Rwanda’s amended constitution allowing President Paul Kagame to potentially rule until 2034 has come into force

(Today) -Rwanda’s amended constitution allowing President Paul Kagame to potentially rule until 2034 has come into force, the justice minister said Friday.

The amendments allow Kagame, 58, to run for an exceptional third seven-year term in 2017, at the end of which the new rules take effect and he will be eligible to run for a further two five-year terms.
“The Constitution of the Republic of Rwanda, 2015 revised edition, is in force,” Minister of Justice Busingye Johnstone said in a brief statement on Christmas Day.

The United States and European Union have denounced the constitutional amendments as undermining democracy in the central African country, with the White House urging Kagame to respect the limits of his term in office.
The “yes” vote in favour of the constitutional change garnered 98.4 percent, leaving just 1.6 percent of voters opposed.

Kagame has effectively controlled Rwanda since his rebel force ended the country’s 1994 genocide. He took part in the first post-genocide government as vice president and defence minister.
The issue of long-serving rulers clinging to power has caused turmoil in Africa, where some leaders have been at the helm for decades.

Doyin Okupe Blasts Critics Of Femi Adesina’s ‘Wailing Wailers’ Christmas Message

(Sahara Reporters) - A former presidential spokesperson, Doyin Okupe, has lashed out at those criticising Femi Adesina, the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Nigerian President, over his Christmas Day message on Twitter.
  Mr. Adesina had tweeted Friday morning, “Merry Christmas to all, including the Wailing Wailers,” a message that sparked fury and negative reactions among many of his followers.

The criticism that followed was so intense that Mr. Adesina trended on Twitter for most of the day.

But Mr. Okupe, who was initially thought to be deeply critical of Mr. Adesina and the present administration, rose in fierce defence of the presidential adviser.

Nigerian Government To Reduce Price Of Petrol To N85 Per Litre From Jan 1, 2016

(PRNigeria) - Government would on January 1 next year reduce the pump price of the Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) to N85 per litre.

The Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu broke the news to journalists in the Port Hacourt Refinery Company (PHRC), where he spent Christmas inspecting the plant.

I have no apology for kneeling to worship God – Ooni

(Punch) - The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, has said he owed nobody any apology for kneeling to worship the almighty God during the thanksgiving service held in his honour at the Paul’s Anglican Church, Ife, after his coronation.



The Ooni, said this in statement made available to our correspondent in Osogbo on Thursday by the Director of  Communication and Public Affairs, Ooni’s Palace, Ile Ife, Mr.  Moses Olafare.

The monarch spoke in reaction to criticisims against him by an online medium Newspunch (Not The Punch) that he knelt down to worship God during the church service.

Ogunwusi said it was wrong to equate any king  no matter his status with the almighty God  who created the heavens and the earth, saying the comment was an attempt to embarrass the throne.

Ogunwusi  said since the almighty God is not Ooni or any king’s mate he would not stop to worship and revere him because it was God who enthroned him.

The statement read, ” It is an unacceptable sacrilege to equate Ooni’risa or other king to the almighty God. God Is the creator of mankind and it is God that made it possible for the enthronment of any king.

“The attention of Ile Oodua  has been drawn to a publication released Wednesday 16th 2015 by an online medium known as NEWSPUNCH in which His Imperial Majesty, Ooni’risa & Arole Oodua Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi(OjajaII) was crtisised for bowing to God.

“God remains the highest, the king of kings  who has kept all kings  alive and has made it possible for me to be crowned as the  king  of the source of Yoruba civilisation.

“I have no  regrets whatsoever for kneeling down to exalt the almighty God who did not only create me,  but also kept me alive, saw me through all the storms in my,  life-journey and eventually crowned me as the custodian  of Oodua race.

“This act of equating me to God of gods of king of kings  and the sole owner of the universe is a wicked sacrilege planned to embarrass the throne. My emergence as Oba has been made possible only by the almighty Olodumare to whom I remain eternally grateful.”

Yazidi held as ISIS sex slave for 3 months begs UN to 'get rid' them

Yazidi held as ISIS sex slave for 3 months begs UN to 'get rid' them http://dailym.ai/1NtVger

Nigerian Jailed 330 Years In The US For Defiling Daughter

(Punch) - This holiday season, Emmanuel Ngene is spending his sixth year inside a South Eastern United States penitentiary. At 56, he has 225 years, five months and ten days left to serve for first degree r*pe of his daughter, a crime he continues to deny, supported by members of his network of friends and family. Few years after he was incarcerated, Emma Ngene had partial stroke from the stress of the trial and subsequent imprisonment.

Emmanue Ngene, like most aspiring young Nigerians whose lives were mortgaged to a battered inflation-driven economy of early 80s, sought survival overseas. He chose the United States as his destination for better life. He relocated in 1981. He would discover that life in God’s own country was just an imaginary tale. On arrival, Emmanuel desired education. But he had no money. Survival in a strange place, alone, was then important to him. He engaged in menial jobs to support his dreams of a better life here.

Years after he adapted to the lifestyle and surviving the culture shock of a different environment, Emmanuel returned to his hometown in Eastern Nigeria in search of a wife. He found love in Mary, a home girl. They married months after. Emmanuel became a regular visitor to his homeland from America; frequenting his village to be with his new wife and family. He returned every holiday, especially Christmas, to celebrate with his wife and other members of the family. Their first child, a baby girl, was born on November 9, 1998 in Nigeria. The couple would have two additional children after the birth of their daughter.

In June 2007, Emmanuel’s wife and children came to the United States to live in a two-bedroomed apartment with their father. Family and friends said that marital problems manifested when the wife was shocked at the strange standard of living in America as compared to what she was used to in Nigeria. She was also alleged to be disappointed that her husband was a Taxicab driver, an unsteady source of financial income. Emmanuel was gone all day, driving a taxi from morning and returned home at night with not enough income to support the family. Soon, the parents began arguing about money. Mary allegedly complained regularly of being bored at home, caring for the children. Emmanuel, frustrated by her daily musings about life in the United States and insufficient income, encouraged his wife to get certification for CNA: Certified Nurses Aid: she did, passed and got employed at one of the nursing homes as a care giver: providing ageing American population with daily assisted living and care. His wife’s new job, allegedly introduced her to a new social environment. She immediately began to explore her new found friends and friendship within her work place. Emmanuel suspected a change in his wife’s attitudes: she was no longer the charming obedient wife he had in Nigeria. She would refuse his s*xual desires and appeals. The marriage became tumultuous.

They were drifting apart as husband and wife: Emmanuel complained to his friends that his wife was always gone and seemed no longer interested in the marriage. It also affected his taxi cab business. He often returned home midday to make sure the children were fed and cared for. Most times, he alleged the wife was gone. When he asked her where she had been, she yelled at him: ‘mind your business. I am a grown woman and I can do whatever I want to do.’ Emma was raging inside. He thought he had a decent beautiful wife that loved the family and the children. He thought it was until death do them part! A wife he married and suffered to bring to America. Their children were drifting apart too.

The circumstances that led Emmanuel Ngene into a lifetime jail are too complex. The stories are bizarre from both sides. Ngene’s family sources, almost seven years after he was found guilty, still believed he was railroaded by his wife and the judiciary. Their stories remain consistent, each alleging that Ngene’s wife, Mary, may have coerced her daughter to lie that her father defiled and assaulted her. Part of the family version said that during one of Ngene’s lunch visits home to check on the children, he allegedly found his then young daughter in an explicit compromising position with a neighborhood boy, in the family’s living room!. He became agitated, asked the boy to leave immediately. Soon after the boy left, he grabbed his daughter and spanked her intensely. Mother allegedly walked in as dad was spanking their daughter. She jumped on him and began to scratch and scream. Their daughter, disengaged from the whip, cried profusely from the burns of the belt whipping. She had lacerations on her b*tt. Their mother, while restraining Emmanuel, instructed their daughter to dial 911. Few minutes later, police came to their door, handcuffed Emmanuel and took him down town. The police officer, noticing the lacerations on the girl’s body, requested for the ambulance to take the young girl and her mother to hospital for medical observations and interrogation. Emmanuel was hauled to jail!

However, in a court document filed, the court posited, “One day in August 2007, defendant asked Cindy(to protect the minor child, the court identified her as Cindy, not her real name) to help him check his email on the computer in his bedroom. After they had finished with the email, defendant told Cindy to stay in the room while he went into the bathroom. He came out wearing only his underwear and a T-shirt. He asked her if she knew what s*x was and then pulled down her pants while she was lying on the bed. He pulled off his underwear, got on top of her, and had vaginal intercourse with her. On 31 August 2008, Cindy’s mother took Cindy to the emergency room at Wake Med where they met with a nurse, Kimberly Lewis, and a doctor, Dr. Chris Johnson. Ms. Lewis did a head-to-toe assessment of Cindy and observed bruises on her arms. Cindy told her the bruises came from a broomstick. Cindy also informed Ms. Lewis that she had been sexually assaulted many times.

“Dr. Johnson took a basic history and examined Cindy to determine if she needed immediate treatment. Cindy told him that defendant had been having vaginal and an*l intercourse with her over the past year. Because she had not been assaulted within the past 72 hours, Dr. Johnson did not perform a r*pe kit. Dr. Johnson’s examination of Cindy was limited to her external Instruments and looking for signs of trauma, of which he saw none. He diagnosed Cindy with alleged s*xual abuse. He noticed that Cindy appeared somewhat shy and that her mother was “appropriately concerned and worried.”

The hospital notified Wake County Human Services (“WCHS”) and the Raleigh Police Department (“RPD”) of the allegations. Katie Treadway of WCHS and Officer Harvey of RPD arrived at the hospital to interview Cindy. After describing the s*xual conduct, Cindy also informed them that one time she bled after defendant had s*x with her. She also stated that sometimes defendant “peed on her,” and she had to go in the bathroom to clean herself up. Ms. Treadway felt Cindy was very detailed in her description of the events.

Over the course of Cindy’s fourth grade school year, defendant engaged in vaginal intercourse with Cindy approximately 10 times. Approximately three of these times, defendant had her turn over on her stomach so he could also penetrate her anus. In August 2008, Cindy finally disclosed to her mother what defendant was doing.

At the hospital, the doctors during examination found that she had been penetrated. The police officer asked her who may have penetrated her; she looked at her mother, seeking protection. Her mother instructed her to answer that it was her father! She reluctantly told the officer that her father had penetrated her! The officer asked if she was sure, she bowed and fearfully said yes sir!”

However, Emmanuel Ngene denied the r*pe charges and penetration of his daughter. He contended that her daughter was sexually molested and penetrated by a boy at her school in Nigeria, the head mistress of the daughter’s school called him when the incident happened and he travelled home to remove his daughter from the school because of the molestation.

The court wrote thus:

“Defendant first contends that the trial court erred in not allowing him to testify regarding his claim that Cindy had been sexually assaulted in 2006 by someone else while in Nigeria. He argues that this evidence was admissible under N.C.R. Evid. 412(b) because it provided an alternative explanation for the paediatrician’s physical findings. Although Rule 412 generally excludes evidence of a complainant’s prior s*xual behaviour as irrelevant, it provides an exception for “evidence of specific instances of s*xual behaviour offered for the purpose of showing that the act or acts charged were not committed by the defendant.” N.C.R. Evid. 412(b)(2).

“Here, defendant testified during voir dire that, in 2006, he received a call from his wife that Cindy had been sexually assaulted at school, was walking funny, and was bleeding. He claimed that he flew home to Nigeria and transferred Cindy from Graceland Private School, where the assault had supposedly occurred, to another school.

“When Cindy and her mother were questioned on voir dire, however, each denied that any s*xual assault had occurred. Cindy acknowledged changing schools, but her mother explained that she had moved Cindy to a different school because Graceland Private School was too expensive.”

Emmanuel remained in the county jail as prosecutors began to build a case against him. The prosecutor offered him a deal: Plead guilty and spend 15 years in jail or go to trial and if found guilty, could face 250 years to life. He refused the deal and sought to be tried because it was an abomination, in his culture, for a man to sexually molest his own daughter and penetrate her. He felt his innocence and said that he would rather die in jail than plead guilty to a crime he did not commit. It took one year for Emmanuel to go to trial. It only took the jury three hours to return with a guilty verdict. Emmanuel was sentenced to 300 to 369 years in prison. On December 3, 2009, Emmanuel Ngene began serving his sentence. He was preparing to travel to Nigeria to bury his mother when he was arrested.

“On 22 September 2008, a grand jury returned 15 separate bills of indictment, charging defendant with four counts of indecent liberties with a child, four counts of Inbreeding, three counts of first degree s*xual offence, and four counts of first degree r*pe. Following trial, the jury found defendant guilty of all 15 counts and also found the existence of an aggravating factor: that defendant had taken “advantage of a position of trust or confidence to commit the offence or offences.” The trial court entered 15 separate judgements. The court sentenced defendant to four consecutive aggravated-range sentences of 300 to 369 months imprisonment for the four counts of first degree r*pe; three consecutive aggravated-range sentences of 300 to 369 months imprisonment for the three counts of first degree s*x offence; four consecutive presumptive-range sentences of 16 to 20 months imprisonment for the four counts of Inbreeding; and four consecutive presumptive-range sentences of 16 to 20 months for the four counts of indecent liberties with a child. Defendant timely appealed to this Court.”

I recently contacted Ms. Mary Ngene for interview with regards to this essay. Her response:” If you write anything about me, I will sue you!”

EFCC reopens subsidy fraud file, re-arraigns 3 suspects

(Premium Times) - The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Friday re-arraigned three persons allegedly involved in subsidy scam.

Those arraigned before Justice Lateef Akapo of the Lagos State High Court sitting at Ikeja are Ifeanyi Anosike, Emeka Chukwu and Ngozi Ekeoma and their companies, Anosyke Group of Companies Limited and Dell Energy Limited.

They were arraigned on an amended 35-count charge bordering on conspiracy to obtain by false pretence, attempt to obtain property by false pretence, conspiracy to forge documents, forgery and uttering a false document.


The accused persons were said to have conspired among themselves to obtain the sum of N325million by false pretence from the federal government of Nigeria as subsidy payment for the importation of petrol from Europe.

When the charge was read to the defendants, they all pleaded not guilty.

In view of their plea, prosecution counsel, Ayo Olukotun, asked for a trial date.

Counsel to the first and second defendants, L.A. Opawoye, prayed the court to allow the defendants continue in the bail earlier granted them by the court.

The same view was canvassed by Romeo Michael and Dele Awokoya, counsel to the 3rd, 4th and 5th defendants.

Justice Lawal Akapo therefore granted the payers of the defendants and adjourned the case till March 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, and 16, 2016 for trial.

FULL TEXT OF ADDRESS BY PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI AT THE ANYIAM-OSIGWE FOUNDATION LECTURE TODAY.

I

NCORRUPTIBILITY; A SPIRITUAL PREMISE FOR MATERIAL WELLBEING

KEYNOTE ADDRESS BY PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI AT THE OSIGWE ANYIAM-OSIGWE FOUNDATION LECTURE HELD ON DECEMBER 11, 2015,

AT THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE CENTRE, ABUJA.



PROTOCOLS

Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, I want to begin by appreciating the Osigwe Anyiam-Osigwe Foundation for its impact on the development of ideas through its annual lecture series. The fact that the themes of the lecture series have focused on critical puzzles bordering on human development lends credence and justification for the sustenance of the lecture series.

It is no doubt that an event like this demands a lot of sacrifice financially and otherwise. Apart from the contribution of the lecture series to human development, it has also unveiled the genius personality of Emmanuel Onyechere Osigwe Anyiam-Osigwe, whose philosophical insight is gradually finding place in the psyche of academics globally, particularly at a time when Africans are determined to rewrite their own history. 

The topic of discourse at this session, which is corruption, significantly ties into my vision for our great country, Nigeria, that we must kill corruption before corruption will kill us. My being here to deliver the keynote address at today’s session is instructive on the resolve of this government to interface with initiatives that are fundamentally patriotic and assisting in our path to socio-economic and political recovery.

In the last general elections, in the midst of a number of issues upon which we campaigned as a party, the one that gained higher currency in the psyche of our people was that Nigerians needed leadership that could be relied upon to tackle the orgy of corruption in the country.

While our programme of action identified corruption as a very dangerous challenge that must be curtailed if our country could ever generate a future of hope, the issues of collapsing educational system, diversificationof our economy, fostering a welfare based agenda for the disadvantaged, infrastructuraldevelopment, among others, were also very prominent in our campaign focus.

The primary attention that tackling corruption earned in the course of our campaign and in determining the final outcome of the election underpins how seriously Nigerians see corruption as a fundamental factor crippling the progress and development of the country. Nigerians are, indeed, convinced that except we curtail corruption, the country will remain in perennial regression.

It is upon this conviction of our people that corruption poses great danger and should be curtailed that we anchor our hope. It underpins our assurance that the efforts of this government in checking corruption will yield significant successes in the final outcome.

In other words, we note that sheer heroism cannot achieve the elimination of corruption from our social space. What is most required is the conviction of the populace that corruption is an antithesis to social cohesion and development, and must be eliminated. We must get to a point where every Nigerian begins to hate corruption with a passion, and collectively determine to root it out of our body polity.

Any effort to try to deal with corruption without a convinced populace will end as spasmodic, ephemeral exercise, lacking the appropriate social impact. When we are talking about corruption conventionally, it is a manifestation of the human mindset. It is the human beings that manifest corruption.

To win the war on corruption, therefore, begins with the people accepting that there is an error to be corrected in their lives, that there is a need to refocus and re-orientate the values that we cherish and hold dear. It requires change of mindset, change of attitude, and change of conduct.

The decision of the Osigwe Anyiam-Osigwe Foundation to choose corruption as the topic of discourse at this session is, therefore, encouraging to this government, pursuant to our vision that winning the war against corruption requires our synergy, a collectivisation of our resolve that corruption must be eliminated in the social psyche of the Nigerian nation.

Even in my earlier years in service to our country, I had personally identified the destructive impact of corruption. Taken from the narrow perspective of the embezzlement of public funds, its social consequence of gross economic inequality alters the basis for social peace and security. 

When given the opportunity to play a leading role in our national history in 1984, we acknowledged that corruption is not just about the embezzlement of public funds but that the perversion of our consciousness and mindset was the point at stake. This was the basis of our WAR AGAINST INDISCIPLINE (WAI) – Indiscipline in any way and manner is a form of corruption of the human essence. That was why we waged campaigns against indiscipline, and its many manifestations in the 1980’s during my tenure as Head of State of our great Nation.

Sadly in this season, we find ourselves in a Nigeria where indiscipline has been taken to an unprecedented level. Th rule of law is grossly perverted, and corruption has been elevated to a way of life at all strata of the society. In striving to reorder our country and put it on the path of recovery, we have thus identified the need to tackle corruption head-on. In this regard, we have taken steps towards recovering a reasonable amount of the money that was looted or misappropriated from public coffers. Investigations are ongoing on public officers who served, or are still serving, and those whose conduct are questionable will be compelled to accept the path of honour and surrender their loots.

As I stated recently, a good number of people who abused their positions are voluntarily returning the illicit funds. I have heard it said that we should disclose the names of the people, and the amount returned. Yes, in due course, the Central Bank of Nigeria will make information available to the public on the surrendered funds, but I must remark that it is yet early days, and any disclosure now may jeopardize the possibility of bigger recoveries. But we owe Nigerians adequate information, and it shall come in due course. It is part of the collective effort to change our land from the bastion of corruption it currently is, to a place of probity and transparency.

Quite frankly, the anti-corruption war is not strictly about me as a person, it is about building a country where our children, and the forthcoming generations, can live in peace and prosperity. When you see dilapidated infrastructure round the country, it is often the consequence of corruption. Poor healthcare, collapsed education, lack of public utilities, decayed social services, are all products of corruption, as those entrusted with public resources put them in their private pockets. That must stop, if we want a new Nigeria. And that was why I said at another forum that people need not fear me, but they must fear the consequences of their actions. Corrupt acts will always be punished, and there will be no friend, no foe. We will strive to do what is fair and just at all times, but people who refuse to embrace probity should have every cause to fear.

Look at the corruption problem in the country, and tell me how you feel as a Nigerian. Our commonwealth is entrusted to leaders at different levels of governance, and instead of using the God given resources to better the lot of the citizens, they divert them to private use. They then amass wealth in billions and trillions of naira, and other major currencies of the world, ill gotten wealth which they cannot finish spending in several lifetimes over. This is abuse of trust, pure and simple. When you hold public office, you do it in trust for the people. When you, therefore, use it to serve self, you have betrayed the people who entrusted that office to you.

Again, how do you feel year after year, when Transparency International (TI) releases its Corruption Perception Index, and Nigeria is cast in the role of a superstar on corruption? In 2011, out of 183 countries, Nigeria was 143 on the corruption ladder. In 2012, we were 139th out of 176. In 2013, we ranked 144 out of 177, and in 2014, we stood at 136th out of 174. Hardly a record to inspire anyone. In fact, it is sad, depressing and distressing. Our country can be known for better things other than corruption.

In the process of trying to recover stolen funds now, we are seeking the cooperation of the countries were these loots were taken. Time it was, when such nations may have overlooked our overtures for assistance to fight corruption. However, we now live in an era where corruption is anathema, looked upon as something that should be tackled head-on because the actions of the corrupt can have global impact. 

It is to be noted that resolving the problem of corruption transcends merely arresting and trying people that have held public office. This is because, to curtail corruption, we have to reorder the mindset of all. Empirical facts have shown that even those who are critics today are most times not better than those they criticize. When they are availed the same or similar opportunities, they act likewise. In other words, those who didn’t have the opportunity criticise and blow whistle but when they get into office; they become victims of the same thing they criticize. Nigeria must grow beyond that point, and be populated by people with conviction, a new breed without greed, radically opposed to corruption.

This points to the fact that curtailing corruption might require a more broadened social engineering. It, indeed, requires conforming every mindset in the social order to the moral tenets in which propriety anchors as a way of life.

That was why in the earlier dispensation, we saw corruption beyond the embezzlement of public funds. We knew that a morally upright personality, a disciplined person, will not embezzle people’s money or betray the confidence reposed in him after being elected or appointed to manage any office. 

We knew that due to the perversion of our mindsets, people would rather abandon pedestrian bridges and flyovers and run through the traffic in very busy highways. We understood the economic and social worth of every Nigerian and the need to preserve their lives; we tried to enforce compliance with commuters using the pedestrian bridges provided for their safety. We even went as far as enforcing the discipline of queuing to board buses and not the chaos of scrambling with its attendant dangers. The people saw where we were headed, and cooperated with us.

That effort of the past was under a military regime, a dictatorship as it is classified. Now we are under a democracy. The democratic system has its benefit in the rule of law and the fact that a man cannot be assumed guilty until it is so determined by the court of law.

With the rule of law and its advantages, the same could however pose as serious limitations to curtailing corruption when the legal system is not adequately reinforced. The onus, therefore, is on those who run our legal process to ensure that the corrupt does not go free through exploiting the weakness and lacuna in the system.

I agree with Anyiam-Osigwe that corruption is an attitude and it is about the wrong attitude. The problem with tackling corruption is that when people have become used to a particular way of doing things, even if it is not the proper way, they find it difficult to change. 

We all know that to lie is not good. But we have a sense of justification each time we tell lies. This sense of justification encourages us always to do the wrong thing. It is in this context that the mindset becomes an issue. There is the need to bring back our minds to the pure state of the human identity. 

While changing the mindset of the people is integral to dealing with the manifestation of corruption socially, it is also important to heal the wounds inflicted by the corruptive indulgence of specific people who have been entrusted with public positions or funds. 

Thus, it is the responsibility of government to investigate reported cases of corruption. In the process, suspected culprits could be arrested, detained or questioned. All these efforts would eventually end up with prosecuting the case in court. A government that closes its eyes to brazen corruption loses its essence, the very reason of its existence. Such a government is sheer flippancy, a waste of time, moral and sociological absurdity. 

In Nigeria, it needs be said that two problems stare us in the face. First is that our laws need to be strengthened if we must realistically contend with the miasma of corruption. The second is that we must correct the gaps in our legal system that are exploited to frustrate the process of justice. A number of anti-corruptioncases have been rendered inconclusive due to legal limitations.

Dealing with corruption, requires the collective will of every Nigerian. Without our collective will to resist corrupt acts as a people, it will be difficult to win the war. We in the leadership will provide the right example. We will not pay mere lip service to corruption. We will eschew it in every aspect of our lives. However, we are but few, in a country of more than 170 million people. We need the mass army of Nigerians to rise as one man, and stand for probity in both public and private lives. It is only then that we can be sure of dealing a mortal blow on corruption, which will engender a better country.

Nigeria has been brought almost to her knees by decades of corruption and mismanagement of the public treasury. We must come to a point when we all collectively say Enough! That is collective will, and that is what will bring us to a new state and status. If this country will realize her potentials, and take her rightful place in the comity of nations, we must collectively repudiate corruption, and fight it to a standstill. It remains eternally true: if we don’t kill corruption, corruption will kill Nigeria.

I thank you for listening.

I didn’t fund Jonathan’s campaign – ITF DG

(The Nation) - The Director General, Industrial Training Fund (ITF), Mrs Juliet Chukkas-Onaeko, said the allegation that she used the agency’s N700 million to fund former President Goodluck Jonathan’s election campaign was untrue.

Speaking at a media roundtable in Abuja on Thursday, Chukkas-Onaeko described the accusation allegedly made by some

members of staff of the organisation as ‘’ridiculous and painful’’.

She stated that those peddling the `falsehood’ should have known that it was impossible for her to sign off such huge amount of money without appropriation.

She said, “I am sure that when they wrote that thing they expected me to go and commit suicide or for the President to just shoot my head.

“If I were going to steal money to fund somebody’s campaign, where did they expect me to get it from? N700 million is not what you just sign off like that.

“The former Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr Olusegun Aganda, under whom I served, is a professional, not a politician.

“I don’t know of other chief executive officers under him, but nobody ever told me to bring money for campaign; PDP never asked me for any money,’’ Chukkas –Onaeko said.

She also dismissed the allegation that she transferred N1.2 billion to the Nigerian Employers Consultative Association (NECA) without due process.

She explained that the money was provided for in the agency’s 2014 budget to fund the ITF-NECA Technical Skills Development Programme (TSDP) launched in 2009.

“Every year, there is funding provided for it, which is in the budget and is approved by the National Assembly.

“By the time I came on board in 2014, they had already disbursed about 70 per cent of the money. That budget wasn’t drawn up by me.

“What I saw in the trend was that on a yearly basis, the money allocated for the programme was increased by between 10 and 20 per cent to reflect current economic realities.

“But, in the 2015 budget, which is the only one I have presided over, I refused to approve the increase.

“Instead, we increased the number of participating companies from below 10 at inception to the current 14 which is against the initial arrangement. I expected to be commended for that,’’ she said.

The director general said that she had stepped on many toes since she came on board by blocking the avenues through which they were making easy money from the agency.

One of such avenues, she disclosed, was the outrageous monthly rent of N9.5 million being paid by the agency on a property housing one of its offices before she assumed duty.

According to her, the landlord was forced to reduce it to N5 million monthly following her insistence that the rent was either renegotiated or the office be relocated to a cheaper accommodation.

“I think this is one of the ways I’m stepping on many toes, because people who are used to making easy money will definitely react when you attempt to block them.

“Corruption is something that when you fight it, it fights back even more aggressively and if you are not careful you end up being the corrupt one.

“That is the jacket that they have sown, but I refuse to wear it. Anybody saying I’ve taken millions illegally should come and check, the system is open for them.”

Chukkas-Onaeko also debunked the workers’ allegation that she was insensitive to their welfare, saying that within her one year in office she had worked a lot on staff welfare.

She stated that staff salary was doubled, while the money set aside for staff loan was also increased from N250 million to N500 million.

According to her, the ITF is one of the first agencies to implement a Federal Government’s circular released in October 2014 on the increase of pensioners’ entitlements by 23 per cent.

She added that her administration was also able to pay a backlog of the increase spanning 63 months to the pensioners.

The director general said that the issue of training and retraining programmes was given utmost priority by the agency to update the knowledge and skills of its workforce.

Ribadu opens up on $60b looted funds, $15m bribe from Ibori

(The Nation) -

A former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, at the weekend said about $60billion looted funds left Africa yearly.

He said ex-Delta State Governor James Ibori attempted to bribe him with $15million in two big bags, but he resisted.

Ribadu said the bribe was, however, deposited in the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to serve as evidence against him.

The ex-EFCC boss, who spoke at the TEDx Talk in Berlin, Germany, said although “anti-corruption war is the most dangerous work, this is one war worth fighting.”

In the video clip, released on You Tube by Ribadu Media Office and transcribed by our correspondent, Ribadu said: “Do you know that every year, $60billion leaves Africa illegally?  This figure is from the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA).

“Billions are going out of Africa every year. I’m a Nigerian and I am from this paradoxical continent where today our most notorious export in Africa is stolen money.”

He explained how he resisted the $15million bribe from Ibori.

Ribadu said: “Ibori approached me with $15million to stop his investigation. I called my people because the money was in big bags, which two people could not carry and we deposited it in the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) as evidence against him.

“I arrested Ibori and prosecuted him. Since his friend was in power, they removed me, sent me to a school as a student where I was once a teacher.

“They made attempts on my life, but they did not know I was using a bullet-proof Honda car. As God would have it, ex-President Umaru Yar’Adua died. Ibori escaped to Dubai from where he was taken to the United Kingdom for trial. He is serving a jail term in the UK.”

On the trial and conviction of ex-Inspector-General of Police Tafa Balogun, the former EFCC chairman said the case was a by-product of the investigation of Emmanuel Nwude, who duped a Brazilian bank of $254m.

He said: “The case of Nwude made us to be more determined. In the course of his case, I stumbled on an account belonging to my boss, Tafa Balogun. I arrested him, he was tried and convicted, and I recovered enough from him.

“We also investigated and tried about 49 chief executives of banks. Fighting corruption is a war and if you are in a war, you must go for the big targets.”

On the $184m Halliburton scandal, Ribadu said: “A gang of foreigners stole from Nigeria” from a $6 billion natural gas contract won by a consortium of four international companies.

He said the investigation was almost running into a brick wall, but he was persistent.

Ribadu added: “I first got hint of the case in France. I returned home and tried to investigate the case, but it was very difficult or probably impossible because the companies were not there in Nigeria, they didn’t have account there, the people were not there. They had left.

“I rushed back to Paris. I was in Paris many times. I wrote a request letter, but after a year of trying to get French authorities to help us, the investigation magistrate told me that they could not get anyone to translate my letter from English to French. I knew it was a hopeless case.”

He said after failing to get France, Italy and Japan to help, he opted to go to the United States, although Dick Cheney, the then US vice president, was on the board of Halliburton.

“The Department of Justice in the United States took up the case. They investigated and prosecuted the case. They placed a fine of over $1.5billion on the company, the biggest in the world for corporate corruption.”

Ribadu said some of the cases, which the EFCC under his watch referred to US Department of Justice, including those of Siemens and Julius Berger, the US made over $3billion in fines.

He added: “But the sad aspect is this, in my own country, where the criminal activity took place, not a person was made to face justice, especially after I was asked to leave my position. Sadly, Nigeria did not make a dollar out of it.”

After placing him on prolonged house arrest, SSS picks up ex-NSA, Sambo Dasuki

(PREMIUM TIMES) -

After placing him on house arrest for about a month, the State Security Services on Tuesday arrested a former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, driving him away from his Abuja residence, people familiar with the matter have told PREMIUM TIMES.

Mr. Dasuki was first arrested by the SSS in July after a prolonged siege on his Abuja home. He was charged to court with illegal possession of arms and money laundering.

Justice Adeniyi Ademola of the Federal High Court later granted the retired colonel a request for his passport to be released, to enable him receive treatment abroad.

However, the former NSA’s plan to travel was thwarted by the SSS, which, on November 5 laid another siege to his Abuja residence.

But on Tuesday morning, SSS operatives ordered the former security chief out of his residence and drove him away amidst tight security cover.

A source said he was driven to the SSS headquarters in the Asokoro District of Abuja but that could not be independent confirmed at this time.

More to come…

Federal civil servants allege anomalies in promotion exams

(

The Nation) - Senior civil servants have appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to intervene in the “injustice” perpetrated by the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation (HCSF) and the Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC) over their promotion examinations.

The senior civil servants, who are professionals in the accountant pool, accused the Head of Service’s office and the Civil Service Commission of manipulating service rules to demoralise long-serving and dedicated civil servants.

The aggrieved civil servants cited the last promotion examination held in Abuja last September for officers on directorate cadre as capable of derailing the civil service.

They alleged that the anomalies witnessed in the examination were unprecedented.

A civil service source, who spoke on behalf of those affected and pleaded not to be named, regretted that they were made to work in vain.

The source said: “The most affected officers were those on Grade Levels 14 and 15 that took the examination for the next grade level.

“In our opinion, Mr. President must act fast on this. About 189 officers sat for the examination for Assistant Directors’ Level. Over 200 sat for Deputy Directors’ examination.

“These officers were made to work hard for the examination, but it was like the authorities just played a trick on us.

“I say this because after an examination, it is incumbent on those that sat for it to know the result. But that was never the case in our own situation. We did not see our results; so we don’t know who passed or failed. There was no list we can refer to and that was against the rules.

“More demoralising is the fact that of about 189 that sat for the Assistant Director examination, only nine were promoted. Does that mean that the rest failed?”

The source added: “I think non-release of the result was to create room for manipulation because for accountants, 38 Assistant Director vacancies were declared by the Office of the Accountant General (OAGF) last year.

“So, the question is: what happened to the 31 vacancies left since only nine were promoted to the position of Assistant Director?

“The case of over 200 Assistant Directors that sat for the Deputy Directors’ examination was even worse.

“After the examination that also had no result list, the unfortunate senior civil servants were told there were no vacancies to fill. So, no promotion.

“Is there anything more demoralising and frustrating more than that?

“Again, the question is: why was the examination conducted and those concerned made to suffer, waste energy, time and resources at the risk of their lives?”

Among other demands, she said the aggrieved workers must be availed the results of the examinations as well as declaration of available vacancies before future examination.

“In addition, we want President Buhari to address this obnoxious issue of direct employment into directorate cadre.

“It should be discouraged and if not, it should be subjected to strict guidelines because as it is presently, there is nothing more demoralising than this direct appointment of people into the directorate cadre,” the source said.

The source added that failure to address the issue would be followed by an invitation to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and court action.

The FCSC, however, exonerated itself, denying any form of complicity in the said promotion examinations.

At a news conference last week, Chairman, Sub Committee on Promotion, FCSC Prof. Aminu Diyo Sheidu said the process leading to the examination involved other bodies and security agencies.

He said: “When all scores for each candidate were already added together, candidates in each cadre were ranked in their order of performance. Ranking was done using relevant computer software. But the accuracy was checked and rechecked over and over again by the commissioners with the active participation of the security personnel.

“Based on the vacancies approved by the OHCSF for each cadre, the best candidates were selected for promotion.

“I am sure you will agree with me that our Directorate Levels Promotion Examination processes and procedures are quite rigorous and painstaking. These procedures are measures adopted in self-regulations to ensure the integrity and transparency of the entire exercise.

“As you are all aware, a critical condition for promotion of an officer is the availability of vacancy. The FCSC has no control over the number of vacancies declared. The OHCSF does. The FCSC shall continuously strive to improve on the promotion processes and procedures. It will also work harmoniously with the OHCSF to improve vacancy availability.”

OYEYEMI HARPS ON ENFORCEMENT AT THE LAGOS TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT SUMMIT

The Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Boboye Oyeyemi has spoken strongly in favour of aggressive enforcement of traffic rules through diligent application of sanctions instead of engaging in an unending enlightenment programmes that could be taken for entertainment by traffic violators. Oyeyemi stated this while presenting a paper at the Traffic Management and Transportation Summit organised by the Lagos state government at the Civic Centre Victoria Island, Lagos.

 

In his presentation which was based on the theme of the summit, “Tackling current evolving and future traffic management needs of Lagos state,” the Corps Marshal described as a waste of time, any effort at creating public enlightenment on issues of obedience to traffic rules and regulations without commensurate aggressive enforcement through diligent application of sanctions, saying people could take monotonous enlightenment programmes for entertainment. He therefore called on relevant stakeholders to work together to ensure compliance with traffic rules and regulations by motorists.

Oyeyemi further noted that as a nation with the largest road network in Africa and second largest in the South of Sahara, Nigeria’s federal road network carries about 70 percent of freights in the country, with Lagos harbouring the largest concentration of the freights. “The road transportation accounts for about 90 percent of national transport needs,” he stated.

 

According to him, human population in Lagos was 9,113,605 by 2006 National Census, but currently being estimated to be about 21 million, pointing out that with the vehicular population of about 2 million, Lagos remains the most economically attractive state in the country due to its location and enviable position for shipment and haulage services.

 

“Lagos is the destination of choice for many foreign visitors and investors,” he stated.

“This preference has translated to increased motorisation and business transactions which often impede on existing transportation infrastructure.” he further stated.

 

Speaking on the relative stability achieved in the rate of tanker crashes in the country following FRSC’s interventions after the first fatal crash that occurred on 31st May, 2015 in Anambra state, Oyeyemi stated that with the deployment of FRSC officials to the depots and tank farms across the country under the “safe to load” scheme, a total of 10,782 trucks have so far been checked, out of which 4,211 were found not to have met the minimum safety standards, adding that 3,472 of the drivers were found with expired driver’s licence.

 

The Corps Marshal commended the Lagos sate government for establishing 5 coordinated driver institutes in the state, describing the policy as exemplary, and called for its sustenance to accomplish the intended purpose. While applauding the state Governor, Akinwumi Ambode for his untiring efforts to resolve the perennial Lagos traffic, Oyeyemi assured the state of sustained collaboration of the FRSC in the collective determination to make the state attractive to investors and tourists through efficient traffic management.

 

On the way forward for the Lagos traffic snarl, Oyeyemi called for road user education, approval for the Nigeria Road Safety Strategy (NRSS) by the Federal Executive Council which he urges the state to immediately commence its implementation; exposure of traffic managers to modern traffic systems and best practice and the need for Lagos state traffic management authorities to collaborate with the FRSC to promote regular interfacing and independent review of policies.

 

“Lagos state government should increase the capacity of the current mass transit scheme, to serve as disincentive to private vehicle usage in the state,” he stated.

 

“The state should also empower traffic management/enforcement agencies to operate 24 hours and the state government should strengthen the enforcement collaboration of Lagos VIO, LASTMA and the FRSC.

 

“Lagos state is to create dedicated lanes for non-motorised transport and encourage the use of bicycles to cover short distances,” Oyeyemi submitted.

The Summit which was declared open by the Governor of Lagos state, Akiwunmi Ambode attracted paper presentations from different transport experts, academia and transport operators and drew participation from different stakeholders.

“.

Chairman INEC, Mr. Paul Arkwright, Nat.Comms'and Delegations from British High Commission in a grp photograph

Prof. Mahmood Yakubu also presented a plaque to Mr. Paul Arkwright of British High  Commission .

CBN: Three banks fail capital adequacy test

(The Nation) -

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has given three commercial banks until June 2016 to recapitalise after they failed to meet the minimum Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR) of 10 per cent.

The CBN explained at the weekend, that 14 banks have licenses to operate as regional and national lenders with respective capital bases of N10 billion ($50 million) and N25 billion, three of which were asked to raise fresh funds.

The Liquidity Stress Test was conducted by the CBN, which indicated that the capital position of ‘three small banks’ has fallen below regulatory capital requirement.

The test, contained on the CBN’s Financial Stability Report showed the Capital Adequacy Ratios (CARs) of the affected banks were below five per cent regulatory threshold. The three banks are not among the domestic systemically important banks (D-SIBs), it said.

The report, which measured the lenders’ positions as at June this year, showed that the number of banks with CAR less than five per cent, also increased from zero to three from December 31, 2014 to June 30, 2015. The CAR is a ratio of a bank’s assets to its risks

According to CBN’s Director, Financial Policy and Regulation Department, Kelvin Amugo, the liquidity stress test was conducted, using the Implied Cash Flow Analysis (ICFA) and the Maturity Mismatch/Rollover Risk approaches to assess the resilience of the banking industry to liquidity and funding shocks.

He said the ICFA approach assessed the ability of the banking system to withstand unanticipated substantial withdrawal of deposits, as well as short-term wholesale and long-term funding over a five-day and cumulative 30-day periods, with specific assumptions on the fire sale of assets.

The report said liquidity ratio (LR) of the Nigerian banking industry decreased by 6.5 percentage points to 39.3 per cent from the 45.8 per cent December, 2014 position.

The decline in the LR position was driven mainly by the large and medium banks with 6.5 and 7.4 percentage points decrease respectively from their December 2014 LR position to 36.9 per cent and 45.5 per cent respectively. This decline may be traced to the sustained tight monetary policy stance of the CBN.

The test results revealed that the industry liquidity ratio declined to 9.30 and 6.10 per cent, from 39.3 per cent baseline position after the five-day and cumulative 30-day shocks, respectively. The result of the stress tests indicated potential vulnerability to liquidity risk in the event that these scenarios crystallized.

“Overall, there was an improvement in the baseline CAR of the Nigerian banking industry at end-June 2014 compared to the December 2014 position. The baseline CAR rose by 0.23 percentage point over the December 2014 position to 17.38 per cent at end-June 2015. This was driven mainly by improvements in the baseline CAR of the large banks which rose by 1.03 percentage points over their December 2014 position to 18.56 per cent at end-June 2015,” the report said.

“Equally, the number of banks with CAR greater than the 15 per cent prudential hurdle rate for international banks increased from 13 at end-December 2014 to 16 at end-June 2015. However, the number of banks with CAR less than five per cent also increased from zero to three over the period,” he said.

Top 23 Most Expensive Secondary Schools In Nigeria With Mind Blowing Fees

23- Regent School Maitama N1.35 Million Abuja

22- Bloombreed High School N1.5 Million Port Harcourt

21- Lead British International School N1.5 Million Abuja

20- Norwegian International School N1,843,750Million Port Harcourt

19- Nigerian Turkish International College N1.6 Million Abuja

18- Greenoak International School N1.9 Million Port Harcourt

17- International Community School N1.9 Million Abuja

16- Charles Dale Memorial International School N2,040,000 Million Port Harcourt

15- Dowen College, N2Million Lagos

14- Chrisland College N2Million Lagos

13- Atlantic Hall N2.27 Million Lagos

12- Corona Secondary School N2.55 Million Agbara Ogun State

11- Hillcrest School N2.65 Million Jos

10- Loyola Jesuit N2.8 Million Abuja

9- Meadow Hall N3 Million Lagos

8- Greenspring School N3.185 Million Lagos

7- Whiteplains British School N3.6 Million Abuja

6- Day Waterman College N3.7 Million Abeokuta

5- Lekki British International High School N4 Million Lagos

4- American International School N4.3 Million Abuja

3- British International School N4.48 Million Lagos



2- Grange High School N4.5 Million Lagos

1- American International School N5.5 Million Lagos

PRESIDENT BUHARI RECEIVES INTERIM REPORT OF INVESTIGATIVE COMMITTEE ON ARMS PROCUREMENT, ORDERS ARREST OF INDICTED PERSONS

On the authority of Mr President, a 13 man committee was set up by the Office of the National Security Adviser to audit the procurement of arms and equipment in the Armed Forces and Defence sector from 2007 to date.

While the committee, which was inaugurated on 31 August 2015, is yet to complete its work, its interim report has

unearthed several illicit and fraudulent financial transactions.

As part of the findings, the committee has analyzed interventions from some organizations that provided funds to the Office of the National Security Adviser, Defence Headquarters, Army Headquarters Naval Headquarters and Nigerian Air Force Headquarters, both in local and foreign currencies.

So far the total extra budgetary interventions articulated by the committee is Six Hundred and Forty Three Billion, Eight Hundred and Seventeen Million, Nine Hundred and Fifty Thousand, Eight Hundred and Eighty Five Hundred Naira and Eighteen Kobo (N643, 817,955,885.18).

The foreign currency component is to the tune of Two Billion, One Hundred and Ninety Three Million, Eight Hundred and Fifteen Thousand US Dollars and Eighty Three Cents ($2,193,815,000.83).
These amounts exclude grants from the State Governments and funds collected by the DSS and Police. It was observed that in spite of this huge financial intervention, very little was expended to support defense procurement.

The committee also observed that of 513 contracts awarded at $8,356,525,184.32; N2, 189,265,724,404.55 and €54,000.00; Fifty Three (53) were failed contracts amounting to $2,378,939,066.27 and N13, 729,342,329.87 respectively.

Interestingly, it was noted that the amount of foreign currency spent on failed contracts was more than double the $1bn loan that the National Assembly approved for borrowing to fight the insurgency in the North East.

The committee also discovered that payments to the tune of Three Billion, Eight Hundred and Fifty Million Naira (N3, 850,000,000.00) were made to a single company by the former NSA without documented evidence of contractual agreements or fulfilment of tax obligations to the FGN.

Further findings revealed that between March 2012 and March 2015, the erstwhile NSA, Lt Col MS Dasuki (rtd) awarded fictitious and phantom contracts to the tune of N2, 219,188,609.50, $1,671,742,613.58 and €9,905,477.00. The contracts which were said to be for the purchase of 4 Alpha Jets, 12 helicopters, bombs and ammunition were not executed and the equipment were never supplied to the Nigerian Air Force, neither are they in its inventory.

Even more disturbing was the discovery that out of these figures, 2 companies, were awarded contracts to the tune of N350, 000,000.00, $1,661,670,469.71 and €9,905,477.00 alone. This was without prejudice to the consistent non-performance of the companies in the previous contracts awarded.

Additionally, it was discovered that the former NSA directed the Central Bank of Nigeria to transfer the sum of $132,050,486.97 and €9,905,473.55 to the accounts of Societe D’equipmente Internationaux in West Africa, United Kingdom and United States of America for un-ascertained purposes, without any contract documents to explain the transactions.

The findings made so far are extremely worrying considering that the interventions were granted within the same period that our troops fighting the insurgency in the North East were in desperate need of platforms, military equipment and ammunition. Had the funds siphoned to these non performing companies been properly used for the purpose they were meant for, thousands of needless Nigerian deaths would have been avoided.

Furthermore, the ridicule Nigeria has faced in the international community would have been avoided. It is worrisome and disappointing that those entrusted with the security of this great nation were busy using proxies to siphon the national treasury, while innocent lives were wasted daily.

In light of these findings, President Muhammadu Buhari has directed that the relevant organizations arrest and bring to book, all individuals who have been found complicit in these illegal and fraudulent acts.

Femi Adesina
Special Adviser to the President
(Media & Publi[truncated by WhatsApp]

Buhari Has Made More Mistakes Than Jonathan in Ministerial Portfolios

(Jaafar Jaafar) - Despite his being dilatory, mistaken by supporters as meticulousness, I must say that I didn’t see round pegs being put into round holes in many of the ministries, just as I see President Buhari “repeating mistakes of the past”.

Among those lined up for ministerial screening at the Senate in October, if there is a man I was proud of his becoming minister in President Muhammadu Buhari’s cabinet was Adamu Adamu – being a senior professional colleague and very fine writer in whom I draw inspiration.

I have shared my love for him on many occasions. But in saying the truth, I fail to see sense in elevating Adamu Adamu, a trained accountant, above a professor of Education as minister in charge of the Ministry of Education.

Much as former President Goodluck Jonathan loved Barrister Nyosom Wike, he made him Minister of State for Education, below Professor Rukayyatu Ahmed Rufai – a professor of Education. That was fair. Even after sacking Professor Rufai, Jonathan still did not place Wike above Malam Ibrahim Shekarau in the ministry.

Peeping through Adamu Adamu’s junior minister, Professor Anwuka’s CV, I found this dazzling pedigree: “He did his doctorate degree programme in General Curriculum, System Analysis and Social Studies at the University of Washington Seattle, USA in 1977. Prior to this, he did his Masters in Educational Administration and Planning at the University of Portland, Oregon, USA in 1975. At Fourah Bay, University of Serra Leone, (1974), he studied English Language and Literature and had Second Class (Hons) degree, Upper Division. Professor Anwuka had in August 2001, participated at the Commonwealth Vice-Chancellors Leadership Conference, Dundee Scotland UK.”

According to his CV, “Professor Anthony Anwuka has worked as a Teaching Assistant, University of Washington, Seattle 1976-1977, Curriculum Resource Person/Instructor, Specialist Seattle Opportunities Industrialisation Centre (SOIC) 1977- 1978; Senior Lecturer, University of Maiduguri, 1983-1985; Reader, University of Maiduguri, 1986 1998; Curriculum Resource Person/Consultant, Nigerian National Teachers Institute, (NTI), Kaduna, 1983 -1986.

“He acquired the prestigious rank of Professor of Education from former Imo State University, now Abia State University Uturu, 1989 –1993. He was one time Dean, Faculty of Education, Imo State University Owerri, 1993 – 1994 and also the Vice Chancellor of the University for 5-yrs.”

I think producing Adamu Adamu’s CV here may not paint a good comparison. What I can simply say here is that Adamu is simply an Accountant and a journalist per excellence. Of this, I dare say elevating Adamu above this professor is archetypal of forcing a square peg into a round hole.

I think President Buhari so far made some mistakes in cabinet appointments more than those of Jonathan. If I recall clearly, one of the issues that put Jonathan at loggerheads with some governors was appointing technocrats in favour of politicians nominated by governors. Quite rightly, Buhari has done a similar thing, though with even less technocratic texture in terms of his placements.

Kayode Fayemi would have been the “round peg in a round hole” if he was posted to Ministry of Labour, just as James Ocholi or Babatunde Raji Fashola would have fit into the round hole of the Ministry of Justice. Let me reiterate here that Fashola and Ocholi are more experienced SANs than Malami.

While swearing in the ministers yesterday, which is unarguably the seminal point of this administration in the last six months, President Buhari harped on two key issues “putting round pegs in round holes” and “avoiding the mistakes of the past”.

“We are optimistic that bringing these set of ministers into the service of our country today, is a step in the right direction and timely move towards realising our positive goals for our country.

“Since we assumed office in May, I had been mindful of the need to ensure that the appointment of new ministers translate into a ROUND PEGS IN ROUND HOLES while showing sensitivity to our diversity as a people and our various positions as groups of stakeholders of our country. (Emphasis added).

“I have also been conscious of the need not to repeat such MISTAKES OF THE PAST where the right people were allocated the wrong portfolios which translated into their performing poorly to our collective detriment despite their obvious capability (emphasis added),” President Buhari said.

Despite his being dilatory, mistaken by supporters as meticulousness, I must say that I didn’t see round pegs being put into round holes in many of the ministries, just as I see President Buhari “repeating mistakes of the past”.

The merging of Ministries of Power and Works and Housing, in my view, may cause some operational glitch as they have very little correlation. It is like adding ewudu soup onto pizza, if you are “forced” to combine the two in one plate. They are all edible but there may be some strains while relating to them in your gut. Buhari should have left Ministry of Works independent of Ministry of Power, and then merged Ministry of Information and Ministry of Communication as obtained in the past to level the tally of the ministries he intended to have.

The Ministry of Power, Works and Housing may be in dire straits as Fashola, a lawyer will be assisted by Baba Shehuri, a sociologist, as Minister of State. Technical issues regarding power/energy, design and construction needs an engineer. Jigawa nominee, Engineer Sulaiman Adamu, would have fit either as the main minister or minister of state if actually putting round pegs in round holes matters. The corollary of this decision is inefficient service delivery.

Udoma Udo Udoma, being from Niger Delta would have made a good minister of Environment. He would have handled better the issues of Ogoni cleanup in Rivers State or oil spillage in Bayelsa State or gully erosion in Anambra State.

But Baba, in his wisdom, thought otherwise. He believes Amina Mohammed, an aficionado in planning and connoisseur of development issues, could handle such issues better and speak the language and communicate well with pipeline vandals in the creek and the fiery environment right activists of the Niger Delta region.

Well, to me Amina would have roundly fit into the Ministry of Planning and Budget hole, in view of her experience in development and planning issues at both local and international levels. Nigeria would have had a magnet that will attract UN’s commitment to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the country.

Again, Buhari should have appointed Heineken Lokpobiri from Bayelsa State to be Amina Mohammed’s deputy in the ministry, not Ibrahim Usman Jibril from Nasarawa State.

If really there is a minister that fits into the Ministry of FCT hole, it is Usman Jibril, being a distinguished land administrator and expert in “orthophoto mapping, geographic information service and urban planning and urban renewal”.

Kayode Fayemi’s posting is another misapplication of peg. President Buhari should have thanked God that among the people he considered for ministerial appointment, there was a labour unionist, who could speak the unionists’ language and be respected among the labour leaders. Buhari, in his queer wisdom, thought Chris Ngige could do better.

The shoes of Ministry of Interior may pinch General Abdulrahman Dambazau a bit as that of the Ministry of Defense may have suited him comfortably. As someone who had a distinguished career in the military and reached its pinnacle, taking him to deal with paramilitary issues is, in my view, not the best decision. Even issues of Boko Haram terrorism, Dambazau will speak and negotiate issues of arm purchase and military aid with the West better than Dan’Ali.

However, the president did not state where Culture and Tourism is merged into, as Solomon Dalong’s portfolio only indicates Ministry of Youths and Sports. I believe this will be sorted out later.

Some ministers like Kemi Adesun, Audu Ogbeh, Lai Mohammed, Zainab Ahmed and a few others really fit into the hole they have been placed, while majority of others were only forced into holes for political expediencies or other reasons best known to the president.

By and large, with a sense of sincerity, Buhari’s allocation of portfolios to his ministers may be what the Hausa term as “gamin gambiza” or what the Yoruba call “orisirisi” or what the Igbo call “nwonwo” – all outside the culinary semantics.

ICC Lists 8 Possible War Crimes Against Nigerian Military, Boko Haram

(Sahara Reporters)

- The International Criminal Court, ICC, believes crimes against humanity and possible war crimes have been committed by the Nigerian military and the extremist sect, Boko Haram, in the last six years of the terror group’s brutal insurgency in Nigeria’s North East region.

A Preliminary Examination Report on Nigeria released on Thursday by the ICC’s Office of the Prosecutor identified eight possible cases of crimes against humanity and war crimes under Ariticle 7 and 8 of its statute, perpetrated by both the militants and the Nigerian military.

Six of the possible cases were perpetrated by Boko Haram while two were by the Nigerian military, ICC said.

The report stated that Boko Haram’s policy of indiscriminate attacks on civilians considered to be “disbelievers” constituted the first instance of crime against humanity.

“This case includes attacks conducted against civilians when taking control of towns and villages as well as bomb attacks launched against civilians in civilian areas,” the report said.

“From January 2013 to March 2015, 356 reported incidents of killings can be attributed to Boko Haram in Borno, Adamawa, Yobe, Plateau, Kano, the Federal Capital Territory (Abuja), Gombe, Kaduna, Bauchi in Nigeria as well as occasionally in Cameroon (since February 2013) and Niger (Dumba and Diffa, since January 2015) which led to the killing of over 8,000 civilians.

“Following military operations since February 2015 during which territory previously held by Boko Haram was recaptured, mass graves or other sites with decomposed bodies were discovered allegedly containing the bodies of civilians killed by Boko Haram,” it adds.

The report stated that the ICC recorded 55 incidents of abductions committed by the Islamist sect between January 2014 and March 2015, involving at least 1,885 abductees mostly from Borno, Yobe and Adamawa States.

The report also added that in 2014 alone 1,123 people were abducted 536 of them being female victims.

“Boko Haram reportedly also detained thousands of civilians in its camps and in towns under its control in Borno state and other undetermined areas in the north-east of Nigeria, including in the Sambisa forest, around Lake Chad, and near the Gorsi mountains in Cameroon. For example, in Bama town, hundreds of men were reportedly held by Boko Haram in the town’s prison for several weeks before being executed,” the report added.

The third instance of crime against humanity identified in the report was Boko Haram’s propensity of attacking schools and other educational buildings as well as attacks on students and teachers.

“School buildings were allegedly bombed, attacked with firearms and/or burned down by Boko Haram. Boko Haram allegedly targeted primarily state schools pursuant to a policy that such schools are the main conduits through which western values are being transmitted to the local society. From mid-2013, Boko Haram attacks on schools, on schoolchildren and teachers increased significantly,” the report stated.

“Between January 2012 and October 2013, 70 teachers and more than 100 schoolchildren and students were reportedly killed or wounded. In May 2014, Nigeria Union of Teachers reported that at least 173 teachers had been killed between 2009 and 2014, Borno State officials have cited a slightly higher figure of 176 teachers. At least 50 schools were either burned down or badly damaged and 60 more were forced to close. In March 2014, the Borno State government decided to close all secondary schools in the state in order to protect students and teachers from further attacks.

“In addition, as a result of direct threats from Boko Haram, 120 schools were forced to close in 10 districts of the Far North of Cameroon. Boko Haram was included as a new party on the list of the Secretary General’s Annual Report on Children and Armed Conflict (2014) for attacks against schools among other alleged conduct.”

Boko Haram’s policy of recruiting child soldiers constituted another instance of the sect’s alleged commission of war crime and crime against humanity, the ICC stated.

“While there is no information available on the total number of child soldiers, the UN reported the recruitment and use of children as young as 12 years old by Boko Haram. Several witnesses reported that they saw children in the ranks of Boko Haram during attacks. Boko Haram reportedly pressured boys to join their group by threatening their families through cash payments. Others may be recruited through Quranic schools.

“Most of the children are allegedly used for intelligence gathering, tracking the movements of enemy forces, transportation of weapons and for participating in the attacks including for the torching of buildings dedicated to education and religion. In propaganda videos attributed to Boko Haram, child soldiers can be seen being trained to use firearms.”

The sect’s attacks on girls and women formed the basis of Boko Haram fifth potential case of crime against humanity, the report stated.

According to the ICC, the increasing attacks on female subjects were for punitive reasons such as attendance of school and for reasons such as cooking, cleaning and other operational reasons.

The report observed that the abduction of 276 girls from the Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok, Borno State on 14 April 2014 was the most notorious example of this crime.

It further observed that the increasing use of women and girls as suicide bombers represents an escalation of this crime.

The report said Boko Haram attacks on places of worship constituted the sect’s sixth commission of war crime.

“The intentional targeting of buildings dedicated to religion, including churches and mosques constitutes a sixth potential case against Boko Haram. According to the Office’s analysis, the number of destructions of civilian buildings, including churches and mosques, gradually increased since January 2014 and peaked between November 2014 and March 2015,” the report stated.

On crimes allegedly committed Nigerian security forces, the ICC said the first instance is the indiscriminate arrest, detention, torture and extrajudicial killings of people suspected to be Boko Haram fighters and collaborators.

“During such arrest operations boys and men were reportedly arbitrarily targeted and arrested by Nigerian Security Forces. Since 2011, Nigerian Security Forces have reportedly arrested at least 20,000 people, mostly young men in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa States. Altogether, more than 7,000 people reportedly died in military detention since March 2011 due to illness, poor condition and overcrowding of detention facilities, torture, ill-treatment and extrajudicial executions.”

The second instance of crimes committed by the military is its attack of civilian population as well as the recruitment of child soldiers by pro-government militia called the Civilian JTF.

“Attacks against civilians form the subject of a second potential case against the Nigerian Security Forces. In the town of Baga, Borno State, up to 228 persons may have been killed following a security operation on 17 April 2013. 55 Human Rights Watch published geospatial images of the area affected, alleging that at least 2,275 dwellings were destroyed in the attack.

“Finally, although the central government prohibits the recruitment and use of child soldiers, it is reported that the Civilian Joint Task Force recruited and used children, sometimes by force. Further information on these allegations is however required,” the report added.

The ICC report corroborates reports from other notable human rights organisations such as Human Right Watch and Amnesty International, which have denounced the abuses perpetrated by Boko Haram and Nigerian security forces in the war in the country’s North East.

Fani-Kayode: The carnage in Paris and the great paradox

By Femi Fani-Kayode

In the light of the horrendous events that took place in Paris last night I believe that it is time to eliminate and exterminate every single Jihadist terrorist on the face of the earth. We must show them no mercy and we must hold no quarter.
We must also acknowledge the fact that America and her European allies made many mistakes in their handling of the war against terror.

Simon Kolawole: All eyes on Buhari’s ministers

 

 

inS

By Simon Kolawole
In June 2003 when President Olusegun Obasanjo wanted to appoint Professor Eyitayo Lambo his minister of health, he faced opposition, even from his inner circle. Lambo is an economist, not a medical doctor, and by conventional wisdom and practice in Nigeria, it is a doctor that should be health minister. Boxed, as it were, into a corner, Obasanjo decided to explain his dilemma to Lambo, who earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in economics from the University of Ibadan and the University of Rochester, US, and a PhD in operational research applied to health systems from the University of Lancaster, UK. I will now paraphrase their conversation.
“Tayo,” Obasanjo said. “People say you are not a doctor, that you should not be health minister.”
Lambo, who had a good relationship with Obasanjo, responded: “Mr. President, it is ultimately your decision. If you want a minister of health who will be treating patients, diagnosing ailments and performing surgeries, I think you should go for a medical doctor. But if you are thinking of the administration of the health sector so that you can deliver healthcare effectively, you don’t necessarily need a doctor to do that.”

“She is lying”: Emir Sanusi goes after Diezani and Goodluck Jonathan

(Scoop) - Yesterday’s exclusive interview by The Boss Newspaper featuring former Petroleum Resources Minister, Mrs. Diezani Allison Madueke, her first since she fell out of power, is already attracting a rebuttal-and it is from no less a person than former CBN Governor and Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II.
In the said interview, Mrs. Alison Madueke who is now battling cancer, explained that she did her job to the best of her abilities and intentions, and no money was stolen by her.
She categorically denied that any money was missing under her watch especially the much publicised $20billion, which Sanusi as CBN governor had told the country had developed legs and disappeared from the country’s coffers.
But Sanusi has said Diezani is not telling the truth, that in deed she knows that monies running into billions of dollars were missing from her Ministry.
“The question that remains for Diezani to answer is: Was there $6bn said to have been remitted to NPDC which they denied? As for that denial, who is holding that money? What happened to the inflated N6 per litre kerosene subsidy?
Where is the money said to be paid to that effect? All these questions formed the basis upon which I was suspended and denied the AfDB job,” he stated.

He reminded the former minister that what he did was neither a personal war nor was it targeted at anybody. He declared that if anybody feels affected by the revelation, he or she should come forward and clear their name.
“Certainly, there is nothing personal. It is our nation’s money we are talking about. One cannot take away the treasury and expect to go scot-free. He must answer the basic questions. Everyone is aware that I was punished by former President Jonathan for exposing the missing $20bn.”
The Emir said he was denied Nigeria’s backing for the AfDB job because of the $20bn allegation adding that it was on record that a week after he exposed the matter, Jonathan wrote a letter withdrawing his nomination as Nigeria’s candidate and replaced him with then Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina.

Nigeria's Economic Crimes Commission Chair Magu Assumes Office Pledges To Uplift The Fight Against Corruption

(Sahara Reporters) - The acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, an Assistant Commissioner of Police, ACP, today charged all staff of the Commission to brace up for fresh and greater challenges in the arduous task of combating corruption.

He gave the charge at the formal handover ceremony held at the EFCC headquarters, Abuja, which saw him, take over from him Ibrahim Lamorde, as chairman of the agency.

Asserting his readiness to succeed in running the EFCC, Magu, who like Lamorde is a pioneer staff of the agency, expressed absolute commitment to executing the war against corruption.

While paying tribute to the founding fathers of the agency, he said, “I want to state our resolve not to falter on the well-established tradition of patriotism, dedication, courage and fearlessness, and we will take this responsibility with utmost seriousness that it deserves.”

He promised to “ginger up the anti-corruption campaign”, noting that there was no better time to do so than now.

Corruption, according to Magu, cannot co-exist with any meaningful development, as such, must be fought to a standstill.

“There is the need to make sure that whatever is gotten for common use did not end up in private pockets,” he said, stressing that fighting corruption to a standstill will make the country attractive to foreign investors.

Magu also pledged to be a listening leader and one that will be responsive to staff welfare and development.

He said, “I am ready and willing to work with everybody without any primordial concerns.”

Noted as a no-nonsense investigator, Magu said, “While we will intensify on our work out there, we will also keep an eye internally, and will not tolerate indiscipline nor condone abuse of office or acts of corruption.

Magu commended Lamorde for his leadership and wished him the best in his future endeavors. He also commended the management of the agency for having worked assiduously to ensure the sustenance of the objectives of establishing the EFCC.

On his part, Lamorde, charged staff of the agency to be patriotic and desist from mudslinging.

“As a human being, you have the right to disagree with someone, but if you disagree with your leader approach him yourself, instead of going out there to grumble,” he said.

According to him, those who engage in such actions are apparently oblivious of the far-reaching impact of their actions, which goes beyond the Commission and the individual.

Describing Magu as a “brother, colleague and friend”, Lamorde urged members of staff to give the new EFCC boss all the support that is needed to move the anti-graft agency forward.

“He needs all the support and encouragement he can get, and he should not be distracted with unnecessary write-ups,” he said.

Waxing a bit religious, Lamorde described his exit as “an act of God”, saying, “if you see it like that you won’t blame anybody, and you will have peace of mind. Let’s take whatever happens as an act of God.”

The handover ceremony was witnessed by the Secretary to the Commission, Emmanuel Adegboyega Aremo, as well as directors and heads of units of the EFCC.

 

10 Benefits to Drinking Warm Lemon Water Every Morning

Something that has been very important for my body during this 7-Day Spring Cleanse, but has also been a part of my daily routine for a few months now, is drinking warm lemon water. I have started (almost) every day with a glass of warm lemon water and it has made a huge differences for me. Warm lemon water in the morning helps kickstart the digestion process for the day.  According to Ayurvedic philosophy, choices that you make regarding your daily routine either build up resistance to disease or tear it down. Ayurveda invites us to get a jump-start on the day by focusing on morning rituals that work to align the body with nature’s rhythms, balance the doshas and foster self-esteem alongside self-discipline.

There are many health benefits of lemons that have been known for centuries. The two biggest are lemons’ strong antibacterial, antiviral, and immune-boosting powers and their use as a weight loss aid because lemon juice is a digestive aid and liver cleanser. Lemons contain many substances–notably citric acid, calcium, magnesium, vitamin C, bioflavonoids, pectin, and limonene–that promote immunity and fight infection.

10 Ways to Detoxify Your Body

 

Body cleanse and detox diet tips for beginners

 

Feeling sluggish or out of sync? Struggling with skin problems, aches and pains, or digestive problems? Can't seem to lose weight? It might be time for a body detox.
Practiced for centuries by cultures around the world — including ayurvedic and Chinese medicine systems — detoxification is about resting, cleaning and nourishing the body from the inside out. By removing and eliminating toxins, then feeding your body with healthy nutrients, detoxifying can help protect you from disease and renew your ability to maintain optimum health.

How does detoxification work?

Basically, detoxification means cleaning the blood. This is done by removing impurities from the blood in the liver, where toxins are processed for elimination. The body also eliminates toxins through the kidneys, intestines, lungs, lymph and skin. However, when this system is compromised, impurities aren't properly filtered and every cell in the body is adversely affected.

A detox program can help the body's natural cleansing process by:
1. Resting the organs through fasting;
2. Stimulating the liver to drive toxins from the body;
3. Promoting elimination through the intestines, kidneys and skin;
4. Improving circulation of the blood; and
5. Refueling the body with healthy nutrients.