08012021 - COVID-19: Nigeria now at tipping point — FG

13 

9 

FG 

OHANAEZE ELECTION: ENDSARS PROTESTS: 

suspends Okwukwu, Ozobu It’ll take long to 

new risk contempt of rebuild destroyed 

electricity court —OHAKIM property in Lagos, 

•Enemies of Igbo’re 

tariff hike 

13 

11 

at work – INC says Sanwo-Olu 

19 

‘2021'll see tight monetary policy, bearish markets’ 

ATTACK ON US CAPITOL: 

Lawmakers 

mount 

pressure for 

Trump's 

removal 33 

•Pelosi 

VOL. 27: NO. 64245 FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, 2021 

COVID-19: Nigeria now at 

tipping point — FG 

5 

•Moves to establish oxygen plant in states•Says Nigerians wishing to travel out presenting 

fake test results •We need to remain alive before vaccines come — MAMORA •2 more UNILAG 

dons in ICU •NUC okays re-opening of universities on Jan 18 •NAPST begs FG not to close 

schools beyond Jan18 

NATIONAL COMMISSION FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES... 

We’re doing 

our best to 

support 

displaced 

2 million 

Nigerians 

—FG 

Smuggling: 

Nigeria 

begins joint 

9 

border patrol 

with Benin, 

Niger 

4 

Mr & Mrs 

President Muhammadu Buhari, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajiya Sadiya 

Umar Farouq; Chairman of Kpanpando, Senator Osita Izunaso; Chief of Staff to the President, Prof Ibrahim Gambari, SGF, Mr 

Boss Mustapha; Chairman NCPD Dr Hussaini S. Kangiwa and others, during a meeting of National Commission for Persons with 

Disabilities held at the Council Chambers, State House Abuja, yesterday. State House photo. 

Buhari’s 2021 budget 

for Education worst in 

10 years —NANS 10 

Court stops Ganduje 

from cutting Kano 

Judiciary workers pay 

OWEI 16 Conversation with AZU 17 

21 

•SEE 

INSIDE

2— Vanguard, FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, 2021

C 

M 

Y 

K 

Vanguard, FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, 2021 — 3

4 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, 2021 

:Vanguard News 

IPPIS wonder: I was paid 

N4,000 as monthly salary 

—ASUP chairman 

By Adesina Wahab 

L A G O S — 

CONTROVERSIAL 

payment system 

introduced by the Federal 

Government, the 

Integrated Personnel and 

Payroll Information System, 

IPPIS, may lead to the 

disruption of academic 

activities in the nation’s 

polytechnics, as the 

Academic Staff Union of 

Polytechnics, ASUP, has 

cried out over the lapses 

inherent in the system and 

has threatened industrial 

action. 

Speaking in a chat in 

Lagos, yesterday the Yaba 

College of Technology, 

Yabatech Chapter 

Chairman, Mr Remi 

Ajiboye, said salaries of 

members were being cut 

indiscriminately, citing an 

instance in which he was 

paid N4, 000 as monthly 

salary. 

Ajiboye is a Senior 

Lecturer whose salary 

should be over N300,000 

monthly. 

This came as many 

Insecurity: Defence minister 

declares 2021 as year to end 

Boko Haram insurgency 

By Kingsley 

Omonobi 

A BUJA—MINISTER 

of Defence, Maj Gen 

Bashir Magashi (retd) has 

directed troops at various 

locations fighting security 

challenges to embark on a 

more aggressive kinetic 

action against the criminal 

elements threatening 

national peace and security. 

The minister gave the 

charge when the Chadian 

Ambassador to Nigeria, 

Abakar Chachaimi visited 

him in Abuja. 

General Magashi told the 

Chadian Ambassador that 

now was the time and year 

for aggressive and collective 

resolve by the two countries 

to stop cross border crimes 

fueling the activities of Boko 

Haram Terrorists and 

ISWAP. 

“It is time for a more 

federal workers are 

complaining about the 

irregularity in the payment 

of their salaries 

A Vice Chancellor in a 

federal university in the 

North was reportedly paid 

N72,000 as monthly salary 

at a point in time. 

The IPPIS became a 

compulsory means of 

receiving salaries for 

federal workers in 

February, 2020. 

Ajiboye added that his 

members were also being 

owed 10 months’ new 

minimum wage arrears 

and despite the promise 

to clear the arrears by July 

last year, nothing was done. 

“We are in support of our 

Council of National 

Officers, who have been 

battling for months to get 

many of the issues 

redressed. Actually, we can 

say that the government is 

killing us gradually with 

this IPPIS of a thing. 

Deductions for cooperative 

societies are not remitted. 

Even our union dues are 

not remitted regularly. Now, 

nobody can say this is what 

he or she earns in a month." 

Indicted officers have been retired, 

redeployed—Petroleum Ministry 

ABUJA—THE Ministry 

of Petroleum Resources 

has said that officers 

indicted in the 2015 Auditor- 

General for the Federation 

on the ministry have since 

been retired or redeployed 

out of the ministry, in the 

line with the practice in the 

civil service. 

Reacting to media report 

of allegations of corruption 

in the ministry, Special 

Assistant to the Minister, 

Garba Muhammed, in a 

statement in Abuja, said: 

“The attention of the 

Ministry of Petroleum 

Resources has been drawn 

to numerous publications, 

which have appeared in 

several newspapers since 

December 11, 2020, and 

have also been trending on 

the social media. 

“Since these publications 

relate to issues that predated 

the current leadership of the 

Ministry of Petroleum, we 

initially did not react. But it 

has become obvious that 

some people are 

determined to misinform the 

public on this matter; 

despite the clarification 

made by the ministry, 

which was published 

“The general public 

should note that while it is 

true that the Auditor- 

General raised audit 

observations on infractions 

committed by the Ministry 

of Petroleum Resources, 

these infractions are related 

to the 2015 accounts of the 

Ministry of Petroleum 

Resources. It should further 

be noted that these 

infractions appeared in the 

2015 report of the Auditor- 

General for the Federation 

which is presently under 

consideration by the Public 

Accounts Committee, PAC, 

of the Senate." 

decisive and aggressive 

effort in ending insurgency 

and terrorism. It is through 

effective synergy, strategy 

and sincerity of purpose 

among the four- member 

nations of the Lake Chad 

Basin Commission that the 

asymmetric war against the 

insurgents can be 

concluded this year.” 

The Minister appreciated 

the fact that the Operational 

Headquarters of the 

Multinational Joint Task 

Force, MNJTF, headed by 

Maj General I. Yusuf is in 

Njamena but called on the 

troops contributing nations 

to show more commitment 

to neutralise the insurgents. 

He assured the Chadian 

Ambassador that President 

Muhammadu Buhari was 

committed to empowering 

the troops to be on top of their 

firing powers to decisively 

deal with the insurgents 

and their cohorts. 

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

NIMC locks applicants out over staff 

strike 

By Emmanuel 

Elebeke 

STAFF of the National 

Identity Management 

Commission, NIMC, 

nationwide, have 

embarked on a strike action 

over COVID-19 scare and 

poor working condition. 

The strike led to the 

locking out of thousands of 

applicants out of the 

various enrolment centres 

across the country. 

A strike notice by 

President of the Association 

of Senior Civil Servants of 

Nigeria, NIMC branch, 

Lucky Michael, and the 

Secretary, Odia Victor, said 

the action was consequent 

upon the just concluded 

congress of the association 

that took place on January 

6, 2020, where the unit 

executive directed all 

members of grade level 12 

and below in the head office 

and state offices to report to 

their respective duty posts 

on January 7, 2020 and do 

nothing. 

The notice also directed 

all members at the local 

government offices and 

special centres to stay away 

from their various centres 

as task force and 

implementation 

committees would be on 

parade to ensure total 

compliance with the 

directive. 

Recall that the Federal 

Government through 

Nigerian Communications 

Commission, NCC, had 

last month asked all 

telecoms firms to disconnect 

the SIM cards of persons 

who fail to integrate their 

National Identity Numbers 

with their phone lines by 

the end of January. 

ACCSN at the congress 

insisted that the strike 

became imperative due to 

the exposure of staff to 

Covid-19 risks, lack of 

personal protective 

equipment, irregularities in 

promotion and poor 

funding. 

The striking workers, in 

the statement, said “Staff 

members were infected 

with Covid-19 and 

adequate measures have 

not been taken to curtail the 

spread. The meeting 

resolved that safety of staff 

should be prioritised. 

Furthermore, the Office 

FG released N46.4bn to extended 

Special Public Works Programme 

beneficiaries —Keyamo 

E FFURUN—THE 

Federal Government, 

yesterday, disclosed that 

it had released N46.4 

billion for the payment of 

stipends to beneficiaries of 

its Extended Special 

Public Works programme, 

ESPW, for three months. 

Minister of State for 

Labour, Festus Keyamo, 

SAN, during the launch 

of the implementation of 

the ESPW at the 

Petroleum Training 

Institute, PTI, Conference 

Centre, Effurun in Uvwie 

Local government area of 

Delta State, said the 

payment would 

commence by the end of 

January. 

He said that Nigerians 

who were already engaged 

would receive a stipend of 

N20,000 per month and a 

Smuggling: Nigeria’s security officials begin joint 

border patrol with Benin, Niger 

Emma Ujah, Abuja 

Bureau Chief 

NIGERIA’S 

border 

security officials 

under the Operation Swift 

Response (OSR) have 

commenced a joint patrol t 

with their counterparts from 

the Republics of Benin and 

Niger. 

The Nigeria Customs 

Service, NCS, said that 

OSR has transformed into 

Nigeria’s Joint Border 

Patrol Team, JBPT, in a 

renewed effort to combat 

transnational crimes on the 

borders of the three 

countries. 

A statement by the NCS 

spokesman, Mr Joseph 

Attah, DC, yesterday, “In 

a renewed effort to combat 

smuggling, irregular 

migration and other 

transitional organised 

crimes along the nation’s 

border coupled with the 

gradual reopening of the 

borders, OSR which was 

launched in August 2019 

and coordinated by the 

Office of the National 

Security Adviser, ONSA, 

has transformed into 

Nigeria’s Joint Border 

Patrol Team as part of a 

Tripartite Operation, 

comprising Benin, Niger 

and Nigeria.” 

The Nigeria Customs also 

clarified that despite the reopening 

of the borders for 

commercial activities, 

“items such as parboiled 

rice, frozen chicken, illicit 

drugs, among others 

remain prohibited.” 

NCS said that a year and 

four months into the 

operation, the smuggling 

of illicit drugs and 

proliferation of small arms 

and light weapons used to 

exacerbate Violent 

Extremism and Terrorism in 

some parts of the country 

had been significantly 

curbed. 

“This is in addition to the 

quantum of seizures of 

prohibited items and 

numbers of arrested 

irregular migrants as the 

operation progresses. 

“As at January 5, 2021, 

1,401 irregular migrants 

had been arrested while the 

total seizures were; 

159,506.7-(50kg) bags of 

parboiled foreign rice; 

10,447 bags of NPK 

fertilizer used for making 

explosives; 1,974 

Vehicles; 895motorcycles; 

18,690.3 jerricans of 

vegetable oil, among other 

seized items. The total 

monetary value of the 

apprehended items is 

about N 12.538billion.” 

Customs said that the 

priority of the patrol team 

remained security of the 

nation by stopping any 

item that could compromise 

the nation’s interests. 

VISIT—From 

left: Controller- 

General of the 

Federal Fire 

Service, FFS, 

Liman Ibrahim; 

Gov. Abubakar 

Bagudu of Kebbi 

State; Deputy 

Controller- 

General, FFS, 

Quintus Azugu, 

and 

Commissioner 

for Works, Kebbi 

State, Abubakar 

Ladan, during 

the arrival of the 

Controller- 

General, on a 

working visit to 

Kebbi State, 

Wednesday. 

Environment should be 

fumigated immediately. 

“The congress agreed that 

the NIMC staff salary 

structure approved by the 

Federal Government vide 

Presidential assent be 

implemented in the 

personnel appropriation of 

the 2021 annual budget 

effective January 2021. 

“That the lopsided and 

irregular promotion done in 

2017 and 2020 be reviewed, 

regularised and gazetted in 

accordance with public 

service rules.” 

Efforts to reach the NIMC 

management for its reaction 

failed at press time. 

total of N60,000 for three 

months. 

“For your information, the 

president has graciously 

released to us N46.4 billion 

for the payment of stipends. 

And we are ready to pay the 

stipend. For Delta State 

alone, the sum of N1.59 

billion has been released. 

This money will inflate the 

economy at the grassroots 

level. 

“For the avoidance of 

doubt, the programme is 

not designed for the 

clearing of grasses and 

digging of gutters or 

drainage system, but for the 

provision of diverse 

services tailored for the 

maintenance of public 

infrastructure among 

others. 

“It is equally important to 

state that another 

underlying objective of this 

programme is to cushion 

the negative effect of 

Covid-19 pandemic,” he 

said. 

He commended 

President Muhammadu 

Buhari for giving him 100 

per cent support in the 

actualization of the 

programme. 

Keyamo noted that it was 

the first time in the history 

of the country that 1,000 

persons were targeted at 

the council levels for 

engagement. 

The minister charged all 

participants to ensure that 

they apply themselves 

“diligently to the tasks”, 

stressing that the project 

implementation will be 

monitored.

vanguardnews @vanguardnews @vanguardnews 

Vanguard, FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, 2021 — 5 

POCKET CARTOON 

SANWO-OLU IN ASO ROCK—President Muhammadu Buhari receing Governor Babajide 

Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State in the State House, Abuja, yesterday. State House photo. 

COVID-19: Nigeria now 

at tipping point — FG 

By Gabriel 

Enogholase, 

Adesina Wahab, 

Omeiza Ajayi, David 

Odama 

ABUJA — The 

F e d e r a l 

Government, yesterday, 

took stock of its 

response to the COVID- 

19 pandemic vis-a-vis 

the attitude of 

Nigerians to embracing 

safety precautions, and 

concluded that the 

country was now at a 

tipping point. 

This came as 

government announced 

its decision to establish 

oxygen plants in all 

states of the federation 

as part of measures to 

resolve the “oxygen 

crisis” that had 

engulfed some of the 

isolation and treatment 

centres in the country. 

Meanwhile, Edo 

State has recorded 28 

new cases of 

coronavirus, bringing 

the total number of 

confirmed cases in the 

state to 270, as the state 

government cautions 

residents to abide by 

the precautionary 

health and safety 

guidelines. 

V a n g u a r d , 

meanwhile, gathered 

that former vicechancellor 

of the 

University of Lagos, 

Prof. Oyewusi Ibidapo- 

Obe and the former 

Dean, Students Affairs 

of the institution, Prof 

Duro Ajeyalemi, who 

died earlier in the week 

from COVID-19 

complications, might 

have contracted the 

deadly virus at a society 

wedding they attended 

some weeks ago in 

Ikoyi, Lagos. Ibidapo- 

Obe was the chairman 

of the event and 

Ajeyalemi was also 

there. They played 

prominent roles at the 

event. 

This came as anxiety 

welled up among media 

practitioners in 

Nasarawa State, 

following the 

contraction of the 

COVID-19 virus by a 

journalist and publisher 

of a community news 

journal, Matthew Kuju 

and three of his family 

members in Lafia, the 

Nasarawa State capital. 

‘We must be 

aggressive in 

communication’ 

C h a i r m a n , 

Presidential Task Force 

PTF on COVID-19 and 

Secretary to the 

Government of the 

Federation SGF, Mr 

Boss Mustapha, who 

spoke at a briefing of 

the Task Force, 

yesterday, however, 

lamented that many 

Nigerians seeking to 

travel out of the country 

are presenting fake test 

results. 

He said: “We must be 

very aggressive with 

our communication 

because we are at a 

tipping point; the more 

people are infected, the 

more the rate of 

hospitalizations will go 

up and we will run out 

of bed spaces and 

correspondingly, 

people who have other 

ailments will not be able 

to access healthcare. 

“So, people will be 

dying of COVID-19 and 

people will be dying of 

other ailments. There 

will be a strain on 

medical personnel and 

right now, our medical 

front-liners are under 

intense pressure to 

meet the needs of 

patients who are 

infected with COVID- 

19. So, we are at a 

tipping point and my 

plea to Nigerians is 

that we must arrest this 

transmission and that is 

why we are looking at 

developing health 

regulations which 

would be of universal 

applications across all 

states and we have 

convinced the states 

today at our meeting 

that it must be backed 

up with enforcement 

through their local 

regulations and laws.” 

Mustapha added that 

efforts are being made 

to increase the supply 

of oxygen to health 

facilities across the 

country. 

He said: “Mr 

President has approved 

the establishment of at 

least one new oxygen 

plant in each state of 

the federation, while 

the existing ones will 

be made fully 

functional. We continue 

to thank the Private 

Sector initiative as well 

as the Nigerian Air 

Force for their 

continued support. 

“The PTF is working 

to develop new Health 

Protection Regulations 

to support existing 

COVID-19 protocols 

and to strengthen 

compliance with nonpharmaceutical 

interventions across the 

country,” the SGF 

added. 

‘Travellers 

presenting 

fake test 

results’ 

Mustapha said it has 

become embarrassing 

to note that some 

Nigerians continue to 

present fake results 

when travelling outside 

the country. 

“This remains a major 

source of concern to the 

Federal Government. 

The PTF has directed 

private laboratories to 

immediately put in 

place measures to 

validate results and 

ensure that all 

passengers are 

Continues on Page 34 

By Cynthia Alo 

On FG's plan to spend N400b on COVID-19 vaccine (5) 

I 

believe this is just 

a way to embezzle 

our money. Even if they 

need our approval for 

this money, it means we 

are just supporting this 

act because they may not 

buy any vaccine. They 

should rather upgrade 

the health sector with 

this money. 

—MaryJane Rapheal, 

Entrepreneur 

I 

believe we 

have other sectors 

that should be taken 

care of. 

The money should be 

channelled towards 

developing and 

equipping our health 

system and education 

sector. 

—Mbagwu Calistus, 

Businessman 

N400 bn for vaccine? 

The health system is 

crippled and no one is saying 

anything about that. There’s a 

second wave of Covid-19 across 

the world but they have good 

healthcare that can handle it as 

well as support from the private 

sector. But in Nigeria, the story is 

different. My question is: who’s 

going to distribute the vaccines? 

The crippled healthcare system? 

This government just think we can 

be tossed around like a dice. 

—Jeffrey Ehizoje, 

Freelancer 

I 

think it’s a way to 

embezzle money. 

Nobody speaks of Covid-19 

in Nigeria except govt., where 

the cases are from is a mystery. 

Now, we are at a stage where 

as citizens, we just listen to 

govt. and their stories without 

doing anything about it. No 

money for the education sector 

but where this fund for vaccine 

is coming from, we don’t 

know. 

—Etoh Lawrence, 

Researcher 

Budgeting 

such 

amount for vaccine 

is a good one, it will 

curtail or prevent so 

many things, like several 

phases of lockdown and 

economic meltdown but 

the problem is utilisation 

of the money for what it 

was budgeted for without 

playing politics with it. 

—Obodo Donald, 

Med. Lab scientist 

N400bn on a vaccine that we 

are not even sure of? That 

amount is outrageous. This is another 

lie by the govt. agents to enrich 

themselves. How can you use such 

amount of money for a vaccine that 

the citizens are not even willing to use? 

I weep for us as citizens of this nation. 

Sometimes the way they call some 

amount, it looks as if the money has no 

value. Do you know what N400bn 

can do to our economy? 

—Ajero Anthony, 

ICT professional

6— Vanguard, FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, 2021 

Land dispute 

claims 4 lives 

in C’River 

By Emma Una 

CALABAR— 

FOUR 

persons reportedly lost 

their lives, Wednesday, in an 

inter-communal conflict 

between neighbouring 

communities of Abankang and 

Alok in central Cross River 

State. 

The feuding communities 

are both located along the 

Ikom -Ogoja highway in Ikom 

Local Government Area, 

central district of the state. 

Reports had it that before 

Wednesday’s fight, the two 

communities have been 

engaged in a protracted 

argument over the ownership 

of a parcel of land along their 

boundaries. 

A resident, Mrs Janet Ndome, 

told Vanguard on phone that 

youths from the two communities 

freely used machetes and guns in 

the fight that claimed lives. 

“As I speak, fighting is still going 

on and many people have run 

away from both Alok and 

Abankang.” 

She said movement along the 

Ogoja-Ikom highway was halted 

as motorists were scared of 

driving through the warring 

communities to avoid being 

attacked. 

“No vehicle has so far been 

attacked to my knowledge but 

roadblocks have been mounted 

by youths of the two communities 

on their section of the highway,” 

she said. 

Cross River Police Command 

spokesman, Irene Ugbo, said she 

was yet to be briefed on the 

conflict at press time. 

Fear as 2 

mysteriously 

die in Rivers 

By Davies 

Iheamnachor 

PORT HARCOURT— Two 

mysterious deaths reportedly 

occurred at Refinery Junction axis 

of Eleme Local Government Area 

of Rivers State, yesterday. 

It was reported that a 70-yearold 

man and 60-year-old woman 

reportedly collapsed and died 

mysteriously at the said junction. 

The strange development 

created panic in the area, 

following the unknown reason 

for the two deaths recorded. 

A source in the area, who gave 

his name simply as Barisua, said 

one of the deceased, a woman 

in her 60s, had dropped off a 

commercial motorcycle near the 

Refinery Junction before she 

collapsed and died. 

Barisua said the second death 

was a man of about 70 years, 

adding that he died immediately 

he disembarked from a 

commercial vehicle that brought 

him to the junction. 

The source noted that a young 

man, who was contacted via 

phone later came and with the 

help of other people at the scene 

picked the corpse away. 

The young man, believed to 

be the deceased’s son, said at 

the scene that his father came to 

Eleme to withdraw money from 

a bank at the said junction. 

At press time, the remains of 

the deceased woman were still 

at the junction as she has not 

been identified by anyone. 

Gridlock as fuel tanker goes up in 

flames on Apapa/Oshodi expressway 

By Olasunkanmi 

Akoni & Bose Adelaja 

LAGOS—There was panic 

among commuters plying 

the Oshodi-Apapa 

expressway, Lagos, yesterday, 

as a tanker loaded with 44,000 

litres of Premium Motor Spirit 

(PMS) went up in flames at 

Apakun Bridge by Toyota 

busstop. 

The incident involving the 

truck with number plate FKJ 

999 XX, occurred at about 9.15 

a.m., close to the Oshodi- 

Airport road junction and in 

front of the Lagos State Fire 

Service Station located in the 

area. 

The resultant gridlock made 

commuters and others with 

businesses on the axis to 

explore other alternative 

routes to access their 

destinations. 

Details of what led to the 

crash could not be ascertained 

but it was gathered that the 

tanker was on motion outward 

Apapa for Oshodi area when 

it fell sideways and detached 

from its body. 

But an eye witness, Mr 

Aderinola Adefajo, said the 

incident occurred in the 

process of two trucks trying to 

overtake one another 

He said: “The tanker crashed 

on the side with another trailer 

on the motion. The trailer was 

fully loaded with iron rods. 

“It is believed that the two 

vehicles were trying to 

outsmart each other, 

unfortunately, this led to the 

inferno, which caused 

apprehension on the 

expressway as many road 

users were stranded for hours 

due to traffic gridlock. 

Confirming the incident, 

acting Coordinator, National 

Emergency Management 

Agency, NEMA, Lagos State, 

Ibrahim Farinloye, said no 

casualty or fatality could be 

confirmed at press time. 

He said emergency 

responders at Lagos and 

federal levels combined to 

contain the fire. 

Lagos shuts bridge 

indefinitely for test 

Following the evacuation of 

the debris of the burnt fuel 

tanker, Lagos State 

government, yesterday, 

evening shut the bridge to 

vehicular traffic pending the 

conclusion of integrity test to 

be carried out by the Federal 

Ministry of Works. 

Director-General, Lagos 

State Emergency 

Management Agency, 

LASEMA, Dr Femi Oke- 

Osanyintolu, announced this 

during the inspection of the 

scene and completion of the 

operation by the rescue team 

at about 5 pm. 

He said during the closure, 

traffic diversion would be in 

place for motorists to navigate 

and manage by Lagos State 

Traffic Management Authority, 

•Lagos shuts bridge indefinitely for test 

•Another petrol-laden tanker spills content in Apapa 

Scene of the inferno. Photo: Bunmi Azeez 

LASTMA. 

He said: “Residents are 

urged to exercise caution as 

the product, while diluted with 

chemical treatments, is still at 

risk of being ignited by a 

naked flame. We appreciate 

the cooperation of joint 

responder agencies and road 

users." 

Another petrol-laden 

tanker spills content in 

Apapa 

Earlier, another inferno was 

averted on Kirikiri Road, 

Apapa when a tanker 

Police arrest lady, accomplices for faking her 

kidnap in Ilorin 

By Demola Akinyemi 

A24-year-old lady, Madinat 

Ibrahim, arrested by 

operatives of the Kwara State 

Police Command for faking her 

kidnap said she did that to get 

money to offset debts incurred 

during COVID-19 lockdown. 

Speaking with journalists 

during her parade, yesterday, 

by the state Commissioner of 

Police, Muhammed Lawal- 

Bagega, alongside her two 

accomplices at the Command 

Headquarters in Ilorin, she 

said she was frustrated out of 

her father’s house by the 

father and her stepmother, 

following the death of her 

mother. 

She said after leaving the 

house that she was compelled 

to search for a job and got a 

teaching job before starting a 

petty business. 

Explaining her predicament, 

she said her business soon 

collapsed after she collected a 

contribution and that she 

couldn’t complete the 

contribution, while the school 

conveying 55 litres of 

Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, 

overturned. 

The incident, which occurred 

at about 2 am, according to a 

source, caused panic among 

residents and road users in the 

area as emergency responders 

battled to avert any possible 

outbreak of inferno. 

However, men of the Lagos 

State 

Emergency 

Management Agency, 

LASEMA, state fire service, 

police among others raced to 

the scene to manage the 

where she was teaching also 

stopped payments of her 

salary. 

She said: “It was in the 

course of these challenges that 

I was thinking of ways out 

when the idea of faking my 

kidnap to collect some money 

from my father struck me 

because those who wanted to 

collect their contributions were 

already pestering me. 

“I planned with my sister, 

who told my father that I have 

been kidnapped and that my 

captors were asking for 

N250,000 before I could be 

released. 

“I also convinced a male 

friend to give me his account 

where the N250,000 was paid. 

I was about to collect the 

money from my friend when I 

was arrested.“ 

The state Commissioner of 

Police, Muhammed Lawal- 

Bagega, represented by the 

spokesman of the command, 

Ajayi Okasanmi, said the 

suspects will be charged for 

criminal conspiracy and 

kidnapping. 

situation due to a large 

number of stationary and 

parked vehicles within the 

vicinity. 

Director-General of 

LASEMA, Olufemi Oke- 

Osanyintolu, said the 

situation was, subsequently, 

brought under control after 

transloading of the content 

into another tanker was 

completed. 

“The agency’s heavy-duty 

equipment was later mobilised 

to recover the remains of the 

tanker from the road,” Oke- 

Osanyintolu stated. 

According to the Police 

spokesperson, one Nurudeen 

Sholagberu, reported the 

kidnap of her daughter, 

Medinat Ibrahim at Oko- 

Olowo area of Ilorin through 

the command's emergency 

telephone line. 

He said the newly 

constituted state antikidnapping 

team was 

immediately directed to take 

over the investigations. 

Unknown to the suspects, 

the anti-kidnapping team had 

swung into action by tracking 

the account and the 

conversation of the suspects, 

which eventually aided their 

arrest at the point of collecting 

the money. 

Lawal-Bagega explained 

that during investigations it 

was discovered that the said 

Medinat conspired with her 

sister, Amudalat Wahab, to 

arrange her kidnap. 

He said a bank account 

belonging to one of her 

friends, one Hammed Lekan, 

was sent to the father where 

the ransom of N250,000 was 

paid.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, 2021—7 

Deeper Life school saga: Police arraign 

7 for assault, felony 

By Chioma Onuegbu 

UYO—THE Akwa Ibom 

State Police Command has 

arraigned seven persons in 

connection with the alleged 

molestation and maltreatment of 

Don-Davis Archibong, an 11-yearold-student 

of Deeper Life High 

School, Idoro, Uyo. 

The seven accused persons 

arraigned were Mrs Ndidi Solomon 

(suspended Principal), Joseph 

Nseabasi, Akpan Johnson, Egor 

Wilson, Joseph Ikenna, and two 

minors, Shalom Ibukun and Ola 

Feyisetan. 

They were arraigned, yesterday, 

at Uyo Magistrate's Court on a fourcount 

charge bordering on 

conspiracy to commit felony to wit: 

indecent treatment of boys under 14 

years and thereby committed an 

offence punishable under section 

556 of the criminal code, cap.38, 

Vol.2. Laws of Akwa Ibom State of 

Nigeria, 2000. 

The two minors, Shalom Ibukun 

and Ola Feyisetan, were charged 

for committing an act of gross 

indecency by inserting their fingers 

into the anus of Don-Davies, thereby 

committed an offence punishable 

under section 218(1) of the Criminal 

Suspected ritualist with human 

heart burnt to death in Lagos 

•Tunnel used by ritualists uncovered 

•Another found with human skull arrested 

By Evelyn Usman 

AN irate mob set a suspected 

ritualist said to have been found 

with a human heart ablaze, in Orile 

area of Lagos, yesterday, while 

another suspected to be his partner 

was rescued by policemen. 

The jungle justice took place after 

a tunnel suspected to be used by 

ritualists was uncovered, Tuesday, 

at School bus-stop in Orile area of 

Lagos. 

Information at Vanguard's 

disposal revealed that a man, who 

was seen around the tunnel on 

Tuesday suddenly disappeared. 

During a search for the missing 

man, the tunnel was discovered. 

Members of the Odua People’s 

Congress, OPC, invited were said 

to have entered the tunnel only to 

discover some human parts and a 

lot of male and female clothings. 

Just then, another man said to 

have been sighted climbing a 

constructed staircase into the tunnel 

was apprehended. He was alleged 

to have been found with a human 

skull. 

A further search was conducted 

in the tunnel on Wednesday, with 

more human parts in their 

decomposing states recovered, 

according to residents. 

Again, yesterday, residents said 

the tunnel was discovered to have 

one of its end linked to Mile 2. A 

man said to be coming from the Mile 

2 end of the tunnel was 

apprehended and brought out, only 

for the irate mob to carry out jungle 

justice on him. 

People from different parts of the 

state thronged the scene yesterday 

to catch a glimpse of the tunnel. 

Contacted, the Lagos State Police 

Public Relations Officer, Olumiyiwa 

Adejobi, condemned the jungle 

justice carried out on the suspect. 

Though he confirmed that some 

clothings were recovered inside the 

tunnel, he could not confirm the 

discovery of human parts from the 

suspected ritualist that was rescued 

by the Police. 

Adejobi identified the suspect with 

the Police as Kayode Ojo, a 50-yearold 

man from Akoko, Ondo State, 

without a fixed address. 

He said: “He was arrested at the 

scene and brought to us by 12.30 

pm on Wednesday. They alleged 

he was a ritualist, as he was found 

with a human skull, though we 

didn’t find any human parts on him. 

"While interrogating him, a report 

reached us that another man found 

there was lynched and set ablaze. 

They claimed a human heart was 

also found on him." 

code, cap.38, vol.2 Laws of Akwa 

Ibom State of Nigeria, 2000. 

Both were also charged for 

unlawfully and indecently 

assaulting Don-Davies Archibong, 

which is an offence punishable 

under section 362(1) of the Laws of 

Akwa Ibom State. 

Also, Joseph Nseabasi, Akpan 

Johnson, Egor Wilson, and Joseph 

Ikenna were charged for failure to 

prevent Shallom Ibukun and Ola 

Feyisetan from committing a felony, 

thereby committed an offence 

punishable under section 551 of the 

criminal code, cap.38 vol.11. Laws 

of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria, 2000. 

When the case was read, all the 

accused persons pleaded not guilty 

to the four-count charge. 

The court granted all the accused 

bail in the sum of N500,000 each, 

while the two minors were released 

to their parents. 

Their bail followed an application 

filed by their counsel, Fidelis Igwe, 

on the ground that it is bailable 

offence. 

The case was adjourned to 

January 20, 2021, for accelerated 

hearing. 

Addressing newsmen at the 

premises, counsel to the petitioner, 

David Okokon, said he was 

committed to ensuring that justice 

is served in the matter. 

However, counsel to the accused 

persons declined to comment on the 

case. 

INTERCEPTED: The Controller, Federal Operations 

Unit Zone 'C', Mr Yusuf Lawal, displaying 5,200 live 

ammunition intercepted recently by the unit, in Owerri, 

yesterday. Photo: NAN 

Robbery victims narrate experience in 38-passenger bus in Lagos 

By Bose Adelaja 

TWO robbery victims, yesterday, 

narrated how the 66-passenger 

bus they boarded from Charley Boy 

area of Gbagada/Oshodi 

expressway, en route Ojodu/Berger, 

Lagos, was robbed at gunpoint. 

The victims, Mr Odunewu 

Ademola and Damola Osin, who 

experienced the incident at about 7 

pm, Wednesday, said the bus was 

robbed by about 30 armed robbers 

that invaded the bus at Ogudu. 

The victims said the armed robbers 

took advantage of the traffic gridlock 

in the area to carry out their 

operation. 

In what looked like an organised 

crime, Ademola said on getting to 

Ogudu (at the diversion to both 

Alapere and Ketu), some boys were 

seen loitering around while others 

sat by the roadside unknown to 

them that they intended robbing 

innocent road users. 

He said: “As the bus joined the 

traffic gridlock, one of the boys 

gained access into it to solicit for 

financial assistance. However, we 

were taken aback when he brought 

out a gun and ordered everybody 

to 'cooperate.' 

"Some passengers, who were 

dissatisfied with this, rose to counter 

him, unfortunately, his accomplices 

numbering about 30 forcefully 

gained access into the bus carrying 

dangerous objects such as knives, 

axes, broken bottles and guns that 

caused apprehension among the 

passengers. 

“At that juncture, the armed 

robbers announced their mission 

and called for the cooperation of the 

passengers. They then requested 

that we surrender everything in our 

possessions. Our cell phones, 

laptops, cash and several personal 

effects were carted away.” 

He said some of the robbers took 

their time to search the victims after 

which they disembarked from the 

bus. 

Corroborating, Ademola’s 

assertion, Damola said the incident 

was his second experience within a 

space of two months at the same 

area. 

He said the armed robbers 

extended their operation to other 

vehicles in the gridlock and at the 

end of the assignment, the drivers 

and conductors of the franchise bus 

were nowhere to be found and 

compounded movement out of the 

scene. 

Damola said two occupants of a 

refuse disposal truck were also 

robbed at the scene. 

Contacted, the spokesperson, 

Lagos State Command, CSP 

Muyiwa Adejobi, said the 

command is on its toes to tackle 

traffic robbery. 

22 die in 

Kogi auto 

crash 

By Boluwaji Obahopo 

LOKOJA—Twenty two persons, 

yesterday, lost their lives in an 

auto accident involving a truck, 

a bus and a car in Apata, Lokoja 

council area of Kogi State. 

An eyewitness said all the 

occupants of the bus died on the 

spot. 

Confirming the accident, the 

state commandant of the Federal 

Road Safety Commission, FRSC, 

said the accident occurred 

around 12:50pm, Wednesday, 

involving three vehicles. 

He listed the vehicles to include 

one DAF truck, with number 

plate: GME44ZU, a Honda 

Accord car with number plate: 

GWA173KH and a Hiace Bus 

with number plate: KTV 378 XF. 

He said 26 persons were 

involved, “nine male adults, 13 

female adults, three male 

children and one female child.” 

He said three persons, two 

male and a female adults, 

suffered bruises, lacerations and 

fractures. 

“22 persons died in the 

accidents and their corpses have 

been deposited at the Federal 

Medical Centre morgue, while 

the injured were also taken to the 

hospital.” 

He placed the cause of the 

accident to overspending and tyre 

burst. 

However, the state government 

has expressed sympathy over the 

demise of 14 passengers, 

The state Commissioner for 

Information and Communication, 

Mr. Kingsley Fanwo, in a 

statement said: “Preliminary 

reports showed that the accident 

involved a bus and a truck 

conveying cement from Obajana. 

“Men of the Federal Road 

Safety Commission have been 

alerted and bodies of the 

deceased have been evacuated 

from the scene of the accident. 

"It is indeed, a sad occurrence 

and a shame that we lost such 

promising souls in such a pathetic 

circumstance. 

“As a government, we will 

strengthen our road safety 

measures to ensure that avoidable 

loss of lives are averted. 

“We also call on the FRSC to 

intensify its surveillance along 

the roads and ensure that road 

users obey traffic laws as well as 

ensure that only road worthy 

vehicles ply our roads. Every life 

is precious." 

Gunmen abduct traveller, kill driver in Ondo 

By Dayo Johnson 

A KURE—Gunmen 

reportedly abducted an 

unidentified traveller and 

killed his driver along lse/lsua, 

Akoko highway in Ondo State. 

The Police Area Commander 

for lkare- Akoko, Razak Rauf, 

who confirmed this last night, 

said the body of the late driver 

had been recovered and 

deposited at the mortuary of 

the state specialist hospital in 

Ikare. 

He assured that the police 

would soon arrest the 

abductors and rescue the 

kidnapped traveller. 

According to him, detectives 

are already combing the forest 

to smoke out the criminal 

elements. 

Chief Medical Director of 

Ikare state specialist hospital, 

Dr Ayodele Ogunlade, 

confirmed that police brought 

a corpse to the hospital. 

Sources said the driver was 

shot at close range and died 

on the spot while trying to 

escape from the ambush laid 

by the kidnappers on the 

highway. 

The kidnappers reportedly 

took the traveller into the forest 

after they confirmed that the 

driver was dead. 

Vanguard gathered that the 

kidnappers had contacted the 

family of the victim for ransom 

despite killing the driver 

during the operation. 

It would be recalled that an 

Inspector of police attached to 

Isua Akoko divisional police 

station was shot dead by 

unknown gunmen at the same 

spot and his service gun was 

taken away.





FG suspends new 

electricity tariff hike 

By Chris Ochayi 

A 

B U J A — 

MINISTER of 

Power, Engr Sale Mamman 

has directed the Nigeria 

Electricity Regulatory 

Commission, NERC, to 

suspend the recent hike in 

electricity tariff with immediate 

effect. 

Recall that the regulatory 

agency had on January 5, 2021, 

announced an upward tariff 

review from N2 to N4 for some 

bands, citing the partial impact 

of inflation and movement in 

foreign exchange rate. 

The minister in the directive 

by his media aide, Mr Aaron 

Artimas in Abuja, said the 

DISCOs should revert to tariffs 

applicable in December 2020 until 

the end of January 2021 when 

the Federal Government and 

Labour committee work would be 

concluded. 

According to the statement, 

‘’On January 5, 2021, NERC 

issued a statement regarding 

erroneous and false reports by 

print and electronic media that 

approval had been granted for a 

50 percent increase in tariff. 

“I will like to affirm that these 

reports are inaccurate and false. 

It is unfortunate that these 

reports have led to confusion 

with the public. On the contrary, 

government continues to fully 

subsidise 55 percent of on-grid 

consumers in bands D and E and 

maintain the lifeline tariff for the 

poor and underprivileged. 

‘’Those citizens have 

experienced no changes to tariff 

rates from what they have paid 

historically (aside from the recent 

minor inflation and forex 

adjustment). 

‘’Partial subsidies were also 

applied for bands A, B and C in 

October 2020. These measures 

are all aimed at cushioning the 

effects of the pandemic while 

providing more targeted 

interventions for citizens. 

‘’The public is aware that FG 

and the Labour centres have 

been engaged in positive 

discussions about the electricity 

sector through a joint ad-hoc 

committee led by the Minister of 

State for Labour and Productivity 

and Co-Chaired by the Minister 

of State for Power. 

‘’Great progress has been made 

in these deliberations which are 

set to be concluded at the end of 

January 2021. 

“Some of the achievements of 

this deliberation with Labour are 

the accelerated rollout of the 

National Mass Metering Plan, 

clamp downs on estimated billing, 

improved monitoring of the 

Service Based Tariff and the 

reduction in tariff rates for bands 

A to C in October 2020 (that were 

funded by a creative use of taxes). 

“It should be clear to all that 

the regulator must be allowed to 

perform its function without 

undue interference. 

“The role of the government is 

not to set tariffs, it is to provide 

policy guidance and an enabling 

environment for the regulator to 

protect consumers and for 

investors to engage directly with 

consumers. 

‘’Bi-Annual Minor reviews to 

adjust factors such as inflation are 

part of the process for a 

sustainable and investable NESI 

and the regulator must be 

commended for implementing the 

subsisting regulations while 

putting in place extensive actions 

to minimise the adverse impact 

on end user tariffs. 

‘’To promote a constructive 

conclusion of the dialogue with 

the Labour centres (through the 

Joint Ad-Hoc Committee), I have 

directed NERC to inform all 

DISCOs that they should revert 

to the tariffs that were 

applicable in December 2020 

until the end of January 2021 

(when the FG/Labour committee 

work will be concluded). 

ALLEGED CERTIFICATE FORGERY: 

Obaseki knows fate tomorrow 

•As court adjourns for judgment 

By Ikechukwu 

Nnochiri 

A Federal BUJA—THE 

High Court in 

Abuja, yesterday fixed 

Saturday to deliver judgment 

in the certificate forgery case 

the All Progressives Congress, 

APC, and one its members, Mr 

Williams Edobor instituted 

against Governor Godwin 

Obaseki of Edo State. 

Trial judge, Justice Ahmed 

Mohammed okayed the matter 

for judgment after parties 

adopted their final briefs of 

argument. 

While adopting his final 

written address, Obaseki, 

through his team of lawyers led 

by Chief Ken Mozia, SAN, urged 

the court to dismiss the suit, 

insisting that the plaintiffs failed 

to prove their allegation that he 

submitted forged credentials to 

the Independent National 

Electoral Commission, INEC. 

Likewise, the Peoples 

Democratic Party, PDP, through 

its lawyer, Mr. Razaq 

Isenalohme, asked the court to 

not only dismiss the suit, but 

to do so with substantial cost. 

On its part, the INEC, 

through its lawyer, Mr. M. 

Bawa, stressed that it did not 

file any process in the matter. 

However, counsel to the 

plaintiffs, Chief Akin Olujimi, 

SAN, while adopting his final brief 

of argument, urged the court to 

grant all the claims his clients are 

seeking in the matter. 

After he had listened to all 

the parties, Justice 

Mohammed reserved his 

judgment till Saturday. 

The APC had in the suit it 

jointly filed with one of its 

members in Edo, Edobor, 

alleged that Obaseki forged the 

University of Ibadan degree 

certificate he submitted to 

INEC in aid of his qualification 

for the governoship election 

that held in Edo State on 

September 19, 2020. 

However, Obaseki, who is 

the 1st defendant in the matter, 

rested his case after he 

produced three witnesses that 

testified on his behalf, and also 

tendered a total of 18 exhibits. 

GOV. ABDULRAZAQ, BUA SUPREMO PARLEY ON BOOSTING KWARA STATE'S ECONOMY 

Alhaji Abdul Samad Rabiu, Founder/Chairman, BUA Group (left) and Governor Abdulrahman 

Abdulrazaq of Kwara State when the governor paid a courtesy call on the business mogul at the 

BUA headquarters in Lagos to discuss the continuing partnership between BUA and Kwara State, 

which is host to BUA’s 20,000ha Lafiagi Sugar Plantation & Refinery. 

Upon completion, BUA's Lafiagi Sugar Project in Kwara State will produce 200,000 tonnes of 

refined sugar, 20million litres of ethanol annually and 35MW of power. 

ATTACKS ON CHRISTIANS: UK MPs 

seek sanctions against Nigeria 

By Clifford Ndujihe, 

Politics Editor 

SOME members of 

United Kingdom House of 

Lords have asked the UK to take 

more action against Nigeria to 

check the rising killings of 

Christians by terrorists and state 

actors in parts of the West African 

country. 

In a letter to Dominic Raab, MP, 

UK’s Foreign Secretary, House 

of Commons, London, they 

lamented that the attacks led by 

Islamist militia continue in 

Northern States and the Middle 

Belt, with almost-daily reports of 

killings, mayhem, rape and 

sexual abuse, abductions and 

enslavement, mass forced 

displacement and land-grabs. 

The key signatories to the 

letter are David Patrick Paul 

Alton, the Lord Alton of Liverpool, 

a Liberal Democratic member of 

UK Parliament; Caroline Annex 

Cox, a cross-bench member of 

the UK House of Lords; and Sam 

Mason. They are also prominent 

members of the UK All-Party 

Parliamentary Group on 

Religious Belief as well as key 

members of Jubilee Campaign 

International, an Int’l antireligious 

persecution campaign 

group featuring prominent world 

religious and political leaders, 

including former Nigeria's 

President, Chief Olusegun 

Obasanjo and past Archbishops 

of Canterbury, UK All-Party 

Parliamentary Group For 

International Freedom of Religion 

or Belief. 

They said: ‘’We write following 

the publication of a new report 

by Nigerian human rights group`, 

Intersociety (December 14, 

2020), which raises serious 

concerns about the scale of 

human rights abuses in Nigeria 

and the need for an urgent 

response. 

“Attacks led by Islamist militia 

continue in Northern States and 

the Middle Belt, with almost-daily 

reports of killings, mayhem, rape 

and sexual abuse, abductions and 

enslavement, mass forced 

displacement and land-grabs. 

According to Intersociety, an 

estimated 34,400 Christians 

have been killed in Nigeria since 

2009 – including 17,000 by Boko 

Haram (and its splinter groups) 

and 15,500 by Fulani militia. 

‘’Reports consistently showed 

that in Nigeria, month after 

month, an average of hundreds 

of Christians were being killed for 

reasons connected with their 

faith. Those worst affected 

included Christian women and 

girls abducted, and forced to 

convert, enter forced marriages, 

sexual abuse and torture. 

''The same concerns were raised 

in two other recent reports: 

‘Nigeria: Unfolding Genocide?’ 

by the APPG for International 

Freedom of Religion or Belief; and 

‘Nigeria’s Silent Slaughter: 

Genocide in Nigeria and the 

Implications for the International 

Community,’ by the International 

Committee on Nigeria and the 

International Organisation on 

Peace-building and Social Justice. 

''The ICC’s decade-long 

preliminary investigation (which 

concluded December 11, 2020) 

found that Nigerian security 

forces have committed crimes 

against humanity and war crimes, 

including: murder, rape, torture, 

and cruel treatment; enforced 

disappearance; forcible transfer of 

population; outrages upon 

personal dignity; intentionally 

directing attacks against the 

civilian population as such and 

against individual civilians not 

taking direct part in hostilities; 

unlawful imprisonment; 

conscripting and enlisting 

children under the age of fifteen 

years into armed forces and using 

them to participate actively in 

hostilities; persecution on gender 

and political grounds; and other 

inhumane acts. 

''The ICC confirmed that 

domestic courts have not 

responded to atrocities 

adequately or at all and that the 

Nigerian government has failed 

in its obligations to hold those 

responsible to account. However, 

the Office of the Prosecutor faces 

serious resource constraints to 

investigating and prosecuting 

new situations and cases. We 

therefore urge HMG, as a State 

Party to the Rome Statute of the 

International Criminal Court, to 

ensure any investigation is 

adequately resourced. 

''Intersociety reports that 1,400 

Christians have been killed by 

the Nigerian army, police and air 

force. Nigerian army’s former 

Chief of Staff, Lieutenant- 

General Theophilus Danjuma 

says the armed forces are “not 

neutral, they collude” in the 

“ethnic cleansing in riverine 

states” by Fulani herders. He 

insists that villagers must defend 

themselves because “depending 

on the armed forces” will result 

in them dying “one by one. The 

ethnic cleansing must stop.” 

Commending the decision by 

the US State Department to 

designate Nigeria as a Country 

of Particular Concern because of 

FoRB violations and its 

recognition of escalating 

“religious-tinged violence,“ the 

MPs said: ‘’The lack of 

comparable response by the UK 

is both stark and alarming. If 

HMG continue to ignore or 

downplay the strong religious 

factor fuelling the conflict, as 

identified by the US State 

Department, resources will be 

wasted on the implementation 

of solutions based on a 

premise that has little-to-no 

impact on the violence.’’ 

We’re doing our best to support 2m displaced 

Nigerians — FG ...people with disabilities too 

By Johnbosco 

Agbakwuru 

A Federal BUJA—THE 

Government, 

yesterday, said that it was trying 

its best to ensure that over two 

million Nigerians displaced as a 

result of insurgency, communal 

clashes, armed banditry, among 

others were given support. 

The government also 

assured those living with 

disability that they would be 

given more political 

appointments in the 

President Muhammadu 

Buhari-led government to 

give them sense of belonging. 

Minister of Humanitarian 

Affairs, Disaster Management 

and Social Development, Sadiya 

Farouk disclosed this when she 

led some members of people with 

disabilities on a thank-you visit 

to President Buhari at the 

Presidential Villa, Abuja. 

She said: “Today is s a very 

important day for us and the 

disability community. We are here 

on a thank-you visit to Mr 

President. First, for his support on 

the issues of persons with 

disabilities in this country. 

“You may recall that in January 

2019, Mr President assented to 

the bill on the prohibition and 

discrimination against persons 

with disabilities in this country. 

That was the first milestone. Mr 

President also graciously 

appointed the chairman, board 

members and the executive 

secretary of the National 

Commission for Persons with 

Disabilities. 

“So, this is a visit to 

demonstrate our appreciation 

and our commitment to the 

administration of President 

Buhari.” 

Speaking on the key take 

aways from the visit, she said, 

“You may recall that APC (All 

Progressives Congress) is the 

first party to have made 

provisions for persons with 

disabilities in their ward, local 

government, state and national 

levels since inception.''


:Vanguard 

News 

COVID-19 2nd wave: PLWNCDs 

tasks FG to prioritise pandemic 

response 

By Chioma Obinna 

L Living AGOS—PEOPLE 

with Non- 

Communicable Diseases, 

PLWNCDs, yesterday, 

expressed worry that the 

second wave of the 

Coronavirus infections may 

drastically impact the 

population, calling on the 

Federal Government to 

prioritise response to the 

pandemic. 

According to experts, the 

PLWNCDs are more 

vulnerable and susceptible 

to COVID-19, and it has 

been confirmed that they 

are at a substantially higher 

risk of becoming severely 

ill and die, as a direct 

consequence of this 

pandemic. 

A Lead Advocate for the 

PLWNCDs, Timi Edwin, 

said as the second wave of 

COVID-19 hits Nigeria, 

there is time to prevent 

worst-case scenarios. 

He urged the Federal 

Government to prioritize a 

national COVID response, 

especially in Non- 

Communicable Diseases 

....Stalls hearing in Osborne 

Estate, Lagos govt case 

By Innocent Anaba 

LAGOS—HEARING in 

the case between 

residents of Osborne Estate 

in Ikoyi and the Lagos 

State government, before a 

Lagos State High Court, 

could not continue, due to 

the COVID-19 protocols. 

Lawyer to Osborne Estate 

residents, Mr. Olayinka 

Olasewere, and defence 

counsel, Mr. Ola Bakare, 

were shut out of the state 

High Court, sitting at TBS, 

without prior notification. 

The recent rise in 

COVID-19 cases in Lagos 

State had forced the state 

government to direct all its 

workers from level 14 down 

to work from home. 

Hence, the court was 

under lock and key till 

10.40am., when some of 

the staff came and opened 

the courtroom. 

Firm charges 

retail traders 

on 

professionalism 

LAGOS—A 

United 

Kingdom brokerage firm, 

TigerWit, yesterday, charged its 

30 newly-trained retail traders to 

become the next set of super 

traders in the financial market. 

The firm made this call during 

the graduation of the traders at 

TigerWit’s African head office, in 

Ikeja, Lagos. 

In his remarks, Head of Africa 

Business for TigerWit Africa, Mr. 

David Onaolapo, said the training 

was necessary, after they noticed 

the gap in financial literacy and 

how the foreign exchange 

industry was being infiltrated by 

inferiors. 

and take urgent actions as 

supporting and protecting 

PLWNCDs was everyone’s 

business. 

Edwin said: “While the 

Federal Government is 

allocating domestic 

stimulus packages as 

restrictions are put in place 

due to COVID-19, people 

living with NCDs should be 

made a priority in the 

disbursement of relief 

materials, palliatives and 

employment opportunities. 

“To ensure that people 

living with NCDs are made 

a priority on the list of those 

to get the Vaccines when 

they are made available, as 

people living with NCDs 

have the underlying health 

conditions that cannot 

tolerate the Coronavirus. 

“The government must 

address the social, 

economic, commercial and 

environmental 

determinants of NCDs and 

health, which includes 

implementing bold policy, 

legislative and regulatory 

measures, including fiscal 

measures, to minimize the 

impact of the main risk factors 

for NCDs and remove barriers to 

health services for PLWNCDs.” 

Lawyer of parties in the 

matter and journalists were 

present in court, as early as 

8 a.m. 

No adjournment date 

was given as the court 

officials told parties and 

litigants that they could not 

give any date because they 

were not officially at work. 

The Lagos State 

government was granted a 

motion ex-parte in which it 

sought to restrain any 

group of persons from 

preventing it from taking 

full control of the property 

at Osborne foreshore 

estate. 

The defendants in the 

matter are the Incorporated 

Trustees of Osborne 

Resident Association, Sir 

Steve Omajafor, and Mrs. 

Chinwe Uba. 

They are urging the court 

to vacate the order because 

it would affect the serenity 

of the environment they 

have been enjoying if the 

court relocation is allowed. 

The residents had alleged 

that the security of their 

lives and property would be 

affected, as well as the 

peace they have had in the 

estate if the place was 

tampered with. 

The Lagos State 

government had taken over 

the property and 

renovation is on and 

conversion also at the 

advanced stage, despite the 

fact that the matter is still 

pending before a Federal 

High Court. 

The property located at 

plot 10, block 11, Royal Park 

Avenue, Osborne Phase 11 

Foreshore, has been a 

subject of litigation at the 

Federal High Court in suit 

number FCH/L/CS/1609/2014. 


PROMOTION—From left: Oyo State Police Commissioner, Mr. Joe Enwonwu, decorating Olugbenga 

Fadeyi with epauletts of his new rank of Chief Seperintendent of Police, CSP, at the state's Police 

Headquarters in Eleyele, Ibadan, yesterday. Photo: Dare Fasube. 

Buhari’s 2021 budget for Education 

worst in 10 years —NANS 

By Rotimi 

Ojomoyela 

A DO-EKITI— 

PRESIDENT, 

National Association of 

Nigerian Students, NANS, 

Mr. Sunday Asefon, 

yesterday, described the 

2021 Budget for Education 

by President Muhammadu 

Buhari, as the worst in the 

last one decade, just as he 

disclosed that the 

association plans to 

....Mulls security, education summit 

organize a Security and 

Education Summit to 

partner stakeholders on 

how to arrest the drift in the 

two critical sectors. 

The NANS president said 

this during a courtesy visit 

to the office of the Nigeria 

Union of Journalists, 

Correspondents’ Chapel in 

Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State. 

Asefon said: “I condemn 

totally, the Federal 

Government’s 2021 

budgetary provision to 

Education. It was the worst 

in the last 10 years. The 

Federal Government only 

apportioned 5.6 percent to 

the sector out of a total of 

N13.6 trillion budgetary 

provisions. 

“When you remove the 

percentage for basic 

education, what then 

becomes of the tertiary 

cadre? The percentage was 

ridiculous, low and 

disappointing. This is one 

of the challenges we are 

facing in the education 

sector.” 

The NANS President 

called for total overhauling 

of the education and 

security sectors. 

3 feared killed, as youths, Amotekun operatives 

clash •Oyo NANS spokesperson accuses outfit of inhumane 

By Ola Ajayi & 

Deola Badru 

I BADAN—THREE 

persons were feared 

dead during a bloody clash 

between youths and 

Amotekun operatives at 

Tapa, in Oyo State, 

yesterday, when the latter 

attempted to stop the 

youths from organising a 

carnival, which has been 

banned in the state. 

This came on a day Public 

Relations Officer of NANS 

in Oyo State, Adeleke 

Quadri, alleged he was 

molested by operatives of 

the Oyo State Security 

Network Agency, 

codenamed Amotekun. 

Vanguard gathered 

that some operatives of the 

outfit tried to disperse the 

youths, which resulted in 

stiff resistance by the 

youths. 

The source, who spoke to 

Vanguard in confidence, 

said: “In the course of trying 

to stop the carnival, there 

was an argument between 

the boys and the Amotekun 

men, which made the boys 

throw stones at them. 

“Along the line, the 

Amotekun officers started 

shooting directly at them 

and, at least, three persons 

were confirmed dead, 

while many were injured. 

“Bullets were removed 

from some people who did 

not partake in the carnival 

at all.” 

When contacted, the 

Commander of Amotekun 

Corps in the state, Col. 

Olayinka Olayanju (retd), 

could not confirm the 

incident as he was on his 

way to the place. 

He said: “I am on my way 

to Tapa. I can’t tell you 

anything now until I 

investigate. I am on my 

way to Tapa.” 

I was molested by 

Amotekun 

operatives —Oyo 

NANS 

spokesperson 

Meanwhile, while 

narrating his ordeal in the 

hands of Amotekun 

operatives to Vanguard, 

Quadri said: “I received the 

beaten of my life from 

Amotekun Operatives last 

Tuesday night in my area. 

I landed in the Hospital 

thereafter. 

“I went with a friend to 

buy some stuff at Finrel 

Supermarket, Olomi on a 

fateful night. I left my friend 

behind in the supermarket 

when I was done with the 

goods I went to buy. At the 

entrance of the supermarket, 

there was a car 

parked, I have to manage 

the little space left for passersby 

to wait for my 

friend in front of the 

supermarket. While still 

waiting, I used the 

opportunity to urinate at the 

nearby gutter that leads to 

a carnal down the road. 

“While trying to unzip my 

trouser, someone 

confronted me at the car 

park on top of his voice. As 

I was trying to calm him 

down, he consequently 

signalled to some of his 

colleagues standing not too far 

and they came to the scene. 

Election crisis tears Ekiti IPAC apart 

By Rotimi 

Ojomoyela 

AInter-Party DO-EKITI—THE 

Advisory 

Council, IPAC, in Ekiti 

State, was, yesterday, 

engulfed in crisis, as some 

members of the council 

rejected the re-election of 

Mr. Ifeoluwa Iyaniwura, as 

the Chairman of the body. 

Iyaniwura polled a total 

of eight votes to defeat his 

rival and the Chairman of 

Action Alliance, AA, Mr. 

Lanre Anifowose, who 

scored six votes. 

The election was held at 

the office of the 

Independent National 

Electoral Commission, 

INEC, in Ado Ekiti. 

The Chairman of, IPAC 

Electoral Panel from Abuja, 

Mr. Obe Opunkun, 

declared Iyaniwura as the 

winner of the election that 

was supervised by INEC. 

However, the Panel 

disqualified the Peoples 

Redemption Party, PRP, 

Advanced Democratic 

Congress, ADC, and 

Labour Party, LP, from 

participating in the election 

due to controversy 

surrounding the nomination of 

delegates to vote in the poll. 

Anifowose, who rejected the 

outcome of the election, said: “I 

reject this election on two 

grounds. One, those calling 

themselves party chairmen and 

voted had never participated in 

IPAC activities. Also, the PDP in 

Ekiti is factionalised and nobody 

is expecting the party to 

participate, but the electoral 

umpire connived with some few 

to pervert justice. The whole 

process was not transparent. 

But in his inaugural speech, 

Iyaniwura, described the process 

as credible and appreciated the 

members for imbibing the spirit of 

democracy. 

The Resident Electoral 

Commissioner, REC, in Ekiti 

State, Dr. Rahman Tella, 

represented by the INEC 

Executive Secretary, Mr. 

Akinropo Ojewande, advised the 

new officers to be supportive to 

INEC in the conduct of good 

elections in Nigeria.


:Vanguard :@vanguardnews :@vanguardnewsNEWS HOTLINES: 

CONFAB—From Left: Commissioner for Finance, Dr. Rabiu Olowo; Commissioner for 

Economic Planning and Budget, Sam Egube, and Commissioner for Information and 

Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, during a News Conference on the Year 2021 Appropriation 

Law of the Lagos State government, in Lagos, yesterday. 

#EndSARS protests: It’ll take long to 

rebuild destroyed property —Sanwo-Olu 

By Olasunkanmi Akoni & 

Johnbosco Agbakwuru 

A BUJA—GOVERNOR 

Babajide Sanwo-Olu of 

Lagos State, said, yesterday, that 

it would take the state time to 

rebuild the properties destroyed 

during the EndSARS protests. 

This came on a day the Lagos 

State government disclosed that 

the 2021 budget of N1.164 trillion 

would be funded from a revenue 

estimate of N971.028 billion in the 

fiscal year, with a target on the 

expansion of tax nets. 

Governor Sanwo-Olu stated this 

while briefing State House 

correspondents, after meeting 

behind closed doors with 

President Muhammadu Buhari, 

at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. 

He said the meeting dwelt 

more on the second wave of the 

Coronavirus pandemic, security 

situation and the impact of the 

#EndSARS protests in the state. 

On rebuilding Lagos after the 

EndSARS protests, he said: “It is 

also some of the things I 

discussed with Mr. President. It 

is a work in progress. To take 

something down, it takes one day, 

but to rebuild takes 10 years. 

“It’s a journey, not a 

destination. And so, it is going to 

take a while. We are carefully 

taking a proper study to know 

what we need to do; taking our 

time to get it right, but we’ve 

started something. 

“Businesses that were affected, 

somebody having their shops 

looted or burnt or something. We 

have been able to directly begin 

to support such businesses, 

especially on a micro, small level 

using the Lagos state 

Arise empowers ENDSARS protesters 

with cash gift 

LAGOS—THE 

Arise 

Foundation for Women, 

Youth and Family 

Development, in collaboration 

with Aderoju Adekanmbi 

Foundation, has empowered 

over 100 youths with cash 

gifts, and over 100 children 

with educational materials and 

uniforms, in Lagos and Oyo 

states. 

The intervention, tagged: 

‘#EndSARS with Cash Funds 

to do Business’, had over 100 

....Briefs Buhari on COVID-19, security situation in Lagos 

....As LASG targets N971bn to fund 2021 budget 

employment trust fund. 

“They have started intervening 

and supporting some of these 

small businesses, giving them 

grants, giving them soft loans, 

and making sure that they can 

come back together very quickly.” 

We’re building an 

oxygen tent 

Speaking on the COVID-19 

pandemic in the state, the 

governor said: “It is a serious case. 

We have all said it, we are in the 

second wave and incidentally, the 

second wave seems to be a bit 

more infectious than the first one, 

I mean the rate of infection and 

the number of people that we have 

seen. We remain the epicenter, so 

what we have done is we never 

stopped building capacity. 

“So what we are doing now is 

communication and we are taking 

it to the grassroots to let people 

know that they need to take full 

responsibility and know that even 

for their loved ones, they need to 

be real with themselves and 

know that COVID-19 is real, is 

with us and is not just something 

playing in their heads. 

“One of the things we have 

realised is that a lot more people 

require oxygen attention, they 

need additional breathing aid, so 

we have started building what we 

call oxygen tent, oxygen facilities, 

we are building about ten of such 

facilities, we have commissioned 

about four or five of them and we 

are also building proper oxygen 

plants so that we can meet the 

respiratory requirements. 

youths that participated in the 

12-day October nationwide 

protests as beneficiaries. 

They were given N10,000 

each, while over 100 children 

were given N10,000 each to 

buy educational materials and 

uniforms for schools. 

Speaking at the event, the 

Founder and Chief Executive 

Officer of the foundation, Mrs. 

Joke Akinseye, said 

empowering the youths 

accelerates the economic 

growth and continuous 

development of a nation. 

“We are also doing a lot more 

testing in Lagos than we were 

doing five to six months ago: we 

are doing almost 2, 500/3,000 tests 

every day, so we are watching the 

rate of positivity that we have, 

which is also high, it has moved 

from the usual 10 to 12 percent 

and we are now seeing positivity 

rate of about 25 and sometimes 

30 percent. That is actually very 

disturbing. 

LASG targets over 

N971bn revenue to 

fund 2021 budget 

Meanwhile, the Commissioner 

for Economic Planning and 

Budget, Mr. Sam Egube, who 

briefed newsmen in Ikeja on the 

detailed analysis of the year 2021 

budget, noted that the 2021 

Budget is consistent with the 

T.H.E.M.E.S agenda, designed 

to give priority to the completion 

of inherited on-going projects. 

He explained that the total 

budget revenue comprises of 

N1.164 trillion and will be funded 

from a total revenue estimate of 

N971.028 billion, comprising of 

the following: total internally 

generated revenue, IGR, 

N723.817 billion, Capital 

Receipts, N71.811billion, Federal 

Transfer, N175.400 billion 

He said: “While we were 

recovering from the pandemic, 

the EndSARS protests and the 

aftermath of its hijack took us back 

economically and socially, further 

compounding the situation. 

“However, attributable to our 

resilient nature, as at third week 

of December 2020, our total 

Revenue performed at 93 per 

cent while our total Capital 

Expenditure and total recurrent 

expenditure performed at 80 per 

cent and 86 per cent respectively. 

“Going by this trend, we are 

positive that we will close the year with a 

performance level of at least 86 per cent.” 

Besides, Egube said: “The objectives 

of our 2021 budget remain aggressive 

development and maintainance of our 

infrastructure, creation of employment 

and enhancing food security, to improve 

civic participation, inclusion and 

cooperation in governance, investing in 

human capital development — that is 

education and healthcare — deployment 

of functional technology in public services 

and more." 

Kai...dis DNA na sure banker! 

Ahh, go for deliverance! 

No wonder we can't catch-up!




STRIKE: A cross section of stranded applicants as staff of National Identity Management 

Commission, NIMC, Unit of Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, embarked on 

a nationwide strike at NIMC Office, Yengoa, Bayelsa State, yesterday. Photo: Abayomi 

Adeshida. 

NDDC: Appointment of sole administrator 

based on court injunction —Akpabio 

By Chris Ochayi 

ABUJA— MINISTER of 

Niger Delta Affairs, 

Godswill Akpabio, has 

disclosed that the 

appointment of a sole 

administrator for Niger Delta 

Development Commission, 

NDDC, was based on court 

injunction. 

Akpabio noted that the 

action was necessitated by a 

court injunction issued by 

Justice A. R. Mohammed of 

the Federal High Court in 

Abuja and not an official 

appointment made by the 

Federal Government. 

The minister made the 

clarifications when he met 

with representatives of the 

forensic auditing team, who 

were in his office in Abuja to 

submit progress report of the 

on-going forensic auditing of 

the NDDC. 

He said the leadership of 

the commission currently 

held by Mr. Effiong Akwa 

was not permanent and 

would only last the duration 

of the forensic auditing after 

which a board would be 

inaugurated. 

Akpabio said the Ministry 

of Niger Delta Affairs is 

starting the year with 

renewed vigour and would 

ensure that the ministry gives 

priority to achieving the 

mandate given by President 

Muhammadu Buhari to 

revitalise the Niger Delta 

region. 

He said: “The key 

programme for Niger Delta 

is the completion of the East- 

West road, particularly 

Sections I-IV and I’m happy 

to report that contractors are 

on site and work is on-going 

at a very busy pace. 

"I also commend the 

National Assembly for the 

speedy passage of the 

NDDC 2020 budget. I think 

that was a patriotic action 

taken in the interest of the 

good people of Niger Delta.” 

While commending the 

management team and staff 

of the ministry, the minister 

said: “The ministry was able 

to complete a lot of 

development projects in 

different states of Niger Delta, 

which includes the 50km road 

in Edo State, Skill Acquisition 

Centres in Cross River, 

Ondo, Akwa Ibom and others 

with provision for under water 

welding.” 

The immediate past 

Governor of Akwa Ibom State, 

who expressed displeasure 

over the recent fiasco caused 

by some youths from the 

Niger Delta in the ministry, 

said he also received calls 

from some youth groups 

apologising for their 

behaviour, saying they were 

misled to come to the ministry 

to foment trouble. 

Brutality: Police make appearance in 10 

of 14 cases at Bayelsa judicial panel 

By Samuel 

Oyadongha 

YENAGOA—THE legal 

team of the Bayelsa Police 

Command, yesterday, made 

an appearance before the 

state judicial panel of inquiry 

on cases of alleged brutality 

and extra-judicial killings by 

personnel in some parts of 

the state. 

Of the 14 cases for mention 

at the resumed sitting of the 

state judicial panel of inquiry 

chaired by Justice Emmanuel 

Ogola (retd), a total of 10 

cases are against various 

levels of police personnel in 


The police legal team led 

by Stella Friday at the 

hearing, yesterday, however 

complained that they were 

yet to be served copies of the 

various petitions filed against 

its personnel. 

Spokesman of the panel, 

Mr. Samuel Numunengi 

confirmed the appearance of 

the police counsel, affirming 

the readiness of the police 

high command to cooperate 

with the panel on various 

petitions against its personel. 

It was learned that among 

the petitions filed against 

police personnel before the 

panel include a case of police 

brutality filed by one Mrs. 

Ebiemie Ename against one 

Sergeant Fustina over 

alleged use of belt to injure 

one of her eyes during verbal 

argument at the market on 

November 12, 2014. 

Also, Mr. Daniel Kokorifa, 

an official of the Federal Road 

Safety Commission, FRSC, 

attached to the Port Harcourt, 

Rivers State Command, in a 

petition accused the men of 

the Anti-Vice unit of the police 

command in August 2016 

along the Air Force Road area 

of Okaka-Epie of Yenagoa 

Local Government Area of the 

state of killing of his 17-yearold 

son, Innocent Kokorifa. 

Kokorifa, in the petition 

dated 4th November, 2020 

and numbered EAA/PI/BYS/ 

240/2020 through his counsel, 

E. A. Aluzu Esq and 

Associates, said his 17 yearold 

son was shot from behind 

by one police Corporal 

Vincent Kohamowei without 

provocation. 

Further hearing on the 

petition was adjourned till 

20th of January, 2021. 

Also, 81-year-old man, 

Chief Lucky Amakiri, in his 

petition before the judicial 

panel said his grandson, 

Blessing Amakiri, was shot 

dead by men of the state 

police command based on 

mere suspicion of belonging 

to a cult group in the state. 

Amakiri said his grandson, 

19 years, was shot dead by 

the men of Ekeki Police 

Division while on errand at 

the former Oyoyo market in 

Ovom area of the state capital. 

Also seeking justice from 

authorities of the Bayelsa and 

Delta State police commands 

before the judicial panel were 

families of two police 

personnel shot dead on June 

14, 2020 in Ughelli, Delta 

State allegedly by men of the 

Federal Special Anti-Robbery 

Squad, FSARS, while on 

special duty alongside five 

other policemen. 

Obaseki congratulates Okolo on 

appointment as US presidentelect’s 

COVID-19 Policy Advisor 

By Gabriel 

Enogholease 

BGodwin ENIN—Governor 

Obaseki of Edo 

State has congratulated Miss 

Osaremen Okolo, who hails 

from Ewohimi in Esan South 

East Local Government Area 

of Edo State, on her 

appointment as coronavirus 

(COVID-19) Policy Advisor to 

United States President-elect, 

Joe Biden. 

Obaseki, in a statement in 

Benin yesterday, hailed 

Okolo, a graduate of Harvard 

University and a former 

Senior Health Policy Advisor 

in the US House of 

Representatives, on her new 

role, saying she serves as a 

role model to youths in the 

state. 

According to the governor, 

“I congratulate Miss 

Osaremen Okolo on her 

appointment as the COVID- 

19 Policy Advisor to the 

President-elect, Joe Biden. 

“The feat attests to your 

brilliance, dedication and 

resilience and her exceptional 

zeal to make remarkable 

change in society.” 

UTCCL gives account of 

stewardship, to hold thanksgiving 

service 

A 

group under the aegis 

of Urhobo Traditional 

Council of Chiefs Lagos, 

UTCCL, has given account 

of its stewardship after four 

years of meritorious service to 

the people of Urhobo resident 

in Lagos. 

The group in a statement 

by its Chairman, Osu R’ 

Urhobo of Lagos, High Chief 

Vincent Ahwi, and Secretary, 

Chief Godspower Ikpimi is 

equally using the opportunity 

to inform the public that they 

will be holding a 

thanksgiving service for a 

successful four years of service 

to Urhobo people resident in 

Lagos. 

The event, according to the 

statement, will hold on 

Sunday, Janury 10, 2021 at 

C-River inaugurates COVID-19 

Action Recovery, Economic 

Stimulus Steering C'ttee 

By Emma Una 

CALABAR—THE Cross 

River State government 

has inaugurated the COVID- 

19 Action Recovery and 

Economic Stimulus, CARES, 

committee to steer the 

activities of the programme in 

the state for the next two years. 

Professor Ivara Esu, 

Deputy Governor of the state, 

who inaugurated the team, 

yesterday, in Calabar said the 

project was timely and 

coming at a time the nation’s 

economy needed to be 

stimulated with necessary 

programmes. 

Esu stated that “CARES is 

a World Bank-assisted 

programme, which is 

Arbitration clause: Court strikes 

out suit by Aiteo’s surveillance 

contractors in Bayelsa 

By Samuel 

Oyadongha 

YENAGOA —A Bayelsa 

State High Court has 

struck out 12 suits on alleged 

breach of contract filed by 

surveillance contractors 

engaged at the Nembe Creek 

oilfields in Bayelsa by Aiteo 

Eastern Exploration Limited. 

The surveillance 

contractors, who are members 

of the oil firm’s host 

communities at Opu-Nembe 

had dragged Aiteo to Nembe 

High Court presided over by 

Justice L. M. Boufini for 

alleged breach of contract 

terms. 

According to court records, 

the 12 suits were separately 

assigned suit numbers NHC/ 

1/2020 to NHC/12/2020 in a 

serial order. 

The claimants, Mr Nicholas 

Ebiye and Johnson 

Theophilus and 10 others 

Delta promises more attention 

for riverine communities 

By Jimitota 

Onoyume 

WARRI— 

Riverine 

communities in Delta 

State have been assured of 

St. Andrew’s Anglican 

Church Cathedral, Prince 

Tajudeen Adio Crescent, Off 

Okun Owa Street, Olodi- 

Apapa, Lagos. 

The group recalled that 

since its inauguration in 

November 4, 2016 under the 

auspices of the of Urhobo 

Progress Union, UPU, Lagos, 

it has encountered 

challenging moments, which 

include series of court cases 

and the death of their aged 

members, including Papa 

Williams Okagbare and 

Mama Margaret Diaso. 

“There was also, the tragic 

incident of herdsmen 

kidnapping in which three of 

our members were 

miraculously saved by God,” 

it said. 

supported by the federal and 

state governments in 

Nigeria, designed to 

stimulate the country’s 

economy.” 

According to him, with the 

initiation of the programme, 

which is scheduled to be fully 

implemented in April, the 

state will consolidate on the 

gains and reduce her poverty 

rate of 36.3 to at least, a single 

digit. 

He cited the destruction of 

property in government 

offices and private homes in 

Calabar during the 

#EndSARS protest on 

October. 24, 2020 as one of 

the factors that has further 

created poverty in the state. 

filed the suit to seek legal 

redress over percieved 

injustice and malicious 

punishment meted out 

against the Opu-Nembe 

Surveillance Contractors by 

Aiteo. 

However, in a ruling on the 

motion seeking to strike out 

the case for lack of jurisdiction 

due to an arbitration clause 

in the lapsed 2015 contract, 

Boufini agreed that 

arbitration should be the 

primary mechanism for 

resolving any dispute from 

the contract. 

The judge held that the 

arbitration clause in the 

contract does not oust the 

jurisdiction of the court but 

since both parties had agreed 

to adopt arbitration, he 

cannot entertain the case at 

the first instance until the 

arbitration option is 

exhausted. 

more attention from the state 

government this year. 

Special Adviser to 

Governor Ifeanyi Okowa on 

Environment and Marine 

Transport, Daniel Yingi, gave 

the assurance in Okpokunou 

town, Burutu Local 

Government Area, adding 

that the people should 

continue to support efforts of 

the state government to 

massively develop riverine 

communities. 

Yingi, who held a new 

year party for children of his 

Okpokunou community said 

it was a way to put smiles on 

their faces, noting that he 

had done the party since 

2014. He also doled out cash 

gifts to the children. 

He appealed to the 

children to shun social vices, 

adding that they should take 

their education very 

seriously. 

Fielding questions from 

newsmen at the event, Yingi 

said Okowa was making 

commendable development 

impact in riverine 

communities, stressing that 

the people should continue 

to create the necessary 

atmosphere for development 

to thrive.




MEETING: From left: Lecturer, Faculty of Law, Enugu State University of Technology, ESUT, Mr Chijioke Ani; 

Dean of the Faculty, Prof. Agu-Gab Agu; Deputy Governor of Enugu State, Mrs Cecelia Ezeilo; with other 

lecturers, Mrs Nandline Nwadaehe and Mr Justus Nwabueze, after a meeting on distinguished alumni award 

ceremony by the Faculty in Enugu, yesterday. 

OHANAEZE ELECTION: Okwukwu, Ozobu 

risk contempt of court — Ohakim 

•Enemies of Igbo're at work —INC 

By Chidi 

Nkwopara & 

Chinonso Alozie 

UMUAHIA—FOR asking 

the court to stop the Ohanaeze 

general election, 

former Governor of Imo 

State, Chief Ikedi Ohakim, 

has warned that Mr. Uche Okwukwu 

and Prince Richard 

Ozobu, risk being dragged to 

court for alleged contempt. 

In a court process filed before 

an Umuahia High Court, 

on Wednesday, Okwukwu, an 

embattled secretary-general 

of Ohanaeze is seeking an order 

of court stopping the election 

committee raised by the 

Ime-Obi led by Ohanaeze 

President-General, Chief John 

Nnia Nwodo from conducting 

the election. He wants the 

court to allow his election 

committee chaired by Prince 

Ozobu to conduct the election. 

Looking at the issue, Chief 

Ohakim, in a press statement, 

hinged his warning on "an 

online publication made by 

Uche Okwukwu, the suspended 

Secretary General of Ohanaeze". 

His words: "In the publication, 

one Richard Ozobu, who 

works with Uche Okwukwu, 

claimed to have set up a timetable 

and schedule for the 

Ohanaeze elections to be held 

this month of January. 

"In view of this development, 

I am constrained to issue 

this press release to caution 

Okwukwu and Ozobu to 

forthwith, cease and desist 

because if it ultimately turns 

out to be true that they are 

waxing to conduct a parallel 

Ohanaeze election, such 

would, without more, amount 

to actionable contempt of 

court against them, their cohorts 

and all their confederates." 

Ohakim recalled that he 

had, January 5, 2021, through 

his counsel, Barrister Aloy Ejimakor, 

brought a suit for injunction 

and other reliefs, before 

the Imo State High Court, 

specifically praying the Court 

to restrain Okwukwu and 

Ozobu from interfering with 

the said Ohanaeze elections 

or otherwise taking any steps 

towards conducting parallel 

elections. 

"On the same date, the High 

Court issued an Order restraining 

Okwukwu and Ozobu 

and their cohorts from interfering 

in any manner whatsoever, 

with the election of officers 

of Ohanaeze and/or in 

EBONYI: IPOB, state govt bicker over alleged 

renaming of community by Fulani herdsmen 

By Peter Okutu 

ABAKALIKI—THE Indig 

enous People of Biafra, 

IPOB, yesterday, alleged that 

Fulani herdsmen had renamed 

a community in Ebonyi 


IPOB, in a statement by its 

Publicity Secretary, Emma 

Powerful, alleged that Agbabor 

in Onicha Local Government 

Area was renamed Aruu 

by Fulani herdsmen following 

their occupation of the 

said location. 

However, in quick reaction, 

the Commissioner for Information 

and State Orientation, 

Barr. Orji Uchenna Orji, 

dismissed the IPOB's allegation 

as ''an act of falsehood 

and mischief." 

"We have no time to continue 

to react to unrealistic and 

unfounded reports which are 

unintelligently fabricated to 

score cheap political point. 

"IPOB should know that we 

don't celebrate falsehood and 

misguided behaviours in Ebonyi 

State. We celebrate God's 

special grace that has lifted 

us from glory to glory in human 

resources and infrastructural 

development. 

"Those who think they can 

swindle the sensibilities of our 

people through raising of issues 

about herdsmen and 

any manner conducting a 

parallel election of the officers 

of Ohanaeze", Ohakim 

said. 

According to the former 

governor, the suit and the related 

injunction were, as was 

ordered by the Court, served 

by an advertorial published in 

a national daily, stressing that 

the publication was intended 

to accomplish prompt notice 

to all parties due to the high 

urgency of the matter and to 

pave the way for the Gary Igariwey-led 

properly constituted 

Electoral Committee to 

conduct the Ohanaeze elections 

without any let or hindrance. 

"Accordingly, I hereby warn 

Uche Okwukwu and Richard 

Ozobu and anybody aiding 

and abetting them that I will 

not hesitate in initiating vigorous 

contempt proceedings 

against them should they take 

any further steps that amount 

to disobedience of this subsisting 

Order of Court. Enough is 

enough", Chief Ohakim said. 

their operations in Ebonyi 

State should know that our 

people are not gullible but are 

rather peaceful with perfect 

understanding of the need for 

peaceful co-existence with 

other citizenry, no matter their 

tribe or religion." 

The IPOB tackled the governor 

thus: "Governor Umahi 

is fully aware that the same 

Fulani killer herdsmen he is 

protecting have recently renamed 

Agbabor community 

close to Uburu town in Onicha 

Local Government Area 

to Aruu. What has he done to 

reverse this affront? Instead of 

hiding his face in shame that 

terrorists are now renaming 

Ebonyi communities under 

his watch, Umahi is busy 

threatening patriotic Biafrans 

who are merely exposing the 

atrocities of Fulani herdsmen 

in their communities. 

"The media report of the 

statement credited to Governor 

Dave Umahi of Ebonyi 

State, where he reportedly ordered 

the arrest of innocent 

locals who had in a viral video 

exposed the latest atrocities 

of Fulani terrorist herdsmen 

in Ebonyi communities, 

is madness taken too far. 

"Although we are not surprised 

at such treachery, it defies 

logic that a sitting governor 

will rather choose to dine 

INC angry with 

litigations, says 

enemy of Igbo at 

work 

In like manner, the Igbo 

National Council, INC, yesterday 

said that the enemies 

of Igbo were behind the infighting 

leading to litigations 

in Ohanaeze to split the body 

especially for political reasons. 

The president of the association, 

Chilos Godsent, spoke 

to newsmen in Owerri, on the 

litigations and counter litigations 

riddling the Ohanaeze 

leadership ahead of its president-general 

election on January 

10. 

INC also called on Chief 

John Nnia Nwodo to diligently 

create a free and fair atmosphere 

for the up coming election. 

"The Igbo National Council 

Worldwide condemns in its 

totality the series of court injunctions 

and legal summons 

and litigation by Igbo political 

stakeholders against the 

forthcoming elections of the 

Ohanaeze scheduled for 10th 

January 2021. 

"INC is of the view that by 

all this litigation Igbo political 

stakeholders and chieftains 

of the Ohanaeze might 

be playing the scripts of the 

enemies of the Igbo Race." 

"We also condemn in strong 

terms the notion of Imo State 

consensus candidate for the 

position of the president-general. 

We therefore call on the 

out going leadership of Ohanaeze 

and the Electoral committee 

to create the enabling 

environment for fair play and 

equal opportunity for all the 

aspirants or candidates in the 

forthcoming election of Ohanaeze 

Ndigbo," INC said. 

with the oppressors of his own 

people just for the derisive 

promise of an illusory vicepresidential 

candidacy to a 

Fulani presidential candidate 

in 2023. What a shame! 

"We the Indigenous People 

of Biafra (IPOB), ably led by 

our great leader Mazi Nnamdi 

Kanu, therefore, wish to 

warn Governor Umahi 

against the grave implications 

of his actions. 

“It is the height of foolery 

that Governor Dave Umahi 

will support foreign Fulani 

terrorist herdsmen against his 

own people that voted for him. 

Does Dave Umahi not know 

that our mothers for years now 

have been afraid of going to 

their farms for fear of being 

raped by Fulani terrorists and 

other evil activities of Miyetti 

Allah? 

"We, therefore, advise Governor 

Umahi and his Miyetti 

Allah handlers to make sure 

nothing happens to citizens of 

Ebonyi State who are within 

their rights to share the said 

video. Biafrans will hold him 

and his family responsible 

should any harm befall any 

individual as a result of his 

wish to serve his Fulani masters. 

We also warn traditional 

rulers and President Generals 

recruited by governors in the 

South-East against ESN personnel 

to retrace their steps.'' 

PDP petitions Ebonyi CJ, alleges 

frustration of appeal 

THE PEOPLES Democrat 

ic Party in Ebonyi State, has 

written Chief Judge, Anselm 

Nwigwe, over what it termed 

unlawful meddling by a staff of 

the court and others with its appeal. 

The letter came on the heels 

of preliminary issues bordering 

on jurisdiction raised by PDP's 

Counsel, Chief KCO Njamanze, 

SAN, on December 21, 2020, 

which led the party to file a Notice 

of Appeal and motion for 

stay of proceeding, same day. 

In the letter dated January 6, 

2020 and titled, "Complaint of 

unlawful connivance and underhand 

activities to frustrate 

our appeal in Suit No. HAB/161/ 

2020; Chief Onyekachi Nwebonyi 

& 2 others V PDP & 11 others 

by Mr Ezinwa Ogudu, the 

Head, Appeal Department of 

High Court, the party alleged 

that Mr Ogudu had been scuttling 

its efforts to process and 

transmit the records to the Court 

of Appeal, Enugu. 

The PDP further alleged that 

since it transferred the necessary 

amount to Mr Ogudu, being 

payment for the processing and 

transmitting of the records, the 

HOD's mobile lines had been 

switched-off, thus stifling all its 

genuine moves to transmit the 

records to the Appeal Court. 

The petition reads in part: 

"The Head, Appeal Department 

of Ebonyi High Court, Mr Ezinwa 

Ogudu issued Form 3 to 

the proposed respondents to 

Customs impounds ammunition, 

rice, vehicles others worth N379m 

By Godfrey Bivbere 

THE NIGERIA Customs 

Service, Federal Operations 

Unit, Zone ‘C’ Owerri, 

has impounded 5,200 rounds 

of live ammunition, smuggled 

imported rice, vehicles, and 

other items worth N379 million 

between November 23 

and December 27, 2020. 

The Unit during the same 

period recovered N7.6 million 

from demand notices on false 

declaration, transfer of value, 

and shortchange in duty payment. 

This brings the cumulative 

figure collected during the 

period by the Unit to N386 

million. 

A statement signed by Jerry 

Attah made available to Van- 

appear for settlement of 

records on the 24th day of December, 

2020. On the 24th December, 

2020, the respondents 

were absent and the HOD 

Appeal asked that the appellant 

make payment for processing 

and transmitting the 

records. Upon the request of 

the HOD, we made deposit 

through one of our counsel, 

Mazi Micheal Igbo Esq. 

"Following the further request 

of the HOD, we transferred 

the balance of the money 

for processing and transmitting 

record of appeal through 

our secretary, Barr Luke Nkwegu 

to the HOD on the 27th 

day of December 2020, with 

the assurance that the record 

would be transmitted on the 

29th of December, 2020. 

"Thus, ever since Mr Ezinwa 

Ogudu received the balance of 

the money for processing and 

transmitting the records, he has 

simply and dramatically 

turned to constitute a cog in 

the wheel of the process of 

transmitting the records. He 

has now abandoned the already 

processed records and 

switched off all his mobile 

lines." 

The petition was signed by 

the party chairman in the 

state, Elder Fred Udogu. 

Also, State PDP Secretary, 

Barr Luke Nkwegu, said the 

development was a travesty 

of the law. 

Ugwuanyi swears-in 6 new judges 

By Anayo Okoli 

ENUGU—ENUGU State 

Chief Judge of Enugu 

State, Hon. Justice Priscilla 

Ngozi Emehelu, has commended 

Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi 

for his administration’s 

commitment to the provision 

of critical infrastructure 

for the state judiciary, saying it 

has enabled judicial workers 

to efficiently discharge their responsibilities. 

Justice Emehelu, who spoke 

during the swearing-in of six 

new judges into the State Judiciary 

by the governor, said that 

prior to the administration of 

Governor Ugwuanyi,“it has 

not been possible for the Judiciary 

of Enugu State to get 

even one slot for appointment”. 

Describing the swearing-in 

of the new judges as historic, 

Emehelu said that it was remarkable 

to note that the State 

Judiciary under the administration, 

between 2016 and 

•As CJ commends 

him for improved 

infrastructure 

presently, has15 judges. 

She thanked Governor Ugwuanyi 

for making it possible, 

stressing that it couldn’t 

have been possible if not for 

his administration’s massive 

infrastructural interventions 

in the State Judiciary, especially 

in “providing all the facilities 

that are necessary for 

these appointments.” 

Swearing-in the judges, 

Governor Ugwuanyi explained 

that the ceremony 

was possible following his 

approvals to the recommendations 

of the National Judicial 

Council, NJC, in compliance 

with Section 271 subsection 

2 and Section 281 

sub-section 2 of the 1999 

Constitution of the Federal 

Republic of Nigeria. 

guard, noted that the Controller, 

Federal Operations 

Unit, Zone ‘C’, Yusuf Lawal, 

expressed concerns over the 

trends in arms and ammunition 

smuggling in recent 

times. Yusuf made reference 

to the interception in Lagos 

in 2017, in Kwara in 2018, 

and just recently in Kebbi using 

different routes and now 

the interception of 5,200 live 

ammunition cartridges 

(30GR 70mm Calibre) on 

December 13, 2020 concealed 

with other goods and 

household items in a passenger 

vehicle: Toyota Sienna 

with reg no: DKA 237 DW 

along Nwezenyi Ikom Road 

Cross River, based on intelligence. 

C 

M 

Y 

K


C 

M 

Y 

K 



Send Opinions & Letters to: 

opinions1234@yahoo.com 

Duplicitous British judiciary, revengeful 

American bully and unbowed Assange 

IT was a marvel that WikiLeaks 

founder, Julian Assange, was still 

standing on his feet this Monday, 

January 4, 2021 as the British courts 

stopped his extradition to the United 

States, US, where he is already guilty 

even before making a plea. 

WikiLeaks has been firing from all 

cylinders propelling a universal 

movement exposing secrets the 

powerful and the corrupt want 

concealed from humanity. 

In the last decade, Assange had 

holed up for seven years in the 

Ecuadorian Embassy in London 

where his view of the world was from 

the balcony. 

He has spent subsequent time in 

the Belmarsh Prison, London, where 

he is still being held because two days 

after his victory, the same court 

denied him bail pending the appeal 

of the Americans. All these have 

negatively rubbed off on his physical 

and perhaps mental health. 

In these ten years, his life was 

constantly endangered not only by 

the high possibility of some of the 

deadliest secret services in the world 

abducting, poisoning or liquidating 

him, but also rogue elements trying 

to make their nightmare, history. 

In a sane world, rather than being 

hunted and endangered, Assange 

would have been awarded the Nobel 

By CHARLES ONUNAIJU 

THE ignoble triple dare-devilry of 

terrorism, banditry and kidnappings 

are the ferocious drivers and core embers of 

Nigeria’s worsening security nightmare. 

The 43 or more graves of the Zabarmari 

rice farmers gruesomely murdered and their 

heads servered, a work of extremist dark 

souls for which Boko Haram took 

responsibility were still fresh, when a 

reportedly motorcycle-riding and assaultrifle 

wielding bandits invaded Science 

Secondary School Kankara in Katsina 

State, forcing over 600 students to flee in 

the dead of the night. 

Despite that crime and criminalities have 

been with us, even in the most pristine times, 

it is only recently, especially since the return 

of civil rule in the late 1990s that it has 

morphed into a serious national security 

challenge. Even the Boko Haram insurgency 

was largely confined to low-level clashes of 

the group with security outfits in Borno 

State in addition to the incendiary preaching 

of their founder and his henchmen. 

While the terrorist group began its 

campaign of violence even far away from 

Borno State, the method of improvising gas 

cylinders which are loaded in cars driven at 

high speed to hit their targets, which 

sometimes produce devastating impacts 

like the attack of the United Nations 

building in Abuja was crude. As the rag tag 

terrorist group soon metamorphosed into a 

deadly and sophisticated armed group, there 

is the need to interrogate how it happened. 

Without interrogating the origins of 

sudden bursts of high profile terrorist 

resurgence and escalation of acts of 

recalcitrant banditry and kidnappings, a 

realist solution may be far from been found. 

The fact that Northern Nigeria is currently 

the national epicentre of these criminals 

raises the question of the causal relationship 

between the escalation of these crimes and 

the collapse of the former maximum ruler 

Peace Prize for significantly 

advancing Article 19 of the United 

Nations Human Rights Declaration. 

That Article states: “Everyone has the 

right to freedom of opinion and 

expression; this right includes 

freedom to hold opinions without 

interference and to seek, receive and 

impart information and ideas 

through any media and regardless 

of frontiers.” 

How many humans have 

sacrificed so much for the right to 

freedom of expression and 

information like Assange? How 

many have struck heavier blows 

against naked power, the powerful 

and the corrupt than Assange? He is 

more deserving of the Nobel Peace 

Prize than Barack Obama who got 

it one year into his Presidency in 

2009. 

This was even before settling down 

to any serious work or making any 

achievement greater than being 

elected American president. Even 

worse, the prize had been awarded 

in 1973 to Henry Kissinger, an 

unrepentant warmonger. This was 

like awarding the Nobel Peace Prize 

to President Donald Trump. 

The attempts to remove Assange 

from circulation began when he 

circulated an irrefutable video 

showing US helicopters massacring 

of Libya, the late Colonel Muammar 

Ghadaffi and the fall of its heavy armoury 

to non-state actors. 

While the fall of that regime and its 

consequences of escalating terrorism, 

banditry and other crimes within the Sahel 

and Lake Chad region were the result of 

Washington-led NATO alliance reckless 

armed intervention in the country’s political 

conflict, Nigeria became an accessory to 

NATO’s armed intervention and consequent 

instability in the country. 

When the Libya conflict broke out in 2011 

with the armed opposition forming a 

parallel government of the so-called 

National Transitional Council, TNC, which 

was encouraged by the West and quickly 

recognised by it, only Nigeria under 

President Jonathan extended recognition to 

the Libyan armed opposition against a very 

solid African consensus through the 

mechanism of the Africa Union, AU, which 

stridently canvassed and insisted on Africanled 

negotiated and mediated solution to the 

conflict. 

The Nigeria government broke with the 

then African consensus to support NATO’s 

armed intervention which eventually led to 

the assassination of the Libyan leader and 

the chaos that ensued in that country. The 

regime of Colonel Ghaddafi always had a 

sophisticated armoury though, with a less 

stronger army than its Syrian counterpart 

that resisted Western regime-change plot. 

As usual, with its predecessors and even 

successor, Nigeria did not with hindsight or 

foresight analyse her strategic long term 

interest of the consequence. 

Typical of the West in cutting and running, 

it took no measure to secure the heavy 

armoury of the Colonel Ghaddaffi regime 

after its fall, while its remnant forces fled in 

different directions throughout the region 

as military instructors to assorted group of 

extremist insurgents. Through the porous 

borders of Chad and Niger, who have 

common border with Libya, sophisticated 

unarmed Iraqis in the streets. The 

video had been leaked by US Army 

Intelligence Analyst, Bradley 

Edward Manning, now Chelsea 

Elizabeth Manning, who was picked 

up and sentenced to life 

imprisonment. 

The US claims that the leaks by 

Assange of its criminal wars in Iraq 

and Afghanistan, amount to 

espionage. For this, it has an 18- 

count charge against him which 

carry a handsome 175-year 

imprisonment. Seventeen of those 18 

counts are under the US Espionage 

Act of 1917. 

In the first place, those who should 

stand in the American courts for the 

wars and massacres in those two 

countries should not be Assange, but 

former American President George 

How many humans 

have sacrificed so much 

for the right to freedom 

of expression and 

information like 

Assange? 

W. Bush and ex-British Prime 

Minister Tony Blair who in 

employing falsehood and trickery, 

invaded them. In the particular case 

of Iraq, Bush and Blair 

manufactured tales that the country 

had weapons of mass destruction 

which it could unleash within 

minutes. 

The attempt to extradite and jail 

Assange will endanger journalists 

across the world especially 

investigate journalists. On any good 

day, a worthy newspaper publishes 

information governments would 

consider classified, sensitive or 

secret. 

Yet, this is necessary for every living 

society, good governance and 

democracy. It is this necessity that 

Nigeria’s faltering security: Issues and the way forward 

gave birth to the whistle-blower and 

the need to protect him. So, to hand 

Assange to American persecutors to 

be led like lamb to the slaughter, is 

to guillotine journalism. 

Ironically, the same America that 

wants to shut Assange away for the 

rest of his life, is the same country 

that over the 2020 Christmas period, 

pardoned four mercenaries of the 

Blackwater group who on 

September 16, 2007, using machine 

guns and grenade launchers, 

massacred 14 unarmed civilians 

including two children at the Nisour 

Square, Baghdad. Even the 

American government had admitted 

in its memo on the massacre that: 

“None of the victims was an 

insurgent, or posed any threat to the 

Raven 23 (Blackwater) convoy.” 

So the pardon, like the attempt to 

persecute Assange, is purely 

political, not to serve the cause of 

justice. The case brought before the 

British judiciary was to decide 

whether Assange’s actions were 

criminal as the American 

government claims and should, 

therefore, be extradited, or are 

political and anti-freedom as the 

defence claims. 

District Judge Vanessa Baraitser 

decided the case in a duplicitous 

manner. It was a political case and 

she knew that to rule in favour of 

extradition is to put her name and 

that of the British judiciary in the 

book of infamy. On the other hand, 

she did not want to rule in favour of 

freedom of expression as this could 

be a precedence not only in Britain, 

but also across the universe. So she 

manoeuvred into a territory that 

would deny both the extradition and 

press freedom. Assange, she ruled, is 

likely to commit suicide if subjected 

to the American prison system, so 

extradition is denied. This is British 

gentry duplicity at its best. 

arms flowed into Nigeria, giving Boko 

Haram new lease of life and spawning a 

wave of audacious bandit and kidnap gangs 

that are currently ravaging Northern 

Nigeria. 

As the West’s military alliance, NATO 

acted in flagrant breach of its famous Article 

5, its only provision for collective military 

action, which can only be invoked in an 

instance of a member coming under attack, 

the Nigeria government provided the only 

regional or African legitimacy to obvious 

illegal action of the Western military 

alliance. 

Libya was not a member of NATO and its 

Article 5 would never have sufficed in the 

illegal armed intervention and the 

consequent destabilisation of the country. 

In the current situation, where the 

continuing chaos in Libya and the flow of 

Criminal bandits and terrorists 

without any territorial base, 

popular support, or even 

ideological appeal need not hold 

the largest black nation in the 

world to ransom, except that no 

one seems to be thinking 

strategically 

weapons down to the Sahel and lake Chad 

region continues, with Nigeria’s internal 

security reaching a breaking point, what can 

be done to arrest and even roll back the chaos 

that is enveloping the northern region. The 

current war waged by the military and police 

against terrorists, bandits and kidnappers 

would occasionally tear through the heart 

of the treacherous criminalities but would 

not conclusively alter its trajectories without 

effective intelligence. 

For a start, the military intelligence and 

other sister intelligence agencies need to 

create a quasi shadowy trading group, 

As a journalist, let me address 

some of the concerns about Assange’s 

practice. First, all agree that his 

publications have been the truth and 

nothing but the truth. He does not 

engage in alternative facts; to him, 

like all good journalists, facts are 

sacred. 

Secondly, the claims that he does 

not exercise editorial judgement, are 

incorrect. There is evidence that in 

working with the media around the 

world such as the New York Times, 

he has been known to edit and vet 

WkiLeaks files before publication. 

So a third claim that he is not 

practising journalism but merely 

engaging in information dumping 

is incorrect. In any case, edited 

‘information dumping’ is not 

unprofessional. 

There are also accusations that in 

having access to secret materials, he 

is engaging in burglary of sites and 

is a receiver of stolen information; 

so in this wise, that he is a burglar 

and a thief, not a journalist. This is a 

dangerous accusation because 

investigative journalists can 

similarly be falsely accused. 

Perhaps a plausible criticism is 

that he and his organisation had not 

worked hard enough to protect their 

sources and whistle-blowers. This 

can be more of an advise than 

criticism. They do not diminish 

Assange’s fundamental 

contributions to significantly 

expanding the frontiers and space of 

investigate journalism and freedom 

of expression across the world. 

If I were to have the power or the 

freedom to choose between Assange 

and a thousand Donald Trumps, I 

will not hesitate to vote for the former 

over crooked politicians, influence 

peddlers, bullies, profiteers, 

gangsters and the rich and powerful 

who populate the governments of the 

world. 

possibly finding and enlisting smugglers 

that would trace, buy and mop up these 

weapons. Killing or neutralising criminals 

and terrorists while the weapons continue 

to flow in, would not significantly pressure 

the several illegal armed groups into 

submission or negotiation. 

There are also public policy contexts, in 

the bourgeoning trajectory of crime and 

criminalities, including terrorism in 

Nigeria. The dysfunctional institutions of 

government at all levels whereby policies 

are stripped of its public content and 

captured by state actors and their capricious 

and vested interest allies for private 

aggrandisements limits and narrows the 

framework to popular engagement. 

However, the low-hang fruit of possible 

and potential defeat of terrorism, banditry 

and kidnapping that are ravaging Nigeria 

and especially, its northern region now is to 

re-align military and police strategies to the 

fundamental issue of arresting the flow of 

arms to the bandits and terrorists, without 

which they will be easily overrun and 

subdued. 

To defeat the Tamil Tigers in Sri Lanka 

after over twenty-five years of insurgency, 

the Sri Lankan government went for the 

ethnic Tamil diaspora remittances that 

funded the Tigers, extended generous 

political handshake to the Tamil ethnic 

population in the Northern part of the 

country for whom the Tigers claim to fight 

for. 

Depriving the Tigers of ethnic base, 

cutting off the supply line of funds and 

weapons, the government in Colombo 

through military means decisively defeated 

an insurgency that ran successively for 25 

years. 

Criminal bandits and terrorists without 

any territorial base, popular support, or 

even ideological appeal need not hold the 

largest black nation in the world to ransom, 

except that no one seems to be thinking 

strategically. 

•Onunaiju is research director of an Abuja 

based Think Tank

C 

M 

Y 

K 

Place where angels fear to tread 

YOU cannot inspect the wreckage 

of 2020 closely without seeing the 

rubble of spectacularly failed forecasts 

by reputable seers. 

I’ve seen, in many forums, fans of 

renowned predictors trying very hard 

to defend the reputation of a number of 

these seers against the onslaught of 

mocking videos showing just how wide 

off the mark were their predictions for 

last year. 

There’s no need to fuss. And I’m 

pleased that not one of the high-profile 

seers involved has, so far, tried to make 

any excuses or to defend themselves. 

There’s nothing to defend, really, other 

than to swallow the humble pie, flush it 

down with a warm glass of lemonade 

and move on. 

If 2020 was not the end of the world - 

my goodness it almost looked like it was! 

- then we can look back with some 

humility and gratitude and admit that 

every business, including the business 

of futurology, has its hazards. I also 

goofed “bigly”, to borrow that Trumpian 

phrase, not in the flippant Trumpian 

way, but in all its solemnity. 

Once upon a prophecy 

This time, last year, I said that Comrade 

Adams Oshiomhole (do you still 

remember him?) would survive the nasty 

war with his protege, Godwin Obaseki, 

because the forces behind both parties, 

especially the former, would do 

everything to prevent a mutually 

assured destruction. 

I predicted that Oshiomhole would be 

kept as Chairman of the All Progressives 

Congress, APC, not for his strength or 

any intrinsic value, but for his strategic 

weakness in the rat race for 2023. That 

forecast failed and it is a matter of 

camaraderie regret that Oshiomhole’s 

ambition, if not his continued political 

relevance, has been buried in an 

unmarked grave. 

I also predicted that President Donald 

Trump would be re-elected on account 

of the relatively strong performance of 

the US economy at the time. It was a 

forecast made with a heavy heart; yet, 

if COVID-19 did any good thing at all 

last year, it was not only its monumental 

capacity to upturn cocksure predictions 

of a Trump re-election, but also the 

epiphany of saving the US and the world 

from a potentially apocalyptic Trump 

second term. 

Of course, Trump still has a different 

calendar and a different set of election 

results, which he would be free to use 

in Trumpistan, from January 20, after he 

would have been escorted from the 

White House. But the rest of the world 

is relieved to move on, hoping that the 

US knows that it won’t be taken 

seriously again until and unless Trump 

faces a trial. 

Not all wrong 

OK, the Summer Olympic Games were 

postponed and along with them our 

misery of a medal-less outing. But 

there’s still something that turned out 

right: parts of Nigeria’s land borders 

were re-opened, just as I had 

predicted. 

Also, the rate of inflation was as 

significantly high as predicted and with 

the combined effects of COVID-19 and 

falling oil prices leaving government in 

dire financial straits by the end of the 

year, the government, as foretold, 

savagely raided corporate and 

individual pockets, leaving millions 

poorer and desperate. Like a number 

of my chastened compatriots, I have a 

weakened appetite to forecast. But isn’t 

it said that we master the danger we 

overcome? And why fear to walk where 

angels fear to tread when angels, unlike 

mortals, lack the gift of hindsight? 

Now, this… 

2021 will be under the shadow of 2020 

well beyond the second quarter. 

COVID-19, that wrecking ball which 

evaded the world’s telescope last year, 

will continue to dominate the 

headlines. 

Developed countries will struggle with 

the second wave of the pandemic 

compounded by winter. Increased 

production and rollout of the vaccine 

will, however, cut the rates of infection, 

reduce fatalities among vulnerable 

populations and give some countries a 

chance to restart their economies. 

Concerns will remain about the 

possibilities of mutations, the prospects 

of a third wave and the safety and 

viability of the new vaccines. 

The history of pandemics suggests 

that they don’t die easily. The 

Food prices will remain 

high, largely as a result of 

insurgency in many parts of 

the North East and general 

insecurity in the farm belt 

interconnectedness of the modern world, 

especially with cheaper transport and 

faster connections, also means that 

viruses travel faster and spread quicker. 

COVID-19 is not good news for 

Nigeria not just for the toll it has already 

taken on lives and the economy, but also 

because the country itself has a cocktail 

of underlying illnesses that will make 

the virus fester this year. 

Although official statistics claim that 

1,324 have died of COVID-19 as of 

today, the number is much higher and 

the rate of infection far worse. With 

health facilities in the epicentres 

stretched to their limit and governments 

at both the federal and state levels 

unwilling or unable to take tougher 

measures because of a combination of 

poor data and potential political backlash, 

there will be more unreported or underreported 

fatalities. 

Yet, it will be increasingly difficult to 

conceal the cause of death, where they 

are COVID-19 related. As we grope for 

a solution, the government will, at some 

point, be forced to discuss with either 

China, India or the Soviet Union for 

small quantities of discounted vaccines 

for the larger population, while the rich 

will obtain the more reputable brands 

through the backdoor. 

Lai Year? 

If you wish, you may believe Lai 

Mohammed that the economy will 

revenue will improve sufficiently and 

the impact of COVID-19 on all but the 

ICT sector will further dampen the 

prospects of any significant revenues 

from taxes to cushion the shortfall or 

much change left to defend the naira. 

Not with stern-faced IMF and World 

Bank officials currently lining the 

corridors of the Central Bank of 

Nigeria. 

Also, food prices will remain high, 

largely as a result of insurgency in many 

parts of the North East and general 

insecurity in the farm belt. As a result, 

inflation will remain a big headache and 

savings, either as deposits or pension 

funds, will be significantly eroded. 

There’ll be no safety in government 

bonds or treasury bills either. 

As the government enters its lameduck 

phase, the rich few desperate to 

protect their funds will increasingly 

prioritise special foreign-currencydenominated 

portfolios created by a 

number of elite banks or look for safer 

havens outside these shores. 

Trade factor, X factor 

The African Continental Free Trade 

Area, AfCFTA, will play big this year. 

Although implementation is only in its 

infancy, the agreement will eliminate 90 

percent of tariffs on goods, increase the 

continent’s income by about $450billion 

in the next 15 years, and lift an estimated 

30million Africans out of poverty. 

The prospects of bigger intra-African 

trade should be good news for Nigeria, 

one of the continent’s powerhouses. But 

that’s hardly the case. The country is 

famous for consuming what it does not 

produce. On top of that, it is cursed with 

an elite that has the most pristine of 

exotic appetites. Over one year of border 

closure has not changed much. And now 

the borders must, willy-nilly, be 

reopened. 

When AfCFTA moves to a higher gear 

this year, there will be relief in the 

Southern part of the country where a 

greater volume of cross-border trade 

takes place, and angst in some quarters 

that the open sesame brought on by 

AfCFTA and the reopening of the 

borders could roll back gains from 

reduced food imports. 

The government will of course respond 

either by its silence or with its typical 

half-hearted measures that will 

dissatisfy both parties but leave the black 

market better off. 

Even though President Muhammadu 

Buhari has promised that this is the year 

when he would focus on completing a 

number of his legacy projects, 

preparations for 2023 will almost 

certainly fast-track the government’s 

lame-duck mode. He will change a few 

cabinet members reluctantly, while a 

significant number will keep one foot in 

government and the other out. 

Slowly, but steadily, Nigerians are 

beginning to look beyond the Buhari 

years; to live as if he wasn’t there. But 

this is the year when Buhari’s road to a 

lonely retirement will also start in 

earnest. It will be signposted by a last, 

maddening rush to curry his favour, and 

then, it’s all past tense. 


recover soon, but do 

yourself the favour of 

asking, how? The 

2021 budget is 

benchmarked at 

$40bpd, which is fair 

since the most 

optimistic forecasts 

peg prices at $46. The 

problem, however, is 

that the budget of 

N13.8trillion carries 

over one-third deficit 

on top of mounting 

liabilities already 

threatening to drown 

the government. 

It’s improbable that 

government oil 

:Vanguard 

News 

Edo govt recovers 

stolen logs, warns 

illegal operators 

By Ozioruva Aliu 

BENIN CITY—EDO State government 

yesterday said it has recovered over 

nine hundred and seventy-nine logs of 

various timber species rafted by log thieves 

at the riverine areas along Gele-gele and 

Nikrowa in Ovia South West local 

government area. 

The Permanent Secretary, Mr. Lucky 

Wasa disclosed this while briefing news 

men on the efforts made by his ministry to 

curb the activities of illegal loggers and 

encroachers adding that the operation was 

carried out by officials of the ministry. 

He said: "A crack team comprising of the 

Ministry’s Forestry Log Control Team, 

concerned Ijaw Indigenes from the creeks 

of Nikrowa, Okomu Ijaw, Gele-gele and 

security operatives stormed the riverine 

areas along the stretch between Gele-gele 

and Nikrowa to discover the theft." 

He warned that the Ministry will not 

condone any act that will jeopardize the 

effort of the state Government geared 

towards forest protection and conservation. 

A statement by the Public Relations 

Officer of the Ministry, Evelyn Unuigbe 

said the ministry would continue to protect 

the Forty-nine forest reserves in the state, 

adding that the state Government has put 

measures in place to clamp down on these 

illegal activities. 

She said the logs have been impounded 

as directed by the permanent secretary. 

Pan Ijaw group 

Meinbutus urges end 

to attacks on NDDC 

Sole Administrator 

By Jimitota Onoyume 

WARRI—PAN Ijaw group Meinbutus 

has called on stakeholders in the 

Niger Delta to allow the newly appointed 

Sole Administrator for the Niger Delta 

Development Commission, NDDC, Mr 

Effiong Okon Akwa to focus on his 

mandate to reposition the commission, 

saying groups in the region cannot 

continue to attack anyone appointed to 

serve the commission. 

Briefing journalists yesterday in Warri, 

Delta state, the trio of president of the 

group, Mr Joseph Eniekebi, the Public 

relations officer, Mr Charles Mokena and 

the Chief Adviser , Mr Chris Ateboh said 

those whose trade is to always attack 

appointments into the commission on 

ethnic grounds should change their 

mentality, adding that other parts of the 

country were beginning to note the Niger 

Delta region with this trait. 

They recalled that their group, 

Meinbutus was among those that signed 

the famous Kaiama declaration which 

gave rise to formation of the NDDC, 

adding that they want their struggle and 

that of other genuine leaders of the region 

to translate into serious development for 

the region. 

“Since we signed the Kaiama declaration 

nobody from our group has been 

appointed into the commission but that is 

not to say we will not support genuine 

development in the region. Enough of this 

attack on the new Sole Administrator, Mr 

Effiong Okon Akwa, he should be 

allowed to focus on his mandate for the 

good of the region. 

“Since 2015 till date the commission has 

not been able to deliver on its core mandate 

to the region because of ceaseless 

opposition and attack,“ they said. 

They said the new Sole Administrator, 

Mr Akwa as a son of the region also 

enjoys the legitimate right to be appointed 

into such office.


NIGERIA witnessed a spontaneous 

growth in sports in her early history 

of nationhood. Indeed, even before 

independence, competing under the 

British flag, the Union Jack, Nigerian 

athletes won laurels for the country. 

The likes of Hogan Kid Bassey 

(World Featherweight Boxing 

champion in 1957), and Richard Sport was originally conceptualised 

Iheatu, also known as Dick Tiger as a recreational pastime which was 

(World Middleweight Boxing private participation-driven. 

Champion in 1958), were among the Government had very little to do with 

pathfinders in Nigeria's early flight to organised sports. Individual sports 

global reckoning in sports. 

clubs were formed by nongovernmental 

In the amateur ranks, Nojeem 

groups while 

Mayegun won Nigeria's first Olympic membership was voluntary. 

medal (a bronze in the middleweight Government's primary concern was 

class at the Tokyo Olympics). to create the necessary environment 

The likes of Emmanuel Ifeajuna set for sports to fester, in line with the 

an Empire and Commonwealth axiom that a healthy people make a 

Games record in the High Jump event healthy nation and, by extension, a 

with his leap of 6ft.8 inches (2.03m). healthy work force for the country. 

He was the first Black man to win In that wise, government built public 

gold. 

parks, stadia and other facilities where 

Nigeria's sporting culture was built sportsmen and women could train and 

on the structures left behind by the keep fit. 

colonial masters. 

As an integral aspect of a holistic 

Re-inventing Nigeria's lost glory in sports(1) 

approach to a child's development, 

government also initiated an 

educational system which tied a child's 

educational growth with his or her 

development in sports. 

Schools were compelled to possess 

standard play grounds, and other 

facilities that could enhance speedy 

development of children in sports 

alongside their education. 

Sports instills in the child the spirit 

of competitiveness, sportsmanship, 

discipline, sincerity, ethics and other 

fine tenets necessary for good 

leadership and peaceful co-existence 

within the society. 

Beyond that, sports have become a 

multi-billion-dollar global industry. 

The question is how can Nigeria tap 

from the fastest growing industry in 

the world. 

Blessed with a glut of natural talents 

in every aspect of sports, Nigeria can 

take her rightful place among the 

comity of sporting nations if the 

general orientation and existing 

structural defects were perfected. 

For instance, in an age where 

governments all over the world are 

allowing sports to grow independently, 

Nigerian government is instead 

tightening its grip on sports, with an 

overbearing ministry that seems to 

have lost direction. 

The call for the return of the National 

Sports Commission has been very 

loud. Originally established as 

National Sports Council in 1962 as a 

parastatal under the Ministry of 

Labour, it was meant to regulate and 

coordinate sports in the country. 

Government's role in sports should 

be peripheral. 

To be concluded on Monday 

Biden’s last ‘hurdle’ 

By COSMAS ODOEMENA 

ANYONE who has followed Joe 

Biden’s odyssey through the US 

presidential election will agree that he 

has faced hurdles. Biden has been up 

against an incumbent in President 

Donald Trump who won’t leave the 

White House without a fight. 

So far though, all Trump’s efforts at 

discrediting the election with 

unsubstantiated claims of voting 

irregularities, including using the 

courts have failed. 

Biden’s first hurdle was the election 

proper. The second hurdle was the 

Electoral College votes. If it were a 

“normal” time, the latter was all that 

stood between Biden and the White 

House. But like I said, this is not a 

“normal” time. And it doesn’t help that 

some claim to “prophecy” a second 

term for Trump, leaving many waiting 

with bated breath for who will be sworn 

in as president on inauguration day. 

Now, the Electoral College votes 

were brought to Congress to be 

counted on January 6. It’s usually a 

formality, just to rubber stamp what has 

already been. 

But already, about 140 House 

Republicans said they’ll vote against 

the counting of the electoral votes on 

that date. That was only part of it. 

Who is the president of the Senate? 

It’s Donald Trump’s second in 

command, Vice President Mike 

Pence! Some feared that the Devil 

might enter Pence, and make him do 

the unimaginable. 

Trump hasn’t stopped twitting. He 

recently wrote, “the ‘Justice’ 

Department and FBI have done 

nothing about the 2020 Presidential 

Election Voter Fraud,” and added: 

“Never give up. See everyone in D.C. 

on January 6.” 

Trump was counting on Pence’s 

loyalty, as well as support from his 

party members in Congress to 

invalidate the election, by throwing out 

duly certified votes meant for Biden. 

Pence did not act unconstitutionally. 

But before then, he himself had not 

The process of Biden’s 

inauguration will stay on 

course, while the fantasy that 

Biden’s victory was 

illegitimate will be 

maintained 

acknowledged openly that Biden won, 

fueling the suspicion that he might 

have an ace up his sleeve. Just 

recently, he said: “We’re going to keep 

fighting until every legal vote is 

counted. We’re going to win Georgia, 

we’re going to save America.” 

But constitutionally speaking, Joe 

Biden as president was a done deal. 

There was nothing Mike Pence, or 

anyone could have done about it. The 

best they could do was to delay 

proceedings. 

OPINION 

According to Article II of the US 

Constitution and the 12th Amendment, 

what was to be done on January 6 was 

for the Electoral College votes to be 

opened by the “president of the 

Senate,” who is the Vice President, and 

who happens to be Mike Pence. To be 

sure, in the 1876 election there was 

confusion. 

But that was settled with the coming 

of the Electoral Count Act in 1887. It 

provides how long it should take to 

collate electoral votes, with the final 

part being the counting of the Electoral 

College votes, with clear roles for the 

Vice President. 

It says he will be the “presiding 

officer”. In other words he oversees 

what would go on that day. He would 

open the ballot envelopes, then show 

the results to a group of tellers. 

After that he would call for any 

objections to the votes by members of 

Congress, after which he would then 

announce the votes that have been 

objected to, and finally, the results. 

Pence was expected to be tempted to 

act in a way to favour his boss, which 

ultimately favoured he himself. But 

democracy in God’s own country 

should have gone above that - we 

hope! 

Those who wrote the Electoral Count 

Act knew that for it to stand 

unquestioned, there should be no 

inteference in any form by the vice 

president. 

He has no right to throw out votes 

from any state. And in the event that 

there is disagreement, both chambers 

Send Opinions & Letters to: 

opinions1234@yahoo.com 

of Congress must find fault with that 

state’s electoral votes before they can 

be rejected. Just as well, they also 

made it extremely hard for Congress 

not to agree, with things like the “safe 

harbour”, and by the Congress 

agreeing with the results the states 

have put forward. 

To be fair, it’s a difficult thing to do 

when you have to announce a result 

where you lost. But in 1960, Richard 

Nixon, then as vice president, was the 

one that counted the votes for John 

Kennedy who was his opponent. Also, 

Al Gore did the same, with George 

Bush whom he contested against. 

Already, a federal judge has dealt a 

fatal blow to what might have been 

Trump’s last chance, when he threw 

out a lawsuit being pushed by a House 

Republican that was geared towards 

giving Vice President Mike Pence the 

power to overturn the results of the 

Electoral College votes. 

Perhaps, as some feel, Pence might 

look for a cop-out for not presiding over 

the electoral vote count on January 6. 

He might instead ask Senator Charles 

Grassley, president pro tempore, a 

Republican, a person who accepts Joe 

Biden’s victory, to be the presiding 

officer. 

By doing that, Pence would not have 

offended his boss. The process of 

Biden’s inauguration will stay on 

course, while the fantasy that Biden’s 

victory was illegitimate will be 

maintained. 

•Dr. Odoemena, medical practitioner, in 

Lagos. wrote via @cuzdetriumph

C 

M 

Y 

K 

FOREX: Turnover in I&E falls by 47% to $33bn 

in 2020 

By Elizabeth Adegbesan 

MONEY MARKET 

The volume of dollars traded 

(turnover) in the Investors 

and Exporters (I&E) window of the 

Nigerian foreign exchange (forex) 

market fell by 47 percent, yearon-year 

(YoY) to $33.04 billion last 

year from $62.37 billion in 2019. 

This suggests a decline in dollar 

inflow from Foreign Portfolio Investors 

(FPIs) during the period. 

Data obtained by Vanguard on 

monthly turnover in the I&E window 

shows that the year started on 

a decline as turnover dropped by 

six percent in January 2020 to $5.6 

billion from $5.3 billion in December 

2019. 

Subsequently, a trend of fluctuation 

began month-on-month till December 

though the volume on decline 

outweighed the upticks. 

Meanwhile, data also show that 

Naira depreciated by N20 in the year 

as the indicative exchange rate of the 

window closed the year at N410.25 

per dollar on 31st of December as 

against the year’s opening rate of 

N390.25 per dollar in January 2020. 

Vanguard analysis of weekly turn- 

VISIT: Engr. Mansur Sambo, Managing Director, Nigerian Petroleum Development Company, 

NPDC, (2nd right) with top officials of the company during pre commissioning tour of the 

Oredo Integrated Gas Handling Facility, Ologbo, Edo State. 

Sigma Pensions projects tight monetary policy, bearish 

markets in 2021 

By Babajide Komolafe 

Sigma Pensions Limited has 

projected the return of tight 

monetary policy and bearish 

fixed income and equities market 

in 2021. 

The company which provides 

retirement planning, investment 

management and pension administration 

services to over 

700,000 working Nigerians and 

retirees gave this projection in 

its outlook for the economy 

CURRENCY BUYING SELLING 

US DOLLAR 

POUNDS 

EURO 

FRANC 

YEN 

CFA 

WAUA 

RENMINBI 

RIYAL 

RAND 

120.90 -4.20 

2,485.00 -29.00 

16.26 +0.14 

54.49 +1.66 

52.29 +1.86 

379 379.5 380 

517.2592 517.9416 518.624 

467.7618 468.3789 468.996 

432.5496 433.1203 433.6909 

3.6871 3.692 3.6969 

0.6914 0.7014 0.7114 

548.3651 549.0886 549.812 

58.7224 58.8003 58.8782 

101.0289 101.1622 101.2955 

25.3087 25.3421 25.3755 

CBN Exchange rate as at 07/01/2021 

ECONOMY 

titled, “Nigeria 2021 Outlook: 

A return to normalcy, but 

tough policy choices lie 

ahead” 

While expressing optimism 

of return to positive economic 

growth in 2021, the company 

also projected a return to economic 

growth, further weakening 

of the Naira and higher 

inflation rate in the year, citing 

weaker oil exports amidst 

resurgence in import 

d e m a n d , 

underwhelming 2020 

crop harvest, border closures, 

higher electricity 

tariffs and petrol prices. 

The company stated: 

“As with the global environment, 

we expect 

Nigeria’s economy to 

experience a V-shaped 

bounce back from a recession 

in 2020 as the 

removal of most 

COVID-19 restrictions 

should benefit the nonoil 

sector where the restrictions 

hurt activities 

badly. 

“The recovery in 

growth is where the 

good news ends. We 

view the combination of 

still weak oil exports 

and resurgence in import 

demand pointing to 

large external imbalances 

over 2021. 

“Given current policy 

settings around the ex- 

over in the window shows that 

$229.14 million was traded in the 

first week of December. Turnover 

rose by 273 percent to $855.15 million 

in the second week and down 

by 51 percent to $420.82 million in 

the third week. 

The turnover rose in the fourth 

change rate, we see limited options 

for financing the looming 

current account deficit and expect 

Naira weakness over the 

year. 

“In 2020, the liquidity fallout 

from CBN’s decision to bifurcate 

domestic Treasury bill markets 

spurred a rally across 

Naira assets. In 2021, we think 

financing the projected fiscal 

deficit alongside CBN’s recently 

introduced CBN Special 

Lafarge extends entry deadline for 

national essay competition 

ECONOMY 

Lafarge Africa Plc has extended 

the registration deadline for its 

national essay competition in Nigeria 

to 15th of January, 2021 to give 

more interested children the opportunity 

to participate. The firm said 

the move is in response to calls by 

parents and guardians of pupils in 

public schools requesting for more 

time to allow their children and 

wards to participate in the competition. 

Themed “Building the Nigeria 

of my dreams”, the contest is in two 

categories - the Junior category for 

pupils aged 7-10 years in public primary 

schools and the intermediate 

category for pupils aged 11-14 in 

public junior secondary schools. 

The company said it will help improve 

literacy amongst young adults 

and also engender loyalty to the nation 

as they will write about their 

hopes and aspirations of the Nigerian 

nation they desire. 

Lafarge Africa’s Country Chief 

Executive Officer, Mr. Khaled El- 

Vanguard, FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, 2021 — 19 

week by 78 percent to $747.27 million 

and down by 29 percent to 

$529.75 million in the last three days 

of the fifth week of December. 

Bills could help drain the remaining 

portion of the large liquidity 

overhang. 

“Accordingly, we expect the rebalancing 

across Nigeria’s financial 

markets to run its course over 

2021, implying less-liquid conditions. 

Against this backdrop, we 

think the current bullish run 

across fixed income and equity 

markets will top out in the first half 

of the year, giving way for the 

emergence of bearish sentiments 

over the second half of 2021.” 

Dokani, encouraged eligible pupils 

who are within the age bracket and 

in public schools to visit 

www.learnwithlafarge.com to take 

advantage of the opportunity to further 

develop their literacy skills even 

as they stand a chance to win cash 

prizes of N1.5 million in the Diamond 

category; N1m and N750,000 

in the Gold and Silver categories respectively 

as well as other exciting 

educational consolation prizes. 

He said: “One of our key 

sustainability priorities at Lafarge Africa 

is our commitment to our communities 

through education and we 

are actively collaborating with the 

government and the private sector 

to improve the country’s literacy ratio 

towards making an impact in reducing 

the World Bank estimate, 

which states that over 80 percent of 

Nigerian primary school-leavers 

cannot read.” 

The virtual national essay competition 

is built on the recognition 

that the depth and quality of 

the country’s human capital are 

as important as its physical infrastructure. 

New forex 

traders charged 

on excellence, 

professionalism 

CAPITAL MARKET 

TigerWit, a financial tech 

nology and brokerage 

firm head-quartered in the 

United Kingdom, has 

charged its 30 newly-trained 

retail traders to go into the 

largest financial market and 

become the next set of super 

traders. 

The firm made this call during 

the graduation of the 

traders at TigerWit’s Africa 

head office in Ikeja, Lagos. 

According to the Head of 

Africa Business for TigerWit 

Africa, Mr. David Onaolapo, 

the training was necessary 

after they noticed the gap in 

financial literacy and how the 

foreign exchange industry 

was being infiltrated by inferiors. 

This, he said, tarnished the 

trillion-dollar industry in this 

part of the world, hence, “it 

was necessary to start from 

the basics and teach any and 

everyone to do it themselves.” 

The new entrants were 

taken on a three-month rigorous 

training daily as a flagship 

of the online Academy 

set up by the financial technology 

firm. 

For the trainees, the graduation 

ended with lots of freebies 

as the top three students 

were awarded $1000, $500 

and $250 each. 

Meanwhile, to encourage 

females to delve into currency, 

stock and 

cryptocurrency trading, each 

graduating female was rewarded 

with $200. 

Onyema to remain 

NSE’s CEO postdemutualisation 

By Nkiruka Nnorom 

CAPITAL MARKET 

The National Council of 

The Nigerian Stock Exchange 

(NSE) has announced 

Chief Executives that will head 

its operating and non-operating 

companies upon the completion 

of its ongoing demutualisation. 

In a statement on its website the 

Council said Oscar Onyema, 

who is the current Chief Executive 

Officer (CEO) of the NSE will 

retain the position as the CEO of 

the Nigerian Exchange Group 

Plc, a new non-operating holding 

company that was created under 

the demutualisation plan. 

Temi Popoola was named the 

CEO of Nigerian Exchange Limited 

(NGX), while Tinuade Awe 

was named the CEO of NGX 

Regulation Limited (NGX 

REGCO), both subsidiaries of 

Nigerian Exchange Group. 

The Group, according to the 

statement, would have three operating 

subsidiaries – NGX 

which is the operating exchange; 

NGX REGCO as the independent 

regulatory arm; and NGX 

Real Estate Limited (NGX 

RELCO), the real estate arm. 

All the entities have been registered 

at the Corporate Affairs 

Commission (CAC).




Lagos monarch donates food items, others to charity 

IN commemoration of 

his 68th birthday, a 

prominent monarch in Lagos, 

the Ojora of Ijoraland, Oba 

Fatai Oyeyinka Aromire, 

Oyegbemi II has made a 

donation to four charity 

homes in the metropolis. 

Oba Aromire, who is fondly 

known for philanthropy and 

humanitarian gestures, donated 

various food items and home 

appliances to motherless babies, 

the aged and the destitute. 

Among the beneficiaries were 

Old People’s Homes, Sabo-Yaba; 

Motherless Babies Homes, Ijora 

Badia; Hearts of Gold Children’s 

Hospice in Surulere and Red 

Crosss Motherless and 

Abandoned Babies Home, 

Makoko, Yaba. 

Estimated as running into 

several millions of naira, the items 

donated to the homes, included 

but not limited to bags of rice, 

beans, boxes of noodles, crates of 

egg, tubers of yam, detergent, 

insecticide, toiletries and freezers. 

Speaking on the gesture, the 

monarch, who was filled with 

gratitude to God, said: “On my 

68th birthday, I thank God for 

keeping me alive. It has not been 

an easy road. I have been able to 

manage my young physique 

through God. If you have faith in 

God and if you don’t keep malice, 

you are fine in life.'' 

The Ojora also said out of 

passion, he has been feeding over 

5,000 people within his 

community, even before the 

outbreak of COVID-19. 

He said: “I didn’t just start 

because of the pandemic. It is 

what I have been doing for the 

past 26 year without collecting a 

dime from anyone. I have been 

doing it since. It is in my blood. 

“I have also rebuilt some burnt 

police stations and I just donated 

some vehicles to the police too.'' 

FRSC RS12 moves to sanction 

erring fleet operators 

THE 

Zonal 

Commanding Officer, 

Federal Road Safety Corps, Zone 

RS12 (Bauchi, Borno and Yobe 

states) has disclosed that the 

corps will sanction some fleet 

operators, who traverse the zone 

for sundry offences. 

The transport companies 

(names withheld) have been 

pencilled for official sanctioning 

in liaison with the FRSC Transport 

Safety Office at the corps’ 

national headquarters in 

accordance with the Fleet 

Operators Guidelines. 

In a statement, the Zonal 

Commanding Officer, Assistant 

Corps Marshall Rotimi Adeleye 

said non-installation of speed 

limiting device, over-loading and 

over-speeding were the most 

prevalent offences committed by 

motorists, calling on them to obey 

traffic regulations for their safety 

and those of other road users. 

Adeleye expressed satisfaction 

with the level of road safety 

Volunteering Day: Henkel Nigeria team visits 

Children’s homes 

STAFF of Henkel 

Nigeria have used the 

opportunity of the 2020 United 

Nations International 

Volunteering Day to visit two 

children’s homes in the vicinity 

of the company’s Ibadan factory. 

The homes are His Heritage 

Home and Tabitha Home. 

The former, a transitional and 

care shelter for orphans and 

vulnerable children while the 

latter, Tabitha Home, a formal 

care and transitional home for 

orphans and vulnerable children. 

The visits were in line with 

compliance seen so far in the ongoing 

Operation Zero 

Tolerance for Traffic Crashes 

2020 (OZ-2020) while 

monitoring the mobile court 

sittings in the zone. 

He said the Operation Zero 

Special Patrol included 

enforcements of traffic 

infractions through mobile 

court sittings, traffic control 

at gridlock-prone junctions, 

traffic counts and mounting of 

help areas (ambulance points) 

to provide prompt rescue 

services to crash victims. 

Henkel’s recognition and support 

of voluntary employee 

engagement by way of caring for 

local communities. 

Speaking, Managing Director, 

Mr. Rajat Kapur, who was 

represented by the Human 

Resources Manager of Henkel 

Nigeria, Mr. Aliyu Jibril said: “This 

year has been really tough for 

many Nigerians. Beyond the 

need to engage with our 

neighbours, Christmas is all about 

giving, hence, we have a 

responsibility to show how much 

we care for the most vulnerable 

amongst us, which are children. 

By helping put smiles on their 

faces, we believe we are making 

a difference in their lives and 

giving them a reason to hope for 

a better tomorrow.” 

Items donated included 

detergents, food materials, 

groceries and stationery.

C 

M 

Y 

K 

Volunteers move to sanitise Kaduna River 

to save endangered aquatic species 

By Ibrahim HassanWuyo 

FOR many years, the 

Kaduna River has provided 

a means of livelihood to many 

peasants who rely on fishing and 

other related activities for survival. 

The river, which traverses the state 

capital, encircling a greater part 

of the city from both the western 

and the eastern flanks of the state 

capital, is also home to different 

species of aquatic life including 

numerous crocodiles that have 

been a source of attraction and 

from which Kaduna derived its 

name. Crocodiles in Hausa 

language are known as "Kadduna." 

However, overtime and with 

increase in population and human 

activities, many parts of the river 

have been threatened due to 

excessive dumping of waste and 

other toxic materials which pose a 

serious threat to aquatic life. A 

greater percentage of the waste is 

non-degradable materials such as 

plastics which are inimical to 

aquatic life. 

But while the devastation 

continuous unabated and with the 

government looking the other way, 

some kind-hearted Nigerians have 

taken up the task to de-silt the river 

and remove the contaminants to 

provide a clean environment for 

the rare species nearing extinction 

to survive. 

Since government cannot be 

everywhere and considering the 

fact that the effect of such water 

pollutants would not augur well 

for the environment, some 

volunteer environmentalists have 

decided to embark on the dredging 

of the river to clean-up the 

pollutants and thus save aquatic 

life and other endangered species. 

The move to save endangered 

•Volunteers clearing Kaduna River to save endangered aquatic lives 

species in Kaduna River tagged 

"Operation Cleaning-up Kaduna’s 

River to Save Aquatics from Plastic 

and other Garbage Trash”, is being 

spearheaded by Comrade 

Mohammed Zakari of African 

Climate Reporters. 

Zakari, who is the Director of the 

ACR, explained to Arewa Voice that 

the aim of the volunteers is to 

contribute their quota in making 

aquatic lives and human activities 

in the river safer and sustainable 

for all generations. 

Zakari, however, condemned the 

continued irrational activities of 

dumping waste and other 

hazardous materials into the 

streams and waterways in the state 

and asked for immediate 

cessation to save the environment. 

He said they came to the Kaduna 


Court stops Ganduje from cutting 

Kano Judiciary workers pay 

By By Bashir Bello 

KANO - A High Court sitting 

in Kano State has stopped 

Governor Abdullahi Umar 

Ganduje from further deducting of 

the salaries of judiciary workers in 


The Judge, Justice Usman 

Na’abba, gave the order following 

River with rakes, baskets, shovels 

and other working materials to 

trash out the large quantity of 

plastics and other forms of 

garbage that were thrown into the 

river from the communities. 

Zakari added: "Unfortunately, 

rivers, canals and other waters 

have been and are being misused 

worldwide for the disposal of all 

Horror in Bauchi as ritualists severe 6-year-old baby’s genitals 

•Moved by pity Gov Mohammed steps in to save baby’s life 

an exparte motion filed before the 

court by the workers under the 

umbrella body, Judiciary Staff 

Union of Nigeria, JUSUN, Kano 

State Chapter. 

The plaintiffs in the suit through 

their counsel, F. I. Umar Esq. joined 

the Kano State governor, Attorney 

General and Commissioner for 

Justice, Commissioner of Finance, 

Head of Service, and Accountant 

General of Kano State as 

defendants. They asked the court 

to restrain the defendants from 

further deducting their salaries. 

The presiding judge, however, in 

an interim order granted the 

Continues on page 22 

types of waste, especially plastic 

waste. Due to a lack of disposal 

systems, it has long been the only 

way for many people to get rid of 

their rubbish. This accumulates in 

the rivers, clogs waterways and 

bridges and finally enters the sea." 

He explained that the essence of 

the activities was to raise more 


•The six-year-old baby whose genital was sut off 

by ritualists in Bauchi 

By Charly Agwam, Bauchi 

DAREDEVIL ritualists have 

mercilessly cut off the genital of 

a six-year-old baby in Bauchi State, 

leaving her and her parents in a state of 

despair and agony as she struggles for 

survival. 

The horror was visited on the toddler 

in her Gidan Zana community of 

Jamaare Local Government Area, which 

is said to be a hideout for malevolent 

elements. 

But without waiting for details of who 

carried out the gruesome attack, the 

state governor, Bala Mohammed, has 

intervened to sponsor her medical bills 

and has ordered the immediate release 

of N1 million for the commencement 

of the treatment of the kid. 

The six-year-old girl (name withheld) 

is currently receiving treatment at 

Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano. 

Arewa Voice reports that at the 

governor's behest, the Commissioner for 

Local Government and Chieftaincy 

Affairs, Abdulrazaq Nuhu Zaki, led a 

high-powered delegation to 

sympathise with the family of the 

victim in Jamaare where he also made 

cash deposit of N1 million for the 

commencement of treatment for the 

victim. 

The commissioner, who described 

the incident as unacceptable and 

unfortunate, promised that the 

government will do everything 

possible to ensure that justice is done 

to the victim. 

Zaki said: "The governor is deeply 

touched over this negative act and we 

are here on his behalf to sympathise 

with the parents and to assure them 

that government will take care of her 

treatment. The administration of 

Governor Bala Mohammed will take 

full responsibility for the treatment 

because our governor is concerned 

about the welfare and wellbeing of less 

privileged people. 

"Let me assure you that government 

will make sure that perpetrators of this 

act are punished, to serve as deterrent 

to others. I urge youths to desist from 

such negative acts for the betterment 

of our society." 

Meanwhile, the presiding physician, 

Dr. Mahmud Kawu Magashi, has 

assured that a team of doctors are 

working round the clock towards 

ensuring that the victim gets the 

required medical treatment. 

In a related development, Chairman 

of Jama'are LGA Samaila Jarma, has 

ordered for the immediate demolition 

of Gidan Zana, the hideout for 

suspected criminals in the area. 

The chairman said that security men 

are on the lookout to arrest any 

herbalist found to be involved in doing 

rituals for people especially jobless 

youths. 

He further noted that stern measures 

have been taken to checkmate 

criminal activities in the area, 

especially those involved in ritual 

killings.


•Traders taking their goods to Dadin Kowa Market in Gombe, yesterday. Photo: NAN 

Petitioners sue army, others demand N100m for unlawful 

detention in Borno 

By Ndahi Marama, Maiduguri 

CHIEFof Army Staff, COAS, 

Lt. General Tukur 

Buratai; General Officer 

Commanding 7 Division, 

Nigerian Army and Attorney 

General and Minister of Justice, 

have been sued at the Federal 

High Court of Nigeria, Maiduguri 

for illegal detention.. 

In suit No. FHC/MU/CS/1/2021 

is filed by Alhaji Ibrahim Shehu 

Damakosu and Sabo Yahaya for 

the enforcement of their 

fundamental human rights 

pursuant to Section 46(3) of the 

1999 Constitution as amended. 

The petitioners are seeking a 

declaration that the continued 

detention of the applicants at the 

detention cell of the 7 Division, 

Nigerian Army, Maimalari 

Cantonement, Maiduguri from 

November 24, 2020 till date 

without being brought before a 

competent court for trial is 

unconstitutional, unlawful, 

illegal, null and void. They are 

also seeking for an order 

Court stops Ganduje from cutting 

Kano Judiciary workers pay 

Continues from page 21 

plaintiffs' prayers by restraining 

the defendants from further 

actions pending the hearing and 

determination of the motion on 

notice. 

Justice Na’abba further directed 

the defendants, their agents or 

AREWA VOICE TEAM 

Editor: Soni Daniel 

Correspondents: 

Wole Mosadomi, Minna 

Demola Akinyemi, Ilorin 

Bashir Bello, Kano 

Aliyu Dangida, Dutse 

Umar Yusuf, Yola 

Ibrahim HassnWuyo, Kaduna 

Peter Duru, Makurdi 

Marie-Therese Nanlong, Jos 

Abdul Murtala, Kano 

Femi Bolaji, Jalingo 

David Odama, Lafia 

Charly Agwam, Bauchi 

Boluwaji Obahopo, Lokoja 

compelling the respondents to 

either arraign the applicants 

before a competent court of law 

to immediately discharge the 

applicants from unlawful 

detention forthwith. The 

petitioners also seek payment of 

Ex Kogi acting gov demands sack of service chiefs 

Buni directs SEMA to provide emergency support in Geidam 

By Ndahi Marana, Damaturu 

FOLLOWING the latest Boko 

Haram invasion into 

Geidam town on Wednesday, the 

Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala 

Buni, has directed the State 

Emergency Management Agency, 

SEMA, to provide emergency 

support and take stock of 

destructions with a view to 

rendering humanitarian support 

and assistance to victims. 

A statement by Mamman 

Mohammed, Director General of 

Press and Media Affairs to the 

governor, yesterday, said: 

“Following the unfortunate attack 

by insurgents in Geidam 

town, Governor Mai Mala Buni 

has directed the State Emergency 

whomsoever acting on their 

behalfs to comply with the 

agreement dated December 19, 

2019, entered into between Kano 

State Government and Joint 

Public Service Negotiating 

Council by paying the plaintiffs 

and JUSUN members their full 

salary scale under Consolidated 

Judicial Staff Salary Structure. 

The case was then adjourned to 

January 28, 2021, for the hearing 

of the motion on notice. 

Briefing newsmen on the court 

order, the State Chairman of the 

union, Mukhtar Rabiu Lawan, 

said it approached the court to 

seek redress on deduction of their 

November and December 

salaries. 

Lawan said the government 

slashed their salaries without any 

consultation and any reason 

hence their resolve to seek for 

justice and calling for reversal of 

all salaries deducted from the 

workers. 

•Says Nigeria Security situation may become irredeemable 

By Boluwaji Obahopo 

LOKOJA-FORMER Acting 

Governor of Kogi State, 

Chief Clarence Olafemi, has 

damages in the sum of 

N100million, written apology and 

any further orders as the court 

may deem fit to make in the 

circumstances. No date has been 

fixed for hearing yet. 

Management Agency, SEMA, to 

provide emergency support and 

take stock of destructions with a 

view to render humanitarian 

support and assistance to 

victims. 

“Buni commiserated with the 

people of Geidam, and 

described the attack as most 

unfortunate. The attack came at 

a time when there is general 

improvement in peace and 

security across the state. The 

general improvement in security 

and support provided by 

government has given our people 

the opportunity to gradually 

resettle and reclaim their means 

of livelihood.” 

According to the governor, the 

attack would not deter 

government in its efforts to rebuild, 

reconstruct and rehabilitate 

communities initually destroyed 

by insurgency. 

Jigawa trains 664 LG staff for N83.97m 

Adamawa: Garkida town deserted as Boko Haram 

kills 6, abducts 6 more 

•We’re unaware of latest number allegedly killed by 

terrorists — Army 

By Umar Yusuf 

THE people of Garkida town 

in Gombi Local Government 

Area of Adamawa State will ever 

live to remember the ugly 

incidents that befell them during 

the just concluded Christmas as 

they witnessed no peace during the 

festive period. 

This is because on the eve of 

Christmas, Boko Haram fighters 

overran the missionary settlement 

of about 30,000 inhabitants 

killing six persons on the spot and 

abducting six others including a 

16-year-old girl. 

Most of them ran to take refuge 

called on President Muhammadu 

Buhari to sack his service chiefs; 

saying that failure to do so may 

make the security situation in the 

country to become irredeemable. 

Olafemi, who spoke, yesterday, 

in Lokoja described the current 

service chiefs as expired products. 

He said the service chiefs could 

also take the honourable way by 

resigning from President Buhari 

government voluntarily, noting: 

“In a civilised society, the service 

chiefs have no moral justification 

for remaining in those positions. 

There must be a parameter in 

measuring performance. It has 

become embarrassing that Boko 

Haram in the North East is 

running a parallel government in 

a country under Nigeria.” 

Olafemi, also a former speaker 

of the state Assembly, said Nigeria 

has a problem of structural 

management, as those who 

occupied juicy positions don’t 

want to leave even though they 

cannot perform. 

He said: “Government 

responsibilities must be 

paramount in security. Our 

security is becoming another 

thing. It is preventing so many 

things. I want to go into 

agriculture, but I am afraid that I 

might be in my farm and 

kidnappers will come and pick me 

By Aliyu Dangida, Dutse 

JIGAWA local government 

service commission has 

sponsored the study of 664 staff at 

the cost of N83.97million to 

enable them to acquire additional 

Buni commended the people of 

the state for their resilience and 

determination to rebuild their 

lives and move forward, adding: 

“The government and people of 

Yobe would continue to partner 

with the security agencies for the 

full return of peace and security 

across the state.” 

Meanwhile, SEMA officials 

have since arrived Geidam and 

taking stock of the destructions on 

private and public properties. 

SEMA Executive Secretary, Dr. 

Mohammed Goje, said the agency 

had commenced stock taking of 

the damages caused by the attack. 

“In line with the directives of 

Governor Mai Mala Buni, l am 

leading the team to Geidam to 

assess the situation and see areas 

in need of immediate intervention 

to provide succour to the people” 

Goje said. 

on mountains that surround the 

area as the terrorists took over the 

community. 

But even while in hiding, there 

were threats of the insurgents 

pursuing them farther into the 

mountains thereby creating fears 

and anxiety among the people. As 

residents were yet to come to 

terms with the Christmas Eve 

attack and waiting in vain for the 

release of those abducted, the 

worst happened on the New Year 

Day. The insurgents showed a viral 

video of the execution of the five 

community members they had 

abducted on Christmas eve, 

thereby aggravating their pains 

up there. Even to travel and 

manage my business, any time 

I’m traveling from Lokoja to 

Mopamuro, my home town, until 

I reach there, I will be looking 

backward, side ways, thinking 

that kidnappers, armed robbers 

are all around. 

“In the North East, were Boko 

Haram is the order of the 

day, even if we are fighting a civil 

war, how long did the civil war in 

Nigeria last. It is becoming 

embarrassing to us today 

that Nigeria has a boundary. A 

definite boundary, and we see a 

state where Boko Haram is 

running a government in over one 

third of the local government area 

that made up the state. It is as 

good as saying that they have 

formed a country of their own. 

“Why, is it taking so long. We are 

not convinced that the 

government has been able to make 

success out of their struggles. If 

they say we have bilateral 

arrangements with some 

surrounding countries, did they 

drop it amunition through the air. 

And what is the work of our 

intelligence gathering 

machineries. Even though they are 

doing there best, their best is not 

good enough for this country. We 

have to come out and say the 

truth." 

qualifications in various 

institutions. 

Chairman of the commission, 

DIG Uba Bala (retd) who stated 

this while briefing newsmen on 

achievements recorded by his 

commission in 2020, said the 

benefitting staff on level 7-16 were 

drawn across the 27 existing local 

government areas of the state, as 

part of the commission’s 

continued effort to enhance 

service delivery. 

DIG Bala Ringim explained that 

the commission equally promoted 

1,301 staff to higher levels in 

accordance with the stated law, 

stressing that 605 staff attended 

32 workshops, seminars and 

induction courses conducted 

during the year under review. 

His words: “The commission is 

committed to providing service 

delivery and manpower 

development for staff of local 

government areas of the state 

under levels 6-16." 

The chairman stated further that 

496 staff of local education 

authority and 411 from local 

governments retired from active 

service in the year 2020 while their 

benefits have been processed 

accordingly. 

and grief. 

The scenario and gory nature of 

the execution of the five people 

rattled the entire community both 

at home and in Diaspora. The 

community's next line of action is 

to quit Garkida. As a result of the 

attacks, the once bubbling town 

is a shadow of itself. What remains 

of Garkida town are empty houses 

as the able bodied men and 

women have deserted the area 

leaving the aged behind. 

The 16 years old girl abducted 

along with those executed, 

according to the community, 

however, managed to escape from 

the abductors while they were 

being driven into Sambisa Forest. 


C 

M 

Y 

K

C 

M 

Y 

K 

Tragedy as bullets from armed men kills 

33-year-old pregnant mother 

•Family, community seek Justice 

•Our men not involved in shooting — Army washes off its hands over shooting 

By Boluwaji Obahopo, Lokoja 

THERE has been unceasing 

outpouring of tears in 

Magongo community in Ogori/ 

Magongo Local Government 

Area of Kogi State following the 

violent shooting and killing of a 

pregnant woman by men 

suspected to be soldiers from the 

Nigerian Army. But the Nigerian 

Army has promptly denied the 

involvement of its men in the 

shooting that terminated the 

woman’s life. 

The unpredicted ugly events that 

culminated in the killing of Mary 

Ikpelemoh, started around 

8:30p.m on December 30, 2020 

when the peace of the community 

was shattered by bouts of gunfire, 

which the natives took for 

knockouts sounds that normally 

usher in Christmas celebrations in 

the community. 

They were wrong, however, as 

the gunshots continued unabated 

as it became evident that some 

men conveyed in three trucks and 

decked in military gear were 

behind the sporadic shooting and 

pursuing a man later found to be 

driver the armed men were 

chasing and firing at. As the 

armed men pursued the driver and 

kept firing at him, the man was 

forced to abandon his vehicle 

after one of the tyres was 

destroyed by bullets and made to 

escape into the dark in order to 

save his life from his attackers. 

His escape brought doom to the 

innocent in the process. As people 

nearby began to run for their dear 

lives, Mary Ikpelemoh, who was 

helping her mother to pack her 

bean cake cooking utensils home, 

was hit by a stray bullet from the 

armed men. She fell and began to 

foam in the mouth losing blood 

rapidly. However, as there was no 

medical help from any quarter, she 

continued to bleed profusely, 

begging for help. 

The brother of the deceased, 

Sunday Ikpelemoh, who narrated 

the events leading to his sister’s 

death said: "The driver of the 

commercial vehicle was forced to 

park after his vehicle was hit a 

number of times by the soldiers’ 

bullets. He bolted into the dark, 

abandoning the vehicle. 

"The shooters continued their 

chase of the driver in the most 

careless and unprofessional 

manner, shooting without being 

mindful of the villagers. In the 

process my sister, Mary 

Ikpelemoh, a 33 years old mother 

of one was hit on the stomach." 

Sunday said one of the three 

vehicles used for the operation was 

a white Hillux, and another 

vehicle with military colour. He 

said: "In spite of our mother's cry 

that her daughter had been hit, the 

shooters continued their chase, 

breaking into people's houses in 

the most bizarre manner and 

asking the whereabouts of the 

driver even when he was not a 

native of the community." 

He said it took efforts of some 

of the youth who came out to 

prevail on the people in military 

uniforms to take the victim to the 

hospital even as the victim was 

bleeding profusely. "They 

eventually took the victim to a 

clinic which is far from our 

community and is a long distance 

from Magongo and abandoned 

our mother and the victim there. 

"The victim, already weak from 

bleeding received only first aid at 

Dosam Clinic where they were 

advised to again take the victim 

to Lokoja the State capital. The 

family had to continue to search 

for vehicle to convey her to Lokoja 

as advised by the clinic but could 

not find help quickly. 

"Help finally came through the 

local government chairman, 

Goke Oparison, who heard the 

unfortunate news from the Head 

of the Vigilante in the local 

government and followed them to 

the clinic. At the hospital, the 

chairman arranged the local 

government ambulance to take 

the victim to Lokoja. But it was 

about 2.00 a.m the following day 

before the ambulance came. When 

the ambulance arrived, the victim 

was already in bad shape. She 

died shortly after she was put inside 

the ambulance. 

"Help came too late. Rather than 

take her to Lokoja the ambulance 

•Boko Haram insurgents 


public awareness and to end the 

practice of throwing all sort of 

trash into the drainages and 

pollute the environment in the 

process. 

According to him, the public 

needs to be educated and 

enlightened on the effect of 

dumping trash into our rivers or 

oceans. "We tagged the exercise as 


Birnin Gwari petitions FG over rising killings, banditry 

By Ibrahim HassanWuyo 

MANY indigenes of Birnin Gwari 

in Kaduna State who live in other 

places have not travelled home for 

many years because of fear for their 

returned her corpse to Magongo. 

The development caused serious 

anger as youths of the community 

who woke up to hear the bad news 

took to the street protesting the 

killing. Though the local 

government chairman 

immediately assured the family of 

investigation into the matter, not 

much has been done almost two 

weeks after." 

Piqued by the development, the 

family along with the Community 

Development Association took a 

further step seeking for redress. 

Armed with a letter of protest, they 

stormed the Army Command 

headquarters in Lokoja but were 

bounced back. The letter signed 

by the Magongo Development 

Association Chairman, Mr. Felix 

Andrew, and copied to the DSS, 

Police and State government read 

apart, "We are deeply pained by 

the attitude of both the soldiers 

and the driver. Firstly, why would 

soldiers shoot indiscriminately at 

a criminal knowing the lethal risk 

where civilians dwell?" 

However, the Public Relations 

Officer of the Nigerian Army in 

the state, Major Jafaru 

Muhammed, when contacted said 

the “Army was not involved in any 

operations". 

Volunteers move to sanitise Kaduna River to 

save endangered aquatic species 

Cleaning-up Kaduna’s River to 

save lives of aquatics-simply 

because of the danger they face 

daily as a result of increasing 

quantity of trash from the 

community into the river. 

"Water pollution is getting worse 

day-by-day in Africa, due to lack 

of awareness to the public on the 

dangers of throwing all sort of 

trash into the ocean, rivers, ponds 

and small lakes in Africa," he said. 

lives. This is because the once serene, 

peaceful and friendly Kaduna- 

Birnin Gwari Road that connects the 

southern to the northern part of the 

country has become the epicentre 

of killing, kidnapping and other lifethreatening 

activities in recent years. 

Not only have armed militia 

variously known as bandits, 

ritualists and hoodlums taken over 

the stretch of road but they have 

been so daring and confrontational, 

attacking, maiming and 

dispossessing their victims with 

boldness even in broad daylight. As 

a result, the once popular road has 

now become deserted as commuters 

prefer to take other routes to Lagos, 

no matter the distance or how bad 

the road may be. 

But for the natives of Birnin Gwari 

and surrounding villages, their 

culture, social life and farming, 

which is their ajor means of 

livelihood, have been disrupted as 

bandits now occupy their farms. Life 

is no longer what it used to be for 

them. Going towards the direction 

of Birnin Gwari these days is like 

handing over one’s life to death 

despite all the efforts being put in 

place to free the axis from the 

stranglehold of the bad elements. 

And the natives are scared to their 

bones. They have reported their 

predicament to the state and Federal 

Government, leading to the 

deployment of many security agents 

to secure the area but to no avail. 

Despite the deployment of forces to 

the area, the malevolent elements 

have also stepped up their nefarious 

onslaughts on innocent passers-by 

and natives who dare to cross their 

paths in recent days. The last few 

days have been most worrisome to 

the natives as many were killed and 

others taken captives including 

children. 

As the attacks escalated within the 

week, the Chairman of the Birnin 

Gwari Progressives Union, BEPU, 

Garkida Town deserted as Boko Haram kills 5, abducts 6 more 


The community quoted the girl 

as saying that while they were 

driving them through the Sambisa 

Forest, she summoned courage 

and jumped from the moving van, 

while her abductors watched the 

drama with laughter. The girl has 

since re-united with her family 

where they have taken refuge. 

But the Garkida Community 

through its spokesman who will 

not want his name in the print for 

security reason told Arewa Voice 

that the people would continue to 

express reservations over the way 

and manner the military handled 

the latest Boko Haram attack on 

the town. 

The spokesman alleged that 

three days to the Christmas Eve 

attack, all the four military 

roadblocks in and out Garkida 

were deserted. According to him, 

the armoured tank stationed in the 

town as well as the local vigilante 

groups that complement the 

military were all off the check 

points before the insurgents 

struck. He added that the 

armoured tank and military 

Barr. Salisu Haruna, lamented that 

the New Year 2021 started on a sour 

note for the people. Haruna recalled 

that on Sunday, January 3, 2021, 

armed bandits laid siege to innocent 

travellers at Zankoro, along the 

dreaded Birnin-Gwari-Kaduna 

Highway, killing nine people 

including three infants that were on 

their way to a ceremony at Doka, 

Birnin-Gwari Local Government. 

He regretted that the following day 

the bandits came out at the same 

Zankoro at about 9.00 am, shot 

sporadically and abducted 

unspecified number of people and 

wounded six others now receiving 

treatment at Buruku along Kaduna- 

Birnin-Gwari Highway. 

Haruna said: “In the last two 

weeks, bandits terrorising the people 

of Birnin Gwari, especially those 

travelling along Birnin Gwari- 

Funtua and Birnin Gwari-Kaduna 

highways have become intensely 

aggressive as they continue to kill 

and abduct innocent citizens 

unabated. With dismay, Birnin 

Gwari Progressives Union, BEPU, 

frowns at the seemingly laissez-faire 

attitude towards banditry in Birnin 

Gwari area by the governments at 

all levels. 

"Hence, BEPU tersely calls on the 

Kaduna State Government to note 

that there are cases of kidnappings 

and killings everyday along Birnin 

Gwari-Kaduna and Birnin Gwari- 

Funtua highways. There are more 

than 40 abductees currently at the 

mercy of the bandits who were 

kidnapped between December 20, 

2020 and Monday, January 4, 2021; 

some of them have been reported 

terribly ill. 

"BEPU, therefore, calls on the 

government to deploy immediate 

response squad to mount offensive 

operations along Birnin Gwari - 

Kaduna and Birnin Gwari- Funtua 

highways. We also urge the 

government to sit up to its 

responsibilities and protect the lives 

and property of defenceless people 

of Birnin Gwari whose bloods are 

spilled daily by the bandits. We 

seriously urge the government to 

launch an offensive attack to 

neutralize bandits terrorising Birnin 

Gwari increasingly whose skills and 

warfare strategies are advanced 

every day. Enough is enough." 

However, the Kaduna State 

Government has encouraged 

citizens to cooperate with the 

security forces by volunteering 

information on suspicious activities. 

The Commissioner in charge of the 

Ministry of Internal Security, Mr. 

Samuel Aruwan, has assured that 

the state will engage with the 

representatives of the people in 

finding an answer to the security 

challenges in Birnin Gwari axis of 


personnel later returned to 

Garkida on December 26, 2020, 

three days after the attack. 

But the Army Public Relations 

Officer of the 23rd Armoured 

Brigade, Yola, Major Haruna 

Sani dispelled the allegation. 

Major Sani disclosed that the 

brigade was not even aware that 

the five persons abducted by Boko 

on Christmas Eve from Garkida 

have been executed. The Army 

Public Relations Officer said: "In 

short, the Nigerian Army is yet to 

make a categorical statement on 

the Christmas Eve Boko Haram 

attack on Garkida. So the people 

are free to make all those 

allegations. The people have an 

option to petition the military 

over the issue."

24 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, , 2021 

Let’s start t performing Qunut in all our 

prayer 

ers! 

By Imam Murtadha Gusau 

Du’a (Supplication) is itself 

Ibadah (worship), as occurs 

in the Hadith of Nu’man Bin Bashir, 

he said: “I heard the Prophet 

(Peace be upon him) say: ‘Du’a is 

Ibadah’, then he recited, “And 

your Lord says, “Call upon Me; I 

will respond to you.” Indeed, those 

who scorn My worship will enter 

Hell rendered contemptible.” [Collected 

by Al-Tirmidhi] 

Among the Prophet’s habits 

were to perform Qunut during a 

Nazilah. Nazilah are catastrophes 

that befall large groups of people. 

These include calamities like war, 

plagues, and pandemics or crisis 

and insecurity that kill many people, 

including what we are currently 

witnessing in the form of the 

Boko Haram terrorists, armed 

bandits, kidnappers and coronavirus 

pandemic. This Nazilah (catastrophe) 

is affecting everyone, 

and is unprecedented in human 

history. It warrants that we turn 

back to Allah sincerely and to continuously 

seek His forgiveness and 

to renew our relationship with 

Him, the Most High. It also affirms 

the need to establish justice and to 

uphold the rights of the weak and 

vulnerable. It also means that we 

refrain at once from corrupting the 

earth through our sins. This calamity 

further merits that we correct 

our understanding and strengthen 

our belief in Allah by invoking 

Him alone and no other person or 

object, and to rely upon Him alone 

and defer matters to Him, for He is 

the King of kings. In His possession 

is everything in the heavens 

and earth. He controls the creation 

and they are all in His hold. He 

alone allows harm and help, elevates 

or debases whoever He wills. 

To Him belongs all grandeur in the 

heavens and earth, and He is the 

Most Powerful, All-Wise. 

Respected servants of Allah! One 

of the things we can do during this 

Nazilah (catastrophe) is to revive 

the Sunnah of Qunut during the 

obligatory prayers, so that we invoke 

and pray to Allah while having 

the strength of faith in Him, and 

relying solely on Him, and seek intercession 

(Tawassul) through our 

good deeds so that He lifts this affliction 

and this insecurity, and 

heals people across the world. We 

seek refuge in His pleasure from 

His anger, and in His pardoning 

from His punishment, and that He 

makes this calamity an expiation 

for our sins, and a source of forgiveness, 

and a lesson for us to sort 

out our affairs. 

Most of us has been tried and tested 

with the problems of insecurity, 

and everyone has been tested 

currently with the lockdown— 

which has meant that we are not 

permitted to go out—and has 

blocked us from going out to the 

Houses of Allah (the Mosques); so 

let us increase whatever is in our 

abilities from the acts of worship. 

One such act of worship is to revive 

the Sunnah of Qunut in our 

prayers, whether we happen to 

pray individually or in congregation 

in our homes. My advice is 

that one should strive to pray in 

congregation even if it is only two 

people, while adhering to the ad- 

Jumadal Awwal 24, 1442 A.H. 

vice given by the health professionals 

regarding wearing face 

mask, social distancing etc. 

Qunut is performed in the obligatory 

prayers while standing, 

after coming up from the final 

ruku’u and after saying, ‘rabbana 

lakal hamd.’ However, there 

is no issue if one were to do it 

before going into ruku’u in the 

last unit of prayer, since there is 

evidence in the Sunnah for both. 

It is permissible to perform 

Qunut in all the obligatory 

prayers, and there is evidence 

for this in the Prophetic practice, 

but it is further stressed in 

Maghrib and Fajr prayers in 

particular, as found in the reports 

in the two Sahih collections 

(Bukhari and Muslim). 

O Allah! You alone do 

we worship and for You 

do we pray and prostrate 

and we resolve to please 

You and present ourselves 

for the service in 

Your cause and we hope 

for Your mercy and fear 

Your chastisement. O 

Allah! We have submitted 

ourselves to You, we 

have turned our faces 

towards You, committed 

our affairs to You, and we 

depend on You for 

protection, out of desire 

for You and out of fear of 

You. There is no refuge 

and no place of safety 

from You but with You. 

We believed in the Book 

You have revealed and 

in the Prophet that You 

sent 

Some scholars have said that 

you should only do Qunut in the 

loud prayers (Fajr, Maghrib and 

Isha), but the evidence appears 

to suggest that one can do it in 

all five prayers. 

The Qunut Du’a is made loudly, 

and whoever is following 

should also say ‘amin’ loudly. 

It is permissible to raise one’s 

hands during it, since the evidence 

from the sources inform 

us that that is permissible in Du’a 

in general. 

As for the actual content of the 

Du’a, then this can be whatever 

Allah makes easy and wills for 

one to say. And Qunut can be 

made in any language, however 

a few things ought to be considered: 

To start by praising and 

glorifying Allah, Most High, as 

He is deserving. This can occur 

by mentioning Allah’s most 

beautiful names and attributes. 

Then to follow with seeking Allah’s 

forgiveness and to acknowledge 

one’s dire need for 

His Lord, the One Almighty. 

To make Du’a that Allah lifts 

this calamity and affliction while 

having a true sense in one’s faith 

in predestination (Qadr), without 

despair nor denial, believing 

firmly that this is a plight that 

only Allah can remove. 

To specify the particular Nazilah 

(i.e. insecurity and coronavirus) 

or at least mean and 

intend it in the Du’a one makes. 

One should not pray for any 

other need one may have. That 

can be done at other times in the 

day. 

One should not make Du’a just 

for himself, but for everyone as 

this is affecting everyone. One 

should not make Du’a just for 

Muslims either, but for all of Allah’s 

creation. 

To urge one’s Lord that He answers 

our prayers, and to have 

full conviction in one’s heart that 

Allah will answer. 

To end his prayer with Salah 

upon the Prophet (Peace be 

upon him). 

An example of one such Du’a 

is the following: 

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, 

the Merciful. All praise 

is due to Allah, Lord of the 

worlds. The compassionate, 

most merciful. Sovereign of the 

Day of Recompense. O Allah! We 

implore You for help and beg 

forgiveness of You and believe 

in You and rely on You and extol 

You and we are thankful to 

You and are grateful to You and 

we censure and forsake those 

who disobey You. O Allah! You 

alone do we worship and for You 

do we pray and prostrate and we 

resolve to please You and 

present ourselves for the service 

in Your cause and we hope 

for Your mercy and fear Your 

chastisement. O Allah! We have 

submitted ourselves to You, we 

have turned our faces towards 

You, committed our affairs to 

You, and we depend on You for 

protection, out of desire for You 

and out of fear of You. There is 

no refuge and no place of safety 

from You but with You. We believed 

in the Book You have revealed 

and in the Prophet that 

You sent. 

BARKA JUMAH 

Horrible year 2020 

From the start to her grimy end, no year in mankind's 

history has visited the world with startling clarity of despair 

and nastiness as the now vanishing "horrible year" 

2020.“O Allah, let not the kind of ravaging year 2020 return 

to this world, ever.“Our tepid faith ain't enough obeisance; 

and thus we always would owe you a huge debt in 

adoration, praise and worship. “We beseech you, O Allah, 

please let us never, again, be caught in the pestilential snare 

of Covid-19 in the fresh year 2021. “May the new year 2021 

be restorative, profitable and joyous.“More, Allah's divine 

graces would nudge our life's journey into this glorious new 

year that comes with calm equanimity, real balance and 

grand triumph each day that Allah's solemn Majesty, reigns. 

“Happy, happy new year. 

bathe the fragrant lyrics of lofty year, 2021. 

— Dr. Adewale Adeeyo, OON 

Allah's good times shall ever 

Muslim SoulMates 

Do you seek a Muslim life partner? 

Are you a Muslim? Are you searching for a soulmate for 

marriage? Send your profile as published below, contact 

telephone, and photo, to isholaism@gmail.com or on whatsapp 

08036688535. Names and contact numbers will not be published. 

Profile 525: A Muslim widower, Retiree, 60 years old, needs 

Muslim woman from any part of the country except Ekiti and 

Ondo State. She must not have more than one child female, 

not more than 45-50 years of age and she must be ready for 

marriage. 

Profile 526: A Muslim male, 33, from Osun State, based in 

Abuja, working with a notable construction company, genotype 

- AS; needs a Muslim lady from any part of the country. 

She must be AA Genotype, have good Islamic knowledge, business 

oriented and be ready for marriage. 

Profile 527: A Muslim lady, 28 based in Jigawa State working 

as a Teacher, wants a gainfully employed male Muslim, between 

35-40, preferably from Lagos or Kogi State, and ready for 

marriage. 

Profile 528: A Muslim male, 45, Businessman, divorced with 

two kids, based in Lagos wants a God-fearing Muslimah for 

marriage. Preferably, between 30-35. 

Profile 529: A female Muslim, 50, self-employed, based in 

Lagos needs a Muslim man who is ready for marriage. preferably 

a graduate Islamic scholar from any part of the country. 

Profile 530: A gainfully employed male Muslim, 49, a businessman 

based based in Warri, Delta State wants a God fearing 

Muslimah, divorced or widow for marriage as second wife. 

Profile 531 A Muslim male, 53, from based in Lagos wants a 

Muslimah as a second wife. She must be able to read the Quran, 

teach it and ready for marriage. 

Profile 532: A Muslim male, 52, employed, based in Lagos 

needs a Muslim lady between ages 30 to 35 years, divorced 

with not more than one child or single and ready for marriage 

as second wife. 

Profile 533: A Muslim male, 40, AS genotype, self-employed, 

based in Ibadan, Oyo state needs a Muslim lady between 

ages 28 to 30 years ready for marriage. preferably a 

graduate with Quran and Islamic knowledge. 

Some members of National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, NAHCON, certified with 

Professional Certificate in Islamic Banking and Finance (PCIBF) by International 

Institute of Islamic Banking and Finance (IIIBF) - Bayero University Kano during the 

closing ceremony and presentation of Certificates, in Kano.

Jumadal Awwal 24, 1442 A.H. 

Religious textual evidence on need to 

contain spread of Covid-19 

AMONG the teachings of 

the Prophet s.a.w in facing 

a disease outbreak, is the religious 

responsibility of individuals 

and communities to take 

preventive measures and avoid 

public places, including 

mosques, so that healthy people 

are not infected. The Prophet 

s.a.w said: 

“Do not place a sickly patient 

with a healthy person.” (Hadith 

reported by Imam Bukhari and 

Imam Muslim). 

The Prophet s.a.w has also ordered 

those residing in an area 

affected by an outbreak to not 

leave the place. Those who are 

not infected are also ordered to 

not enter places of outbreak: 

“If you hear that a land has a 

plague in it, do not go forward 

to it. If it comes upon a land 

which you are in, do not depart 

from it” (Hadith reported by 

Imam Muslim).8 

Prophet Muhammad s.a.w 

was once visited by the Thaqif 

tribe who wanted to pledge allegiance 

to him, with one of its 

members infected by a contagious 

disease. To avoid shaking 

hands with the infected individual, 

The Prophet s.a.w sent a 

messenger to him and without 

shaking the hands of the infected 

person (as the norm was) he 

told the messenger to convey 

that he said: “We have received 

your pledge of allegiance, do return 

back to your place.” (Hadith 

reported by Imam Muslim).9 

On Religious concession to 

not attend Friday prayers and 

congregational prayers for 

those with religious excuse; 

Rukhsah is a term in Islamic law 

which provides concession for 

Muslims when facing difficult 

situations in performing religious 

duties. It seeks to eliminate 

the difficulties faced by individuals 

or communities by 

providing facilitative religious 

positions which enables Muslims 

to perform their religious 

precepts and obligations within 

any limitations or challenges 

they face.10 

Based on textual sources, religious 

scholars have discussed 

a number of situations that 

would allow an individual to be 

excused from performing Friday 

and congregational 

prayers. Among them, is the 

concession given to not attend 

Friday prayers during heavy 

rain as reported by Imam 

Bukhari and Muslim, that Abdullah 

bin Abbas r.a. ordered 

the one making the call to 

prayer to add the following line 

in the call for prayers. (Pray in 

your own homes). Ibn Abbas 

r.a. Said: “Ibn Abbas said: Are 

you surprised with this statement! 

It has been done by someone 

more noble than me (that is 

Rasulullah s.a.w.). The Friday 

prayers is an obligation but I do 

not like to order you to go out 

and attend prayers while walking 

on wet earth and mud.” 

Imam Al-Nawaw+ detailed 

in al-Majmk’ that there are 

several factors that can lead 

to the concession to suspend 

congregational prayers, be 

they the five daily prayers or 

the supererogatory ones: 

“(With regard to this issue) 

Our fellow scholars (the 

Shafi’is) have opined that: 

Congregational prayers can 

become non-obligatory due 

to legal exceptions. This includes 

supererogatory 

prayers, communal or individual 

obligations… (fardu kifayah 

or fardu ain)”12 

He further mentioned that 

the same religious excuse 

which render congregational 

prayers non-obligatory can 

also be applied for Friday 

prayers: 

“The religiously valid excuses 

that can render congregational 

prayers non-obligatory 

can also be accepted as valid 

excuses to not attend Friday 

prayers.”13 

Thus, if there are valid reasons 

such as a Muslim who has 

contracted an infectious disease, 

then he is permitted to 

not attend Friday prayers. 

But, he has to offer Zuhur 

prayers in its place. 

The role of maqcid in 

providing religious guidance 

for emergency situations 

such as during a 

disease outbreak 

Islam places a high importance 

on human safety especially 

in situations that can adversely 

affect and threaten 

our lives. Islam has set some 

specific guidelines for dealing 

with emergencies such as a 

disease outbreak. This emergency 

situation allows individuals, 

and the public, to take 

certain precautions as provided 

by the following Islamic 

legal maxim: “Emergencies 

permit the unlawful.” 

When there is a clash between 

a benefit (maslahah) 

and a harm (mafsadah), 

avoiding the harm (mafsadah) 

is prioritized.14 If a harm is 

left unchecked, it will leave a 

lasting negative impact compared 

to when a benefit is 

avoided. This is in line with the 

Prophetic saying on avoiding 

any forms of harm and to not 

harm others: 

“Let there be no harm and 

no reciprocation of harm.” 

(Hadith reported by Ibn Majah).15 

The same follows for the Islamic 

legal maxim: (harm 

must be eliminated) that has 

been agreed upon by Muslim 

religious scholars as one of the 

five main legal maxims in deriving 

Islamic rulings. The legal 

maxim (hardship begets 

facility) also means that in Islam, 

any forms of hardship, 

even if it does not threaten 

lives, will allow for flexibilities 

in performing religious duties. 

Thus, although the Covid-19 

virus is not shown to affect the 

whole population of a country 

or to certainly cause deaths to 

those infected, this disease is 

still considered an emergency 

as its implications are feared 

and causing anxiety within the 

society. 

Islam also allows relevant 

authorities to implement precautionary 

and preventive 

measures to safeguard the individual 

and societal well-being. 

Any form of advisories issued 

by the healthcare authorities 

must be observed by all. 

This is in line with the Islamic 

principle: “A leader’s decision 

is based on the welfare of his 

people.” 

Taking precautionary and 

preventive measures to avoid 

being infected by any diseases 

is also highly important as it is 

in line with the Islamic principle 

of preserving one’s life. 

Furthermore, Islam emphasizes 

the necessity for those 

who are unwell to seek medical 

advice and undergo necessary 

treatments, based on the 

Islamic legal maxim known as 

Sadd al-Zara’i’. 

The Prophet s.a.w. used to 

instruct those who are well to 

avoid coming into close contact 

with individuals who have 

been afflicted by infectious diseases. 

This has been used as a 

basis by Muslim scholars to 

conclude that taking precautionary 

and preventive measures 

are better than having to 

seek cure or undergo treatment. 

"Vanguard, 

FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, , 2021 — 25 

2021 Hajj: NAHCON, PTF set strategic 

COVID-19 guidelines for pilgrims 

THE National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) and 

two other agencies are mapping out strategic guidelines 

on COVID-19 preventive measures to safeguard Nigerian pilgrims 

during the 2021 hajj operation. 

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the two other 

agencies are the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 and 

the Federal Ministry of Health. 

The Head, Public Affairs of NAHCON, Mrs Fatima Usara, announced 

this in a statement on Monday in Abuja. 

Usara enjoined all intending pilgrims and officials of State 

Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Boards to continue to observe COV- 

ID-19 protocols. 

This, she said, is in order to curtail the spread of the pandemic, 

which has entered the second wave. 

She, however, said that NAHCON “is awaiting further directives 

from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in reverence to its (the 

Kingdom) divine role as the custodians of the two holy 

mosques and its domain. 

The officer said that the commission would continue to commend 

and trust the Kingdom for its courage in taking difficult 

decisions in the interest of Muslims all over the world, even 

where the unfavourable effect of such decisions was borne by 

the Kingdom itself. 

She assured Nigerian Muslims that as soon as the Saudi Arabia 

authority communicated new guidelines on the 2021 Hajj 

and Umrah, it would take appropriate actions in the interest of 

intending pilgrims. 

“NAHCON joins millions of Muslims from all over the world 

in sharing the optimism that lies beneath the news of Saudi 

Arabia, lifting its suspension on international travels. 

“As a people of faith, saddled with the responsibility of managing 

Hajj and Umrah travels from Nigeria, the news holds 

glad tidings for those hoping to embark on hajj and umrah 

from Nigeria. 

“As we look forward with high hopes on the possibility of the 

larger Muslim community performing hajj and umrah in 2021, 

NAHCON will continue to await further directives from the 

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” Usara stated. 

She, therefore, urged intending pilgrims, states and other 

hajj and umrah licensed tour operators to continue with normal 

preparations and registration while exercising patience 

until clear directives are released by Saudi Arabia. 

Usara reminded all intending pilgrims that registration for 

2021 Hajj would continue on the normal platform on e-Hajj 

portals under state pilgrims’ boards, agencies and commissions. 

“Those wishing to pay against 2022 and beyond are also advised 

to utilise the Hajj Savings Scheme platform, to start savings 

now,” statement added. 

Quran on dealing with calamities 

“Do not dispute and [thus] lose courage 

and [then] your strength would depart; 

and be patient. Indeed, Allah is with the 

As-Saabiroon (Those who keep patience) 

Quran 8:46) 

Alhaji Munir Dada a Adek 

ekol 

ola, a, Vanguar 

anguard d Cartoon Edit 

itor 

or, , (middl 

dle) e) Sheikh Maroof 

oofdeen 

Al-Ikhl 

-Ikhlas, F 

Found 

ounder er of Dharul-Ikhl 

-Ikhlas as Arabic Stud 

udy y centre, e, Ajegunle, e, Lagos (4th left) 

Abd 

bdulQad 

ulQadri ri Sulaiman, Grad 

aduand 

uand, , (3rd d left) and other famil 

amily y members during the 

present 

esentat 

ation of Certificat 

ificate e of Completion of the Holy y Quran an to o Abd 

bdulQad 

ulQadr, , recentl 

ecently.

C 

M 

Y 

K 


By Theodore Opara 

Renault models 

finally roll out from 

Coscharis plant 

By Willie Samson 

IT was celebration 

galore as two 

Renault models rolled out 

from Coscharis Motors 

plant in Awoyaya Lagos 

recently, thereby signalling 

the official introduction of 

the revered French auto 

brand in Nigeria. 

Presenting the Renault 

models, Duster Sport 

Utility Vehicle and Logan 

Sedan assembled locally 

to the Motoring press, the 

Managing Director, 

Coscharis Group, Mr. 

Josiah Samuel traced the 

journey to the introduction 

of the Renault brand to 

July 2019 when they 

agreed on a partnership 

with the Renault Group to 

assemble the vehicles in 

their Lagos plant. 

“If you recall in July 

2019 we formally 

announced our 

partnership with the 

Renault Group to 

represent their auto brands 

in Nigeria. 

"This was done with 

fanfare when we equally 

showcased our ultramodern 

Semi – Knocked 

Down Assembly Plant 

located at our group head 

office in Lagos. As at today, 

Coscharis Motors is set to 

commence Renault vehicle 

sales based on locally 

assembled models and 

fully built models for 

Nigeria roads. 

"The plan is to ensure 

that we continually deliver 

value for money by 

providing quality 

automobile like the 

Renault brand vehicles to 

discerning Nigerians at 

affordable price range”, 

Mr. Samuel said. 

He explained that the 

introducting of the model 

is available with 

complementary after-sales 

facilities in Lagos, Abuja, 

Port Harcourt and Uyo. “So 

far, we have secured all the 

requisite OEM’s ratings 

and approvals to 

commence assemblage of 

the Duster and Logan while 

we are presently bringing 

in fully - built Koleos, Kwid 

and Oroch (which is to be 

introduced at a later date)”. 

Coscharis Motors is 

offering customers the 

options of 1.0 to 2.5-litre 

engines across the models. 

Samuel also pointed out, 

“Coscharis is fully equipped 

to handle all after-sales 

services and repairs. We 

have the original parts 

coupled with the right tools 

to fix the parts and Renault 

Certified Technicians to fix 

your vehicles. With the 

technical back up of our 

Renault partners, we are 

positioned to deliver a 

•From left: Pius Onu, After-Sales Manager, Renault, Coscharis Motors; Abiona Babarinde, General Manager, 

Marketing & Corporate Communications, Coscharis Group, Sola Adigun, General Manager, Sales Renault, 

Coscharis Motors; Olayinka Oladipo, Sales Manager, Renault, Coscharis Motors; Felix Mahan, Brand Manager, 

Renault, Coscharis Motors. 

•Holds first test drive of Geely brand in Nigeria 

•Geely X7 Crossover assembled by Mikano Motors in Lagos. 

MIKANO Motors, a 

service provider which launched two 

subsidiary of Mikano Geely models EC7 Sedan and X7 

International Limited has explained Crossover assembled at its plant, along 

why it went into automobile Lagos-Ibadan expressway, said that 

production in Nigeria. The renowned their aim is to create jobs for the youths 

PAN launches virtual auto showroom 

NIGERIA's foremost multibrand 

automobile 

manufacturer, PAN Nigeria 

Limited, has launched a virtual 

auto showroom. 

The automaker said the virtual 

showroom was introduced to 

help customers gain insight into 

the company's newest products, 

the Higer H5C 16-seater bus, 

Higer H6C 19-seater bus, and 

the Higer Ambulance, from the 

comfort of their homes. 

According to PAN 

management, the platform will 

provide an opportunity for 

customers to discover the unique 

features of the Higer bus range 

while remaining safe in their 

homes in these COVID-19 times. 

Explaining that the virtual 

showroom can be accessed by 

simply 

visiting 

www.pannigeria.com through 

smartphones, tablets laptops, 

and desktop computers, the 

Acting Managing Director of 

PAN, Taiwo Oluleye, added that 

customers can explore the 

design, features, capabilities, 

and technical details of each 

variant of the Higer bus. 

"Through the virtual 

showroom, we are bringing the 

experience of a real PAN 

showroom by way of virtual 

reality to our customers," 

Oluleye said. "That way, they can 

explore all the unique features, 

capabilities and technical 

details of all the Higer buses 

without stepping out of their 

homes," she added. 

She explained that the Higer 

buses and Higer Ambulance can 

be optimally used for mass 

transit, and ambulance services. 

In addition to having spacious 

legs and head room, the buses 

are equipped with USB charging 

seamless aftersales services 

across our available 

facilities across the country 

for both existing owners and 

potential new customers. 

This gives us the confidence 

from our pedigree in 

representing iconic brands 

in Nigeria that we are set to 

simply delight our 

customers once again with 

the Renault brand as the 

exclusive franchise owner 

in Nigeria”. 

The Koleos is a powerful 

Compact SUV, loaded 

with array of features while 

the Duster is a rugged SUV 

ports for all passengers/ 

occupants. All the vehicles also 

have park-assist feature, rear 

camera, and DVD/15' LCD 

Display. 

Additionally, the Higer 

Ambulance is fitted with stateof-the-art 

medical equipment 

such as suction catheters, 

stretcher belts and anatomical 

mattress, silicone resuscitators 

with mask, pulse oximeter, 

digital thermometer, 2kg fire 

extinguisher, automatic loading 

stretcher, scoop stretcher, AC/DC 

electronic suction machine, 

oxygen regulator, and other 

features. 

PAN Nigeria is a multi-brand 

manufacturing company, 

assembling a diversified range 

of vehicles, ranging from family 

sedans, SUVs, to utility Pick-ups 

and Light Commercial Vehicles, 

including the Higer buses. 

that can take any terrain 

without looking back. The 

logan is a modern Sedan 

with powerful presence in 

the B car segment while 

the Kwid is a hatche back 

with attributes of a 

compact SUV. It has 

generous headroom 

and stimulate the economy. 

Addressing newsmen 

shortly after media test drive 

of the cars, at their plant, the 

Sales Manager, Mr. 

Evaristus Eze said “the local 

assembly of Geely 

automobile brand is part of 

his company’s efforts 

towards boosting the 

nation’s economy via job 

creation. 

“Although Mikano has 

always been known as 

service provider in many 

aspects, including power, 

steel and medical, our 

decision to invest in the 

automotive sector was 

motivated by our belief that 

Nigeria deserves a better 

transportation experience, 

rather than being a dumping 

area for second hand cars with no 

history, no warranty and no spare 

parts. 

“Therefore, we chose to 

assemble and ultimately 

manufacture a top quality 

automotive brand to create jobs 

for the youths, help stimulate the 

nation’s economy and further 

support Nigerian families with 

most comfortable and affordable 

means of transportation.” 

Aside being a Chinese 

automotive brand that recorded 

top scores in European Car 

Assessment Programme 

(EuroNcap), Geely vehicles, via its 

acquisition of top European 

brands, including Volvo and Lotus 

, are produced in line with 

European standard. 

According to him, the new Geely 

vehicles are entirely different from 

the former Geely cars Nigerians 

used to know. Vanguard gathered 

that more models of the Geely 

brand will soon be introduced by 

the company as some have been 

sited on the road undergoing road 

test already. This current Geely 

auto brand, he pointed out, “is a 

meeting point for the latest 

automobile technology and 

modern science. 

Mikano’s plan for locally 

legroom like cars in the 

upper segment. 

Journalists were also 

conducted round the plant 

by the officials of 

Coscharis to demonstrate 

how competent the young 

Nigerians could assemble 

the cars without hassles. 

Why we veered into auto assembling – Mikano 

assembled Geely automobiles 

started over two years ago. To 

ensure that its auto buying 

customers run their cars with 

peace of mind, the company has 

covered the entire landscape of 

Nigeria with various after sales 

service centres. 

He explained, “we have 3s 

(Showroom, service centre and 

spare parts) and 2s (showroom 

and service centre) locations all 

over Nigeria. The centres are 

equipped with modern tools to 

ensure effective after-sales 

services to our customers. 

“Through our appointed 

dealership across the country, 

Geely automobile brand’s spare 

parts are now available 

nationwide. While we are still 

appointing more dealers to ensure 

that our parts are available to 

every location in Nigeria, we are 

making servicing parts available 

via various accredited channels to 

avoid the incident of fake parts,” 

he said. 

Powered by 1.5-litre engine, the 

locally assembled Geely EC7 

Sedan, comes with a load of 

features. The Geely X7 also 

assembled in Nigeria, a 

Crossover, is powered by a 

naturally-aspirated 2.4 litre 

engine, which puts out 150bhp at 

5,300 rpm and some 225Nm. It is 

equpped with array of modern 

features that are found in top-end 

SUVs. Mr. Eze said, “taking 

cognisance of affordability 

problem, which has trailed madein-Nigeria 

vehicles over the years, 

Mikano, a compan y which 

employs over 2,000 Nigerians is 

already working out a friendly 

auto finance to take care of this 

challenge." 

“It is also putting together plans to 

roll out auto gas vehicles and electric 

cars as soon as the Nigerian 

government create necessary 

enabling environment, especially 

legal backing that would protect local 

assemblers against imported junks 

that are taking the chunks of the 

nation’s automotive market share.

C 

M 

Y 

K 


C 

M 

Y 

K 

28 — FRIDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 8, 2021 

Kangiwa re-iterates need for tourism manpower 

The new Director General, 

National Institute for 

Hospitality and Tourism, 

NIHOTOUR, Alhaji Nura Sani 

Kangiwa, has re-iterated the 

place of manpower in tourism 

development in the country. 

Speaking on what he plans 

doing to re-position the training 

institute, Kangiwa said “ no 

amount of investments in either 

infrastructure or in expanding 

tourism capacity in Nigeria that 

Stories by 

Jimoh Babatunde 

As 2021 commences, the 

latest results from the 

Henley Passport Index, the 

original ranking of all the 

world’s passports according 

to the number of destinations 

their holders can access 

without a prior visa , provide 

fascinating insights into the 

future of travel freedom in a 

world that has been 

transformed by the effects of 

the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Without taking temporary 

restrictions into account, 

Japan continues to hold the 

number one position on the 

index, with passport holders 

able to access 191 destinations 

around the world visa-free. 

This marks the third 

consecutive year that Japan 

has held the top spot, either 

alone or jointly with 

will ever be successful unless 

the necessary manpower in the 

required numbers and at the 

required levels of knowledge 

and skills are provided to 

manage the sector. 

“I want my tenure at the 

NIHOTOUR to be a watershed 

in the development of Nigerian 

tourism sector; especially in the 

training and retraining of 

manpower for the industry. My 

commitment to seeing 

Best Passports to 

have: Japan, 

Singapore, South 

Korea, Germany 

… Nigeria ranks 97 

Singapore. 

Asia Pacific (APAC) region 

countries’ dominance of the 

index , which is based on 

exclusive data from the 

International Air Transport 

Association (IATA) , now 

seems firmly established. 

Singapore sits in 2nd 

position, with access to 190 

destinations, and South Korea 

holds onto 3rd place 

alongside Germany, with both 

having a visa-free/visa-onarrival 

score of 189. 

Slightly further down but 

still in the top 10, New 

Zealand is in 7th position, 

with visa-free access to 185 

destinations, while Australia 

is in 8th position, with access 

to 184 destinations. 

Nigeria sits 97 th position , 

with visa-free access to 46 

destinations. Nigeria is 42 in 

Africa behind South Africa, 

which top Africa list, but 54 th 

NIHOTOUR achieve its 

mandate in this respect remains 

unshakable. 

He added that he wants to 

surpass the dreams of the 

founding fathers of the institute. 

“The founding fathers 

established NIHOTOUR to 

provide skills proficiency, 

technical upgrading 

programmes and professional 

knowledge-based education in 

the hospitality and tourism 

position in 

the world 

list with 

visa-free 

access to 

101 destinations. 

Other African 

countries ahead of Nigeria on 

the list are Namibia 68; 

Lesotho 69; Malawi 72; Kenya 

73 and Tanzania 74 among 

other s. 

The ascendance of APAC 

countries in the Henley 

Passport Index rankings is a 

relatively new phenomenon. 

Over the index’s 16-year 

history, the top spots were 

traditionally held by EU 

countries, the UK, or the US, 

and experts suggest that the 

APAC region’s position of 

strength will continue as it 

includes some of the first 

countries to begin the process 

of recovering from the 

pandemic. 

industry in Nigeria and West 

Africa; in the like of Utalii 

College Kenya, which caters for 

East Africa. I will not rest on my 

oars until I am able to achieve 

this for the Institute.” 

The tourism administrator said 

the first task before him is to 

upgrade the facilities on their 

campuses so as to deliver 

on its mandates. 

“ We are working to 

overhaul the training 

facilities in all our 

training campuses to 

make NIHOTOUR 

vibrant and 

responsive to new 

challenges. “We 

are also working 

on programmes 

as well as 

modalities for the 

training and 

empowerment of 

rural women and 

youths on tourist 

host community 

participation and 

self-employment. 

With 

t h e 

U S 

and 

the 

U K 

still 

facing 

significant 

challenges 

related to the 

virus, and the 

passport strength of both 

countries continuing to 

steadily erode, the balance of 

power is shifting. 

Over the past seven years, 

the US passport has fallen 

from the number one spot to 

7th place, a position it 

currently shares with the UK. 

Due to pandemic-related 

travel constraints, travelers 

from both the UK and the US 

currently face major 

restrictions from over 105 

countries, with US passport 

holders able to travel to fewer 

than 75 destinations, while 

UK passport holders currently 

have access to fewer than 70. 

Dr. Christian H. Kaelin, 

Chairman of leading 

residence and citizenship 

advisory firm Henley & 

Partners and the inventor 

of the passport index 

concept, says that the latest 

ranking provides an 

opportunity to reflect on 

the extraordinary 

upheaval that 

characterized 2020. 

“Just a year ago all 

indications were that the 

rates of global mobility 

would continue to rise, 

that travel freedom would 

increase, and that holders of 

powerful passports would 

enjoy more access than ever 

before. 

“The global lockdown 

negated these glowing 

projections, and as 

restrictions begin to lift, the 

results from the latest index 

are a reminder of what 

passport power really means 

in a world upended by the 

pandemic.” 

With the first Covid-19 

vaccine approved just over a 

month ago, airline industry 

experts believe that 

mandatory vaccination before 

air travel may soon be a 

necessity. 

A technological innovation 

scheduled to launch in Q1 

2021 that will contribute to 

restoring global mobility is 

IATA’s Travel Pass initiative — 

a mobile application that 

enables travelers to store and 

manage their verified 

certifications for Covid-19 

tests or vaccines. 

COVID-19 Pandemic: Ethiopian Airlines get Airbus commendation 

Ethiopian Airlines Group 

CEO, Mr. Tewolde 

GebreMariam, has expressed 

the airline’s appreciation to 

Airbus, the largest aircraft 

manufacturer, for deeming it fit 

to recognize the role it played 

and is still playing in the 

COVID – 19 Global Pandemic 

Crisis. 

Airbus recently gave an 

award to Ethiopian Airlines for 

the unique agility and 

resilience that it displayed amid 

the COVID 19 global crisis. 

Speaking on the award, Mr. 

Tewolde GebreMariam said 

“We at Ethiopian are 

immensely delighted that one 

of the top companies in the 

world, Airbus, has recognized 

the efforts of the management 

and employees of Ethiopian 

Airlines unique agility and 

resilience amid the COVID 19 

global crisis. We were there 

when the world needed us 

most. I would like to express 

my gratitude to the over 17 

Thousand hardworking 

Ethiopian employees and 

management team.” 

Mr. Hadi Akoum, Airbus Vice 

President Sales Africa and 

Levant Customer Affairs on his 

part said, “This is to express 

the admiration of Airbus 

executive management and 

Airbus whole employees for the 

unbelievable achievement of 

Ethiopian Airlines in this 

unprecedented epidemic. 

“While other airlines 

were just trying to figure 

out what to do, Ethiopia 

Airlines was aggressively 

pressing ahead finding 

solution, creating solution 

converting their passenger 

aircraft to freighters. 

Ethiopian Airlines is the 

first one to do it on Airbus 

A350 and continue to fly 

and create even new 

business. This is 

something unique all over 

the world. 

Today, Ethiopian Airlines 

is able to maintain the 

operation of all fleet where 

others are at 10 percent of their 

capability, and many airlines 

have just simply gone 

bankrupt and people have lost 

their jobs. 

This has been done because 

of the visionary leadership, 

Mr. Tewolde GebreMariam. 

Ethiopian Airlines today is 

showing the example to the 

whole world in resilience and 

visionary thinking of the 

leadership. Thank you very 

much, it is a real admiration 

that we express at Airbus for 

your leadership and for 

Ethiopian Airlines 

Employees.”


EZEGBE 

OYERO ENEH OLUWATISEGUN 

OJIAKOR 

ALBERT 

I, formerly known and I, formerly known as Oyero I, formerly known as Miss I, formerly known as Oluwatisegun Ogo- I, formerly known as Miss I, formerly known as Albert 

Oluwani, now wish to be known as Mr. 

addressed as Miss Mercy Funmilola Tosin, now wish to Eneh Caroline Nnennia now 

Ojiakor Jecinta Chikamso, Sunday Aimienatie, now wish 

Jedidiah Oluwatisegun Ogo-Oluwani. All 

Eniyome James Ezegbe, now be known as Eko Funmilola 

wish to be known as Mrs. Ukeh former documents remain valid. LASG now wish to be known as Mrs to be known as Odion Michael 

wish to be known and addressed 

Tosin. All former documents 

and its agencies, e.g. Lagos State Ministry Chukwumeziri Jecinta Aimienatie. All former 

as Mrs. Mercy Eniyome 

Caroline Nnennia. All former of Education, Lagos State Public Service 

remain valid. Banks and 

Chikamso. All former 

Ogholo. All former documents 

documents remain valid, 

general Public please take 

documents remain valid, Commission, Lagos state Teachers 

remain valid. General public 

Establishment and Pensions office, FBN documents remain valid, general public take note. 

please take note. 

note. 

general public take note. 

Plc and general public take note. general public take note. 

ALAZOR 

ADEYEFA 

OSSAI 

OMUOPHU 

UMOLE NWOSU 

ADA 

I, formerly known as Cecillia I, formerly known as Miss I, formerly known as Ossai I, formerly known as Miss Omuophu I, formerly known as Miss 

I, formerly called Miss 

Ijeoma Alazor, now wish to be 

Adeyefa Tejumade Ronke, 

Onyenaekwuru Chinwendu Ada, 

kindness, now wish to be Oghenenyerhovwon Prayer, now Emike Umole, now wish to be 

now want to be known as Mrs. 

now wish to be known as Mrs. 

known as Cecillia Ijeoma 

known as Mrs Eguzoro wish to be known as Mrs Okor known as Mrs. Emike Anabui Fortune Ada Molar. All former 

Ajao Tejumade Aderonke (Nee 

Ejike. All former documents Adeyefa). All former 

kindness. All former Oghenenyerhovwon Omuophu. All Aitsebaomo. All former documents remain valid, general 

public take note.All former 

remain valid, general public documents remain valid, documents remain valid, former documents remain valid, documents remain valid; the 

documents remain valid, general 

take note. 

general public take note. general public take note. general public take note. 

general public please take note. public take note. 

MADUKA 

OKOH 

EBITE 

UBIGEN OD 

ODOGBOR FR 

OKORO 

I, formerly called Kelvin I, formerly known as Mrs. I, formerly known as Miss I, formerly known as Miss I, formerly known as Odogbor I, formerly known as Okoro 

Molar Maduka, now want to Veronica Okoh, now wish to Ebite Magdalene, now wish to 

be known as Mr. Kelvin Molar. 

be known as Mrs. 

Ubigen Roseline, now wish to Blessing Aruoriwo, now wish Edafe Humphrey, now wish to 

be known as Mrs. Obianke 

Onyesomazu Veronica 

All former documents remain 

henceforth. Former 

Magdalene henceforth. be known as Mrs Edeyan to be known as Blessing be known as Edoro Edafe 

valid, general public take documents remain valid. Former documents remain Roseline. All former Aruoriwo Uzoge. All former Humphrey. All former 

note.All former documents General Public, to whom it valid. General Public, to whom 

documents remain valid. documents remain valid. documents remain valid. 

remain valid, general public may concern should please it may concern should please 

take note. 

take note. 

take note. 

General public take note. General public take note. General public take note. 

ANTHONY OLAWUYI SULAIMON 

EZEUDU OD 

CHIAWA 

KALU 

I, formerly known as I, formerly known as Miss I, formerly known as Sulaimon I, formerly known as Barrister I, formerly known as Miss Joy I, formerly known as Cyprean 

Rosemary Anthony, now wish Olawuyi Fasilat Bolanle, now Yetunde Oyinade, now wish to Bonita Ngozi Angela Ezeudu, Adaeze Chiawa, now wish to Onyewuchi Kalu, Cyril 

now wish to be known as 

Onyewuchi Kalu, now wish to 

to be known as Rosemary wish to be known as Mrs be known as Sule Yetunde 

be known as Mrs Joy Adaeze 

Barrister Bonita Ngozi Angela 

be known as Cyril Onyewuchi 

Montgomery. All former Owolabi Fasilat Bolanle. All Oyinade. All former 

Nwali. All former documents 

Oneh. All former documents 

Kanu. All former documents 

documents remain valid. former documents remain documents remain valid. 




General public take note. valid. General public take note. General public take note. please take note. 


take note. 

TEMITOPE 

TOBI 

KALU 

NWAKAJI 

NWAKAJI 

RIVERA 

I, formerly known as Sanusi- 

Abubakar Fadhilat Temitope, 


I, formerly known as Tobi 

Abotu Joy Onome, now wish 

to be known as Onome 

I, formerly known as Miss 

Kalu Charity, now wish to 

be known as Mrs. Adjaroh 


Nwakaji Ngozi Blessing, now 

wish to be known as Mrs. 


Nwakaji Augustina, now wish 

to be known as Mrs. Nnaji 

I, formerly known as Dolores 

Sagun Rivera, now wish to be 

known as Dolores Rivera 

Sanusi Temitope Falilat. All Gideon. All former documents Charity. All former Ajugba Ngozi Blessing. All Augustina. All former Chibueze. All former 

former documents remain remain valid. General public documents remain valid. former documents remain documents remain valid. documents remain valid. 

valid. General public take note. take note. 

General public take note. valid. General public take note. General public take note. General public take note. 

ESIMISAN 

EBEKU UDO EZE 

ANOSIKE 

EZEANASO 

I, formerly known as Miss I, formerly known as Joy I, formerly known as Udo I, formerly known as Miss I, formerly known as Miss I, formerly known as Miss 

Esiegbuya Toritsetsesan 

Chimenim Ebeku, now wish Nmecha Ibeh, now wish to be Eze Eucharia Azukaego, now Anosike Rejoice Chinaza, Ezeanaso Oluchi Ogechi, now 

Esimisan, now wish to be 


to be known as Joy Ebeku known as Udo Sulibe. All 

now wish to be known as Mrs wish to be known as Mrs 

known as Mrs. Nani 

Benedict Eucharia Azukaego. 

Toritsetsesan Esimisan. All 

Rabiu. All former documents former documents remain 

Nwafor. Rejoice Chinaza. All 


Nwadinobi Oluchi Ogechi. All 

former documents remain remain valid. General public valid. General public take valid. General public take 

former documents remain former documents remain 

valid. General public take note. take note. 

note. 

note. 

valid general public take note. valid general public take note. 

ODINAKA 

OJUKWU 

NEBEOLISA 

ABUCHI 

ESSIEN 

IMO 

I, formerly known as I, formerly known as Ojukwu I, formerly known as Nebeolisa I, formerly known as Abuchi I, formerly known as Pastor I, formerly known as Miss Imo 

Ezeonwumelu Sylvia Odinaka, 

Basil King, now wish to be Cynthia Somtochukwu, now Stephen, now wish to be Michael Johnson Essien, now Stanislaus George, now wish to 


wish to be known as Ubah known as Onwuasoanya wish to be known as Pastor 

Nonso-Okpala Sylvia known as Ojukwu Ugochukwu 

be known as Mrs. Imo 

Odinaka, All former 

Somtochukwu Cynthia. All Abuchi Stephen. All former Splendor Johnson Essien. All Archibong Akpan. All documents 

bearing my former 

Basil. All former documents 

documents remain valid. 

former documents remains documents remains former documents remains 

remain valid. Bank, General 

Bank, General public to take 

valid.General public to take valid.General public to take valid.General public to take name remain valid, the general 

note 

public to take note 

note 

note 

note 

public please note. 

ODUAL 

ORIAYO 

AKPOJENE 

PETERSON 

CHIKEZIE 

ITEHERI 

I, formerly known as Odual 

Moses Justine now wish to be 


Oriayo Igho Rebecca, now wish 


Iluoghene Akpojene, now wish 

I, formerly known as Peterson 

Providence, now wish to be known 


Chikezie Doris Chisom, now 


Iteheri Justina Oghenetejiri, 

to be known as Mrs. Ijeje- to be known as Mrs. Okodiya 

wish to be known as Mrs 

known as Odual Moses 

as Efiba Providence. All documents 

now wish to be known as Mrs 

Ebotere Igho Rebecca. All Iluoghene Akpojene. All 

Ekimbe Doris Chisom. All Kennedy Oghenetejiri Justina 

Awudumapu. All former 

bearing my former name remain valid. 

documents bearing my former documents bearing my former 

former documents remain Osako. All former documents 

documents remain valid. name remain valid. General name remain valid. General 

General public and to whom it may 

valid. General public take note. remain valid. General public 

General Public take note. Public take note. 

Public take note. 

concern please take note. 

take note. 

EPETE 

KAYAMAN 

IKEFE 

AJAGBE INWEROGU IGHOSIETA 


Epete Ejovwoke Faith, now 

I, formerly known as Kayaman China 

Oghenevwogangan, now wish to be 


Ikefe Ufuoma, now wish to be 

I, formerly known as Mrs. 

Temitayo Azeez Ajagbe, now 


Theresa Ijeoma Inwerogu, now 

I, formerly known as Miss Rita 

Oghenetega Ighosieta now wish 

wish to be known as Mrs known as Edwin Thelma known as Mrs Aguamah 

wish to be known as Mrs. wish to be known as Mrs. to be known as Mrs. Obioru- 

Temitayo Ajagbe. All formerly Theresa Ijeoma Onirigho. All Ojevwe Rita Oghenetega. All 

Omirhoro Faith Ejovwoke. Oghenevwogangan. All former Ufuoma. All former 

documents remain valid. former documents remain former documents remain 

All former documents remain documents remain valid. General documents remain valid. 

General public please take valid. General public please valid. General public please 

valid. General public take note. public take note. 

General public take note. note. 

take note. 

take note. 

JONAH 

EGUAKUN 

AKAGBUSI 

ALISIGWE 

ABIDOYE EZEDOM 

EZEDOM OKOSE 

I, formerly known as I, formerly known as Eguakun I, formerly known as Miss I, formerly known as Miss I, formerly known as Dr. (Miss) I, formerly known as Miss 

Inainkaemi Meindinyo Jonah, Christian-Osa Desmond, now Akagbusi Augustina Chinenye, Alisigwe Confidence Oluoma Abidoye Lydia Iyanuoluwa, Okose Felicia Oghenefejiro, 


Faith, now wish to be known 

wish to be known as Eguakun now wish to be known as Mrs. 

now wish to be known as Dr. now wish to be known as Mrs. 

as Mrs. Ebenezer Confidence (Mrs.) Akponvwonvwon Lydia Akpovwonvwon Felicia 

Inainkaemi Jonah. All former Christian Osakpanwan. All Uzoma Augustina Chinenye. 

Oluoma. All former Iyanuoluwa. All former Oghenefejiro. All former 

documents remain valid. former documents remain All former documents remain documents remain valid. documents remain valid. documents remain valid. 

General public please take valid. General public please valid. General public please Banks and general public please General public please take General public please take 

note. 

take note. 

take note. 

take note. 

note. 

note.


CHANGE OF NAME 

CHUKWU ETAVERHO 

ISABOR EJIRO UBIGHO OLALEYE 

I, formerly known as Miss I, formerly known as Etaverho I, formerly known as Miss I, formerly known as Miss I, formerly known as Ubigho 

Chukwu Isioma, now wish to Maciver Kesiena, now wish to Onyeka Isabor, now wish to be Oghenegueke Blessing Ejiro, 

Ojiyovwi Jessica, now wish to 

be known as Mrs. Omoruyi 

known as Mrs. Onyeka Victor now wish to be known as Mrs. 

be known as Etaverho kesiena 

be known as Obbu Ojiyovwi 

Sakutu. All former documents Aluya Blessing Ejiro. All 

Chukwu Isioma. All former Favour. All former documents 

Jessica. All other documents 

remain valid. Delta State Local former documents remain 

documents remain valid. remain valid. General public Govt. Service Commission and valid. General public please remain valid. General public 

General public please take note. please take note. 

general public please take note. take note. 

take note. 

LEDSI 


PRINCE 

In some of my documents my name 

AJUKWU 

I, formerly known as Ajukwu 

APILO 

I, formerly known as Miss Joy 

OROBOSA 


ETCHIE 

Giami Percious Ledsi, now appear as Opuofeni Prince and in Ogochukwu Vivian, now wish Aghogho Apilo now wishes to Orobosa Monica Orobator 

wish to be known as Mrs. others as Opuofeni Prince Esetebafa. 

to be known as Nwosu be known as Mrs Joy Aghogho 

now wishes to be known as Mrs 

Both Opuofeni Prince and Opuofeni 

Marcus Precious Nsikak. All 

Orobosa Monica Orobator- 

Ogochukwu Vivian. All Solomon. All former 

Prince Esetebafa refer to one and the 

Omorogbe. All former 

documents bearing my former 

same person. All documents bearing documents bearing my former documents remain valid. documents remain valid. 

name remains valid. General my former name remains valid. name remains valid. General General public please take General public please take 

public please take note. 

General public please take note. public please take note. note. 

note. 

OFASARE 

I, formerly known as Ofasare 

OTOMEWO 

I, formerly known and address 

AFOU 


IDEH 


OMARE 

I, formerly known as Miss Omare 

OKEH 

Sophia Ogheneyoma, now as Otomewo Anthony. Now as Afou Rophina now wish to as Ideh Lawrence now wish to Sophia Oritsemuolagbemi and 

wish to be known as Abirhire wish to be known and address be known and address as be known and address as Omare Sophia, Now wish to be 

Sophia Ogheneyoma. All as. Omatseye Anthony. All Owudimowei Ruphina Patrick 

Lawrence known as Mrs. Bassey Sophia 

former documents remain former documents remain Tamaradineni, All former Nkechukwu. All former Oritsemuolagbemi, All former 

valid general public please take valid general public please take documents remain valid general documents remain valid documents remain valid general 

note. 

note. 

public please take note. general public please take note. public please take note. 

OGHOJAFOR 

ADEBAMBO 

OGOGO 

IYONSI 

PETER 

ADUWO 

I, formerly known and address I, formerly known as Miss I, formerly known and address I, formerly known and address I, formerly known and address 

as Miss Oghojafor 

Funmi Oghenero Adebambo 

as Miss Iyonsi Omasanjuwa 

Emuobonuvie now wish to be 

as Miss Ogogo Anna, Now wish 

as Asikaburu Izuchukwu Peter, 


Linda, Now wish to be known Now wish to be known and 

known and address as Mrs 

to be known and address as 

Edoja Emuobonuvie. All 

Funmi Oghenero Edremoda. 

and address as Mrs. Jegede address as Ofoegbu Izuchukwu 

former documents remain All former documents remain 

Mrs. Odioko Anna. All former 

Omasanjuwa Linda. All former Peter. All former documents 

valid general public please take valid general public please take documents remain valid general documents remain valid remain valid general public 

note. 

note. 

public please take note. general public please take note. please take note. 

ADEDEJI 

NWAFOR 

NWOKU 

AKITI 

OMOVEVAH 

MIRACLE 

I, formerly known and address I, formerly known and I, formerly known and addressed I, formerly known and I, formerly known and 

as Oghenerekerwe Patience addressed as Nwafor Frances as Miss Nwoku Amarachi addressed as Miss Akiti Unoma addressed as Miss Omovevah 

Christiana now wish to be 

Adedeji. Now wish to be known Ogundu now wish to be known 

Isioma, now wish to be known 

Uyoyou Gift, now wish to be 

known and addressed as Mrs 

known and addressed as Mrs. 

and address as Henry Patience and addressed as Onu Frances 

Mbah Amarachi Christiana. All 

and addressed as Mrs. Ibe 

Onoriede-Emiezi Uyoyou 

Oghenerukevwe. All former Ogundu. All former documents former documents remain Unoma Isioma. All former 

Gift. All former documents 

documents remain valid, remain valid. General public valid. General public please take documents remain valid. remain valid. General public 

general public please take note. please take note. 

note. 

General public please take note. please take note. 

ADEOKAN 

ERHIAWARIE 

ODOGWU 

ANINYE 

UMEOKOLI 

KALU 

I, formerly known and addressed as I, formerly known and I, formerly known and addressed I, formerly known and addressed I, formerly known and addressed as 

Miss Adeokan Iretioluwa Jennifer, 

addressed as Miss Erhiawarie as Miss Obiageli Benita as Miss Patricia Ogechi Aninye, Miss Umeokoli Chioma Henrietta, 

Atarhe Vivian, now wish to be 

now wish to be known and 

Odogwu, now wish to be known 




addressed as Mrs. Patricia 

addressed as Mrs. Iretioluwa Jennifer 

and addressed as Mrs. Obiageli 

addressed as Mrs. Ifedilimuo Chioma 

Dafiaghor Atarhe Vivian. All 

Ogechi Aninye-Emeasoba. All 

Elosia. All former documents remain former documents remain 

Benita Oyem. All former 

former documents remain Henrietta. All former documents 

valid. General public and whom it valid. General public please documents remain valid. valid. General public please take remain valid. General public please 

may concern to please take note. take note. 

General public please take note. note. 

take note. 

ANIDIEGWU 

OBODO 

OSAGIATE 

OSSAI 

AKAFE 

GODWIN 

I, formerly known and I, formerly known and I, formerly known and addressed I, formerly known and I, formerly known and 

addressed as Miss Anidiegwu addressed as Mrs. Obodo, as Ogieriakhi Osagiate, now addressed as Ossai Jonathan, addressed as Ernest Akafe, now 

Agatha Chekwube, now wish to Omonigho Ruth, now wish to 

wish to be known and addressed now wish to be known and wish to be known and addressed 

be known and addressed as Mrs. be known and addressed as Mrs. 

as Ogieriakhi Emperor addressed as Ossai Jonathan as Ernest Ronick. All former 

Nwani Agatha Chekwube. All Daboner, Ruth Omonigho. All 

former documents remain former documents remain 

Osagiate. All former documents Nduka. All former documents documents remain valid. 

valid. General public please valid. General public please remain valid. General public remain valid. General public General public please take 

take note. 

take note. 



note. 

AGWU 

TAIWO 

OKOH 

ELUMELU 

NKWERE 

We, formerly known as: Mr. Agwu Benedict Okoronkwo Eleke, I, Mrs Taiwo A Amgbakuro formerly 

I, formerly known and addressed as 

was called miss Taiwo Ayadiani 

Mrs. Agwu Chika Francisca, Agwu Lilian Ebere, Agwu Benedict 

Miss Elumelu Melodia 

now Wish to be address as Mrs Taiwo 

Okoronkwo Emeka, Agwu Paul Chikezie, now wish to be known A Amgbakuro. Former documents 

Efienemokwu, now wish to be 

and addressed as Mr. Paul Benedict Okoronkwo, Mrs. Paul Chika remain valid. St There’s Catholic 

known and addressed as Mrs Odor 

Francisca, Paul Lilian Ebere, Paul Benedict Okoronkwo Emeka, 

Primary Pchool Marin beach Apapa 

Melodia Efienemokwu. All former 

Lagos and Janta Akin Fashion 

Paul, Paul Chikezie. All former documents remain valid. General Entpr Ibidun Surulere Lagos please 

documents remain valid. General 


take note 


ARIKORO 

I, formerly known as Miss Joy 

Rume Arikoro, now wish to be 

known as Mrs Joy Rume 

Afokeoghene. All former 


General public please take 

note. 

TONLAGHA 


Tonlagha Edisemokumor 

Franca, now wish to be known 

as Mrs Ari Edisemokumor 

Franca. All former documents 



IYEN 

I, formerly known as Mrs Iyen 

Okunbor Efe Queen, now wish 

to be known as Mrs Iyen Efe 

Queen. All former documents 



UDUAK 

I, formerly known as Effiong 

Clementina Ekang Uduak, now 

wish to be known as Mrs Idama 

Clementina Uduak. All former 


General public please take note. 

ONOAKPOMA 

I, formerly known as 

Onoakpoma Erhinyoja 

Lucky, now wish to be known 

as Mrs Mene Erhinyoja 

Lucky. All former documents 



OSSAI 


Ossai Cordelia Onuwa, now 

wish to be known as Mrs 

Cordelia Erepatei Beggi. All 

former documents remain 

valid. General public please 

take note. 

IDJMINA 

I, formerly known as Idjmina 

Oghenesuvwe, now wish to be 

known as Akpoviri 

Oghenesuvwe Success. All 


valid. First Bank and general 


OGUGUO 

I formerly known and addressed 

as Anaele Evan Shaddrack 

Oguguo, now wish to be known 

and addressed as Oli-Anaele 

Evan Shaddrack Oguguo, All 

former document remain valid, 

general public take note 

MARCUS 

I, formerly known as Marcus 

Elizabeth Omonigho, now 

wish to be known as Okotete 

Elizabeth Omonigho. All 



take note. 

In my bank account openingn and 

bvn registration my name was 

mistakenly written as Okoh Isioma 

instead of Okoh Isioma Nwaeze I 

now wish to be called and address 

as Okoh Isioma Nwaeze. All former 

documents remain valid. General 


OBI 

I, formerly known as Mr Obi 

Okafor Simon, now wish to be 

known as Mr Obiokafor 

Simon Peter. All former 



ANAELE 

I formerly known and addressed 

as Anaele Victor Okechukwu, 


addressed as Oli-Anaele Victor 

Okechukwu, All former 

document remain valid general 

public take note 

UDI 

I, formerly known as Miss Udi 

Ufuoma Hannah, now wish to 

be known as Mrs Hosanna 

Ufuoma Hannah. All former 



note. 

UGBOTOR 


Ugbotor Kate Ifeanyi, now 


Abraham Kate Ifeanyi. All 



take note. 

ANAELE 

I formerly known and 

addressed as Anaele Goodluck 

Chiemela, now wish to be 

known and addressed as Oli- 

Anaele Goodluck Chiemela, 

All former document remain 

valid general public take note. 

UMORU 


Umoru Emokiniovo Irene, 


Gbodogbe Emokiniovo Irene. 



take note. 


Olaleye Ige Helen, now wish 

to be known as Mrs. Olowosile 

Ige Helen. All documents 

bearing my former name 

remains valid, General Public 



Etchie Toju Jewel, now wish 

to be known as Mrs. Eta Toju 

Jewel. All documents bearing 

my former name remains 


take note. 

I, formerly known and address as 

Okeh Onoriode Celestine Now wish 

to be known and address as 

Emokiniovo Onoriode Celestine. 

All former documents remain valid 

general public please take note. 


as Miss Aduwo Labake 

Precious Now wish to be 

known and address as Mrs Edun 

Labake Precious. All former 

documents remain valid 

general public please take note. 

I, formerly known and 

addressed as Miss Agbonghale 

Miracle, now wish to be known 

and addressed as Mrs. 

Akpukpula Miracle. All 



take note. 


addressed as Miss Kalu Nkechi 

Alvan, now wish to be known 

and addressed as Mrs. Ogbedo 

Nkechi Alvan. All former 



note. 

My correct name is Godwin Theresa 

Ephraim, but I was wrongly 

addressed as Theresa Godswill and 

Godwill Theresa Efphrin in my BVN 

and voters card respectively. All 

former documents remain valid. 



Millicent Udoka Nkwere, now 


Millicent Udoka Enaohwo. 



take note. 

OBASI 


Obasi Grace Uchechi, now wish 

to be known as Mrs Obi Grace 

Uchechi. All former 



note. 

JOSHUA 

My name was incorrectly spelt/ 

written as Alayemba Joshua 

Egwuatu/Alajemba Joshua Faculty 

during my JAMB registration and 

Diamond Bank account opening 

respectively. My correct name is 

Alajemba Joshua Egwuatu. JAMB 

and Access Bank PLC please take 

note 

OKURUVO 


Beauty Ese Okuruvo, now wish 

to be known as Mrs Beauty 

Ese Ebhaleme. All former 



note.


CHANGE OF NAME 

UDO AKPOVIE BELLO AKUJOBI 

I, formerly known as Udo 

Nmecha Ibeh, now wish to be 

known as Udo Sulibe. All 

documents bearing my former 

name remains valid, General 

Public please take note. 

SUNDAY 

1, formerly known and 

addressed as Miss Lydia Sunday 

Now wish to be known and 

addressed as Mrs Lydia 

Ghaddar. All former documents 

remain valid. The general 

public should please take note. 

NDUDI 


addressed as Miss Ndudi 

Chioma Linda, Now wish to 

be known and addressed as Miss 

Ndudi Chioma Benita. All 


Valid. The general public should 


JIMOH 


addressed as Jimoh Omolara 

Adijat. Now wish to be known 

and addressed as Omolara 

Koleoluwa. All former 

documents remain Valid. The 

general public should please 

take note. 

ODUGBAYI 


Odugbayi Ezekaya. Now wish to be 

known and addressed as Odugbayi 

Hezekiah Olawunmi. All former 

documents remain Valid. The general 


ALEBIOSU 


Alebiosu Khodijat Adefunke. Now 

wish to be known and addressed as 

Alebiosu Adijat Adefunke. All former 



QUAO 


Mrs. Quao Hannah. Now wish to be 

known and addressed as Hannah 

Obiageli Joseph-Nwaokolo. All 

former documents remain Valid. The 

general public should please take 

note. 

TAKPA 


Takpa Munayon Charles. Now wish 

to be known and addressed as 

Munayon Charles Ekoyon. All 



note. 

UGOCHUKWU 


Miss Ugochukwu Jane. Now wish 

to be known and addressed as Mrs. 

Mordi-Chinedu Jane Nkechi. All 



note. 

BENNETT 


Bennett Esther Chizme. Now wish 

to be known and addressed as Bennett 

Esther Chizim. All former documents 

remain Valid. The general public 

should please take note. 

ADETOBI 


Miss Adepegba Olufunmilayo 

Adetobi. Now wish to be known and 

addressed as Mrs. Oshinaike 

Olufunmilayo Adetobi. All former 




Miss Justina Eseoghene Akpovie, 


addressed as Mrs. Justina Eseoghene 

Okeleke. All former documents 

remain valid. The general public 


OGECHUKWU 


addressed as Miss Anike 

Ifeyinwa Ogechukwu, Now 


as Mrs. Ezeokoro Ifeyinwa 

Ogechukwu. All former 



take note. 

AKEJELU 

I,formerly know and addressed 

as Mrs. Akejelu Deborah, Now 


as Mrs. Akejelu Alex Deborah. 


valid. The general public should 


BABATOLA 


Miss Babatola Monisola Olufolake. 


addressed as Mrs. Aminu Monisola 

Olufolake. All former documents 



URUCHI 


Miss Umunna Uruchi. Now wish to 

be known and addressed as Mrs. 

Oriaku Testimony. All former 



OKONYE 

My name was wrongly written as 

Blessing Ego Okonye, instead of 

Okolie Blessing Nwakaego. All 



note. 

LAISI 


Laisi Gbadamosi Joseph. Now wish 

to be known and addressed as Ajiso 

Joseph Laisi. All former documents 



OKURE 


Miss Okure Inemesit Joe. Now wish 


Ekarika Inemesit Donatus. All former 



EDISON 


Akhiankore Osagie Edison. Now 


Akhiankore Osagie. All former 



NWADIE 


Miss Nwadie Rose, Now wish to be 


Afamefune Rose Nkechi. All former 



OGECHI 


Ogechi Eucharia Emeanua. Now 


Ogechi Eucharia Christian Iwuoha. 

All former documents remain Valid. 

The general public should please take 

note. 


Miss. Bello Sidikatu Isoken Now 


Mrs. Ogiemwonyi Sidikatu Isoken. 

All former documents remain valid. 


note. 

JAMES 


addressed as Mr. Omonulerun 

Michael James. Now wish to 

be known and addressed as Mr. 

Nasiri Emmanuel Ebibotel. All 


valid. The general public 


OLUMAYOWA 


Mrs. Olumayowa Gloria 

Oluwasefunmi. Now wish to be 

known and addressed as Mrs. Kareem 

Gloria Oluwasefunmi. All former 



OKOH 


addressed as Miss Okoh Ruth 

Devin. Now wish to be known 

and addressed as Mrs 

Ehiwarion Ruth Devin. All 




MBAEBIE 

My name was mistakenly written as 

Mbaebie Catherine Ifeyin, instead of 

Mba Catherine Ifeyinwa. All former 



KALU 

My name was wrongly written as 

Francis Kalu, instead of Francis Oloh 

Kalu. All former documents remain 

Valid. The general public should 


AYINLA 


Ayinla Habeebat Olayemi. Now 


Kareem Habeebat Olayemi. All former 



PRAISE 


Odirikwe Okeoghene Praise. Now 


Ighoakpophiare Okeoghene Praise. 



note. 

OKOH 


Miss Okoh Ogodisi Tina. Now wish 


Obilor Ogodisi Tina. All former 



NJOKU 


Miss Njoku Eucharia Chioma. Now 


Mrs. Aniekwensi Eucharia Chioma. 



note. 

JIMOH 


addressed as Omolara Adijat 

Jimoh. Now wish to be known 

and addressed as Omolara 

Koleoluwa. All former 



take note. 


Miss Akujobi Ihuoma Judith, Now 


Mrs. Ernest-Ubasineke Ihuoma 

Judith. All former documents remain 



OSIFO 


addressed as Miss Annabel 

Aikpitanyi Osifo, Now wish to 

be known and addressed as Mrs. 

Anngeorge Ehizibolo. All 


valid. The general public 


AYO 


Miss Bamigbola Kafayat 

Oluwafunmil Ayo, Now wish to be 

known and addressed as Mrs. Saka 

Kafayat Oluwafunmilayo. All former 



DUROTOYE 


Miss Durotoye Yetunde Grace. Now 


Mrs. Fakeye Yetunde Grace. All 



note. 

RABIU 


Rabiu Azeez Kolawole. Now wish 

to be known and addressed as Obanla 

Azeez Akolawole. All former 



TITUS 


Esuola Abiola Titus. Now wish to 

be known and addressed as Esuola 

Adeola Titus. All former documents 



OJINI 


Ojini Chinonye Celine Ifechukwu. 


addressed as Emenaha-Morrison 

Ifechukwu Celine Chinonye. All 

former documents remain valid. The 


note. 

OBED 


Obed ThankGod Nwachukwu. Now 


Ekene Austine Nwachukwu. All 



note. 

IKEAKA 


Nwanneka Peace Ikeaka. Now wish 

to be known and addressed as Ikeaka 

Peace Nneka. All former documents 



OGILI 


Ogili Chineye Mary. Now wish to 

be known and addressed as Ogili 

Chinenye Peace. All former 



AFOLABI 


addressed as Afolabi Doyinsola 

Elizabeth. Now wish to be 

known and addressed as 

Adanikeh Doyinsola 

Elizabeth. All former 



take note. 

editor@yahoo.com 

IGP’s directive for 

policemen to defend selves 

during protests 

THE Inspector General of 

Police, Mohammed Adamu, 

gave an order to the 

Nigerian police to defend 

themselves against 

protesters without being 

specific. He is indirectly 

preparing legal escape 

ground for the police when 

they overdo it. 

How can 34 indicted 

SARS officers be allowed to 

go free due to insufficient 

evidence against them as 

alleged? And how come 

government was so fast to 

discover the #EndSARS’s 

sponsors accounts but for 

years couldn’t find out who 

are the sponsors of Boko 

Haram insurgency, Fulani 

herdsmen and bandit’s 

accounts or are they invisible? 

Nigeria politicians never 

mean well for this country. 

Romanus Ndehigwo, 

08024209181 

Presentation of 2021 budget 

to the NASS 

Presentation of the 2021 

Appropriation bill to the 

NASS is a welcome 

development. The question, 

however, is whether it will be 

fully implemented? 2019 

budget has not been 

implemented much less 2020! 

Poor implementation of 2018 

and 2019 budgets is what is 

affecting Nigerians today. 

There is hunger in the land 

and the masses are really 

suffering. Government 

should ensure that the 2020 

budget is fully implemented 

in order to boost the 2021 

budget. 

Vincent Daudu, 

08137518785 

President Buhari’s lopsided 

appointment 

The massive looting in the 

Niger Delta Development 

Commission is outrageous 

and worrisome! Apparently 

the nepotism of President 

Buhari’s appointments were 

to ensure that he works with 

and trusts those known to him 

and they are the ones looting 

the commonwealth. 

Today, under President 

Buhari’s administration all 

security agencies are headed 

by Northerners; major 

parastatals, agencies and 

ministries are under the 

control of Northerners. The 

people from the north control 

the major ports in Nigeria. 

Although none of the states in 

the north is oil producing, yet 

one of the main refineries in 

the country is located in 

Kaduna. Restructuring this 

nation is the solution now. 

Anonymous writes in 

Lagos State 

Blockage of #EndSARS 

protesters account by FG 

CBN’s blocking of accounts 

of #EndSARS’s organisers is 

indirectly telling the world 

that the Federal 

Government’s promises to 

the youths is false and fake! 

If not why must the accounts 

of those wonderful organisers 

be blocked? AU, EU and UN 

must come and help 

Nigerians to investigate and 

fish out the people that 

hijacked the #EndSARS 

protest because the killing, 

destruction and looting was 

never from the genuine 

protesters! The world should 

come to the aid of Nigerian 

youths; no protesters 

accounts should be blocked 

for any reason by the Federal 

Government. Nigeria youths 

and the world are watching. 

Romanus Ndehigwo, 

08024209181 

INEC seeks reduction of 

parties ahead of 2023 

elections 

It is a welcome idea, the 

number of political parties 

must be reduced ahead of 

2023 general elections. All 

the parties must form 

alliances so that only two 

candidates eventually 

emerge for the presidential 

election unlike what 

happened during the 2019 

election that 91 political 

parties were registered by 

INEC. What happens if a 

party is merely interested in 

one or two states and wants 

to run as an independent 

party? 

Barr Emeka writes in from 

FCT, Abuja 

Fulani herdsmen and 

insurgency 

The problem with Nigeria 

is that we know the truth 

but we lack the courage to 

say it if it does not fit our 

purpose to fulfill our 

desired satanic objective! 

Why would the Miyetti 

Allah call on the South East 

and South West to engage 

the service of the Fulani 

herdsmen and Miyetti 

Allah on vigilante in their 

ethnic areas? It is worrisome 

on what the group intends 

to achieve. 

The killing of those 

unarmed farmers and 

villagers by the Fulani 

herdsmen is not right and 

besides why is it that the 

leadership of Miyetti Allah 

Cattle Breeders has not 

been invited for 

questioning over the killing 

of farmers across the 

country and failure to 

checkmate activities of its 

members? Those who kill 

must be killed also. 

Anonymous, 08035456749 

Killing of Christians by 

Fulani herdsmen 

The 

word 

“terrorism”which used to 

sound quite alien to 

Nigerians has become part 

of our daily grammatical 

lexicon. The killing of 

Christians in the north by 

the Fulani militia has really 

opened another chapter in 

the on-going campaign of 

terror being masterminded 

by some Islamic 

fundamentalists in various 

parts of the North. But my 

question is, who wants to 

exterminate the Christian 

minority of the north? 

Honestly, Fulani traditional 

leaders and elders have not 

made any attempt to put an 

end to these devilish acts 

being perpetrated by their 

children because they think 

that their collective interest 

as a people is being 

protected! But this is 

genocide. 

Anonymous, 08060768946 

SAYINGS OF OUR ELDERS 

Challenges are what make 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

32 — FRIDAY Vanguard, JANUARY 8, 2021 

Ekweremadu pledges to assist Enugu farmers access CBN loan 

Former Deputy President of 

the Senate, Sen. Ike 

Ekweremadu, has pledged to 

assist farmers in Enugu State to 

access agricultural loan from the 

Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). 

Ekweremadu made the pledge 

when members of Enugu State 

Amalgamated Farmers 

Cooperative Society, covering 

the 17 Local Government Areas 

of the state, paid him a courtesy 

visit in Enugu. 

He said that he was disturbed 

by the fact that most farmers in 

the state hardly accessed the 

agricultural loans disbursed by 

government. 

According to him, such 

development cannot encourage 

farmers or boost large-scale 

agricultural production. 

Ekweremadu, who represented 

Enugu West Senatorial District, 

said: “We will do something 

possible to address the problem 

and support you. 

“Your counterparts in the North 

have been getting the loan and I 

do not know you people have not 

been getting. 

“We hope to change the 

farming you do here to modern 

and advanced farming as is 

done abroad. We hope to 

replicate advanced farming or 

agriculture in this part of the 

world. “Your coming today is to 

lay foundation for a better 

tomorrow and we are forming a 

partnership this morning. 

“I am going to pay more 

attention to the CBN agric loan, 

since you have mentioned it,” 

he said. 

Why Lagos is hub for 

coconut processing in 

West Africa — Olakunle 

Coconut is the main cash crop of Lagos State as the 

State has a comparative advantage for its production, 

processing and utilization. As such, Coconut was thereby 

excised from other tree crops in the State to give it more 

attention among other things. Lagos State Coconut 

Development Authority, LASCODA, is the body charged with 

the development of the crop, in this interview with Jimoh 

Babatunde, the General Manager of the agency, Olakulehin 

Oladapo, talks on the economic and environmental 

importance of the crop as well as what they have done to 

increase production in the state. Excerpts. 

On coconut Production in Lagos 

State 

The Coconut belt and groove of 

Lagos State is about 180km², that 

is from Seme to Ibeju Lekki, but 

let us assume that the various 

jetties, the ports, and all other 

infrastructure along waterfront 

have taken over about 55km2, so 

we still have about 135km2 that 

by law and nature are supposed 

to be occupied by coconut. 

I said by law because you are 

supposed to observe one 

kilometre set back from the ocean 

when developing and that set back 

is occupied by coconut trees. 

Already by nature, the only 

crop that can withstand the 

vagaries of the ocean is coconut. 

God has made it so as no other 

plant can survive along the beach. 

By the time LACODA was 

established , the belt was already 

shrinking as the one kilometre set 

back was fast reducing due to 

none replacement of old trees. 

So, one of the major reasons the 

agency was set up was to 

rehabilitate that coconut belt . 

Apart from rehabilitation, in 

Lagos state we have close to 200 

islands, these islands form part of 

the coconut belt and the only 

thing you get from these islands 

are vegetation made up of 

coconut. 

Now having coconuts on those 

islands, we also realized they were 

aged and no conscious 

replacement by the farmers. 

So, we were established to 

rehabilitate old grooves, both 

along the coastline and on the 

islands. 

The assumption is that if we 

can revive the production along 

the coastline and the islands, we 

are going to support the lively 

hoods of people . 

Between then and now, a lot of 

efforts have been made to 

rehabilitate the belts, when I am 

talking of the belts, I want us to 

have it in mind that it includes the 

coastline, which we have reduced 

to 135 km due to infrastructural 

development and the islands. 

Over the years, we have been 

rehabilitating the old crops with 

the active engagement of the 

farmers and communities by 

supporting them to replace the old 

plants. 

But thankfully, three years 

ago, we changed the narratives 

to the extent that we now have 

close to two million trees in Lagos 

state both on the coastline and 

the islands with evidence. 

On how they achieved that 

Under the leadership of 

Governor Babjide Sanwo-Olu we 

changed our engagement with the 

communities as we started 

sensitization on the 

environmental impact and the 

economic benefit of coconut trees. 

So we encourage those living 

along the coastline and the 

islands to see beyond the 

immediate that because their 

forefathers planted the trees is 

why they are enjoying today 

and if they don’t plant new trees, 

they might not have the beaches 

they have now in 100 years. 

We made them know too that 

apart from the economic value 

planting coconut trees hold for 

them that they stand to protect 

there environment as the 

collapsed of that belt is affecting 

people not even living close to the 

coastline, because it has exposed 

the land to vagaries of oceans. 

We started working with the 

local governments, before 2018 

we were working with the farmers 

directly, but now we engaged the 

local governments which we 

believe are closer to the farmers 

and communities. 

Like this year alone, Mr 

Governor approved for us the 

production of close to 200,000 

coconut seedlings and we 

distributed them to farmers 

through local government 

across the coastline areas and 

even other local governments. 

But what we gave to the 

coastlines were more than 

others. 

We didn’t stop on the 

distribution, we ensured 

monitoring. Last week we were 

in Badagry for monitoring. 

Through the sensitization, 

people are now consciously 

cultivating coconut, unlike 

before and the figure is 

increasing. 

But because it has a long 

gestation period before we can 

start seeing the effect of what we 

are doing it will take the next 

three years. 

Let me add that between 2018 

and now some of the 

government allottees started 

planting coconuts on their land 

instead of other crops. So beyond 

coastlines and islands, we now 

have people establishing coconut 

plantation in the state. 

That is why we are 

encouraging the planting of 

coconut trees in government 

and private premises. 

We are also coming up with 

the Green Atlantic Wall. It is an 

initiative of Mr Governor. It will 

take off in 2021. We want to 

rebuild the wall we have in the 

60s on the coastal lines, with 

We are not saying 

border closure is 

bad, but we are 

saying for the 

processing need of 

our people that we 

need an extra 

60%, there should 

always be a 

window for that to 

come into the 

country 

that we are going to save Lagos 

land. And that will have a 

maximum positive impact on 

the environment. We are 

talking to international NGOs. 

On what Lagos state is 

producing? 

Based on 2019 report, the 

report of 2020 is not ready, we 

are producing 250,000 metric 

tonnes of coconuts , the total 

production of Nigeria is about 

300,000 metric tonnes plus. 

The figure will surely increase 

with what we are doing in Lagos 

state now. 

But the processing needs of 

Nigeria is now about a million 

metric tonnes if not more because 

we now have a lot of small scales 

coconut processors and that 

brings me to how do we get what 

we need to match up the 60% 

deficit for processed coconuts . 

So the 60% left comes from other 

West African countries that bring 

their coconuts here, I don’t have 

anything against it. The reason I 

don’t have anything against it is 

that if we can export our cocoa to 

other countries like Belgium and 

Holland, where they use it to 

create employment for their 

people by adding values to it and 

then export back the chocolate to 

us 

İf we want to be the Holland of 

Africa for Coconut, then let them 

bring their raw materials to us and 

we can create more employment 

along the value chain by 

processing. 

That was why when the border 

was closed, Lagos state 

government made concerted 

efforts to the highest level that we 

need to allow coconuts from other 

West African countries come into 

the state has become the hub of 

the coconut value chain in the 

whole region. 

If we have developed our coconut 

industry to the extent that people 

bring raw materials from the 

west coast to process here, it will 

add value to our economy. 

I don’t see anything wrong with 

it. We had a running battle with 

the Custom Service when the 

border was closed as we told them 

that coconut is a raw material and 

not finished products and when 

you bring it in, we add value to it 

here and in doing that empower 

our people. 

Lots of our processors lost money 

during the border closure. I am 

talking of millions of naira 

because what we are producing 

locally could not just meet up with 

what they need to process. 

We are not saying border closure 

is bad, but we are saying for the 

processing need of our people that 

we need an extra 60%, there 

should always be a window for 

that to come into the country. 

Because during that boarder 

closure, a lot of our processors laid 

off lots of their staff, because the 

number of raw materials needed 

to produce at optimal level was 

not there. 

On processing need of coconut 

The local production of 

coconuts in Lagos state now can 

only meet 40% of the processing 

needs of the state , but the raw 

material is not enough, so we are 

not meeting the local needs for the 

processors. 

Apart from local consumption 

needs, there is even pressure for 

the non-edible aspect of coconut. 

Briquettes made from coconut 

shells and husks are examples of 

charcoals made from coconut, 

which ordinarily can be used for 

anything you can use wood 

charcoal for. 

Environmentalists prefer this to 

wood charcoal, ordinarily the 

shell is a waste but if you can 

convert to charcoal, it can be used 

as a source of energy for cooking 

and reduce dis-forestation. These 

are the type of things we are 

talking about. Everyone is now in 

the business of processing 

coconuts and consuming 

coconuts. 

We have done a lot in the 

development of the processing of 

coconuts in the state . We do a lot 

of empowerment to support 

people in coconut processing. In 

2019 we gave 12 small scale 

processors equipment worth N2m 

each. 

Also, we train youths on 

processing.So with raw materials 

readily available, processing of 

products will be steady. 

When you are talking of 

processing of coconut, it is the more 

you can deploy technology, the more 

you get products. Just like crude oil. 

For example, you can get up to 200 

products from a coconut tree., but it 

depends on how you can deploy the 

technology. 

Part of the initiative of Governor 

Sanwolu is that come 2021 we will 

establish a Coconut Factory for 

non-edible. It is in our budget 

already. The factory will be 

established under PPP in Badagry. 

The factory will be at the scale of 

providing direct employment to 

over 1000 people, both skilled and 

unskilled. And also about 5000 

indirect employment.

C 

M 

Y 

K 


Agrowing number of 

lawmakers — in 

cluding from Democratic 

leadership — are calling 

for President Donald 

Trump to be removed from 

office either through impeachment 

or the 25th 

Amendment to the Constitution 

after a violent mob of 

Trump supporters stormed the 

US Capitol on Wednesday. 

Senate Democratic leader 

Chuck Schumer put out a 

statement Thursday denouncing 

the “insurrection” 

at the Capitol “incited by the 

President,” and saying, “This 

President should not hold office 

one day longer.” House 

Speaker Nancy Pelosi joined 

the call later Thursday at a 

news conference. 

The calls have come largely 

from Democrats so far, but 

at least one congressional 

Republican has joined in. 

GOP Rep. Adam Kinzinger of 

Illinois, a frequent critic of the 

President, has called for the 

25th Amendment to be invoked, 

saying in a video message 

on Thursday, “the President 

must now relinquish 

control of the executive branch 

voluntarily or involuntarily.” 

Invoking the 25th Amendment 

would require Vice President 

Mike Pence and a majority 

of the Cabinet to vote to 

remove Trump from office due 

to his inability to “discharge 

the powers and duties of his 

office” — an unprecedented 

step. 

Pro-Trump supporters storm the U.S. Capitol following a rally with President Donald 

Trump on January 6, 2021 in Washington, DC. Trump supporters gathered in the 

nation's capital today to protest the ratification of President-elect Joe Biden's Electoral 

College victory over President Trump in the 2020 election. 

ATTACK ON CAPITOL: Lawmakers 

mount pressure for Trump’s removal 

•Facebook, Instagram block Trump’s accounts indefinitely 

•More top advisers resign 

•Over 65 attackers arrested 

Bottom of form 

Any 25th Amendment push 

faces an unprecedented steep 

hill to come to fruition with 

little time left before Biden’s 

inauguration. The calls in 

Congress, however, underscore 

the extent to which lawmakers 

are reeling and furious 

with the President in the 

wake of the devastation at the 

Capitol on Wednesday. 

Sen. Patty Murray, the No. 

3 in Senate Democratic leadership, 

has also said it’s time 

to invoke the 25th Amendment. 

“The most immediate way 

to ensure the President is prevented 

from causing further 

harm in coming days is to invoke 

the 25th Amendment 

and remove him from office. 

As history watches, I urge Vice 

President Pence and the President’s 

cabinet to put country 

before party and act,” she said 

in a statement. 

House Oversight Committee 

chairwoman Carolyn 

Maloney, a New York Democrat, 

on Thursday backed removing 

Trump from office either 

through the 25th Amendment 

or impeachment. 

“Invoking the 25th Amendment 

is the quickest way to do 

this, and expedience must be 

our goal,” she said, adding, 

“If the Vice President and 

Cabinet fail to act, we have a 

duty to pursue impeachment.” 

Other prominent Democrats 

have urged impeachment 

in the wake of the mob 

violence at the Capitol that 

took place as a joint session 

of Congress met to count the 

electoral votes affirming President-elect 

Joe Biden’s win 

amid false claims from Trump 

that the election was rigged 

against him. 

Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, the 

House Democratic caucus 

chairman, tweeted on Thursday, 

“Donald Trump should be 

impeached, convicted and removed 

from office immediately.” 

Three members of the 

House Judiciary committee 

— Reps. Jamie Raskin, David 

Cicilline and Ted Lieu — are 

circulating to colleagues an 

impeachment resolution calling 

Trump’s actions an abuse 

of power. They wrote that 

Trump violated the Constitution 

by “willfully inciting violence 

against the Government 

of the United States.” 

Facebook, 

Instagram block 

Trump’s accounts 

‘indefinitely’ 

Facebook Inc has taken the 

unprecedented step of blocking 

Trump’s social media accounts 

on its platforms for the 

remaining 13 days of his presidency 

and possibly beyond, 

the company’s CEO announced 

Thursday. 

Facebook, which owns 

photo-sharing app Instagram, 

will also block his account 

there, CEO Mark Zuckerberg 

wrote in a post the day 

after Trump supporters 

breached the US Capitol 

building in a violent, unruly 

mob, forcing lawmakers to 

flee and the complex to be 

placed under lockdown for 

several hours. 

“We believe the risks of allowing 

President Trump to 

continue to use our service 

during this period are simply 

too great, so we are extending 

the block we have placed on 

his Facebook and Instagram 

accounts indefinitely and for 

at least the next two weeks,” 

Zuckerberg wrote in his post 

that explained the decision 

Thursday. 

4 dead, 68 

protesters arrested 

At least four people died 

in the post-election riots at the 

Capitol Wednesday. So far, 

over 68 people have been arrested 

in connection with the 

events at the Capitol, according 

to Washington, DC Metropolitan 

Police Department 

Chief Robert Contee. 

The FBI has also asked 

people to submit photos, videos 

and tips identifying those 

who were inciting violence 

that day. 

Lawmakers returned to 

continue their work after the 

building was deemed safe at 

8pm (01:00 GMT) Wednesday, 

formally certifying 

Biden’s victory in the early 

hours of Thursday morning. 

Massive resignation 

projected 

Meanwhile, top national 

security aides and other staffers 

have resigned from President 

Donald Trump’s administration 

in protest over the 

storming of Capitol Hill by 

his supporters, and officials 

said yesterday more departures 

are expected soon. Deputy 

national security adviser 

Matt Pottinger, a leading figure 

in the development of 

Trump’s China policy, resigned 

abruptly on Wednesday 

in response to the incident, 

a senior administration 

official told Reuters. 

That was followed by Ryan 

Tully, the senior director for 

European and Russian affairs 

at the National Security Council, 

another senior official said 

on condition of anonymity. 

Trump’s pledge on Thursday 

about an “orderly transition” 

to President-elect Joe Biden on 

Jan. 20 was partly intended 

to head off further resignations, 

but the second official 

told Reuters: “It’s not going 

to stop it.” 

With under two weeks left 

of Trump’s presidency, many 

aides were already heading 

for the door but the sudden 

departures underscored the 

revulsion among some 

Trump staffers over what was 

widely seen as his encouragement 

of mobs of supporters 

who stormed the U.S. Capitol 

in an attempt to prevent 

formal certification of Biden’s 

Nov. 3 election victory. 

Among those who were 

spurred to quit on Thursday 

was Mick Mulvaney, a 

former White House chief of 

staff who resigned his post as 

a special envoy to Northern 

Ireland. 

“I wouldn’t be surprised to 

see more of my friends resign 

over the course of the next 24 

to 48 hours,” he said on 

CNBC. 

•Speaker Nancy Pelosi 

Further departures are especially 

likely at the NSC, one 

of the officials said. It coordinates 

U.S. foreign policy 

among federal agencies and 

maintains close contacts with 

foreign governments, so the 

loss of key staffers could raise 

questions about national security 

amid a presidential 

transition. 

Stocks, Treasury 

yields climb after 

Democrats win 

control of Senate 

Bond prices dropped and 

stocks hit record highs yesterday 

as investors bet his party’s 

control of the U.S. Congress 

would enable Presidentelect 

Joe Biden to borrow and 

spend heavily, while higher 

yields helped a bruised dollar 

recover from near threeyear 

lows. 

U.S. Treasuries prices extended 

their steepest selloff 

in months, with the benchmark 

yield at its highest in 

10 months, after victories in 

two Georgia races handed 

the Democratic Party narrow 

control of the U.S. Senate, 

bolstering Biden’s power 

to pass his agenda as his 

party controls both chambers. 

The MSCI world equity 

index, which tracks shares 

in almost 50 countries, rose 

over 1% to hit a record high 

for the third session this 

week. 

The shocking images of 

the assault had earlier 

knocked sentiment, though 

traders focused on the implications 

of the Democrats’ 

control of Congress. 

On Wall Street, major indexes 

hit record highs on 

bets that more pandemic 

stimulus under a Democratcontrolled 

U.S. government 

will help the economy ride 

out the downturn. 

Garlands for GMD, 

NNPC, Mele Kyari at 56 

By Udeme Akpan, Energy 

Editor 

With the outbreak of 

the Coronavirus pandemic, 

and lockdown, economic 

activities contracted 

significantly, leading to low 

demand for crude oil and 

dwindling prices, thus putting 

pressure on oil and gas companies 

and other stakeholders 

to put on their thinking 

caps, required to drive operations. 

Take the Mallam Mele 

Kyari-led Nigerian National 

Petroleum Corporation, 

NNPC, which represents the 

Federal Government in the 

Joint Ventures with the International 

Oil Companies, 

IOCs, as an example. In the 

past one and half years, the 

NNPC, working with other 

parties succeeded in increasing 

the nation’s oil production 

capacity from over 2.0 million 

barrels per day, mb/d to 

3.0 mb/d in April, 2020. The 

nation has to limit itself to 1.4 

mb/d, excluding Condensate 

as allowed by the Organisation 

of Petroleum Exporting 

Countries, OPEC. 

In terms of gas, as at November 

2020, the NNPC 

achieved a total of 1.5 Billion 

Standard Cubic Feet production 

per day, while its equity 

production stood at 1.38billion 

cubic feet of gas per day. 

The Corporation successfully 

achieved the flagging-off by 

President Muhammadu Buhari 

on June 30, 2020 of the 

construction phase of the 

Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano 

(AKK) gas pipeline project, 

which has the capacity to 

transport about 2.2 billion 

cubic feet of gas per day of 

gas for utilisation. 

Apart from successfully 

leading the charge to take the 

Final Investment Decision 

(FID) on the NLNG Train 7, 

he revved up the process of 

completing long-standing gas 

infrastructure projects such as 

the Escravos-Lagos Pipeline 

System Phase 2 and Obiafu- 

Obrikom-Oben (OB3) gas 

pipeline. 

Mallam Kyari ended 2020 

on a high note in the gas sector 

with the inauguration of 

the Oredo Integrated Gas 

Handling Facility in Ologbo, 

Edo State. The facility is already 

helping to bridge the 

gap in local production of 

Liquefied Petroleum Gas 

(cooking gas) and providing 

more gas for power generation 

in the country. 

He facilitated a number of 

projects, including the resolution 

of the dispute between 

Shell and Belema Oil that shut 

in over 30,000 barrels per day 

production in Oil Mining 

Lease, OML 25 and the execution 

of the Abo OML 125 

Heads of Terms, thus paving 

way for eventual renewal of 

OML 125 and further investment 

in exploring the oil field. 

The GMD has also led 

NNPC to secure a number of 

alternative funding facilities 

for the NPDC and the Corporation’s 

Joint Ventures to facilitate 

further development of 

some assets. These include: the 

N875.75m NPDC OML 65 Alternative 

Funding and Technical 

services package with 

CMES-OMS Petroleum Development 

Company, the 

$3.15bn Alternative Financing 

Package with Sterling Exploration 

and Energy Production 

Company Limited (SEEP- 

CO) and other partners for the 

•Mele Kyari 

development of NPDC’s OML 

13, which first oil of about 

7,900bpd was achieved on 

April 1, 2020, while production 

is expected to peak at 

94,000bpd of oil and 

542mmscfd of gas within 

four years. 

Mallam Kyari ended 2020 

on a high in the gas sector with 

the commissioning of the Oredo 

Integrated Gas Handling 

Facility in Ologbo, Edo State. 

The facility is already helping 

to bridge the gap in local production 

of Liquefied Petroleum 

Gas (cooking gas) and 

providing more gas for power 

generation in the country. 

These and other feats would 

not have been achieved without 

transparency and accountability. 

In fact, in the 

past one and half years, Mallam 

Kyari has transformed 

NNPC from a corporation, 

noted for opacity into one that 

has embraced transparency, 

through the publication of the 

corporation’s Monthly Financial 

and Operations Report 

(MFOR). 

Specifically, Mallam Kyari 

took the transparency drive a 

notch higher by publishing the 

Corporation’s 2018 Audited 

Financial Statement in July 

last year. It was the first in the 

history of the Corporation that 

its Audited Financial Statement 

was made available to 

the public. He followed that up 

with the publication of the 

2019 Audited Financial Statement 

in October. One significant 

feature of the 2019 AFS 

was the 97.8 per cent reduction 

in losses which was largely 

attributable to the transparency 

drive. 

Also, another bold step in 

Mallam Kyari’s transparency 

drive was the launch of the 

Open Data portal on the 

NNPC website where such information 

as staff strength and 

asset base is published. He 

topped that up with having the 

Corporation listed as an Extractive 

Industry Transparency 

Initiative (EITI) Partner 

Company, joining a group of 

over 65 extractive companies, 

state-owned enterprises, commodity 

traders, financial institutions 

and industry partners 

who commit to observing the 

EITI principles by promoting 

transparency in all facets of 

their operations and transactions. 

As he pointed out at a recent 

engagement with selected 

newsmen, “there is little or no 

information you want about 

our operations that is not already 

in the public domain. I 

can say that we have kept our 

word as far as transparency 

and accountability are concerned." 

Going by the way Kyari has 

driven his Transparency, Accountability, 

and Performance 

Excellence (TAPE) agenda, it 

is with high expectations that 

Nigerians rise to celebrate 

him as the face of a new NNPC 

poised to deliver on its promise 

of touching lives in more 

meaningful ways.

34—Vanguard, FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, 2021 

vanguardnews @vanguardnews @vanguardnews 

NEWS HOTLINES 

018773962, 

08052867058 

COVID-19: Nigeria 

now at tipping point 

— FG 

Continues from Page 5 

registered on the travel 

portal before samples 

are processed to stop 

this activity. The 

National Co-ordinator 

will elaborate on this. 

“The PTF is aware that 

the world is at a critical 

phase of infections. We 

are constantly reviewing 

our strategy to 

emerging situations, 

especially in risk 

communication, vaccine 

hesitancy, fake news/ 

disinformation,” he 

said. 

We need to 

remain alive 

before vaccines 

come — 

Mamora 

Minister of state, 

Health, 

Dr 

Olorunnimbe Mamora 

on his parts said the 

Federal Government 

was determined to 

ensure morbidity due to 

COVID-19 was reduced 

to the barest minimum 

while improving on the 

fatality rate, adding that 

appropriate measures 

were being taken to 

achieve this objective. 

He said a second 

phase assessment of the 

isolation and treatment 

centres country-wide to 

verify challenges was to 

be carried out 

immediately. 

“This is to enable us 

provide appropriate 

intervention measures 

required to strengthen 

these centres. 

“We are not unmindful 

of our obligations to our 

health workers 

particularly those in the 

front-line. We 

appreciate them and 

urge Nigerians to 

encourage them in this 

challenging pandemic 

situation so that they 

can continue to give 

their best. 

“We are working very 

hard to get vaccines for 

our people. It may not 

come soon enough, 

therefore, we need to be 

alive to get the vaccines 

when they come,” he 

added. 

Edo Records 28 

new cases 

In Edo, the state 

COVID-19 Incident 

Manager, Dr Andrew 

Obi, disclosed that the 

state state recorded 28 

new cases in Benin, 

yesterday, during a 

briefing at the 

Emergency Operation 

Centre, EOC, chaired 

by Governor Godwin 

Obaseki. 

He said: “We have 

collected a total of 3452 

coronavirus samples 

from our screening and 

testing centres across 

the state since we 

started tracking the 

second wave of the 

coronavirus pandemic 

on December 1, 2020. 

“Out of this, 270 

returned positive. We 

have recorded five 

deaths so far. There are 

28 new cases returned 

from our laboratories as 

at today.” 

He added that the 

state government is 

intensifying efforts to 

contain the spread of 

the virus by ramping up 

public enlightenment 

and reactivating 

screening and testing 

centres across the state 

to ensure early 

detection of the disease 

among the population. 

He urged religious 

leaders, parks, markets, 

eateries to ensure that 

they provide amenities 

to encourage people to 

abide by the safety and 

health protocols, 

adding, “provision 

should be made for 

hand-washing stations 

which will encourage 

regular hand-washing 

while directives on 

social distancing and 

use of alcohol-based 

hand sanitisers should 

be obeyed.” 

Ibidapo-Obe, 

Naira appreciates to 

N393.67/$ in I&E window 

By Elizabeth Adegbesan 

THE Naira yesterday appreciated to N393.67per 

dollar in the Investors and Exporters (I&E) window 

even as the volume of dollars traded fell by 38 per 

cent. 

Data from FMDQ showed that the indicative 

exchange rate for the window dropped to N393.67 per 

dollar from N394.50 per dollar on Wednesday, 

indicating 83 kobo appreciation of the naira. 

However, the volume of dollars (turnover) traded in 

the window fell by 38 per cent to $32.41 million from 

$52.50 million on Wednesday. 

SIX NEW JUDGES FOR ENUGU—Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State (5th right) with his 

deputy, Mrs. Cecilia Ezeilo (5th left), the State Chief Judge, Justice Priscila Ngozi Emehelu (4th right), 

the President, State Customary Court of Appeal, Justice George Nnamani (3rd right) and the six new 

Judges of the Enugu State Judiciary, after they were sworn-in by the governor, at the Government 

House, Enugu, yesterday. 

Ajeyalemi 

might have got 

COVID-19 at 

wedding party 

A post on a WhatsApp 

platform by a group, 

Ijesa Society, where the 

two dead professors 

were members, read: “It 

is with heavy heart that 

the President and the 

Executive of the Ijesa 

Society regret to 

announce, once again, 

the untimely passing on 

to glory of our 

distinguished member, 

Professor Ajeyalemi, 

after a brief illness this 

morning at the Lagos 

University Teaching 

Hospital. Ajeyalemi was 

a well known Professor 

of Education and first 

Registrar/CEO of 

JUPEB who built the 

organisation from 

inception to its enviable 

heights in over 50 

universities in Nigeria. 

“He was a committed 

member of the society 

and long-term 

Chairman of the 

Education and Welfare 

Committees. We pray 

the Almighty to grant 

him eternal rest in the 

bosom of the Lord. May 

the Lord comfort the 

wife, children, the 

immediate and 

extended family & 

friends and grant them 

the fortitude to bear the 

loss. May the Lord fill 

their hearts with 

heavenly joy. Amen. 

Condolences from all of 

us. May God keep all of 

us safe in these trying 

periods.” 

However, a member of 

the Ijesa Society, in 

another post, confirmed 

that the two late 

professors were at the 

party and advised 

people to be wary of the 

gatherings they attend. 

It was also gathered 

that two other 

professors, who were at 

the same event, are now 

being treated at the 

Intensive Care Unit of 

the Lagos University 

Teaching Hospital, Idi- 

Araba, Lagos, but it is 

not clear where they 

lecture. 

However, at the main 

campus of UNILAG, the 

senior staff that 

resumed official duties 

in line with 

government’s directive, 

were going about their 

duties, yesterday, just 

as the Senate of the 

university is billed to 

hold an emergency 

meeting next week to 

decide on the date of 

resumption of academic 

activities by the 

students. 

Publisher, 3 

others tested 

positive in 

Nasarawa 

Kuju, the Publisher of 

a Community 

N e w s p a p e r , 

Eggonnews in 

Nasarawa State broke 

the news to journalists 

in a statement, 

yesterday in Lafiao 

He said: “On January 

4, 2021, I took my 

family, the six of us for 

COVID-19 test in Lafia 

although none of us had 

symptoms of the 

diseases. Two days later, 

the results came out, 

disclosing that four of us 

are positive. 

“Although still 

asymptomatic, the four 

of us have been isolated 

and are taking 

treatment,” he added. 

Kuju enjoined 

members of the public to 

pray for their quick 

recovery and advised 

residents to present 

themselves for routine 

tests, whether with or 

without the symptoms to 

ascertain their status. 

He urged Nigerians to 

always abide by 

COVID-19 safety 

protocols, put in place 

by the authorities to 

curb its spread. 

“Coronavirus is real 

and not a respecter of 

age or position, 

therefore, we all have a 

responsibility to 

prevent its spread in 

our state and Nigeria as 

a whole,” he said. 

NUC okays reopening 

of 

universities on 

January 18 

Meanwhile, the 

National Universities 

Commission, NUC, has 

given Nigerian 

universities the goahead 

to re-open for 

academic activities on 

January 18, 2021. 

This comes a few 

weeks after the 

commission ordered all 

tertiary institutions to 

remain 

shut 

indefinitely, in response 

to the second wave of 

COVID-19. 

The commission said 

universities should 

adhere strictly to safety 

measures put in place to 

curtail the spread of the 

virus. 

It said on resumption 

of academic activities, 

universities must not 

under 

any 

circumstance, violate 

the full circle of semester 

system, consistent with 

the benchmark 

minimum academic 

standards (BMAS) 

approved by the 

National Universities 

Commission as well as 

other extant quality 

standards and 

guidelines. 

NAPST begs 

FG not to close 

schools beyond 

Jan.18 

This came as National 

Association of Private 

School Teachers, 

NAPST, has appealed to 

the Federal Government 

not to close down 

schools beyond January 

18, 2021, as a result of 

the second wave of the 

COVID-19. 

National President of 

the association, Mr 

Olumhense Akhigbe, 

made the call at a news 

conference on the plight 

of private school 

teachers in the country, 

yesterday, in Abuja. 

Akhigbe said that if 

ultimately schools will 

remain closed as a result 

of the second wave of 

coronavirus, there is 

need for government to 

come to the aid of the 

teachers. 

“If schools must be 

closed, then all private 

school teachers must as 

a matter of urgency be 

paid a monthly stipend 

for the time being. 

“This support will go 

a long way to save our 

lives, our jobs and the 

future of millions of 

Nigerian children in 

private schools,” he 

said. 

According to him, 

already most schools 

were supposed to 

resume on January 4, 

but by government 

directive through the 

PTF, resumption was 

delayed till January 18. 

“Recall that, that was 

the same way it was 

done and we stayed six 

months without any pay 

in 2020. They kept on 

adding two weeks. 

“So as an association, 

we are calling on 

government to `do the 

needful, allow schools 

to operate but just 

monitor and ensure 

adherence to the Covid- 

19 safety guidelines,” 

he said.


Ighalo: How I made Troost-Ekong 

to sign for Watford 

Former Super Eagles 

striker, Odion Ighalo 

has revealed that defender 

William Troost-Ekong, 

signed for Watford based on 

his advise. 

Many Nigerian fans have 

wondered why Troost- 

Ekong left Serie A side 

Udinsese to sign a five-year 

deal for Premier League relegated 

Watford now in the 

Oliseh: I laid foundation for current 

Eagles 

Former Super Eagles 

coach, Sunday Oliseh 

has replied to critics who 

allude to his short spell with 

the team and subsequent 

resignation from the team 

as failure. In a firm reaction 

to his critics, Oliseh said he 

ushered in a new lease of 

life to the team. 

Oliseh was appointed 

coach of the Eagles in 2015 

and superintended over 14 

matches with the team but 

resigned the following year 

Aston Villa 

confirm ‘large 

number’ of 

Covid-19 cases 

Aston Villa have been 

forced to close their 

training ground after a 

‘large number’ of first team 

players and staff returned 

positive coronavirus tests. 

Villa are due to face Liverpool 

in the FA Cup tonight 

but the game is in major 

doubt. First team training 

for Dean Smith’s side was 

cancelled on Thursday and 

discussions are ongoing 

between the club, Football 

Association and the Premier 

League to determine 

the next steps. A statement 

read: ‘Aston Villa can confirm 

that the Club has closed 

its Bodymoor Heath training 

ground after a significant 

Coronavirus outbreak. ‘A 

large number of first team 

players and staff returne 

pix Troost, Ighalo 

d positive tests after being 

routinely tested on Monday 

and immediately went into 

isolation. ‘A second round of 

testing was carried out immediately 

and produced 

more positive results today. 

‘First team training ahead 

of tomorrow’s FA Cup match 

with Liverpool was cancelled. 

‘Discussions are ongoing 

between medical representatives 

of the Club, the 

Football Association and the 

Premier League.’ It’s highly 

unlikely Villa’s first team 

will be able to be involved 

and they could be thrown 

out of the competition due to 

a lack of ability to reschedule 

the tie before the fourth 

round. 

Manchester United 

announced yesterday 

they had completed the 

transfer of Ivorian winger 

Amad Diallo from Serie A 

side Atalanta. 

The 18-year-old has 

signed a contract at Old 

Trafford until 2025, with the 

option of an extra year. 

The agreement between 

the clubs was first announced 

on October 5 but 

the transfer was subject to 

a medical, work-permit 

and personal terms. 

after a brush with his employers, 

the Nigeria Football 

Federation. 

Under him the Eagles 

played 14 matches, suffered 

2 losses, scored 19 goals 

and conceded 6. Oliseh was 

also instrumental to the introduction 

of young players 

like Wilfred Ndidi, Kelechi 

Iheanacho and Alex Iwobi 

to the Eagles. 

Speaking on his tenure as 

coach of the team Oliseh 

claimed he laid the foundation 

of the current squad. 

“My philosophy was to get 

talented young players that 

we could build a into a modern 

playing team and that 

we were moving in the 

right direction because we 

lost only twice. Suddenly, 

everything started going 

wrong,” he told an international 

media organ, DW. 

FA Cup, 

Bundesliga, La 

Liga on 

StarTimes this 

weekend 

Football fans will be 

treated to live football 

actions across Europe this 

weekend. 

Matches will be broadcast 

live and in HD on 

StarTimes Sports channels. 

English football fans will 

be delighted to start the 

year with two rounds of The 

Emirates FA Cup. Third 

and fourth rounds will be 

played from 8th and 22nd 

January respectively. As 

EPL clubs enter the competition, 

there will be tough 

clashes Friday night at 

8:45pm between Aston 

Villa and Liverpool; 

Wolves and Crystal Palace. 

English Championship. 

“Ekong is a nice guy, I 

know him from the national 

team, and he played in 

Udinese too, like I played 

in Udinese,” Ighalo told 

Watford’s official website. 

“Before he came to 

Watford, he sent me messages 

saying Gino wanted 

him to come to Watford. 

Gino told him how I came 

from Granada to help the 

team gain promotion to the 

Premier League and wants 

him to do the same thing. 

“I told him he had to go to 

Watford, that Watford is one 

of the best family clubs. I 

played there for two-and-ahalf 

years and had an amazing 

time, they took care of 

me and had no problems. 

He said okay and that he 

would think about it. 

Man United complete transfer of Ivorian winger 

Pinnick 

charges 

Eaglets to 

beat Ghana 

Ahead of the make or 

mar clash with the 

Black Starlets of Ghana on 

Saturday, President of the 

Nigeria Football Federation, 

Mr Amaju Melvin 

Pinnick has charged Nigeria’s 

U17 Boys, Golden Eaglets 

to show robust winning 

mentality against 

their opponents. 

Pinnick charged the players 

to believe in themselves 

and go for victory when he 

visited the team’s camp at 

the Hotel Novella Star in 

Lome, Togo, while admonishing 

the players to remain 

focused in the task of representing 

Nigeria very 

well at the tournament. 

“Nigerians don’t want to 

know about tactics, just go, 

play and win the game. The 

mentality of Nigerians is 

winning, they don’t care 

how you win, just win. Winning 

gives Nigerians a lot 

of joy,” Pinnick said. 

“So, I just want to crave 

your indulgence to represent 

Nigeria well. I’m 

happy that I can see all the 

players in this U 17 team, I 

can see that we have the 

youngest team in this tournament, 

which of course, 

I’m very proud of. 

“It is a developmental football 

af this level. It does not 

mean that we do not want 

to win. Nigerians wants 

you to win so that you will 

be celebrated. We want you 

to be celebrated, it is very 

important that we must 

win. 

These steps have now been 

completed and an application 

has been made for a 

visa. Once this has been issued, 

Diallo will be cleared 

to travel to Manchester. 

Diallo made a total of five 

senior appearances for 

Atalanta and scored one 

goal. 

United boss Ole Gunnar 

Solskjaer said the teenager 

had been on the club’s radar 

for a number of years. 

“Manchester United has 

such a proud history of developing 

young players and 

everything is in place to 

enable Amad to reach his 

potential here,” he said. 

“It will take time for him 

to adapt but his speed, vision 

and fantastic dribbling 

ability will stand him in 

good stead to make the 

transition. He is a player 

with all of the raw attributes 

that are needed to be an 

important player for Manchester 

United in the years 

to come.”

36 —Vanguard, FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, 2021 

Use sports to stop 

kidnapping/youth 

restiveness —— Egwuekwe 

Brazil football 

star dies after 

cardiac arrest 

BRAZILIAN footballer Alex 

Apolinario has died aged 

24 after having a cardiac arrest 

and collapsing during a match 

on Sunday. 

He was playing for Portuguese 

third tier side FC Alverca 

against Uniao de Almeirim 

when he lost consciousness and 

fell to the ground in the 27th 

minute of the game. 

He was said to be stable on 

Sunday night. 

But his club confirmed the 

tragic news of his death on 

Thursday. 

A statement read: “It is with 

deep regret that we report, according 

to the information provided 

by the medical staff of the 

Vila Franca de Xira Hospital, 

the death by brain death of our 

athlete Alex Sandro dos Santos 

Apolinário, this morning. 

“FC Alverca Futebol SAD will 

provide all the necessary support 

to their families. At this time 

of mourning all the activities of 

FC Alverca are cancelled.” 

On site medics used a defibrillator 

on Apolinario on the pitch 

before he was taken to hospital. 

Players, coaches and staff from 

both teams were seen in tears 

during the troubling incident. 

And some were seen kneeling 

down and praying before a 

prayer circle was formed. 

Eaglets ‘ll redeem image 

against Ghana — Amoo 

*Don’t write ‘em off - Garba 

Anthony Joshua drops 

retirement hint 

Joshua’s only defeat 

Two-time heavyweight cham 

pion Anthony Joshua has 

hinted he is gradually drawing 

closer to the end of his boxing 

career. The 31-year-old currently 

holds the WBA, IBF, WBO, and 

IBO titles having won 24 of his 

25 professional fights so far. He 

recently defended his titles 

against mandatory challenger 

Kubrat Pulev where he ended 

the bout in the ninth round. 

Since he won the IBF heavyweight 

world title in 2016, the 

Watford-born boxer of Nigerian 

descent has never looked back 

after adding the WBA crown to 

his collection in 2017 and then 

picked up the WBO a year later 

as reported by Talk Sport. 

Enugu state celebrates Chukwu at 70 

By Anayo Okoli. 

The Enugu State Government 

has felicitated with iconic 

former Nigerian international 

footballer, national team captain 

and coach, ‘Chairman’ Christian 

Chukwu, on his attainment of 70 

years. Chukwu is from Enugu 


A congratulation message from 

the State Commissioner for Information, 

Nnanyelugo Chidi Aroh, 

said that the government and the 

people of the state are “indeed 

very proud of the immesurable 

contributions of this great son of 

Enugu State to the development 

of the game of football both locally 

and internationally”. 

It added that “we recall with 

great delight the numerous contributions 

of Christian Chukwu to 

the game of football including 

leading the Nigerian National 

team, The Green Eagles, as Captain 

to win their first ever African 

Nations Cup in 1980”. 

Noting his other achievements in 

his football career, the Government 

said that “Christian Chukwu 

also had an outstanding career as 

coach of various National teams, 

including Nigeria, Kenya and 

Lebanon”, saying that “his 

(Chukwu’s) performance at various 

times as player, coach and 

manager of Enugu Rangers International 

FC is indeed unparalleled”. 

“As we join his family, friends and 

the entire football family worldwide 

in celebrating this football 

icon, we beseech the Almighty 

God to grant him good health of 

mind and body”, Aroh said. 

Chukwu 

Coach Fatai Amoo has promised the Golden Ea 

glets will be a lot more improved when they 

battle arch-rivals Ghana in a must-win final 

U17 AFCON qualifiers Group B clash Saturday. 

His predecessor, Manu Garba has said it was too 

early to write off the team after they lost 1-0 to Cote 

d’ Ivoire in their opening game of the West Africa 

Football Union tournament in Lome, Togo. 

“They can do better (than they did against Cote 

d’Ivoire),” Amoo assured, adding, “We have taken 

note of the mistakes and we will make the necessary 

corrections.” 

The coach admitted his boys suffered stage fright on 

Wednesday. 

“It was a difficult game for the boys, many of them 

have not had this type of opportunity and as a result 

they were a bit jittery,” he explained. 

According to Garba, the team’s handlers “just need 

to psyche the players up, and give them confidence 

too, let them put in everything too to make sure we 

beat Ghana. All we need is a win even if it is 1-0. 

“So whatever happens between Ghana and CIV we 

will have a chance to progress. And I think the board 

members that are there need to talk to the team and 

psyche them up because at this level you don’t need 

to shout on them,” he stressed. 

came when he was 

beaten by Andy Ruiz 

Jr in the summer of 

2019 but bounced 

back to triumph six 

months later in a rematch 

staged in 

Saudi Arabia. “This 

isn’t the start of my 

career. I’m coming 

towards the end of 

my career. I’m not 

someone who lives 

in the moment and thinks that 

everything is just for now. I’m 

always planning ahead so I’m 

coming towards the end of my career. 

“Five years left and that’s basically 

an Olympic cycle. I’ve got 

an Olympic cycle and a little bit 

more left. So when you see the 

next Olympics happen is when 

I’ll be coming to the end of my 

career and the next generation 

will be coming through.” 

Joshua has been tipped to face 

countryman Tyson Fury in a unified 

heavyweight bout where the 

winner takes all. He, however, 

said this about the Gypsy King 

earlier: 

Arsenal have borrowed £120 

million from the Bank of 

England to help the club’s 

cashflow through the ongoing 

COVID-19 pandemic. 

The loan is repayable by the end 

of May and is principally designed 

to help offset the ongoing 

absence of matchday revenue for 

the season. 

Significantly, the money cannot 

be used for transfers as it comes 

from the Bank of England’s 

COVID Corporate Financing Facility 

(CCFF), which is the same 

scheme through which Tottenham 

and the Football Association received 

financial support last year. 

Few clubs or organisations are 

Joshua 

The leadership of the Delta State 

chapter of the Association of 

Local Governments of Nigeria 

(ALGON) has assured that the 

Delta State Local Governments 

Sports Festival has come to stay 

and will get bigger and better in 

coming years. 

The outgoing Chairman of Delta 

State ALGON, Hon Itiako 

Constantine Ikpokpo, gave the assurance 

in a press briefing in 

Asaba during the week. 

Ikpokpo who held a valedictory 

Arsenal borrow £120m to cushion 

COVID-19 impact 

By Onozure Dania 

President of United Furniture 

Dealer’s Association of Nigeria, 

Emeka Egwuekwe has 

asked the Federal Government 

and wealthy Nigerians to see 

sports as an effective tool for 

youth development capable of 

serving as an impetus for social 

transformation and change. 

Speaking at the Enugu-Agidi 

Unity Cup sponsored by Prince 

Egwuekwe tagged Apakata 

2020, he noted that he was inspired 

to organise the football 

tournament as a means of engaging 

the youth and fostering 

unity in the community. 

Egwuekwe, also the Managing 

Director Of Prince Interior Furniture 

and Furnishing Company 

Limited, decried the spate 

of insecurity and kidnapping in 

the country, noting that it can 

only abate if the youths are effectively 

engaged in productive 

ventures. 

He said, “It is often said that 

sport has an inherent ability to 

bring people together, in particular 

the youths, and yet until 

recently, the tremendous potential 

of sport for development to 

achieve youth development objectives 

has been under utilized. 

By its very nature, sport encourages 

participation, bridges national, 

ethnic, social and religious 

divides. It is precisely for 

this reason that sport, when used 

as a tool for development, can 

serve as an impetus for social 

transformation and change. 

The Enugu-Agidi Unity Cup 

tournament that had the 10 villages 

in the community taking 

part with the Ifite Village winning 

the price money of 

N400,000, a gold cup and gold 

medals according to 

Egwuekwe, will be an annual 

event aimed at fostering peace 

and developing young talents 

who would be encouraged to 

pursue their football careers 

nationally and internationally. 

ALGON assures on sustenance 

of Delta LG Sports Festival 

eligible for the CCFF because of 

strict qualification criteria which 

include a strong investment grade 

rating and a determination that a 

company makes a “material contribution 

to the British economy.” 

It is unclear what interest Arsenal 

will have to pay on the loan 

but Spurs borrowed their £175m 

sum at a rate of 0.5%. 

“As we continue to work through 

the implications of the global pandemic 

on our finances, we can 

confirm today that the club has 

met the criteria set by the Bank of 

England for the COVID Corporate 

Financing Facility (CCFF),” an 

Arsenal statement said. 

executive meeting on Wednesday 

to mark the end of his two-term 

service as the chairman of Isoko 

South LGA said despite the change 

in the leadership of ALGON, the 

initiative of the Delta States Local 

Government Sports Festival will be 

sustained as a legacy commitment 

of the state’s council chairmen to 

institutionalize a programme of 

steadily supporting the state in the 

discovery of athletes and using 

sports to drive grassroots development. 

“We have structured the project in 

such a way that it is private sector 

driven. We have the project consultant 

to work with the leadership 

of ALGON to ensure continuity. 

The project is run by private sector 

sponsorship. UBA and Levant Construction 

are graciously partnering 

with us on this first edition and we 

believe that subsequent editions 

will attract larger sponsorships. 

The good thing is that it is a biennial 

event, so we will have time to 

plan every succeeding edition with 

lessons from the preceding edition. 

The Delta State Local Government 

Sports Festival is scheduled to open 

on January 14 and close on January 

18 at the Steve Keshi Stadium, 

Asaba. The maiden edition shall 

feature competitions in mostly noncontact 

athletics events including 

100, 200, 400, 800 and 1500 meters; 

4x100, 4x400 and mixed relays; 

high jump, long jump and triple 

jump; shot put, discus and javelin.

C 

M 

Y 

K 



C 

M 

Y 

K 


C 

M 

Y 

K 

Vanguard, FRIDAY, JANUARY 8, 2021 

QUICK CROSSWORD 

TODAY’S CROSSWORD 

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTION 

TODAY’S PUZZLE 

Sudoku 

YESTERDAY’S ANSWER 

ACROSS 

1 Forbid (8) 

6 Expire (3) 

9 Fire-raising (5) 

10 Speech defect (7) 

11 Slimmed down (7) 

13 Interior (5) 

14 Afternoon rest (6) 

15 Take small bites (6) 

19 Tempest (5) 

21 Politeness (7) 

22 Dog of mixed breed (7) 

23 Snapshot (5) 

24 Ingested (3) 

25 Insensibility (8) 

DOWN 

2 What is left (7) 

3 Female bird (3) 

4 Next to (6) 

5 Custom (9) 

6 Devil (5) 

7 Mistake (5) 

8 Second sign of the zodiac (6) 

12 Boat with two hulls (9) 

16 Natives of Brittany (7) 

17 London rail terminus (6) 

18 Symbol (6) 

19 Brazilian dance (5) 

20 Light weight (5) 

23 Write (3) 

How to Play Sudoku 

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

two of the same number). 

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

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

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

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

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

multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination. 

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

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

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

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

08012021 - COVID-19: Nigeria now at tipping point — FG

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?