DEVELOPING STORY: Unconfirmed Number of Chibok girls freed

A yet unclear number of the Chibok girls kidnapped by the extremist Boko Haram sect in April have been released, officials said.

A top military source said two Toyota Hiace buses loaded with the girls were driven into the Maimalari Barracks, the headquarters of the 7th Division of the Nigerian Army in Maiduguri, this evening.

When contacted, Defence Spokesperson, Chris Olukolade, confirmed the development.

He said the exercise was still ongoing and that appropriate statement would be made soon.

The over 200 girls, mostly teenagers, were kidnapped from their secondary school in Chibok, Borno State, on April 14.

Details of the negotiation that led to the release of the girls is unclear at this time. Mr. Olukolade said such details would only be provided later.

Details later…

Credit: Premium Times

Alleged $9.3 arms deal: APC reps walk out as PDP members block debate

Controversies over the $9.3 million seized from two Nigerians and an Isreali on arrival in South Africa in a private jet boiled over on floor the House of Representatives on Tuesday as lawmakers from the opposition All Progressives Congress, APC walked out on their colleagues in the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP over what they described as attempts to sweep the issue of the smuggled cash under the carpet by the latter.

Honourable Ismaila Kawu, the Deputy Minority Leader, Ismaila Kawu had in a motion raised on the floor asked the lawmakers to debate controversies surrounding the smuggled cash taken to South Africa in a private jet owned by Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, President, Christian Association of Nigeria.

While describing the issue of the smuggled cash as “very scandalous, very disgraceful and very appalling”, Kawu who moved the motion under matters of urgent National Importance asked the House to investigate the matter through its committees of Defence and Aviation.

But further attempt to debate the issue was nipped in the bud Honourable Emeka Ihedioha, Deputy Speaker who presided over the session.

Ihedioha said it is better to refer the matter to a committee, an assertion that resulted in a brief rowdiness in the House as mostly PDP lawmakers supported him.

The Deputy Speaker eventually called for a vote on the issue and majority of the members voted not to allow a debate. However, members of APC walked out of the green chamber immediately after the voting.

In a media briefing after the walk out, Honourable Samson Osagie, the Minority Whip, said APC lawmakers described the manner the $9.3m was smuggled out as a shame to the country.

“For us as a people and for us as lawmakers, we find this unacceptable, unethical, illegitimate and in our view, it is an illegal transaction,” said Osagie who added that the Federal Government should explain to Nigerians the source of the money and the real purpose it was meant for.

“If the indeed, the matter involves security issues like the purchase of arms by foreign government like Nigeria, why was the South African government not brought into the picture before hand and how could South African government be sure that the arms were purchased legitimately by the Nigerian government and not by the insurgents when there were no officials of the NSA’s office or the Director of state security department that accompany such money?,” Osagie who was flanked by other lawmakers queried.

There were allegations earlier in the day that the Federal Government had bribed members of House of Representatives with $20, 000 each and their Senate counterparts with $50, 000 each to stop them from probing the cash scandal now being tagged Oritshejaforgate.

The Senate had also last week initiated a probe into the smuggled cash scandal.

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Defence and Army, Senator George Sekibo told journalists last week that his committee has invited the National Security Adviser and other top military chiefs over the $9.3m cash seized by the South African government.

According to him, the military chiefs invited include Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.); Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshall Alex Badeh, and Chief of Army Staff, Kenneth Minimah.

The military commanders were expected to appear before the Senate commitee today.

Credit: PM News

Tyler Perry AKA ‘Madea’ Expecting His First Child

Actor and Movie producer Tyler Perry is one of the most celebrated African American movie producers who became famous after his various movies based on the comedic character ‘Madea’ hit box office gold a couple of times. The actor announced at his 45th birthday which took place recently that he was expecting his first child. Tyler who has never being married was reported to be excited while sharing the news to guests at his party.

The mystery remains who the baby mama is, as the Tyler did not disclose identity of the mother. Some sources claim that fashion model and Philanthropist, Gelila Bekele. For all we know he could be expecting an adopted baby. Anyway we can’t wait to see how ‘Madea’ would raise his real life child.

Credit: Fuse

US Blocks Nigeria’s Purchase of Chinook Helicopters from Israel

Efforts by the Nigerian military to procure US-made Chinook helicopters from Israel, to facilitate the movement of troops and the injured, have been blocked by the United States Government, according to a report from THISDAY.

This, among other issues, including the US’ refusal to provide Nigeria’s security agencies with timely intelligence needed to defeat Boko Haram insurgents who have been riding rough shod in the North-east, would form part of the discussions when President Goodluck Jonathan meets with US President Barack Obama in New York this week.

Jonathan departed for New York on Sunday for the 69th General Assembly of the United Nations.

The Chinook is a versatile and reliable American twin-engine, tandem rotor heavy-lift helicopter produced by Boeing. Its primary roles are troops movement, artillery placement and battlefield resupply.

In a war where Boko Haram insurgents move in convoys through arid towns and villages, the helicopters are required to checkmate them, reinforce troops and supplies and recover dead and wounded soldiers.

Although it has a number of variants and is used primarily for the transportation of troops, supplies and search and rescue operations, limited weaponry can be mounted on its door and window for the purpose of enemy attacks.

However, according to defence and intelligence sources, attempts to buy the helicopters and other munitions from, first the US and other Western European countries, have proved to be an impossible task, thus compelling the military to resort to Israel and several retired members of the Israeli defense forces.

Opening up on the challenges the Nigerian military has faced dealing with the procurement of arms for the war effort in the North-east, a knowledgeable official, who did not want to be named as he was not authorised to speak with the press, said: “The US government has frustrated Nigeria all the way in our war against terrorism despite its public statements in support of Nigeria, as it fights the Boko Haram insurgents in the North-east… They want us to fight Boko Haram with our arms tied to our backs.

“They have refused to sell us arms and equipment and even our recent attempt to buy Chinook helicopters, which are manufactured in the US, from the Israelis was blocked, based on unfounded allegations of human rights violations by our troops. This is after the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Natanyahu had initially approved the purchase.

“But because they were supplied by the Americans, the Israelis required a ‘No Objection’ letter from Washington which was refused.

“We had even tried to procure arms from Russia but this was stalled because of the Ukrainian crisis, thus compelling us to turn to other nations like Israel. But even this has been frustrated by the US,” he said.
He said it was not just in the area of arms procurement that US has been most unhelpful, adding that contrary to its public stance that it was assisting in the rescue operations of the abducted Chibok secondary school girls it has done nothing significant to help Nigeria in this regard.

Other intelligence sources also cited the fact that the US has refused to share intelligence with Nigerian security forces in a timely manner.
They said: “When we complained they started sharing some intelligence, but days after the fact when such intelligence is of little value.

“They have blocked us from procuring the helicopters and would not provide us with intelligence despite the fact that they have several drones and sophisticated aircraft overflying the North-east of Nigeria from bases in Niger and Chad where the Boko Haram fighters and movements are clearly in their sights.

“This belies their stance they want to help us to defeat the terrorists and help to rescue the Chibok girls.”

Indeed, a security analyst who spoke to THISDAY on the issue said the US’ role smacks of double standards and questioned its intent over the Boko Haram insurgency.

He warned that ignoring the threat of Boko Haram could be a strategy that could come to haunt the US in the future.

He also wondered why the same US would refuse to assist Nigeria based on unsubstantiated claims of human rights violations, which the military has repeatedly denied and insisted are carried out by Boko Haram insurgents wearing Nigerian military uniforms, yet the same US turns a blind eye to the same human rights violations committed by countries like Israel.

“Look at what happened in the recent war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza strip. Israel repeatedly bombed school compounds and UN buildings and in the process killed scores of women and children.
“Even the UN cried out against the targeting of its facilities by Israeli forces, yet the US did nothing and will continue to supply arms and ammunition to Israel to defend itself against Palestinians and other hostile neighbours in the Middle East,” the security analyst said.

Efforts by THISDAY to get the White House to respond to the allegations were not successful.

Two questions to the White House and the US National Security Adviser’s office which were unanswered as at press time are: The Nigerian military, through its agents, tried to buy Chinook helicopters for the prosecution of the war against terrorism, from Israel. But this was blocked by the U.S. National Security Council and the White House. If so, why was the procurement blocked?; and the decision to block the procurement of the helicopters may have stemmed from U.S.’ concerns over human rights abuses by Nigerian troops who have been fighting the insurgents in the North-eastern part of the country. Does this not appear contradictory given the fact that the U.S. continues to supply equipment and ammunition to Israel, which is also accused of human rights violations in Palestinian territories?

More Terrorists Surrender

In a related development, as the news continued to spread about the possible killing of the leader of Boko Haram, Abubakar Shekau, or his body double who security forces insist has been impersonating the “real” Shekau for over a year, members of the terror sect have been thrown into disarray and are surrendering in droves to the Nigerian military.

Whereas the security agencies are yet to officially name or confirm the names of some of the senior members of the sect who were said to have been killed or captured in recent operations in Konduga, Borno State, including Shekau or his alleged imposter, more suspected insurgents have continued to surrender and hand over their weapons to the troops.

According to a statement issued on the Defence Headquarter’s (DHQ) twitter handle, 10 more sect members surrendered yesterday to the Nigerian security forces at Kawuri, Borno State, and have since been taken into custody for further interrogation.
The statement read: “Another set of 10 terrorists yesterday surrendered to troops at #Kawuri. In custody for necessary security debriefing #VictoryforNigeria.”

A blood battle had ensued between members of the sect and Nigerian troops in Kawuri about two weeks ago, leaving over 50 terrorists dead.
It is believed that some 40 terrorists including those from Konduga have so far surrendered to the military.

Military Debunks Cameroun’s Claim

However, the unconfirmed death of the Boko Haram leader or his impostor has continued to generate controversy as Camerounian authorities were alleged to have claimed responsibility for the killing of the terrorist henchman.

Camerounian authorities yesterday released a photo of a dead man they identified as Shekau, the loquacious and attention-seeking leader of the terrorist group that has launched deadly strikes in Nigeria’s North-east zone as well as Cameroun.

But the claim, which went viral, attracted the attention of the Nigerian Defence authorities, which quickly debunked the rumour.
The DHQ through its twitter account described the claim by Cameroun as untrue.

The military authorities said: “There was no raid whatsoever by Cameroun or any foreign forces in any part of Nigeria’s territory in pursuit of terrorists as claimed in some reports allegedly quoting Cameroun military authorities.
“All operations ongoing in the environs of Konduga and all associated border locations within the country are completely being undertaken by Nigerian troops.”

Troops Shoot Indiscriminately in Yola

Meanwhile, pandemonium broke out at the Federal College of Education (FCE), Yola, Adamawa State, yesterday when some soldiers on patrol shot into the air a few meters away from the institution.

The development caused panic in the school and its environs, as students and other passersby were reported to have scrambled for safety. In the melee that ensured, some of the students sustained various degrees of injuries.

An eyewitness, who spoke to THISDAY on the issue, revealed that the soldiers were part of the troops drafted to fight the insurgents in Mubi, Michika, Gulak and Madagali of Adamawa State.

The eyewitness, who pleaded anonymity, said he was about to board a bus when he and other intending passengers heard sporadic gunshots, compelling them to run for their lives.

He said several vehicles were badly damaged in the process of trying to escape from the gunshots.
It also led to a traffic snarl in the area and many people sustained injuries, he revealed.

“See how our vehicles are now damaged and not one among the soldiers deemed it fit to say sorry, they just zoomed off. Only in Nigeria would you see security operatives firing shots unprovoked. They are just trigger happy,” said Ambrose Anthony, a student of FCE, Yola.

Another eyewitness, named Abdulazeez, said: “We have to run for our lives, fearing that it was Boko Haram insurgents that have taken over the state capital.”

Abdulazeez, who sustained an injury, said students were injured while scampering for their lives, particularly female students who were about to enter the college.

Reacting to the development, the Public Relations Officer of the college, Mallam Bashir Abdullahi, said the shooting incident did not take place in the college but was nearby.

“Yes, we heard that during the show of force displayed by the soldiers, there was shooting into the air. But I cannot confirm whether there was any loss of lives or not,” he said.

Efforts to get the army spokesman, Captain Jafaru Nuhu, proved abortive as
he did not pick his phones.

Nonetheless, security operatives were said to have arrested five suspected members of Boko Haram in the internally displaced persons (IDPs)camp in Yola, the Adamawa State capital.

Police spokesman, Assistant Superintendent of Police Michael Haa, confirmed the arrest of some high-risk criminals at the IDPs camp in the state capital.
He said the police were yet to unveil the true identity of the suspects, clarifying that the suspects were high-risk criminals and were being investigated.

We’ll name Boko Haram collaborators in military hierarchy if…

..

.Aggrieved soldiers warn

JUNIOR officers of the Nigerian Army have threatened to expose senior military officers who collaborate with the Boko Haram insurgents in protest of the death sentence passed on their colleagues  by the military martial court that tried them for

mutiny.

According to our source, Nigerian soldiers are fiercely proud of their exploits and anything that makes them lose face must be dealt with squarely. This according to him was responsible for the alleged mutiny which led to the court marshalling of some of their colleagues. Our source, a serving soldier who pleaded anonymity said that the unfortunate uprising leading to the attack on the vehicle of the General Officer Commanding the 7th Division of the Nigerian Army, General Ahmed Mohammed was as a result of poor tactics in the field.

He pointed out that the residents of Bama still nurse contempt for the soldiers because of the mistakes they made during the battle of Bama. But they did not know that it was not the fault of the soldiers in the field rather the tactical mistakes came from their superiors which culminated in the alleged mutiny against the former General Officer Commanding GOC of the 7th Division. The soldiers claim that the Defence Headquarters should be blamed because they failed to heed to their complaints. According to the soldiers, General Mohammed, our source said, has had his strategies queried several times because it all led to failures. His tactical ability has been a concern since he was made the GOC of the Division. His soldiers have even complained to the hearing of Abuja that he is fond of taking decisions that lead to wrong judgments and deaths of the soldiers and civilian. They said that this has been going on even before the first visit of the Chief of Army staff General Kenneth Minimah to the north east to cheer the soldiers.

However, regardless of what the soldiers did which culminated in the said mutiny, many within the barracks are of the views that too many mistakes have been made by the senior military officers and politicians who have been managing this insurgency. It is these mistakes that have led to pent up frustration by the soldiers and subsequent attack on the GOC which the high command of the Army is hurrying to nip in the bud with death sentences against the 12 soldiers  instead of addressing the grievances of the soldiers, our source say.

General Chris Olukolade in one of his visits to the Division this year actually told this reporter that the essence of using this approach to manage the crisis was to set an example so that other divisions do not get infected by what he called insubordination and mutiny. However some within the military circles are worried because the strategy may not work. A retired military officer who spoke with National Daily in Maiduguri during the week warned that if the condition of service fails to improve, there will be no guarantee that it will force the soldiers to keep mute, warning that it may even lead to a silent rebellion in all the Army divisions right now knowing that this trial was directed at the men and not the officers who should share in the blame. Add to that, the retired officer who would not want his name mentioned said that rumoured retirement of General Ahmed Mohammed, the man in the eye of the storm may not go down well with the junior officers, he said.

From our investigations within the ranks of the soldiers, the very trial itself was a mistake. Instead of management placating the men who have been fighting and losing their lives to a rag tag war being fought by the government who have failed to declare a full scale war against insurgents who are treating them as enemies, they have declared a silent war against soldiers. This has turned to a serious quandary in all the battalions under the 7th Division.

During our investigations, we found that most of the rank and file of the 7th Division of the Army received the news of the sentence of their colleagues with shock. Most of them are really bitter and have vowed to respond accordingly if the sentence was carried. According to one of the military sources “Our generals have not been carrying soldiers along. They treat us as if we are still in the 1960’s when soldiers did not go to school before the civil war. Soldiers are now educated. A lot of those who they treat like ignoramuses have quality certificates including degrees. So it is not true that we do not know our rights we know all our rights but we do not have anybody who will see our plights and adjust the army act to give us fair dealings. These generals are really cheating us. They treat us as if we do not matter when it is us the soldiers that make their lives go on.

“If people think we complain too much because the job is about obeying and complaining later then they are getting it wrong. We have been complaining that way because there is no general who do not have one of us as his orderly or batsman yet they do not feel our pains. They know we know their secrets which are why they think this Court Marshall may make us submit, it is not possible.

“Let me tell you, our colleagues are their batmen and they know so much about their secrets. This job is about keeping secrets but very soon we will start to expose them because we have evidence that so many of them are members of boko Haram. What happened to those who were fingered in dangerous Boko Haram deals,  the thing just died a natural death isnt it? Now they want to kill our colleagues. We are waiting to see how they will do that. If they eventually kill those colleagues of ours, I swear there will be repercussions, very daring ones.

On the situation on ground in the 7th Division he went on:”The barracks is tensed up now and we do not know how the battered morale of our colleagues will be built up in case of any eventuality. I was trained to fight war with the right equipments, not to go and deliberately expose myself to be killed. So many of our colleagues have been killed, we buried more than 100 corpses in a month at the Marmalari Barracks Cemetery. Many of them are buried without the knowledge of their next of kin which is wrong. How will you not inform the next of kin about somebody’s death immediately it happened only for them to get to know when it is time to evacuate them from the barracks?

“My brother we live in a country of different laws for different people, if not why would they fix a different law for themselves with full honours when they pay the supreme price and a different law for us if not for corruption which has crept into our institution? That is a wrong which must be redressed by the National Assembly because left to our generals; this old colonial behaviour is ok by them. Mark my word, we expect our colleagues to appeal but at the end of the day if this judgment is carried, the whole army will be divided between officers and men because we are their drivers, cooks, orderly, batmen and everything you think of, they rely on us, including their very lives. No general can live without the soldier but we can live without them. That court Marshall Judgment is faulty.

“We are not rebellious as General Olukolade is painting us in some of his pronouncements we read in the media. We are rather very loyal soldiers of the Nigerian Army and the behaviour of those sentenced to death is just a signal that they, the officers will not be safe if they kill our people unnecessarily. How many do they want to kill? We have a common enemy Boko Haram inside this very state, instead of them to rally round the soldiers and the people to get to the root, they are using oppression. We are waiting to see who will fire the shots at the firing range and where they will get the soldiers from to do the job.”

Another soldier told this reporter that the country could be dismembered completely if the accused soldiers were shot because his colleagues have planned to abandon their stations for the officers to fight the insurgents themselves, and if that happens, it means the insurgents could go as far as Abuja without anybody stopping their trail of impunity the way they have been contained in the north east. He said he was not happy with the way the judiciary has been handling a lot of these impunity cases brought before them adding that they were supposed to set examples for the country to remain united. He cited the case of major Hamza Mustapha who had committed so many atrocities yet was released by the same judiciary.
He went on: “my brother, officers are symbols of the unit, but we are the people that hold the unit. The contents of any unit are the real soldiers, without that unit you will not be talking to me in Maiduguri by now. It is the same unit that forms the Chief Clerks, drivers of officers, batmen, RSM and many others who protect and take care of both the doctors and the wounded in MRS. They form the core of the fighting men. It has been so from time in memorial and it is time, they begin to seek our advice in anything concerning us and our very welfare. We want all the rights our international colleagues are enjoying be restored to us. When soldiers pay the supreme price, they should be recognized. They have refused to declare full scale war and it has opened a can of warms and if they do not want us to be exposing them; they should give our next of kins accesses to our remains if we pay the supreme price. Why are they playing politics with people’s lives by refusing to give us the right equipments and the matching orders to fight a full scale war? Why should field commanders ask for permission before routing out insurgents? He asked angrily.

Meanwhile, while the soldiers continued their campaign for better conditions of service including increased field allowance available in a full scale war, several skirmishes have been heard between Konduga and the Mafa axis of the town where insurgents of Boko Haram have taken over several towns and villages. The fracas of 11th September led by Col Danladi Hassan of the 103 Battalion led to a big catch, a serving soldier of the Nigerian Army who has been helping the enemy was recaptured from the Boko Haram intruders. He is believed to be undergoing debriefing sessions to neutralize the radicalization he may have gone through in the hands of the Sambisa war Lords. Lots of items were recovered including: 5 Toyota Hilux vehicles, 4 Buffaloes Land Cruisers, 35 FN Rifles, 39 ak47 Rifles, 6GPMG, 9RPG’s and 2 Boko Haram flags meant to be planted somewhere.

Since last week, residents in the Maiduguri metropolis could not sleep because the close gun battles. There are indications that the insurgents are dead serious about getting to Maiduguri. They had a grand plan to come from different angles.  And based on their plans some of them moved down to Gamju, close to Beneshiek, a strategic town along the Damaturu, Maiduguri road.

Indeed no one is praying for an invasion of the state capital the way the insurgents have been successful in some major towns and villages in northern Borno state. They are really not resting in their oars because they have been radicalised to believe that capturing Maiduguri is a divine duty which must be fulfilled even if it takes the rest of this decade, said a source who knows about the insurgents. But the gallant soldiers are not giving an inch, as at Wednesday morning, this reporter was around West-End Roundabout which connects Customs Area. A long convoy of battered tanks and Toyota Hilux fighter vehicles were being ferried back to Marmalari Barracks where it rightly belonged. Three of the tanks had massive inscriptions of the insignia of the haramists in arabic. On Thursday about the same time another convoy was ferried to their Divisional Base in Barga Road. This means they had converted stolen tanks of the Nigerian Army and the 7th division was fully in control of these tanks seized from theirs failed attempt to overrun the infantry soldiers at Konduga. For the first time in a long while soldiers smiled at the citizenry and the people hailed them. Shouts of well done, well done, rented the air with lots of people waving at the victorious warriors. Sources say that the hero of this latest conquest is Col. Danladi Hassan who was said to be actively involved in the fields. Residents of Maiduguri are in high spirit with many praying for an end to this war. From every indication, the soldiers are having the upper hand.

NATIONAL DAILY

AGN President,Ibinabo Fiberesima Shares Her Love Story: Announces Wedding Date

AGN President, Ibinabo Fiberisima has revealed she will be getting married this December to her Igbo fiance. The never married before mother of 5 says she found love in the arms of an old schoolmate at the University of Ibadan. She further revealed:

“I know I am blossoming but that is what happens when you are in love. I have found my soulmate, my friend, my brother and that is why I am glowing. It’s not that I suddenly found love, the love has been there and we have been best of friends since our school days at University of Ibadan and when we met again years after, we remained best of friends. His kids and mine have always been wondering how the both of us can be this close, almost like brother and sister. I think they planned it. They were like why don’t you two just get married and we started thinking and after a while, we felt this is God telling us its time and that’s it”

On her Proposal:

“I think it was God’s will because I just said yes without thinking about it. Everything was just perfect. Perfect timing also. He is an Igbo man. I think the kids planned it more than we did. That’s how it is because the day he asked me, his kids were calling and the kids were all abroad while we were in Nigeria so everybody was eager to know my reply. The kids were like daddy have you asked, mine were also calling to say mummy hope you said yes. It was a beautiful moment and everyone was happy” she said.

On her proposed December wedding:

“We are getting married in December. The actual date has not been fixed yet but it is specifically in December. Everything is in progress by the grace of God” On what she admires about her fiance: “He looks after a woman every well. He adores me and he is a family oriented man. He loves his family. He loves us totally and he is committed to his work. He encourages me a lot in what I do and we pray a lot. We have the fear of God which is paramount in our relationship. I think we are heading the right direction and of course with my kind of lifestyle, and the kind of work that I do, every man would withdraw but no, he is always there, giving me the strength, support and ideas to better what I am doing. So I really do admire him”

Culled from: Fuse

HIDDEN CHARGES: CBN refunds N17bn frauduently charged by banks to customers

The Central Bank of Nigeria has refunded over N17 billion to customers who were fraudulently charged by various banks as at August 2014.

Head of Consumer Protection Department of the CBN, Hajia Khadijah Kassim, revealed this in Calabar, Cross River State on Monday following about 5, 500 complaints received from bank customers, acording to report from Punch

Sequel to a question asked on bank fraud at the press briefing to mark the commencement of the Financial Literacy and Consumer Awareness Campaign in Calabar, she assured that as soon as they received complaints of fraud the apex bank wasted no time in addressing it.

“We ensure that banks treat their customers fairly,” she said.

She said customers have a right to complain, and advised they always pay attention to their bank statements regularly.

Kassim urged that customers question any debit to their account they do not understand and report to their various banks.

She said the banks have a period of thirty days to resolve the issues else they are escalated to the CBN, where they ensure the issues are resolved fairly to the customer.

Kassim, who represented the Director, CPD, Mr. U.A. Dutse, said the CBN was putting structures in place to ensure that consumers got maximum benefits from financial services provisioning to enable them take charge of their financial well-being and enhance economic development.

She said the purpose of the week-long sensitization programme is to interact and to sensitize Cross River State residents on financial literacy and consumer protection issues.

Nigerian sues United Airlines and ministry of internal affairs for forceful airlift from United States

A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on Monday adjourned till November 6, 2014 further hearing in the fundamental rights enforcement suit filed by Mr. Jacob Ajumale against the United Airlines and the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Ajumale has dragged the two defendants to court demanding $100m and N100m respectively from them as damages.

The applicant, through his lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), is asking the court to declare as illegal and a violation of his rights, his alleged forceful transportation from the United States to Nigeria by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers on February 25, 2011 using the United Airlines.

In the affidavit filed in support of his suit, FHC/L/CS/1543/12, Ajumale averred that, “I have been living in the US since April 12, 1997 with a visiting visa and became a permanent resident in February 2008 and had no criminal record.

“On January 22, 2009 I travelled to Nigeria for my father’s burial and on my way back I was arrested at the BWI Airport, Baltimore, Maryland, by one officer Derrick and taken to a cold room where I was detained for nine hours of torture in order to force me into making an incriminating statement of using a falsified passport in 2001.

“On February 25, 2011, I was unwillingly brought back to Nigeria by two officers of the ICE with the connivance of United Airlines.

“United Airlines forced me into its aircraft without my passport or any form of documentation.

“I requested the airline’s crew not to convey me to Nigeria without asking the immigration officers to remove an electronic harassment device that they had inserted into my body but the airline officials ignored me.

“While I was in the airplane I was handcuffed and held down by the two ICE officers for between 12 to 14 hours duration of the flight like a common criminal.

“I underwent excruciating psychological trauma as a result of the tracking device in my body.

“When we arrived in Nigeria, I reported the painful tracking device to officials of the Ministry of Internal Affairs but they ignored me and allowed the US ICE officers to return without removing the device.

“Up till date, the chip inserted into my body through my anus has continued to make me go through a lot of torture; making me to suffer extreme pains all around my body.

“Since then, I’ve been feeling a lot of strange movements in my body.”

Ajumale is seeking a declaration of the Federal High Court that United Airlines and the Ministry of Internal Affairs violated his rights to dignity as enshrined in the Nigerian Constitution and the provisions of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights.

I’m committed to reducing corruption, says Jonathan

President Goodluck Jonathan has reiterated his administration’s commitment to reducing corruption to the barest minimum in the country.

Jonathan stated his commitment on Monday at the 2014 Annual National Management Conference of the Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM) in Warri, Delta themed:”Strengthening the Institutions of Nationhood: the Challenges of Management”.

The president was represented by Mr Yemi Adelekun, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Aviation at the two-day event.

According to him, the solutions to the nation’s challenges must be fast-tracked if the country must realise its dream of being among the first 20 economies in 2020.

Jonathan noted that his administration had not relented its effort at delivering dividends of democracy to the populace through purposeful leadership.

“The transformation agenda is a clear demonstration of my administration’s sincere intention to leave a lasting legacy that will be a reference point for subsequent administration’s.

“To set this country on the path of greatness and prosperity, complete elimination of all forms of corrupt practices must be in the front burner of our collective consciousness always.

“You will agree with me that a great nation evolves through great leadership built on good governance, this is our motivation and value proposition,” he said.

Jonathan said that the theme of the event was in line with his administration’s transformation agenda and urged the NIM to support the government in its drive to reposition the economy.

He also urged the institution to improve its visibility at public sessions of the National Assembly so that bills could have professional management inputs before they were forwarded to his office.

“I urge NIM to sustain its current efforts in ensuring professionalism and good ethical conduct among its members and Nigerians in general.”

Gov. Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta, in his speech, advocated the strengthening of institutions in order to achieve national goals of democratic governance and sustainable development.

Uduaghan, who was represented by the Commissioner for Works, Mr Solomon Funkekeme, said that to archive the national goals, institutions such as the judiciary and public service delivery must be viable.

President and Chairman of Council, NIM, Nelson Uwaga, said that the conference was part of the institution’s corporate social responsibility and contribution to nation building.

“This conference will provide platform for us to brainstorm on a burning contemporary governance and leadership issues of national importance and suggest way forward,” he said.

Uwaga said that Nigeria needed committed leaders and followers to become a great nation, adding that the task of building a great nation lied with the government and the governed.

Prof. Akin Oyebode, the former Vice-Chancellor, Ekiti State University, delivered a paper at the occasion entitled: “Building Institutional Capacities as a pathway to Good Governance: The Importance of Legal and Regulatory Framework”.

He said that the nation was bedeviled with corruption and impunity, adding that there was need to adopt a better approach to salvage the situation.

“Any leader that fails to put food on the table of the masses, provides good education, healthcare and other social amenities is a failure.

Alleged $9.3m arms deal: Northern Muslims accuse FG of cover-up

The apex body of Muslims in the North, the Jama’atu Nasril Islam, on Monday in Kaduna asked the nation’s anti-graft body, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, to probe the controversial $9.3m impounded by the South African authorities.

The said $9.3m was smuggled into Johannesburg, South Africa, by two Nigerians and an Israeli in a private jet the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, has a stake in.

The money was said to be meant for the procurement of arms for intelligence agencies in Nigeria.

The money, valued about R102m, was frozen by the South African authorities. Ever since, controversies had continued to trail the smuggled money, with fingers allegedly pointing at the CAN president.

But the JNI, in a statement by its Secretary-General, Dr. Khalid Aliyu-Abubakar, queried the circumstances surrounding the $9.3m allegedly meant for the procurement of arms for the government, asking relevant bodies to probe the deal.

The religious body noted that it was imperative for the government or its agents to clear the air on the smuggled money, rather than allowing unguarded utterances to take pre-eminence in the ongoing controversies surrounding the deal.

JNI said, “Our senators at the upper chamber and representatives members at the lower chamber must rise to the occasion for special discussion on the matter as urgent public interest revolves round it, as it relates to threat to national security.

“EFCC must wholly play its role in this direction by prosecuting those involved to adequately face the wrath of the law. It doesn’t matter whose ox is gored.

“All relevant government agencies must also discharge their responsibilities without fear or favour, showing the world that our country is serious.

“For its internal and external integrity, government must stay off dabbling into issues which the Nigerian Law had properly addressed. We have been saying that certain elements are now fond of breaking the law with impunity, feeling super and above the law.”

The body noted further that it smell the rat in the way and manner in which the Federal Government attempted to cover-up the entire failed deal, adding that there was more to the explanation given by the government on the matter.

They queried, “The following posers are instructive: Is government short of official agents which necessitates assigning non official ones? Why was any of the planes in the Presidential fleet of jets not used?

“With the current trend of cashless financial transaction why is such a huge amount carried in cash? Isn’t arms deals executed via third party?

“Where is the Ministry of Defense and the office of the National Security Adviser? Was due process followed through relevant government agencies? Are bilateral matters dealt with in that way?”

The JNI while appealing that justice be done by all concerned in order to serve as a deterrent to those who feel they are above the law, insisted that the government should release the real fact on the issue

The body added, “We at the Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI) are in disbelief over the recent news at both national and international media of impounding of a private jet in South Africa, laden with $9.3m in cash, purportedly to buy arms in that country.

“What is more shocking is the said government’s full knowledge of it, despite its illegality and the attempt to intervene in such a scandalous matter which attracts the full weight of the law to address. There is more to the explanation given by the government on the matter.

“Therefore government should tell Nigerians the real fact on the issue. We hope the matter will not be wheedled with. However, we note with dismay the unguarded utterances of some leaders that they will call on their followers to defend themselves. Also we note the uncourteous speeches attacking other leaders, which leave much to be desired and overheat the polity.”

Credit: Punch Newspaper