JUST IN: Gunmen Abduct Petroleum Minister Alison-Madueke’s Sister

The sister of Nigeria’s powerful petroleum minister has been kidnapped in the oil hub of Port Harcourt, police said Friday, in the latest abduction targeting a prominent political family.

Osio Agama, whose sister Diezani Alison-Madueke leads Africa’s largest oil industry, was seized at gunpoint as she approached her car on Tuesday night, River state police spokesman Ahmad Muhammad said.

Muhammad said police “were not aware if any ransom demand had been made” and the motive for the abduction was unknown but the southern oil-producing Niger Delta region has seen waves of ransom kidnappings in recent years.

One of the most prominent cases came in December 2012, when Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala’s 82-year-old mother Kamene Okonjo was abducted from her home, also in Delta state. Okonjo-Iweala and Alison-Madueke are widely seen as the two most powerful members of President Goodluck Jonathan’s cabinet.

Jonathan’s 70-year-old uncle was also kidnapped earlier this year in Bayelsa state, which neighbours Delta.
Some have sought to attach a political motive to attacks targeting Nigeria’s most powerful families.

The finance minister implied that her mother was seized because of her ministry’s crackdown on oil companies which had abused the country’s rotten fuel subsidy scheme.
But such links were never proven and Kamene Okonjo was released a week after her abduction.

The security forces and affected families almost never confirm ransom payments but most believe kidnappers in the Niger Delta are seeking financial gain.
Despite producing roughly two million barrels of oil per day, the area remains acutely poor with high unemployment.

Gang activity is rampant and kidnappings have at times been perpetrated on a near weekly basis.

Local politicians, prominent businessmen and foreigners have been among the targets.

(Vanguard)

Calabar, Ilorin, Maiduguri airports record zero passengers in Q1, says NBS

Against the backdrop of the growing interest by state governments to build new airports despite not being economically viable, the National Bureau of Statics (NBS) has revealed that about seven international airports in Nigeria have recorded no passengers at all in the first quarter of 2014 while Lagos and Abuja airports recorded highest.

The airports with zero patronage include International airports in Calabar, Ilorin, Kaduna, Sokoto, Maiduguri, Minna and Katsina.

However, a total of 3,416,977 passengers travelled using Nigerian airports in the first quarter of 2014. Out of this number, 2,352,224 or 68.84 per cent of them travelled locally, whereas 1,064,753 or 31.16 per cent travelled overseas. Murtala Mohammed Airport, Lagos, was rated the busiest airport in the country with 1,683,375 passengers or 49.27 per cent followed by Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, with 907,989 passengers, or 26.57 per cent.

According to the NBS report, this was very similar to the share of 68.81 per cent observed for domestic passenger traffic on average in 2013.

“The above ranking is observed for both domestic and foreign bound passengers too. For domestic flights, Murtala Muhammed Airport had 898,896 passengers or 38.21 per cent of the total and Abuja had 701,249 passengers or 29.81 per cent of the total. Port Harcourt had a significant number of 274,186 passengers or 11.66 per cent of all passenger traffic, while Owerri Airport in Imo State had 75,356 passengers or 3.20 per cent of the total.

International passenger traffic is even more dominated by Lagos, with 784,479 passengers or 73.68 per cent of all overseas bound passengers passing through this airport. Abuja still ranks second, although with a lesser number of 205,740 passengers or 19.42 per cent of the total. Only Kano and Port Harcourt international airports had portions of the total of over 1 per cent, with 37,261 passengers or 3.50 per cent of the total flying through Kano and Port Harcourt,” the report said.

Sun Newspaper

N27.5m Loan: Falana Criticises Buhari

Mr. Femi Falana, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, has taken a swipe at a former head of state, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), for obtaining a loan of N27.5m to procure his party’s expression of interest and nomination form to contest the 2015 presidential election.

Buhari, an All Progressives Congress presidential aspirant had on October 16, 2014 picked the nomination form at the National Secretariat of the APC in Abuja, barely 24 hours after he officially declared his ambition to run for the number seat in Nigeria.

Speaking at the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Paramount FM Chapel Press Week in Abeokuta, Ogun State on Thursday, October 23, Falana described Buhari’s action as monetization of politics, adding that it was indefensible, Punch reports.

The lawyer said: “It is indefensible for Gen. Buhari to have obtained a loan facility of N27.5m just to obtain a form of intent to contest in the presidential election in 2015 under the All Progressives Congress.

“Is he going to obtain another loan during his campaign, because in Nigeria, it costs billions of naira to run a presidential campaign?”

Speaking on the current security challenges facing the country, he said Nigeria was going through such challenges because of the unemployment rate.

On the forthcoming 2015 elections, he advised journalist to be wary of phony politicians, adding that they should not favour a particular candidate but rather give all them equal coverage irrespective of ethnic group of religion.

“Journalists must show more than a passing interest on how those aspirants want to manage the economy. The government must address mass illiteracy, corruption and poverty,” he said.

NAIJ

Boko Haram frees abducted women, girls

The Boko Haram insurgents, who reportedly abducted about 50 women and girls from two border villages between Adamawa and Borno states have freed the women among their captives.

This was disclosed in an interview by villagers, who spoke on the issue with newsmen on the telephone from their hide-outs.

They however, said that the exact number of those released could not be ascertained, but that no fewer than 45 girls were still being detained.

According to the villagers, the women and girls were abducted from Waga Mangoro which was between Gwoza in Borno and Madagali in Adamawa states.

Relatives of some of the abducted women who were later released by the insurgents also, told newsmen in Yola that some of the girls have been turned to cooks while others were married off immediately to some of the insurgents.

A relative to the one of the women who spoke on the condition of anonymity said; ”Initially, the insurgents captured 80 girls and women whom they later loaded into their vans and zoomed off into the bushes.

Later in the night, the insurgents separated the elderly women from the girls and released the women, who are now languishing in the forest because they could not relocate the towns because they were razed down by the insurgents.

“We are confused that hours after the so called cease fire agreement between the Federal Government and Boko Haram insurgents, our girls are still being abducted by the insurgents.

“We are at a loss about government’s insincerity on the whole issue and we urge them to rescue our daughters without further delay as we are ready to die searching for our missing ones.”

VANGUARD

WHY I WANT TO REPRESENT SAGBAMA CONSTITUENCY 3 IN THE BAYELSA STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY FROM 2015 – Mrs Empere Tare Kimia

Almost two decades ago, my political career started at the Edo State University, Ekpoma ( now Ambrose Ali University) in 1995, when I contested for the office of the Vice President of The National Union of Rivers State Students, Edsu chapter and won. The election was a tough one and my political dexterity was brought to bear which enabled me emerge victorious.

In 1998 I graduated from the University with a B.Sc honours degree in Political Science. I was ready to step into the field of politics to bring home to my people the dividends of democracy after an illustrious political career on campus and a degree in political science.

That dream, passion and desire was sacrificed for my Marriage. When I got married and my husband indicated his interest in politics. I encouraged him, prayed for him and worked assiduously with him. Today I am proud and excited that my sacrifice and contribution has brought us as a family this far.

Today, the passion, desire and dream that I thought I have successfully sacrificed and buried has refused to die. The dream has resurrected, the passion has rekindled, the desire is once again ignited and burning aglow.

As much as I love my husband and my family, this dreams, passion and desires to serve my people cannot be killed. I wish to call on all women to rise up, step up, brace up and pursue their dreams and desires. Your husband’s success is your success and your success is also your husband’s.

I benefited from my husbands elevated position in the House of Assembly, when I win, my husband will without fail benefit from my new office. My wonderful husband, I love you but our people are calling me to serve them, just as you have done.

I must express that God given dream and desire, to contribute to the development of my constituency, my state and nation at large.

SHOCKING CONFESSION: SSA’S ASSOCIATE CONFESSES TO RUNNING FAKE GOVERNOR DICKSON FACEBOOK ACCOUNT

• Confesses to running a Facebook Account For Gov Dickson

In a new dramatic twist to the Bayelsa Social Media Fraud Scandal which came at the heels of the Bayelsa State Government warning the Public About fake Governor Henry Seriake Dickson Facebook Accounts, and warning to deal decisively with culprits, Sayelba Times have just busted another perpetrators of this Cyber Crime.

The newly identified culprit is one Dave Asei who is an old man close to the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Research and Social Media, Mr John Idumange.

Mr Asei while attempting in vain to defend our earlier identified chief architect of the crime, Mr Nwokedi Nworisara, confessed to running a Facebook Account on the Governor’s behalf that has over 5000 friends. Hear him: ” The (Governor) has only one authentic facebook account which has almost 5000 friends, so ignore any other request of friendship purported to be coming in the name of the governor of Bayelsa state. I can confirm that to you because I have been an admin of thae original facebook account of the governor which was in operation before he even became governor. Be warned, rumour mongers.”

It will be recalled that on the 21st of October 2014, the government issued a press release where it categorically stated that “the Governor does not have a Facebook account and what is seen as the Governor’s account, is a creation of persons with dubious and criminal intentions and should be disregarded by users of Facebook and the internet generally”.

The Statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor Mr Daniel Iworiso-Markson reads:

“It has come to the notice of the Government that, some persons are operating a Facebook account purportedly owned by His Excellency, Hon. Henry Seriake Dickson, Governor of Bayela State and using same to defraud unsuspecting members of the public.

The Government wishes to state that, the Governor does not have a Facebook account and what is seen as the Governor’s account, is a creation of persons with dubious and criminal intentions and should be disregarded by users of Facebook and the internet generally.

Already, the security agencies have been alerted to track down the perpetrators of this fraudulent act and be brought to book as soon as possible.

For the umpteenth time, Bayelsans and the generality of Nigerians, especially users of Facebook are by this announcement advised to disregard any Facebook message purported to be emanating from Governor Seriake Dickson’s account.

Anybody or persons dealing with such an account are doing so at their own risk. Be warned.”

With this true confession from Dave Asei, the number of confirmed culprits has risen to 2.

Yesterday we informed you that Mr Idumange who is an SSA to the Governor encouraged this crime.

We shall keep you updated.

Popular Islamic cleric Ahmad Gumi asks Jonathan to relinquish his re-election bid. Accuses Jonathan of religious and ethnic bias

Dr. Ahmad Abubakar Mahmud Gumi’s post on his facebook page reads:

MY CANDID ADVICE TO PRESIDENT GOODLUCK.

Mr. President

We have never met despite the fact that we were all born and we lived for more than half a century in this great vast country Nigeria. It’s here we all grew up and were educated and I presume except by divine prudence it’s here that we will all be buried. So what truly matters is the legacy that we will bequest our children and the next generation of Nigerians to come. We will not want it a burnt country with hundreds of thousands dead, maimed or displaced people because of the thoughtlessness and recklessness of its stewardship. Nigeria today is a single railway line with two heavily loaded trains spending towards each other in opposite direction.

You’re the driver of the heavier train and please do not think that even a cart on the railway cannot derail you with great catastrophe to humanity.

You need to come out of the cocoon and face the reality. Denial of the truth can never solve problems. Mr. President, from what I heard from people who are close to you, is that you are humble with a soft heart. But still humility is never enough for an effective leadership. Leadership is about listening and taking the good advices from people of wisdom not from those that benefit from you or have any agenda other than the unity and progress of this Nation.

The mantle of the leadership of this country was given to you under oath. Almost four years ago you swore to protect ‘the interest of the sovereignty, integrity, solidarity, well-being and prosperity of the Federal Republic of Nigeria’. You said: ‘ I will not allow my personal interest to influence my official conduct or my official decisions; and ‘I will do right to all manner of people, according to law, without fear or favour, affection or ill-will’

Unfortunately, many people including me before God believe you broke some of your oath. I’ll only need to refer you back to the honest open letter advice you were given by your political godfather. You appear more Ijaw than Nigerian. It’s seldom fathers will deceive their children. Yet you never listen. And sadly by your recalcitrance you are dangerously leading this nation to chaos and turmoil that only God knows were it will end.

Muslims have officially registered to you on occasions your partiality. Northern groups have complained about your bias. The youth about your neglect. You have divided the nation gravelly on the religious divided.

Already we heard a call in a church that you are now a savior. Now, not of Nigeria but the church in Nigeria. With this religious zeal on both sides, each side looking at the wrong people for salvation the nation is heading towards disaster.

My fellow country man, it’s unfortunate that your stand on many issues have made you into a polarizing figure while the exalted office you occupy needs a nationalistic one. Surely with the Christian votes and northern PDP followers you can win another election but you will also set the nation into another turmoil because that segment of the nation that rejects you do so because they believe rightly or wrongly you are involved negatively in the Boko Haram Saga. The natural thing any good leader will do in this situation is to step down for a person all the segments of the nation will have confidence with for their well-being. A credible person that will not stir apprehension. The decision is not about your rights but about responsibility.

Therefore as you pray in the Holy Land seek for God’s indulgence to show you the light of honor and do the right thing. It’s God’s command that Nigeria stay united and ‘what therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder’.

A word of wisdom says: ‘He who consults is never disappointed and he who seeks God’s choice never regret’ so please don’t brush it aside call men of wisdom to advice you too.

I for a start, I am hereby candidly advising you to relinquished your presidential ambition because of peace, stability and well being of millions of innocent Nigerians.

There are many politicians that can ‘finish’ it on your behalf. The PDP can present Akpabio or Obi or Orji etc.

I rest my case here.

Stay blessed.

Ahmad Gumi

Gov. Aregbesola of Osun state backs Jihad

The Osun State Governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola, has said that there is nothing wrong with Jihad, which he described as an Islamic concept that seeks to promote the establishment of a personal relationship with Allah by Muslims.

The governor, who said this in Ile Ife on Thursday while delivering a lecture titled, “Muslims’ response to insurgency threat in Nigeria” at the 6th annual Femi Lateef Okunnu lecture series, however, flayed the Boko Haram sect for using Jihad as a justification for their violent attacks.

The lecture was organised by the Nigeria Association of Muslim Law Students of the Obafemi Awolowo Awolowo University, Ile Ife.

Aregbesola lamented the gross misunderstanding of Jihad to mean war or violence.

Aregbesola said, “Jihad should not be turned into a license to unleash terror on people, Muslims and Christians alike and as well as to destabilise the nation.

“Contrary to the claims by groups such as the Boko Haram sect, Jihad is neither a call to arms nor an ideological blueprint for destructive insurgency. Jihad in Islam is at its core about establishing a personal relationship with Allah. The meaning of Jihad in Islam is a total submission to the will and obedience to the laws of Allah.

“Submitting to Allah’s will is an act of conscious choice granted to mankind by God; obeying His laws is a demonstration and vindication of that submission.

“They abused notion of Jihad often used as justification for satanic atrocities of insurgent groups, such as the Boko Haram sect, is a gross misapplication of the concept.

“Jihad is far from being an open cheque for senseless violence, neither is it a Qur’anic endorsement of the pursuit of selfish political desires.

“The concept of Jihad in Islam simply means ‘struggle’ or ‘striving.’ It has two broad dimensions – external and internal striving.”

He argued that Boko Haram and other insurgent groups had no justification in Islam to back the violence they unleashed on the people.

He added, “If Islam thus forbids violence against innocents, how does Boko Haram justifies the senseless killings, maiming, kidnappings of innocent women, children, and girls?”

Punch

EXCLUSIVE: ODI community in Bayelsa finally compensated by the FG

Report from a competent source indicate that the people of Odi community in Kolokuma/Opukuma local government area of Bayelsa state have been compensated by the federal government for the destruction of lives and property which took place during the former’s invasion of the community in 1999 (Odi Genocide).
Our source told ST that the amount paid to the community is N15billion out of which deductions will be made to pay the lawyers who have diligently and faithfully championed the movement for the actualization of justice for the people of Odi.

It will be recalled that the federal government led by former president Olusegun Obasanjo ordered an invasion of the community because of the alleged killing of some policemen by some youths of the community. As a result of the invasion there were cases of human rights abuses, killings, rape, etc.

Some years after the invasion the people of Odi community filed a N100 billion law suit against the federal government seeking compensation for their irreparable losses. And in February 2013 the Port Harcourt High Court resided over by Justice Lambi Akanbi ordered the FG to pay N37.6b compensation to Odi. However there has been delays in the payment till now.

Today the people of Odi should have a reason to rejoice because justice have been served, even though it (compensation) cannot bring back their dead to life, but it can help rebuild lives and properties that were destroyed because of the invasion.

Our hope is that these funds are well utilized for the attainment of the greatest happiness of the greatest number of Odi people and their future generations.

More details soon.