We Would Bomb 3rd Mainland Bridge - Asawana Deadly Force Of Niger Delta

The new deadly militant group, the Asawana Deadly Force of Niger Delta, ADFND, which on Thursday claimed to have taking over from the Niger Delta Avengers, NDA, yesterday slated the date it would bomb some strategic bridges in the country.

The group sets Saturday July 2nd, 2016,as the day it will bomb Bonga Field, Onitsha -Asaba bridge, Third Mainland bridge, and other major bridges across the southern of the country.

A statement by the group, signed by its leader, Commander Olomubini Kakarakokoro, a.k.a No Mercy, “We are bombing Bonga field, Onitsha -Asaba bridge, Third Mainland Bridge, and other major bridges across the southern of the country, on Saturday 2nd July, 2016.”

“This is not a mere threat. The only way out is for the Federal Government to relocate all headquarters of major oil companies to Niger Delta. They are built with our oil money. They must be moved back to the Niger Delta region.”

The group sternly warn the federal government to take its threat serious.

http://www.newshelm.com/2016/06/deadly-militant-group-issues-july-2nd.html

Dialogue -Our Patience Is Running Out, Niger Delta Militants Tell FG

The militants under the aegis of Ultimate Warriors of the Niger Delta said their patience was running out since government had refused to discuss with them in a ceasefire that elapsed on Monday.

UWND in a statement its Media Director, Sibiri Taiowoh also pledged affiliation with the rampaging Niger Delta Avengers. The group threatened to embarked on full-scale destruction of oil installations in the days ahead.

The group in the statement titled, ‘If you make the peaceful change that we seek impossible, we will make violent change possible’, stressed, “We are sounding this as a last warning before the whirlwind gets down. The tsunami that would descend in coming days would be severe for the current government to handle.
“We bet you this government wouldn’t be able to handle what would happen in the Niger Delta in the days ahead. When it gets down, they would say the opposition is behind it but we don’t care. All over the world, militia groups emerge for a reason and we have made our reasons clear and vivid.”


According to them, instead of the government to open doors of discussion, its senior ministers were busy throwing punches at each other and playing politics with the core issues relating to the region.

It added, “Two week of ceasefire had gone without any tangible effort by the government. No roundtable dialogue has kick started, instead, government officials are quarreling over critical issue of national important.

“Our patience is running out and we have decided to let the world know our grievances pure and plain again. The operations that would follow these plans are strategic and all operations would be codified as our goals have been codified in a one line mission statement.”

“Our mission is simple; give us our rightful due as producer of Nigeria oil wealth. We would not give you the peace you want to continue the exploitation of our people if we don’t see proactive government action on major federal government projects in the Niger Delta like the multibillion dollar Export Processing Zone (EPZ) project and the already approved Federal University of Maritime in Okenrenkoko, Delta state.

“For us, this is not about Jonathan, not about Tompolo and any other person they are pointing fingers to as master mind of this well planned attacks. This is about us-the indigent people. This is about our mothers and children you are being ripped off. And some have said why now; it is simple. There is time for everything; this is the time for change and we want the change in the Niger delta now!”, the statement further stated.

It however distanced itself from some militant groups demanding the FG unfroze some suspected corrupt politicians’ account or halting the prosecution of any person under investigation saying they were not going to be part of any dialogue process lacking transparency and sincerity.

It stated further, “We are of several units in the region and we have commanders, willing soldiers across the region who are waiting for the next line of action to strike. Our mission is to drive government attention to act fast because dialogue-upon- dialogue has failed us. We will ruin the Nigerian oil wealth until Nigeria is restructuring to reflect a true government of the people.

“The federal government cannot continue to give us crumbs. We own the oil, we own the wealth, we will no longer accept outsider’s controlling oil blocs that are in our land. We want 60 percent of it for our people because we own the resources that sustain the country.

“If the federal government cannot call itself to order by visiting the Niger Delta Master Plan or commence immediate implementation of the portion of the 2014 National Conference which created a new road map for the speedy development of the region, then Buhari should expect violent change for his first four years in office.

“We are giving the National Assembly ultimatum to act in this direction towards the Niger Delta region. We cannot have you and still be suffering annexation, deprivation and gross injustice in the hands of the Nigeria state. By the time we are through with total blowing up or shutting down of all oil installations in the core oil producing states of Rivers, Akwa-Ibom, Delta, Bayelsa, Cross-Rivers, Ondo, where willing men have been positioned, the members of the legislature who failed to act decisively when we needed them most in this crisis would be our next targets. The institutions will follow”, it added.

www.punchng.com/dialogue-our-patience-running-out-ndelta-militants-tell-fg/

Military Scheming To Overthrow Buhari - Militants

A consolidated group of militants, Joint Niger Delta Liberation Force (JNDLF), yesterday, claimed that some senior military officers were scheming to overthrow the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari through a coup d’état.

The militant group, which was behind threats of missile launch that created panic in the Niger Delta region, said persons behind the coup plot, were planning to instigate civil unrest as part of their strategies to actualise the scheme.

The group in an electronic statement said already the top military officers involved in the scheme approached its leaders with an appeal to continue with the ongoing attacks on oil installation.

It claimed that the “coup plotters” said they wanted to use sustained attacks on oil facilities as a genuine reason to take over the government.

The statement was signed by persons who identified themselves as ‘General’ Torunanaowei Latei (Creek Network Coordinator); ‘General’ Agbakakuro Owei-Tauro (Pipeline Bleeding Expert); ‘General’ Akotebe Darikoro (Commander, General Duties) and ‘General’ Pulokiri Ebikade (Intelligence Bureau).



The group said: “We are constraint to let the cat out of the bag today that PresidentMohammadu Buhari should be wary about the security of this country as some military men are making move to remove him from power by instigating civil unrest in the country.

“Some top military men through their civil agents approached us to cause and continue the vandalization of the oil and gas pipelines in the Niger delta region so as to use as an excuse to take over the government from democracy to military rule in the country.

“We said no as such plan will not work and not in conformity with our genuine desire of agitation.The military want to disgrace him now and let him quickly look into the

issues and make pronouncement for his administration to be in peace.

“Let president should analyze certain memo from the military concerning Niger delta region before taking action or otherwise the military will use that as a platform to remove him. We know the issue of Niger delta is political and we preferred

political solution to resolve it but if the president refused”.

The group further advised the President to adopt holistic approach in resolving the problems of the Niger Delta.

It named the ongoing corruption probes in the military as one of the reasons why like minds had gathered to plot the removal of the President adding that most officers behind the scheme were above the ranks of major-generals.

“We received several calls unknown to persuade us to continue the bombing and that when succeeded in overthrowing the government we will be placed on a better position, we said capital NO!

“When asked of their names they are above Major General’s level. They refused to disclose their names but their intonations seem like yoruba and Hausa. Our agitation is not for selfish interest but for the overall benefit of the Niger delta region.

“We’ll not kidnap any person, kill or hostage taking of any expatriate in the country but will continue our agitation with clear determination to actualize our course in Nigeria.

“We believe their sinister plan because their is ceasefire in the region for dialogue, but since then the attitude and actions of the service chiefs show that such plan could work for them”, it said.

The group also accused the military of invading Ijaw communities in the Niger Delta, harassing, chiefs and women during the period of ceasefire.

It asked the President to quickly implement their demands which it listed as immediate release of the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd.) and Dr. Nnamdi Kanu.

Others are directing the EFCC to defreeze the bank accounts of ex-militant

leader, Government Ekpemupolo, a.k.a. Tompolo; resuming the academic sessions of the only Nigerian Maritime University sited in Okerenkoko and immediate implementation of the report of the 2014 National Conference report.

They asked the President to clean up all the oil-polluted land in the region and to remove Brigadier General Paul Boroh (rtd.) as an Amnesty Coordinator.

According to them Boroh should be re-placing with Dr. Felix Tuodolo who it said had been in the struggle of non-violence since 1980 and the designer.

It said: “Why all these attacks on oil and gas pipelines in the region is that the Pharaoh of Nigeria (Buhari) made a childish statement that, he will develop those areas that gave him 95% votes during his presidential election last year.

“We the Niger Delta people only gave him 5% hence we vowed that our oil money will not be used for the development of any other region. The President should change his mind set towards the region, if not this will continue”.

http://thenationonlineng.net/military-scheming-to-overthrow-buhari-niger-delta-militants/

FG Records N725bn Deficit In First Quarter

The Federal Government recorded a deficit of N725.18 billion in its fiscal operations in the first quarter of 2016, according to data released yesterday by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN. Nigeria also earned $1.02 billion from its non-oil exports during the period, and this represents an increase of 38.6 percent or $393.7 million (N78.7bn) over the amount earned in the same period of 2015.

The CBN, in its Economic Report for the First Quarter of 2016, attributed the deficit to an expenditure of N1.23 trillion, over retained earnings of N505.1 billion in the period under review. The deficit, the report said, was a result of a decline in oil and non-oil revenues and a rise in capital expenditure in the quarter under review.

The dip in oil earnings was attributed to a sharp drop in oil and gas export, low price of crude oil in the international market and the persistent disruption in petroleum export due to vandalism and production shut-ins.

According to the report, the estimated fiscal deficit of N725.18 billion indicated an increase of 178.6 percent above the 2015 provisional quarterly budget deficit of N260.25 billion. The CBN also stated that the Federal Government’s expenditure for the first quarter was 3.4 percent higher than the provisional quarterly budget estimate, but was below level in the fourth quarter of 2015 by 20.3 percent.

Specifically, breakdown of total expenditure showed that recurrent expenditure accounted for 72.8 percent of the total, while capital and statutory transfers accounted for 18 and 9.2 percent, respectively.

In the recurrent expenditure aspect, the report noted that non-debt component accounted for 72.7 percent, while debt service payments accounted for the balance of 27.3 percent. Using provisional data, CBN further stated that the Federal Government’s retained revenue for the first quarter of 2016, of N505.07 billion was below the receipts in the fourth quarter of 2015 by 37.5 percent.

Giving a breakdown of government’s total revenue, the report disclosed that Federation Account accounted for 81.6 percent of the total, while Independent Revenue, Value Added Tax, VAT, and others, comprising the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC’s Refund and Exchange Gain, accounted for 8.0, 5.6 and 4.8 percent, respectively.

http://www.financialwatchngr.com/2016/06/14/fg-records-n725bn-deficit-first-quarter/

Kenyan County Officer Gets Stuck During Sex With Another Man’s Wife (PHOTO)

There continue to be stories of people getting stuck during illicit sex, but people don't seem to believe at all. There was drama in Kilifi area of Kenya over the past week when curious residents surrounded a house after report went round that a senior county officer “got stuck” during sex with another man’s wife. Police were forced to hurl tear gas to disperse the crowd on Thursday evening, reported The Star.

The story went viral after a renown Kilifi blogger Samir Nyundo posted the incident.

“One of the county chief officers ameshikwa na ‘tego’ akila uroda na bibi ya mwenyewe, Mganga ameitwa saa hii (one of the county government chief officers is stuck while having a sexual affair with somebody’s wife. A witchdoctor has been called now),” the post read.

Tego’ is said to be a kind of protection in the Mijikeda community. A man who suspects his wife is unfaithful uses it so that every man who has an affair with his wife gets stuck inside her during intercourse or sustains an endless Attention. A ritual is then performed to treat the condition.

Police went to the house that the blogger had posted on social media to disperse the crowd that had camped there from 10am to 6pm.

These are the curious onlookers who surrounded the house where the county officer was reported to have got stuck inside a woman while having sex with the woman who is someone’s wife on Thursday.


http://www.newseveryhour.com/2016/06/kenyan-county-officer-gets-stuck-during.html

MTN To Take Immediate Steps To List In Nigeria As Part Of $1.7 Bln Fine Deal

South African telecoms group MTN will take immediate steps to list shares in Nigeria as part of a deal to settle a dispute over unregistered SIM cards and will also issue an apology, according to a copy of the agreement seen by Reuters.

The company said on Friday, after months of talks, that it had agreed to pay a fine of $1.7 billion in a settlement with the Nigerian government for failing to deactivate more than 5 million unregistered SIM cards. [nL8N1922BY]

Nigeria, battling its worst economic crisis for decades, had agreed to cut the fine initially demanded by almost 70 percent after MTN threatened to shut down its operations in the West African nation, a Nigerian official said on Friday.

Under the agreement MTN will strengthen its presence in Africa’s biggest economy by listing its local unit, a plan held up by the prolonged dispute, according to the copy of the agreement obtained by Reuters on Monday.

“MTN undertakes immediate steps to ensure the listing of its shares on the Nigerian Stock Exchange as soon as commercially and legal possible after the date of execution,” the agreement said.

The South African mobile phone giant will also issue an apology to the Nigerian government and people within one month of the execution of the deal, the agreement said.

The group – which filed a lawsuit against the fine before opting for an out-of-court deal – will also cover its own legal costs, the agreement said.

Nigeria has been cracking down on unregistered SIM cards, concerned they are used for criminal activity in a country fighting an insurgency by Islamist militant group Boko Haram.

The fine will be paid by MTN Nigeria over three years and is only around a third of the $5.2 billion figure initially demanded by the west African country last October.

Nigeria’s House of Representatives was due to question the communications minister and a senior official from the regulator on Monday, but the hearing was delaying for one week, lawmakers said.

The lower house of parliament said on Friday it was surprised by the deal as its own probe into the MTN fine had not been concluded. In March, the lower house launched an investigation into whether reducing the initial fine of $5.2 billion would require changing the law.

MTN is the largest mobile phone operator in Nigeria with 62 million subscribers and the west African nation accounts for about one third of its revenues.

Africa’s largest telecoms company has already paid 50 billion of the 330 billion naira owed. The rest will be paid in six instalments over three years, the company said. It set aside $600 million in March to pay the fine.

http://www.financialwatchngr.com/2016/06/14/mtn-take-immediate-steps-list-nigeria-part-1-7-bln-fine-deal/

Contractors Back On Project Sites Nationwide – Lai Mohammed

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, on Monday in Uyo, said contractors had resumed work in not less than five major Federal Government road projects nationwide.
The minister disclosed this at the South-South region town hall meeting hosted by his ministry to give account of stewardship of President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration to the people.
Mohammed specifically said Julius Berger and RCC had returned to the Lagos-Ibadan expressway, while the CGC had started work on the Bode Sadu-Jebba Road and the Abuja-Lokoja Road.
He said China Company, CCECC, had also been mobilised to the Kano-Maiduguri Road, while RCC again had resumed work at the Loko and Oweto Bridge linking Nasarawa and Benue States.
The minister added that the second Niger Bridge was in the 2016 budget and work on the project would start soon.
He noted that with the resumption of work at the sites, government had started putting Nigerians back to work, in fulfillment of its promise to create jobs.
“As contractors are mobilised back to various road construction projects across the country, building and ancillary workers are returning to work in droves. Let me list some of the road construction works that have now resumed.
“As more and more road construction works resume in the days ahead, thousands of Nigerians will also be returning to work,” the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) quoted the minister as saying at the town hall meeting.
Mohammed said government had also commenced the process of recruiting and training 500,000 teachers, specifically targeting unemployed university graduates.
He said the online recruitment, through the portal ‘npower.gov.ng’, came on stream at the weekend.
He stated that an agreement had been signed to reposition the River Basin Development Authorities within the next 18-24 months.

www.thenationonlineng.net/contractors-back-project-sites-nationwide-minister/

Forex Reserves Gain Positive Momentum, Rise For Five Straight Days

By Obinna Chima

Nigeria’s foreign exchange (forex) reserves have maintained positive momentum this month rising slightly for five consecutive days.

Data gathered from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) website at the weekend showed that the reserves derived mainly from the proceeds of crude oil sale, climbed from $26.373 billion as at June 2, 2016, to $26.401 billion as at June 8, 2016.

The slight uptick was primarily due to a rise in crude oil prices, which climbed to $51 per barrel last week. Oil prices fell about three per cent on Friday after data showed the United States oil drilling rig count rise for a second week in row and a stronger dollar weighed on demand for greenback-denominated crude futures.
Nevertheless, Nigeria still faces macro-economic challenges, which have seen outflow of both foreign portfolio investors as well as foreign direct investments. Disruptive activities of the militant group, Niger Delta Avengers, in the oil-producing Niger Delta have sent Nigeria’s oil production to a multi-year low of 1.7 million barrels per day (mbpd). Alhough oil prices are trading above $50/barrel on the back of this, price gains will not be enough to compensate for lost output by the country.

It appears that the worst is far from over as the militant group has continued to threatened more attacks in weeks to come. Furthermore, expectations of a truce appeared to have been dashed after the Avengers stated that, contrary to news reports, it is not – and will not be – engaging in any dialogue with the government.

“By implication, funding the recently-passed N6.1 trillion budget may become something of a tall order if militant attacks persist, as Nigeria’s crude production target of 2.2mb/d is already appearing unrealistic,” analysts at CSL Stockbrokers Limited stated in a report.

Analysts at FBN Quest noted the peak in crude oil price from its recent floor in January, saying the budget assumption of $38 per barrel has started to look conservative. They predicted an end-2016 spot price for Bonny Light of $55 per barrel.

“The success of the President Muhammadu Buhari agenda rests upon whether its expansionary fiscal stance will deliver the capital spending and the jobs to make its contribution to a revival in the economy. This, in turn, requires that it comes close to hitting its ambitious targets for non-oil revenue generation.
“These are heady projections and the impact of the 2016 budget will not be felt much before the end of the year. Beyond the fiscal, the FGN would do well to clarify its policies and trumpet its successes, given the limits on the patience of voters and markets,” FBN Quest added.

They also predicted that there would be unexciting growth this year and next. Analysts at the firm also projected that a combination of government spending, sector-specific reforms and a modest rise in oil revenues should deliver unexciting growth of 3.5 per cent in 2017.

http://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2016/06/13/forex-reserves-gain-positive-momentum-rise-for-five-straight-days/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=facebook

I Will Be President Of Nigeria – Dino Melaye Declares

The lawmaker representing Kogi West Senatorial District, Senator Dino Melaye yesterday revealed his ambition to be the President of Nigeria someday, asserting that, “I will be” president. He however did not state when this will happen.
The senator spoke on Channels Television while appraising the first anniversary of the Senator Bukola Saraki-led 8th Senate, arguing that, “the Senate under Senator Bukola Saraki has done brilliantly well. But we would have done better if not for this; like I call it this planted distraction by people of inordinate ambition.”

Apparently referring to the assets falsification trial of Saraki at the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT, which has been linked to the way he emerged as Senate President, Melaye said; “you don’t kill a man for being ambitious.”

He continued; “Everyone is ambitious. I’m ambitious;like I want to be the president of the federal republic of Nigeria. It shouldn’t be a crime. I will be.”

When asked by the anchor of the programme if he really wants to be president, the lawmaker reiterated; “I’ll be. When we get to that bridge; we’ll cross it.”


http://dailypost.ng/2016/06/13/i-will-be-president-of-nigeria-dino-melaye-declares/

Federal Allocation In Buhari's 1st Year In Office

The 36 states and the 774 local government councils of the federation shared N2.8 trillion from the Federation Account in the first year of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, with Lagos, Akwa Ibom, Delta and Kano states emerging the top earners.

This is according a report by the Economic Confidential, an economic intelligence magazine.

The magazine also listed Gombe, Ebonyi, Ekiti and Nasarawa states as the least earning states in the one year of the Buhari administration.

It reported that the two tiers of government – states and local governments – were paid the total sum of N2.8trillion at the monthly meeting of the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) between June 2015 when Buhari administration took office and May 2016.

In the magazine’s report, Lagos State was the highest recipient with N178billion in the 12 months under review. It is followed by Akwa Ibom State, N173 billion; Delta State, N144 billion, and Kano State, N117 billion. The five states received 25 per cent of the total allocation for the states and local government councils in Nigeria within the year period.

The 10 highest recipients from the Federation Account are Bayelsa State, N95 billion; Katsina State, N88 billion; Oyo State, N84 billion; Kaduna State, N83 billion and Borno State, N78 billion.

The lowest recipients are Gombe and Ebonyi states that got N49 billion each, followed by Ekiti and Nasarawa states with N50 billion each, and Kwara, N52 billion.

The report further disclosed that Edo and Ondo, which are oil-producing states, got N66 billion and N71 billion respectively, while another state in the South-South, Cross River State, received N59 billion.

The Economic Confidential gathered that factors that influence allocation to states and local government councils from the Federation Account include: Population, Derivation, Landmass, Terrain, Revenue Effort, School Enrolments, Health Facilities, Water Supply and Equality of the beneficiaries.

Meanwhile, the Economic Confidential, which has been publishing the monthly Federation Account Allocation figures in the print edition of the magazine since January 2007, has commenced the publication of the monthly allocation in its online version.


http://leadership.ng/news/535781/lagos-aibom-delta-kano-top-earners-pmbs-1st-year

Primate Ayodele: "Buhari And Osinbajo Would Have Problem"

.Primate Ayodele: God is angry with Nigeria

.Says Buhari should do things right quickly

•I warned that Keshi could die’

Primate Elijah Babatunde Ayodele is Head and Spiritual Leader of Inri Spiritual and Evangelical Church, Oke-Afa, Isolo, Lagos. Sunday Vanguard was with him recently during which his past prophecies were reviewed. He said God is angry with Nigeria, explaining that it is the reason things were not going on well with the country. He, however, in fulfilment of his promise to, as directed by the Lord, gather prophets across Nigeria to pray for the country as President Muhammadu Buhari alone could not do it, said he and some other prophets had started praying for Nigeria.

Majority of Ayodele’s predictions are packaged in a book his church publishes on annual basis called, Warning to the Nations (WTN).

The prophecies are also published in national dailies.

For instance, on page 72 of the WTN 2014/15 edition, he said the spirit of God said Americans must rebuke the loss of a prominent boxer. Alas on June 3, 2016, former world heavyweight boxing champion, Mohammed Alli died at the age of 74. On page 76 of WTN 2015/16 edition, he said: “PDP will undergo changes and needs prayers to escape crisis.” There have been series of leadership instability in the former ruling party to prove Ayodele right. Only recently, court removed Ahmed Makarfi and Ali Modu Sheriff as leaders of the party although the Board of Trustees (BOT) only this week resolved to hand over the party secretariat to the Makarfi’s caretaker committee. The fact of instability still remains as that in itself is still working as an infringement of the ruling of the court.

On page 74 of the same WTN 2015/16 edition, he speaks on Chibok girls: “Some of the abducted girls will be found.” Aisha was found and Serah Lula another Chibok girl were found making two so far and efforts, according to the authority, are on to ensure that others are found. On page 114 he says: “Liverpool FC will not perform as expected.” That also has come to past as Sevilla beat Liverpool in the UEFA Lead Final to clinch the trophy.

As far back as 2015, the primate had prophesied that discovery of crude oil in Lagos and it is published on page 99 of the WTN 2014/15 edition. Today, it can conveniently be confirmed that Lagos has now joined the oil producing states of Nigeria as crude oil has actually been discovered recently. The man of God had said in the 2014/15 edition of the WTN on page 104 that, “There will be scarcity of aviation fuel over a period time as some airlines will be grounded.” On May 16, 2016, Punch reported that airlines were grounded due to aviation fuel scarcity and since then flights schedule have been cancelled and being rescheduled.

On page 66 of the 2015/16 edition of the WTN, under South East Nigeria, he says, “The Igbo must be watchful not to cause problems and complications for themselves.” Many Igbo protesters under MASSOB and IPOB were killed in Onitsha few weeks ago due the fact that they didn’t obey the warnings of God. On page 9 he says Nollywood should rebuke death of one of their members. Just few days ago, Nollywood actress, Henrietta Kosoko, died. And on page 38 of the Warnings to the Nation 2014/15 edition he says, “Enugu State must work hard against violence and destruction.” That itself had happened in the form of the suspected herdsmen attacks unleashed on the a part of the state.

On page 88 of the same 2014/15 edition, Primate Ayodele predicts that, “Post-UTME test will be scrapped.” That also has just come to pass with the Minister of Education Mallam Adamu Adamu’s announcement in that regard and pegging cut off marks across the universities for UTME at 180. On page 41 he says, “Let’s pray so that there will be no workers strike in Ekiti.” There is a strike going on already in Ekiti. On page 60 he says cement price would not be stable and that, on page 99, “People will advise the government to break the monopoly of the fuel importers.” All these have come to past.

Another big one is the prediction warning the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) against losing a national coach. With Steven Keshi’s death, does one need to think twice to know that a national coach has, indeed, been lost by the Nigerian football community? Because he once told this reporter that he wrote and sent a warning to Keshi when he was alive. He also once said it would be difficult to remove Saraki acrimoniously and that APC should be careful so that his removal would not cause trouble within the party. He had also predicted that managing directors of some banks would run into trouble, and he specifically mentioned some banks and they are among banks in trouble now.

Ayodele had also said and it is reproduced here: “After the removal of PDP from office, militants will arise from Niger Delta who will be worse than Boko Haram because they will do what Boko Haram did not do.” Presently, the Niger Delta Avengers are doing things that are worse and more dangerous than Boko Haram had ever done. He said that the militants that would arise would have foreign backup and that United States of America would know about who the back ups will be. He said the back ups would be two powerful nations from Asia part of the world and that Nigerian government should therefore endeavour to dialogue with the militants.

He said APC would still have problem and that the party would break. He also said Nigeria would be one of two things: disintegrate or go back to regional system of government. He also said that some of the foreign investors would leave Nigeria and earlier before the emergence of President Muhammadu Buhari and after he had emerged, Ayodele said Nigeria would experience measure, which the country is presently experiencing. It was part of the things he had said in the past, which was published in Champion of December 30, 2015 page 20 that, “Babangida should pray for his health and some other prominent leaders.”

He also said that President Buhari and his vice, Osinbajo would have problem. He said in the North there would be religious misunderstanding between the Muslims and Christians, which the nation has just witnessed.

In conclusion, the Inri Church leader maintained that he always felt bad whenever his negative predictions came to past due to lack of heeding. He had however promised to come out with the new edition of his Warnings to the Nations (WTN) in July.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/06/primate-ayodele-god-angry-nigeria/

I Won’t Contribute To School Feeding Programme, Fayose Tells FG

Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has said that the school feeding programme of the All Progressives Congress-led Federal Government must be done without the proposed 40 per cent counterpart funding from States.

He said the Federal Government was already looking for an excuse for the impending failure of the programme by asking states to contribute 40 per cent to the scheme.

The governor, who said his state was interested in the scheme, added that the school feeding programme was purely a contract between the APC-led Federal Government and Nigerians.

“Were the States consulted before the APC made the promise during the presidential campaign? How can you make a promise and win election on the basis of that promise and now expect States to help you to fulfil the promise? That to me is fraud!”

Fayose in a statement issued on Sunday by his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, said Ekiti and other states in the country deserved to benefit from the programme without assisting the federal government with any 40 per cent counterpart funding.

“Apart from the fact that Ekiti State lacked the financial wherewithal to provide counterpart fund for such a programme, it is the duty of President Muhammadu Buhari and his APC that won election on the basis of their promise to give free meal to school pupils to fulfil the promise without placing any burden on other tiers of government.”

The governor said the APC should rather blame itself for failing to do a proper study on the practicability of the scheme before promising Nigerians instead of looking for who to blame for not fulfilling the school feeding promise.

“The federal government knows that 80 per cent of the states lack the financial will to be able to contribute the 40 per cent counterpart fund for the programme and the time the programme eventually fails, Nigerians will be told that it failed because States did not key in to it.

“As for us in Ekiti, we are interested in the programme because Nigeria belongs to all of us. But we won’t contribute any counterpart fund because the programme is solely an electoral promise of the APC and we were never consulted before the promise was made.

“We don’t even have the capability to make any financial contribution even if it is 10 per cent because our financial condition is such that we can’t even pay workers salary,” Fayose said.

Source:

http://www.punchng.com/wont-contribute-school-feeding-fayose-tells-fg/

Full List Of Winners At The 2016 AMAA, Africa Movie Academy Awards

The 2016 Africa Movie Academy Awards was held Saturday night (June 11) at the Obi Wali International Conference Center in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.


The hotly anticipated show was hosted by Chris Attoh, Mike Ezuruonye and Kgopedi Lilokoe. The ceremony recognizes and honours, actors, film directors and producers in the African film industry.

Check out the full list of winners at AMAA 2016….

EFERE OZAKO AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR BEST SHORT FILM
1. Encounter – Nigeria
2. Le Chemin – Cote De Voire
3. Blood Taxi – Nigeria
4. Meet The Parents – Nigeria/Canada – WINNER
5. Nourah The Holy Light – Burkina Faso
6. Ireti – Nigeria
7. Life of Nigerian Couple – Nigeria

AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR BEST ANIMATION
1. The Pencil – Burkina Faso – WINNER
2. The Peculiar Life of a Spider – Ghana
3. Funsie Fast Fingers – Nigeria
4. Lazare Sie Pale – Burkina Faso

AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR BEST DOCUMENTARY
1, My Fathers Funeral – Cameroon
2. Nollywood – Nigeria
3. Tchindas- Cape Verde
4. The Fruitless Tree – Niger — WINNER
5. Runs ‘I too Seek The Horizon’ – Nigeria/UK
6. Camera/Woman – Morocco

OUSMANE SEMBENE AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR BEST FILM IN AN AFRICAN LANGUAGE
1. Brotherhood Eye – Mali
2. Bala Bala Sese – Uganda
3. Missing God – Nigeria
4. Cursed Treasure – Ghana
5. Wako – Uganda
6. Daggers of Life (Agbe Fe Akumehewo) – Ghana

MICHAEL ANYIAM OSIGWE AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR BEST FILM BY AN AFRICAN LIVING ABROAD

1. Lambadina – Ethiopia/USA – WINNER
2. Skinned – Liberia/USA
3. LAPD African Cop – USA/Nigeria
4. Boxing Day – USA/Nigeria
5. MONA – Nigeria/UK

AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR BEST DIASPORA SHORT

1. Lines – USA
2. Raptors – USA
3. Across The Track – USA – WINNER

AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR BEST DIASPORA DOCUMENTARY

1. Can You Dig This- USA
2. America’s Blues – USA
3. Spirits of Rebellion – USA — WINNER

AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR BEST DIASPORA FEATURE

1. America Is Still the Place – USA
2. Ben & Ara – USA – WINNER
3. Luv Don’t Live Here – USA

AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN PRODUCTION DESIGN

1. The Cursed One – Ghana – WINNER
2. Soldiers Story – Nigeria
3. Ayanda- South Africa
4. Missing God – Nigeria
5. Out of Luck- Nigeria

AMAA 2016 ACHIEVEMENT IN COSTUME DESIGN

1. Eye of the storm (Burkina Faso) – WINNER
2. Oshimiri
3. The Cursed One
4. Ayanda
5. Soldiers Story

AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN MAKE-UP

1. Oshimiri
2. The Cursed One
3. Missing God
4. Soldiers Story – WINNER

AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUNDTRACK

1. O-Town – Nigeria – WINNER
2. Tell Me Sweet Something – South Africa
3. The Cursed One – Ghana
4. Hear me Move – South Africa
5. Le Pagne- Niger

AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN VISUAL EFFECT

1. Hear me Move – South Africa
2. Oshimiri – Nigeria — WINNER
3. silly Movie – Nigeria
4. House Arrest – Uganda
5. Soldiers Story – Nigeria

AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND

1. Eye of the Storm- Burkina Faso
2. Fifty – Nigeria — WINNER
3. The Cursed One – Ghana
4. Behind Closed Doors – Morocco
5. Falling – Nigeria
6. Rebecca- Ghana

AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN CINEMATOGRAPHY

1. The Cursed one — WINNER
2. Eye of the Storm
3. Ayanda
4. Tell me Sweet Something
5. Fifty

AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN EDITING

1. Behind Closed Doors
2. Rebecca
3. The Cursed One
4. Eye of the Storm
5. Hear me Move —– WINNER

AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN SCREEN PLAY
1. The Cursed One
2. Tell me Sweet Something —- WINNER
3. The Visit
4. Eye of the Storm
5. Beyond Blood

AMAA 2016- RIVERS STATE GOVERNMENT ENDOWED AWARD FOR BEST NIGERIAN FILM
1. Beyond Blood
2. Dry —- WINNER
3. Fifty
4. Missing God
5. Falling
6. O’Town

AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR BEST YOUNG/ PROMISING ACTOR
1. Nyanso Dzedze – Hear Me Move
2. Ophelia Klenam Dzidzornu – The Cursed One
3. Zubaidat Ibrahim Fagge – Dry — WINNER
4. Ifu Ennada – O’Town
5. Eve Esin – Oshimiri

AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
1. Joseph Otsiman – The Cursed One
2. Uti Nwachukwu – Breathless
3. Abidine Dioari – Eye of the Storm — WINNER
4. Adeolu Adekola – Taxi Driver
5. Kenneth Nkosi – Ayanda
6. Thomas Gumede- Tell Me Sweet Something

AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
1. Thishiwe Ziqubu – Tell me Sweet Something — WINNER
2. Maureen Okpoko – Missing God
3. Ijeoma Grace Agu – Jimi Bendel/ Taxi Driver
4. Bontte Modiselle – Hear Me Move
5. Nthati Moshesh – Ayanda
6. Linda Ejiofor– Out of Luck

AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
1. Oris Erhuero – The Cursed One
2. OC Ukeje – Ayanda
3. Fragass Assande – Eye of the Storm
4. Masego ‘Maps’ Maponyane – Tell me Sweet Something
5. Daniel k. Daniel – Soldiers Story — WINNER
6. Biuferi Yakoubi – La Pagne

AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR BEST ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
1. Zineb Odeib – Behind Closed Doors
2. Adesua Etomi- Falling
3. Fulu Mugovhani – Ayanda – WINNER
4. Maimouna N’Daiye – Eye of the Storm
5. Iretiola Doyle, Dakore Egbuson, Nse Ikpe Etim, Omoni Oboli – Fifty
6. Nomzamo Mbatha – Tell me Sweet Something

AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR BEST FIRST FEATURE FILM BY A DIRECTOR
1. MONA – Anthony Abuah
2. Beyond Blood – Greg Odutayo — WINNER
3. 8 Bars and a Clef- Chioma Onyenwe

AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR BEST DIRECTOR
1. Nana Obiri-Yeboah – The Cursed One — WINNER
2. Biyi Bandele- Fifty
3. Sekou Toure- Eye of the Storm
4. Sara Blecher- Ayanda
5. Moussa Hamadou Djingarey- La Pagne
6. Stephanie Linus – Dry
7. Akin Omotoso – Tell me Sweet Something
8. Mohammed Ahed Bensouda – Behind Closed Doors

AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR BEST FILM
1. The Cursed One – Ghana
2. Fifty – Nigeria
3. Eye of the Storm – Burkina Faso — WINNER
4. Ayanda – South Africa
5. La Pagne- Niger
6. Dry – Nigeria
7. Tell me Sweet Something- South Africa
8. Behind Closed Doors- Morocco

AMAA LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Olu Jacobs & Joke Silva — WINNER

Richard Mofe Damijo — WINNER

Tony Akposhore — WINNER

source: http://lifedrama.com.ng/full-list-of-winners-at-the-2016-africa-movie-academy-awards/

 

The 2016 Africa Movie Academy Awards was held Saturday night (June 11) at the Obi Wali International Conference Center in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.


The hotly anticipated show was hosted by Chris Attoh, Mike Ezuruonye and Kgopedi Lilokoe. The ceremony recognizes and honours, actors, film directors and producers in the African film industry.

Check out the full list of winners at AMAA 2016….

EFERE OZAKO AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR BEST SHORT FILM
1. Encounter – Nigeria
2. Le Chemin – Cote De Voire
3. Blood Taxi – Nigeria
4. Meet The Parents – Nigeria/Canada – WINNER
5. Nourah The Holy Light – Burkina Faso
6. Ireti – Nigeria
7. Life of Nigerian Couple – Nigeria

AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR BEST ANIMATION
1. The Pencil – Burkina Faso – WINNER
2. The Peculiar Life of a Spider – Ghana
3. Funsie Fast Fingers – Nigeria
4. Lazare Sie Pale – Burkina Faso

AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR BEST DOCUMENTARY
1, My Fathers Funeral – Cameroon
2. Nollywood – Nigeria
3. Tchindas- Cape Verde
4. The Fruitless Tree – Niger — WINNER
5. Runs ‘I too Seek The Horizon’ – Nigeria/UK
6. Camera/Woman – Morocco

OUSMANE SEMBENE AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR BEST FILM IN AN AFRICAN LANGUAGE
1. Brotherhood Eye – Mali
2. Bala Bala Sese – Uganda
3. Missing God – Nigeria
4. Cursed Treasure – Ghana
5. Wako – Uganda
6. Daggers of Life (Agbe Fe Akumehewo) – Ghana

MICHAEL ANYIAM OSIGWE AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR BEST FILM BY AN AFRICAN LIVING ABROAD

1. Lambadina – Ethiopia/USA – WINNER
2. Skinned – Liberia/USA
3. LAPD African Cop – USA/Nigeria
4. Boxing Day – USA/Nigeria
5. MONA – Nigeria/UK

AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR BEST DIASPORA SHORT

1. Lines – USA
2. Raptors – USA
3. Across The Track – USA – WINNER

AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR BEST DIASPORA DOCUMENTARY

1. Can You Dig This- USA
2. America’s Blues – USA
3. Spirits of Rebellion – USA — WINNER

AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR BEST DIASPORA FEATURE

1. America Is Still the Place – USA
2. Ben & Ara – USA – WINNER
3. Luv Don’t Live Here – USA

AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN PRODUCTION DESIGN

1. The Cursed One – Ghana – WINNER
2. Soldiers Story – Nigeria
3. Ayanda- South Africa
4. Missing God – Nigeria
5. Out of Luck- Nigeria

AMAA 2016 ACHIEVEMENT IN COSTUME DESIGN

1. Eye of the storm (Burkina Faso) – WINNER
2. Oshimiri
3. The Cursed One
4. Ayanda
5. Soldiers Story

AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN MAKE-UP

1. Oshimiri
2. The Cursed One
3. Missing God
4. Soldiers Story – WINNER

AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUNDTRACK

1. O-Town – Nigeria – WINNER
2. Tell Me Sweet Something – South Africa
3. The Cursed One – Ghana
4. Hear me Move – South Africa
5. Le Pagne- Niger

AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN VISUAL EFFECT

1. Hear me Move – South Africa
2. Oshimiri – Nigeria — WINNER
3. silly Movie – Nigeria
4. House Arrest – Uganda
5. Soldiers Story – Nigeria

AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND

1. Eye of the Storm- Burkina Faso
2. Fifty – Nigeria — WINNER
3. The Cursed One – Ghana
4. Behind Closed Doors – Morocco
5. Falling – Nigeria
6. Rebecca- Ghana

AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN CINEMATOGRAPHY

1. The Cursed one — WINNER
2. Eye of the Storm
3. Ayanda
4. Tell me Sweet Something
5. Fifty

AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN EDITING

1. Behind Closed Doors
2. Rebecca
3. The Cursed One
4. Eye of the Storm
5. Hear me Move —– WINNER

AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN SCREEN PLAY
1. The Cursed One
2. Tell me Sweet Something —- WINNER
3. The Visit
4. Eye of the Storm
5. Beyond Blood

AMAA 2016- RIVERS STATE GOVERNMENT ENDOWED AWARD FOR BEST NIGERIAN FILM
1. Beyond Blood
2. Dry —- WINNER
3. Fifty
4. Missing God
5. Falling
6. O’Town

AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR BEST YOUNG/ PROMISING ACTOR
1. Nyanso Dzedze – Hear Me Move
2. Ophelia Klenam Dzidzornu – The Cursed One
3. Zubaidat Ibrahim Fagge – Dry — WINNER
4. Ifu Ennada – O’Town
5. Eve Esin – Oshimiri

AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
1. Joseph Otsiman – The Cursed One
2. Uti Nwachukwu – Breathless
3. Abidine Dioari – Eye of the Storm — WINNER
4. Adeolu Adekola – Taxi Driver
5. Kenneth Nkosi – Ayanda
6. Thomas Gumede- Tell Me Sweet Something

AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
1. Thishiwe Ziqubu – Tell me Sweet Something — WINNER
2. Maureen Okpoko – Missing God
3. Ijeoma Grace Agu – Jimi Bendel/ Taxi Driver
4. Bontte Modiselle – Hear Me Move
5. Nthati Moshesh – Ayanda
6. Linda Ejiofor– Out of Luck

AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
1. Oris Erhuero – The Cursed One
2. OC Ukeje – Ayanda
3. Fragass Assande – Eye of the Storm
4. Masego ‘Maps’ Maponyane – Tell me Sweet Something
5. Daniel k. Daniel – Soldiers Story — WINNER
6. Biuferi Yakoubi – La Pagne

AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR BEST ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
1. Zineb Odeib – Behind Closed Doors
2. Adesua Etomi- Falling
3. Fulu Mugovhani – Ayanda – WINNER
4. Maimouna N’Daiye – Eye of the Storm
5. Iretiola Doyle, Dakore Egbuson, Nse Ikpe Etim, Omoni Oboli – Fifty
6. Nomzamo Mbatha – Tell me Sweet Something

AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR BEST FIRST FEATURE FILM BY A DIRECTOR
1. MONA – Anthony Abuah
2. Beyond Blood – Greg Odutayo — WINNER
3. 8 Bars and a Clef- Chioma Onyenwe

AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR BEST DIRECTOR
1. Nana Obiri-Yeboah – The Cursed One — WINNER
2. Biyi Bandele- Fifty
3. Sekou Toure- Eye of the Storm
4. Sara Blecher- Ayanda
5. Moussa Hamadou Djingarey- La Pagne
6. Stephanie Linus – Dry
7. Akin Omotoso – Tell me Sweet Something
8. Mohammed Ahed Bensouda – Behind Closed Doors

AMAA 2016 AWARD FOR BEST FILM
1. The Cursed One – Ghana
2. Fifty – Nigeria
3. Eye of the Storm – Burkina Faso — WINNER
4. Ayanda – South Africa
5. La Pagne- Niger
6. Dry – Nigeria
7. Tell me Sweet Something- South Africa
8. Behind Closed Doors- Morocco

AMAA LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Olu Jacobs & Joke Silva — WINNER

Richard Mofe Damijo — WINNER

Tony Akposhore — WINNER

source: http://lifedrama.com.ng/full-list-of-winners-at-the-2016-africa-movie-academy-awards/

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Retired Military Officers – Nigeria Needs Damage Control

By Israel Abiodun

The Nigerian Military finally worked up the courage to purge itself of political officers with the announcement that swept out several of such questionable officers. Details are still emerging but the sack which has the approval of the Army Council was attributed to “service exigencies”.
Even though a statement issued by the acting Director of Army Public Relations, Col. Sani Usman did not specify the crimes of the sacked military officers, the affected persons have done a lot of massive self- reporting to confess their crimes. Details of their crimes were outed in online media platforms that are sympathetic to their cause or serving the same principal as the affected persons.
One of such sites went to town with the screamer, “FG Sacks 200 ‘Pro-Jonathan’ Military Officers”. The site thankfully went on to confirm that “loyalty to former President Goodluck Jonathan during the 2015 general elections” was the alleged grounds on which they were sacked. Nigerians must be reminded that the military is sworn to protect the country and the office of the president symbolises the country but nothing in that oath of allegiance mandates any officer to pursue the political ambition of the individual occupying the office. That would be playing party politics and it is clearly forbidden even if done in furtherance of the current office holder’s interest.
The responsible media organisation provided better insight that linked the sacked officers with defence contracts. The Presidential Committee investigating defence contracts had of course made indictments with of these sacked persons already being tried by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) just as another panel that investigated military partisanship during the 2015 general elections made its own indictments.
The veiled threat to the nation contained in how the retirement of these officers was reported by their media allies therefore showed that not only were they culpable of what they were indicted for they have also shown no remorse about it and have continued along the same track by presenting the consequences of their ill thought actions as political witch-hunt.
For instance, the headline cited earlier followed with a narration that “The list showed that they were mainly from the South East, South South and a small percentage of them were from the North Central region of the country.” The impression created by this is that the South West, North East and North West zones were not affected because officers from these areas were-not pro-Jonathan. This line of thinking failed in its deficit of reasoning to realise that it is indicting the South East, South South and a small part of the North Central as the parts of the country that produce unethical and unprofessional officers who are also kleptomaniacs that cannot keep their hands out of the public till. All the decent Nigerians from these areas, including former military officers who served meritoriously, should rise up and condemn this callous criminalisation of their ancestry.
But to a more serious dimension. The Army waited too long before acting as the issue was one that threatened and has continued to threaten our democracy. If the delay in showing these errant officers the way out was to allow for thorough investigations, then that is fine. But what must be avoided going forward is tarrying on crucial decisions because of political consideration as this amounted to playing the game on the terms of the rogue officers. In the time between when they were investigated and when action was finally taken, they have been able to poison more minds within and outside the institution, which is why their media were able to claim that the development was causing ripples in the military.


I dare describe them in harsh words because of the jeopardy they put the country into. The military is an institution and the Presidency is an office with clear cut constitutional provisions guiding the roles of each. The personnel of the institution and the holder of the office swore to suppress personal interests in the discharge of their duties in the various capacities. For some personnel to have acted contrary, driven by ethnic and pecuniary interests, equals to treason. Had they succeeded in their political foray, wouldn’t we today be under a military government by proxy contrary to our collective avowal for a representative democracy? The concept of separation of powers must be clearly adhered to for the insulation of our military against partisanship.
In recent history, countries whose military officers became openly political like the sacked ones here have been plunged into intractable crises. This fact is what these card carrying members of political parties should bear in mind whenever they are tempted to delude themselves into thinking they have been unfairly treated. What would have happened if officers from the other regions had also been unprofessional and backed an alternate political party? It would have been the perfect trigger for a civil war. Purging them out of the institution would no doubts bring about a strong and apolitical military. This is a great achievement and if it is the only thing President Muhammadu Buhari can do for Nigeria then we should be very happy that our journey to nationhood has started.
The cheap attempt at blackmail does not detract from the reality that crimes were committed – violation of oath of allegiance, breach of laws relating to elections, theft and other crimes. The relevant agencies must therefore commence their trial while the military makes public a declassified version of the report that indicted them for Nigerians to appreciate the need to get rid of these compromised officers. In fact, anyone of them that feels he was unfairly fired should take advantage of a trial to reverse the situation.
The military and the Federal Government must however be proactive in dealing with a bigger problem. The sacked officers must be placed under constant security watch because of other prevailing variables. As at the time these officers were committing these heinous acts, miscreants in the South South and South East were making threats of a break up against the country if the permutation goes against their shared interest. Today, the threats have given birth to terrorist separatist groups that are killing security agents and destroying economic assets. Even from within the Niger Delta, some ex-militants have identified some sacked politicians from the previous dispensation as sponsors of the attacks.
This is why we must be vigilant because the sacked officers were neck deep in politics and the billions stolen from defence contracts means they are also stupendously rich. A combination of their military experience, diverted weapons and stolen money flowing into an already problematic South South and South East regions would produce another monster, something like “Military Avengers ” that will either intensify the blowing up of oil and gas pipelines or even print the currency for one of their separatist groups to secede. The objective would be nothing less than the ridiculous demand from some regional leaders that charges be dropped against people standing trial for attacks in their areas to stop. The sacked persons, some of them also standing trial, would be additional incentives for more attacks.


As a country, we must now immediately begin damage control while hoping that it is not too late. While we were all focused on nation building these elements were busy perfecting their plans for the breakup of the country – the separatist groups have activated and their well-trained military counterparts may be on the way to joining them in insurrection with all their wealth of experience and material if nothing is done to neutralize their capacity to sink the country as they had promised.

Abiodun contributed this piece from Ibadan.


http://www.dailypost.ng/2016/06/11/israel-abiodun-retired-military-officers-nigeria-needs-damage-control/

Medical Doctor Turns Armed Robber And Car-Snatcher

FORTY-FIVE-YEAR-OLD Richard Macaulay Obafemi, will have a long time to rue over the day his life took a wrong turn that led him into armed robbery and car-snatch­ing as has been alleged by the police.

Until he descended into the new career, Obafemi was a medical doctor, who according to his account, had his primary and secondary school education at Ipaja, Lagos State before proceeding to the Univer­sity College London, UCL, where he obtained a degree in Microbiology in 1987 and later studied medicine at UCL, from 1987-1992. In 1993, he did the housemanship in Hatsfield, London. In 1996, Obafemi came to Nigeria for the Nation­al Youth Service Corps Scheme and was posted to Kwara State. At the end of the service year, Obafemi took up appointment with the College of Medicine, University of Benin, where he worked for two years from 1998 to 2000, before travelling to Saudi Arabia.

“I worked at the Royal Medical Centre, Jeddah, for four years. Subsequently, I got another employment offer from the University of Ghana, in 2006 and worked there till 2015.”

Continuing the tale, Obafemi who hails from Sagamu Local Government Area, Ogun State said: “In 2015, I came to Nige­ria and visited Kaduna State. During that trip, a car I was driving had an accident and the victim died. I was charged to court and remanded at Kaduna Central Prison. But I was later released from prison on April 8, 2016.

While in prison, Obafemi met and developed friendship with Stephen and Ifeanyi, who were also awaiting trial. After he was released, Obafemi linked up with Stephen and Ifeanyi who had also regained freedom. Within a short time, they convinced him to join their armed robbery and car-snatch­ing gang.

“After I left prison, I had followed Ifeanyi to Asaba and joined their gang, which specialized in snatching cars. We have stolen cars like Lexus, SUV in Lagos State, which I drove to Katsina State to sell to buyers from Niger Repub­lic. I sold one for N450,000,” Obafemi said.

Prodded on why he did not return to Ghana after being released from prison, Obafemi told Sunday Sun reporter: “I didn’t go back to University of Ghana because when I was in prison in Kaduna, I didn’t communicate with them.

“When I came out from prison, I found out that there was no going back. I decided to join the armed robbery gang to earn a living. I am married and blessed with three children. I lost my wife, Mary in 2012 while my three children are in Canada.”

A popular Nigerian parlance says, “many days for the thief, one day for the owner of the house.” Again, the Good Book teaches that when the cup of iniquity fills up, it spills over. For Obafemi and his alleged comrades in crime, the day of reckoning arrived when an alleged member of the gang, Valentine (surname with­held) was arrested in Onitsha by operatives of the Special Armed Robbery Squad of the Anambra Police Command and he spilled the beans, revealing the involvement of Obafemi in their activities who was at the time in a hotel (name withheld) in Onitsha, and explained that he had been there for four days waiting for the gang to bring cars he was to drive to Katsina and onwards to Niger Republic.

Armed with this information, Anambra State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Hosea Karma told Sunday Sun reporter that SARS operatives stormed the hotel on May 17, 2016 and arrested Obafemi. The head of SARS, Supol Ben Abang further informed Sunday Sun that the gang had for long been a terror to owners of SUVs, noting that the gang operated mainly along the Awka-Enugu Expressway.

After a series of success­ful car-snatching escapades, members of the gang would disappear from the town and go to Lagos to cool off, while waiting for the stolen cars to be sold before returning for more operations. It was during the last operation of the gang that Valentine was arrested.

When he spoke with Sunday Sun, Valentine confessed that the gang had been involved in several robbery operations in Asaba, Delta State and Anam­bra State. On what awaits

http://sunnewsonline.com/medical-doctor-turns-armed-robber-car-snatcher/

Attacks: We Won’t Leave Nigeria, Say Oil Firms

Ifeanyi Onuba, Okechukwu Nnodim and ’Femi Asu

International oil companies operating in the Niger Delta region are not thinking about pulling out from Nigeria at the moment despite the continued bombing and destruction of their facilities by militants in the area.

However, some of the IOCs plan increased production shut-ins, particularly in areas that are worst hit by the activities of the militant group, Niger Delta Avengers.
On Friday, the NDA bombed a pipeline belonging to the Nigerian Agip Oil Company in Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

The group had carried out series of bombings that had reduced Nigeria’s crude oil production by close to one million barrels per day, and had rebuffed any discussion with the Federal Government on ways to address it grievances.

A senior official of one of the affected oil majors operating in the Niger Delta told one of our correspondents on Saturday that although the bombings had shown no sign of stopping, his firm had yet to consider pulling out of Nigeria, although it had scaled down its operations in the area.

“We are not thinking of pulling out of Nigeria for I’ve never heard it and I don’t have an answer to say that we are pulling out from the country. However, this does not mean that we won’t shut operations in areas where explosions and destruction are high,” the official, who spoke to our correspondent on condition of anonymity, said.

The Managing Director, Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited and Country Chair, Shell Companies in Nigeria, Mr. Osagie Okunbor, told our correspondent last month, “Shell is not leaving Nigeria. Our strategy in Nigeria is to optimise our onshore oil footprint, while making further investments in other growth areas, particularly in deep water and the gas value chain, including domestic gas.”

When asked if the company was considering pulling out amid the increased hostility in the Niger Delta, Chevron’s General Manager, Policies, Government and Public Affairs, Deji Haastrup, said, “We will not be making any comment at this time.”

In its latest financial and operations report, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation explained that the recent upsurge in vandalism had negatively impacted on the country’s crude oil production output, making it to lose its African top crude oil producer status to Angola.

According to the corporation, about 380,000 barrels of crude oil per day remained shut-in due to vandalism of the 48-inch sub-sea export line on February 15, 2016.

“Also, the nation has lost over 1,500 megawatts of power supply to the damage as gas supply from Forcados, which is Nigeria’s major artery, accounts for 40 to 50 per cent of gas production. Incessant pipeline vandalism poses the greatest threat to the industry,” the NNPC said.

Chevron, Shell and Eni, the parent company of Nigeria Agip Oil Company, have been hard hit by the attacks by militants in the Niger Delta, home to most of the nation’s oil and gas production.

Currently, three of the nation’s five largest export streams, Forcados, Bonny Light and Brass River, have been totally suspended as a result of the attacks.

On Wednesday, Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited shut the Trans Niger Pipeline, which transports around 180,000 barrels of crude oil per day to the Bonny Export Terminal, after a leak was found.

Crude oil production in the country has dropped to about 1.4 million barrels per day from 2.2 million bpd, upon which the Federal Government assumed an oil revenue of N820bn at $38 per barrel benchmark price.

The sabotage of oil and gas infrastructure in recent months has contributed to a significant decline in production levels, and loss of revenue by government and oil companies.

According to the Managing Director, Frontier Oil Limited, an oil and gas field developing firm, Mr. Dada Thomas, it makes no business sense trying to earn income when one lacks the guarantee of staying alive to enjoy the revenue.

He said although the IOCs might not pull out immediately from Nigeria, if in the long term nothing meaningful was done to address the menace of the militants, the option of divesting might surface later.

Thomas said, “People only want to invest in an area where they can make money and enjoy their returns. This is a simple business strategy. There’s no point trying to make money if you are going to die in the next minute. It doesn’t make sense.

“Now, the solution to this trouble has to be a carrot and stick approach. There must be engagement, because to some extent there is a political arm to this menace. But is it criminality and that is why we must adopt a carrot and stick approach. Let the people know that I’m willing to engage but this engagement will be with legitimate people who can put the interest of their people on the table.”

Prof. Wumi Iledare of the International Association of Energy Economics stated that the IOCs would not just pull out from the country because of their level of investments, adding that many of them were operating based on shared contracts with the Federal Government.

He said, “I don’t think divestment by oil majors is something that can just happen quickly; where are you divesting to and who will want to come and buy those assets? However, many of them are operating on PSC (Production Sharing Contract) terms and it helps them in recovering their cost.

“However, if I am an investor, I will think twice before I invest in a place where my assets are not secured. But you should know that some of these oil companies have operated in a more hostile environment. It, however, does not mean that they don’t record losses as a result of the criminality in the region. So, what we need to do is to find a way to stop this criminality.”

The Chief Executive Officer, Gacmork Nigeria Limited and ex-Chevron executive, Mr. Alex Neyin, said, “We are already faced with reduced production. We are already faced with reduced gas to run our power plants. Some of the IOCs have already shut some of their operations and evacuated a number of their workers in the Niger Delta. But I don’t think they will pull out of the country.”

“If they (militants) wipe out their installations, the IOCs will leave. And there are documents showing force majeure. When there is force majeure, any expense they incur goes back to the government. If they cannot meet their shipping obligations, it goes back to the government.”

http://www.punchng.com/attacks-wont-leave-nigeria-say-oil-firms/

President Goodluck Jonathan and Corruption - Femi Orebe

If I were President Jonathan, I would put a stop to these arranged lectures and talks until such a time my innocence would have been established

“Nigerians know that Buhari is not the architect of their pains, which he is doing everything  to stop by stemming the bleeding caused by the rapacious PDP.. Whenever the condition in which we have found ourselves is discussed, it should be stated  clearly that Buhari has got his teeth into clearing the mess of about 16 years during  which PDP chiefs, at our expense, led a rollercoaster champagne life that would make Hollywood greats green with envy. They lived like kings and partied like movie stars. Nigerians said “enough”, kicked them out and handed Buhari the mandate to demolish the edifice of vices built by fraudsters, pranksters and gangsters parading  as leaders. Now the rebuilding has begun. It will take some time and patience. –Gbenga Omotoso, Editor, The Nation, Thursday, 09.06.2016.

Looking at the duo of former President Olusegun Obasanjo and Mrs. Patience Jonathan the other day, smooching, hugging and dancing azonto, one question that raced through my mind was: what do the Jonathan’s  now think of Obasanjo, the man who brought them fame, fortune and ultimately,  perdition? You do not need to have known former President Goodluck Jonathan up close to appreciate the fact that he was a perfect gentleman, neither  a Pharaoh nor a Nebuchadnezzar. But that was until Obasanjo, out of   his utter disdain for the duo  of  Ibrahim Babangida and Abubakar Atiku alongside the slew of Northerners keen on contesting for the presidency in 2011,  cajoled and  ended up railroading a quiet, peaceful and easy going  Jonathan into contesting the 2011 Presidential election, thus single-handedly tearing PDP’s zoning arrangement into tatters. The party recently attributed its  shellacking in the 2015 Presidential election,  majorly to that very  incident.

I have read and heard  a whole lot of Jeremiad coming  from  those the  new media describes as the wailing wailers.   I have read and listened to many say Buhari should stop whatever it is he is doing, pack, go and let corruption come back in all its fury, a wish God forbids.  As I often say in this column, I am not here to eulogise Buhari as I do have reservations  of my own about some of the things he did and those he left undone.  For instance his appointments have been mostly sectional, rather than inclusive.  Also, he ought, by now  to have given the Fulani herdsmen’s  menace  much more attention  than  just asking  the police and the army to handle it because  undisputed  research has shown that  some  top guns in these agencies are not uninterested parties.  The President, we pray,  will come back  from his 10-day leave much more invigorated. He should   therefore waste no more time in  frontally  and properly interrogating a problem that has left thousands of Nigerians  killed for nothing. Another area of my being ill at ease with the President is how, a full year into his administration, he  still sits  pretty  seeing the National Assembly  remain  a sink hole with legislators carting home multi-millions  quarterly  despite  the country’s  parlous  economic circumstances. This past week, we saw them self-eulogising and back slapping regardless of how  greatly Nigerians  have come to loathe them. These are people who awarded themselves ridiculously huge allowances which were not approved by the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission. I think  the President should stop this illegality by whatever means he can , not minding the fact of the Legislature being a different arm of government since the appropriate government agency has  severally denied  approving such allowances. After all, the buck stops  at  his  table.
I digress.

With  what Nigerians now know about the  Goodluck Jonathan era,  the  suffering  we are presently  experiencing   be it power, foreign exchange  etc and  which  the wailers  never stop shouting about,  even as they left a putrefying Augean stable  for Buhari to clear, would have  been  nothing but  a child’s play  had  the former President got re-elected. Indeed, by now,  Nigeria would have become  another Venezuela, that other  country where oil boom has turned oil doom  with its citizens queue-ing to have the lowest item needed for survival .  The signs were all there as the Jonathan government has started feeding Nigerians on a daily  diet of lies.  For instance, MrsOkonjo-Iweala was serially denying the fact  that Nigeria was broke even as they have already borrowed close to half a billion naira  to pay workers’ salaries.
President Jonathan lost the election but certainly not  for lack of trying. As Orubebe was busy ranting his inanities, tying to provoke Professor Jega, the INEC chairman,  in order to precipitate a situation where their goons would teargas everybody and stop the announcement of the election results, Diezeani’s  bribe money  for the purpose of  altering the  Presidential election results  nationwide  was going round every part of  the country. As God would have it, those to whom she shelled the money knew it was too little,  and too late as  Nigerians have  put an ignominious end to the era of lootocracy. Rather than part with the money,  most  simply held to their own share of the loot.

Had Jonathan won, nobody  would have heard a whimper about this humongous amount of money sourced, illegally by Diezeani from her rogue accomplices in the oil industry which she had dominated like a colossus.

With daily breaking news about the heist  perpetrated under  his  nose , it is a shame  President Jonathan  is going round the world  trying to burnish his name  and claiming, tongue in cheek, that he fought corruption. So massive was the looting that his ministers  very easily  convinced him not to cooperate with the incoming administration  as a result of which he could only give his handing over notes to his  successor a  few days to his exit. By going out making those claims are we to assume that he is unaware of many of his men who have confessed to looting the treasury one way or the other? Did his cousin,   Robert Azibaola, just chanced on 40 Billion dollars  for a  contract  which the EFCC describes as dubious, for the supply  of  Tactical equipment for special forces but details of executing which it says does not exist? What of how  people around him turned a so-called negotiation for the release of  the Chibok girls to a casino? While regaling his audience in a speech at the Bloomberg studio in London claiming he fought corruption by not making money available to people, was it that he had not heard what Hassan Tukur, his Principal Secretary, was reported to have told the EFCC about the 40 Billion dollars  he, Jonathan, approved, and Azibaola picked from the office of the National Security Adviser which had  by then become an automatic teller machine, for the release of the Chibok girls? Is it possible the former President has  not heard that Tukur has confessed to diverting the money and sharing it with somebody? Or what corruption can be greater than authorising, as reportedly claimed by the National Security Adviser, the sharing of 2.1 Billion dollars meant for arms purchase for items not remotely  related to arms? And what about the millions of dollars raked in from oil crude sales which  should have gone to the federation account to relieve states,  but was diverted  and used by the  oil empress for the purpose of altering  the presidential election results?

If I were President Jonathan, I would put a stop to these arranged lectures and talks until such a time my innocence would have been  established. Or  hasn’t he just said he is being investigated?
Sir, this time around, silence will be golden.

http://thenationonlineng.net/president-goodluck-jonathan-corruption-2/

Sen. Jonah Jang condemns plans for grazing reserve policy in Plateau

THE GRAZING RESERVES POLICY IS ANTI-PEOPLE AND SHOULD BE REJECTED
The attention of Senator Jonah David Jang has been drawn to a news item variously carried in the print and aired on electronic news media to the effect that the Plateau State Government has not only endorsed the issue of the grazing reserve but has gone ahead to initiate plans to designate some areas for that purpose.
At a time like one in which we currently live, it is imperative to state in unequivocal and unambiguous terms where one stands with regard to the issue of the grazing reserve. Sen. Jonah Jang wishes to come clear to his constituents and all peace loving Plateau people that he does not and will not support any grazing reserve either on the floor of the senate or any forum/platform where the issue is discussed.
The issue has generated a lot of controversy amongst plateau people because government has decided to play politics with issues that affect the very fabric which defines the heritage of our people, their culture and their land. Plateau people (regardless of creed, party affiliation or ethnicity) must rise against any subtle attempt to cede their land for the purpose of satisfying the selfish and egotistical whims of a few who are hell bent on disturbing our collective peace.
One wonders how a government which has not shown any interest in developing agriculture in the state in the last one year has suddenly woken to support a policy which is neither in the interest of plateau people nor that of public good for that matter. Except for the outrageous contract for the supply of fertilizer which farmers are yet the receive, the present government in Plateau state has not shown any seriousness towards improving on the solid foundation and successes achieved by the ASTC let alone doing anything in the sector that should warrant such outlandish support for a policy that negatively affects the very people it claims to serve.
Sen. Jang had set a good example of how those who want to rear cattle or any livestock should go about doing so by establishing a ranch for the Butura Milk farm in Bokkos. Let it be on record therefore that the distinguished senator strongly rejects any attempt by the Plateau state government to introduce any form of grazing reserves in Plateau State.
The senator calls on all Plateau indigenes who have any herds of cattle to create ranches for them within their localities and any other person who also rears cattle should do same within their locality so that nobody keeps their herd on anybody’s land. The surest way to resolving the issue of grazing reserve is to have everyone who has herds of cattle to ranch them within their locality or any acquired land of choice; this is the best practice worldwide.
For the Federal Government which owns no cattle, to connive with willing state governors to impose a grazing reserve policy on hapless citizens who have suffered the brunt of rampaging herdsmen in the no distant past is not only an abuse of their rights but an assault on their already battered psyche. This must vehemently be resisted.
Worse of all, to show disdain for their people, some state governments, that of Plateau inclusive, have gone ahead to start implementation of the policy without any form of consultation with the people. This is clear indication that the government of the day, has no vision but is only playing out the script of some masquerade somewhere. It is common sense that he who pays the piper, dictates the tune.
Why would a government which claims that its greatest achievement in the last one year has been in the area of peace on the one hand, be courting a policy that has the capacity to reverse all that gain, if any at all. It is unfortunate that plateau people have to bear the hardship meted out on them by the present government but we call on them not to despair as there is always light at the end of the tunnel.
Those who wish to further emasculate the people in spite of the untold hardship that currently pervades the land, by introducing policies and programs that create more tension should continue to do so but Senator Jang and people of like mind are on the side of the masses. The clear message Plateau people want to send to those within and outside the state is ‘PLATEAU PEOPLE SAY NO TO GRAZING RESERVES.’
As a people who have experienced the atrocities of those who seek to take over their land by whatever means, Plateau people must be resilient in rejecting any law or request that seeks to tamper with their heritage, not even the involvement of the Government of the day should deter them.
THE GRAZING RESERVES POLICY IS ANTI-PEOPLE AND SHOULD BE REJECTED
The attention of Senator Jonah David Jang has been drawn to a news item variously carried in the print and aired on electronic news media to the effect that the Plateau State Government has not only endorsed the issue of the grazing reserve but has gone ahead to initiate plans to designate some areas for that purpose.
At a time like one in which we currently live, it is imperative to state in unequivocal and unambiguous terms where one stands with regard to the issue of the grazing reserve. Sen. Jonah Jang wishes to come clear to his constituents and all peace loving Plateau people that he does not and will not support any grazing reserve either on the floor of the senate or any forum/platform where the issue is discussed.
The issue has generated a lot of controversy amongst plateau people because government has decided to play politics with issues that affect the very fabric which defines the heritage of our people, their culture and their land. Plateau people (regardless of creed, party affiliation or ethnicity) must rise against any subtle attempt to cede their land for the purpose of satisfying the selfish and egotistical whims of a few who are hell bent on disturbing our collective peace.
One wonders how a government which has not shown any interest in developing agriculture in the state in the last one year has suddenly woken to support a policy which is neither in the interest of plateau people nor that of public good for that matter. Except for the outrageous contract for the supply of fertilizer which farmers are yet the receive, the present government in Plateau state has not shown any seriousness towards improving on the solid foundation and successes achieved by the ASTC let alone doing anything in the sector that should warrant such outlandish support for a policy that negatively affects the very people it claims to serve.
Sen. Jang had set a good example of how those who want to rear cattle or any livestock should go about doing so by establishing a ranch for the Butura Milk farm in Bokkos. Let it be on record therefore that the distinguished senator strongly rejects any attempt by the Plateau state government to introduce any form of grazing reserves in Plateau State.
The senator calls on all Plateau indigenes who have any herds of cattle to create ranches for them within their localities and any other person who also rears cattle should do same within their locality so that nobody keeps their herd on anybody’s land. The surest way to resolving the issue of grazing reserve is to have everyone who has herds of cattle to ranch them within their locality or any acquired land of choice; this is the best practice worldwide.
For the Federal Government which owns no cattle, to connive with willing state governors to impose a grazing reserve policy on hapless citizens who have suffered the brunt of rampaging herdsmen in the no distant past is not only an abuse of their rights but an assault on their already battered psyche. This must vehemently be resisted.
Worse of all, to show disdain for their people, some state governments, that of Plateau inclusive, have gone ahead to start implementation of the policy without any form of consultation with the people. This is clear indication that the government of the day, has no vision but is only playing out the script of some masquerade somewhere. It is common sense that he who pays the piper, dictates the tune.
Why would a government which claims that its greatest achievement in the last one year has been in the area of peace on the one hand, be courting a policy that has the capacity to reverse all that gain, if any at all. It is unfortunate that plateau people have to bear the hardship meted out on them by the present government but we call on them not to despair as there is always light at the end of the tunnel.
Those who wish to further emasculate the people in spite of the untold hardship that currently pervades the land, by introducing policies and programs that create more tension should continue to do so but Senator Jang and people of like mind are on the side of the masses. The clear message Plateau people want to send to those within and outside the state is ‘PLATEAU PEOPLE SAY NO TO GRAZING RESERVES.’
As a people who have experienced the atrocities of those who seek to take over their land by whatever means, Plateau people must be resilient in rejecting any law or request that seeks to tamper with their heritage, not even the involvement of the Government of the day should deter them.
THE GRAZING RESERVES POLICY IS ANTI-PEOPLE AND SHOULD BE REJECTED
The attention of Senator Jonah David Jang has been drawn to a news item variously carried in the print and aired on electronic news media to the effect that the Plateau State Government has not only endorsed the issue of the grazing reserve but has gone ahead to initiate plans to designate some areas for that purpose.
At a time like one in which we currently live, it is imperative to state in unequivocal and unambiguous terms where one stands with regard to the issue of the grazing reserve. Sen. Jonah Jang wishes to come clear to his constituents and all peace loving Plateau people that he does not and will not support any grazing reserve either on the floor of the senate or any forum/platform where the issue is discussed.
The issue has generated a lot of controversy amongst plateau people because government has decided to play politics with issues that affect the very fabric which defines the heritage of our people, their culture and their land. Plateau people (regardless of creed, party affiliation or ethnicity) must rise against any subtle attempt to cede their land for the purpose of satisfying the selfish and egotistical whims of a few who are hell bent on disturbing our collective peace.
One wonders how a government which has not shown any interest in developing agriculture in the state in the last one year has suddenly woken to support a policy which is neither in the interest of plateau people nor that of public good for that matter. Except for the outrageous contract for the supply of fertilizer which farmers are yet the receive, the present government in Plateau state has not shown any seriousness towards improving on the solid foundation and successes achieved by the ASTC let alone doing anything in the sector that should warrant such outlandish support for a policy that negatively affects the very people it claims to serve.
Sen. Jang had set a good example of how those who want to rear cattle or any livestock should go about doing so by establishing a ranch for the Butura Milk farm in Bokkos. Let it be on record therefore that the distinguished senator strongly rejects any attempt by the Plateau state government to introduce any form of grazing reserves in Plateau State.
The senator calls on all Plateau indigenes who have any herds of cattle to create ranches for them within their localities and any other person who also rears cattle should do same within their locality so that nobody keeps their herd on anybody’s land. The surest way to resolving the issue of grazing reserve is to have everyone who has herds of cattle to ranch them within their locality or any acquired land of choice; this is the best practice worldwide.
For the Federal Government which owns no cattle, to connive with willing state governors to impose a grazing reserve policy on hapless citizens who have suffered the brunt of rampaging herdsmen in the no distant past is not only an abuse of their rights but an assault on their already battered psyche. This must vehemently be resisted.
Worse of all, to show disdain for their people, some state governments, that of Plateau inclusive, have gone ahead to start implementation of the policy without any form of consultation with the people. This is clear indication that the government of the day, has no vision but is only playing out the script of some masquerade somewhere. It is common sense that he who pays the piper, dictates the tune.
Why would a government which claims that its greatest achievement in the last one year has been in the area of peace on the one hand, be courting a policy that has the capacity to reverse all that gain, if any at all. It is unfortunate that plateau people have to bear the hardship meted out on them by the present government but we call on them not to despair as there is always light at the end of the tunnel.
Those who wish to further emasculate the people in spite of the untold hardship that currently pervades the land, by introducing policies and programs that create more tension should continue to do so but Senator Jang and people of like mind are on the side of the masses. The clear message Plateau people want to send to those within and outside the state is ‘PLATEAU PEOPLE SAY NO TO GRAZING RESERVES.’
As a people who have experienced the atrocities of those who seek to take over their land by whatever means, Plateau people must be resilient in rejecting any law or request that seeks to tamper with their heritage, not even the involvement of the Government of the day should deter them.

Militants Threaten To Attack Niger-Delta Governors

THE Joint Revolutionary Council, JRC, of the Joint Niger Delta Liberation Force, JNDLF, yesterday, warned that it would go after any state governor from the Niger Delta region that betrays the current struggle by militants. The militant group gave the warning on a day the Niger Delta Avengers blew up a key crude oil pipeline, belonging to the Nigerian Agip Oil Company, Agip Eni, in Bayesla State making it the 16th of such attacks on pipelines since it commenced pipeline bombing on February 10.


JNDLF in a statement by the Commander, General Duties, JNDLF, General Akotebe Darikoro, and three others, also explained why the militant group did not launch six missiles in the region as earlier threatened. The group, which has agreed to engage in dialogue with the Federal Government also made a seven-point demand to forestall further attacks. Its words: “We shall continue to engage in dialogue if our demands are met. Our representatives for the dialogue, especially the governors and others will not betray our demands with the federal government. Any betrayal on their own part shall be viewed as betrayal of the entire region and we shall go after them immediately as they know our mode of operation in which they will not escape from us.”


Failed missiles

The group asserted: “There is no gainsaying that we made our earlier promise to launch six Missiles simultaneously against some targeted areas. But this was waved aside as a result of appeals made to us through email by the Federal Government and some international nations to open talks with (President) Buhari.” “We saw some genuine aspiration on the part of Buhari, who made several contacts to us to see reason with them over the issue of under-development of the region. And since he (Buhari) had set the ball rolling for a clear negotiation with us, there is no problem without solution. We have therefore declared ceasefire in order to negotiate with the government if it is a true reflection of what they have in mind to develop the Niger Delta region”.

The group added that: “We are not ready to negotiate with the federal government for the sake of monetary benefit to us but how genuinely the government will develop the region is at the centre of our discussion and anything less than that we will continue our struggle without further warning to the federal government.”

Conditions to forestall further attacks
The group also gave some conditions which the government must meet in order to avert resumption of struggle which include: “immediate release of the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd) and Dr. Nnamdi Kanu, whose release was ordered by the court severally, pointing out that “their continued detention was unconstitutional and against the tenet of our nascent democracy in the country”. JNDLF also demanded that: “the government must “direct EFCC to defreeze the bank accounts of ex- militant leader, Government Ekpemupolo, (a.k.a. Tompolo). The only Nigerian Maritime University sited in the most appropriate and befitting place– Okerenkoko in Delta State, must start the 2015/2016 academic session immediately;

“The immediate implementation of the report of the 2014 National Conference report, failure of which Nigeria will forcefully break-up. “ Oil-polluted lands in the Niger Delta must be cleaned up, while compensation should be paid to all oil-producing communities, e.g. Chevron fire outbreak of gas explosion in Koluama, Bayelsa state and Bonga Oil Spill in 2011; “Removal of Brigadier General Paul Boroh (rtd.) as an Amnesty Coordinator who does not understand the programmes and policies of the Amnesty and does not know us to the grassroots.

“Hence he (Boroh) should be replaced with Dr. Felix Tuodolo who has been in the struggle of non-violence since 1980 and he was the designer of the Amnesty programme. The group added: “We carry out all these attacks on oil and gas pipelines in the region because of the statement made by President Buhari that, he will develop those areas that gave him 95% votes during his presidential election last year. We, the Niger Delta people only gave him 5% hence we vowed that our oil money will not be used for the development of any other region. The President should change his mind-set towards the region, if not this will continue.”

JNDLF asserted: “We further thank the American government and other international nations through several emails for prevailing on us not to use missiles, but to come to round table discussion with the federal government. We also thank our foreign partners whohave gone back with their chartered submarine vessels.

However, if these demands are not met as we have embarked on cease fire now, there will be no further ultimatum to the Nigerian government,” it said. Avengers blow up Agip ENI crude pipeline in Bayelsa. Meanwhile, while Nigeria is still bleeding over previous pipeline attacks, Niger Delta Avengers, NDA, wreaked more pains, Friday, blowing up a key crude oil pipeline, belonging to the Nigerian Agip Oil Company, Agip Eni, in Bayesla State. Barely 24 hours earlier, militants, bombed a crude pipeline belonging to NPDC, a subsidiary of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, around Ogidigben, Warri South- West local government area of Delta state. The unrepentant militants have noticeably spurned the two- week ceasefire by the Federal Government and also turned away from dialogue, Avengers did not claim responsibility for the Thursday evening attack, initially thought to be an SPDC facility around Ogidigben, Warri South West local government area, Delta state, but in a tweet on its twitter handle, it said: “3.00 am of Friday @Niger Delta Avengers blow up the Obi Obi Brass Trunk line belonging to Agip ENI. It is Agip’s major crude oil line in Bayelsa state.” Joyful about the country’s calamity occasioned by its crushing strikes, the group in another tweet said: “It is good as foreign refineries stop buying Nigeria oil because the Nigeria state has been robbing the Niger Delta of her oil and gas. We will inform the international community when we are open for business,” NDA added. On June 2 at about 2:00am, the group blew up the Ogboinbiri to Tebidaba and Clough Creek to Tebidaba crude oil pipelines in Bayelsa State and at about 3:00 am, blasted the SPDC Forcados 48" Export line, saying, “We warned SPDC not to go ahead with repair works but they refused.”

Gbaramatu communities deplore fresh attacks Reacting to the latest pipeline attack riverside communities in Gbaramatu Kingdom, yesterday, condemned the bombings of crude lines in Bayelsa and Delta States respectively by the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA). Spokesperson of the communities and chairman of Kokodiagbene community, Comrade Sheriff Mulade, said: ‘’Our position is that the continued bombings of the region in view of the ceasefire arrangement is highly condemnable. They are technically crippling the economy to enable them get what they want. Therefore, they should not personalize their Niger Delta demands.

“Some of the things they highlighted are what the Niger Delta people are agitating for and violence is not best way to get those things done. We think they are only taking advantage of government’s failure to address these fundamental issues. ‘’We want to draw the attention of these militants to the fact they are destroying our environment which is the only thing that we have. The massive spills these bombings have triggered have devastated the environment and to remediate the environment would take decades to do. So, their acts are roundly condemned,” he said. In spite of the provocation, Mulade appealed to the federal government to be patient and adopt a more robust intelligence gathering mechanism to fish out the perpetrators whom he described as criminal elements masquerading as Niger Delta agitators. The communities urged the military high command to look inward because they were moles in its ranks and files, who work hands in gloves with the masterminds of the heinous crimes.

Cease bombing or lose support —Onokpasa In addition, APC chieftain in Delta state, Jesutega Onokpasa, has called on the Niger Delta Avengers to stop bombing pipelines or lose the support of Niger Deltans, He said: “Niger Deltan Avengers and other groups targeting oil and gas facilities should embrace the olive branch extended to them in form of the ceasefire declared by the Federal Government. The Avengers and similar groups must now demonstrate their love for the region by embracing dialogue. Recalcitrance and further destruction of our oil and gas infrastructure on their part will only cast them in the light of vandals and not the freedom fighters they claim to be.

The danger in such conduct will have the effect of further alienating the Niger Delta people from them which will prove to be quite ironic since they claim to be fighting our collective cause,” he said. Onokposa urges Tompolo to intervene Onokposa added: “I equally call on Government Ekpemupolo, aka Tompolo, wherever he might be to now demonstrate that he can be a part of the solution and not the problem. He has done it before during the Yar’Adua era when he was the last man standing and keyed into the Amnesty Program. “He should strive to do it again and be assured that his intervention will not be construed by reasonable men as indicative of the fact that he masterminded the attacks in the first place.

Many people already know that disenchanted former militants, who have returned to armed struggle due to hunger and frustration occasioned by the dynamics of our recent political experience, orchestrated the attacks. “I therefore urge Tompolo to be part of the solution and to take my advice in good faith in spite of the differences we might have had in the past. At the end of the day, Buhari’s government is the one we have and it needs money to function for our own good. If it cannot function, we will all be the losers if the country collapses on our heads.”

Group faults Buhari

However, Secretary, Gbaramatu Political Forum, Comrade Isaiah Ogah, blamed the recent upsurge in militancy in the region on President Muhammadu Buhari’s desperation to rubbish former President Goodluck Jonathan. Ogah said: “Buhari demonstrated hatred for the people of Niger Delta, particularly the Ijaws by cancelling the Maritime University at Okerenkoko and proposing six new universities. “I sincerely appeal to the Niger Avengers to please embrace dialogue for the sake of the innocent Nigerian people.

“We are waiting also for the military to apologize to the people of Gbaramatu kingdom for the unwarranted harassment and inhuman treatment of criminalizing us in the wake of the attacks,” he asserted. Ogah further called on the Delta gtate governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, to visit Gbaramatu to assuage the pains suffered by the king and victims of military harassment. Bid to bomb Tuomo gas pipeline thwarted.

In a related development, security operatives, have foiled an attempt by suspected militants to blow up the Tuomo gas pipeline in Bayelsa state after blasting the Agip crude oil pipeline in the early hours of Friday (June 10). A source said security agents pursued the leader of the gang, one VIP, suspected to be from Azagbene community in Ekeremor local government and four others, but they escaped into the mangrove swamp. NDA attack timeline (Not less than 16 attacks between February 10 and June 9).
* February 10, 2016: At about 1:30 am, the group
attacked the Bonny Soku Gas Export Line. The line
conveys natural gas to the Nigeria Liquefied Natural
Gas plant and an independent power plant at Gbaran in the Niger Delta.

* February 14: It attacked an SPDC giant underwater
Forcados 48-inch Export Pipeline at the Forcados Export Terminal.

* February 19: At about 3:30 a.m, blew up the Clough
Creek Tebidaba Agip Pipeline Manifold in Bayelsa State.

* May 4: Attacked the Chevron Valve Platform located
at Abiteye. This platform is reportedly the most significant platform for Chevron as it serves as the main connecting point where all other platforms link up and it is a fulcrum to Chevron BOP and the Chevron Tank Farm.

* May 5: Launched a coordinated attack on the Chevorn Well D25 in Abiteye and blew up major pipelines. *May 13: Bombed a Chevron pipeline at two separate spots near a military location.

* May 20: It attacked the Escravos Gas Pipeline, a facility of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, in Delta State.

*May 25: NDA Struck Chevron main electricity feed pipeline to the Escravos Tank Farm at Ciera creek in Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State.

* May 27: Destroyed the Nembe 1, 2 and 3 Brass to Bonny trunk lines belonging to Nigerian Agip Oil Company, NAOC and Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC in Bayelsa State at about 2.15am on Saturday.

*May 27: Blew up NNPC Gas and Crude trunk lines in
Warri at 11.45 pm

*May 31: Blew up Chevron Oil Well RMP 23 and RMP 24 believed to the company’s highest swamp producing oil wells at about 3:44 am

*June 1: It carried out twin -attack on Well RMP 23 and RMP 24 owned by Chevron Nigeria Limited. Both wells are located at Dibi in Warri South West local government area of Delta State.

*June 2: About 2.00 am, it also bombed the Ogboinbiri to Tebidaba and Clough Creek to Tebidaba Crude oil pipelines in Bayelsa State.

*June 3: At about 3:00 am, it blew up the SPDC Forcados 48" Export line in Delta State because the company went ahead with repair works against its warning

*June 3: At about 3:30am, strike team blew up Brass to Tebidaba Crude oil line in Bayelsa state.

*June 9: At 3:am of Friday, NDA blew up the Obi Obi Brass Trunk line belonging to Agip ENI. It is Agip’s Major Crude oil Line in Bayelsa State.

www.vanguardngr.com/2016/06/militants-threaten-attack-govs-2/