fighting truck in Aba 

Zone which comprises nine 

council areas. 

Uzodinma petitions NJC, 

AGF over ‘Supreme Court 

governor’ tag by PDP 

O State 

WERRI—IMO 

governor, 

Hope Uzodimma has 

petitioned the National 

Judicial Council (NJC) and 

Abubakar Malami, 

Attorney-General of the 

Federation over the tag 

“supreme court governor” 

used to describe him by the 

Peoples Democratic Party 

(PDP). 

In January, Emeka 

Ihedioha was sacked as 

Imo State governor 

following the apex court 

ruling that Uzodinma was 

the duly elected governor 

of the state on the grounds 

that results from 388 

polling units were 

excluded when the 

Independent National 

Electoral Commission 

(INEC) announced the 

final tally in March 2019. 

In the petition, also 

addressed to the 

leadership of the National 

Assembly, Batos Chikezie, 

Special Adviser to 

Uzodinma on Political 

Matters asked that 

Ogubundu Nwadike, the 

publicity secretary for PDP 

in the state and other 

loyalists be stopped from 

using the “supreme court 

governor” tag as it is 

derogatory. 

Chikezie said since the 

supreme court’s decision 

on January 14, 2020, 

“Nwadike continued to 

refer to Uzodinma as the 

supreme court governor 

and Chief Emeka Ihedioha 

as the elected governor of 

the state in the print, 

electronic and social 

media.” 

He described the tag as 

“wicked propaganda and 

blackmail characteristically 

designed to incite and 

delude the people of the 

state thereby misdirecting 

them to disregard the 

judiciary.” 

He also asked that the 

NJC through the registrar 

of the supreme court 

ensure that Nwadike is 

made to stand trial for 

“persistently making a 

mockery of the decision 

and proceeding of the 

supreme court on the Imo 

state gubernatorial election, 

thereby making them look 

compromised and biased 

in the eyes of the public 

which is a dent on their 

integrity and pedigree.”




One feared dead, 4 injured as 

robbers attack hotel in Ilorin 

•As Police parade 6 kidnappers, 

27 robbery suspects in Nasarawa 

By Demola 

Akinyemi & David 

Odama 

ILORIN—ONE person has 

been reportedly killed and 

four other persons fatally 

injured during an armed 

robbery attack on a hotel along 

stadium road Ilorin, Kwara 

State. 

Vanguard gathered that the 

gang of armed robbers 

numbering five persons 

invaded the hotel on Saturday 

and attacked customers that 

lodged in the hotel. 

Two of the armed robbers were 

said to have shot sporadically into 

the air to scare away residents 

while other three went into the 

hotel robbing the lodgers from one 

room to another. 

Eye witness account claimed 

“The robbers numbering five, 

all wearing black stormed the 

hotel at around 8:40pm, 

shooting sporadically into the 

air, and people were scampering 

for safety. 

“They ransacked everywhere 

taking phones of customers, 

money among other valuable 

materials. Some customers ran 

inside the toilet to hide. When 

we came out after the robbery, 

we met the lifeless body of a 

middle-aged man and the 

manager in a pool of blood. The 

manager was immediately 

rushed to the Ilorin General 

Hospital for treatment. Three 

others were seriously wounded. 

Police parade 6 

kidnappers, 27 robbery 

suspects in Nasarawa 

In another development, 

Nasarawa State Police 

Command yesterday paraded 

six kidnappers and 27 armed 

robbery suspects allegedly 

responsible for the killing of a 

superintendent of Nigeria 

Immigration Service, NIS, Amo 

Ubere and the Traditional ruler 

of Odu, Udege Development 

Area, UDA, of Nasarawa Local 

Government, Salisu Usman 

Maku. 


principal suspect, Mohammed 

Suleiman, upon interrogation 

allegedly admitted of being a 

member of the gang that 

carried out the operations that 

led to the death of the duo. 

Also paraded were the 

suspected kidnappers who 

abducted the chairman of the 

state chapter of Christian 

Association of Nigeria, CAN, 

Bishop John Masin, wife of 

Eggon youth president, Mrs. 

Ruth Anyagabu and the deputy 

Chief Registrar of the High 

Court of Nasarawa. 

State Commissioner of Police, 

Bola longe who acknowledged 

the support of some traditional 

rulers and members of the 

public for providing information 

leading to the arrest of the 

suspects, assured that the 

command would not relent in 

its efforts to flush out criminals 

from the state. 

It will be recalled that 

Governor Abdullahi Sule of the 

state had appealed to members 

of the public to support the 

government as well as 

volunteer useful information 

that would assist in tackling 

insecurity in the state. 

VISIT: From left; Chief of Staff to the Niger State Governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Balarabe; Chief of Naval Staff, Vice 

Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas; Niger State Governor, Abubakar Sani Bello; Chief of Policy and Plans Naval Headquarters, 

Rear Admiral Ifeola Mohammed and Chief of Training and Operations, Naval Headquarters, Rear Admiral 

Ibikunle Olaiya during Governor Bello's courtesy visit to the Naval headquarters in Abuja. 

PDP petitions Gbajabiamila, issues 7-day 

ultimatum to declare Dogara’s seat vacant 

•As youths vow to follow him to APC, say nobody can unseat ex-Speaker 

By Charles Agwam 

B Peoples AUCHI—THE 

Democratic 

Party, PDP, in Bauchi State, 

has petitioned the Speaker, 

House of Representatives, 

Femi Gbajabiamila, urging 

him to declare the seat of 

former Speaker Yakubu 

Dogara vacant within seven days 

for defecting to the All 

Progressive Congress, APC, or 

face legal action. 

This came as youths in 

Dogara’s constituency, under the 

aegis of ‘Tafawa Balewa, Dass, and 

Bogoro Youth Development 

Foundation’, TDBYDF, have 

insisted on following the former 

speaker to APC, insisting that 

Dogara is their political party and 

the icon of contemporary politics. 

Speaking on behalf of the group 

in Bauchi, its Chairman, 

Emmanuel Isheni, said the 

former Speaker, was known for 

his strong political brinkmanship, 

peace and leadership distinction 

has the unalloyed support of his 

people. 

According to him, “We want to 

make it clear that we stand with 

Dogara as our party, anywhere 

he goes, we will go. We want to 

tell the good people of Tafawa 

Balewa, Dass and Bogoro federal 

constituency, Bauchi State and 

Nigeria at large, that we know 

some bad politicians do not want 

our peace and progress as a 

people. We assure you that 

those mischief politicians are 

politically dead, but don’t 

want to go down alone. That 

is why they want to malign 

our great leader, Dogara. 

They maintained that Dogara 

would continue to enjoy support 

from people of his constituency, 

because, they had witnessed 

many developmental projects 

including road construction, 

youths and women 

empowerment programmes, 

rural electrification, construction 

of bridges among others. 

Recall that Dogara had on July 

24 defected from PDP to the APC. 

But PDP in a statement 

yesterday, through its lawyers, 

Jay-Adl Attorneys, threatened 

that failure to heed the demand, 

it would commence legal action 

against the Speaker, 

Gbajabiamila. 

The party demanded for the 

invocation of the provisions of 

section 68(1)(g) (2) of the 1999 

Constitution (an amended) in 

respect of the seat of the member 

representing Dass, Tafawa 

Balewa and Bogoro Federal 

constituency in Bauchi State. 

“We write with esteemed 

compliments as the legal 

representatives of the Peoples 

Democratic Party (PDP) herein 

Sultan, CAN President to FG: Set aside day to 

remember victims of insecurity 

A 

B 

By Luminous 

Jannamike 

U J A —The 

President of Christian 

Association of Nigeria, CAN, Rev. 

Samson Ayokunle and Sultan of 

Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammadu 

Sa’ad Abubakar III, have pleaded 

with the Federal Government to 

declare a day of national 

remembrance for victims of 

insecurity. 

Both clerics, who jointly chair 

the Nigerian Interreligious 

Council, NIREC, made the call 

as several countries including 

Nigeria marked the 75th 

anniversary of Hiroshima 

bombing. 

A statement by NIREC’s 

Executive Secretary, Prof. 

Cornelius Omonokhua, 

yesterday, also quoted the 

religious leaders as saying 

Nigeria must begin its charity at 

home. 

They said, “We congratulate 

President Muhammadu Buhari 

for ratifying the UN Treaty on the 

Prohibition of Nuclear 

Weapons. We thank the 

Ministry of Foreign Affairs 

that has followed up to make 

this ratification of the UN 

Treaty possible. As people all 

over the world are marking 

the 75th anniversary of the 

atomic bombing of Hiroshima; 

Nigeria, Ireland and Niue 

have chosen to remember 

the victims and honour the 

Hibakusha, the survivors, in 

the most meaningful way 

possible: by taking action to 

ban and eliminate these 

TWO Nigerians, Taopheek 

Babayeju and Chigozie 

Ndekile, have boosted their 

credentials by joining the elite 

group of Portfolio Management 

Professionals, earning the PMI 

Portfolio Management 

Professional, PfMP, certification. 

With just about 800 holders of 

the certification globally, the duo 

from iCentra Consulting became 

the 7th and 8th respectively 

to earn the respected 

certification in Nigeria. 

weapons of mass destruction 

for good. 

“We congratulate Nigerians 

and the Federal Government for 

this bold step at the International 

level. However we once again call 

on the government to sign into 

law the prohibition of proliferation 

of arms and ammunition. 

“Meanwhile, given that 

charity begins at home, the 

leadership of the nation must set 

a day aside to remember all the 

victims that have been killed by 

The Portfolio Management 

Professional, PfMP, the highest 

ranked project management 

certification by the Project 

Management Institute, PMI, 

signifies advanced competency 

in the coordinated management 

of one or more portfolios to 

achieve strategic objectives. 

Dr Lambert Ofoegbu, the 

President of the Project 

Management Institute, PMI 

Nigeria, announced the 

certification of the two new 

referred to as ‘our client to, upon 

its instructions and authority, 

forward the subject of this 

correspondence for your 

attention and necessary action. 

“In the light of this, our client 

has briefed us that it has been 

formally notified by Honourable 

Yakubu Dogara, the member 

representing Dass, Tafawa 

Balewa and Bogoro Federal 

Constituency in Bauchi State 

and the immediate past Speaker 

of the House of Representatives, 

regarding his defection from the 

PDP to the APC. 

“It is against the background 

of the foregoing that we demand 

your invocation of the provisions 

of Section 68(1)(g) & (2) of the 

1999 Constitution of the Federal 

Republic of Nigeria (as amended) 

by declaring his seat vacant 

consequent upon his said 

defection within (7) working days 

of the receipt this notice.'' 

terrorists, bandits and all forms of 

criminals in Nigeria. 

“We call for compensation for 

displaced victims of violence and 

security for them to return to their 

native land. Government must, 

however, provide adequate 

security for the Nigerian citizens 

to enjoy peaceful coexistence 

irrespective of tribe, political 

affiliation and religion. 

“Congratulations Nigeria for 

ratifying the UN Treaty on the 

Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. 

Above all, may all Nations live in 

peace, love and unity.” 

2 Nigerians bag global PfMP certification 

Portfolio Management Professionals 

in a statement. 

He encouraged more 

organisations and individuals to 

improve their project 

management effectiveness to 

program and portfolio levels by 

contracting persons with PMI 

certifications. 

“Portfolio Management is the 

most effective way to implement 

strategic initiatives, it bridges the 

gap between strategy and 

implementation," he said.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, AUGUST 11, 2020—15 

:Vanguard 

News 


PRESENTATION: From left, Chairman, House Committee on Wealth Creation and Employment, 

Lagos State House of Assembly, Jude Idimogu; Commissioner for Wealth Creation and Employment, 

Mrs. Yetunde Arobieke; Lagos Island East Local Council Development Area Chairman, Kamal 

Salau-Bashua, and one of the beneficiaries, Mrs. Muinat Bolaji, during the presentation of 

Conditional Cash Transfer to the beneficiaries, at Lagos Island, yesterday. 

Ijaw youths decry interim c'ttees for 

NDDC, PAP 

By Dapo 

Akinrefon & 

Jimitota Onoyume 

WARRI— Ijaw youths 

have called on 

President Muhammadu 

Buhari to appoint credible 

sons and daughters of the 

region to run the Niger Delta 

Development Commission, 

NDDC, and the Presidential 

Amnesty Programme, PAP, to 

convince the region that he 

means well for the area. 

This came as United Niger 

Delta Energy Development 

Security Strategy, 

UNDEDSS, cautioned that 

there was a calculated 

attempt to single out the 

Niger Delta by using the 

ongoing NDDC probe to 

distract Nigerians from the 

corruption in the system, 

saying enough is enough. 

Meanwhile, a construction 

company, Webster Global 

Ventures Limited, has 

described its inclusion in the 

list of companies allegedly 

coerced to be paid by the 

National Assembly as a 

deliberate effort to destroy the 

company’s reputation. 

Speaker, Ijaw Mobile 

Parliament, Kingsley 

Warekuromor, who spoke in 

Warrri, Delta State after a 

meeting of 86 clans of Ijaw 

nation said as Ijaw youths, 

they were beginning to doubt 

if the president means well 

for the region, with critical 

interventionist institutions 

such as NDDC and PAP 

being run by interim 

committees. 

He said: “It’s like the 

President Buhari 

administration doesn’t mean 

well for us as a region, maybe 

that is why we see interim 

system of governance for 

critical interventional 

agencies in the Niger Delta. 

And see the looting 

reportedly going on in one 

of the agencies. This 

rubbishes the agenda for 

good governance. 

“Appoint credible sons of 

the region with track record 

of integrity in the different 

interventionist ministries and 

agencies to prove us wrong. 

• Enough is enough, UNDEDSS tells FG 

• Webster Global Ventures refutes allegations 

How can northerners be 

interim managers of PAP 

meant for the good people of 

Niger Delta? 

“This injustice is to discredit 

the collective effort of those of 

us in the forefront for good 

governance and resource 

control, this may jeopardise 

the existing peace in the 

region if cares isn’t taken.” 

Enough is enough, 

UNDEDSS tells 

FG 

On its part, UNDEDSS, in 

a statement by its Secretary, 

Mr Tony Uranta, said: 

“Enough is enough. Niger 

Delta is totally disappointed 

with the Federal 

Government’s style of 

governance that is brazenly 

nepotistic, and which denies 

all Nigerian citizens, who do 

not belong to the president’s 

ethnic group, the right to 

justice and a level playing 

field, in terms of 

appointments/employment 

and punishment/rule of law. 

“We note with dismay what 

Niger Delta citizens are all 

terming as calculated 

attempts to single out the 

region for putative anticorruption 

actions that fill the 

news spaces, and distract all 

Nigerians from the absolutely 

mind-boggling acts of 

corruption that are evident in 

reported Ministries, 

Departments and Agencies of 

the Federal Government, with 

special reference to the 

sleaze in NNPC; the over N2 

trillion badly accounted for by 

Saddiya Farouq, Minister of 

Humanitarian Affairs; the 

over N100 billion corruption 

issues of the North East 


NEDC; the uncleared 

petitions against Ibrahim 

Magu and EFCC against 

Abubakar Malami the AGF, 

among others. 

“Nigerian National 

Petroleum Corporation, 

NNPC, spent about $42 

billion (N15.21trn) on fuel 

importation between 2013 

and 2018. This amount is 

capable of building about 14 

refineries with average 

capacities of 100,000 barrels 

of crude oil per day at an 

estimated cost of $3 billion if 

well managed, or three of the 

type of Dangote Refinery, 

which is 650,000 barrels per 

day. These should be the 

priority focus areas of the 

Federal Government now. 

“UNDEDSS supports the 

anti-corruption war even in 

Niger Delta, but knows that 

certain individuals are 

attempting to over-focus a 

media war against the 

NDDC in an attempt to 

obfuscate the crazily greater 

evidence of corruption, mostly 

ongoing and even by some 

Presidency officials. 

“The Federal Government 

owes the Niger Delta over N3 

trillion in unmet statutorily 

mandatory payments to the 

region via NDDC, and we are 

demanding that the Federal 

Govevernment should 

immediately release the N20 

billion approved by President 

Buhari for work by Julius 

Berger Plc for the vital 

overdue East-West Road. 

"The unfettered carrying 

out of the forensic audit 

ordered by Mr President by 

the current IMC should be 

continued, allowing the IMC 

itself to be audited likewise 

at the end of its tenure in 

December 2020 as 

constituted." 

Webster Global 

Ventures refutes 

allegations 

Meanwhile, Webster 

Global Ventures Limited, 

described the statement 

credited to acting Managing 

Director of NDDC, Prof. Keme 

Pondei, as false, inaccurate 

and misleading. 

In a statement in Lagos, the 

company said the National 

Assembly never influenced 

any payment made to the 

company by NDDC. 

Director of Operations of the 

company, Mr Opeolu 

Adarae, said: “We are a 

company of international 

repute. No one should dent 

our image. The National 

Assembly never influenced 

any payment made to our 

company, because we 

completed all projects 

handled by us. 

"We have been in existence 

for 20 years. We have never 

been involved in fraud. 

Nobody gave us 

recommendations. The 

company does not have any 

business with the National 

Assembly. The Executive 

Director, Project of the 

NDDC, Dr Cairo Ojuogboh, 

inspected the project we 

completed and certified it.” 

Don't betray your people to 

impress Aso Rock, IPOB 

warns South-East govs 

By Chimaobi 

Nwaiwu 

NNEWI—LEADER of 

the Indigenous 

People of Biafra, IPOB, 

Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, 

yesterday, warned South 

East governors, 

particularly Abia and 

Imo State governors 

against betraying their 

respective states and the 

people South East in 

general, in the name of 

impressing the powers 

that be at Aso Rock and 

what it called their 

benefactors. 

Mazi Kanu in a 

statement he made 

available through 

IPOB’s Media and 

Publicity Secretary, 

Emma Powerful, alleged 

that the cabal in Aso 

Rock is deceiving Imo 

State Governor, Senator 

Hope Uzodinma with an 

empty promise of Vice 

President of Nigeria in 

2023, for him to give to 

herdsmen unfettered 

access to the state, like 

they deceived the Benue 

State government in 

2018. 

Kanu’s statement read: 

“This had always been 

their game plan. When 

they said it in 2018, we 

thought it was a joke, 

but today it has become 

a nightmarish reality for 

our people in Benue 

State. 

“Hope Uzodinma, the 

governor of Imo State is 

working very hard to 

turn Imo State into 

another Benue State in 

return for an empty 

promise of Vice 

President in 2023. 

“Abia State governor, 

Chief Okezie Ikpeazu 

now boasts of the two 

largest illegal Fulani 

settlements outside 

Arewa core north. 

“If not for IPOB, these 

governors would have 

made similar claims 

about Abia and Imo 

States. Someday, 

Biafans will understand 

we IPOB are the last line 

of defense between them 

and total Fulani 

conquest Southeast 

governors have exposed 

them to. 

“We are not Hausa 

peasants that betrayed 

their future generations 

by allowing themselves 

to be overrun by Fulani 

vandals, masquerading 

as herdsmen. We will 

continue to protect 

Biafrans with our lives.” 

COVID-19: Work to make up 

for lost time, Okowa tells 

political appointees 

By Festus Ahon 

A SABA—GOVERNOR 

Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta 

State, yesterday, told political 

appointees and citizens of the 

state to work assiduously to 

make up for time lost as a 

result of the ravaging 

coronavirus pandemic, 

noting that the disruption 

caused by the pandemic had 

placed a demand on citizens 

to work with a greater sense 

of urgency, unflagging 

enthusiasm, more creativity 

and innovative strategies. 

Okowa, while swearing in 

two new Special Advisers in 

Asaba, said his 

Lyon mourns death of A-Ibom APC chairman 

MEMBER All Progressives 

Congress, APC, 

Caretaker/Extra Ordinary 

National Convention Planning 

Committee, South-South, Chief 

David Lyon has commiserated 

with the Akwa Ibom State 

chapter of the APC over the 

death of its Chairman, Obong 

Ini Okopido. 

Lyon, in a condolence message 

to the APC family in Akwa Ibom 

State, described the death of the 

deceased, who passed away on 

August 5, 2020, as painful to the 

APC family in the region and 

Nigeria as a whole. 

Lyon on behalf of the leaders, 

elders, members, and the 

various organs of the party in 

the South-South zone and at the 

national level, described the 

untimely passing away of a 

great political leader in Akwa 

Ibom, Okopido as painful and 

shocking 

He said: “Also shocked by the 

sudden demise of Okopido are 

the members of the National 

Caretaker/Extra Ordinary 

National Convention Planning 

Committee of the APC led by 

Mai Mala Buni,Governor of 

Yobe State. 

“We know that the deceased 

chairman of APC in Akwa Ibom 

State, was a committed and 

dedicated progressive and party 

loyalist whose ideals for a 

peaceful party co-existence at the 

state and national levels of our 

great party is known among the 

progressive family. 

Imo community intensifies call 

to end erosion challenge 

By Chinonso Alozie 

OWERRI—THE people of 

Amakohia-ubi 

community, yesterday, said 

that they would continue with 

the call for immediate 

intervention to the erosion 

challenge facing them. 

Several members of the 

community were seen 

lamenting that they have been 

under threat for decades as a 

result of the gully erosion that 

has restricted their 

movements in and around 

the community. 

Some of them said that the 

situation has gotten worse, 

especially this rainy season 

when the gully has developed 

cracks down to the homes of 

the houses along the road. 

administration has less than 

three years to fully deliver on 

its mandate and charged 

political appointees to bring 

innovative ideas and 

strategies to bear in the 

discharge of their duties so as 

to justify their appointments. 

The new advisers are the 

immediate past National 

Vice-Chairman, Peoples 

Democratic Party, PDP, South- 

South, Mr Emmanuel Ogidi, 

and former member of House 

of Representatives, Chief 

Sunny Emeyese. 

According to him, the new 

advisers are men of great 

pedigree in politics and 

governance, adding: “We 

expect them to bring their 

wealth of experience into 

governance as the state 

continued to wade through 

the fog of uncertainty 

occasioned by the global 

COVID-19 pandemic.” 

He charged them to 

discharge their 

responsibilities in accordance 

with section 196 (1) of the 

1999 Constitution (as 

amended), and to work 

selflessly for good governance 

and development of the State. 

Okowa said Emma Ogidi 

and Sunny Emeyese have 

been part and parcel of the 

political journey since 1999, 

adding: “They have proved 

themselves to be men of 

insight, competence, probity, 

and firm believers in the 

advancement of the collective 

good of our people, everwilling 

and ready to contribute 

their quotas to the growth and 

development of Delta.


Kashamu and the fear of epitaphs 

SENATOR 

Buruji 

Kashamu died of 

complications arising from 

COVID-19 on Saturday and 

was buried on Sunday in his 

Ijebu-Igbo hometown with our 

irresponsible society shunning 

all protocols on coronavirus by 

allowing a large crowd of 

hangers-on to mill around his 

corpse with possibility of mass 

infections and subsequent 

deaths. May his soul rest in 

peace. 

But we will not succumb to 

the blackmail by two categories 

of people that we must call a 

thief a chief in the order of the 

censure former President 

Olusegun Obasanjo has come 

under for grafting an epitaph 

for the deceased. One, are 

those under some misleading 

injunctions that do not elevate 

societies and the second, are 

successful crossovers from the 

world of crime to mainstream 

who were defending their base 

and not necessarily the 

deceased. 

This country was shocked 

years back when Senator Nuhu 

Aliyu, a former Deputy 

Inspector General of Police, 

raised a point of order on the 

floor of the Senate, screaming: 

“Mr President, there are 

criminals in this chambers." At 

the end of the day, he was 

stopped from saying what he 

saw. 

What happened was that he 

saw on the floor of the Senate, 

somebody he once arrested for 

armed robbery but who 

managed to escape justice in 

the Nigerian way. He asked 

the fellow what he was doing 

and he responded that he was 

a senator. He had crossed over. 

If an epithet was to be written 

for Lawrence Anini and that 

man could influence it, you 

may have something like: 

“Here lies the remains of Chief 

Lawrence Anini, an 

indefatigable entrepreneur.” It 

is horrifying that criminals 

have taken over our political 

space since General Ibrahim 

Babangida’s search for new 

breed opened up the space for 

the new breed. Erstwhile full 

time criminals now realised 

that politics is the new crime 

where the possibility of doing 

time is so slim. 

Kashamu was Eso Jinadu 

and you will hear Aiyefefele 

praising him with that name in 

several records released years 

back as a stamp of his past 

world. But like some of his 

peers in America, he had to 

drop that name to start a 

•The late Senator Buruji Kashamu 

seeming clean life. A lot of 

Nigerian young people in the 

early '70s emigrated to America 

not to seek the proverbial 

Golden Fleece but to pursue 

life in crime. They were mostly 

drop-outs. Those who were 

going abroad for serious study 

were mostly children of the 

elite who went to England. 

By the time our politics 

became so accommodating of 

criminals, they found their way 

back home and used dirty 

Now that we know 

that people of his ilk 

would not want us to 

write their true 

epitaphs we must 

continue our naming 

and shaming so that 

our young ones don’t 

see them as role 

models 

money to take over everywhere. 

Their modus operandi is 

captured mostly in a portrait of 

Kashamu done by 

SaharaReporters in July 2017 

under, “Buruji Kashamu: How 

Notorious Drug Kingpin 

Became Senator With Forged 

Certificates”. According to 

SaharaReporters 

investigations: “Mr.Buruji 

Kashamu, the drug lord 

wanted in the United States for 

heroin trafficking and senator 

representing Ogun East 

Senatorial District, used forged 

educational qualifications to 

contest and win election to the 

Nigerian Senate in 2015. 

"Mr. Kashamu, known in the 

social circles as 'Eso Jinadu,' 

remains the subject of 

extradition proceedings in the 

United States. A range of 

evidence unearthed through 


investigations showed that Mr. 

Kashamu cooked a series of 

academic qualifications to 

mask his sparse education 

background to con the 

Independent Electoral 

Commission, INEC, to accept 

he was qualified to run. 

"In the affidavit in support of 

personal details, deposed to 

before the Commissioner of 

Oaths at the Ogun State High 

Court Registry, Ijebu-Igbo on 

December 15, 2014 and 

received by INEC three days 

later, Mr. Kashamu claimed to 

possess General Certificate of 

Education, GCE, obtained in 

2006; and an Executive 

Diploma in English for 

Professionals, EDEP, obtained 

from the University of Lagos 

Department of English in 2014. 

"In the completed INEC CF 

001 forms and sworn affidavit, 

exclusively obtained by 

SaharaReporters, Mr. 

Kashamu claimed to have 

earned seven credits including 

English Language but 

tactically blurred the subject 

section apparently in collusion 

with INEC officials. His 

examination number, as shown 

by the result he claimed to 

have obtained from the West 

African Examination Council, 

WAEC, was 5251320057. 

"As proof of his cooked 

Executive Diploma in English, 

the wanted heroin baron, 

manufactured a letter, which 

he claimed was signed by Mr. 

Adeyemi Daramola, 

Coordinator of the University 

of Lagos EDEP programme. 

The letter, which bears 

August 11, 2014, states that 

Mr. Kashamu participated in 

the programme in the 2012/ 

2013 academic 

session and 

completed his 

'final project' in 

May 2014. It lists 

his Matriculation 

Number as 

12213002. 

“He passed by 

procuring a 

Merit in the 

examination. He 

will be presented 

with his 

certificate at a 

graduation 

ceremony later 

this year. 

Meanwhile, he 

should be 

accorded all the 

privileges of the 

diploma,” the 

confected letter 

states. However, 

admission 

requirements 

into the 

programme 

obtained by 


from the Human 

Resources 

Development Centre of the 

University of Lagos include the 

possession of a credit pass in 

the English Language. 

"However, a WAEC 

modulated examination result 

obtained by SaharaReporters 

shows that Mr. Kashamu 

scored F9 in English 

Language even though he was 

reported to have written the 

exams through a paid 

mercenary. 

"This implies that there was 

no legally valid way he could 

have qualified for admission 

into the programme let alone 

receive certification. It also 

offers an uncomplicated 

indication that Mr. Kashamu 

lied under oath, an offence 

punishable under Section 118 

of Nigeria’s Criminal Code, 

and which carries a penalty of 

14 years in prison. " 

In January, the United States 

Seventh Circuit Court of 

Appeal sitting in Chicago 

upheld the extradition request 

of the US Drug Enforcement 

Administration to bring Mr. 

Kashamu to the US to stand 

trial for his role in 1998 heroin 

case which was later adapted 

into a television series titled 

‘Orange Is The New Black’. 

For long, Mr. Kashamu had 

been well known on the Lagos 

party circuit, where Fuji 

musicians sang his praises and 

those of other dodgy 

characters, notably fraudsters 

and drug barons. 

He was known as “Eso 

Jinadu.” He disappeared from 

view on return from the United 

Kingdom in 2003, where he 

managed to wriggle free of a 

US extradition order. He 

initially stayed off the radar. 

But apparently persuaded that 

going into politics could get 

the monkey of the extradition 

off his back, he joined the then 

ruling Peoples Democratic 

Party, PDP, where he set up 

what he called “Omo Ilu 

Foundation”. 

Funded with money made 

from drugs, the foundation 

provided copious cash, rice, 

and even taxis as inducements 

for prospective voters in Ijebu 

Igbo, his hometown, to join the 

PDP. Mr Kashamu claimed that 

his 1998 indictment by a grand 

jury in the Northern District of 

Illinois for conspiracy to import 

and distribute heroin in the US 

was a case of mistaken identity. 

He claimed that the person 

involved in the alleged 

offences, to which a dozen 

people pleaded guilty, was his 

deceased younger brother, who 

resembled him closely. 

Among those who pleaded 

guilty was US citizen, Piper 

Kerman, whose prison memoir 

was adapted for Orange Is The 

New Black. Mr. Kashamu 

maintained that the UK court 

saw that the US had withheld 

evidence that a principal 

conspirator in the said drug 

importation had been unable 

to identify him in a photo 

lineup. It was on that basis that 

the UK court refused a request 

from the US for his extradition 

in 2003 and freed him after 

five years in jail. 

Fawning 

supporter 

Last year, Judge Richard 

Posner of the Chicago Court of 

Appeal 7th Circuit quoted the 

US Justice Department as 

saying that the prospects of 

Mr. Kashamu’s extradition had 

improved. It added that if it is 

proved that Kashamu was the 

ringleader of the heroin cartel, 

he could face up to life should 

he end up in jail and 

challenged him to come to 

Chicago to prove his 

innocence in court. 

He escaped extradition till 

he died largely on account of 

being a fawning supporter of 

the government in power 

though a member of PDP. Now 

that we know that people of 

his ilk would not want us to 

write their true epitaphs we 

must continue our naming and 

shaming so that our young 

ones don’t see them as role 

models. 

It’s a shame for my corner of 

the country that such a man 

took Senator Abraham 

Adesanya's seat at the Senate 

and represented Chief 

Obafemi Awolowo's senatorial 

district. I was at Pa Adesanya's 

burial in Ijebu-Igbo. I was not 

sure we had the crowd that 

bade Kashamu farewell; we 

have a duty to thin them out. 

I once asked a prominent 

Ijebu-Igbo man the meaning of 

Kashamu and he told me it 

was the nickname of the 

deceased father, a local 

corruption of “Catch am” which 

he was given jumping fences. 

This must come to pass! 

C 

M 

Y 

K

Why History matters: Need for the reinstatement of its study in Nigerian schools 

By USMAN SARKI 

I 

WAS motivated to write this 

piece by the memory of my 

teacher and mentor, Dr. Yusuf Bala 

Usman, whose lecture titled, 

“History, Tradition and Reaction: 

The Perception of Nigerian History 

in the 19th and 20th Centuries”, 

remains as relevant today as the day 

it was first given on April 27, 1977, 

at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, 

Nigeria. With a prescience of the 

accomplished historian, Dr. Usman 

justified his speaking to the subject 

by noting that: “I am raising these 

issues because I feel that they are very 

important issues which confront our 

peoples of this country today, not at 

the immediate level of daily 

existence, but at the more 

fundamental level of our long-term 

existence”. 

This is profound because today, 43 

years after the delivery of that lecture, 

Nigerians are still grappling with 

fundamental issues such as whether 

they should live together or not. Elite 

push and general popular disinterest 

in history, seem to have robbed 

Nigerians of their sense of 

discernment and objectivity in 

ascertaining assumptions forced 

upon them. Distanced from historical 

facts and commonly unaware of 

their past, many Nigerians assume 

as facts any or all issues thrust upon 

them even if it means leading to the 

inveterate dislike or hatred of their 

fellow country men and women, 

fostered by the stock-in-trade 

manipulations of detractors and 

hate mongers. 

Self-awareness does not only begin 

with the consciousness of our being, 

or an emphatic acknowledgement 

of who we perceive ourselves to be. 

Indeed, self-awareness is a farreaching 

and deep seated as well as 

an elemental consciousness of where 

we came from, what is our present 

condition and where ultimately we 

are headed. This social or 

evolutionary understanding of selfawareness 

must, therefore, 

necessitate the study of what 

happened before we became, and the 

forces shaping our being here 

presently, as well as what these mean 

for our future. 

For such an understanding to be 

possible, we need to study history, 

which should not only instruct us 

about the past, but also inform us 

about our present conditions as well 

as guide us in our communal actions 

towards shaping our future. 

Essentially, history is about taking 

our destiny into our own hands, 

proceeding from an understanding 

of what went on in the past, and how 

the past shaped the present and will 

ultimately create our future. The first 

thing that the study of our past should 

challenge and seek to correct, is the 

simplified view of the development 

of our societies along elemental, 

primitive and tribal lines. This 

assumption underlies the way we are 

seen or our history is perceived as a 

people that barely rose above the 

level of nature, and in fact closer to 

the animals with which we cohabit 

our ecosystems, before the coming 

of the Europeans in our midst. 

The rectification of this 

romanticised and often racist view 

of us is an urgent task that must be 

undertaken with all the tools and 

wisdom given to us by the study of 

history and appraisal of the 

dynamics for the evolution of our 

societies. Often times we speak about 

nation-building in the abstract, as if 

it is akin to putting some blocks 

together to create an edifice. Nationbuilding 

can only take place when 

there is a consciousness about 

belonging to a “nation” whereby a 

“group feeling” as noted so correctly 

by the great historian Ibn Khaldun, 

is created that is guided by common 

sentiments and perceptions about 

who we are and what binds us 

together. 

There were “Romans” in antiquity 

who were bound together by the 

same laws, the same civilisational 

trends and similar status under one 

government (Pax Romana) and who 

can at any time be called upon to 

serve in the army to either protect 

the state or expand its frontiers by 

conquest. Today’s Italians cannot be 

assumed to share the feeling of being 

“Romans” having been conquered 

and subjugated under various 

dominions such as those of the 

Germans, Goths, Franks, Normans, 

French, Swedes, etc. Having a sense 

of being part of a nation is not a 

subconscious affair, or something 

that one is born with. 

I can be of Nigerian parents from 

Borno but born and brought up in 

Sweden, for instance, in which case 

my being a “national” of Nigeria 

will definitely be at a different level 

of understanding from those of my 

parents. In this case, what they 

understand as “nationhood” in the 

physical and psychological sense 

may not be the same thing with me. 

Vanguard, TUESDAY, AUGUST 11, 2020 —17 

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present, and hoping to contribute to 

the development of its future. History, 

therefore, is the determinant of 

nationhood. Building a nation-state 

must, therefore, also involve the 

teaching and understanding of 

history, otherwise what one will end 

up having is a hotchpotch of 

groupings of people unconnected by 

any common denominators that will 

unify them. 

The essence of studying history at 

least in the context of what is deemed 

by “historical study” at the Ahmadu 

Bello University, ABU, in the 1970s 

through to the 1980s was to make it 

not merely a tool of inquiry about 

the past, but an analytical 

instrument towards ascertaining 

facts, testing assumptions and 

creating the conditions necessary for 

the progressive transformation of 

societies. Thus, the Department of 

History at ABU under the illustrious 

leadership of teachers like Professor 

Abdullahi Smith, Dr. Yusuf Bala 

Usman, Dr. Mahmud Modibbo 

Tukur, Dr. Abdullahi Mahdi, 

Professor Mahdi Adamu and many 

other notable names decided to 

establish the critical criteria for 

teaching history, based on the clear 

perception that: 

“The basic objective of the history 

teaching programme in this 

university is to give the student a 

thorough grasp of Nigerian history 

and historiography, placed firmly in 

the context of African history and 

historiography and historical 

movements of world significance 

from other continents. The purpose 

of this is to make the student 

comprehend the historical forces and 

developments which have shaped 

and are shaping the lives of the 

peoples of Nigeria, Africa and the 

rest of the world. And at the same 

time, develop in the student the 

capacity to consciously relate to 

these forces and developments in 

ways which foster Nigerian and 

African unity and independence. The 

courses shall be taught through 

lectures, tutorials and seminars in 

which the process of historical 

Between COVID-19 and climate change: Opportunity beckons for OSGoF 

By CHARLES C. OSUAGWU 

CURRENTLY the impact of climate 

change on the environmental resources 

of nations could be likened to the rampaging 

effect of COVID-19 on both the economies 

and social lives of nations. Just as COVID-19 

is changing the way we’re used to living and 

creating new normal, climate change is 

equally causing seasonal changes that are 

upturning and fiercely disrupting the 

ecosystem/eco balance which impacts is 

affecting the way we live also. 

Recently, July 15, 2020, former Vice 

President of the United States and a co-Nobel 

Laurette, Mr. Al Gore; Gavin McCormick of 

WattTime and a host of others expanded their 

continued engagement with climate change 

challenges with the launching of climate 

TRACE: “Today, we are honoured to announce 

that a powerful new tool will soon be joining 

the climate fight. Along with us - Al Gore and 

Gavin McCormick of WattTime - we join 

leading organisations Blue Sky Analytics, 

CarbonPlan, Carbon Tracker, Earthrise 

Alliance, Hudson Carbon, Hypervine, 

OceanMind and Rocky Mountain Institute as 

founding members to unveil Climate TRACE, 

a coalition creating a high-tech solution to 

independently detect emissions and where 

they’re coming from, everywhere in the world, 

in real time. It’s a feat that’s never before been 

possible - until now”. 

This sounds familiar but similar to “Contact 

Tracing” of index cases of COVID-19. Now 

what is Climate TRACE and where do we 

(OSGoF- Office of Surveyor General of the 

Federation) come in as Nigeria’s foremost 

Mapping agency? Climate TRACE - which 

stands for Tracking Real-time Atmospheric 

Carbon Emissions - comprises organisations 

from the tech sector that have pioneered some 

of the most-powerful software-based 

emissions-monitoring solutions in the world, 

in part using artificial intelligence, AI, and 

remote sensing. As the climate crisis deepens 

and our technology advances, we felt the time 

was ripe to join together and put these 

resources to work in powerful new ways. 

Our first-of-its-kind global coalition will 

leverage advanced AI, satellite image 

processing, machine learning, and land-and 

sea-based sensors to do what was previously 

thought to be nearly impossible: monitor 

Green House Gas emissions from every sector 

and in every part of the world. Our work will 

be extremely granular in focus - down to specific 

power plants, ships, factories, and more. Our 

goal is to actively track and verify all significant 

human-caused GHG emissions worldwide 

Between COVID-19 and 

Climate Change, the opportunity 

beckons for the office to make 

the giant leap from digital static 

maps to digital dynamic ones 

Building a nation-state 

must also involve the 

teaching and 

understanding of 

history 

Invariably by being born and 

brought up in Sweden and having 

internalised Swedish culture, habits 

and even language, I have been 

temperamentally distanced from a 

feeling of being “Nigerian” in the 

active and profound sense of the 

word. 

Nationality can only effectively be 

created by being within the fold of 

that entity you wish to call a “nation” 

and identifying with all its attributes, 

challenges and prospects. It is not 

something like an acquired taste for 

something. It is brought about by 

active and physical engagement in 

the processes that are building and 

shaping that “nation”, and having 

internalised its outward attributes 

like its languages, customs, manners 

and other peculiarities. 

To really understand what the 

“nation” means, a recourse must be 

made to the study of history, through 

which a consciousness will be 

developed about being part of that 

entity and sharing in its past and 

with unprecedented levels of detail and speed”. 

How can we leverage on this new global 

coalition to further deliver on our mandate? 

Recently, the Surveyor General of the 

Federation, Surv. Samuel Adeniran Taiwo, was 

on one of Nigeria’s national television station 

where he effectively and eloquently presented 

the important part the Office of the Surveyor 

General of the Federation has continued to 

play in publishing daily up to date map of the 

real time COVID-19 situation in Nigeria. This 

intervention is exploring the windows of 

opportunity presented by this emerging global 

coalition “Climate TRACE” in expanding the 

frontiers of services provided by the OSGoF. 

To track the defaulters or significant humancaused 

GHG emissions in Nigeria to the 

unprecedented details and speed as envisioned 

by the coalition is a job already cut out for 

OSGoF. The combination of remote sensing 

and Geographic Information System, GIS, 

are tools that will ensure that such details are 

achieved while the desired speed and details 

also will be assured by the deployment of AI in 

Survey Drones equipped with Global 

Navigational Satellite Systems, GNSS, 

equipment. 

In the deployment of GNSS equipment that 

is capable of capturing and tracking satellites 

that simultaneously beam on all the systems 

available: GPS, USA; GLONASS, Russia; 

Galileo, EU; BeiDou, China; QZSS, Japan; 

and IRNSS or NavIC, India; issues associated 

with satellite geometry (high PDop) are 

eliminated for good while accuracy and 

reliability are greatly enhanced to subcentimetre. 

The system ensures that the twin 

targets of the Climate TRACE, speed and 

detail, is achieved effortlessly as is also required 

in contact tracing as both of essence must be 

ascribed spatial attributes to make any sense. 

It becomes imperative, therefore, that the 

OSGoF keys into this coalition early enough 

as a key player having been fully equipped to 

deliver on the desired objectives of the 

partnership. This window of opportunity 

presents OSGoF the leverage to implement 

the complete digitalisation of its products and 

services as being championed by the Office of 

Head of Service. OSGoF has over the years 

significantly upgraded its facilities to deliver 

digital maps from the analogue paper ones in 

trying to meet the dictates of a demand-driven 

geospatial industry market against the old 

supply-driven geospatial market which it was 

a major player. 

However, to meet the particular needs of 

development and methods of 

historical reconstruction are brought 

out clearly”. 

These positions were not mere 

aspirations but realities that were 

inculcated into all history students 

at the University. It is that defining 

philosophy and approach to 

historical study that set the products 

of the Ahmadu Bello University apart 

from their counterparts elsewhere. 

It is this same guiding principle that 

made them amenable to become 

deeply patriotic and have a very 

clear and unclouded notion of what 

Nigeria is, and how to bring about 

her unity and forge her continued 

existence as a nation. 

It is, therefore, not surprising to find 

ABU graduates from all parts of 

Nigeria maintaining an unshakable 

commitment to Nigeria’s unity and 

survival unlike many others who 

daily preach her dismemberment 

and destruction for no other logical 

reason than the dislike of one part of 

the country or the other. Their lack 

of grasp of the significance of 

Nigeria, and their belittling of the 

building of such an enterprise of 

historical proportions, have made 

them so jaundiced and prejudiced 

that they cannot see the epochal 

undertaking that such a project 

entails. 

It is for these and other reasons that 

the teaching of history must be 

reinstated in all Nigerian schools, 

to include such subjects like ethics, 

etiquette, civics and other beneficial 

lessons that will shape our attitudes 

to our neighbours, compatriots and 

other Africans as well. It is not too 

late to retrace our steps from the illadvised 

decision to terminate the 

teaching of history to Nigerians in 

their schools. 

A timely course correction can be 

made and better results towards 

producing more enlightened 

citizens that would bring about 

genuine national unity and progress 

can be attained along generational 

lines. 

•Ambassador Sarki, former 

Deputy Permanent Representative 

of Nigeria to the United Nations, 

New York, wrote from Abuja 

Climate TRACE and in fact the current needs 

of the geospatial industry, it must take another 

giant step by upscaling its activities; her maps 

cannot just be digital, it must be dynamic or 

intelligent as some are wont to say. To be able 

to go “down to specific power plants, ships, 

factories, and more and actively track and 

verify all significant human-caused GHG 

emissions worldwide with unprecedented 

levels of detail and speed in real time then our 

methods of data capture must continue to 

change and adapt to meet the changing times. 

The efforts of the Surveyor General in this 

direction is highly commendable and must be 

encouraged and sustained. 

There’s really nothing new being advocated 

here but rather this intervention is only 

speaking to the need for us to refocus our 

attention and deploy the tools already in our 

arsenal in line with the vision of the SG. In 

capturing data in order to meet the needs of 

dynamic mapping, both spatial and nonspatial 

attributes must begin to be acquired 

and geospatial database created to populate 

the database centre. This window will deliver 

flexibility to our products and OSGoF will be 

satisfying the immediate and future needs of 

the society if it expands its frontiers along the 

suggested lines and will become a major player 

in the geospatial world while delivering 

enhanced products and services that meet the 

needs of a totally demand-driven geospatial 

market as envisioned by the Climate TRACE 

coalition. 

Therefore, between COVID-19 and Climate 

Change, the opportunity beckons for the office 

to make the giant leap from digital static maps 

to digital dynamic ones. 

•Osuagwu is Ag. Director Planning, Research 

and Documentation at OSGoF, Abuja 

C 

M 

Y 

K


THE reappointment of Prof Umar 

Danbatta by President Muhammadu 

Buhari and his confirmation by the 

Senate as the Executive Vice- 

Chairman and CEO of the Nigerian 

Telecommunications Commission, 

NCC, are obvious seals of satisfaction 

hampered network development), 

over his first term and approval for 

multiple taxation, health concerns 

him and his team to continue pushing 

relating to the siting of 

the frontiers in the development of 

telecommunication towers near 

our telecoms sector and digital 

residential areas, improvising to cope 

economy. 

with poor public electricity supply and 

Prof. Danbatta first came to the 

others. 

NCC on August 4, 2015. The past five 

Prof. Danbatta’s eight-point agenda 

years has been a period in the world 

and five-year development plan 

where digital communication has 

helped in the renaming of the Ministry 

gone even more digital. Data took the 

of Communications to accommodate 

centre-stage. Industry operators 

the Digital Economy focus. The 

have struggled with worldwide trends 

National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, 

to ensure we are not left too far 

affirms that the telecoms sector now 

behind. 

accounts for 14.7 per cent of our GDP 

It fell to the mandate of the NCC to 

(Q1, 2020). Our telephone subscriber 

skillfully shepherd the industry and 

base rose from 151 million to 196.3 

tackle the challenges posed by high 

million (June 2020) with a teledensity 

cost of Right of Way, RoW(which 

of 102.88 per cent. 

Tasks before Danbatta at NCC 

Danbatta’s team surpassed the 30 

per cent broadband penetration target 

set for December 2020, shooting it 

from eight per cent in 2015 to 41.27 

per cent in June 2020. Internet 

subscribers increased from 90 million 

to 143.7 million as of June 2020. 

Apart from the increased 

empowerment of consumers, NCC 

has also boosted efforts to eradicate 

the pre-registered Subscriber 

Identification, SIM, card syndrome 

(which had greased the wheel of crime 

and urban terrorism) and efficiently 

governed the spectrum resources for 

greater service delivery. Very 

importantly, the strategic engagement 

with the Governors’ Forum over RoW 

issues has helped service providers 

to ramp up infrastructural expansion. 

However, we are not yet there. As 

of 2018, Nigeria ranked 122 nd out of 

159 countries in the global telecoms 

index of the International 

Telecommunications Union, ITU. 

Implementation of the mandatory 

Code of Corporate Governance will 

boost the quality of service across the 

industry. The Task Force on Quality 

of Service should also deliver on its 

mandate. Nigerians expect to share 

in the industry’s prosperity. The 

efforts already being made to get the 

telecom companies listed on the 

Stock Exchange should sustained. 

As we anticipate the deployment of 

the 5-G technology, Nigeria should 

not lag behind. To expedite the pace 

of reforms and reduce political 

interference, efforts should also be 

intensified to retrieve the regulatory 

independence of the NCC from the 

Ministry of Communications and 

Digital Economy. 

WITH the passage of Senator 

Ayomide Fasanmi (September 27, 

1925 to July 29, 2020) the number of the ninetyfive 

senators, who served between October 

1979 and October 1983, still alive has been 

reduced. I covered that Senate until Major 

General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd.), GCFR, 

terminated democracy in Nigeria on 

December 31, 1983. Senator Fasanmi 

contested the Ondo State gubernatorial 

primaries in the UPN in 1979 along with Chief 

Adekunle Michael Ajasin (November 28,1908 

– October 3, 1997). 

He lost in the primaries held at Omolere 

Primary School, along Ado-Ekiti road in 

Akure. That was when Ekiti State was part of 

Ondo State. His campaign manager at that 

time was Chief Adebayo Adefarati (February 

14, 1931 – March 29, 2007). After the 

gubernatorial election which Chief Ajasin won 

in 1979, Chief Ajasin invited Chief Adefarati 

to be a commissioner in his cabinet eventually. 

He was said to have been impressed with the 

loyalty Chief Adefarati showed to Chief 

Fasanmi during the primaries. Eventually 

Chief Fasanmi was elected senator for Ondo 

North in 1979. 

Chief Adefarati was later elected governor 

of Ondo State in 1999. Between 1979 and 1983, 

Senator Fasanmi was a member of the Senate 

committee on health and social services. He 

was also a member of Senate committee on 

public works. Senator Fasanmi was a front 

bencher in the Senate, sitting along with 

senators Jonathan Akinremi Olawole Odebiyi 

(Egbado North South), Abraham Aderibigbe 

Adesanya (Ijebu North East), Cornelius 

Olatunji Adebajo (Kwara Central) and 

Emmanuel Idahosa Akpata (Bendel Central). 

During his tenure in the Senate, Senator 

Ayomide Fasanmi sponsored eight bills, all 

related to health management. He was a 

pharmacist. He never missed any sitting in the 

Senate. Among the senators who served 

between 1979 and 1983 and still alive are the 

OPINION 

One by one those 

senators are departing 

former Senate president, Dr. Joseph Wayas 

(Ogoja) and Senator Isa Obaro, 86, (Kwara 

South); he was a member of the Committee on 

Trade and Industries. He was very close to the 

then Senate Leader, Dr. Abubakar Olusola 

Saraki. In 1968, he was appointed Kwara State 

Commissioner for Information and later held 

the Finance and Justice Ministry portfolios. 

He is from Okene in the present Kogi State. 

He was called to the bar on February 5, 1963 

During his tenure in the Senate, 

Senator Ayomide Fasanmi 

sponsored eight bills, all related 

to health management 

and is one of those who fought for the creation 

of Kogi State. 

Other senators who are still alive are Senator 

Ahmed Zakari (Kano North East), Senator 

Jubrin Salihu (Agaie/Lapai), Senator Suemo 

Chia (Benue East), Senator Hamisu Musa 

(Kano South West), Senator Onyeabo Obi 

(Anambra West), Senator Kunle Oyero 

(Abeokuta/Ifo/Ota), Senator Ameh Ebute 

(Benue South Central), Senator Bello Bakori 

(Malumfasi/Funtua), Senator Iliya Galiya 

Audu (Wukari), Senator Ahmadu Ada Alli 

(Benue West), former Chairman of the PDP and 

Senator Olatunji Cornelius 

Adebayo (Kwara), who later 

became the Governor of Kwara 

state in 1983 and also served 

as Minister under President 

Olusegun Obasanjo. 

Also alive are Senator 

Mohammed Girgiri Lawan 

(Borno North West), a 

successful business man, who 

traverses between Abuja, Kano 

and Maiduguri these days, he 

is a highly polished man and 

detribalized Nigerian, Senator 

Stephen Adebanji Akintoye 

(Ondo Central), a new voice 

now in the Yoruba cause, Senator David 

Olatubosun Oke (Ondo West) from Igbara- 

Odo in the present Ekiti state, who I understand 

is in Ireland, Senator Michael Atijosan 

Emmanuel Onunkun (Ondo West), an elder 

statesman, now in Ondo south Senatorial 

district and Senator Abba Ali (Katsina/ 

Dutsinma), a classmate and childhood friend 

of President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, a 

member of the present Federal Judicial 

Commission and a member of APC Caretaker 

Committee. 

Among those who have departed includes 

Senators Muhtari Abdularim (Sokoto East), 

Mubashir Akanbi O. Abiru (Ikorodu), Andrew 

Abogede (Benue North-Central), Ademola 

Adegoke (Oyo), Ayoola Adeleke (Osun II), 

Christopher ‘Laogun Adeoye (Osun I), 

Abraham Aderibigbe Adesanya (Ijebu North 

East), Olalere Adesina (Ibadan), Muhammed 

Musa Agwai (Lafia/Akwanga/Awe), 

Mohammed Uba Ahmed (Bauchi South East), 

Adeyiga Omopenu Ajayi (Ikeja), Victor Akan 

(Eket), Nathaniel N. Anah (Anambra South), 

Isaiah Nnamani Ani (Anambra North), Joseph 

Oqua Ansa (Calabar), Tony Anyanwu (Owerri), 

F.O.M. Atake (Bendel Delta), Obafemi 

Ayantuga (Epe), Umara Bama (Borno East), 

Ibrahim Barau (Ikara/Zaria/BirniGwari), 

Garba Musa Dada (Minna/Kagara), David 

Send Opinions & Letters to: 

opinions1234@yahoo.com 

Omueye Dafinone (Bendel South), Usman Alto 

Dambatta (Kano North-Central), George 

Asuquo Daniel (Uyo), Yusuf Aliyu Daura 

(Daura/Mani/Kankiya), Ibrahim Dimis 

(Bauchi South), Abayomi Adeyosola 

Durosinmi (Badagry), Oyibosiya Eberewariye 

(Rivers V-Degema), Emeka Patrick Echeruo 

(Okigwe), Francis John Ellah (Rivers II- 

Ahoada/Ikwerr/Etche), Elijah Ebonine Emezie 

(Orlu), Donald Dick Etiebet (Ikot Ekpene), Ayo 

Fasanmi (Ondo North), Garba Gada (Sokoto 

North), Aliyu Mohammed Gani (Kwara 

North), Adamu Gaya (Kano South), Gayus 

Gilama (Numan), Christopher Oladosu Ilori 

(Ife/Ilesha), Idrisa Kadi (Borno North-Central), 

Bitrus Bzigu Kajal (Mubi), Ibrahim Kolo 

(Bida), Garba Kware (Sokoto Central), Daniel 

Adetola Ladega (Ijebu-Ode/Ijebu Remo), Jacob 

Kure Madaki (Kachia/Jemaa/Saminaka), 

Ja’Afar Mangga (Borno South), Garba Matta 

(Pankshin/Mangu/Kanam), Abubakar Mogaji 

(Suleja/formerly Abuja), Abdullah Muazu 

(Kontagora), Hamisu Musa (Kano South-West, 

Haruna Muza (Sokoto West), Cyrus 

Nwidonane Nunieh (Rivers IV (Bonny/Bori), 

Offia Nwali (Anambra East), Jonathan 

Akinremi Olawole Odebiyi (Egbado North- 

South), Emmanuel Kayode Ogunleye (Ondo 

East), Simeon Mba Ojukwu (Umuahia), Basil 

Charles Okwu (Anambra), John Wash Pam 

(Jos), Ahmadu Damyama Rufai (Bauchi 

Central), Abdulkadir Yalwaji Saleh (Bauchi 

North), Bukar Sanda (Borno West), Abubakar 

Sola Saraki (Ilorin/Asa), Sikiru Ayodeji Shitta- 

Bey (Lagos), Samuel Olu Sogbein (Odeda/ 

Obafemi/Owode), Joseph Sarwuan Tarka 

(Benue East-Central), John Osiomole Umolu 

(Bendel North), Jaja Anucha Wachukwu (Aba), 

Obi Wali (Rivers I (Port Harcourt), Ibrahim 

Jalo Waziri (Bauchi East), Mahmud Waziri 

(Adamawa), Thomas Yepwi (Keffi/Nasarawa), 

Luka Zanya Zing (Muri), Amatai Zuofa (Rivers 

III-Brass/Sagbama/Yenogoa), Hassan Zuru 

(Sokoto North) and Sabo Bakin Zuwo (Kano 

Central). 

Continues next week

ANALYST’S REPORT: Business activity 

rises fir 

irst time in 4 months 

•As increase in prices creep into H2’20 

By Nkiruka Nnorom 

Nigerian private sector re 

turned to expansion in 

July, after three successive 

months of decline, following an 

uptick in new orders and easing 

of the coronavirus (COVID-19) 

induced lockdown. 

This is contained in the Stanbic 

IBTC Bank’s Purchasing Managers 

Index (PMI) Report for July, 

2020. 

The report shows that though 

both business activity and new 

orders increased, the severity of 

the COVID-19 downturn meant 

that spare capacity remained 

evident, leading to a further reduction 

in employment. 

Readings above 50.0 signal an 

improvement in business conditions 

on the previous month, 

while readings below 50.0 show 

deterioration. 

The headline PMI posted 50.4 

in July, up from 46.4 in June and 

above the 50.0 no-change mark 

for the first time since March, signaling 

only a slight improvement 

in business conditions following 

a severe downturn due to the 

COVID-19 pandemic. 

The report further shows that 

the recent surge in prices extended 

into the second half of the 

year, with overall input prices 

rising at the sharpest pace in the 

survey’s history. 

In response, firms also raised 

their output prices at the fastest 

rate since the survey began in 

January 2014. 

According to the report, signs 

of improving demand were central 

to a strengthening of business 

conditions. “New orders increased 

for the first time in four 

months. Business activity also 

returned to growth for the first 

time since March on the back of 

higher new orders and an easing 

of the lockdown,” the report said. 

CURRENCY BUYING SELLING 

US DOLLAR 

POUNDS 

EURO 

FRANC 

YEN 

CFA 

WAUA 

RENMINBI 

RIYAL 

RAND 

114.85 -0.60 

2,543.00 -3.00 

12.68 -0.10 

44.92 0.52 - 

- - 

379 379.5 380 

494.1402 494.7921 495.444 

445.4766 446.0643 446.652 

412.8091 413.3537 413.8983 

3.5708 3.5755 3.5802 

0.6652 0.6752 0.6852 

534.7618 535.4673 536.1728 

54.3267 54.3988 54.4707 

101.0586 101.1919 101.3252 

21.3326 21.3608 21.3889 

CBN Exchange rate as at 10/08/2020 


From left: Group Head, Human Resources, SIFAX Group, Oluwakayode Alonge, 

Executive Director, Ports & Cargo Handling Services Limited, Tobi Afolabi, Facility 

Department, Ports & Cargo Handling Services Limited, Felix Abumere, an 

awardee who has spent 10 years in the service of SIFAX Group and Executive Director, 

Administration, Ports & Cargo Handling Services Limited, Ibraheem 

Olugbade, during the SIFAX Group Long Service Award presentation which was 

held across all subsidiaries recently. 

FG has started implementing Economic Sustainability Plan — Osinbajo 

...to stimulate local production 

By Yinka Kolawole 

The federal government has 

commenced the execution of 

the sustainability measures contained 

in the Economic 

Sustainability Plan (ESP). 

The Vice President, Prof. Yemi 

Osinbajo, stated this at a webinar 

organised by Lagos Chamber of 

Commerce and Industry (LCCI) 

2020 Presidential Policy Dialogue 

over the weekend. 

He said that the ESP was developed 

with a stimulus package of 

N2.3 trillion to boost local production, 

prevent business 

collapse and provide 

liquidity across 

various sectors, especially 

micro, small and 

medium enterprises 

MSMEs. 

Osinbajo stated: “Nigeria, 

like all other countries, 

has been quite seriously 

impacted in 

various ways by the 

COVID-19 pandemic, 

either as households or 

businesses, and is clear 

that both the pandemic 

and its effects would remain 

for a while. 

“The priority of the 

Federal Government in 

response to the economic 

challenges posed 

by COVID-19 is essentially 

to ward off a deep 

recession and to save 

jobs and this we are hoping 

to do by a mixture of 

stimulus measures to 

support local businesses; 

the essence being 

to retain jobs and to 

ensure that we create the best 

possible circumstances for the 

most vulnerable in the society. 

“To this end, the federal government 

developed the ESP 

with a stimulus package of N2.3 

trillion to give fillip to the 

economy across various sectors. 

“The size of the stimulus is about 

1.5 percent of national income or 

GDP. This is not as large as we 

would have liked it to be but it was 

the best we could do given existing 

fiscal and monetary constraints.” 

Stanbic IBTC, Ascon Oil tussle over sale of N2.5bn 

petrol station 

By Cynthia Alo 

Allianz Nigeria 

pays out N1.8bn 

in claims 

By Rosemary Onuoha 

Allianz Nigeria Insur 

ance Plc has paid 

claims totaling N1.8 billion 

in the first quarter, Q1, of 

2020. 

The figure represents a 

130 percent increase from 

N800 million paid out the 

same period in 2019. 

Allianz Nigeria which is a 

local operating entity of 

the global insurance company 

Allianz, also reported 

a Gross Written Premium 

(GWP) of N4.2 billion in the 

period under review, a 47 

percent increase from 

N2.9 billion recorded during 

the same period in 

2019. 

The Company said it has 

so far recorded an investment 

income of N301 million 

despite the fall in investment 

and treasury bill 

rates. 

Speaking on the development, 

Chief Operating Officer 

of the company, 

Owolabi Salami, said the 

success attained so far can 

be attributed to the tenacity 

and bravery of the 

people who work in the organization, 

adding that he 

was proud to see how fast 

his people adapted and 

rose to the challenge in 

these unprecedented 

times. 

Salami said: “the Company 

will remain unwavering 

to deliver on its promise 

of paying claims despite 

the present economic 

downturn.” 

According to Osinbajo, ESP 

is replete with opportunities 

for MSMEs to expand their 

activities in manufacturing 

and local production and to 

participate in supply chain activities 

across various industrial 

a 

Ascon Oil Company Ltd said it 

has recovered its fuel retail 

station at Block 36, Admiralty 

Way, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos purportedly 

sold by Stanbic IBTC 

Bank. 

According to Ascon Oil, the 

property with a market value of 

N2.5 billion was undersold at 

N1.53 billion, through Stanbic 

IBTC’s Receiver. 

It was learnt that Ascon retook 

possession of the property following 

a July 24, 2020 order of Justice 

Mohammed Liman of the Federal 

High Court in Lagos. The suit, 

marked FHC/L/CS/567/2020, 

arose following a N1.7 billion loan 

facility. 

The property had been with the 

receiver manager following the 

judge’s May 15, 2020 ex-parte order 

which authorised Police protection 

for the Receiver to protect 

and preserve the fuel retail station 

and restrain Ascon from interfering 

with the Receiver’s discharge 

of his functions. But on July 24, 

2020, Justice Liman vacated that 

order in part following Ascon’s 

claims of suppression, non-disclosure 

and material misrepresentation 

of facts against Stanbic IBTC, 

which the bank has rejected. 

Before the July 24 ruling, and in 

seeking to recover its property, 

Ascon had written to Stanbic IBTC, 

through its Managing Director, 

Demola Shogunle, stating that its 

outstanding indebtedness was now 

available and that Ascon was ready 

to make the payment subject to an 

audit of its account. 

But the bank, it was learnt, declined, 

stating that the property had 

been sold. It also declined Ascon’s 

requests for details of the expedited 

process of the transaction or evidence 

of any cash movement by 

which the property was purportedly 

conveyed to the buyer. 

On May 27, 2020, Ascon approached 

the court to set aside its 

earlier orders and nullify all steps 

taken pursuant to the orders. 

It argued, among others that 

since Ascon was not initially allowed 

to make its own case meant 

it was denied the right to fair hearing. 

On July 24, 2020, Justice Liman 

agreed that the Receiver was wrong 

in law to have brought his application 

for the orders, ex-parte and 

that ASCON should have been put 

on notice. 

The court discharged its earlier 

order of May 15th, 2020 restraining 

Ascon from preventing the 

activities of the Receiver. Thus, 

the order preventing Ascon 

from resisting the activities of 

the Receiver was vacated. 

Ascon had alleged in its motion 

on notice, that the purported 

Deed of Legal Mortgage 

dated June 5th, 2019, through 

which Stanbic IBTC derived its 

right or power to either appoint 

a Receiver or sell the property 

was a forgery. 

“At the time the Deed of Legal 

Mortgage was purportedly 

executed, Ascon had by letters 

of 28th and 31st May 2018 protested 

the inclusion of the property 

for perfection. Thus, Ascon 

could not have executed a 

Deed of Legal Mortgage over 

the same Property,” the document 

averred. 

Ascon also alleged that forensic 

analysis of the purported 

Deed of Legal Mortgage revealed 

significant inconsistencies 

as two supposed signatures, 

were materially different 

from their regular signatures 

and the signature page of the 

purported Deed of Legal Mortgage 

is a counterpart copy of 

previously executed Deeds of 

Legal Mortgage.





24—Vanguard, TUESDAY, AUGUST 11, 2020 

:Van- 

:@vanguardnews :@vanguardnewsNEWS HOTLINES: 

Edo 2020: Ize-Iyamu to engage 

monarchs on security 

By Ozioruva Aliu 

ENIN CITY —THE 

BEdo state All 

Progressives Congress, 

APC governorship 

candidate, Pastor Osagie 

Ize-Iyamu has promised to 

involve the traditional 

institution in checking 

insecurity by enhancing its 

capacity. 

Ize-Iyamu stated this 

yesterday when he 

addressed all the traditional 

rulers from the Edo Central 

senatorial district in a 

meeting held at the Palace 

of the traditional ruler of 

Igueben, HRH Ehizogie 

Eluojierior I before flagging 

off his campaign rally in the 

area. 

He said: “Traditional 

rulers are not people you 

only see when you want to 

Ndokwa youths laments neglect of LG in 

NDDC projects 

BOH—YOUTHS of 

ANdokwa East Local 

government area of Delta 

State, under the auspices of 

Ndokwa East Youth 

Assocation, NEYA, have 

decried the seeming 

neglect of their area in the 

allocation of NDDC 

projects. 

The association, in a letter 

to the Chairman, Senate 

Committee on Niger Delta 

Affairs, signed by its 

do elections. They are 

people that you must 

consult regularly. They are 

people you involve in 

governance. They are 

people you must take their 

decisions seriously. And 

many of you know that 

when I become governor, 

traditional rulers will get 

their due respect. I know 

that a lot of our traditional 

rulers have been kept at 

bay”. 

On the issue of funding 

for the state-owned 

Ambrose Alli University, 

AAU, Ekpoma, Ize-Iyamu 

blamed the reduction of 

subvention to it from 

N250million to N96million 

monthly by the Obaseki 

government for its inability 

to meet its obligations to 

workers saying AAU is the 

President General, 

Comrade Linus Osaji, said 

the situation was not 

acceptable, given the 

contributions of the council 

to the nation’s oil economy. 

It noted that there was no 

tangible NDDC project in 

Ndokwa East, while those 

awarded had yet to be 

executed. 

NEYA also requested to 

know the projects allocated 

to the area, the contractors 

handling the jobs, its 

least funded state owned 

university in Nigeria. 

He accused the 

incumbent Governor 

Godwin Obaseki of 

running with a deceitful 

‘Esan Agenda’ as a ploy to 

gain sympathetic votes, 

stating that the Governor’s 

actions in the last four years 

have brought no 

development to the Esan 

people. 

On his part, former National 

Chairman of the APC, Comrade 

Adams Oshiomhole, who was 

received with loud cheers from 

the crowd, said Obaseki failed to 

continue with his administrative 

style of implementation of plans 

and visible execution of projects 

that provide relief to the people. 

Instead, he said the incumbent 

Governor wasted state resources 

on consultants and MOUs that 

failed to translate into any 

meaningful achievement. 

present state and the 

relevance of such projects 

to the people, among 

others. 

“Ndokwa East deserve a 

better deal from the NDDC, 

in view of the degradation 

the area had suffered due 

to oil exploration,” the 

association said. 

“Ndokwa East cannot not 

continue to suffer neglect, 

when other parts of the 

country are being 

developed with resources 

from their areas.”


26 —Niger Delta Voice, TUESDAY, AUGUST 11, , 2020 

VOL. 1: NO. 247 TUESDAY, AUGUST 11, 2020 

You failed, 

don’t pursue 

second term, 

A’ Ibom 

people tell 31 

LG chairmen, 

councillors 

—Page 27 

Kidnappers turn abandoned SPDC 

projects in Rivers town to hideouts 

•Kidnappers kill, share money in sanctuaries – Eze Nwosu, Umukwuru monarch 

•We can’t enter our homes, farms due to flood– Residents 

•Community begs Wike, NDDC, SPDC to intervene 

•Umuakwuru telling lies about SPDC projects —Adande, spokesman 

RIVERS... TREASURE 

BASE OF THE NATION 

By Davies Iheamnachor 

UMUAKWURU – 

RESIDENTS o f 

Umuakwuru, an oil community in 

Igbo Kingdom, Etche Local Government 

Area, Rivers State, weekend, 

lamented that suspected kidnappers 

and other bandits have converted 

the sites of the Integrated Waste 

Management Facility, IWMF, and 

other development projects supposedly 

neglected by Shell Petroleum 

Development Company, SPDC, in 

the community to places of safety. 

They also complained that the 

community has become susceptible 

to flooding and inhabitants unable 

to access their homes and farms, especially 

where there was downpour, 

since the multinational oil company 

operating in area excavated roads 

and drainage without reconstructing 

them. 

The people called on Rivers State 

Government and the Niger-Delta 

Development Commission, NDDC, 

to come to their rescue before the 

situation gets out of hand. 

Hostage-takers scare 

away villagers 

—Eze Nwosu, monarch 

Acting Paramount Ruler of 

Umuakwuru, Eze Innocent Nwosu, 

who spoke to NDV, on the disturbing 

happenings, said the company had 

neglected the Memorandum of 

Understanding, MoU, entered with 

the community. 

He said: "SPDC came with a 

project called Integrated Waste 

Management Facility and 

abandoned the site. The IWMF 

project site has turned to safe haven 

for criminals and kidnappers, we 

cannot go there again. 

“It is now a place where kidnappers 

go to share their money and 

kill themselves. That place is now a 

problem to the community. 

"I had gone in January this year, 

to Calabar to see the Assistant 

Inspector General of Police, AIG, 

over this case because kidnappers 

came here to share their money and 

they killed one of them,” he said. 

The monarch added: "Water 

scheme, Cottage hospital and 

renovation of our school are what 

SPDC was to do in the MoU, but 

all have been abandoned. 

•Eze Innocent Nwosu. 

"It seems we have committed the 

highest sin in the whole world that 

SPDC will leave us like this. We see 

SPDC collecting our oil, not that we 

are sleeping, yet, there is no road, 

no light and no water in the oil - 

producing community. It is painful," 

he asserted. 

No road, Gov Wike 

should intercede 

The paramount ruler 

declared: "We are calling on our 

governor, Nyesom Wike, NDDC 

and SPDC to assist us. There is no 

road to enter our community. If he 

is the governor of all the local government 

areas, he should intervene. 

"The time we need the government 

and NDDC is now because 

the community is an oil area. 

We have other 150 oil wells here 

only in Igbo Kingdom, yet we do 

not have roads to most of the 

communities,” he said. 

Company allegedly 

flouts court order to 

complete projects 

On the rampaging flood, he said: 

“Flood is a big issue here in 

Umuakwuru. Erosion has sacked 

some people in the community. This 

is caused by SPDC, which came 

here to carry out some projects in 

the MoU. They handed this road 

•Building affected by erosion. 

•The abandoned health facility. 

to a company. The company came 

with their equipment and bulldozed 

everywhere. Since then, we have 

not rested from flood.” 

Eze Nwosu noted that the water 

scheme, cottage hospital, scholarship 

and upgrade of six-classroom 

block as well as town hall, even with 

a judgment by a High Court in Port 

Harcourt presided over by Justice E 

Teetito in 2005, mandating SPDC to 

compete projects in the community, 

were still left in rickety conditions. 

His words: “We took it as a duty, 

we have done many write ups and 

it did not work. We even went to 

court and court gave judgment in 

our favour and asked SPDC to go 

back and conclude the projects in 

our MoU, till today, nothing has 

happened." 

Nwosu, who is the Ekwu of 

Ekwune land, further stated that 

since SPDC excavated roads and 

drainage without reconstructing 

them, they find it difficult to access 

their homes and farms, especially 

whenever it rained. 

No-go-area 

—Nweke, resident 

Corroborating the monarch, a 

stakeholder in the community, 

Augustin Nweke said: “Hoodlums 

take advantage of the poor state of 

roads in the area to carry out 

illegality. Till now, we do not have 

road in this community. When it 

rains, everywhere will become nogo- 

area because of flood. 

"People that bought landed 

properties here have all ran away 

because they cannot develop them. 

So, bad boys now disturb us every 

time. 

"In 2005, Shell came here and 

awarded the roads for construction, 

from here to Igwuruta, and they 

started here to grade the road, but 

later they abandoned the road and 

other projects and left," he added. 

Umuakwuru telling lies 

about SPDC projects 

—Adande, spokesman 

However, spokesman of SPDC, 

Michael Adande, dismissed the 

claims by the community as false, 

adding that Shell does not have oil 

facility in the community. 

Adande said: “SPDC maintains 

its commitment to the development 

of its host communities and the 

Global Memorandum of 

Understanding, GMoU, strategy 

continues to enable our host 

communities to successfully take 

charge of their own development 

with the assurance of SPDC’s secure 

funding. 

“SPDC does not have any facility 

in Umuakwuru community. The 

proposed Integrated Waste 

Management Facility in the 

community, a project started in 1999, 

was discontinued following strong 

opposition from some community 

leaders. 

“Despite the discontinuation of the 

project, Umuakwuru, Okoche and 

Chokocho communities were still 

included in the three phases of the 

Etche 1 Cluster GMoU, resulting 

in the following benefits to the 

communities: 

"Construction of 100-capacity 

townhall; electricity extension to 

new areas of the community and to 

unserved (i.e. Umuakwuru Farm 

Road). Bursary to 21 Umuakwuru 

community students in tertiary 

institutions, skills acquisition 

training for six Umuakwuru 

community youths, and 

construction of perimeter fence 

for Umuakwuru Community 

Health Centre.” 

He gave details of the projects 

allegedly abandoned by SPDC, 

saying: “The health centre was 

built by UNDP; primary school 

built by Rivers State Government 

and is still being managed by the 

government. 

“Water scheme, neighbourhood 

water scheme with fetching 

points built and completed by 

SPDC and used by community 

until some unknown persons 

vandalised the sumo pump and 

the scheme packed up. During 

the Sustainable Livelihood 

Assessment, the water scheme 

was not listed as a priority. 

“Road and drains: These were 

not community projects, rather, 

projects associated with the 

IWMF, but discontinued when 

the project was stalled. 

"The secondary school 

classroom project: The 

community dropped the project 

because it did not obtain 

government’s approval to build 

and run a secondary school. 

"Umuakwuru community’s 

work plan for this current phase 

of GMoU includes the following 

projects: Renovation of a block of 

six classrooms in the community 

primary school; payment of 

bursary to community indigenes 

in different schools; renovation of 

the community health centre and 

refurbishment of the community 

townhall."

You failed, don’t pursue second term, 

A’ Ibom people tell 31 LG chairmen, 

councillors 

AKWA IBOM… 

LAND OF PROMISE 

By Chioma Onuegbu 

UYO—CITIZENS across the 

31 Local Government Areas of 

Akwa Ibom State have served a notice 

to incumbent Chairmen and 

Councilors planning to seek reelection 

in the forthcoming local 

government polls in the state to call 

off the proposal, declaring they 

performed woefully. 

Residents who spoke to NDV, 

adjudged the performance of incumbent 

administrators of local 

government councils, whose tenure 

would end November, after 

three years in office, as the worst 

the state has had since creation. 

THE TEAM 

Emma Amaize - Editor 

Samuel Oyadongha - Yenagoa 

Jimitota Onoyume- Warri 

Gabriel Enogholase- Benin City 

Festus Ahon- Asaba 

Egufe Yafugborhi- Port Harcourt 

Emmanuel Una- Calabar 

Akpokona Omafuaire- Warri 

Paul Olayemi- Sapele 

Harri-Okon Emmanuel- Uyo 

Chioma Onuegbu-Uyo 

Ike Uchechukwu- Calabar 

Davies Iheamnachor- Port Harcourt 

Emem Idio- Yenagoa 

Brisibe Perez- Ughelli 

Theresa Ugbobu- Agbor 

Ochuko Akuopha- Oleh 

Chancel Bomadi Sunday - Bomadi 

Alemma-Ozioruva Aliu- Benin City 

Nath Onajoke, Asaba 

Chijioke Nwankpa, Port Harcourt 

Barnabas Uzosike, Benin City 

•Road to Okobo LG chair's village overtaken by weeds 

•We’re sorry, Udom refused to empower us to deliver 

projects —Councillors 

Weeds overtake road 

to Okobo LG chair’s 

village — Effiong, inhabitant 

Speaking angrily, a youth of 

Okobo Local Government Area, 

who simply identified himself as 

Effiong, lamented: "In Okobo Local 

Government where I come from, 

what we witnessed in the life of this 

council administration is abysmal 

performance. And from what I have 

heard, the situation is not different 

in most other local government 

areas. For me, leadership at the 

third tier of government is a total 

failure. 

"I have not seen or heard that this 

set of councillors and even the 

chairman graded any road or even 

renovated markets anywhere in 

Okobo. As I am speaking to you, 

the road leading to my local government 

chairman's village has 

been covered by weeds. Sometimes, 

I ask why then were they 

elected if they could not initiate any 

people- oriented project?" 

Ikot Abasi LG couldn’t 

even build lockup 

shops —Villager 

Similarly, a resident of Ete village 

in Ikot Abasi Local Government 

Area, who spoke on condition of 

anonymity, said it was when he 

learned that the tenure of this 

current local government administration 

would expire in November 

that he realised that they have 

not done anything to show for the 

three years. 

He said Ete community had 

expected the council chairman, 

who is their son, to renovate their 

market, but after several pleas, 

nothing was done, stressing: "The 

market was so dilapidated that the 

community decided to build lockup 

shops through their own effort, but 

somebody advised them that it is 

the responsibility of the local government 

to develop markets. 

"And nothing was done, but just 

recently, I saw something happening 

there and I was told that it is 

the wife of the governor that is reconstructing 

the market and building 

some new lockup shops in the 

market. 

"Akwa Ibom councils’ chairmen 

will not tell us that they do not see 

money. Unlike in the previous 

administration, if you go round, 

most council secretariats are untidy 

and dirty. Are they saying that with 

their security votes, they cannot 

even keep the secretariats clean? 

It is so unfortunate." 

Akwa Ibom 

councils’ chairmen 

will not tell 

us that they do 

not see money; 

unlike in the previous 

administration, 

if you go round, 

most council 

secretariats are 

untidy and dirty 

tice and Peace Building, Mr. Saviour 

Akpan, who threw his weight 

behind the people, said: "As far as 

I am concerned, none of the incumbent 

local government chairmen in 

the 31 local government areas of 

Akwa Ibom State deserves second 

term. They are failures, I am challenging 

all of them to publish and 

show us the projects they have initiated 

and executed within their 

tenure. 

"Let them show us the roads they 

rehabilitated, let them show us the 

market stalls they have re-built or 

renovated. These are the responsibilities 

of local government administration. 

That tells you automatically 

that we do not have local 

government chairmen in Akwa 

Ibom State. It is a shame. 

"So I am advising Akwa Ibom 

people not to re-elect any of the 

incumbent chairmen. It is not the 

duty of the governor to return them 

to office, it is the duty of the elector- 

Akpan, activist, back 

citizens’ avowal 

Executive Director of 

COMPPART Foundation for Jusate," 

he said. 

Udom didn’t empower us 

to deliver projects — 

Councillors 

But some councillors, who responded 

to NDV inquiry, tried 

to exonerate themselves from 

blame, saying they were not empowered 

to carry out any grassroots 

project. 

One of them, who spoke on condition 

of anonymity, muttered: “I 

do not blame our people, who 

describe us as the worst set of 

councillors that Akwa Ibom has 

ever had. They are right in their 

observation. However, they do not 

understand that constituency 

projects that used to be handled 

by councillors are now being handled 

by the state government. 

"We had appealed to the governor 

to give us the projects to do 

and he promised to give us and 

now, we are going. Tell me if you 

want to contest for another thing 

what will you tell your people? 

What will they use to assess you 

and trust you to go and represent 

them? That was the challenge we 

faced, but when you tell people 

they do not believe you. 

"Governor Udom Emmanuel 

does not know that councillors exist 

in Akwa Ibom. It was only 

when he was looking for re-election 

that he remembered us. Also 

when Akpabio defected to the All 

Progressives Congress, APC, he 

came pleading with us not to defect. 

That was the time we believed 

that Governor Udom actually 

knows that we exist. While we 

agreed to support him, we did 

not know that we will be abandoned 

like this," he said. 

BAYELSA… 

THE JERUSALEM OF IJAW 

NATION 

YENAGOA- 

MORE than 

10 chiefs, ex-militant leaders, 

former army officers, development 

activists and peace campaigners are 

in the race for Coordinator, Presidential 

Amnesty Programme, PAP, but 

President Muhammadu Buhari has 

kept everybody guessing since 

February when he suspended the 

erstwhile Coordinator, Prof Charles 

Dokubo. 

List of aspirants 

All the contenders have launched 

rigorous promotions for the job, lobbying 

power brokers at Abuja over 

the past few months. 

Some are relying on some powerful 

Niger-Delta leaders, who they had 

approached to put in words for them, 

while others put their hopes on some 

powerful Ministers from the region 

pushing their interests. 

A number of them, who have participated 

in the Niger-Delta struggle 

as activists believe that they will 

get the appointment based on their 

pedigrees. 

Among them is a former Commissioner 

in Delta State and ex-IYC 

national president, Chief (Dr.) Chris 

Niger Delta Voice, TUESDAY, AUGUST 11, , 2020—27 

New youth exco installation 

sparks row in Delta nationality 

•Oshevire, UPU spokesman attacks Oyibode 

•Oyibode, TUC blast Oshevire, raise poser for 

Taiga 

DELTA... THE BIG 

HEART OF THE NATION 

U 

G H E L L I - 

DISAGREEMENT 

over inauguration of the executive 

of Ighelle R’ Urhobo, (Youth Wing) 

of Urhobo Progress Union, UPU, 

is threatening the harmony in 

Urhobo ethnic nationality, Delta 

State. 

Controversy broke out, recently, 

when the national publicity secretary, 

Urhobo Progress Union, 

UPU, Hon. Abel Oshevire, dismissed 

the election the recent inauguration 

of a new executive 

of Ighelle R' Urhobo (UPU youth 

wing) after an election facilitated 

by two regarded Urhobo front runners, 

Olorogun Westham Adehor 

and Olorogun Vincent Oyibode, 

who said UPU president-general, 

Chief Moses Taiga, gave them directive. 

Oshevire knocks 

Oyibode 

Oshevire in a statement, 

stated: “The executive of the erstwhile 

body known as UPU Youth 

Wing was dissolved on Friday, the 

6th of December 2019, and ceased 

to exist. In its place a new pan- 

UPU apex youth body, now known 

as Ukoko R’ Ighele R’Urhobo is established 

and its national officers 

have since been inaugurated by 

the president-general, UPU, 

Olorogun (Dr.) Moses 

Oghenerume Taiga, JP.” 

His words: “We wish to state categorically 

that the authentic leadership 

of Urhobo youths worldwide 

is led by Comrade Ovie Ebireri. We 

are here alerting the entire Urhobo 

nation, Delta state government, security 

agencies, corporate organizations 

and other stakeholders 

that we consider the rascality and 

purported inauguration of another 

youth body as unconstitutional, illegal, 

and an affront on the Urhobo 

nation, UPU, the president-general, 

Urhobo kings and all peaceloving 

Urhobo people worldwide.” 

“It is instructive to mention that 

this inauguration is a fallout of the 

open threat of a serving Commis- 

sioner in DESOPADEC, Hon. 

Vincent Oyibode, who has been 

fingered as brain behind this perfidy, 

to cause a breach of the peace 

in Urhoboland, when his attempt 

to force his favoured candidate on 

the UPU as president of the apex 

youth body failed.” 

Oyibode fires back 

Reacting to Oshevire statement, 

Oyibode, a Commissioner in the 

Delta State Oil Producing Areas 


DESOPADEC, and National Youth 

Leader of Pan Niger Delta Forum, 

PANDEF, in social media post, 

said: “The UPU president general, 

Chief Moses Taiga, contacted his 

Special Adviser on youths, Chief 

Westham Adehor and I to reach out 

to Urhobo youths for an election to 

replace the outgoing Executive 

Committee.” 

“We were painstakingly carrying 

out the task, but behold, before we 

knew what was happening, Hon 

Oshevire and other anti-Urhobo in 

their bedrooms compiled and 

swore-in five persons as executive 

at the dilapidated UPU Secretariat, 

Okere. 

“Chief Taiga was even absent at 

the kangaroo event. This undemocratic 

hand-picking of youths is 

against the UPU's constitution and 

it is capable of plunging the UPU 

deeper into the pact of disunity. 

“At this juncture, I want to appeal 

to patriotic Urhobo men and 

women to ask Chief Taiga if he did 

not ask Chief Adehor and myself to 

organize an acceptable election for 

the UPU youth group, “he said. 

Urhobo Professionals joins fray 

Also responding, president of 

The Urhobo Professionals, TUP, Mr 

Benson Umukoro, a body of technocrats 

and intellectuals, said: 

“How does Oyibode’s selfless conduct 

of a peaceful election for UPU 

youth wing as directed by the UPU 

president general amount to a betrayal 

of the Urhobo nation?” 

“ They failed to interrogate 

Olorogun Taiga why he relented on 

the mandate he gave to his Special 

Advisers on youths, Olorogun 

Westham Adehor and Olorogun 

Oyibode to conduct a free and fair 

election for the Ighelle R' Urhobo 

(UPU Youth Wing)," he stated. 

Intrigues as 10 chiefs, ex-army officers 

scramble for Amnesty programme coordinator 

Ekiyor, All Progressives Congress, 

APC, chieftain, philanthropist and 

prime minister of Tuomo Kingdom, 

Delta State, Chief Mike Loyibo and 

former member, Delta Waterways 

and Land Security Committee, Chief 

Dennis Otuaro. 

Three former militant leaders, 

Chief Ebikabowei Victor Ben, alias 

Boyloaf, Chief Reuben Wilson and 

Chief Selky Torughedi, alias Young 

Shall Grow, are also scrambling for 

the office. 

Also in the race are the National 

Coordinator of Centre for Peace and 

Environmental Justice, CEPEJ, 

Chief Sheriff Mulade and Personal 

Assistant to a high ranking principal 

officer of the Senate. 

Former Commander of the Army 

Headquarters Garrison, Major- 

General B.T Ndiomu (retd.) and 

another ex-military officer and former 

Chief of Staff to ex-PAP Coordinator, 

Brigadier Paul Boroh (retd.), Col. 

Dedis Abel are also involved in the 

battle. 

Clark, Dickson, IYC urge 

Buhari to hasten up 

Presently, a caretaker committee 

constituted by the National Security 

Adviser, General Mohammed 

Monguno, is superintending over 

the affairs of the programme designed 

for rehabilitation and reintegration of 

ex-militants from the Niger-Delta. 

South-South leader, Senator 

Edwin Clark, former governor of 

Bayelsa State, Hon. Seriake Dickson, 

newly elected executive of Ijaw Youth 

Council, IYC, led by Peter Igbifa, and 

others had called on him to appoint 

a coordinator to no avail. 

Former PAP coordinators 

The first Coordinator of PAP, now 

the Avwaeke I, Ovie r’Umiaghwa- 

Abraka Kingdom, HRM AVM 

Lucky Ararile is from Delta State. 

General Godwin Abe (retd.), who 

succeeded him is from Edo State 

while Chief Timi Alaibe that took over 

from him is from Bayelsa State and 

Hon. Kingsley Kuku that replaced 

him hails from Ondo State. General 

Paul Boroh, also from Bayelsa State 

succeeded Kuku, whereas Prof. 

Dokubo is from Rivers State. 

What Buhari should 

watch for? 

Some stakeholders contend that 

among the key states that enrolled 

ex-agitators for the programme, it is 

the turn of Delta State to produce 

the next coordinator of PAP and 

refocus the agency. 

However, there is proposition that 

President Buhari should look for an 

experienced administrator, who is 

creek-savvy, pragmatic and incorruptible, 

since sleaze has become 

an Achilles’ heel for occupiers of the 

office.

28 ---- Vanguard, TUESDAY, AUGUST 11, 2020 

COVID-19: I was on oxygen for 5 days 

— IVUOMA TOM, SURVIVOR 

By Chioma Obinna 

ON Sunday August 

8th, the total number 

of confirmed COVID-19 

cases in Nigeria hit 46,577 

with 945 deaths. Despite 

the increasing number of 

confirmed cases and 

fatalities, many Nigerians 

still percieve the pandemic 

as a scam. 

Recently, one of the unsung 

Heroes of COVID-19, 

Ivuoma Tom shared her 

heart -rendering story 

during a webinar, Good 

Health Weekly captured it. 

Excerpts: 

FOR Ivuoma Tom, a 

nurse in a private 

hospital in Lagos who was 

exposed to COVID-19, her 

experience is an eyeopener. 

Her ordeal began after 

her 14 days self-isolation. 

She began showing 

symptoms on the 16th 

day, even though medical 

experts say it takes an 

average of 5–6 days from 

infection with the virus for 

symptoms to show or a 

maximum of 14 days. 

COVID-19 affects 

different people in different 

ways. In Ivuoma’s case, the 

symptoms ranged from 

fever to palpitations. The 

virus attacked her lungs 

and heart seriously. 

Breathing 

problems 

“I couldn’t breathe. I was 

sneezing like someone 

who had asthma. I was 

evacuated on April 26th, 

2020 from my house to the 

isolation centre in Lekki 

area of Lagos. 

“My condition got worse 

because it took three days 

before I was picked up. It 

was the morning after I 

was admitted that I noticed 

that one of my friends and 

colleagues was also there. 

I told him I was not 

breathing well and did not 

know what would happen 

the next morning. 

“Luckily for me, he raised 

alarm, and the health 

workers were running 

helter-skelter, I shed tears. 

I was helpless.” 

At that point,Ivuoma’s 

oxygen level had gone 

down even as she 

continued to experienced 

difficulty in breathing and 

shortness of breath. 

“My oxygen level had 

gone down. The correct 

number should be 95/100 

but mine went down to 8. 

My pulse also dropped to 

49 instead of 100.” 

Help, however, came 

Ivuoma’s way when she 

was transferred from the 

Lekki Isolation centre to the 

Infectious Disease 

Hospital, IDH, isolation 

Centre, Yaba. 

Ivuoma Tom after recovery from COVID-19. 

“I was lucky that the 

medical personnel who 

came from IDH came along 

with oxygen. I stayed at the 

IDH centre for the 

remaining 16 days. I was 

on oxygen for five days,” 

she remarked. 

Treatment 

But her stay in the 

isolation centre was 

prolonged unlike what a 

few other survivors had 

claimed. 

Ivuoma had been told 

from the first day that she 

was taken to the isolation 

centre that she would be 

transferred to the Intensive 

Care Unit the momemn it 

was discovered that her 

condition had worsened. 

“That was when I knew 

that my case was really 

serious. I resolved to try 

By Chioma Obinna & 

Gabriel Olawale 

THE Lagos State 

Government has 

expressed dissatisfaction 

over the poor practise of 

exclusive breastfeeding 

and early initiation in the 

state even as it called for 

more support from key 

stakeholders. 

Making the assertion in 

Lagos during an event 

organised by Alive & 

Thrive in partnership with 

the Lagos State Ministry of 

Health , to mark this year’s 

World Breastfeeding Week, 

the State Nutrition Officer, 

Mrs Olubunmi Braheem, 

said though mothers 

practice breastfeeding, 

early initiation and 

exclusive breastfeeding still 

remain challenges. 

She added that in Lagos 

State, 99 per cent of 

children are breastfed, “but 

if you look at early 

initiation, it is still very 

poor”. 

my best to recover. I went 

online and read about 

breathing exercises and 

other areas. I read up a 

part where it was stated 

that people with breathing 

problems should not lie on 

their back but on their 

stomach. That was really 

my position throughout 

that period. The breathing 

exercise also helped me. 

“The treatment there was 

good. The environment 

was conducive. They fed us 

very well because they 

knew that COVID-19 

affects the immune system 

and their number one aim 

was to build up our 

immune system to fight the 

disease and treat other 

opportunistic infections 

along the line. 

“The nurses and 

doctors were okay. Apart 

from the first experience, 

I had in the first isolation 

centre (hotel) where they 

did not check me on time 

and put me on oxygen on 

time. At Yaba, it was a 

different story entirely. 

They fed us well. We were 

given water and an egg 

every day. The treatment 

was different. 

“We were treated based 

on our symptoms. Some 

were given anti-malarial 

drugs but I was not. I was 

only given antiretroviral 

drugs and a particular 

drug that opens the lungs 

that helped me to breathe. 

They gave us vitamin C. 

The treatment generally 

was perfect.” 

Emotional support 

Ivuoma praised the 

doctors noting that their 

attitude encouraged the 

patients. One particular 

nurse talked to us and 

prayed for us. We were like 

family.” 

Ivuoma kept her status 

away from her family. She 

said she could not tell he 

parents because they 

would not have withstood 

it. 

“Whenever the TV was 

switched on, one would 

keep hearing about the 

number of people that 

had died and I did not 

want them to panic. I told 

just a few people that I 

knew would support me.” 

Weeks later, Ivuoma was 

out of danger and 

discharged after testing 

negative. 

Post experience 

Experts worry over late initiation of exclusive breastfeeding in Lagos 

“In terms of exclusive 

breastfeeding, we are not 

yet there as only 51.8 per 

cent are exclusively 

breastfed. We are also not 

yet there as regard 

continuous breastfeeding 

for the next 24 months with 

a p p r o p r i a t e 

complementary feeding.” 

Braheem hinted that the 

responsibility of early 

initiation, exclusive 

breastfeeding and 

continued breastfeeding for 

the next 24 months is not 

the sole responsibilities of 

lactating mothers, “all the 

influencers need to take 

part, such as mother-inlaw, 

husband, guardian, 

health workers among 

others. 

“Lactating mothers’ 

needs to also be protected 

and this goes beyond what 

an individual can do. It is 

part of government 

responsibilities which 

includes giving maternity 

leave to mothers. In Lagos 

State, we give six months 

to mothers that give birth 

and two-week paternity 

leave to fathers to support 

mother that just give birth.” 

She urged corporate 

organisations that cannot 

give six months leave to 

make available 

breastfeeding rooms. 

“In Lagos we have 

breastfeeding rooms what 

we are working on 

presently are the crèches. 

We are encouraging the 

private organisation to 

encourage mothers to 

bring their babies to place 

of work and provide 

breastfeeding room for 

them.” 

Speaking on the 

relationship between 

breastfeeding and climate 

change, Nutrition 

Programme Officer, Lagos 

State Primary Health Care 

Board, Dr Adetoke 

Adekitan said nursing 

mothers need to embrace 

exclusive breastfeeding as 

against infant formula 

which poses a lot of 

negative impacts on 

climate. 

“For us to have a balance 

between breastfeeding 

and climate change, there 

has to be a sustainable 

production and 

consumption in which 

people don’t need to rely 

on breast milk substitute. 

“For instance, to raise 

cows you may have to cut 

down trees which can lead 

to deforestation and when 

that happens a lot of carbon 

dioxide is in the air. Cattle 

rearing can also cause the 

release of greenhouse 

gasses which has a 

negative impact on climate. 

“Production and 

packaging of this infant 

formula also create some 

negative climate impact 

because production 

requires energy and in a 

situation whereby fossil 

fuel is used, carbon dioxide 

is released to the air which 

can cause pollution. 

Some of the materials 

used in packaging end up 

Full of joy, Ivuoma like 

other survivors went on the 

social media to share her 

experience. 

“When I left the isolation 

centre I went on line and 

talked about my 

experience. The story went 

viral, but I was branded a 

marketer and accused of 

being paid. People were 

saying that it was a scam. 

“Some persons even 

accused me of formulating 

the story, but I was 

adamant and told them 

that I was only lucky to be 

alive. For the fact that 

people are not dying in the 

street does not mean there 

is no COVID-19 in 

Nigeria. 

“I have been trying to talk 

about it and I will continue 

to talk about it. My mother 

did not believe that there 

is COVID-19 in Nigeria 

but when I told her my story 

she bought a nose mask 

and started using hand 

sanitiser. My cousin did 

the same thing.” 

Worst 

moment 

“My worst moment was 

when I was told I was 

being taken to the isolation 

centre. I had this mindset 

that it was a sinister place 

but when I got there I saw 

something different and 

good. It was a therapeutic 

environment and 

everything was nice for me. 

“Also, I had a moment of 

depression especially 

while on oxygen. There 

was a particular day that 

the thought of death came 

to my mind. If I closed my 

eyes it seemed I was 

dying. 

“I called someone and 

shared my fears, but was 

reassured to fight on and 

come out of it. I fought and 

came out of it. It wasn’t 

really nice but thank God I 

came out alive.” 

on our landfill or sea which 

affect the climate and 

causes degradation of 

climate. But with breast 

milk, all it requires is for 

the mother to eat.” 

On her part, the State 

Team Lead of Alive and 

Thrive, Dr Uche Ralph- 

Opara called for more 

attention to the first 1,000 

days of life, saying that 

early initiation of 

breastfeeding was capable 

of addressing malnutrition. 

Uche hinted that a lot of 

money were being spent 

trying to prevent or treat 

malnutrition, “initiation of 

breastfeeding immediately 

after birth and exclusively 

breastfeed the baby for six 

months without water or 

herb, and after six months 

you introduced them to 

diverse diets will address 

issues of malnutrition. 

“So the question is why 

are we wasting a lot of 

resources on treating 

malnutrition when it can 

actually be prevented?"


LafargeHolcim, IBM partner to 

develop first digital materials for 

sustainable roads 

By Kingsley 

Adegboye 

L announces AFARGEHOLCIM 

it will work 

with IBM Services to further 

develop the first digital 

platform for road design 

optimization, ORIS. The 

solution can reduce road 

project costs by up to one-third 

and carbon emissions by up to 

half while tripling road 

durability and usage lifespans. 

ORIS allows decisionmakers, 

road infrastructure 

authorities and project 

investors to improve road 

construction and 

sustainability and reduce 

inefficiencies through smart 

project design. This is 

especially timely as 

governments design stimulus 

packages to revive economic 

activity post COVID-19 while 

also responding to the impact 

of climate change. 

An average of 700,000 

kilometres (435,000 miles) of 

new roads are being built 

globally every year. Improving 

road quality and resilience will 

help reduce the massive 

amount of carbon emissions 

attributed to transportation. 

Because roads vary depending 

on location, climate, vehicle 

types and traffic volumes, it is 

a complex challenge to define 

the most sustainable and costeffective 

mix of building 

materials and technologies 

early in the design phase. ORIS 

assesses road pavement 

designs from different 

perspectives and recommends 

efficient construction and 

maintenance patterns with 

local materials availability 

and capabilities. ORIS is 

supporting public policies that 

conserve natural resources, 

enabling a more local and 

circular economy in road 

construction. 

“We are accelerating the 

digitalization of our solutions 

for sustainable and highperformance 

construction,” 

said Marcel Cobuz, Region 

Head of Europe, Member of 

the Executive Committee with 

responsibility for innovation at 

LafargeHolcim on a global 

level. “With global solutions 

like ORIS, we are committed 

to leading the way in lowcarbon 

and circular 

construction as well as 

responsible natural resource 

consumption for roads and 

beyond. We have already 

entered into pilots with 

different partners such as road 

authorities, international 

financing institutions and 

engineering firms to use ORIS 

in both developed and 

emerging markets.” 

LafargeHolcim will 

leverage IBM’s portfolio of 

digital platforms, hybrid 

clouds, digital design services, 

as well as IBM’s expertise in 

machine learning, artificial 

intelligence, industrial 

Internet-of-Things and data 

analytics to enhance even 

further its materials 

knowledge in cement and 

ready-mix concrete products, 

as well as its solutions and 

products, including precast 

concrete, asphalt, mortar and 

building solutions. 

“Data-driven solutions and 

digital technologies have the 

potential to transform road 

construction towards more 

sustainable, circular, lowcarbon, 

low-resource and costefficient 

techniques. ORIS is 

instrumental 

in 

recommending appropriate 

and tailored approaches to 

road-building, thus 

minimizing costs, 

environmental impacts and 

project delays,” says Hervé 

Rolland, Vice President, 

Industrial solutions, IBM 

Europe. “IBM Services help 

businesses establish the right 

industry-relevant platforms 

that support rapid digitization, 

standardization and 

simplification, as well as 

vertically integrating both 

industrial and business 

operations.” 

Real estate firm gets creative 

industry's nod for street naming 

By Princewill 

Ekwujuru 

HAVEN HOMES, a 

renowned Lagos-based 

real estate development 

company, has been applauded 

for supporting the creative 

industry with adoption and 

street naming of some notable 

celebrities whose success in the 

industry has provided them the 

means to join the company’s 

exclusive list of home buyers. 

The most recent is 

Oluwatobiloba Daniel 

Anidugbe, popularly known as 

Kizz Daniel, a 26 year-old hiphop 

artist who took to his 

Instagram Page to celebrate 

this achievement. Kizz Daniel, 

is a renowned singer and 

songwriter best known for his 

singles “Woju”, “Yeba” and 

many others. 

In the last few months Haven 

Homes has anchored her 

support in the area of 

celebrating Nigerian creative 

legends including artistes such 

as Innocent Idibia, better 

known as 2Baba, Banky W 

and Falz who have received 

street naming honours after 

them in Richmond Gate 

Estate, Lekki, one of Haven 

Homes’ high profile estates. 

The real estate firm has 

equally honoured Ayo Makun 

(AY), a comedian, and Tiwa 

Savage, a global music diva. 

These are among the many 

stars that have streets named 

after them in the highbrow 

estate that has since earned the 

name ‘Nigeria’s Beverley Hills’ 

due to the concentration of A- 

List celebrities living there. 

The residential seaside 

haven offers fine contemporary 

architecture and interiors with 

the best community of living, 

24-hour electricity, top notch 

security, impressive 

recreational facilities and 

other enviable lifestyle 

offerings. 

Elated Daniel, lauded the 

real estate company for not just 

providing luxury houses, but 

supporting the growth and 

development of individual 

practitioners and the industry 

entirely. 

He added, “owing a street in 

the estate is not as ordinary as 

it could be but a true reflection 

of Haven Homes values.” 

In a statement, the General 

Manager, Mrs. Ufuoma 

Ilesanmi said: “We know that 

our homes presently share 

many similar values with the 

creative industry considering 

the fact that our architecture 

is an epitome of uniqueness 

and creativity. We have 

therefore, chosen to recognize 

our artistes who have excelled 

beyond the country’s borders 

and are having great influence 

across the globe.” 

Architects’ regulation body seeks govt’s patronage 

A RCHITECTS’ 

REGISTRATION 

Council of Nigeria ARCON, 

has called on Nigerian 

government to patronise 

registered Nigerian architects, 

saying they possess the skills to 

deliver quality services that will 

boost the nation’s environment. 

ARCON president, Arc. (Sir) 

Oladipupo Ajayi, said a 

situation where some 

government officials still prefer 

and patronise their foreign 

counterparts, was not healthy 

for the development of the 

profession, the construction 

industry and the economy. 

Ajayi made this appeal last 

week during the ARCON’s first 

virtual induction ceremony, 

which led to the licensing of 

newly registered architects and 

architectural firms. 

The president, who noted 

that, times were changing, also 

urged Nigerian architects to 

think outside the box and create 

wealth, adding that, many 

emerging opportunities 

abound within the architecture 

profession. 

He said gone were the days 

when they were used to going 

the conventional way, stressing 

that Nigerian architects must 

be innovative and creative to 

deliver designs that meet the 

need of the moment. 

According to him, architects 

who are leaders in the 

construction family, must 

evolve new ways of doing things, 

embrace technology in their 

day-to-day life and create 

wealth. 

“Notwithstanding the biting 

effects of coronavirus, 

architects have greater 

opportunities to prove our 

leadership role by embracing 

innovating designs that both 

meet the need of your client and 

such that can be sustainable in 

the nearest future”, Ajayi said. 

ARCON boss who charged 

Nigerian architects to explore 

urbanism, said many Nigerian 

cities are crying for 

regeneration. 

Hear him, “The Council 

would like to draw your 

attention to urbanism, which 

has been scholarly defined as 

the study of low population of 

urban areas such as towns and 

cities and its interaction with 

the built environment. 

“The Nigerian architect has 

been trained to handle this kind 

of schemes. The benefits of 

urbanism are multifarious but 

suffice it to say that it enhances 

the quality of life, makes 

available better places to live, 

work and play in, higher and 

more stable property values. 

From left—Immediate Past President of the Chartered Insurance Institute of 

Nigeria, CIIN, Mr Eddie Efekoha; President, Sir, Muftau Oyegunle and wife, 

Lady Elizabeth Oyegunle; Past President and Administerer of Oath, Venerable 

Ladipo Ajayi at the Investiture ceremony of Oyegunle as the 50th President. 

Recapitalisation: Low returns scare 

investors away from insurance sector 

By Rosemary 

Onuoha 

INVESTORS are scared of 

investing in the insurance 

sector due to the consistent low 

returns on investment by some 

operators in spite of the 

opportunities offered by the 

recapitalisation exercise for 

new investors to buy into 

insurance companies 

Disclosing this while 

speaking to Vanguard, Ada 

Ufomadu, Senior Financial 

Institutions Analyst at Agusto 

& Co, said that the inability of 

some insurers to create value 

on their investments is a 

reflection of their lack of 

investment skills. 

Ufomadu said that these set 

of players must learn and 

display the skill to channel their 

resources into sound 

investment outlets and show 

improved performance if they 

wish to scale the September 

2021 recapitalisation deadline. 

Ufomadu said: “The 

insurance industry over the 

years has been destroying value 

of investment, and that is why 

investors are not interested in 

the sector. However, the reason 

for the low returns on their 

investments is the lack of skill. 

“They are not investing in the 

right assets. Some of them have 

long term assets for instance in 

real estate investment. They 

have investments in bare lands 

and the lands are just there 

sitting in their books and they 

are not doing anything with 

these investments. They keep 

revaluing them and getting 

revaluation amounts that 

cannot be actualized. You tell 

me that this land is worth N1 

billion and if I go to the market 

and say I want to sell this land 

for N1 billion, people will say it 

is N500 million that they will 

pay. So sadly, insurance 

companies are not sweating 

those assets to give returns. So, 

we see a huge portfolio of real 

estate investments that are not 

yielding much. 

“Another problem is their 

investment in equities. They 

invested in stocks of companies 

when there was a boom in the 

capital market. After the burst 

happened, most of them didn’t 

check out of the exposure, they 

just stayed there assuming that 

things will go back up. So, 

stocks that were bought at N50 

have gone down to 20kobo and 

they are still in their books and 

they are not doing anything 

about it. So, the value has been 

lost and that is another 

investment that has gone bad. 

So, the allocation of their 

investments is a problem. They 

need to decide where they can 

get the highest yield and get out 

of low yielding position and 

invest in. So, going forward, 

they need to be strategic in their 

allocation of assets.” 

While stating that huge 

claims payment need not affect 

profitability as claims payment 

by some insurance companies 

have been on the increase in 

recent times, Ufomadu noted 

that insurers can still record 

profits if they make good 

investment. 

She said: “Although claims 

payment has improved in the 

recent time, insurance 

companies can still be 

profitable when they pay claims 

if they do well on the investment 

management aspect.” 

Ufomadu stated that 

investors are also wary of the 

sector because the industry is 

not open, stating: “The 

insurance industry is like a 

black box because they don’t 

do ratings. They don’t want to 

open up their books because 

there is a lot that is hidden. 

She said: “Some companies 

have been acquired by foreign 

players. However, one thing we 

hear them say is ‘the figures we 

saw when we were about to 

come in were completely 

different from what we saw 

when we finally got in. Before 

we got in, you told us that you 

were owing claims of about N5 

million. Then we came in and 

discovered that there are 

outstanding claims of N500 

million and that doesn’t show 

on the books. But the people 

who need their claims are 

coming to the company and 

asking for their claims.’ 

“That is why rating is good 

for these companies because 

when a company is rated, it 

opens up its books and gets 

independent opinion about its 

operations so investors know 

better about the company.” 

Insurance sector can be 

successful despite Covid-19 

—Oyegunle 

THE NEW President of the 

Chartered Insurance 

Institute of Nigeria, CIIN, Mr. 

Muftau Oyegunle has said that 

despite the ravaging effects of 

the Covid-19 pandemic, the 

insurance industry can achieve 

greater successes if 

professionalism and ethics is 

reinforced in reaction to the 

new order. 

Oyegunle stated this on the 

occasion of his Investiture as 

the 50th President and 

Chairman of Council of the 

CIIN in Lagos last week. 

While stating that he has 

come at a time the industry 

needs to change its strategies 

to the new normal, Oyegunle 

said; “Our reactions to these 

disruptions will determine our 

position today and in the future. 

These disruptions are here and 

it has come with new 

challenges that call for the 

reinforcement of our 

professional calling. 

“Current development in the 

world call for our collaborative 

efforts to reinforce 

professionalism. The Nigerian 

economy in general and the 

insurance industry is not 

immune from the vagaries of 

the social and economic 

disruptions caused by the 

pandemic. The resultant harsh 

business environment has 

become a threat which we must 

collectively confront for 

survival.” 

According to him, the theme 

and focus of his tenure will be 

‘Reinforcing Professionalism 

and Ethics in the new order,’ and 

the choice of the theme is borne 

out of the need to establish a 

rolling plan which will 

guarantee that even in the face 

of current global uncertainties, 

the Institute will continue to 

meet the needs of members. 

He said: “Against this 

background, we are going to 

explore the potentials of this 

approach by focusing on a sixpoint 

agenda. Digital 

transformation of the Institute; 

reinforcement of the relevance 

of professionalism; reenergizing 

the Institute’s 

administrative structure; 

insurance awareness and 

youth mentorship initiatives; 

infrastructural development; as 

well as advocacy and 

collaboration with various 

associations in the private 

sector.” 

Oyegunle stated that the 

current developments in the 

world at large and in Nigeria 

in particular call for 

collaboration to reposition the 

profession and the industry.


The German EU Council Presidency – COVID-19 

and the need for a stronger EU-Africa partnership 

By BIRGITT ORY 

THE COVID-19 pandemic has shifted 

political priorities around the globe. All 

of a sudden, people around the world face a 

global health emergency with deep economic 

and social ripple effects. For the government 

of Germany the recovery from COVID-19 has 

become a political priority both at home and 

abroad. 

In Nigeria, Germany works closely with 

government agencies and engages with local 

communities at the same time. In this 

endeavour, the German Embassy Abuja 

recently initiated a project focused on 

providing free face masks and hand washing 

stations to local communities in Nigeria. This 

project was officially launched in two 

communities in the FCT on August 3. 

Masks have been sourced sustainably from 

fabric off-cut and produced by female tailors 

from disadvantaged groups, improving 

communal health and creating local income 

opportunities. The materials carry the logo of 

the current EU Presidency, which Germany 

assumed on July 1 for the next six months. Our 

message: the recovery from COVID-19 is our 

joint responsibility. 

That rings true for Europe’s engagement with 

Nigeria and Africa at large. For the year of 

2020, Europe and Africa have set themselves 

an ambitious agenda for an ever stronger EU- 

Africa Partnership. The new President of the 

European Commission, Ms. Ursula von der 

Leyen, made her 

first official visit 

outside the EU to 

Addis Ababa 

underlining the 

EU’s strong 

commitment to 

advance the 

partnership. 

Europe and Africa 

For Europe’s 

partnership with 

Africa, the present 

crisis has 

reinforced our 

determination for 

closer cooperation 

are united by a 

shared understanding of an effective 

multilateralism and a rules-based 

international order, where the global 

challenges of our time are addressed 

collectively: peace and security, climate 

change, sustainable growth, digitisation and 

migration – to name but a few. 

When COVID-19 struck at the beginning of 

this year, it revealed in drastic ways how 

interconnected we all are. While the rapid 

spread of the pandemic has impacted all of us, 

it has not affected us in similar ways. It has hit 

Africa particularly hard, causing severe 

economic, social and humanitarian damage. 

For Europe’s partnership with Africa, the 

present crisis has reinforced our determination 

for closer cooperation, guided by a sense of 

shared responsibility and solidarity. In a joint 

Financial Times op-ed, Chancellor Angela 

Merkel and other African and European 

leaders have stated firmly: “Only a global 

victory that fully includes Africa can bring this 

pandemic to an end.” As Germany has 

assumed the Presidency of the Council of the 

•Distribution 

of face 

masks and 

reusable bag 

bearing the 

logo of the 

German EU 

presidency 

European Union, Africa is at the heart of the 

EU’s global response to COVID-19, echoing 

the United Nations’ call to ‘build back better’. 

As ‘Team Europe’, we stand with our 

neighbour continent to respond to the 

immediate priorities of African states, societies 

and people in need in this crisis. In making a 

strong commitment to ‘Team Europe’, 

Germany has taken extensive steps in the fight 

against COVID-19, for example, by helping to 

build resilient health systems and mitigate the 

economic and social impact for people in 

Africa. Amongst other bi- and multilateral 

commitments: 

• Germany backs the World Health 

Organisation, WHO, in its coordinating role 

in the fight against COVID-19 by increasing 

its annual commitment for 2020 to over •500 

million (incl. •250 million for the WHO’s 

Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan), 

making it the largest donor; 

• We are expanding our cooperation with 

the African Union’s Africa Centre for Disease 

Control and Prevention, CDC, in order to 

advance diagnostics and disseminate 

information; 

• We support the European Commission’s 

Coronavirus Global Response initiative and 

the WHO-initiated global ACT platform to 

develop and ensure an equitable access to 

COVID-19 vaccines, tests and treatments. 

Germany’s commitments amount to a total of 

•908 million which includes •230 million for 

CEPI and an additional •100 million for Gavi, 

the Vaccine Alliance; 

• Within the G7 and the G20, we have 

strongly advocated for a moratorium on debt 

payments for least developed countries and 

secured additional credit lines through World 

Bank and the IMF. 

• Moreover, the German Federal 

Government, already the world’s second 

largest bilateral humanitarian donor, is 

providing •450 million in additional 

humanitarian assistance to ensure food 

security, water supply and sanitation for the 

most vulnerable groups, including refugees 

and displaced persons in conflict regions, and 

to keep the humanitarian logistical system up 

and running. 

Without collective action, solidarity and 

empathy, it will be impossible to tackle this 

global challenge. If we uphold these values in 

our joint effort against COVID-19, we can 

apply them to many other pressing global 

challenges we are facing together. The 

upcoming AU-EU Summit is a milestone for 

jointly developing a broad and ambitious 

political agenda that will deepen our strategic 

cooperation in the long term. 

During its term as Council Presidency, 

Germany will lend its full support to an everstronger 

EU-Africa partnership aimed at 

building a shared and brighter future for our 

peoples. 

•Ory, who is German Ambassador to 

Nigeria and ECOWAS, wrote from Abuja 

TRIBUTE 

Adelusi-Adeluyi @ 80: The giver’s hand is on top 

By LOUIS ODION 

NOT until playwright Sophocles sired 

character Oedipus in his definitive Greek 

play was human imagination tempted to 

consider the fact of pre-ordained parricide. 

Pushed by forces beyond his control, the heir of 

ancient Thebes ended up felling his own 

patriarch in the chilling fulfillment of a grim 

prophecy. Several centuries later, a psychiatric 

clarity was brought to that ancient puzzle by 

Sigmund Freud as Oedipal Complex, to 

explain the maze of complexities and 

complications in the emotional tie between son 

and the father in the family context. According 

to the 19th century pioneer of mental health in 

the landmark quest to illuminate the dark 

recesses of the human mind, the tension that 

begins to build just as the toddler becomes 

aware of self, if mismanaged, often prepares 

the grounds for possible estrangement from the 

father later in life. 

But in no way could that fatalist - if not esoteric 

- characterisation by the acclaimed father of 

psychoanalysis be said to apply to the bond 

those of us who consider ourselves the proud 

children, share with the one we affectionately 

call “Daddy” - the very consequential Pa Julius 

Adelusi-Adeluyi. Doubtless, pharmacy taught 

him the ancient secrets of medicine. But in 

choosing instead to engage the Nigerian public 

at a much deeper level in the last half a century, 

Pa Adelusi-Adeluyi has amply demonstrated 

that the duty of care to society is much more 

than administering injection or dispensing 

medication. He is obviously one of Nigeria’s 

surviving doyens of medicine and arguably her 

most iconic pharmacist in the past five decades. 

In transcending science to make a bigger 

career of the art of inspiring the wary, raising 

the weak, comforting the traumatised and 

reconciling the estranged, Pa Adelusi-Adeluyi 

has certainly touched a far greater number 

across various disciplines and continents more 

intimately than the possible reach of the ethersmelling 

lab of medical research and solutions. 

Biological 

affiliation 

There can be no better show of an acute 

understanding of the sixth of the “Seven Deadly 

Social Sins” Mahatma Gandhi famously 

remonstrated against - “science without 

humanity”. As the Ekiti prince now joins the 

restricted club of octogenarians (born on August 

2), little wonder, therefore, that those whose lives 

have been impacted positively by him feel 

compelled to blow some trumpet, even though 

the man would have preferred to mark the 

moment in meditative tranquility. 

Note, in our society, when the appellation of 

“Daddy” is invoked outside biological 

affiliation, it is often an emotional submission 

to the authority of another and emplacing such 

individual on a higher social pedestal. It is 

undoubtedly the highest form of cultural 

veneration. Of course, it presupposes a hand 

that provides daily-bread and direction, a voice 

which resonates for compassion and solidarity. 

Were a survey to be conducted today, far more 

are surely those who fondly address the Ekiti 

prince as “Daddy” than his biological brood. 

Few, if any, would indeed rival Pa Adelusi- 

Adeluyi in contemporary Nigeria in terms of 

the turnover of mentees in various sectors. His 

own exertion is certainly on industrial scale. 

So, unlike the Freudian kid who eyes the 

father with malicious envy, our calling the Ekiti 

patriarch “Daddy” is by far a gesture of 

affection - a worship and appreciation of not 

just his ever cheerful and accommodating airs, 

but much more of an instinctive mentoring 

spirit. His enigma lies not only in the generosity 

in donating time to mentor, but also the 

humility to befriend those who, by all accounts, 

are his distant juniors and inferiors. 

Again, there is something compelling and 

enthralling about the aristocratic carriage of 

the man under public spotlights, resplendent 

with a badge of “Iyi” (Yoruba for honour) earned 

undoubtedly from a life-long commitment to 

countless charity causes, garnished with the 

epaulets of “Lakaaye” (Yoruba for wisdom) 

gleaned from rich experience. To say nothing 

about his sartorial impeccability - the 

trademark all-white ensemble, rimless glasses 

and a dimpled smile. More, not many have his 

remarkable gift of a flawless command of eight 

international languages. 

Through him, we learnt the great power in 

little things. Being visible without being voluble. 

Accessible without being cheap. That there is a 

•Prince Adelusi-Adeluyi @ 80 

stark distinction between being in the service 

of society and indulging in the vanity of a 

socialite. It is possible to be sociable without 

being vain. Let me illustrate the latter point 

by declassifying a secret. Long before the 

disruption of COVID-19, some conspirators 

had begun to hold nocturnal meetings, 

plotting a coup in form of an elaborate 

commemoration ahead of time. Among them 

was my friend and brother, Azubuike 

Ishiekwene. I was conscripted at some point. 

We had agreed among ourselves to keep 

everything discreet, hoping to make it a big 

surprise to our common benefactor. 

But even before an action plan could 

crystallise at the drawing-board came a 

freezing order from the man himself. Till now, 

what remains a puzzle to some of us is how 

the secret leaked to him. Perhaps, maybe it 

was by sheer intuition. The seasoned hunter is 

probably able to foretell a mischief even in 

the seemingly impregnable forest by simply 

reading the lips of its denizens. 

Considering how COVID-19 would later 

unravel this year with all its forbidding 

protocols, Pa Adelusi-Adeluyi’s earlier 

restraining order would then appear 

clairvoyant indeed. It was as if the old man 

saw the pandemic ahead of all of us. The 

shrewd elder, it would seem, derives his own 

fortification from the sixth sense more than 

anything. Even then, his objection to our 

proposal was lovingly expressed. To him, any 

form of revelry would be utterly meaningless 

at a time of great distress in the land, again 

Through 

him, we 

learnt the 

great 

power in 

little things 

confirming an abiding 

understanding of the third 

social sin Mahatma Gandhi 

talked about - “pleasure 

without conscience”. 

Otherwise, why feast when 

increasing number of our 

compatriots are unsure of 

their next meal? Why make 

merry and dance wildly in the shimmering 

marquee when at several locations across the 

country, millions are huddled in makeshift 

tents, daily tortured by the anguish over 

homelessness inflicted by relentless Boko 

Haram terror and cruel banditry. 

Rather, he would wish a tranquil atmosphere 

for deep national introspection and true 

healing. We listened and understood his 

concern. Everything considered, yours 

sincerely will surely be counted among the 

legion of his mentees. In the media industry 

alone, the list is endless. Since the torrent of 

tributes began a week ago in celebration of 

his 80th birthday, media heavyweights like 

Sam Omatseye, Dr. Reuben Abati, Segun 

Adeniyi, Azu (Azubuike Ishiekwene), Femi 

Adesina, Simon Kolawole have individually 

given touching testimonies. 

Indeed, these renditions have celebrated his 

many trophies and laurels in multiple fields 

of human endeavour. But it will require tomes 

and tomes to document his positive impact 

on the lives of so many. I have known him for 

close to two decades. Within that period, I 

often depended on his wise counsel for 

direction at defining moments in my career. 

When offered to be Sunday Editor of start-up 

Sun newspaper in 2002, he didn’t hesitate in 

encouraging me to take the risk of giving up 

the certainty of being Deputy Editor of daily 

Thisday. His golden words: “Never become 

content in your comfort zone. Fortune awaits 

the brave and the daring.” 

Five years later, he would again encourage 

me to resign as editor of the Sunday 

newspaper that had become the highest selling 

within the Sun group to start National Life 

newspapers because “There’s nothing for you 

to prove there anymore”. 

Continues online .www.vanguardngr.com 

•Odion, FNGE, a media executive, wrote 

from Lagos

Vanguard, TUESDAY, AUGUST 11, 2020 — 31


By Olasunkanmi 

Akoni 

LAGOS—THE Lagos 

State Government, 

through the state Waste 

Management Authority, 

LAWMA, at the weekend, 

arrested at least 12 cart 

pushers and impounded over 

50 carts in Somolu, Bariga 

area over illegal operation 

and degradation of the 

environment. 

The authority had last week 

commenced a Special 

Operation, 

tagged: "Operation get rid 

of cart pushers" in Lagos. 

Speaking to newsmen at the 

Ogudu area office in Kosofe 

Local Government Area, after 

the operation, the Acting 

Managing Director, MD, 

LAWMA, Mr. Ibrahim 

Odumboni, who led the 

Environmental Enforcement 

Team, EMT during the 

operation, stressed that the 

exercise was part of measures 

to rid the state of filth and 

indiscriminate refuse dump. 

The enforcement team 

stormed areas of the axis such 

as: Orita Fogo Bariga, Ode- 

Remo, Bariga, Anifoshe, 

Somolu, among others. 

Odumboni added that it 

became expedient to clear the 

operators from the streets 

following disturbing growing 



Illegal waste dump: Lagos declares zero tolerance 

on cart pushers, arrests 13 • Impounds over 50 carts 

trend of environmental 

degradation in some parts of 

the state which was 

occasioned by the activities of 

the cart pushers in a bid to 

return sanity to the affected 

We accept your resignation, Jesse Central 

chiefs tell Ojariefe 

By Paul Olayemi 

JESSE—OVER 22 chiefs of 

the Jesse Central, a 

subclan in Idjerhe, Ethiope 

West local government area 

of Delta State has hit out at 

Chief Solomon Ojariefe, who 

resigned as the Unugbrogodo 

of the subclan last week 

Wednesday, only to make a u- 

turn barely 24 hours, that he 

still remains the kingdom 

high Chief. 

On Wednesday,(August 5th, 

2020) Chief Ojariefe flanked 

by two Unugbrogodos of their 

subclan, had announced they 

were putting on hold the 

inauguration of a 13 man 

committee selected to screen 

aspirants for the vacant 

Idjerhe Kingship stool, after 9 

Chiefs refused to turn up for 

the event and Chief Ojariefe 

had announced he was 

resigning as the 

Unugbrogodo of the Jesse 

subclan, only to turn up, and 

recant that he was still in the 

position barely 24 hours later. 

areas. 

According to him, "While 

LAWMA resolved that its no 

longer business as usual, it has 

stepped up efforts to make 

The Ethiope West local 

government chairman, Hon 

Solomon Golley had 

mandated the three high 

Chiefs to select a 13 man 

community to screen the 

Kingship aspirants. 

However, some chiefs from 

Jesse Central subclan told 

Ojariefe, they had accepted 

his resignation claim, that he 

was no more the 

Unugbrogodo of Jesse 

Isoko North PDP pledges unity, transparency 

By Ochuko Akuopha 

OZORO—LEADERS of 

the Peoples Democratic 

Party, PDP, in Isoko North 

Local Government Area, 

Delta State, have reiterated 

their resolve to ensure the 

party remains a transparent 

and united virile political 

family committed to the 

progress and development of 

the people. 

They also congratulated the 

Chairman of the party in the 

Lagos cleaner and livable for 

all, by introducing novel waste 

management programs in the 

state, as well as supporting 

PSP operators to discharge 

their primary duties 

Central, insisting, they were 

upholding his first statement 

of resignation, 

"He can't eat his cake and 

have it, we have accepted his 

resignation as the 

Unugbrogodo of the subclan, 

we didn't force him, our new 

leader is now Chief 

Emmanuel Umukoro, our 

Unuewvoro" former Deputy 

Commissioner of Police,(retd) 

Chief Stephen Ikewun who 

spoke on behalf of other chiefs 

in the subclan, said. 

State, Olorogun Kingsley 

Esiso and all members of the 

newly elected and 

inaugurated State Executive 

Committee of the party. 

This was contained in a 

statement issued at the end of 

a meeting which had the 

member representing Isoko 

Federal Constituency, Hon 

Leo Ogor; Majority Leader 

Delta State House of 

Assembly, Hon Tim 

Owhefere; Director General 

Warri Uvwie and Environs 

Ikpeazu flags off new Abia 

traditional rulers’ council 

By Ugochukwu 

Alaribe 

UMUAHIA—ABIA State 

Governor, Dr. Okezie 

Ikpeazu has inaugurated the 

new Abia State Council of 

Traditional Rulers with Eze 

Ndubuisi Nwabeke of 

Eziama Ntigha autonomous 

community, Isiala Ngwa 

North Council, as the 

Chairman; while Eze Kalu 

Ogbu, Enachioken IV of 

Abiriba, in Ohafia council, 

will serve as 1st Deputy 

Chairman. 

Other members of the 

Council include: Eze Harry 

Ugwuala, Ugwu 1 of Isiala 

Isiugwu Autonomous 

Community, Ugwunagbo 

council and Eze Godfrey 

Onwuka of Umutowe 

Olokoro Autonomous 

Community, Umuahia South 

Development Agency, 

WUEDA, Chief Ovuozourie 

Macaulay and Chairman of 

Isoko North Local 

Government Area, Mr. 

Emmanuel Egbabor in 

attendance. 

Also in attendance, 

according to the statement, 

were the State Commissioner 

for Transport, Hon Oviemuno 

Oghoore; DESOPADEC 

Commissioner, Dr Paul 

Oweh; Special Adviser to the 

Governor on Rural and 

Community Development, 

council, as the 2nd and 3rd 

Deputy Chairmen, 

respectively. 

The council has 92 other 

monarchs across the 17 

council areas in the state. 

Speaking at the occasion in 

Umuahia, Governor Ikpeazu 

charged the traditional rulers 

to ensure that peace and order 

reign in their communities, 

study the policies of the 

administration and align with 

it to enable their various 

communities benefit and 

participate in the 

programmes of the 

government. 

The governor described the 

traditional institution as the 

4th tier of government owing 

to its responsibility to 

interpret, execute and 

implement government's 

policies at the grassroots 

level. 

Rt. Hon. Emmanuel Okoro; 

former Commissioner for 

Lands and Survey, Pharm. 

Patrick Ferife amongst others. 

The statement endorsed by 

the party's Chairman in the 

council area, Prince Godwin 

Ogorugba, said the party 

leaders in the 13 Wards of 

Isoko North, met and and 

resolved “That the PDP Isoko 

North remains an indivisible, 

united, and virile political 

family committed to the 

progress and development of 

the people.


34—Vanguard, TUESDAY, AUGUST 11, 2020 

editor@yahoo.com 

June 12 as democracy day 

NIGERIANS still believe that the 

motive behind President Buhari’s 

declaration of June 12 as democracy 

day and awarding MKO Abiola the 

highest national honour of GCFR was 

in a bid to get Yoruba votes during the 

2019 general elections. 

President Buhari should make the 

gesture credible by releasing the results 

of the annulled election, declare MKO 

Abiola winner, if he won and formally 

recognise him as a former president with 

all entitlements, not just a GCFR. After 

all, Chief Obafemi Awolowo got a GCFR 

without being a president. 

Ola Amupitan 07030331832 

Democracy and MKO Abiola 

MKO Abiola was a philanthrophist 

and a business mogul, but please did 

Abiola die solely because of Nigerian 

democracy or mainly because he 

wanted his mandate at the presidential 

polls of June12,1993? 

Mike 08063897516 

APC and Edo 2020 governorship 

election : APC has not learnt a 

lesson 

The All Progressives Congress 

appears not to have learnt any lesson 

from the 2019 governorship election in 

Rivers and Zamfara states, given the 

way it has handled the crisis in Edo 

State APC! If care is not taken, the party 

will suffer the same fate as last year. 

The National Working Committee, 

NWC of the party cannot resolve the 

issues because its former National 

Chairman, Comrade Adams 

Oshiomhole has become an interested 

party by factionalising Edo State APC. 

I call on Mr. President to intervene 

before it become too late. 

Barr Ayo Olalere 2348060782216 

2020 budget and N37 billion 

for renovation of NASS 

With this present pandemic, the 

National Assembly should have 

embraced projects that are meaningful 

to Nigerians. As a patriotic legislature, 

the N37 billion for the renovation of the 

NASS structures should have been 

stepped down for other projects that 

will benefit Nigerians. 

How come the allocation to health 

sector at this crucial period of the 

pandemic remained so meagre 

compared to some not too urgent or 

precarious sectors. Hope the allocation 

of N37 billion for renovation of the 

National Assembly is not a reward for 

legislative rubber stamping of Federal 

Government’s borrowing plans and 

loans approval. 

Clem 08153089490 

Gov Masari should use the fight 

against COVID-19 to eradicate 

almajirai and beggars 

Almost 85 per cent of almajirai have 

been sent back to their parents and 

guardians in their respective destinations 

inorder to contain the spread of COVID- 

19, but Governor Masari should please 

sign an executive order criminalising 

street begging in Katsina State. This is a 

golden opportunity, therefore, we should 

utilise it and take Kano and Kaduna 

states as a case study. 

Usman Hassan, Katsina State 

2348131822223 

Insurgency and call for sack of 

service chiefs 

The call for the sack of our services 

chiefs no doubt suggests a failure on the 

part of those in charge, but why are 

service chiefs the only ones to go? What 

about our Minister of Defence? And why 

is no one calling for the sack of our 

National Security Adviser? 

The service chiefs report to the Chief 

of Defence staff, so all of them 

contributed to our dilemma. It is only an 

officer who is proven to be underperforming 

that should be asked to quit 

while those who have done well should 

be commended and retained. 

Romanus Ndehigwo, 08024209181 

Killings in Kaduna State 

What is happening in Kaduna, 

especially the loss of lives is worrisome 

and very sad! Armed robbery, banditry 

for ransom are becoming rampant in some 

parts of Birnin Gwari and Chikun local 

government areas of the state. 

The governor should do more to protect 

the lives of people. It is unfortunate that 

security agents in Kaduna have been 

unable to arrest criminals and resolve the 

crises. 

Lawal Muhammad Hayin 08080796365 

Boko Haram activities and 

Nigerian soldiers 

It is regrettable that Boko Haram 

fighters are still killing Nigerian soldiers 

for fun despite the claim by the Federal 

Government that they have been 

defeated or perhaps seriously degraded. 

The recent killings of some of our gallant 

soldiers and the complete overrun of their 

military bases by the Boko Haram sect 

have really proved that we are not 

winning this war at all! 

President Buhari must sit up and source 

for the right military hardware for our 

soldiers to enable them withstand the 

seeming superior firepower of the Boko 

Haram. Empty propaganda cannot 

defeat the Boko Haram, this idea of 

allowing the sect to sack our military 

bases all the time and carting away our 

scarce military equipment and weapons 

should be stopped if we really want to 

win the war against Boko Haram! 

Mr. President should seek external 

assistance now that it is becoming clearer 

by the day that Boko Haram is still very 

much active. 

Bazakey 2348114219960 

SAYINGS OF OUR ELDERS 

Challenges are what makes life interesting, overcoming 

them is what makes life meaningful 

From Onyeka Ruth 

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

proverbs. Biblical or English proverbs are unacceptable. Address 

your sayings to: wwwsimade@yahoo.co.uk

Naira rises N385.5/$ in 

I&E window 

By Elizabeth Adegbesan 

THE Naira yesterday appreciated to N385.50 per 

dollar in the Investors and Exporters (I&E) 

window. 

Data from FMDQ showed that the indicative 

exchange rate for the window dropped to N385.50 per 

dollar yesterday from N386 per dollar last week Friday, 

translating to 50 kobo appreciation of the Naira. 

The volume of dollars (turnover) traded in the window 

dropped by 96 percent to $3.97 million from $92.22 

million last week Friday. 

However, the Naira yesterday was stable at N473 

per dollar in the parallel market. 

vanguardnews @vanguardnews @vanguardnews 



Continues from Page 5 

adequately equip both the 

military and Police with 

heavy hardware to be able 

to defeat the insurgents. 

Briefing State House 

correspondents at the end 

of the meeting with the 

President, Chairman of the 

North-East Governors 

Forum and governor of 

Borno State, Prof. 

Babagana Zulum, who was 

flanked by his Adamawa 

State counterpart, Governor 

Ahmadu Fintri, said one of 

the root causes of 

insurgency was access to 

farm lands, adding that 

people of the zone need to 

go back to their farmlands. 

He said displaced people 

should be resettled in their 

original homes, so they 

could restart their means of 

livelihood and go about 

their normal duties. 

“Arising from the North- 

East Governors Forum 

meeting held in 

Maiduguri on Saturday, 

we met the President, with 

a view to highlighting the 

key challenges in the 

region, especially issues of 

security, decaying 

infrastructure, especially 

projects, issues of oil 

exploration in the region, 

issues of enhancing river 

basin development in the 

region, among others. That 

is the main reason we met 

Mr. President,” Governor 

Zulum said. 

Asked what they 

discussed on insecurity, he 

said: “The governments of 

the region have 

commended the efforts of 

the Federal Government in 

securing the region. 

However, we told Mr. 

President that there is need 

for the Nigerian 

government to address the 

root causes of insurgency, 

which are not limited to the 

endemic poverty, hunger, 

among others. 

“One of the root causes is 

that of access to farm lands. 

People need to go back to 

their farmlands, people 

need to be resettled in their 

original homes so that they 

can start their means of 

livelihood. This is one of the 

reasons the insurgents are 

recruiting more into the 

sect. 

“Therefore, creating 

enabling environment for 

the population to go about 

their normal duties will no 

doubt reduce cases of 

insurgency. We also 

recommended that police 

should be empowered, to be 

provided with certain stateof-the-art 

equipment, 

armoured personnel 

carriers and so on, with a 

view to bridging the 

manpower gap that we are 

having in the Nigerian 

military.” 

On his recent altercation 

with the military, which had 

suggested that he was 

ungrateful as well as his 

suspicion that there was a 

deliberate attempt to 

prolong the insurgency, 

Governor Zulum called for 

co-operation among all tiers 

of government to end the 

menace. 

‘Need for 

synergy’ 

He said: “We have had 

series of consultations after 

the attack and I think 

security is not only about 

federal government, there 

is need for the federal as 

well as states and local 

governments to come 

together to provide 

solutions that will end this 

crisis in the region. 

“But most importantly, 

there is war economy in the 

region and I think that is 

why we are here. So I think 

the government is taking a 

bold step to ensure speedy 

resolution of some of the 

grey areas that we have in 

the region.” 

Buhari reassures 

on security 

Earlier in his opening 

remarks, President Buhari 

gave strong assurances that 

security will be restored to 

Borno State, the North-East 

and the nation at large, 

following the recent 

adoption of new strategies, 

and the acquisition of 

modern military 

equipment. 

A statement issued by the 

Senior Special Assistant to 

the President on Media and 

Publicity, Mallam Garba 

Shehu, quoted the 

President as saying: 

“Things will improve very 

soon. We are acquiring 

modern equipment; some 

are here, some are being 

cleared, and others still 

coming. 

“We need patience with 

acquisition of equipment. 

You need to train the 

trainers for their usage, 

ahead of their deployment 

to the field. 

“I have listened to your 

presentation, I assure you, 

the North East governors, 

especially that of Borno, that 

we go to bed and wake up 

thinking about you, how to 

secure our country, that is 

the responsibility of every 

government. 

“Our party campaigned 

in 2015 on three major 

objectives, among which is 

security. We said the same 

thing in 2019 and Nigerians 

believed us. We are doing 

our best and we will 

continue to do even better.” 

Secretary to Government 

of the Federation, SGF, Boss 

Mustapha, the Chief of 

Staff, Professor Ibrahim 

Gambari, National Security 

Adviser, NSA, Major- 

General Babagana 

Monguno, retd, and all 

service chiefs who spoke in 

support of the President, 

assured that things would 

get better soon. 

“They made a strong case 

for strengthening ties 

among the military, state 

governments, traditional 

institutions and all 

communities and the 

residents of the region,’’ 

Garba Shehu said. 

The Chief of Army Staff, 

Lt. General Tukur Buratai, 

gave an assessment of the 

current efforts, stressing 

that Boko Haram terrorists 

had been flushed out of all 

the states in the region, 

leaving Borno State as the 

last stop. 

B-Haram 

flushed out 

except in Borno 

— Buratai 

Buratai said: “There are 

no Boko Haram terrorists in 

neighbouring states. They 

have been pushed out, and 

now cornered in Borno 

State. We are coordinating 

with civil and traditional 

authorities, mobilizing and 

reinforcing and all we need 

is patience. We will not 

relent.” 

On his part, Chief of Air 

Staff, Air Marshal Sadique 

Abubakar briefed the 

meeting on the acquisition 

of military aircraft, stressing 

that the imminent arrival of 

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, 

UAVs, known as drones 

with more than 10 hours of 

flying time, will strongly 

reinforce the battle front. 

Briefs were also received 

on equipment needs of the 

Police as well as the 

changing alliances between 

criminal gangs and terrorist 

groups in the region from 


NEWS HOTLINES 

018773962, 

08052867058 

Exit class students of Ideal International School, Narayi, Kaduna, yesterday, 

at the school premises after schools re-opened following a 5-month lock-down 

on account of the COVID 19 pandemic. Photo: Olu Ajayi. 

the intelligence community. 

Op Safe Haven 

nabs 8 suspects 

Similarly, the Special Task 

Force, Operation Safe 

Haven, OPSH, 

maintaining peace in 

Plateau and part of 


Bauchi states, has arrested 

eight suspects in 

connection with the recent 

killings in Southern 

Kaduna. 

They include Abubakar 

Ali, Ali Amadu, Bawa Idi, 

Umar Dikko, Garba 

Damon, Mohammed 

Ibrahim, Adamu Joseph 

and William Barnabas. 

Parading the suspects 

before journalists yesterday 

in Kafanchan, commander 

of the task force, Maj-Gen 

Chukwuemeka Okonkwo 

said the arrest is part of the 

outfit’s efforts to curtail the 

killings. 

Represented by Col. 

David Nwakonobi, 

Commander, Sector 7 of the 

operation, Okonkwo, said 

six of the suspects were 

arrested on August 5 in Lere 

Local Government Area of 

Kaduna State. 

According to him, the 

other two were arrested at 

Chawai, a village on the 

fringes of Kauru and 

Zangon-Kataf Local 

Government Areas. 

He explained that the 

arrest was based on credible 

intelligence reports made 

available to the operation. 

“In a bid to curb the recent 

attacks and isolated killings 

in southern Kaduna, our 

troops have continued to 

intensify efforts aimed at 

curtailing the menace and 

ensuring peace in the 

general area. 

“On August 5, our troops, 

acting on credible 

intelligence, apprehended 

six suspected militias at 

Lere. One locally fabricated 

pump action gun, two 

locally made pistols, one 

9mm ammunition, four 

machetes and two 

motorcycles were found in 

their possession. 

“In a related development 

our troops in conjunction 

with members of vigilante 

group, apprehended two 

suspects at Chawai, a 

village between Kauru and 

Zango Kataf. 

“One locally-made pump 

action gun, three 

cartridges, two mobile 

phones and a dagger were 

recovered from them,” he 

said. 

The commander said the 

suspects had been profiled 

and preliminary 

investigation conducted, 

adding that they would be 

handed over to Police for 

further investigation and 

prosecution, noting that 

one of the militias who was 

involved in the recent 

attacks in the area was 

killed, Okonkwo said: “His 

dead body was discovered 

at Kibori village during 

rescue operation by our 

troops. 

“We also have information 

on the identity of some of 

the hoodlums that carried 

out the last attack; we are 

on their trail and by the 

grace of God, we will soon 

get them.” 

He urged residents of the 

affected areas to be calm, 

law abiding and support the 

military in their bid to 

restore lasting peace to 


environs. 

Gunmen abduct 

teenage girl in 

Katsina 

Meanwhile, gunmen on 

Sunday evening caused 

pandemonium in Kurfi, 

Katsina State, when they shot 

resident and abducted a 

teenage girl. 

The incident, which 

occurred at about 9.30pm on 

Sunday, caused residents, 

passers-by and motorists to 

flee in confusion. 

An eyewitness told 

Vanguard that the armed 

men, who disguised as 

residents, began shooting 

sporadically after mingling 

with the residents. 

The source said the prompt 

deployment of team of 

Operation Puff Adder from 

neighboring Dutsin-ma 

averted what could have led 

to abduction or loss of several 

lives and destruction of 

property to the unfortunate 

attack. 

The bandits were said to 

launched the attack from the 

mountains surrounding Kurfi 

Local Government 

Headquarters, shooting a 30- 

year-old man, identified as 

Ibrahim Yar’Garshe, and 

kidnapped one Khadijat 

Mutaka, 13, before escaping 

into the mountains and shrubs. 

Confirming the incident, 

Katsina State police 

command spokesman, 

Gambo Isah, said security 

teams, including Operations 

Puff Adder and Saharan Dani, 

were on the trails of the 

suspected bandits to rescue the 

abducted girl. 

He disclosed that the male 

victim was rushed to the 

hospital for treatment, adding 

that normalcy had since been 

restored in the town. 

School owner 

shot dead in 

Taraba 

Similarly, gunmen 

suspected to be bandits 

Sunday shot dead a school 

proprietor at Dan-Anacha 

community, a suburb of 

Gassol Local Government 

Area of Taraba State. 

It was learned that the 

victim, Danlami Shamaki, 

was returning from a meeting 

in Abuja when he ran into 

ambushed alongside his 

driver and aide. 

He was the proprietor of 

New Edition Nursery and 

primary school as well as 

Winners Comprehensive 

High School in Jalingo, the 

state capital. 

A family source said when 

the victims got to Dan- 

Anacha, the hoodlums used a 

water truck to block the road, 

which forced the proprietor’s 

driver to maneuver past it. 


deceased, however, ordered 

his driver to stop in order to 

show sympathy to owner of the 

water truck. 

Vanguard gathered that 

when they stopped to check if 

the truck pusher was hurt, the 

hoodlums opened fire, 

targeting the proprietor only. 

The remains of the 

proprietor have been 

deposited at the morgue of the 

Federal Medical Centre, 

Jalingo. 

When contacted, the Police 

Public Relations Officer, 

David Misal, said the incident 

has not been reported to his 

desk, adding, however, that all 

hands would be on deck to fish 

out the perpetrators.


Nkwocha: 

Super Falcons 

job too complex 

for me 

Former Super Falcons top 

striker, Perpetua Nkwocha 

has ruled herself out of the 

national women team job, saying 

the job is too complex. 

The Super Falcons remain 

without a coach, following the 

resignation of Swede Thomas 

Dennerby. The Nigeria Football 

Federation has received more than 

a dozen applications including 

those of former Nigerian women 

internationals for the job. 

Nkwocha who was an assistant to 

coach Florence Omagbemi when 

the team won the 2018 African 

Women Cup of Nations in 

Cameroon urged the NFF that 

seem not to be in a hurry to fill the 

vacant position, to hire a 

competent coach with a long term 

deal. 

“Coaching national teams is 

different from coaching club sides. 

Managing national teams is more 

complex and requires greater 

experience. 

“I’m currently coaching a club 

side in Sweden and not ready to 

handle a national team for now”, 

the ex-international told BCOS 

sports. 

Nkwocha 

Tyson, Jones Jr 

eight-round 

exhibition bout 

postponed 

The eight-round exhibition 

bout between legendary 

heavyweight boxer Mike 

Tyson and Roy Jones Jr has 

been postponed. ‘Iron Mike’ 

was set to end his 15-year 

retirement from the sport on 

September 12. The 54-yearold 

will now have to wait a 

little longer to get back in the 

ring after it was announced 

his fight against Jones Jr. has 

been pushed back until 

November 28. 

According to sources who 

spoke to The Ring the highly 

anticipated bout will still go 

ahead at a crowdless Dignity 

Health Park in Carson, 

California. The fight will be 

broadcast on pay-per-view 

and via social media app 

Triller who will also produce 

a 10-part docu-series ahead 

of the event. 

Tyson and Roy 

R/Madrid move for Dybala in 

sensational player-plus-cash 

deal worth £90m 

Real Madrid are set to table a 

sensational £90million 

player-plus-cash deal for 

Juventus superstar Paulo Dybala, 

according to reports. 

After the LaLiga giants’ early 

Champions League exit at the 

hands of Manchester City, 

Florentino Perez has set his sights 

on securing Dybala and believes 

INTER MIAMI have finally 

snapped up their first big 

star signing with Blaise 

Matuidi set for a medical in 

Paris. 

David Beckham’s MLS side 

appear to have acquired the 

midfielder on a free transfer, 

as Juventus look to lighten 

their wage bill. 

According to Fabrizio 

Romano, a deal between the 

two clubs was reached 

allowing Matuidi to undergo 

a medical in the French 

capital. 

Juve have been heavily hit 

following the coronavirus 

crisis with Aaron Ramsey and 

Gonzalo Higuain also facing 

uncertain futures. 

World Cup winner 

Matuidi,33, was one of three 

Dybala 

he would be an integral part in 

helping the club lift the coveted 

trophy again. 

It has even been suggested that 

Real would be willing to include 

either Toni Kroos or Isco to bump 

up the overall value of the 

package. 

Juventus are believed to be keen 

to keep hold of Dybala, however, 

Inter Miami snap up Matuidi 

Barcelona’s first-team 

squad were given a day 

off yesterday, yet there was 

no rest for Lionel Messi as 

he turned up at their Joan 

Gamper training complex to 

meet with club doctors. 

The Argentine spent around 

an hour and a half at the 

complex, meeting with 

medical staff to check his 

ankle after suffering a blow 

in a challenge from Kalidou 

Koulibaly on Saturday 

night in the win 

over Napoli. 

Although he received 

treatment on this knock, 

there is no concern 

at Barcelona and Messi will 

be fine to play 

against Bayern Munich in 

Matuidi 

Juventus stars to be hit by 

the deadly bug during the 

pandemic. 

He tested positive for Covid- 

19, alongside Daniele Rugani 

and Paulo Dybala, and 

thankfully made a full 

No rest for Messi as he turns 

up on day off 

the Champions League 

quarter-finals on Friday 

night. 

The first-team squad are due 

back at training today at 

09:30 CEST, before they’re 

expected to fly to Lisbon first 

thing on Thursday morning. 

Messi 

Eberechi Eze eyes 

Arsenal move 

following their own continental 

heartbreak. 

The club are about to embark on 

a period of transition after Turin 

legend Andrea Pirlo replaced 

Maurizio Sarri - and are hopeful 

of retaining their key assets for the 

new man at the helm. 

But the uncertainty surrounding 

the future of talisman Cristiano 

Ronaldo may force Juventus’ 

hand. 

The 35-year-old was clearly 

disappointed by his team’s 

knockout to Lyon, and speculation 

has mounted over a potential 

switch to Paris Saint-Germain. 

The Italian title holders would 

never offload Dybala in the event 

Ronaldo was to leave this summer. 

No fans for 

Bundesliga 

matches, German 

health ministries 

rule 

The health ministers of 

Germany’s federal and state 

governments have agreed to 

extend a ban for spectators in 

stadiums at Bundesliga soccer 

matches until at least the end of 

October due to the coronavirus 

pandemic. 

The Bundesliga season 

restarted in mid-May after a 

suspension of more than two 

months, becoming the first 

European league to resume 

under strict rules to contain the 

spread of the coronavirus. 

MANCHESTER 

CITY 

legend David Silva has 

posted a farewell goodbye to the 

Etihad after he played his final 

game at the ground on Friday 

night. 

The 34-year-old - who will leave 

the club later this month - played 

nine minutes in the 2-1 win 

against Real Madrid to keep his 

Champions League dream alive. 

But even though he still may 

feature for City again this season 

with Pep Guardiola’s men to face 

Lyon on Saturday, he will not 

feature again at the Etihad. 

That is because the remaining 

Champions League fixtures will 

all take place in Lisbon with the 

quarter-finals and semi-finals a 

one-legged affair. 

Eberechi Eze’s ‘dream move’ 

would be a switch to Arsenal 

this summer, according to 

reports. 

Thee QPR youngster is one the 

hottest prospects to emerge from 

the Championship this season 

and could be set for a move to the 

Premier League in the coming 

weeks. 

Sky Sports claim Eze will only 

be allowed to leave the club if a 

£20m bid comes in. 

And if it was down to the 22- 

year-old attacking midfielder 

himself his ‘dream’ would be to 

play for Arsenal - the team he 

grew up supporting and spent 

time at their youth set up. 

“It started at Arsenal. I was 13 

[when I was released]. That was 

the worst one,” he said in 

January. 

“I remember crying in my room 

for a solid week, my mum telling 

me that it’s going to be OK but 

not being able to get over it. 

“Then I went to Fulham and I 

was finally starting to enjoy my 

football again. We played 

Arsenal a few months later but, 

when I went over to shake the 

academy manager’s hand, I 

started welling up. All the 

Nesiama, Aduba 

set to restore 

National Stadium 

glory days 

World Athletics licensed 

technical official, retired 

Navy Commodore Omatseye 

Nesiama and Sports Ministry’s 

permanent secretary, Gabriel 

Aduda have been appointed cochairmen 

of a committee tasked 

with the restoration of the 

National Stadium Lagos. 

The Ministerial Committee will 

implement the recommendations 

of the Task Force earlier set up 

June 9 2020. It was inaugurated 

by the Sports Minister Sunday 

Dare yesterday in Abuja. The 

Committee membership drawn 

from the Sports Ministry, Private 

Sector, Stakeholders and the 

Security services has eight 

weeks to get the job done. 

Speaking on behalf of the 

Committee, Commodore 

Nesiama who is also former 

Athletics Federation of Nigeria 

technical director, assured the 

Minister and Nigerians that the 

committee will work assiduously 

to deliver on the terms of 

reference handed down by the 

grace of God. 

Other members of the committee 

include Engr O Okedairo, Engr 

A.A Alanamu, Lucky Okonofua, 

Arc Biodun Owoborode, Bar 

Ernest Ezebilo, Mr Kehinde 

Owopetu, Mr Bode Durotoye, Mr 

Rotomi Alo, Mr Idris 

Olorunnibe, Representatives 

from the DSS, NPF and NSCDC. 

Silva bids City goodbye! 

The European Cup has alluded 

Silva in his ten years spent at the 

club after arriving from Valencia 

in 2010. 

After helping his team-mates 

earn a 4-2 aggregate win against 

Los Blancos, Silva took to social 

media, where he posted a 

picture of himself standing 

inside City’s stadium looking out 

at the pitch and the stands. 

Silva - who has won four 

Premier League titles and two 

FA Cups with the Citizens - is 

reportedly set to join Lazio on a 

free transfer. 

It has been claimed that the 

Spanish playmaker has been 

offered £52,000-a-week by the 

Rome outfit, as well as a private 

jet and a luxury pad.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, AUGUST 11, 2020 — 37

38— Vanguard, TUESDAY, AUGUST 11, 2020


Vanguard, TUESDAY, AUGUST 11, 2020 

QUICK CROSSWORD 

TODAY’S CROSSWORD 

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTION 

TODAY’S PUZZLE 

Sudoku 

YESTERDAY’S ANSWER 

Across 

1 Unwary (anag) (6) 

4 Queen Victoria’s husband (6) 

8 Call upon (5) 

9 Concert performance (7) 

10 Pakistan’s largest city (7) 

11 Fatuous (5) 

12 Colourful beetles (9) 

17 Divine messenger (5) 

19 Recuperate (7) 

21 Pop the question (7) 

22 Greek holiday island (5) 

23 A score (6) 

24 Lanced (anag) (6) 

Down 

1 Retract (6) 

2 Nasal aperture (7) 

3 Garret (5) 

5 More fortunate (7) 

6 Minor actor in crowd scenes (5) 

7 Bank employee (6) 

9 Pay back (9) 

13 Apportion (4,3) 

14 Cut off (7) 

15 Floor covering (6) 

16 Game bird (6) 

18 Terrestrial sphere (5) 

20 Bedtime drink (5) 

How to Play Sudoku 

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

two of the same number). 

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

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

(nine blocks) contains number from 1 through 9. This means 

that no number can appear twice in any block, column or row. 

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

multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination. 

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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 

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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.

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