Militants kill 2 soldiers, 6 civilians, sink houseboat

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...towards a better life for the people

N200 VOL. 25: NO. 63042

ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

FRIDAY, JUNE 3, 2016

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Mr & Mrs

Continues on Page 5

•P.19 S e e i n s id e •P.17

—Page 6

Ondo guber polls2016: Intrigues,power play amongAPC’s 50 aspirants

An historicevent

The seas do notrequire humansacrifice

CLEAN-UP OF OGONILAND: From left, Minister of State for Environment, Ibrahim Jibrin; Vice President, Prof.

Yemi Osinbajo; Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State and Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State, during the launch of clean-up of Ogoniland by the Vice President in Bodo, Gokana Local Government Area, Rivers State, yesterday. SEE MORE PIX ON PAGE 12.

Militants kill 2 soldiers, 6civilians, sink houseboat We didn't kill 2 soldiers —Avengers JNDLF to test missiles in 6 N-Delta states from June 7 Stop, you‘re killing Delta, Okowa tells militants Britain, Bayelsa monarch caution FG over military option

By Emma Amaize,Simon Ebegbulem,Jimitota Onoyume,

Daud Olatunji,Rotimi Ojomoyela,Charles Kumolu,

LevinusNwabughiogu,

Ochuko Akuopha &Davies Iheamnachor

36

9

W

ARRI – SUSPECTEDmilitants, Wednesday

evening, launched asurprise attack at a militaryhouseboat in the creeks of

Warri South-West LocalGovernment Area, DeltaState, killing two soldiersand six civilians.

In a swift reaction, theNiger Delta Avengers,NDA, last night, deniedkilling two soldiers in thebloody attack of a houseboat

Ogoni clean-up: Oil theft, illegalrefining must stop now —Buhari

12

FG scraps post-UTME tests

8

Nigeria's

Barkindo isnew OPECscribe

21

N1.4trn fine: Why MTNmay not

make fullpayment — NASS

COLUMNISTS:

Soldiers storm Zik'sTeaching Hospital,whisk away injuredIPOB members

Biafra Remembrance Day:



2 —Vanguard, FRIDAY, JUNE 3, 2016



6—Vanguard , FRIDAY, JUNE 3, 2014

L

AGOS—42-year-old ZainabSalisu, who stole two

children, told newsmen,yesterday, at Lagos State PoliceCommand, Ikeja, that she neededthe babies because she had amiscarriage, but needed to showher lover evidence of thepregnancy she claimed was his.

However, Zainab’s lover,Saheed Akinwale, a father of three, said he only met her lastyear, adding “few months after westarted dating, she said she waspregnant for me and wanted totravel to the United States todeliver the children.

“I assisted her with N250,000. Whi le she was outside thecountry, she kept calling me with

a private number. I never suspected that she was inNigeria, or that she never had achild.

“Three weeks ago, she calledthat she was back in the countryand I went to her place to see thetwins she claimed were mine. Iam innocent. I know nothingabout this crime.”

Her confessionsOn how she stole the babies,

Zainab said: “I stole Feyitolabecause I had miscarriage and Idid not want my lover, Saheed Akinwale, who gave me N250,000to process my travellingdocuments to the United States,

where I told him I was going todeliver the baby, to find out thetruth.”

On the second child, she said:“I did not steal Philip. His mother died four months after his birthand his father, who is my uncle,asked me to take care of him. It was after I stole Feyitola that I told Akinwale that I had come back tothe country with the twins.”

The two infants, one-year-oldFeyitola Lawal, and Taye (not realname) had been rescued byoperatives of the Lagos StateCriminal Investigations andIntelligence Department, SCIID, Yaba, Lagos.

Vanguard gathered that FeyitolaLawal was abducted on May 16by Zainab Salisu, who reportedlyintroduced herself to the baby’sgrandmother as the owner of apoultry farm, who would love tosupply them eggs.

It was gathered that Zainab, who claimed she was new in thearea, Abule-Ijoko, becamefriendly with the Lawals andabducted their child after gainingtheir trust.

Zainab, who said she neededto buy souvenirs for her children’sbirthday, disappeared at AgegeBus Stop with Feyitola, whosemother had accompanied her.

The case was then reported to

all the police divisions at Area G,Ogba, and later transferred toSCIID, Yaba, Panti, for further investigation.

Seventeen days later, Zainab was tracked down through her phone and arrested with another

I stole 2 babies to impress my lover—SUSPECT She told me she had twins in the US—LOVERBy Esther Onyegbula

eight-month-old baby boysimply called Taye.

Baby's mothertells her story

Mother of the toddler, LawalDamilola, 25, who claimed shemet Zainab at her mother-in-law’s shop, where she claimedto be new to the area andneeded a Church where she

would be worshipping.She said: “My mother in-

law directed her to our Church and on Sunday, shecame to worship. She cameback to the shop two dayslater.

“This time, she said her children wanted to celebratetheir birthday and that she was to buy souveni rs ,

pleading that I shouldaccompany her. I carried mybaby and we went to JustriteSupermarket.

“She said she did not findany souvenir that she liked.Later, she offered to help mecarry Feyitola and thendisappeared with my baby.”

Parading the suspects, thecommand spokesperson, SP

Dolapo Badmus, said that thepolice swung into actionimmediately the case of childabduction was reported at theDivisions in Area G, Ogba, andthe SCIID, Yaba.

Badmus said the investigationpaid off as the suspect and oneSaheed Akinwale were arrested, with ano ther stolen chi ldrecovered from them.

CALABAR— ABI GAILNweke, the ‘Chairlady’ of

commercial sex workers inCalabar, has been charged to

court for allegedly takingteenage girls from Benue Stateand turning them to commercialsex workers in Calabar.

Miss Nweke was charged toMagistrate’s Court 1, presidedover by Magistrate MichaelEdoki for unlawfully abductingsix teenage girls from Vandeikiya and Ekun LocalGovernment areas of BenueState and taking them to VegasFlex, a brothel in Calabar,located at Bedwell Street. According to the police

prosecutor, Maxwell Bassey, Abigail deceitfully took the girlsfrom their homes in BenueState without the consent of

their parents and “forced theminto prostitution, which is acriminal offence andpunishable with five yearsimprisonment if found guilty.” Abigail, who pleaded not

guilty to the charge, said she

was arrested based on thereport of some people whoare envious of her progress.

She said: “I sell roastedplantain and fish in front of

Vegas Flex and not intoprostitution as claimed bythose who reported me.”

She said only one of the girls,Charity, was brought by her to

‘ Chairlady’ of Calabar prostitutes dockedBy Emma Una ‘Accusers envy success of my roasted plantain business’

assist her sell the fish andplantain, while the rest came ontheir own to function ascommercial sex workers in thebrothel.

Abigail, accused

OWERRI—FOR allegedlyraping a 10-year-old girl,

three men were almostlynched, yesterday, at theRelief Market, Egbu Road,Owerri.

Vanguard gathered that theaccused, two Tiv-speakingpersons from Benue State andan Igbo man, reportedly luredthe young girl to a lonely partof the market where she waslocked up in one of the shopsdirectly behind the Dan Anyiam Stadium Complex,before they serially raped her until she became unconscious.

Police said they arrested the

three, as two had escaped beforethey arrived.

It was gathered that the littlegirl, whose identity was stillbeing withheld at press time,sold sachet water in the marketbefore the incident.

Confirming the story toVanguard, an elder in themarket, Mr. Paschal Nwoko,disclosed that the girl wasrushed to an undisclosed

hospital for medical attention, assoon as she was rescued.

He could not confirm the girl’sstate of health, but otherschorused “she is in a bad shape,”saying as soon as people sawthe sorry state of the girl, a mob

5 men rape 10-yr-oldgirl comatose in Owerri

By Chidi Nkwopara

The suspect, Zainab Salisu; her lover, Saheed Akinwale and the ‘twins.’



Vanguard , FRIDAY, JUNE 3, 2016—7

descended on the rapists. A businessman toldVanguard:

“The mob tore their clothes toshreds and beat them, beforethey were handed over to thepolice for further investigation.”

Confirming the incident in atelephone chat, the state PolicePublic Relations Officer, Mr.

Andrew Enwerem, said: “As soonas we received a distress call, wesent a patrol team to the market.

“We were told on arrival thattwo out of the five suspects hadescaped and we arrested theremaining three.” Answering a question on the

state of the girl’s health, thePPRO said that she had beentaken to a hospital, adding that“since it is an alleged rape case,only medical doctors are in aposition to ascertain the truththrough medical examination.”

AUCHI—SEVERAL studentsof Federal Polytechnic,

Auchi, Edo State, yesterday,sustained various degree of injuries, following violent protestover alleged refusal by theinstitution’s management toallow some part-time students,

who had not paid their schoolfees, to sit for examination. Vehicles belonging to staff and

the institution were damagedand offices vandalised duringthe riot that lasted for over four

hours.Vanguard gathered that the

institution’s security personnelallegedly triggered the riot whenthey prevented some students,

who had not paid their schoolfees, from writing theexamination in accordance withmanagement’s directives.

It was also gathered that someof the students, who forced their

ways into examination halls, hadtheir examination booklets torn.

The students were said to haveresisted, insisting that they beallowed to write theexaminations with other students, a development whichled to the protest.

The students were said tohave lamented the new policyof no-fees no-examination, bythe new Rector. When contacted, the

institution’s Public RelationsOfficer, Mustapher Oshiobugie,confirmed the incident, but saidthe situation has been broughtunder control.

He blamed the riot on

students, who had not beenproperly registered by payingtheir fees, adding that nostudent sustained injury.

He said: “Some students, who have not paid their schoolfees are the ones fomentingtrouble on campus. Propertieshave also been destroyed bythese same students. Thesituation has, however, beenbrought under control.”

Mr. Oshiobugie, whodisclosed that themanagement of the

polytechnic was holding ameeting at press time, addedthat the school had be shutdown until further notice.

Auchi Poly shut as studentsprotest ‘no-fees no-exam’ policy

By Simon Ebegbulem &Gabriel Enogholase

T

HE National Assembly,

Lagos Annex, locatedTafawa Balewa Square, in LagosCentral Business District, CBD,

was yesterday gutted by fire,destroying properties worthmillions of Naira.Vanguardgathered that the fire

started from the fourth floor of the 8-storey building.

It was learned that thepartitioning of the structure thathoused Second Republic

lawmakers affected efforts of thestate’s fire fighting officialsassisted by Julius Berger Plc, inputting out the fire immediately.

Sources said occupants of thebuilding were still in their offices when the fire started.

A fire official disclosed toVanguard that “it is difficultfighting fire in the building. Infact, due to the enormity of thefire, as some of the glasses hadstarted falling.”

Mr. Michael Adewale, atrader, said: “We saw thicksmoke coming out from the

building and suspected thatit was fire outbreak. So wecalled emergency numbers.”

Five hours after the inferno,

officials of the state fireservice were still battling toput out the fire.

Confirming the incident,Director, Lagos State FireService, Mr. Rasak Fadipe,last night said: “We are yet toput out the fire completely.

“When we arrived, wediscovered that the building

was a glass house and the fire was well alight. Three floors

were heavily engulfed bysmoke and we hadchallenges gaining access tothe building.

“The building was heavilyburglar-proof, so we had thatchallenge, too. But at the endof the day, we were able to cutthe burglar proof, althoughmany of our firemensustained injuries.”

Fadipe said he haddeployed four fire trucks withaerial ladder to the scene fromIlupeju, Alausa and Sari-Iganmu fire stations.

Fire guts Lagos annex of National AssemblyBy Monsuru

Olowoopejo

YENAGOA—MRS. SeigheDiike, younger sister to the

member representing SouthernIjaw Federal Constituency of Bayelsa State at the National

Assembly, Mr. Henry Ofongo,has been kidnapped by armedmen suspected to be militants.Vanguard gathered that the

victim was kidnapped,yesterday morning, atIgbomotoru in Southern IjawLocal Government Area of thestate.

Though it could not beascertained if the kidnappers

were member s of therampaging Niger Delta

Avengers, a source toldVanguard that the gunmenstormed the riverside town intwo speedboats to carry outthe abduction. According to the source, the

armed invaders, on getting tothe community, shotsporadically into the air to

scare away the natives as theymade for their victim’sresidence, located somedistance away from the

waterfront.The victim’s husband was

reportedly beaten severely as

the gunmen whisked away the wife and disappeared into thecreek with their speedboat.

Contacted, the state PolicePublic Relations Officer,

Asinim Butswat, confirmedthe development, adding thatthree suspects had beenarrested in connection withthe abduction.

He said: “We are aware of

the abduction of the younger sister of the federalparliamentarian.

“We have alerted our marineand anti-kidnapping unitsand they have swung intoaction.”

Gunmen kidnap lawmaker's sister in Bayelsa

By Samuel Oyadongha

TWO unidentifiedpersons reportedly

died, while otherssustained injuriesyesterday morning inLagos, when a refusetruck had a head-oncollision with another truck.

The accident occurred3a.m., along LASU-Isheri

Road, Oko-Fili Bus Stop,Igando area, in Ikotun-Igando Local CouncilDevelopment Area,LCDA, when thecontainer-laden truck,conveying a brand of tomato paste, which wassaid to be speeding,rammed into the PSP truckthat was aboutmanoeuvring into thedump site at Oko-FilliBus Stop. Accord ing to an

eyewitness, Mr. AkeemOlabisi, two unidentifiedpersons died due to latearrival of help, adding

that a police officer,identified as Mr. Michael

Adeyeye, and five others, who were trapped, wererescued from the

wreckage.Other survivors with

minor injuries wereidentified as Yemi

Adekoya, driver of a PSPtruck, his motor-boy, Mr.Umeokoli Okechukwu,and the 54-year-olddriver of the truck.

“It took the emergency workers hours to removethe trapped victims,” asource from the ERT told

Vanguard.He added that they were forced to requestfor the newly-commissioned heavyduty equipmentlaunched recently byPresident MuhammaduBuhari before the victimcould be rescued.

Sources said that whilesome of the victims wererushed to the IgandoGeneral Hospital, thepolice officer was takento Lagos State UniversityTeaching Hospital,LASUTH, Ikeja. When Vanguard

visited the scene, it wasobserved that businessactivities were paralysed

within the axis.Commuters were

sighted at different busstops, standed.

2 dead,policeman,others injuredas trucks

collideBy Olasunkanmi

Akoni, Bose Adelaja& Monsur

Olowoopejo



8 — Vanguard , FRIDAY JUNE 3 , 2016

By Emmanuel Elebeke

THE HOUSE of Representatives said,

yesterday, that MTN Nigeria maynot be made to make full paymentof the total N1.4 trillion fineimposed on it by the NigerianCommunications Commission.

Deputy Chairman, House

Committee on ICT, Alhaji AhmedBichi, disclosed this, yesterday, atthe 2016 edition of the NigerianInternet Governance Forum,NIGF, holding in Abuja.

He said consultations wereongoing between a committee setup by the House and ministryrepresentatives on the matter,adding that the outcome of the

committees would be made thepublic on conclusion of their deliberations.

He stated that the jointcommittee members of the House

had resolved to hasten theprocess to ensure quick resolutionof the matter in the interest of thenation and all parties concerned,stating that the company might

after all not be subjected to makefull payment of the fine.

“Consultations are going onbetween a committee set up byus and people from Ministry of

Communications and I will beconstrained to say anything on itnow.

“They are looking into it andthey are going to talk with thecompany, that is MTN, as soonthey finish their consultations.

“I think in the next few weeks, we should be able to tellNigerians the update. Let me tellyou that the update would befavourable to Nigeria. No, thefine had not been wavedcompletely. They will pay themoney, but it may not be the exactthing,” he added.

On the NIGF event, the lawmaker said the House had

resolved to support all wellmeaning policies on Internetthrough legislative procedures. According to him, a proposal

has already been made on the2016 Data Protection Bill for speedy passage into law.

Reps walk out Maritime Academy officials overfraudulent budget

By Emman Ovuakporie& Johnbosco Agbakwuru

ABUJA—THE House of R e p r e s e n t a t i v e s

Committee on Maritime Safetyand Education yesterday allegedthat the budget proposal for thisyear submitted by themanagement of the Maritime Academy, Oron, Akwa Ibom State,for considerations containedfictitious items in both its recurrentand capital expenditure in the2016 budget.

Maizediseasebreaks out inNigeria —FG

By Henry Umoru,Joseph Erunke &Gabriel Ewepu

ABUJA— AS thecountry grapples

with the tomato diseasecalled Tuta Absoluta, alsoknown as ‘Tomato Ebola,’the Federal Government,yesterday, alerted thecountry over out-break of maize disease called ‘Army

Worm.’This was revealed by theMinister of Agriculture andRural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, during apress briefing on stepstaken by the government toharmonize issues on thecontroversial grazingreserve.

He also described foodeaten by most Nigerians aspoison, disclosing that over boiling of cow meat byNigerians was saving themfrom being infected bytuberculosis fromconsumption of beef.

Ogbeh, who expressed

worry over the issue, saidthe government wasmaking concerted efforts totackle the various out-breaks of diseases in theagricultural sector. According to him,

incidents of attack by army worm has been establishedin Edo and some South- West states.

He, however, said theministry was workingclosely with scientists at theInternational Institute of Tropical Agriculture, IITA,to ensure quickcontainment of the disease.

The Minister saidagricultural experts hadbeen mobilised and werealready combing theaffected farms to contain thespread of the diseases.

The Muhammad Umar Bago-led Committee made the

allegation when it received theRector of the Academy, Engr. Anthony Ishiodu, and hismanagement team for thedefence of their 2015 budget andpresentation and consideration of the 2016 proposal.

But as proceeding started, thelawmakers started raisingeyebrows concerning the lack of details in the documentpresented before the committee,forcing series of questionsestablishing the existence of faultlines.

Both the chairman andmembers of the committee

expressed displeasure over alleged discovery that most of theitems listed as either ongoing or proposed projects were either inflated or non-existent. A member of the Committee,

Dan Asuquo, who represents Akamkpa/B iase FederalConstituency of Cross River State, PDP, said: “It’s amazinghow fraud goes on in the maritimesector. On page 21 of thisdocument, a N34million contract was given under the capitalexpenditure for the construction

of a building in the school andthis House in the 7th Assembly

fought very hard to effect releasesfor the project.“I have it on good authority that

no payment has been made to thecontractor despite the fundsreleased in 2015, but here we are with a record showing that N20million has been paid, leaving thebalance of N14 milion. This isfraud. A clear case of misappropriation and corruptionbecause no single dime has beenpaid on the said project.”

The committee also discoveredalleged fraudulent allocation of N100million for the purchase of two units of generators whichalready existed in the 2015budget and for which the sum of

N266 million had been proposedas maintenance fee, alongsidevehicles in the same budget.

Chairman of the Committee toldofficials of the academy: “Thereare some fictitious submissionshere that are raising eyebrows. You have made so many assertions without showing us where thebreakdown was done in appendix.

“What we are seeing heredoesn’t look like something wecan work with, so you need to goback and bring a well detailedmemorandum that’scomprehensive enough withsupporting documents.”

It was further discovered that on

page two item 21 (a), of the 2015budget, the “augmentation of personnel cost and payment of peculiar allowance” wasN339million, but roseastronomically to N600.9millionin the 2016 budget.

Police shortlist 388, 227 as total application hits 911, 438

By Kingsley Omonobi

ABUJA—THE Police ServiceCommission said,

yesterday, that a total of 338, 227applicants of the 911, 438 thatapplied for the 10, 000 police jobshave been shortlisted for

screening starting nationwide onMonday, June 6, 2016. Addressing the media in Abuja

on the recruitment, chairman of the commission, Sir Mike Okiro,noted that those shortlisted,include 44, 661 applicants for

Cadet ASP; 87, 736 for CadetInspector; and 205,830 for Constables.

The commission confirmed thatBenue State had the highestnumber of applicants with 29, 560,followed by Kogi with over 19, 000applicants, while Lagos State had

one of the least, with just over 2,000 applicants.

Okiro stated further that for thecadet ASP/Inspectors, 12qualified persons would be takenfrom every state, while 10 wouldbe taken from every local

government for the position of Constables.

Okiro disclosed that invitationletters had been sent to thesuccessful applicants throughbulk sms and messages to their e-mail addresses for screening.

“This is to avoid crowding the

venue and also allow for meticulous screening. Nocandidate will be admitted intoany venue or appear on any dateother than those allocated to him/ her,” he said.

Explaining how the number of

shortlisted applicants was arrivedat, out of almost a million thatapplied, Okiro said: “At the closeof the recruitment portal on May13, 2016, a total of 911, 438candidates had successfullyapplied into the three entry pointsinto the police.

“Out of this number, 262, 426applied for Cadet ASP; 211, 832for Cadet Inspector; and 437, 144for Constables.

‘’You will recall that the fillingand submission of forms weredone online, with no person toperson interface."

Benue, Kogi with highest applicants; Lagos, lowest

N1.4trn fine: Why MTN may not make full payment —NASS To pass data protection bill into law soon As e-Payment grew by 93.9% in 2yrs

HOSTING:From left, former member House of Representatives, Hon. Yusuf Tuggar, former Speaker House of Representatives, Hon. Dimeji Bankole, welcoming the UK member of parliament and chair of APPG on Nigeria Hon. Kate Osamor, when the former Speaker hosted members of the UK parliament in Abuja, yesterday

Boiling of cow

meat saving Nigerians of TB —Audu Ogbeh




By Laide Akinboade-Orire

FG scraps post UTME tests

BID TO SELL REFINERIES: Reps give Kachikwuone-week ultimatum, or...By Emman Ovuakporie & johnbosco Agbakwuru

...prescribes 5-year prison term forembezzlement of constituency project funds

As government, stakeholders peg cut-off mark at 180

Senate toreview 2007Mining Act

By Henry Umoru &Joseph Erunke

ABUJA—THE Federal

Government has scrappedpost-Unified TertiaryMatriculation Examinations,UTME, as a pre-condition togaining admission intouniversities in the country.

The government andstakeholders in education sector also pegged 180 as thebenchmark for 2016 admissioninto universities, polytechnicsand colleges of education toimprove the quality of educationin Nigeria.

These decisions were reachedat the 2016 Combined PolicyMeeting on Admissions toUniversities, Polytechnics andother higher institutions in

Nigeria.The Minister of Education ,

Malam Adamu Adamu,whiledeclaring open the meeting,said since the federalgovernment and stakeholdershad confidence in theexaminations conducted by the Joint Admissions andMatriulation Board, JAMB,there was no need for other examinations to be conducted byuniversities after JAMB exams.

He said: “As far as I amconcerned, the nation hasconfidence in what JAMB isdoing, the universities should notbe holding another examinations

and if the universities have anycomplain against JAMB, letthem bring it and then weaddress it.

‘’But if JAMB is qualifiedenough to conduct tests and theyhave conducted test, then there will be no need to conductanother test for students to gainadmission.

ABUJA—THE Senateyesterday mandated its

Committee on Solid Mineralsto begin the process ofreviewing the 2007 Mining Act to reflect present realitiesin the sector as it affects localcommunities and artisanalminers.

The Senate also asked the

Federal Government tourgently approve and releasethe needed intervention fundsfrom the ecological funds officefor urgent remediation of leadpoisoning to help saveShikira and affectedcommunities in Niger State. Also yesterday, the upper

chamber called on the federalgovernment, the ministries of health, solid minerals andenvironment to remediatethe environment and promotesafer mining programmes for artisanal miners.

These resolutions weresequel to a motion by Senator David Umaru, APC, Niger

East, on the “UrgentRemediation of LeadPoisoning in ShinkiraCommunity of Niger State,Nigeria and Co- Sponsored byall Senators.

Earlier in his presentation,Senator Umaru, noted that he was shocked at the surveyresult of the Federal Ministryof Health which confirmedthat 149 children under agefive, were tested for lead.

He said the Senate was worried that environmentaltesting of residential buildingsduring the same surveyindicated that there was

severe contamination of theenvironment.He said: “Early childhood

exposure has been linked toviolent criminal behaviour later in early adult life.

“It is estimated thatchildhood lead exposure iscosting developing countries$992 billion annually due toreduction in IQ’s and earningpotential according to a newstudy published recently.

“The potential of leadpoisoning to irrevocably inflictlong term neurocognitivedeficits on generations is notin doubt. There is need tourgently address this issue of

national importance.“This is a community that is

already living below thepoverty line. All the childrenare already infected by thisepidermic.” According to Senator

“The ministry expects that allcandidates given admission

must be from JAMB. but JAMBmust stop issuing admissionletters, JAMB should get intouch with institutions beforeoffering admission to students.

‘’The closing date is November 30th and no university shouldexceed its admission capacityand any tertiary institution thatdoesn’t follow the rule, theministry would start sanctioningthem.

‘’Institutions should stopadmitting students into un-accredited courses in their institutions. The institutionsshould stop writing JAMB toincrease their quotas because JAMB cannot do that.”

The minister also saidinstitutions should stop writing J AMB to increase their quotas asthere were relevant agencies to doso. Adamu also reminded the

stakeholders that the criteria for admission was still in force, andasked the institutions to adhere toit.

“Merit is 45%, catchment area35% and educational developmentin less developed states 20%, thisis for federal universities and for states universities, merit 40%,catchment 40 % and less developedlocal governments get 20%,’’ hesaid.

The Minister also asked the Joint Admissions Matriculation Board tostop extra charges on several

categories of changes onadmissions such as the changeof course, change of school andothers.

The Registrar of JAMB,Professor Dibu Ojerinde, whiletalking to journalists after themeeting, said institutions werefree to go above the 180benchmark.

“180 benchmark is even, noone will go below it this year.Universities can go above it. Thisyear, we have more than enoughcandidates because over 1.2million candidates scored above180, so we have enoughcandidates this year.

“There won’t be any written post-UTME but they would screen thecandidates. It is a necessary thing toscreen the candidates.

‘’We agree and the Minister of Education also agrees but the issue of taking another examination is no longer going to happen,” he said.

ABUJA—THE House of

Representatives yesterdaypassed to second reading the Billprescribing five yearsimprisonment without option of fine for any government officialsinvolved in the embezzlement of constituency project funds.

ABUJA—THE House of Representatives committeeon Privatisation yesterday gavethe Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr.Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu, a weeks ultimatum to appear before it or get arrested.

The committee in sessionhinged its position on theminister’s failure to appear before it to answer pendingquestions on plannedprivatisation of the nation’srefineries. Also yesterday, the Minister of

Power, Babatunde Fashola, theNigerian Bulk Electricity TradingPLC, NBET, the National

Electricity and RegulatoryCommission, NERC, and other stakeholders were alsosummoned to a hearing todiscuss and proffer solutions tothe country’s epileptic power supply.

Chairman of the committee, Ahmed Yarima, APC, Bauchi,told the Group Executive

Director in charge of refineriesat the Nigerian NationalPetroleum Corporation, NNPC,Mr. Anibor Kragba, thatdespite the resolution of thecommittee two weeks ago thatNNPC shelved the plannedsale of refineries, the corporationhad remained adamant and

gone ahead with the process.He also frowned on the absence

of the minister who he said was

directed to appear before thecommittee two weeks ago topersonally answer pendingquestions before it; while allowingthe GED of NNPC to make a written presentation if any.

Responding the GEDinformed the lawmakers that theletter inviting the minister came

rather late and that a meeting hadbeen scheduled with someindustry stakeholders, whichcompelled him to travel out of thecountry.

Unable to get any written presentationfrom the GED on behalf of the minister/ GMD, the committee queried why theGED would come for the hearing whenhe could not make any writtenpresentation on behalf of the minister whom he claimed to represent, describingthe situation as unacceptable.

Urges FG to approve funds for Shikira,others affected by Lead poisoning

By Emman Ovuakporie & johnbosco Agbakwuru

The House in the Bill, alsorecommended that 2.5 percent of the annual budget be set asidefor constituency project for every

fiscal year to ensure that everyconstituency in the country hasprojects that would benefit therural dwellers.

The Bill which gotoverwhelming support frommembers of the House, was

sponsored by Solomon Adaelu who represents Osisioma/ Obingwa/Ugwunagbo FederalConstituency of Abia State.

If finally passed into law, theBill will lay to rest accusationsagainst members of the National Assembly that they collectconstituency project funds without executing any project.

VISIT: Crown Prince of Benin Kingdom, His Royal Highness Amb. Eheneden Erediauwa,Edaiken N'Uselu (middle) flanked by two palace chiefs, Governor Simon Lalung of PlateauState (left), Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State (2nd left), Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State (right) and Governor Rauf Aregbesola of State of Osun , during a visit to the Crown Prince by some members of the Progressives Governor's Forum, at the Oba's Palace,in Benin, yesterday.



10 — Vanguard , FRIDAY JUNE 3 , 2016

You demotedme, SenTinubuaccuses

Saraki

No negotiation with Niger Delta Avengers,says Defence chief

By Evelyn Usman

Adefarasin asks court to hands off N800m trespass suit

Ooni, Alaafin, Akiolu task Yorubas

on unity, culture

FG sets up technical c’ttee on fuelprice hike

LAGOS—THE Chief of Defence Staff, CDS GeneralGabriel Olonisakin, yesterday inLagos said that the Military wouldnot negotiate with the Niger Delta Avengers, NDA, which hascarried out a barrage of attackson oil installations in the Niger Delta region.

The CDS who gave thisassertion at the inauguration of the procured 10 highly-militarised Honker Scorpionvehicles, at the LogisticsCommand of the Nigerian Airforce, Ikeja, said that theMilitary would not treat with kids-gloves the violent dimension theNDA was taking its agitation, as

well with members of theIndigenous People of Biafra,IPOB.

“There are better ways to air their grievances than the waythey go about it. The right way isto get necessary permit andprotest. If they are violent, we willnot take it lightly with them.”

He explained that the newlyacquired vehicles which would bedeployed to Airforce bases acrossthe country were specifically for the purpose of enhancing securityof the air assets within the area of their deployment.

“The equipment are certainlygeared towards raising and

maintaining the capability of theregiment troops as theycontribute to our collectiveefforts to address the varioussecurity challenges confrontingour nation.

''The procurement of theseHonker Airfield Defencevehicles is a testimony of the

importance the NAF attaches toprotection of its critical assets andforce protection.” Olonisakin said.

On his part, the Chief of Air

Staff, CAS Air Marshal Sadiq Abubakar assured citizens in theNiger Delta region of their safety, promising that the NAF wouldoperate within the ambit of theconstitution during its operation.

In its move to avoid a repeat of the 2013 attack of the NAF Basein Maiduguri, Abubakar

disclosed that the NAF adopteda new strategy known as BaseDefence Concept ,BDC.

The concept he explained;

‘’Enables real time observation,reporting and response toactivities around the area of interest. The BDCC as opposedto the previous concept of the useof guard posts, is proactive andallows for the use of initiatives indeterring, defending andprotecting vital assets.’’ABUJA—FOR some

minutes yesterdayduring plenary session,there was a mild drama asChairman, SenateCommittee on Women Affairs, Senator OluremiTinubu, APC, Lagos Centralraised alarm that the SenatePresident, Senator BukolaSaraki has ‘demoted’ her.

Senator Oluremi Tinubu

who is the wi fe of theNational Leader of the AllProgressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu,challenged Saraki for placing Senator Andy Ubahigher than her during theadoption of votes andproceedings of Wednesday.

She raised the issue whenSaraki asked her to second themotion by Senator Andy Uba,PDP, Anambra South.

Saraki had at thecommencement of yesterday’ssitting asked Senator Uba tomove the motion for theadoption of votes andproceedings in consonance

with the tradition of the Senate.Both Senator Tinubu and

Saraki are second timer at theUpper Chamber as they havebeen at the Senate since 2011. When Senate President

Saraki asked Senator Tinubu to second Uba’smotion, she stood up,protested it, saying “Iamprotesting, I will second itgrudgingly, I won’t thank youfor demoting me, God is here.

“I was a better Senator thanhim even when we were at the


LAGOS—PASTOR Paul Adefarasin and his

church, House on the Rockyesterday asked an IgbosereHigh Court to hands off froma N800 million suit filed by abusinessman, GeraldChukwueke against him andhis church for allegedlytrespassing on a land locatedin Lekki area of the state, as i t

lacks the jurisdiction to hear the case. Adefarasin and the church

are asking the court to dismissthe suit on the ground that itis not properly constituted asto vest jurisdiction in the courtto hear and determine it.

Chukwueke, and three other claimants: Chinelo Chukwueke,Mrs. Martha Chukwueke,Germaine Logistics Limited &Germaine Auto Centre Limited areseeking the sum of N800 millionfrom the defendants as damagesfor allegedly trespassing on and

taking over their land.The claimants, who are also

asking for the sum of N180million as fees,for their lawyers wants the court to bar the defendants from further trespassing on the disputedLand.

Other defendants in the suitapart from Pastor Adefarasinare: the Incorporated Trusteesof the Rock Foundation, theRegistrar of Titles, Lagos StateLand Registry and the Attorney General of LagosState. At the resumed hearing of

the matter yesterday thedefendants asked the court tostrike out the suit because theentirety of the case ismischievous, frivolous,vexatious, base less & sameconstitutes a gross abuse of theprocess of court.

In the motion on notice, the

By Onozure Dania

LAGOS—THE Ooni of Ife,Oba Enitan Ogunwusi,

the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Ad eyem i an d th e Oba of Lagos, Oba Riliwanu Akiolu,yesterday, urged the Yorubasto unite in order to ensuregrowth and development of the race.

Meantime, renowned Yorubascholar, playwright and actor,Prof. Akinwunmi Ishola, hastasked the South WesternGovernors on the promotion of Yoruba Language, arguingthat people are better knownby their language and culture.

They spoke at a YorubaSummit organised by the LagosState House of Assembly withthe theme; “Making the

Teaching of Yoruba CompulsoryIn Public and Private SchoolsIn Lagos State.”

Ogunwusi while addressingthe congregation at thesummit, urged the Yorubas tosee themselves as leaders,even as he stressed that Godhas blessed the Yoruba race inseveral ways.

He stated that Yorubas arenot promoting their cultureand language due to in-fighting and disunity, notingthat this was causing a lot of setbacks to Yoruba Language.

Oba Adeyemi, whocommended the organisers for the initiative, said that Obasin Yorubaland would supportany move to promote the Yoruba Lan gu ag e,emphasising that our language is our culture.

ABUJA—FOLLOWING

the recent agreementreached with organized labour with regards to the hike in thepump price of fuel, the FederalGovernment has constituted aTechnical Committee to look intolabour’s grievances arising fromthe price hike.

The committee is also to examineother consequential and/or ancillary matters thereon.

Secretary to the Government of the Federation, David Babachir Lawal disclosed this in a late-evening statement on Wednesdayin Abuja.

The statement was signed on hisbehalf by the Permanent Secretary,

General Services Office, in theOSGF, Mohammed Bukar.The composition of the

Committee is made of membersfrom both labour and thegovernment.

From the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, the members

claimants alleged that Pastor Adefarasin and his chur chsometimes in January 2016repeatedly trespassed on their premises.

They are praying the courtfor an order directing theLagos State Government and

By Omeiza Ajayi

By Monsur Olowoopejo

the Registrar of Titles, LagosState Land Registry torevLagos State Land Registryto revoke the Deed of thirdParty Legal Mortgage betweenDiamond bank and theIncorporated Trustees of theRock Foundation

PLAUDITS: La- gos State deputy governor, Dr.Idiat Oluranti Adebule (left)and Command- er of the Lagos State Rapid Re- sponse Squad,

Assistant Com- missioner of Po- lice Olatunji Disu decorating her (Adebule)Chief Security Officer (CSO),Mrs Yetunde Agana with her new rank of Dep- uty Superinten- dent of Police (DSP) at the La- gos State Secre- tariat, Alausa,Ikeja onWednesday,.

of the committee are Peters Ad ey em i, Am ae ch i Asugwuni, Ibrahim Khaleel,Igwe Achese and Segun Efan.

Those drawn from the Trade

Union Congress TUC are Augustine Etafo, Alade Bashir Lawal and Abdullahi Sale.

On the side of government arethe Minister of Labour andEmployment, Chris Ngige who would serve as the chairman of the committee.

Others are the Minister of statefor Petroleum, Ibe Kachikwu, hiscounterpart in Budget andNational Planning, Udoma UdoUdoma, Minister of Finance,Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, Minister of Solid Minerals, Kayode Fayemias well as Chairman, NationalSalaries, Incomes and WagesCommission, Chief R. O. Egbule.

Other members arerepresentative of Office of theHead of the Civil Service of theFederation, representative of theOffice of the Secretary to theGovernment of the Federation,Prof. Adamu Kyuka Usman, who would serve as Secretary.



Vanguard , FRIDAY, JUNE 3, 2016 — 11

STRIKE: Mimiko, labour’s meeting deadlocked

By Olu Ajayi & RotimiOjomoyela

Ekiti Assembly condemns travel ban on govs

ADO-EKITI—THE EkitiState House of Assembly,

has condemned the allegeddecision of PresidentMuhammadu Buhari to place twogovernors, of which Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State, isone under security watch andtravel ban.

The House, which noted thatsuch decision could heat up thepolity and throw the country intoanarchy, warned that only a courtof law could exercise such powers.

The Speaker of the House, HonKola Oluwawole said that carryingout such alleged constitutionalbreaches could heat up the polityand make the federating statesappendages of the presidency.

Also, the Speaker appealed tothe striking workers, to suspendthe ongoing strike called to pressfor the payment of five monthsoutstanding salaries and return to

the negotiation table in the interestof the state.

In Ibadan, yesterday somelawmakers from the State Houseof Assembly also confirmed thatGovernor Ayodele Fayose is oneof the two serving governors whoare allegedly barred by thePresident Muhammadu Buhariled administration from travellingout of the country.

The lawmakers led by theDeputy Speaker, Mr. Segun Adewumi gave this hintyesterday at the NUJ PressCentre, Iyaganku, Ibadan.

Making reference to a reportthat two serving governors in the

country were placed on travelrestriction by the FederalGovernment, they went on to saythat one of the governors beingreferred to “is our own governor,

Peter Ayodele Fayose”.They vowed that Ekiti State

people would not allow their democratically elected Governor to be rubbished by the FederalGovernment because he has beencritical of its anti-people policies.

Other lawmakers present at thebriefing included Mr. Gboyega

Aribisogan and Samuel IdowuOmotosho. Addressing a press conference

in Ado Ekiti to mark the one year of the inauguration of the Assembly, Oluwawole said placinggovernors on travel restriction bythe Federal Government will

embarrass the nation andemasculate the constitution.

A D O - E K I T I —M E A N T I M E ,

Governor Fayose hascondemned the Monday killingof over 30 Igbo protesters, who were mainly members of theIndigenous People of Biafra(IPOB) and Movement for the Actualisation of Sovereign Stateof Biafra (MASSOB), saying itappeared that PresidentMuhammadu Buhari was

turning the people of the SouthEast and South South to“politically endangered species.”

He called on the internationalcommunity to take note of the wanton ki lli ngs beingperpetrated by the Buhari-ledgovernment.

In a statement signed by hisSpecial Assistant on PublicCommunications and NewMedia, Lere Olayinka, Governor

Fayose said there was no justification whatsoever for thekilling of over 30 Igbo youths justbecause they were marking“Biafra Day in memory of theformer leader of the defunct BiafraRepublic, the late ChukwuemekaOdumegwu Ojukwu.”

He said it was worrisome thatNigeria and its people had beenmore divided since the advent of Buhari’s government, adding

that approach to civil unrests of any kind under the government was causing more secur ityproblems in the country.

The governor, who reiteratedhis avowed belief in Nigeria'sunity said it was unspeakablefor security men to have usedlife ammunitions against theIgbo protesters and then wenton to justify the murder of innocent Nigerians just becausetheir views were different fromthose of the President.

...As Fayose decries killing of Igbo protesters

AKURE—A four hour meetingbetween the Ondo state governor

Dr Olusegun Mimiko and labour leadersin the state to end the ongoing workersstrike action was deadlock yesterday. Workers in the state are yet to be paid

five months salaries.Dependable source said government

pleaded with the workers to allow it payone month salary to the health workersin the interest of the people of the statebut they turned it down.

“See the government gesture asConsequently, the labour leaders havedirected the workers to continue with thestrike “ since government has not yieldedto our demands,” sources said. Also , the NMA in the state have

commenced an indefinite strike just as

four of the leaders allegedly arrestedand detained have been released.

Governor Mimiko, his deputy, AlhajiLasisi Oluboyo, the Head of ServiceToyin Akinkuotu, Attorney General and Justice Commissioner, Eyitayo Jegedeand Information Commissioner Kayode Akinmade met with the labour leaders.

Other members of the governmentteam that attended the meeting includethe special Adviser on unions mattersDayo Fadahunsi, local governmentaffairs commissioner Bamiduro Dadaamong others.

Speaking with newsmen after thenegotiation, the state chairman of the Joint Negotiat ing Counc il , JNC,Comrade Sunday Adeleye said “since

the government was not ready to yieldto the labour demand, the strike wouldcontinue indefinitely.

By Dayo Johnson

THE IndependentNational Electoral

Commission has warned thatthe Peoples Democratic Party,PDP could stand the risk of notfielding a candidate in the EdoState governorship electionunless it resolves its problemsat the national level.

INEC’s Deputy Director for Public Affairs, Nick Dazang,yesterday said the party was indanger of failing to meet theINEC schedule for the conductof primary elections which fallsbetween June 2 and July 4.

Mr. Dazang spoke during aradio programme “PoliticalPlatform,” aired on Ray Power FMRadio Station yesterday.

“The PDP, as we have said is ina state of flux. In spite of whathappened in Port Harcourt, theCommission was there becauseit was invited and by law we aresupposed to be invited 21 daysto a convention or congress.”

The convention ended with theappointment of the Senator Ahmed Makarfi led caretaker committee, a development that is

being strongly resisted by theerstwhile national chairman,Senator Ali Modu Sheriff.

The controversy has besidesputting the conduct of thegovernorship primariesscheduled for June 20 in jeopardyalso raised questions on whobetween Makarfi and Sheriff would forward the nomination toINEC as is statutorily required.

PDP risks not fielding candidate for Edo election — EFCC

IBADAN—FOLLOWING allegeddisruption of a stakeholders’s

meeting on education on Wednesday,no fewer than four members of theNigeria Labour Congress, NLC, OyoState Chapter have been detained bythe Oyo Police State Command.

Those in police custody as at 8pm

included Mr Waheed Olojede, theChairman, Mr Titilayo Sodo, the Vice-Chairman, Mrs Kofo Ogundeji, theSecretary and Mr Kehinde Oparinde,the Auditor.

Though, the news filtered in later inthe day, all calls made to the stateChairman of NLC to confirm the story

were not picked.It was much later that Mr Bosun

Daramola, the Treasurer of the congresstold newsmen that they were being heldas a result of their involvement in theprotest that took place on Wednesday toreject what they called privatisation of secondary education in the state.

Daramola said, “We had a peacefulprotest yesterday to reject a policy of the

government, which we felt wasunpopular and anti-people andtoday(yesterday) all we saw was theinvitation of our leaders.

“Their phones had been seized andall calls put through to them could notbe picked since 10am. Our leaders mustnot stay overnight at the station,” he said.

By Ola Ajayi

Police detain NLC officials for disrupting govt event

By Emmanuel Aziken




From left: Senator Bukar Abba Ibrahim, Defence Minister, Brig.Gen. Dan Ali (retd), and InformationMinster, Alhaji Lai Mohammaed.

Cross section of traditional rulers at the event.

Senator Udo Udoma, Minister of Budget and National Planning (right) and Hon. Rotimi Amaechi, Minister of Transport.

Little Miss Esther Bari -Tule Tekuru presents a bouquet of flowers to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo while Environment Minister, Hajia Amina Mohammed watches, at the launch of the clean-up of Ogoniland and other oil impacted communities in the Niger/ Delta, in Ogoni, Rivers State, yesterday.

Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State (left)and Paramount Ruler of Ogoniland, King GodwinGininwa on the occasion.

FACES @ THE OGONILAND CLEAN-UP FLAG OFF

OGONILAND CLEAN-UP: Oil theft, illegal refiningmust stop now —BUHARI

By Simon Ebegbulem,Jimitota Onoyume, Daud

Olatunji, Rotimi Ojomoyela,

Charles Kumolu, LevinusNwabughiogu, Ochuko

Akuopha & DaviesIheamnachor

•Jonathan made mistake —Amaechi, Gininwa

•Warns IOCS to comply with best practices

•It's an image seeking pursuit —Ogoni leader

OGONI—PRESIDENTMuhammadu Buhari,

yesterday, warned that theFederal Government would nolonger tolerate the current theftand illegal refining of crude oilin the Niger Delta.

Buhari, who was representedby Vice-President, YemiOsinbanjo, gave the warning atthe launch of “Clean-Up of Ogoniland” at Bodo, GokanaLocal Government Area of Rivers State, urged the

regulators of the oil industry tocarry out their responsibilities inline with best practices.

He said: “The current oil theftand illegal refining will not betolerated. The regulators in theoil industries must live up to

expectations. They must ensurethat oil companies carry out their

operations in line with universalbest services.”Buhari said government was

laying a foundation for changeto ensure the rule of law andsafety of the people.

He said the aim was todiversify the nation’s economyand provide jobs and wealth for the people. According to him, the clean-

up of Ogoniland will havesustainable developmentcomponents that will benefit thepeople.

He said: “The methodologyfor the clean-up will ensure jobcreation for young people. Theagro-allied industries required

for processing of agriculturalproduce will also be put inplace.”

He also called oninternational oil companiesdoing business in the countryto ensure they comply with

international best practices.The President said approval

had been given for theconstitution of all the institutionsneeded to drive theimplementation process, addingthat stakeholders should work insynergy to ensure success of theexercise.

Buhari also appealed againstviolence in the region, stressingthat the Federal Governmentcould do justice to all withoutanyone turning to violence.

He said recent attack on oilfacilities in the region hadbrought about reduction in thedaily production of crude andalso affected gas supply for electricity generation in thecountry.

Managing Director of ShellPetroleum DevelopmentCompany and Country Chair,Shell companies in Nigeria, Mr Osagie Okunbo, assured thatShell and it’s partners would beactively involved in the project.

“Mr President , the NNPC/ SPDC JP also remains committedto contributing it’s share of theEnvironmental Restoration Fund,ERF, and will work with other stakeholders to finalise theappropriate governance andfunding structure,” he said.

Minister of Environment, Amina Mohammed, said thelaunch of the clean-up of Ogoni

by the President was a promisefulfilled, and appealed for commitment and transparency onall parties that would be involvedin driving the process for it to besuccessful.

But a prominent Ogoni leader, who pleaded anonymity,expressed mixed feelings aboutthe exercise, describing it as animage seeking pursuit.

He said: ‘’I am not even awareof any exercise that wascommenced in Ogoni land today(yesterday). If they have doneanything, it is only known to thembecause I am not even sure thatthey have awarded the contractfor the cleaning exercise.

‘’Key people are in the dark asto what they are doing or intendto do. Though I have read reportsin the papers about it, the fact isthat those who are supposed tobe carried along are left out in what they claimed to be doing."

However, the Presidency yester-day refuted claims in some quar-ters that Buhari canceled his tripto Ogoniland, to launch the com-mencement of clean up oil spillagein the region, stating that the VicePresident, Yemi Osinbajo, repre-sented the President on the occa-sion.

But responding to enquiries byVanguard on why the Presidentfailed to appear in person, hisSpecial Adviser on Media andPublicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, saidthe President was represented at

the event by his deputy.“We all went to school. There is a

difference between cancellationand being represented by someone.The president did not cancel histrip to Ogoniland. He wasrepresented by the Vice President,” Adesina said.

Meanwhile, former governor of Rivers State and the Minister of Transportation, Mr. Chibuike Amaechi, and the Chairman of theSupreme Council of OgoniTraditional Rulers, King. GodwinGininwa, have said that the former President, Mr. Goodluck Jonathan madea mistake for failing to implement theUnited Nations EnvironmentalProgramme report on Ogoniland. Amaechi, during the official flag-off of

the cleanup of the area by PresidentBuhari, noted that he (Amaechi) dideverything possible to ensure that

Jonathan implemented the UNEP reporton Ogoniland, but regretted that his effortsyielded no fruit.




1894 EBROHIMI EXPEDITION: Itsekiri leaders eulogiseNana Olomu

By Caleb Ayansina By Emem Idio

ESE ORURU:

Judge'sabsencestalls trial

Jibunoh

condoles withBenin royalfamily overOba's death

PRESENTATION: From right—Mr. Edward Ekpoko, Secretary, Itsekiri Leaders of Thought, ILoT, presenting historical artifacts relating to Nanna Olomu of Itsekiri to Director General, National Commission for Museums and Monuments, Mallam Yusuf Usman, while Director, Administration and Supplies, NCMM, Mr. Emeka Onuegbu looks on, during the presentation to commemorate 100 years of Nanna’s death. Photo: Gbemiga Olamikan.

BENIN—THE founder of Didi Museum, Chief

Newton Jibunoh, hascondoled with the Benin royalfamily over the demise of HRM Oba Erediauwa, Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba of Benin.

Chief Jibunoh, who paidcondolence visit to the CrownPrince of Benin Kingdom,

Eheneden Erediauwa,Edaiken N’Uselu, at hispalace in Uselu, said that hecame to identify with the royalhome, having heard that theOba had joined his ancestors.

“I have come to identify withyou, because this is my hometoo. Part of what I have becometoday started from the Beninpalace. I want to also tell youthat the foundation layingceremony of my museum - DidiMuseum, which hasremained not only the privateMuseum in Nigeria, but the whole of Africa was performedby your father, the Oba,” hesaid.

Responding, Crown PrinceErediauwa welcomed Dr. Jibunoh to his palace,affirming that the people of Benin kingdom were pleasedto receive him.

Y ENAGOA—THE absenceof Justice Aliya Nganjiwa

of a Federal Court in Yenagoa,Bayelsa State, yesterday,stalled the trial of YunusaDahiru, who is standing trialon a five-count charge of abduction, sexual exploitationand having unlawful carnalknowledge of a minor, MissEse Oruru.

Justice Nganjiwa, it will berecalled had adjourned thematter to yesterday, for hearing on the substantivecharge, haven granted theprosecution's request to takethe evidence of Eses Oruru in

private, but the court did notsit as the trial judge, it wasgathered was away for ameeting.

At 9a.m., journalists andrights activists had throng thecourt, only to learn that thecourt will not sit.

Confirming thedevelopment, KayodeOlaosebekan, counsel to theaccused, said he was notinformed of the judge’s absence,adding that he was only informed of the development on his arrival at thecourt.

By Simon Adewala

ABUJA—ITSEKIRI Leaders,under the auspices of the

Itsekiri Leaders of Thoughts, ILoT,yesterday, showered encomiumon Nana Olomu, the lastGovernor of the Benin River (Itsekiri Country), describing himas a true symbol of Africanresistance against domination.

They formally handed over somehistorical artefacts and booksrelating to Nana Olomu to theNational Commission for Museums and Monuments,NCMM, for conservation andpromotion of the country’sheritage.

The artefacts, procured from

London Museum and donated byILoT Chairman, Mr Johnson Ayomike, related to the FamousNana Olomu, the great merchantof the Niger Delta, the lastGovernor of the Benin River (Itsekiri Country).

Nana vehemently resistedBritish Imperialism, and themilitary expedition carried out bythe British on Ebrohimi, hishometown in 1894, in the presentday Delta State.

Nana Olomu later surrenderedin Lagos, was tried and foundguilty in their Kangaroo Court of Enquiry in Calabar and sent onexile to Accra, Ghana in the 1890s.

He was allowed to return toNigeria in 1906, 10 years later,Nanna died peacefully in Koko on July 3, 1916.

To commemorate the 100 yearsof the death of Nana Olomu,

•Donate historical artefacts, books to NCMM

Reps summon 1,319 firms over $10bnrevenue leakages in NIMASA

N1.9BN FRAUD: Fintiri to spend more time with EFCCinterrogators

By Soni Daniel

EDO 2016: Owan, Ovia delegates endorseObaseki

By Tare Youdeowei

BENIN—AHEAD the June18 governorship primaries

of All Progressives Congress,

APC, in Edo State, delegates of the party from Owan East, Westand Ovia Local Government Areas of the state, have pledged their supportfor Mr Godwin Obaseki.

The delegates who expressedconfidence that Mr Obaseki will

continue the developmental projects of Governor Adams Oshiomhole, said theydecided to back Obaseki “because wesee him as one who will take the entirestate as his constituency and not asection of the state.”

Addressing the delegates at Afuze, amember of the House of Representatives and Deputy Chief Whipof the House, Mr Pally Iriase, cautionedthe delegates to be wary of other aspirants who may not have themanagerial expertise like Obaseki,

describing Obaseki as the engine roomof the success recorded by theOshiomhole administration, makinghim a more competent aspirant in therace than others.

Other leaders who endorsed Obaseki

include APC Woman Leader, HajiaZanaitu Shaka, Majority leader of thestate Assembly, Folly Ogedengbe andOjo Asein. Also in Ovia, the chairmanof the APC in Ovia North East, BensonEdosanwan led over 161 delegates tothe rally.

Ayomike in collaboration withILoT prepared some historicalartefacts; Two large framedphotographs of Nana PalatialResidence; out-house and storesin Ebrohimi before theexpedition of 1894, and four British Warships firing canon onEbrohimi (air filled with heavysmoke) about a week before thefall of Ebrohimi.

Copies of books relating toNanna Olomu, and other historical books on Warri andethnography in the Niger Deltaregion were also presented.

Presenting the items to theDirector General of NCMM onbehalf of Ayomike, in Abuja, the

Secretary of ILoT, Mr. Edward

Ekpoko described Nana Olomuas a true symbol of Africanresistance to British Imperialismimposed on the Africancontinent.

He reminded the NCMMboss, the role of Ayomike in theestablishment of the NannaLiving History Museum in Kokosimilar to the Mandela House inSouth Africa, adding that “he(Ayomike) also donated other Nanna artefacts to the Universityof Benin in 1988.

“This is also in further pursuitof Mr Ayomike’s position thatknowledge of history brings afeeling that we are part of a

fellowship that runs through theages from long before our birthto long after our death.”

Responding, the NCMMBoss, Mallam Yusuf Usman saidthe presentation will help the

government ensure proper conservation and promotion of the country’s heritage.

He emphasised the need for the private sector partnership inthe preservation of the museum,calling for ethical rebirth amongNigerians to appreciate thecountry’s past.

Usman noted that the artefactspresented would be placed inNational Museum to further expose the heroic deeds of NanaOlomu to the younger generation to promote Africanculture with the aim of improving the country’seconomy.

By Godwin Oritse

A B U J A— F O R M E R Adamawa State Acting

Governor, Umaru Fintiri, detainedby the Economic and FinancialCrimes Commission, EFCC, inconnection with the diversion of

N1.9 billion, may spend more time with his interrogators in theagency than initially thought.

Fintiri, who was taken intocustody by operatives on Wednesday, is being probed for alleged abuse of office andcorruption, which robbed Adamawa of huge taxpayers’money.

The former speaker of AdamawaState, who was drafted into officeto fill the gap, following the illegalimpeachment of Governor Murtala Nyako, had expected tobe released at least on bail lastnight, but his hope was dashed.

Findings by Vanguard showedthat the embattled politician was

still being detained as at 9pm lastnight, with a source confirmingthat the operatives had notfinished with him.

“We can confirm that the former acting governor is still with our operatives. It is clear that they

LAGOS—IN a bid to blockrevenue leakages at the

Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, the Houseof Representatives Committee onMaritime Safety, Education and Administration has summoned1,319 companies to appear

have not finished questioninghim yet,” a source at EFCC said.

Fintiri, who spent over 83 daysin office, is accused of havingmade away with the huge sum

of money, using fraudulenttactics, including two phantomroad projects-Yola township roadand Mararaba Garta. According to EFCC records,

while the Yola township roadpurportedly gulped N1 billion,the other took nearly N1.9billion, with nothing to show for both.

before it during a public hearingon operational deficiencies at theagency. According to the committee

chaired by Mr MohammedUmar Bago, the amount of money lost in the sector is about$10 billion.

The committee said the affectedcompanies would respond to

questions relating to 3% freightlevy, 2% Cabotage surcharge,

sea protection levy, stevedoring,among others.

It said the process that led tothe revenue leakages wasbenchmark approach, asopposed to actual freightcharges in the determination of the 3%, midstream clearanceand discharge of cargo vessels,among others.




Telecomssectorcontributes8.8% to GDP—REPORT

By EmmanuelElebeke, with

Agency Report

PMG-MAN FORUM: From left— Chairman, Senate Committee on Primary Health, Senator Mao Ohuabunwa;

Chairman, Senate Committee on Health, Senator Lanre Tejuosho; Director, Food and Drugs, Ministry of Health, Mrs. Dupe Chukwumah; Chairman, Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Group of MAN, PMG-MAN, Mr. Okey Akpa, and President,Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, PSN, Alhaji Ahmed Yakassai, at the 2016 PMG-MAN forum in Abuja, yesterday.

ABUJA—THE Senate hassummoned Executive

Secretary, Nigerian ExtractiveIndustries TransparencyInitiative, NEITI, Waziri Adio,to appear before it to explainthe alleged missing N1trillion. According to the Senate, the

invitation became imperative

following the revelation of over N1 trillion oil revenueallegedly mismanagedbetween 2005 and 2013 by theNigeria National PetroleumCorporation, NNPC, which was reflected in the auditreport presented to the SenatePresident by the NEITI boss

last Monday.The Senate said the NEITI

boss would formally presentthe report before the Senate atplenary.

The resolution of the upper chambers was sequel to amotion by Senator Tijjani Yahay a Kaura (Za mfa raNorth), entitled The UrgentNeed for the Senate to Look

into the NEITI 2013 Oil, Gasand Solid Minerals Audit

Report. According to him, in the

report it was alleged thatNNPC did not remit $12.9billion between 2005 and 2013.

He said Senate notes thatone of the key functions of NEITI was to conduct regular audits of the extractive sector,

adding that details from the2013 audit and financialreport of activities in the oiland gas industry, which wasconducted by the initiative,had shown that Nigeriamade $58.07 billion from itshydrocarbons industry thatyear.

He said: “The federationrealised N33.86 billion fromsolid minerals sector in 2013as contained in the 2013 solid

minerals audit report of NEITI. $3.8 billion andN358.3 billion stand asoutstanding revenues fromNNPC and its subsidiaries in2013.

“These outstandingpayments were dues fromunpaid consideration from

divested oil mining leases fromNNPC to NPDC and cash callrefunds by National PetroleumInvestment and ManagementServices, NAPIMS.

“The Senate is disturbed thatbetween 2005 to 2013, $12.9billion paid by the NigerianLiquefied Natural Gas, NLNG,to NNPC was not remitted tothe federation account.”

He further disclosed thatNNPC introduced different

pricing methodology, whichaided major oil and gascompanies to under-payroyalties and profit taxes intothe Federation account, notingthat it was time for Senate tofight in-house conspiracy tosave the nation of financialpaucity.

Contributing, Deputy SenatePresident, Ike Ekweremadu,suggested that the ExecutiveSecretary of NEITI be made toformally present the report atthe plenary.

In his remarks, SenatePresident, Dr. Bukola Saraki,said the enormity of the report

and findings were tooenormous for the Senate.Saraki, who expressed deep

concern at the huge loss of revenue said: “I am aware of thereport and what I discovered was a huge loss, which has tobe deliberated upon. So theExecutive Secretary has to comeand submit the report officially.”

The audit covered 41 oil andgas producing companies and16 government agencies, whichalso revealed that a total of N1.3trillion was processed as petrolsubsidy payments for NNPCand other oil marketers in 2013.

The report disclosed that thetotal revenue flows to the

federation account from allsources in the oil and gas sector,such as crude oil sales, taxes androyalties in 2013, was $58.07billion, while N33.86 billionaccrued from the solid mineralssector in the same year.


Senate summonsNEITI boss over missing N1trn

ABUJA—THE AbujaDivision of the Court of

Appeal, yesterday, deferredhearing on the appeal theSenate President, Dr. Bukola

Saraki, lodged against his trialbefore the Code of ConductTribunal, CCT, till July 18. A five-man panel of justices

of the appellate court, headedby Justice Abdul Aboki,suspended hearing on the

appeal following a letter fromSaraki’s lead counsel, Chief Kanu Agabi (SAN). Agabi, through his letter,

notified the appellate courtpanel that he was very ill andcould not attend theproceeding. He prayed the

court to adjourn the appeal tilla later date for hearing.

His application was notopposed by governmentlawyer, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN).

Consequently, Justice Aboki,in a short ruling, adjourned

hearing as Agabi prayed.It will be recalled that

hearing of the appeal wasalso stalled at the lastadjourned date, May 31,following the inability of theappellate court panel to forma quorum.

Specifically, Saraki ischallenging the jurisdictionof the Justice Danladi Umar-led tribunal to try him on the16-count criminal charge theFederal Governmentpreferred against him.

... as court fixes July 18 for hearing on Saraki’s appeal

By IkechukwuNnochiri

ABUJA—FORMER Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Elder

Godsday Orubebe, yesterday,opened his defence to theallegation that he falselydeclared his assets in 2007.

Orubebe, who is facing a one-count amended charge FederalGovernment preferred againsthim, brought a witness thattestified for him before the Codeof Conduct Tribunal, CCT,sitting in Abuja.

The witness, Mr. Akinwumi Ajibola, a legal practitioner anda real estate agent, told the courtthat Orubebe sold Plot 2057 Asokoro District, Abuja, whichthe Federal Governmentinsisted was not declared by thedefendant, to his company.

He said the plot was allocatedto the defendant by thegovernment in 2007 as part of his ministerial entitlements. According to the witness, the

ex-Minister decided to sell theland after he defaulted in the

payment of his Abuja house for two years.

Meanwhile, the JusticeDanladi Umar-led tribunal has

fixed June 30 for judgment. When Orubebe mounted the witness box, he said as aminister, he could not affordhis house rent for two years.

He told the tribunal that whereas his monthly salary

and every other allowances hecollected in 2007 amounted toonly N1.3 million, his salary was further reduc ed to

N990,000 in 2008.He said: “In September 26,2007, I never had a propertynamed Plot 2057 AsokoroDistrict, Abuja. So I could nothave declared it upon myassumption of office as a

minister.“On June 29, 2011, when I

was temporarily dis-engagedfrom the Federal Executive

Council, when it wasdissolved before I was re-appointed, I never also hadPlot 2057 Asokoro District. SoI could not have declared itas mine because it was nolonger my property.”

Orubebe paid 2-yr rent with Abuja land—WITNESS

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

A B U J A — T H E telecommunicationsindustry contributed eightpercent to gross domesticproduc t, GDP, andrecorded five percentgrowth in the last threemonths, despite economiccrunch, according to agovernment report.

The sector is said to havesustained the growthbeginning from March,

despite the crunch in theeconomy for the first timein more than a decade.

These were contained inthe Nigerian Bureau of Statistics, NBS, recentreport. It added that theeconomy contracted by0.4 percent in the period.

Nigerian mobile phonecustomer numbers havealso shown rapid growthover the past 10 years ashandsets became moreaffordable and dataservices increased.

Nigeria had 151 millionsubscribers at the end of last year, up from 19.5

million in 2005.“With the oil sector

having crashed over thelast months, telecomsshould be outperformingthe other sectors,” HeadICT analyst at BMIResearch in London, AmyCameron, said yesterday.



VANGUARD, FRIDAY, June 3, 2016 — — — — —1515151515



16— Vanguard , FRIDAY, JUNE 3, 2016

IPOB commends Gov Fayose, beratesDelta SSG on Biafra

By ChimaobiNwaiwu

NNEWI—STILL lickingits wounds over what itcalled irresponsible andsenseless killing of their members and innocentnon-members, theIndigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, yesterday,told South East governors,politicians, Igbo and non-Igbo elder statesmen toemulate Governor AyodeleFayose of Ekiti State for being outspoken andcondemning the killing of non-violent agitators.

In a statement by IPOBMedia and PublicityOfficer, Mr. EmmaPowerful, the group said if

responsible Nigerians hadprevailed on PresidentMuhammadu Buhari to dothe right thing by releasingits leader and Director of Radio Biafra, the killing of innocent people wouldhave been averted.

IPOB said it had highesteem for Governor Fayose of Ekiti state whohas shown that he is theonly detribalized politicianafter the late Owelle of Onitsha, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe.

"Fayose has shown thathe does not play politicsafter electioneeringcampaign and elections.

He knew what governanceis all about, unlike other Nigerian governors andpoliticians. No wonder, at

every point, his people inEkiti State will come out tostake their lives for him.

“We are telling the peopleof Ekiti State that they havea son in whom the Biafransand IPOB and other Biafraagitators are well pleased.This is not because hecondemned the FederalGovernment for killingIPOB and non-Biafraagitators, but because heequally condemned the

killing by Fulani herdsmenin Agatu in Benue andNimbo in Enugu states.Fayose is a man who says

it the way it is withoutmalice and that is a rarevirtue"

IPOB, however, lashedout at the Secretary to theGovernment of Delta State,Chief Festus Agas for saying that the Aniomapeople of Delta State are notBiafrans, urging him to stopembarrassing them.

"The good people of Anioma had not told himto speak for them," he said.

A’Court restores 7

political partiesde-registered by INEC

By NwabuezeOkonkwo

ONITSHA—THE Courtof Appeal sitting in Enugu,yesterday, ordered therestoration to life of sevenpolitical parties de-registered by theIndependent NationalElectoral Commission,INEC on August 18, 2011.

The seven political partiesrestored to life by the Appeal Court judgment

are: Democratic Alternative,DA; National ActionCouncil, NAC; NationalDemocratic Liberty Party,NDLP; Masses Movementof Nigeria, MMN; NigeriaPeoples Congress, NPC;Nigeria ElementsProgressive Party, NEPPand National Unity Party,NUP.

INEC had on August 18,2011, de-registered theparties for failure to win

any seat either in the stateHouse of Assembly or National Assembly,pursuant to Section 78 (7)of the Electoral Act 2010 asamended.

But an Onitsha-basedhuman rights lawyer, JezieEkejiuba went to a FederalHigh Court sitting in Awka,to challenge the de-registeration of the partiesby INEC, arguing that theaction was unconstitutional.

In its judgment, theFederal High Courtpresided over by Justice J.Ojukwu, dismissed the suit

for lack of merit, saying thatINEC had the power to de-register political partiesunder the Nigerianconstitution.

Dissatisfied by the judgment of the FederalHigh Court, the Plaintiff/ Appel lant , Ekej iubaheaded to the AppellateCourt to contest the verdict.

In a unianimous judgment delivered,yesterday, by Justice Tom Yakubu on behalf of other concurring judges, JusticeRita Pemu and JusticeOmodere Bolaji-Yusuf, the Appeal Court set aside the

lower court judgment,ordered the restoration tolife of all the seven de-registered political partiesand granted all the fivereliefs sought by thePlaintiff/Appellant.

Oko erosion: Communityrenews appeal for govtintervention

By EmEkaBy EmEkaBy EmEkaBy EmEkaBy EmEka

aginamaginamaginamaginamaginam

OKO COMMUNITY in Orumba North

local government area of Anambra State hasrenewed appeal to both theState and the FederalGovernment for moreproactive measures to

control Oko-Nankaerosion sites in the State.

The chairman of Eziokovillage, Oko, Men’smeeting in Lagos , Mr.Chukwuneke Okafor whomade the appeal yesterdayin Lagos while addressingnewsmen said thatimmediate intervention was needed to save thecommunity from further devastation. Although the Anambra

State Government has beenin the vanguard to fight theerosion menace in the stateby working in conjunction with the World Bank Projectcalled NEWMAP, Okafor noted that Oko-Nanka-Ekwulobia erosion menaceshould be given priorityattention.

Despite the work beingdone, Okafor said that the

government needed toallocate more resources to Anambra in order tocontain the greatestnumber of erosion sites,especially, Oko/Nankaerosion menace.

He expressed worry thatmany houses will again,be affected by the gullyerosion this rainy season,adding that, unlesssomething urgent wasdone, the erosion menace will continue to ravage thecommunities.

He said that already, theerosion menace hasclaimed many houses,farmland and cut off major access roads in Oko.

Meanwhile, four sitesincluding Ugamuma,Obosi, Ikenga Ogidi, .Enugwu-Ukwu and Abidi,Umuoji have already beenapproved for funding by the World Bank and currentlyundergoing procurementprocess.

According to the current Anambra erosion schedule,Nnewi-Ichi, Nnewi, Ire,Obosi, Nkpor Bridge andOjoto should be ready for approval by late June thisyear.



VANGUARD, FRIDAY, JUNE 3, 2016 —17

Responses to:[email protected] to 0802 747 6458 OR

0811 675 9752 (texts only).PLEASE KINDLY NOTETHAT UNLESS YOUREQUEST ANONYMITY,

YOUR COMMENTS MAYBE PUBLISHED, WITH

YOUR NAMES AND

CONTACT DETAILSATTACHED.

An historic event

YESTERDAY, PresidentMuhammadu Buhari

was ably represented by his

Vice-Pre sident , Professor Osinbajo, at an historic eventthat took place in my village,Bodo….the official launch of the clean-up of contaminated water and land in Ogoniland,as recommended by theUnited NationsEnvironmental Programme,UNEP.

Ogonis are not the onlyvictims of chronic pollutioncaused by decades of oilexploration and production.Ijaw, Tsekiri and so manyother communities ALLOVER the Niger Delta hasbeen profoundly affected byenvironmental degradation

that has cost lives, severelyundermined human healthand impoverished those whodepend on traditionaloccupations such as fishingand farming for basic survival.

This launch shows that thisgovernment is willing inprinciple to right these wrongs. But launches are, atthe end of the day, justsymbolic events and publicrelations exercises. And thiskind of problem can only besolved by an efficient process.

The process that is about tobe undertaken in Ogoniland wi ll be mo ni to re d by

international observers as wellas Nigerians; and it must bemanaged diplomatically andskilfully if the authorities wantto achieve great or passableresults.

There are indications thatcertain individuals are hell-bent on politicising thisprocess in a negative way. And they must be preventedfrom playing dodgy gamesthat will generate conflict and jeopardise the integrity andsuccess of the process.

I have already receivedseveral bitter complaints fromBodo indigenes who areextremely upset about the fact

that not one traditional ruler from Bodo was allowed tospeak yesterday, even thoughthey were supposed to be co-hosts and had been given theimpression that their voices would be heard.

They claim that they wereinsulted and silenced becausethey are not close to Ogoni APC leader s. And if the ir suspicion is accurate, I amvery disappointed. A signif icant number of

Ogonis are PDP supporters or politically neutral. And, giventhat Nigeria is supposed to bea democratic nation, theconcerns of those who are notmembers of PresidentBuhari’s party should also berespected and addressed.

This UNEP project can onlybe properly implemented by

a cross-party coalition of stakeholders of all politicalaffliations. It’s not about PDP

or APC. It’s about Ogoni,Rivers State, the Niger Delta,Nigeria and our global imageas a country.

Chief Nyesom Wike, thePDP Governor of Rivers State,has pleasantly surprised meby displaying a laudable andstatesmanlike commitment to working with the Fed era lGovernment, to ensure thatthe Ogoni project goes well. And, by the way, while Wike

wa s wa it in g fo r th epresidential entourage toarrive from Abuja, hedescribed it as“distinguished” (even thoughit contained some of his

biggest adversaries!) and alsodescribed Buhari as “thefather of the nation”.

If Wike can forget aboutpetty partisan politicking, within this context at least,every other participant in the

process should take a leaf outof his book.

This process is going to bean immensely lengthy one –the UNEP report has said thatremediation will take about 30years. And many of us will bedead in 30 years time. But weare privileged to be part of thepioneer group that is helpingto kick-start the process. Andour children and

grandchildren will thank us if it works.

So, yes, there are manycomplications ahead andnumerous pitfalls on thehorizon; and there will bemany tough challenges tocontend with, including worrying financial issues(rais ing the bi l l ionsrequired to do a thorough job wil l not be easy).

But I am cautiouslyoptimist ic because I ’vespoken to Hajiya AminaMohammed, the

Honourable Minister of Environment, and her Minister of State, AlhajiIbrahim Usman Jibril. AndI bel ieve that they aredecent technocrats who arelikely to take us through theinitial stages of the processintelligently and sincerely.

In the meantime, let meextend heartfelt thanks toPresident Buhari for reaching out to Ogonis. Hispredecessor, Dr Goodluck Jonath an, was a fel lowNiger Deltan who comes

from an oil-producing area,so has personal experienceof the downsides of the oilindustry. Yet, he didn’ t takethis important step on our behalf.

Jonathan should be forever congratulated for handingover to Buhari peacefully.But it’s a pity that it is an“outsider” like Buhari – notour Brother Jonathan – who will go down in history asthe man who took Ogoni woe s serious ly!

It’s a pity that it is an

“outsider” like Buhari – not our Brother Jonathan – who will go down inhistory as the man who took Ogoni woes seriously!

•Gov Nyesom Wike •President Muhammadu Buhari

•Oil spill site in Ogoni land

Reader’s Letter

FROM Ifeka Okonkwo ([email protected]), Awka, Anambra State

Dear Donu, why should our President subject us to suchan unprecedented andpainful existence, all becausehe has vowed to crush theNiger Delta Avengers who areblowing up oil installationsthat have drastically reducedour crude oil production andelectricity supply in all parts

of our country?How can he crush people

who know their terrain as theback of their hands and areaggrieved about thedevastation of their creeks,rivers, streams and lands and

the destruction of their meansof livelihood by oilexploitation since the late’50s.

How can he crush people who are aggrieved that theyare not benefiting from theblack gold in their backyardand that they are still in thedark ages, while other partsof the country have beendeveloped with the proceedsfrom the black gold?

Our president shouldswallow his pride by holdingdialogue with the Niger Delta Avengers and addressingtheir grievances just like thelate Umaru Musa Yar’Aduadid with the ex-militants,

before they cripple themainstay of our economy andplunge our country into totalblackout now that electricityoutput has dropped!



18 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, JUNE 3, 2016

OPINION

Nigerians and illegal biotech productsBy Sanni Usman

*Mr. Usman, a public affairs analyst,wrote from Makurdi, Benue State.

IN 2001, under the Ministry of Scienceand Technology, the federal government

developed a National Biotechnology Policy topromote biotechnology.The signing of theNational Biosafety Agency Bill into law on

April 2015, by former President Goodluck Jonathan added Nigeria in the league of nations that legally practice modernagricultural biotechnology.

The National Biosafety Act is crucial in themanagement of modern biotechnology in thecountry, and signing the bill into law allowsthe domestication of the technology in Nigeriaand enables the nation to utilise this cuttingedge technology to create more employment,boost food production, that will put a smile onthe faces of farmers, elevate hunger andultimately enhance economicdevelopment.Biosafety means ensuring safetyin the applications of modern biotechnologyand use of Genetically Modified Organisms(GMO), and the signing of the biosafety billinto law provides the legal framework to checkthe activities of this technology locally as wellas imported GM crops into the country. It alsoprovides an avenue to engage Nigerianscientists/experts from different fields toidentify and pursue solutions to our localchallenges.

However, this development was received with mixed feelings as some Nigerians feelthe nation is not yet ripe for the domesticationof this technology, citing health andenvironmental concerns as reason.

Though no adverse effect has been recorded

via the application of modern biotechnologyin other advanced countries that are alreadyutilising it, the Federal Government of Nigeriain its wisdom established a biosafetyregulatory agency, the National BiosafetyManagement Agency (NBMA), to ensure safeapplication of this new technology in the

nation.The Act established the NBMA charged withthe responsibility of providing regulatoryframework, institutional and administrativemechanism for safety measures in the

application of modern bio-technology inNigeria with the view to preventing anyadverse effect on human health, animals,plants and environment.

The coming in of the NBMA under an Actstrengthens government’s position under alegal framework to achieve the important goalof using this technology as a tool. So, in actualsense the NBMA is the safety valve that thefederal government has adopted to ensure thatthe practice of modern biotechnology inNigeria is safe.

The process of the development of the

Biosafety Act followed a systematic publicinvolvement from 2002 to 2015, and theNational Biosafety Management Act 2015prescribes procedures for the application of modern technology, risk assessment before theadoption and use of any genetically modifiedorganisms, and penalties for contravening theBiosafety Act.

Since its establishment in 2015, the NBMA

takes its role as the biotechnology regulatorybody very seriously and has already developedvarious regulatory instruments as well aslaying down framework to ensure safeapplication of the technology in Nigeria.

The agency’s activities include surveying,tracking and profiling of GMO’s in Nigeria;

enlightenment of the public on biosafetymatters; consultation with sister regulatoryagencies for partnership; development andreviewing of national biosafety regulations andguidelines and capacity building and trainingof staff of the agency.

Prior to the National Biosafety Law inNigeria, there were GMO suspects whichmade their way into the Nigerian marketthrough the nation’s porous borders fromcountries like America and Brazil, who arealready consuming GMO products, but withthe advent of the regulatory body one of its firstassignments was to issue a moratorium to suchcompanies, individuals or institutions dealingin unapproved modern biotechnologyactivities in the country to formalise their dealings with it to ensure that they’re suitablefor our environment and health system.

To make sure this assignment is carried outeffectively, the agency established a nationalbiosafety lab for GM detection and analysis to

ensure that all GMOs are properly analysedto prevent any adverse effect on environmentand human health. Apart from registering GMO products in the

country, the agency has also gone ahead toaccredit qualified institutes to carryout modernbiotechnology activities in the country.

Five institutes have already received

approval from the agency to engage inbiotechnology activities; they include theNational Root Crops Research Institute(NRCRI), Umudike; Institute of AgriculturalResearch (IAR), Zaria; Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA); National CerealsResearch Institute ,Badeggi and the NationalBiotechnology Development Agency(NABDA), Abuja.

The agency has also shown its determination

to make sure that Nigeria fully adheres to thetenets of the biosafety law which recognisesthe complex issues to be addressed by Central

Authorities in the judicious application of Modern Biotechnology; it bases the deliberaterelease of GMO on Advance Informed

Agreement”.Biosafety Law defines offences and penalty

for violation of the act; contains powers toauthorise release of GMOs and practice of modern biotechnology activities and confersthe power to carry out risk assessment/ management before the release, handling anduse of GMOs, It also covers all geneticallymodified organisms/Living ModifiedOrganisms (LMOs) and products thereof including food/feed and processing, and socio-economic consideration in risk assessment.The agency has at various fora’s assuredNigerians that the law will also promote activecommercialisation of the research anddevelopment projects in our variousuniversities and research institutes henceimproving our economy.

The agency has also shown its determination

It is not surprising that the SexualHarassment Bill before the NigerianSenate has elicited passionatereactions from the public. The Bill issponsored by Senator Ovie Omo-Agege of Labour Party, representingDelta Central Senatorial Districtalongside 57 other senators, and isaptly titled: “A Bill For An Act ToMake Provisions For The ProhibitionOf Sexual Harassment Of Students,”

In other words, students are theprimary focus of the Bill, which haspassed its second reading in theSenate and has been referred to itsCommittee on Judiciary, HumanRights and Legal Matters for further action.

While presenting the Bill, Senator Omo-Agege had noted that whenpassed into law it would help to checkthe menace of sexual harassment ofstudents in Nigerian higher institutions by those who aresupposed to mentor themacademically and morally. Accordingto him: “This 8th Senate will besending a very strong message that

Pass the sexual harassmentBill pronto

‘enough is enough,’ that never again will our students be left at the mercyof the few sexual predators in our tertiary institutions.”

But as the Senate began consideringthe Bill, some other senators who hadbought into it wanted its scope

wi de ne d to in cl ud e se xu alharassment of individuals in placesother than the school environment.The argument is that the Bill shouldnot be tailor-made to prescribe or stipulate stiff penalties against onlyrandy lecturers when many sexualpredators are on the loose in the

larger society.Indeed sexual harassment, based on

our past and current experiences, hasno borders as reports from the newsmedia have proved. Cases aboundeven in the most unlikely places,including government and privateoffices, markets, bus-stops and placesof worship.

We support, without reservations,the passage of this Bill into law assoon as possible. Those who argueabout “provocative dressing” byfemale students should be remindedthat the university environment is a

place for mature adults. So long asanyone’s dressing does not offendthe law, “provocative dressing” is no

justi fic ation for the epidemic ofsexual harassment of students.

Only stiff penalties for offenders will reduc e to the minim um theunbridled moral turpitude andoutright sexual criminality that hasfor long enveloped our institutionsof higher learning.

Beyond this, however, we believethat the society (made up of thefamily, the school, the religiousgroups and the government) owes itas a duty to nurture an ethical andmoral culture that will foster responsible and decent behaviour among young people, including the

way they comport themselves beforeothers.

If the truth be told, the indecentmanner many young Nigerianfemales dress these days leaves muchto be desired, no thanks to their addiction to the pop culture importedfrom Europe and America.




Send Opinions & Letters to:[email protected]

Enugu’s conversation on rural development

By Sheddy Ozoene

THE Mediterranean Sea for three days last week

claimed over seven hundredlives. The extent of this tragedy,

was eno ugh for the Uni tedNations to call an emergencySecurity Council meeting. Butno serious reaction came fromthose who claim to be protectorsof the human race. On

Wednesday, May 25, a boatcarrying about 600 personscapsized. The body count is on-going. The next day, a boat

which did not have an engine butnevertheless carried 670 souls,capsized as it was being towed byanother boat. Five hundred andfifty persons from this boat, aremissing. Then on Friday, May27, another boat, sank. No partof humanity can wash its handsoff these tragedies.

Not since the Irish PotatoFamine of 1845-1852 whichresulted in about 1.3 milliondeaths and over one million Irishtaking to the seas in so calledCoffin Ships to reach England,

Wal es, Aus tra lia and Nor th Americ a, has humani ty witnessed such calamity. TheIrish journeys were so tragic thatfor instance, over 20,000 Irish

The seas do not requirehuman sacrifice

of the 100,000 that headed for Canada in 1847 perished either on the way or on arrival. But the170 years that separate thedesperate Irish sea journey to

America and the current one toEurope, should have preparedhumanity against this 21stcentury calamity. What makes the current case

worse, is that while the Irishfamine was a combination of natural and British-tailoreddisasters, the current one isessentially man-made. Forty onepercent of the those making theprecarious journey to Europe,are Syrians fleeing war. The war in Syria is a proxy one by theUnited States, Europe and someMiddle East countries to get ridof the Bashar al-AssadGovernment. To achieve this,they created, trained, armed andfunded ISIS which has become anuncontrollable monster.

Twenty one percent are Afghans; a long suffering people.The Afghan Civil War of December 1979 to February1989 was a proxy one reflectingthe Cold War. The defunct SovietUnion and its Warsaw Pact alliessupported the Government while

the United States and its NATOallies, established, trained andfunded the Mujahideen rebels.The latter attracted youngMuslims from the Arab worldlike Osama Bin laden to fight inthe war. Laden created the al-Qaeda which was accused of being responsible for thehorrendous 9/11 attacks in

United States. The Americansand their allies invaded

They succeeded in destroyingSadam and his regime, and of course, Iraq itself. Iraq became afailed state, ISIS carved out largeportions of it for its Caliphate, thevictors control its oil and manybecame refugees. Apart from those try ing to

escape violence in Somalia,Libya and Pakistan, these figures

show that 75 percent of therefugees are from the war torncountries of Syria, Afghanistanand Iraq, which gives a lie toclaims that they are mainly,economic refugees. Even the feweconomic refugees reflect partly,the failure of globalisation tomeet basic human needs that

will make living meaningful. A world of desperate people whohave nothing to live for, cannotbe a safe one.

People fleeing violence, hunger and uncertainty for whompossible watery death, ispreferable to living in their countries, cannot be stopped. In2015, we lost over 3,500 of suchpeople to the seas, while in thefirst five months of this year, atleast 2,500 have been lost. Those

lost to the seas, sometimes withtheir entire families, had hopesof a better life and future; theyhad loved ones who lookedforward to seeing them. A humanity that will cry over

the killing of a lion, weep for theshooting of a gorilla and mournthe passing of a dog, but has notears for 700 human beingsdrowned in the seas over threedays in avoidable tragedies,needs to re-examine itself. After over six decades of the

Universal Declaration of HumanRights, and humanity getting tothe level of protesting thedetention of a single individual,the impression was that allhuman lives matter; so why doesit look the other way when

hundreds of people are drownedat sea? Is it because they are poor,defenceless people? In the pastfive months, over 2,500 peopleare either dead or missing in thetidal waves of the MediterraneanSea compared to 3,500 in the

whole of 2015. What this showsis that painful watery graves, areno deterrent, nor are the wooly-

headed measures taken to stopmore people taking to the seas.The Australia option of dumpingrefugees in detention campsoutside its shores, is criminal.The European Union measure of blocking the refugees fromleaving Greece and pushingthem to large holding centres inTurkey - having bribed thatcountry with money andpromises of incorporation into EUand visa-free programme - willalso not work. In fact, this newEU 'policy' has made the criseseven more bizarre. While somemonths ago, the precarious

journey in the seas to reachEurope, was undertaken from

Asia and Africa, now those whosurvived the seas to get to Greece,are undertaking another

dangerous sea journey; an intra-European one from Greece toItaly.

In the short term, humanityneeds to welcome the migrants.In the medium, Europe,

Australia, America and other destinations of choice for therefugees, should provide visa for the most vulnerable which tome, are those fleeing wars andviolence. On the long term, weneed to address the core reasonsfor this migration includingending the wars in Iraq,

Afghanistan, Yemen and Syria,defeating ISIS and terrorism, andevolving a just globalisationfrom which all humanity willbenefit.

THE Peoples Democratic Party, PDP,governorship campaigns for the

2015 elections that ushered in Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi in Enugu state wasran on the mantra of continuity andconsolidation. Ugwuanyi had pledged tocontinue in the strides of his predecessor in office, Sullivan Chime who confrontedthe challenges of the state’s developmentcommendably. Just as it was during Chime’s tenure,

rural development has been thefundamental issue, but departing fromthe old pattern, Governor Ugwuanyi haslatched on a new paradigm thatintegrates rural development with hisadministration’s other key policies of economic growth, social services andemployment generation. While theprevious administration receivedaccolades for its superlative performancein this sector, it is obvious that Ugwuanyihas determined to showcase his efforts inrural development around the massiveupgrade of two semi-urban towns in thestate: the urbanisation of Nsukka and theNinth Mile Corner with its multiplier effects in the increased volume of economic activities and the concomitantemployment and social well-being it willgenerate.

One year into Ugwuanyi’s tenure, thatconversation in transformation is alreadyongoing with both towns already turnedinto huge construction sites. It is safe tosay that though rehabilitation of infrastructure is similarly taking placein many other places across the state,those of Nsukka and the Ninth Mile axis

where durable roads have increasinglydisplaced dilapidated and impassableroads and other social amenities are beingprovided, are easily the most ambitiousof all his projects so far. The question is:

why has the upgrade of both areas becomeso compelling and how has theadministration fared in the task againstthe background of the nation’s harsheconomic realities? As we seek to interrogate the issue, it is

worthy of note that both semi-urban areasare unique in their individual contexts,but the upgrade of Nsukka is significantin more ways than one. Beyond thecreation of an urban area to boosteconomic growth, it was also aboutaccording Nsukka — a university townfounded over a century ago—its due interms of social and economic upliftment.In line with this, the governor appearsresolved to modernising the state’s second

Afghanistan to get Bin Laden out;26,270 civilians have beenkilled since 2001, Bin Laden isdead, but the war continues. Sofor many Afghans, the choice isto flee.

Thirteen percent are Iraqis.That country under SadamHussein was fiercely anti-terrorist. Under the false claimsthat the country had Weapons of Mass Destruction and was a StateSponsor of Terrorism, America,Britain and their allies including

Aust ral ia, Denmark , Poland,invaded it from March 20, 2003.

largest city in a way that it can compete with other university towns in attractingtechnology and knowledge-basedbusinesses and other industrial supportventures.

After years of neglect by successiveadministrations which paid lip service tothe development of vital social

infrastructure in Nsukka, Ugwuanyi isindeed walking his talk. Though thedualisation of the Opi-Nsukka road hasbeen on the drawing board since thetenure of the first governor of Enugu StateDr. Okwesilieze Nwodo, successiveadministrations failed to keep faith withthe project which was of central relevanceto the overall development of the

University city. Since then, the gatewayto the city of Nsukka has remained anightmare to travellers until the presentgovernor who had made it an issue duringhis 2015 election campaign, redeemed hispromise. Other roads flagged off by thegovernor in the state’s second commercialcity are the Oberechara Road junction-Umuakashi-Mechanic Village-IkengaHotels Junction Road; Post OfficeRoundabout-Odenigbo Roundabout-Ogurugu Road-Ikenga Hotels JunctionRoad; Enugu Road (Nsukka) Junction -Umezedi-Nru Junction and the UniversityGate Road.

Second to the Opi-Nsukka roaddualisation, in terms of magnitude andsignificance, is the construction of theUdenu Ring Road. The project whichcovers 42 kilometres and passes throughseven communities, has been reoccurringin the state’s budget without executionsince the early 80s before theadministration broke the jinx andawarded the contract for its construction.But while road construction may not beconsidered the only index of development,it is no doubt a major factor. Beyond roadconstruction, however, theadministration has also activated themajor water project for the area andapproved the construction of a 200-bedspecialist hospital in Orba. These are inaddition to several electrification projectsthat will all feed into the city’s urbandevelopment profile.

The Ninth Mile Corner may not be as biga city as Nsukka but its historical neglectis in several ways similar. It has faced seriesof failed promises of a facelift and itsposition as an economic hub in the state as

well as the South East region, was largelylost on successive administrations at stateand federal levels. Nowhere is this neglectas pronounced as the road network in thestate’s melting pot of business andcommerce, haulage and publictransportation. Home to two of the South

East’s largest breweries, bottlingcompanies and several manufacturingconcerns, the poor roads have been anightmare to product truckers,commuters and natives alike. For decades, the city has become synonymous

with human congestion while traf ficgridlocks have always beencommonplace. Governor Ugwuanyibelieves that the 9th Mile sub-urban isan economic hub that the state needs toharness in order to enjoy the benefits of its newly acquired status as a free tradezone. After decades of expectations by the

people that governments at state andfederal levels would address the poor roadnetworks and save lives that areperennially lost on them throughavoidable accidents, Governor Ugwuanyi’s response has come like a fresh

wind. Among the road projects flagged off within his fir st six months are theconstruction of the two major roads

within the axis, namely the Ameke Ngwo-Nsude junction by-pass and the Ninthmile Corner by-pass. The roads arestrategic and their importance can onlybe measured against the relief it brings tocommuters who usually experience theproblematic gridlocks. Even the Ebeanoby-pass, a federal government road that

was expected to kick-off the Enugu-Makurdi dual carriageway, has not beenrevisited since 2005 when PresidentObasanjo first flagged it off amidstfanfare. The earthwork that once made itmotorable in the interim for use duringhigh traffic periods of Christmas, has sincebeen washed off while gulleys have takenover.

If Governor Chime’s eight years has beenan era of exceptional transformation in

physical infrastructure in the state, theevents of the past year give a foretaste of what Ugwuanyi’s tenure portends: aperiod during which rural development

will be redefined by the impact it has—inreal terms— on the people’s wellbeing.

*Mr. Ozoene, a publisher, wrote fromAbuja.

A humanity that will cry over the killing of a lion,weep for the shooting of agorilla and mournthe passing of adog, but has no tears for 700 human beings drowned in the seas over three days in avoidable

tragedies, needs to re-examine itself

The events of the past year give aforetaste of what Ugwuanyi’s tenure portends



20—Vanguard, FRIDAY, JUNE 3, 2016



Vanguard, FRIDAY, JUNE 3, 2016 — 21

Peter Egwuatu

Union Bankshareholdersapprove changeof MEMART

The shareholders of UnionBank Nigeria Plc at the 47th

Annual General Meeting, AGMheld in Lagos, yesterday,approved the proposal by itsBoard of Directors to change thebank’s Memorandum and Articlesof Association (MEMART).

The shareholders also decriedthe non payment of dividend bythe bank for eight years, stressing

the need for the board to cut itsexpenses to be able to paydividend in the nearest future.

Meanwhile, the bank hasbacked the FederalGovernment’s drive to diversifythe economy by developingnon oil sectors . Addressing shareholders at the

meeting on the outlook for 2016,Chairman of Union Bank, Mr.Cyril Odu said “We expect thechallenging macroeconomicenvironment to persist in2016 withoil prices remaining depressed.Nevertheless, we expect that thegovernment executes its economicpriorities –seeking further diversification of the economy and

increasing investments in capitalinfrastructure- the non oil sectorsshould receive a boost, creatingsignificant opportunity for consumers, industry andinvestors.”

Speaking at the meeting, Mr.Nonah Awoh, a shareholder activist said “There is need for thebank to cut its expenses and for the directors to put extra effort toensure that shareholders arerewarded for their patience andloyalty over the years. Going by what I see from the annual report,it means that the bank are notlikely to pay dividend until 2028. Another shareholder, Chief

Joseph Okelana also called on thebank to intensify its efforts atrecovering debts owed to the bankfrom debtors. According to him, “Though, it

is difficult to recover debt,butmore effort should be made toensure that substantial debts arerecovered especially thoseinternally related ones. In asmuch as the bank knows them,then it should be able to recover some of these debts. It is true thatour commercial law protect theborrower and not the lender,nevertheless management shouldall go out to recover this debt inorder to enable it pay dividend toshareholders in the nearest

future. Also cost reductionmeasure should be put in place.”

Chief Executive Officer,Union Bank, Mr. EmekaEmuwa said “The bank will doall it can to recover more debtsfrom debtors.”

IATA asks Nigeria to release $591mforeign airlines’ revenues

The International Air T r a n s p o r t

Asso ciat io n (IAT A)yesterday called for countries with tightcurrency exchange ratecontrols including Venezuela and Nigeria torelease $5 billion worth of local ticket sales revenuesowed to foreign airlines,or risk losing their services. Two airlines,

Lufthansa and LATAM Airlines, said this weekthey were haltingflights to Venezuela, wi th th e Ge rmancarrier saying theSouth American

country owed it morethan $100 million inlocal ticket sales.

IATA said that airlinerevenues worth $5billion were currentlybeing blocked by

countries, with Venezuela andNigeria the biggest culprits,effectively withholding$3.78 billion and $591million respectively. Sudan,Egypt and Angola are also

blocking the repatriation of airlines’ revenues.

“The efficient repatriation of revenues is critical for airlinesto be able to play their role asa catalyst for economic activity,”said IATA’s Director GeneralTony Tyler in a statement at theairline group’s annualmeeting in Dublin. Currencycontrols in Venezuela havecaused airlines difficulties for some time, with IATA sayingthe situation became critical in2015, while in Nigeria,repatriation issues began inthe second half of last year.

Lufthansa is unable to access$20 million of ticket revenuesin Nigeria because of foreign

exchange controls and couldcut capacity if that amountgrows, sources have said.

IATA said that the Nigerianauthorities were in talks withthe airlines to seek possiblemeasures to make the fundsavailable.

The efficient

repatriation of

revenues is

critical for

airlines to be

able to play their role as a

catalyst for

economic

activity

CURRENCY BUYING SELLING

CBN Exchange rate as at 02/06/2016

US

DOLLAR

POUNDS

EURO

FRANC

YEN

CFA

WAUA

RENMINBI

RIYAL

196 196.5 197

283 .024 283.746 284. 468

219.2064 219.7656 220.3248

198. 2401 198. 7458 199. 2515

1. 796 1. 8006 1 .8 052

0.3141 0.3241 0.3341

274.2666 274. 9662 275.6659

29.7836 29.86 29.9365

52.2583 52.3916 52.5249

29.4701 29.5453 29.6205

$122.00 0.45

$3,035.00 -24.00

$49.77 0.05

Nigeria’s Barkindo is new OPEC scribeBy Michael Eboh

FORMER GroupManaging Director of

the Nigerian NationalPetroleum Corporation, NNPC,Dr. Mohammed Barkindo, wasyesterday, appointed SecretaryGeneral of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries(OPEC). According to a statement by

OPEC, after the 169th Meetingof the Conference, Barkindo’sappointment would take effectfrom August 1, 2016, and he isexpected to serve for a periodof three years.

Barkindo is to take over from Abdalla Salem El-Badri, who

held the position for over nineyears. El-Badri was supposedto leave at the end of 2012, buthis tenure was extended due tothe fact that member countriesof OPEC could not reach aconsensus on his replacement.OPEC members commendedEl-Badri for his leadership of the Secretariat and theOrganisation during his tenureas Secretary General.

In addition, the conferencestated that global crude oilproduction had dropped byover one million barrel per day,from its peak at the beginningof 2015, while it projected afurther decline of 740,000barrels per day by 2016. According to the conference,

global demand is anticipated toexpand by 1.2 million barrelsper day, after growing at 1.5million barrels per day during2015.

This demand growth, OPECnoted, remains relativelyhealthy considering recenteconomic challenges anddevelopments.

It said, “The Conferenceobserved that, since its lastmeeting in December 2015,crude oil prices have risen bymore than 80 per cent, supplyand demand is converging andoil and product stock levels inthe OECD have recently shownrelative moderation.

“This is testament to the fact

that the market is movingthrough the balancing process.The latest numbers, however,still show OECD and non-

OECD inventories standing well above the fiv e-yea r average and these need to bedrawn down to normal levels.

“The Conference also notedthe very low investment levelcurrently prevailing in the oilindustry and emphasized theneed to increase upstreaminvestment in order to achievelong-term balance in the oilmarkets.”

Furthermore, the OPECconference re-emphasized thecoordination between Member Countries and with non-OPECproducers to ensure marketstability in the global oil market;to obtain reasonable andsustainable revenue for oil-

producing nations; and toprovide a stable, reliable,

FORUM: From left, Executive Director, Finance and Strategy, Sterling Bank Plc, Mr.

Abubakar Suleiman; Executive Director, LEAP Africa, Mrs. Iyadunni Olubode, and Board Chair, LEAP Africa, Mrs. Nadu Denloye, at a press conference on the 11th edition of the LEAP Africa CEO Forum, sponsored by Sterling Bank, in Lagos.

efficient and economic supplyto consuming countries and afair return to investors in the oilindustry.

Continuing, the statementreads, “Member countries, inagreeing to this decision,confirmed their commitment toa stable and balanced oilmarket, with prices at levelsthat are suitable for bothproducers and consumers.

“While emphasizing itscommitment to ensuring a long-term stable and balanced oilmarket for both producers andconsumers, the Conferencestressed that, given the currentmarket conditions, theSecretariat should continue to

closely monitor developmentsin the coming months.”

Dr. Mohammed Barkindo



22— Vanguard, FRIDAY, JUNE 3, 2016

MOST Nigerians consume crops like maize,

groundnut and cassava, butunknown to majority these cropsare susceptible to Aflatoxins, which are highly toxic to humansand animals. Aflatoxin is a poison produced

by the ubiquitous fungus Aspergillus flavus that infectsvarious crops in the fields andstores making food and feedunsafe. According to Scientists,

consuming foods containing Aflatoxins can cause death bothin animals and human. Aflatoxins are estimated to causeabout 5 percent to 30 percent of all liver cancers especially indeveloping countries likeNigeria. Aflatoxin contamination is

pervasive in the food and feedproduction systems in sub-Saharan Africa leading tounknown but significant socialand economic cost with respectto impaired health andproductivity of people andanimals, increased food spoilage,and inability to market agriculturalproducts internationally.

The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) has

carried out several research onthe effects of Aflotoxin on humanhealth as well as Africa’s foodeconomy. In one of the studies,an association between aflatoxinexposure and stunted growth inchildren under five years old wasestablished. Alejandro Ortega disclosed

recently that in Togo and Beninthat many children may beaffected by aflatoxin- associatedstunted growth. This means thataflatoxins could be contributingto a significant public healthburden in developing countries.

“Children exposed toaflatoxins contaminated foodhave 28% reduced growth ratein comparison to other children.”

How does aflatoxinaffect Africa’s foodeconomy?

It has also been establishedthat Aflatoxins contribute tonutritional and economic lossesin major commodities includinggroundnuts, maize, sorghum,cassava, yam chips, cottonseeds, coffee, cocoa, copra andoils.

Speaking recently in Lagos at Year 3 innovation platform andmarket linkages workshop put

together by IITA for maize-producing organisations andfarmers, involved in the AgResults Aflasafe™ project, Mrs.Stella Denloye said Aflatoxincontamination contributes to preand post harvest losses in many

Aflatoxin: IITA leads fight againstprevalence in food

By Jimoh Babatunde

crops which can directly reduceavailability of food , just as it alsoprevents commodities frommeeting international, regional, local regulations, and standardsgoverning agricultural trade

and food safety.“Contaminated food is

effectively lost as it must bedestroyed because alternativeuses are not readily available.Small-scale farmers are said to behard hit , since contaminatedcrops do not meet food safetystandards, aflatoxincontamination undermines localpurchase programmes bydevelopment partners and accessto other markets.

“It also hinders investments inseeds, tools and fertilizers,intended to boost agriculturaldevelopment and trade.” Also speaking on the effect of

aflatoxin on poultry business, Dr. Victor Oduguwa, said when youfeed chicken with toxin infestedmaize it really stresses them,“because what you are trying toachieve when you give themfood is to convert that food toegg in our case. But when all theinternal organ are stressed thenyou disturb the conversion abilityof that food into eggs , so theconversion can not happen.

“The chicken is sick, they startcoughing blood, plus our environment where we have alittle bit of temperature , you getall the stresses and this is just badfor the business.

“So what do we do, we spendmore money buying toxinbinder to try and inhibit the effectof the toxin on the chicken.”

Dr. Victor Oduguwa added “Ican not over emphasis the impactthis has on our business, manyof the chicken die because of thefeed we give to them and what

we give to them to reduce thestress, but no amount of toxinbinder we give them can removethe poisonous effect from their system , so the mortality rateincreased. Just as your

production of egg will reducedand it cost farmers more.”Denloye, in her presentation

on Aflatoxin and challenges todoing business in Nigeria whilecalling for awareness on theparts of farmers and consumers,said there is need for organisesystem to detect potential foodcontamination as research basedintervention.

It was gathered that visualinspection cannot provide a goodestimate of aflatoxins since clean-looking grains are oftencontaminated too. Chemicalanalysis of crop products is themost reliable way to determinethe level of aflatoxins in food and

feeds.

On prevention

Dr. Debo Akande, the Nigerialeader of the AgResults pilot , amulti-donor initiative aimed atboosting global agriculture and

food security through privatesector-led innovations, speakingat the workshop in Lagos notedthat in diversifying intoagriculture that there is need notonly to look at the quantity of

food produced but the qualityalso, “so, it is important to takeinto consideration the health of the people.”

Food quality and safety issuesresulting from aflatoxincontamination has presented asignificant obstacle to programsdesigned to improve nutrition andagricultural production whilelinking small farmers to markets.

To link small farmers to markets,and to improve food productionand quality, it’s clear that unlessaflatoxin levels in crops andlivestock are effectively managed,agricultural development effortsat achieving greater foodsecurity and improve health will

be undermined.Speaking on Increasing

Production and Quality of maizethrough AgResults Aflasafe, Dr. Akande said the workshop is tofacilitate a better understandingof aflatoxin issues and marketchallenges on sources of supplyand demand of aflatoxin safemaize, creating and enhancingbusiness relationships betweenaflasafe farmers and end-users of maize.

He noted that Aflasafe is anatural bio-control productdeveloped by IITA and partnersto help farmers manage aflatoxincontamination on cereal and grain

products in the field and in thestore.“This event is one of many

processes adopted under the AgResults Aflasafe™ project toimprove farmers’ access toaflatoxin reduced maize market.

“The project incentivizes

•A maize cob with Aspergillus mold.

aggregators ,calledImplementers, working withsmallholder farmers, through apull mechanism that pays for results and provides a per-unitaward tied to the tonnage of AflasafeTM trea ted maizeImplementers collect from their farmers.”

While noting that the project isprivate sector driven which isfocus on smallholder farmers, Akande said the private andpublic sector enterprisesprovide inputs and farmservices including Aflasafe™ totheir constituent farmers at cost. Akande added that the target

for the project is to produce260,000 tons of maize in 4 years,adding that IITA is looking for every opportunity to have theaflosafe seeds in the hands of farmers in Nigeria.

Aflasafe

Aflasafe™ was developed byIITA in collaboration with Agriculture Research Service of the United States Department of Agriculture, University of Bonnand University of Ibadan. Morethan 4200 strains of Aspergillusspecies from naturally infectedmaize cobs collected fromfarmers’ fields and stores inNigeria were evaluated . After six years of meticulous

and painstaking research usingseveral microbiology, plantpathology, molecular biology andtoxicology methods, 12 safe andeffective atoxigenic strains wereidentified out of which four werefurther tested for six years in

experiment stations and farmers’fields in Nigeria. Akande disclosed that aflasafe

treated maize is safer for poultryfarmers in the country. A member of the Aflasafe team

in Nigeria, Alejandro Ortegaadded that there is increasedlivestock productivi ty andprofitability due to incorporationof aflatoxin-reduced crops in thefeed value chain.

This was confirmed by Dr. Victor Oduguwa, a poultry farmer, whosaid the aflasafe treated maizehad actually made them to realizethe effect of the stress and theheat their chicken go through , “for the first time using aflasafe

maize, we discovered it was acombination of the toxin and theheat stress that aggravate thismortality of our chicken becausethis year we used aflatoxin maizeand the toxin level went down, we did not have to do more thistime around to deal with the heatstress. “So, definitely this is theright way to go, because it willhelp the farmer to preserve their livestock better , it will help to givebetter products and it will giveus peace of mind.”

He added that before nowbuying maize in the open marketthey get up to 400ppb, theamount of toxin in the maize, as

they don’t really know what they were going to get.“When we ask the suppliers

why it is so, they say that is whatthey can give. You spend morebuying maize, but your chickenare dying because you can notgive the maize like that as you

Children

exposed to aflatoxins contaminated

food have 28% reduced growthrate in

comparison to other children

… impact health, trade




EKITI STATE

THE one and half yearshoneymoon between the EkitiState Governor, Mr AyodeleFayose and organised labour appears to have hit the rocks,as the two are currently atdaggers drawn over unpaidsalaries and sundry issues.

Until, Thursday 26th of May,Governor Fayose enjoyed theconfidence and absolute loyalty

of the workers. It is not far fetched that the over 51,000 workforce in Ekiti State playeda significant role in hisresounding victory at the June21, 2014 governorship poll inthe state .

Indeed, Fayose rode to power on the credentials of being workers’ friendly and Ekitibeing a civil service state, theopinion of the workers carriesmassive weight as to whooccupies the governorship seatat Oke-Ori Omi GovernmentHouse.

Genesis of the crisisTrouble started on Thursday,

26th of May, when the workers, under the aegis of theNigerian Labour Congress,NLC, Trade Union Congress,TUC and Joint NegotiatingCouncil, JNC, declared anindefinite industrial action,after the expiration of the 24and 48 hour ultimatums after which windows of negotiations were closed.

All government offices wereput under lock and key, asgovernance was renderedprostrate. Only few of thepolitical appointees were seendoing skeletal work in their offices.

The unions had on Tuesday,the 17th of May, first issued a24 hour ultimatum to Governor Fayose to pay a sum of N512million being money deductedfrom December, 2015 salary or face industrial action.

The strike was later shelveddue to the nationwide strikedeclared to protest hikes in fuelprice by the federalgovernment. After the suspension of the

nationwide strike on Sundaynight, the unions after their joint meeting of Tuesday, May24 issued another 48 hours tothe governor on the need toaddress some of their sundrydemands to avert the crisis, which lapsed on midnight Wednesday

A sta temen t signed bychairmen of TUC, ComsOdunayo Adesoye, NLC, Ade Adesanmi and JNI Secretary ,

By Rotimi Ojomoyela Oladele Blessing , said thestrike became the last resortafter they had displayeduncommon understandingover the state’s financial status..Workers’ demand

The workers’ demands are:the release of the staff audit andverification conducted in April, 2015, disclosure of themonthly internally generatedrevenue, payment of arrears of

salaries pension and gratuities,payment of September 2014salary to primary schoolteachers, payment of 2014 and2015 leave bonuses.

Others include:implementation of promotionfor 2013, 2014, 2015, approvalof inter-cadre transfer,remission of10% IGR to localgovernment and stoppage of Joint Allocation Committee’saccount, resuscitation of LGstaff pension funds and releaseof running grants to secondaryschools and LGs.

The labour leaders said: “Your Excellency Sir, we haveremained calm since these dayshoping that respite will sooncome our way, but hope isbecoming a mirage. Besides,there is a limit to endurance”,they said.

Governor Fayose’s reactionBut reacting to the strike in a

televised broadcast onThursday, Fayose said the state was facing a serious financialcrises that may not enable itmeet up with certain

N751 million in April, addingthat the workers are privy to thestate’s allocation and are activeparticipants in the sharingcommittee.

“Even before going on their strike, I got to know that manyof them no longer go to office while many others were goinglate, but why I refused to comehard on those involved wasthat I had no moral justificationto do so since I know we wereowing them.

“I cannot stop workers fromgoing on strike, we shall be waiting till when they come

back, but they must realise thata strike is not the best option.“Even in Government House,

we don’t have money to power generators, whereas, I cannotsell myself or members of myfamily to raise funds,things arethat difficult,” Fayose said.

The Governor, thereforethreatened to invoke the no- work-no-pay rule, probably tocoerce the striking workers to

responsibilities immediately.He said workers monthly

wage bill is currently over N2billion whereas federalallocation keep reducing fromalmost N3 billion to as low as

Fayose vs Ekiti workers : Whoblinks first?

Continues from page 23

Ondo guber polls 2016: Intrigues, power play amongAPC’s 50 aspirants

state chairman of the party.It was gathered that the

treatment given to thechairman was a scriptcarefully written and playedout to ridicule him for notsupporting the minister’schoice.

The state chairman, HonKekemeke in a statement hepersonally signed said he had“no issue whatsoever with theHonourable Minister of Statefor the Niger Delta Affairs,Professor Claudius Daramolacontrary to speculations insome quarters.

“I am constrained tounusually and personallyreact to the James HardleyChase story making therounds that only desperationthat could have made a PartyChairman to utter that false

statement in the

circumstances. It exhibitedthe lowest of the low. What ashame. The arguments or altercations occurred indaylight in the presence of some members of the pressand about 100 party members.

“I invite Mr. Kekemeke torefer the incident to the partynational secretariat for investigation.

“I joined active politics inorder to contribute to bringingabout social change inNigeria, and Ondo Stae inparticular. To this end, I havemade substantial financialand other contributions. Myparents taught me good

manners, which include self-respect, self-regard, and self-restraint.

“ My father used to refer tothese ideals as the three “Rs.”The base of self-respect ismutual respect. Also, I

reasonably believe that self-respect precludes an

individual from engaging indisrespectful comments or jokes about others, especiallyour elders.

“With a sense of modesty, Idaresay that my backgroundbrought about my interventionto stop the Chairman’s frombelittling the honourableminister in public glare.

“I would like to reiterate thatMr. Kekemeke or the State Working Committee shouldrefer this matter to the partynational secretariat for athorough investigation."

Meanwhile, leaders of theparty have called for cease

fire from all warring partychieftains in the interest of wi nn in g the No ve mber governorship election.

Going into the election as adivided house, according tothem, will spell doom for theparty.

return to their duty posts.

Labour repliesIn another statement issued

on Sunday being the outcomeof an emergency meeting heldat the Labour House in Ado-Ekiti on Saturday , the Unionssaid that : “The ongoing strikeis not an ego trip or politicallymotivated, but about the rightsof workers and pensioners whoare dying daily out of hunger and frustration”.

They said contrary to commonstatement by the governor of incorporating representatives

of labour unions in the state’smonthly cash allocationmeetings, “The meeting is onlya briefing and not a cashallocation meeting. So, the ideaof labour leaders sharingmonthly cash allocation andthe governor approving doesnot arise.

"There has never been anyadvice or suggestion given togovernment by the organised

labour at this forum that hasever been taken”.

They disagreed there wasever a time they reachedaccords with government topay only net salary which would exclude cooperat ivedeductions, bank loans andunion dues, expressing regretsthe governor himself hadcondemned net payment whenhe came on board and duringhis election campaigns haddismissed same as a ‘fraud’.

Conflicting figures ofInternally Generated Revenue

Another issue that raised theire of the Organised Labour was the figure of the internallygenerated revenue (IGR)reeled out by the Governor Fayose. According to them,“the Accountant General hadgiven figures which rangedbetween only N150m andN200m, except that of N268m

•Gov. Ayodele Fayose

Continue on page 25

The ongoing strike is not an

ego trip or politically motivated, but about the rights of workers and

pensioners who are dying daily out of hunger and frustration



OGUN STATE

Vanguard , FRIDAY, JUNE 3, 2016 —25

THE unending debate on whether to ban the use of motocycles as a means of publictransport has moved to Ogunstate.

The argument for or againstthe ban, like in all cases,depends on the side of thedivide one belongs.

Before any concrete step istaken, some stakeholders ingovernment, security andtransportation sectors gatheredin the state to marshal their points.

The stakeholders include;Governor Ibikunle Amosun, thestate Police Commissioner, Abdulmajid Ali, the Speaker of

the state House of Assembly,Suraj Adekumbi, a foreigninvestor Monish Lakhani andthe South West Chairman of Amalgamated CommercialMotorcycle Owners andRiders Association of Nigeria, ACOMORAN- Samsudeen Apelogun .

Leaders of the operators of commercial motorcycles, asexpected, warned against itsban to prevent throwing theseven million youths who theysay are in the business, into thealready saturatedunemployment market, thesecurity chiefs present believethe Okada business is fuellingcrime.

In many parts of the country ,Okada business had beenbanned and later resuscitatedfollowing the rate of accidentsand security challenges.

In Ogun State, the Policeannounced the disbandment of Okada business due to the highrate of crimes in Sagamu andsome parts in Ijebu axis whichthey believed was perpetratedthorough the use of motorcycles.

In Ondo State governmenthad also suspended theoperation of commercialmotorcycles but that was later

reversed.The state governor , Senator

Ibikunle Amosun who spoke ata-two day seminar organisedby ACOMORAN in Abeokuta,advocated the restructuring of commercial motorcyclingbusiness in the country towardstackling insecurity andstimulating employmentgeneration.

The governor while speakingon the theme “buildingcapacity in the transportationsector : Panacea for economicdown turn, a case study of commercial motorcycling” ,noted that commercialmotorcycling had become amajor industry in the nation’stransportation.

The governor who wasrepresented by the state Houseof Assembly Speaker, Suraj Adekunbi, said while the sector creates teeming employment

By Daud Olatunji

Ogun joins debate on okada ban

opportunities, governmentsand stakeholders mustadequately regulate it toforestall hijacking by criminalelements.

He assured that hisadministration would continueto create the enablingenvironment for thetransportation sector to thrive.

The state Commissioner of Police, Abdulmajid Ali who alsoaddressed the gathering calledfor the setting up of a specialteam to monitor okada riderstowards curbing the activitiesof illegal riders. Ali said he was surprised that

many commercial motorcyclists were involved in kidnapping,car-snatching, armed robbery,cultism and sundry crimes ,urging ACOMORAN topartner with security agencies

towards flushing out bad eggsin the business.

He however, insisted thatcompulsory registration of allcommercial motorcyclists, useof operational jackets andnumbers and working withinstipulated hours would go along way in drasticallyreducing criminal activitiesassociated with okadas in thecountry.

The Police chief urged theassociation to partner withsecurity agencies in the fightto curb crimes and also do all within its ambit to sanitize itsmembership in order to exposethose tarnishing their image.

He said: “I want to call on theassociation to be proactive ingetting involved in securityissues; partner with police andother security agencies.

commercial motorcycleactivities remain one of themost critical sectors in thenation’s economy. Apelogun emphasised that

the association is playing agreat roles in tacklingunemployment and ensuringrevenue generation for thecountry. Apelogun who kicked against

the ban placed on commercialmotorcycling in some states, warning state governmentsagainst indiscriminate ban of commercial motorcyclistspopularly known as ‘Okada.

He sated that such move without adequate alternatives would lead to further sufferingof the people, adding that the

banning would also engender a greater security threat.He said over seven million

Nigerians are alreadyemployed in commercialmotorcycling transportationsub-sector, stressing thatplacing a ban on their activities would further worsen Nigeria’s

“I hereby suggest that thegovernment and stakeholdersof those states shouldstrengthen the commercialmotorcycling sector and seehow best they can contribute tothe purse of the state.

“We also want to use thisoccasion to let the entire worldknow that commercial

motorcycling is a business worth investing in because wehave noble men and womenand highly educated people asstakeholders in thisassociation."

“We are professionals like anyother professionals, that is whyyou always allow us totemporarily take charge of your life when you ask us to take youfrom one destination toanother.”

ACOMORAN must be seen tobe above board.

“Commercial motorcyclistshave to get involved in securityissues. You must informsecurity agencies of anysuspicious activities.Kidnapping, car-snatching,armed robbery and cultismhave been on the rise. It is

surprising that most riders arealso involved in those activities.

“The police are committed tofighting crime and criminalitiesin the state. Members of ACOMORAN must be seen tobe above board.

But, in his reaction, the South West Chairman of Amalgamated Commerc ialMotorcycle Owners andRiders Association of Nigeria(ACOMORAN), Samsudeen Apelo gun stres sed that

FAYOSE VS EKITI WORKERS: Who blinks first?

for April, the highest sodeclared by her.

The Governor during themedia chat gave N267m for Sept. 2015; N252m for Oct.2015; N195m for Nov. 2015;and N181m for Dec 2015.

“For Jan, Feb and March, theaccruals, according to thegovernor, were N389m,N381m, and N302millionrespectively," adding: “Labour was embarrassed to hear themonthly IGR read on air by His

Excellency.”

Punishment for erring workers

The leadership of the Unionsfurther berated the governor for his planned decision to pay

only the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU), a section of workers in the state, which haddecided to pull out of theongoing strike action, urgingthe entire workforce to remainin their various houses untilotherwise directed by their respective unions.

Those who disregarded thedirectives of the Union andreported at work on Thursdayhad a bitter story to tell, as they were beaten up and treated assaboteurs.

The picketing was done by atask force set up by the

Chairmen of the NigerianLabour Congress, Comrade Ade Adesanmi, TUC, ComradeOdunayo Adesoye and JointNegotiating Council.

The rampaging task force, who bra ndished cudgel s ,

visited the old and newgovernor’s offices and chasedout those on essential services,especially the staff of theprotocol unit, those ondirectorate cadre and staff of the internal revenue service. A leader of the Task Force,

Comrade Kingsley Ebong, saidthose who flouted their order were believed to be benefitingfrom the system or being usedto sabotage the strike.

Face-off with the Head ofService

The organised Labour calledon their members todiscountenance the threat bythe Head of Service , Dr Olugbenga Faseluka orderingsenior workers to resume workon Tuesday, 31 of May, or facedire consequences for their actions.

The Union viewed thedirective as a way of dividingthe workers and weaken thestrike declared by the NigerianLabour Congress, Trade UnionCongress and JointNegotiating Council.

The TUC Chairman, said all workers must remain at homepending the time the labour leaders would suspend thestrike.

“We have told all civil servantsthat the strike still continue. So, whether you are a junior or senior worker, you are boundto adhere strictly to it.

“Contrary to what the Headof Service said, senior civilservants are members of ourunions. Their returning to workdepends on the position of thelabour unions. Nobody canoverride us on this,” he stated.

Continues from page 24

Participants at the ACOMORAN event in Abeokuta




EDITOR:Adeleke Adeseri 08054682557 (sms only)

CORRESPONDENTS:Dapo Akinrefon LagosOla Ajayi IbadanGbenga Olarinoye OsogboDayo Johnson AkureDaud Olatunji AbeokutaOlasunkanmi Akoni LagosRotimi Ojomoyela EkitiMonsuru Olowoepejo

OWAMBE

•Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode (left), presenting an award to Mr. Tony Jackson during the Democracy Day celebration with the Physically Challenged

persons to commemorate the First Year in Office of Governor

Akinwunmi Ambode at the Lagos House, Ikeja.

•Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode (middle); his Wife, Bolanle (2nd right);former Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Otunba Femi Pedro (right); Chairman, All

Progressives Congress, Lagos State Chapter, Otunba Henry Ajomale (2nd left) and his Wife, Adetoun (left) during a Thanksgiving Service in Commemoration of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s First Year in Office at the Chapel of Christ The Light, Alausa, Ikeja,Lagos, on Sunday, May 29, 2016.

•Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso (left); exchanging pleasantries with the Sarkin Hausawa, Agege, Musa Muhammed during a press conference over release of Hausa youths detained over the Mile 12 riots in Agege, Lagos, onMonday.

• Divisional Police Officer, Adeniji Adele Police Station, SP Ayodele Umujose; Alternate Chairman, Domestic & Sexual Violence Response Team (DSVRT), Mrs.Omotilewa Ibirogba; Divisional Police Officer, FESTAC, CSP Monday Agbonika;Attorney General & Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Adeniji Kazeem; Director,Office of the Public Defender (OPD), Mrs. Omotola Rotimi and Divisional Police Officer, Isokoko, SP Ifeanyi Owo during a press briefing on report of activities of DSVRT, at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre, the Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja,on Tuesday, May 31, 2016.

•Representative of the Registrar of CFRFFN, Ifeayin Joseph,Representative of the DG NIMASA and Director Maritime Labour Services of the Agency, Mrs J.A Gunwa; Engr.Greg Ogbeifun President Shipowners Association of Nigeria (SOAN), Pioneer Rector of MAN Oron, Engr.Olu Akinsoji and Former Chairman Oil and Gas Free Zone Authority, Dr. Chris Asoluka, During a

programme on the youth and the future of the NigerianMaritime Industry held in Lagos recently.

•From right, Wife of the Ondo state governor, Mrs Oluwafemi Mimiko, President of "Another Chance Women's Home, Rev (Mrs)Funke Adejumo, the Presiding Bishop of Agape.



VANGUARD , FRIDAY, JUNE 3, 2016 —27

By Iyabo Aina

Veteran singer Mike Okri

who ruled the airwavesin the late 80s with his chartbusting debut LP, “Concert Fever”,may have some scores to settle withhis brother, Edi Kriz Okri followingthe latter’s recent outburst that he’snot proud of the singer.

“I and Mike are brothers, but I’mnot proud of him,” Kriz declares ina recent chat with WG. He addedthat the veteran singer is not likethe elder brother he used to knowin the past.

Mike Okri’sbrother fumes!

By Benjamin Njoku

Peace is about to return to thetroubled Performing

Musicians Association of Nigeria,PMAN, as the union’s NationalExecutive Council,NEC, has setplans in motion to hold generalelections that will usher in a newbreed of leaders to pilot the affairsof the association.

Rising in a one-day meeting of the union’s NEC, which held at

White House Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos,earlier in the week, the delegatesdrawn from 24 states of thefederation resolved to hold theforthcoming elections on Tuesday,October 4, 2016.

The delegates said, the decision was based on strict adherence tothe consent judgment that broughtabout the outgoing Pretty Okafor-led Interim National ExecutiveCaretaker Committee of the union. According to PMAN’s NEC, the

electoral guidelines for theforthcoming National DelegateConference would be made publicat least two months before thedelegates conference proper.

The council also, revealed thatthe compulsory bar-coding of allmusical and film works releasedin Nigeria would commence soon

At last,PMAN set to holdgeneral elections

By Juliet Ebirim

The media release party of the highlyanticipated film ‘Bloodlines’ is set to hold on

16th of June, in Lagos. Senator Ben MurrayBruce will be a Special Guest of Honor at theevent, while Honorable Richard Mofe Damijo

will be the guest of honor. Ace Comedian AliBaba will be the Celebrity Host of the night.

The movie which is a collaboration betweenNollywood and Hollywood, stars the delectableLynne Whitfield, veteran actor Billy Dee

Williams,Brian Hooks, Pascal Atuma, Oscar Atuma, Chico Benymon, Tangi Miller, Doug Williams etc.

The movie was directed by Pascal Atuma andproduced by Dr Oscar Atuma & Pascal Atuma.Executive Producers are Walter Ojimba &Ujunwa Walter Ojimba. Screenplay was by BillLee Brown and Chika Alakwe. Also popular musician KCee is expected to

entertain the VIP guests which comprises of Nollywood and Ghollywood’s crème de la crème

like Majid Michel, Tchidi Chikere, RamseyNouah, Ini Edo, Omotola Jalade Ekeinde, Kunle Afolayan , Lancelot Imaseun, Zeb Ejiro, NuellaNjubigbo, Annie Macauley Idibia, JosephBenjamin, Stephanie Okereke, Omoni Oboli,Honorable Desmond Elliot among others. Theevent is guaranteed to be star studded. SkoolboiComedian will be the Master of Ceremony.

‘Blood Lines’ shows incinemas nationwide

from June 17th and isbeing distributed in West Afr ica byS i l v e r B i r dDistribution.

Ben Bruce, RMD, AliBaba to headline‘Bloodlines’ release party

•RMD

as the on-going negotiations and discussionsbetween PMAN and The Federal Ministry of Information and Culture on one hand and theNigeria Copyright Commission,NCC, on the other hand are concluded. “We shall then announce thedate for the commencement of the bar-code regimein Nigeria as the measure is designed (a.) to protectthe works creator, (b.) the investors, and (c.) to beable to determine the contribution of the musicindustry into the annual G.D.P of the Nation sinceNigerian music have been rated one of the best inthe world today.”

“Back in the days, when some of theseartistes begin to make waves they getinvolved in spiritual activities to boost

their careers.“Kriz,who has been away from the musicscene is staging a comeback with therelease of his new album titled“Oshofree.” According to him, one of the tracks in

the album, “Chidinma” is about himrelaunching himself into themainstream music world. He lamentedthat life has not been fair to him sincehe travelled out of the country in searchof greener pastures.

Genesis Studios, creators of the award winning televi-

sion series, “So Wrong, So Wrightand Tales of Eve”is partnering aLondon-based television content,Production and distribution com-pany, FremantleMedia, to bringthe popular game show, “ThePrice is Right” to Nigeria.

The company is getting readyto produce five seasons of theshow, making the total number of adaptations of the format to43 versions worldwide.

Billed to premiere towards theend of the year, the show was un-veiled to the press recently in La-gos. Speaking at the event, Gen-esis Studios Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer, Olatubo-sun Olaegbe explained that thereis an ardent need for Nigerian tel-evision screens to be graced withyet another world class gameshow that is engaging, entertain-ing and most importantly suita-ble for the whole family.

“We have been looking for a world class game show that

Why we are bringing The Price is Right to Nigeria —Genesis Studios boss

*Abraham-Praise-Executive-Producer and ProjectDirector,TPIR-NG,Mrs.Debbie Odutayo, President of EMCOANand Mr.Olatubosun Olaegbe, Executive Producer,TPIR-NG andManaging Director, Genesis-Studios.

would engage and entertain theentire family and The Price isRight is the perfect format for usand we know it will be a big suc-cess in Nigeria” Olaegbe said.

He added that it is long over-due for Nigerians to have a fam-ily oriented show like this. “I amgrateful to Fremantle Media for a partnership that ensures thatNigerians will benefit from the

wide acceptability of the show andmost importantly the simplicity

of its audience rating whichmeans that even the very youngcan participate and smile home

with mouthwatering prizes”.“The Price is Right” is the long-

est running family game show inhistory and has won twenty day-time Emmys; it has also beentagged the number one daytime

show in Unit-

ed States. Theformat hasbeen sold to 42t e r r i t o r i e s

w o r l d w i d e with Nigeriabeing the firstin sub-Sahara

Africa.It has a wide

variety of games with abasic chal-lenge of guess-ing the pricesof everydayc o n s u m e r commoditiesfor a chance to

win fantasticprizes. It fea-tures contest-ants, all of

whom arepicked from theaudience, whocome from dif-ferent parts of the countryand a fun host.

By Juliet Ebirim

PMAN delegates at their NEC meeting in Lagos

Mike OkriEdi Kriz Okri



28 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, JUNE 3, 2016

Peter Salama @PeteSalama WHO UNICEF appeal to all parties

to the conflict to put an end to violence

across Syria so health workers canresume vaccination.

John McCain @SenJohnMcCainObama Administration decision to

disregard Veterans Choice Act incorrupt ex-#Phoenix VA chief’slawsuit is shameful

TRENDING ISSUES ON TWITTER

UN Geneva @UNGenevaMillions of children are not in school

& 100s of hospitals are not functioning

Richard Branson @richardbransonSlavery isn’t ancient history. It is

happening right now

Y! Online @YNaijaFrom ‘lack of judges’ to ‘ill health’,

Saraki’s appeal delayed again

UN Spokesperson@UN_Spokesperson

“Sexual violence is widely recognized

as a deliberate strategy used to shredfabric of society” Ban Ki-moon to#UNSC

Moses Braimah @MosesBraimahThe Countries That Would Profit Most

from a Cashless World

Uguru ChuksThis shows that we are not

one nation, Hausa- andFoolani created Boko Haramto disturb last government.Now, it is the Niger Delta Ave ngers di sturbing thecurrent government. and wethe common people aresuffering it all. We are not one. We are no t brot hers , nocompatibility

Micheal32It will take Nigeria three

years to train soldiers that canfight inside water which is toolate for the present

Avengers strike again, blowup 2 Chevron oil wells

government.

DonGray1I love my country Nigeria and

want Nigeria to be together and strong .but I really don’t want a cou ntry where asegment of the country ismarginalized for any reason.My candid advice to PresidentBuhari is to do what late Yaradua did by engaging theNiger Delta Militants.

THE ARGUMENTATOR1I pity the so called Avengers.

They are destroying there own wealth and future and no one

is telling them. And what theydid is against the law andanyone found guilty would bepunished severely. Stop blowingup our pipe lines or any of our oil facilities.

Two soldiers feared killed in suspectedmilitants attack

Change of heartPlease ,we the Biafrans

support the republic of Niger delta. Out of the five States insouth east, three are oilproducing states. Well, we arenot agitating for Biafrabecause of oil but to have acountry where everyone isseen equal and given thesame opportunity to managehis destiny.

Ebele OlisahEven if the referendum

holds today and people voteto keep Nigeria as one, youall will still complain that it waseither rigged or that someone

paid bribes.

Abbey boyThere was a referendum in

1963 and the people of today’s Edo and Delta votedout of western and Easternregion.

Sincere VioceIf they like, they should. If

they like, let them not hear..Even in the east, it is noteveryone there that subscribedto Biafra . That’s my region, Iknow what I am talking about

Chyglobal2 I understand the position of

Delta State government. Thestate constitutes many tribesand the Governor, being Igbo,is rightly concerned aboutbeing suspected of havingsympathy for the agitators. He wa nts hi s gove rn ment tosucceed.

He has a duty to assure theother components of the state

who are not Igbos and againstBiafra. Above all, he also wants to be in the good booksof the President.

Chyglobal2 Yes, you may be right, but

the government is nottackling the problem. Allpresidents all over the worldsee themselves as leaders of all.

We are not part of Biafra,says Delta SSG

•President Buhari

Buhari cancels visit toOgoni land

Idowu JamesThis is exactly the point.

Everybody knows that themove to embark on Ogoniclean up now is politicallymotivated. Just to discredit

Jonathan’s government. Noone says cleaning up ogoniland is not a good venture butthe question is: Is this themost important issue to beaddressed now in this boilingNiger Delta? Is this the righttime to embark on theproject, what is themotivating intentions behindthe decision. Only truth andlove and not deceit and

animosities will set us free.

Charlatan woman leader1If there’s nothing anybody

can do, why is the Presidentrunning for his life while no

one is chasing him?

Eneboy IzonkemeGovernment should save

soldiers this avoidable death. You can’t fight me on top of water in my creek. It’s not just

possible.

Izonkeme AmalgamationEven in Odi, the army

ended up killing children,

women and the elderly. NoIjaw warrior was killed, rather more than 300 were killed andthe government in power thencovered it up.

OREVA A meet in g wa s he ld in

Bayelsa Government Housein 2014. One of them,militants/terrorists confessedon national TV. The fact isthere. Google it.

LucasThese boys are hiding within

the local communities. Theymust be fished out. Surely,they aren’t sleeping under water. They have shelter.



Shaaban 28, 1437 A.H.

30 —VANGUARD,30 —VANGUARD,30 —VANGUARD,30 —VANGUARD,30 —VANGUARD, FRIDAY, JUNE 3, 2016FRIDAY, JUNE 3, 2016FRIDAY, JUNE 3, 2016FRIDAY, JUNE 3, 2016FRIDAY, JUNE 3, 2016

Oh! month of blessings , welcome!

BarkaJumah

Each time that you do good, you haveenforced deeds so exceptional that itchanced upon all things that honor Allah.The inspiration released from your good

and virtuous deeds becomes the lantern of love of all all hatred of none that beamseternal joy and hope upon humanity. Ever do good!May Allah yield to each of us the powers

of piety that roundly expand our love of oneanother.

—Adewale Adeeyo, OON

O people! A month hasapproached you laden

with bless ing, mer cy andforgiveness; it is a month which Allah regards as the bestof all months. Its days, in thesight of Allah, are the best of days; its nights are the best of nights; its hours are the bestof hours. It is a month in whichyou are invited to be theguests of Allah, and you areregarded during it as worthyof enjoying Allah’s Grace. Your breathing in it praises the Almighty, and your sleeping

adores Him. Your voluntaryacts of worship are accepted,and your pleas are answered. Ask Al lah you r Lord,therefore, in sincereintentions and pure hearts toenable you to fast during it andto recite His Book, for only a wretch is the one who isdeprived of Allah’sforgiveness during this greatmonth. And let your hunger and thirst during it remind youof the hunger and thirst of theDay of Resurrection. Givealms to the poor and indigentamong you; surround your elderly with respect, and bekind to your youngsters. Visit your kin and safeguard

your tongues, and do not lookat what Allah has prohibitedyou from seeing, and do notlisten to anything your earsare forbidden to hear.

Be kind to the orphans of others so that your ownorphans will equally receivekindness. Repent your sins to Allah and raise your hands toHim in supplication during thetimes of your prayers, for theyare the best times during which the Almighty looks withmercy to His servants andanswers their pleas when theyplead to Him. O people! Your souls are pawned by your deeds; therefore, release them

by seeking Allah’s forgiveness. Your backs are over-burdened by the weight of your sins; therefore, lightentheir burden by prolongingyour prostration.

Be informed that the Exaltedand Almighty has sworn byHis Dignity not to torturethose who perform their prayers and prostrate to Him,and not to terrify them by thesight of the fire when peopleare resurrected for judgment.

O people! Whoever amongyou provides Iftar to abeliever during this month willreceive a reward equal to one who sets a slave free, and allhis past sins will be forgiven.

This was the message of theProphet during one of hissermons heralding the monthof Ramadan. Some of hisfollowers were quick to ask atthat “O Messenger of Allah! Notall of us can do that!”

The Prophet was reported tohave responded by saying,Shun the fire of hell even byhalf a date! Shun the fire of helleven by a drink of water! OPeople! Whoever among youimproves his conduct duringthis month will have a safepassage on al-Sirat al-Mustaqeem, (the straight path) when many feet will slip away,and whoever among youdecreases the burdens of hisslave (or anyone who worksfor him) will be rewarded by Al lah decre asing his

reckoning. Whoever amongyou abstains from harmingothers will be spared the wrathof the Almighty when he

meets Him. Whoever amongstyou affords generosity to anorphan will be rewarded by Allah being generous to himon the Day of Judgment. Whoever amongst youimproves the ties with his kin will be rewarded by Allah withHis mercy, and whoever amongst you severs his ties with his kin, Allah will withholdHis mercy from him uponmeeting Him. Whoever amongst you offers voluntaryprayers, Allah will decree aclearance for him from the

torment of the fire. Whoever amongst you performs anobligation will receive thereward of one who hasperformed seventyobligations in other months. Whoever amongst youincreases the sending of blessings unto me, Allah willmake the balance of his gooddeeds weigh heavily whenscales will be light. Whoever amongst you recites one verseof the Holy Qur’an will receivethe blessing of one who recitesthe entire Holy Qur’an inanother month. O people! Thegates of heaven in this monthare kept open; so, pray Allahyour Lord not to close them

against you, and the gates of the hell are kept closed; so, pray Allah your Lord not to openthem for you; and the devils arekept chained; therefore, pray Allah your Lord not to unleashthem against you.

NATIONAL President of Nasrul- lahi- l -Fatih

Society, NASFAT, Engr KamilBolarinwa has reaffirmed thesociety’s position on zero-levelof corruption, urging allMuslims to desist from all actsof corruption while alsosupporting the anti-graftcrusade of the Buhari-ledadministration.

Engr Bolarinwa made thisknown during a pressconference to unveil theSociety’s programmes andactivities during the gloriousmonth of Ramadan.

Bolarinwa said: “Islam haszero-tolerance for corruptionand we tell our members thatevery Muslim whether as atrader, businessman or civilservant, we must shun all

corrupt tendencies. Islam haszero tolerance for corruption.The holy month of Ramadan isa period to preach to Nigeriansthat there is only one God, whocan ensure progress in thenation. “It is an opportunity for us to re-unite Muslims to the

ways of Allah,” he said.Unveiling the Ramadan

programmes, NASFATRamadan CommitteeChairman, Alhaji Taofeeq Adeseun, said the fasting period was a time to give back tosociety. Adeseun said theassociation would continue its welfare programmes of feedingthe less-privileged and other charities throughout themonth.

“Ramadan Lecture: Our annual Ramadan lecture In-shaa Allah will take place onRamadan 6 (June 11) at Lagos Airport Hotel, Ikeja. We havegotten the confirmation of Professor Muslih Tayo Yahya,Dept. Religion and Philosophy,University of Jos as our GuestSpeaker while Brothers

Mustapha Bello (Secretary,Nasfat National Mission Boardand Imaam Sarafdeen Ali- Agan are discussants at theevent. The topic according tohim is ‘Zakat, Sadaqah and theSalary earner in a challengingeconomic Situation.’

Tafsir: According to Adeseun,the exegesis, commentaries,

teachings and lessons of various chapters of the Quran will take place at Alausa andZonal Headquarters of thesociety commencing fromafter Asr till Magrib time.

He stated that Tahajjud (nightprayers will also commence onthe Ramadan 5, whileeveryday Tahajjud starts onRamadan 19 to 30 at Alausaand in all the zones.

The society also unveiled itsannual Lailatul Qadr, Night of Majesty celebration. Adeseunadded that arrangements havebeen concluded to ensureconvenience of all attendees with spiritual and soul liftingprayers during the night. As par t of the Ramadan

activities, a daily da’wahprogramme has been plannedduring Sahur (pre-dawn meal)on MITV from the beginning of the month to the end. “This isto inform the public more onthe importance of Ramadan,our duties to Allah, our

Creator, during and even after the month.

“As part of the requiredIbaadah in the glorious month, we will also organize and makeadequate provision for Itkaf. We request any intendingMuslim for the programme tocontact the committee incharge.”

On the Iftar with the Press, hesaid: “You will agree with methat NASFAT has the traditionof organising the annual iftar with the press. We sha llmaintain this rendevous notonly because it provides aplatform for further interaction with the media but also becauseit attracts blessings for bothparties during the gloriousmonth of Ramadan. This insha Allah, we shall continue and

possibly enlarge to further enhance the existingrelationship with the media.This year Iftar will be special as we are hoping to have importantdignitaries at the event. The Iftar will hold on July 2,” he said.

Islam has zero-tolerance for corruption — NASFAT Unveils 30-day Ramadan activities

From left: Alhaji Remi Babalola, BOT member; Alhaji Kamil Bolarinwa, President, NASFAT World-wide; Alhaji Taofeeq Adeseun, Chairman Ramadan Committee and SheikhAbdulAzeez Onike, Deputy Chief Missionary, NASFAT,World-wide, during the pre-Ramadan press briefing in Lagos.

Executive Council and BoT members during the pre- Ramadan press briefing in Lagos. PHOTOS: AKEEM SALAU.

Whoever amongst

you affords

generosity to an

orphan will be

rewarded by Allahon the Day of

Judgment



Shaaban 28, 1437 A.H.

VANGUARD, VANGUARD, VANGUARD, VANGUARD, VANGUARD, FRIDAY, JUNE 3, 2016FRIDAY, JUNE 3, 2016FRIDAY, JUNE 3, 2016FRIDAY, JUNE 3, 2016FRIDAY, JUNE 3, 2016 —31 —31 —31 —31 —31

WELCOME to Muslim SoulMates in Vanguard. A unique platform for single Muslims who wish to find

their potential marriage partners on this page. We have designedit to help you find perfect soul mates every Friday. We will also give counsel where necessary in order to keep

with the halal standard. Our aim is to further develop couplesthat could be blessed, compatible, enduring following Islamicinjunctions. It promises to be a rewarding service just as we will treat all inquiries and submissions in confidence.

Send your profile, contact and details of who you want, notmore than 75 words to [email protected]. Names andcontacts will not be published.

Muslim SoulMatesMuslim SoulMatesMuslim SoulMatesMuslim SoulMatesMuslim SoulMates

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PROFILE 13: A gainfully employed young man, 5ft.7inch fromNorth Central, wants a Muslim lady between 30 to 35 years as lifepartner. Preferably tall, light in complexion, literate andhandsome and must be either from North central or core North.

PROFILE 14: Female Muslim 33, desires a God fearing Muslimman for marriage. He must be single and ready for marriage.

PROFILE 15: A gainfully employed young lady, 34 years,5ft.7inch from South-West, wants a Muslim man between 38 to40 years as life partner. Preferably tall, literate and handsome.

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For those whose profile are published, they areadvised to check their emails as we will revert tothem for further information.

Oyo Muslim community warns Ajimobiagainst plan to sell schools

From left, Alhaja Nurat Folarin, Media Engagement Committe; Alhaja Wabah Risikat,member Iftar Committee;Hajia Suwebat Kupolati,National Empowerment Secretary; HajiaUsman Monsurat Ibidapo, Ex-Officio member and Hajia Simbiat Agbalajobi, BoT member,all of NASFAT during the pre-Ramadan press briefing in Lagos. PHOTO: AKEEM SALAU.

RELIEF materials worthover N2 million have

been donated by HumanityFirst Canada in collaboration with its Nigeria counterpartto the Internally DisplacedPersons, IDPs affected by theBoko Haram insurgency in theNorth East of Nigeria.

The items included 120 bagsof rice, cartons of groundnut oil,packs of powdered milk,noodles, bags of semovita,clothes, shoes and cookingutensils were delivered at the IDP

camps for Gwoza and Bamacommunities and 11 other groupsfrom Borno state located at Area1 Durunmi, Abuja.

International ProjectDirector, Humanity FirstCanada, Dr Hassan Naeem whilehanding over the relief items to the

T

HE Chairman of JaizBank, Alhaji Umaru

Mutallab has said the bankrecorded a profit before tax of N794.2 million in 2015 asagainst N126.8 million recordedin 2014, adding that it wouldlead non-interest Islamicfinancial service providers alongSub-Saharan Africa.

Mutallab made this known atthe Fourth Annual GeneralMeeting (AGM) of the Bank in Abuja recently.

The chairman said the 526per cent growth in profitdemonstrated a continuedgrowth and operationalefficiency of the bank.

We’ll lead Islamic finance sector in Africa—Mutallab, Jaiz Bank boss

He said the finance income

showed an increase of 47 per cent to N4.0 billion againstthe preceding year of N2.72billion in tandem with theexpansion in financingbusiness. According to him, the goal

of the bank is to ensurefinancial inclusion for everyone and be able tofinance and supportcommunities in every waypossible by improving their living standards.

“We see Jaiz bank becomingthe dominant non-interestIslamic financial serviceprovider along Sub-Saharan

Africa.”He explained that the

challenges by the bankhowever, were peculiar because the entire concept of Non-Interest Islamic Finance wa s new to ma jo ri ty of Nigerians.

Mutallab said this was notstrange considering thediversity of the nation andthe various religiousinclinations.

He, however, said the wayforward was to educate andcreate awareness amongvarious demographics andbeliefs to enable peopleunderstand the concept andsee the benefits.

Islamic group donates N2m relief materials to IDPs in Abuja

victims of Boko haram called for peaceful coexistence and toleranceamong groups to curb crises indifferent parts of the world.

He assured that theinternational human relief organisation will return toNigeria to assist victims of BokoHaram and continue its relief programmes in the area of drilling boreholes projects,orphanages and other humanitarian projects.

Dr Yakeen Habeeb, chairman,Humanity First Nigeria thanked

the Canadian support over theyears in humanitarian servicesacross Nigeria, notable floodrelief efforts in Lokoja, KogiState, borehole project at Ido-Lehin in Ogun, Free medicalcamps at Ogbonna in Edo andLagos States.

THE Muslim Communityof Oyo State (MUSCOYS)

has condemned in strongterms the proposed plan byOyo State Government to selloff schools in Oyo Statecontrary to the provisions of Universal Basic Education Act of 2014 and Constitutionof the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999.

The group, reacting to thegovernment’s arrangement,it said: “it is a strangephenomenon that Oyo StateGovernment withoutconsultation with allstakeholders unilaterallydecided to sell what belongsto the entire citizenry.”

It will be recalled that thestate Governor, Sen. Abiola Ajimobi in 2015 set up OyoState Inter Religious/Inter Ethnic Committee whosefunction was to meet

regularly on issues of thisnature but the committeeonly met once after itsinauguration and the issue wa s no t di sc us se d at th emeeting.

The chairman of the group Alhaji Ishaq Kunle Sanni andthe secretary, Alhaji MursiqSiyanbade said: “It isexpected that to take adecision on such importantmatters an education summitought to have been organisedbefore such pronouncement.It is like putting the cartbefore the horse.

"While we sympathise withgovernment on paucity of funds, the Muslim Communityof Oyo state will not allow thegovernment to trade away thefuture of the children of thedowntrodden just because of a few shylocks.

“It is worrisome and

disappointing that a governor that swore on his inaugurationto protect the constitutionnow went against it byviolating provisions of thesame constitution andthereby destroying Obafemi Aw ol ow o’ s le gacy of fr eeeducation in the state whichthe Governor promised touphold.

“One of the hallmarks of thepresent administration is thecreation of peace in the land.The ripple effects of thispolicy may create chaos andanarchy in the state."

For record purposes “theUniversal Basic Education of 2014 states that everygovernment in Nigeria shallprovide free compulsory andUniversal Basic Education for every child of primary and ju ni or se co nd ar y sc ho olage”, the group said.

Dr Wole Abbas, a senior lecturer in the department

of Arabic and Islamic studies,University of Ibadan has advisedMuslims in the country to bespiritually and physicallyprepared for 2016 Ramadan inorder to tap the full benefits. Abbas gave the advice in Ibadan

during the pre-Ramadan lectureof Bodija Muslim Youth Forum(BOMYOF) entitled: “WelcomingRamadan” geared towardspreparing Muslims for the fastingmonth of Ramadan.

The guest lecturer said the best way to welcome Ramadan was tohave consciousness of Allah andremember that He is all knowing.

Don't turn to beggars in Ramadan,Scholar tells Muslims

He said it was necessary for Muslims to meet Ramadan withthe fear of Allah and discipline. Abass said it was regrettable

that more docile Muslims wouldbe active only during the fastingperiod of Ramadan. Abbas said that it is wrong for

any Muslim to turn to beggar atany period of Ramadan fast withthe excuse that the fasting is madecompulsory by Allah.

Earlier, the chairman of BOMYOF, Alhaji Abdur-RahmanBalogun said the choice of thetopic was to create awareness of the forthcoming Ramadan fastand to educate Muslims on thedos and don’ts of the fasting.



VIRGINIA

KAPTAIN AFRIKA in “Pretty Lunatic’ By Andy Akman

[email protected]

TERROR MUDA in “Never say goodbye” By Kola Fayemi

HOME & ABROAD By Lawrence Akapa

ASTROLOGICAL COUNSELLING ASTROLOGICAL COUNSELLING ASTROLOGICAL COUNSELLING ASTROLOGICAL COUNSELLING ASTROLOGICAL COUNSELLING

Send y Send y Send y Send y Send y our dat our dat our dat our dat our dat e and place of bir e and place of bir e and place of bir e and place of bir e and place of bir th t th t th t th t th t o the Aso the Aso the Aso the Aso the Astr tr tr tr tr ologicalologicalologicalologicalologicalCounselling, PCounselling, PCounselling, PCounselling, PCounselling, P.M.B 1.M.B 1.M.B 1.M.B 1.M.B 100000000007, Apapa, Lagos7, Apapa, Lagos7, Apapa, Lagos7, Apapa, Lagos7, Apapa, Lagos

YOU R LUC K TOD AY YOU R LUC K TOD AY YOU R LUC K TOD AY YOU R LUC K TOD AY YOU R LUC K TOD AY

By Joshua Adeyemo Phone 08056180139


L E I S U R ETHOUGHT FOR TODAY THOUGHT FOR TODAY THOUGHT FOR TODAY THOUGHT FOR TODAY THOUGHT FOR TODAY

By Richard EromoseleCANCER: STABILITY will become so important to you es-pecially on financial related issues. Although it’s good to befinancially ambitious, domestic related affairs must not beneglected.

LEO: CAREFULLY watch what is happening within your base of operation and say no to bad advise. You’ll have moreto gain if you take the initiative. The more friendly you arethe better.

VIRGO: MANY Virgoans will operate under pressure dueto refusal of others to give you the needed co-operation. Themore willing you are to keep your secrets the better for you.

LIBRA: YOUR matured friends will show more than pass-ing interest in your well-being. And if you take their adviceseriously you will have more to gain. This is the wrong timeto consciously or otherwise encourage misunderstanding within your working arena.

SCORPIO: UNNECESSARY aggressive approach will notget you anywhere today but exhibition of maturity on your part along your career/business line will see you through. Avoid gambling with love.

SAGITTARIUS: IT’S important you don’t directly or indi-rectly insult the veterans within your base of

operation. The more co-operative you are the better for you. Learn to keep your family (and/or personal) secrets.

CAPRICORN: WHATEVER anybody thinks or says willnot affect your chance to record success today. This is the wrong time to engage in fruitless argument at work. Re-spect your good friends.

AQUARIUS: TEMPTATION to gamble with money mustbe resisted by you or else the loss will be much. And it is wrong to ignore your love life and/or run away from your responsibilities. Make sure your image is well protected by

you.PISCES: MIXED trends bire indicated for you. Those of

you who are more hard working will have positive results toshow for your efforts but if you give in to unnecessary ag-gression, you’ll be resented.

ARIES: BETTER than yesterday. Yet you will need to doaway with whatever can not be placed above board and takeyour personal ideas more seriously. It’s important you takelove seriously.

TAURUS: NATURALLY Taureans are patient and if youcan live up to expectation things’ll go your way. Your beingfamily minded will greatly help your cause. Wrong and/or bad advice from friends should be turned down diplomati-cally.

GEMINI: THE moon in your star sign favours your beingself assertive. However protection of your imag should topyour priority list today. Respect your senior partners andcolleagues.

Which day was it?Dear Joshua,I don’t want you to publish my full date of birth and other identity but I want to know if I was born on aMonday or Tuesday. I will appreciate it if you tell me how theplanets lined up when I was born an what they mean to mylife.Anonymous, Osun,

Dear Anonymous, You were born on a Tuesday. What you will find here-under will be useful if taken seriously. YOUR HOROSCOPE DATA DAY OF BIRTH = TUESDAY SUN SIGN = PISCES; SUN IN 7TH DEGREE OF PISCESMOON SIGN = LIBRA; MOON IN 7TH DEGREE OF LIBRA MERCURY IN 4TH DEGREE OF ARIES VENUS IN 5TH DEGREE OF AQUARIUSMARS IN 29TH DEGREE OF PISCES

JUPITER IN 21ST DEGREE OF GEMINISATURN IN 19TH DEGREE OF PISCESURANUS IN 17TH DEGREE OF VIRGONEPTUNE IN 22ND DEGREE OF SCORPIOPLUTO IN 17TH DEGREE OF VIRGONORTH NODE IN 29TH DEGREE OF TAURUSSOUTH NODE IN 29TH DEGREE OF SCORPIOFIRE STAR SIGN HOSTED ONE PLANET, CARDINAL,FIXED ANDEARTH HOSTED TWO PLANES EACH, THREE IN AIR,FOUR IN WATER AND MAJORITY OF SIX PLANETS WERE PLACEDINMUTABLE.PUSHFUL INFLUENCE = 40%NON - PUSHFUL INFLUENCE = 60%PLANET AT HOME = NONE. ANALYSIS OF THE HOROSCOPE DATA No planet at home situation when you were born pointed toa busy mind with too many ideas struggling for prominentposition. As a result of that you always find it relatively diffi-cult to take important decision.Luckily for you however of planets in air star signs endowedyou with powerful brans you can rely on while taking impor-tant decision. Although, you have embraced disciplined lifestyle, you remain emotional person who can not help chang-ing his mind more often times. Yours is a gentile spirit and

soul with the ultimate desire for love and peace but someother times other people can force pressure and frustrationson you the way you must re-act.Both leadership quality and Artistic talents are parts of your special gifts. Major problem is that thing snot away come aseasily as you expect. Your natal sun and moon in Pisces andLibra respectively are indications of you being mainly a Pisceanand partly Libra born person. In other words, basic character-istics of Pisces and Libra are highly pronounced in your in-ner-self.

Want to live in peace withyour enemy?THE holy writ

says if our ways pleases theLord, he will makeour enemies to live inpeace with us.I want

to ask you aquestion:Are you liv-ing in peace and har-

mony with your neighbour?If youare not,then it is time

for you to examineyour relationship with your creator.If

your relationship with your creator issmooth,there is no

way your relation-ship with your neighbour won’t

benefit from it.Youcannot be antago-nistic towards your neighbour and ex-pect your creator tobe happy withyou.Relate well withyour creator andyour enemies will beat peace with you.Think about it!




HIGH PROFILE CASES: Abuja CJ, Justice Bello warnsagainst ‘media trials'

Ishiekwenehails Okowa'ssecurityinitiative

IDU donates educationalitems to Delta varsity

By Festus Ahon

By Ochuko Akuopha

By Simon Ebegbulem

EDO 2016: APC Govs vow to win Edo, meetgov aspirants

BAN ON OKADA:

A-Ibom govtcautionsoffenders

By Chioma Onuegbu

A SAB A—S P E CI A L Assistant to Delta State

Governor on Security, BasilIshiekwene, has commendedthe governor for his initiativesin ensuring security of livesand property in the state.

Ishiekwene in Asaba at theend of the stakeholders forumfor peaceful coexistencebetween farmers/hostcommunities, herdsmen andsecurity agencies, said:“Governor Ifeanyi Okowadeserves commendation for initiating the stakeholdersmeeting which was apt in view

of the perennial clashesbetween farmers andherdsmen across the country.

“This is not the first time heis holding such meetings, hehas held it with traditionalrulers and community headson neighborhood watchsometime ago, such meetings would to a great extent reducethe frequency of such clashes which sometimes lead toinjuries, loss of lives andproperty.”

He thanked the governor for giving a marching order tosecurity agencies toapprehend and prosecute

anyone found with illegalarms.

ABUJA—THE Chief Justice of the Federal Capital Territory,

FCT, Justice Isaq Bello, hascautioned that public perceptionabout some of the high profilecases in the country and their reports in such manners may notmeet up the requirement of evidence legally permissible incourt.

Speaking at the media/lawroundtable in Abuja, organised by

Law, Media and Social JusticeDevelopment, while addressingthe issue of ‘Trial by Media,’ hesaid that though public perceptioncannot be ruled out in most highprofile cases before the variouscourts in the country, it must beunderstood and appreciated that“Verdict of the media on aparticular case often is notsupported by admisible evidenceduring the trial of such a case.”

He cited a case where a man wasparaded round his community asa yam thief by the communityvigilante and forced to admitstealing the yam, which he did,noting that before members of thecommunity, he was seen asnothing but a yam thief.

He added that the alleged thief upon being charged to court,narrated his side of the story, thatsome people who stole the yam,actually gave him same to helpcarry and at the point the yam was

BENIN CITY —AHEAD of theSeptember 18 governorship

primaries of All ProgressivesCongress, APC, in Edo State,governorship aspirants of theparty, held an interactive session with three APC governors, whovowed to retain Edo for APC.

The governors at the meeting were Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State, Simon Lalong of Plateau State and Rauf Arigbesolaof Osun State.Vanguard learned that the

decision to send the governors toscreen them was made at theProgressives Governors Forumlast week.

The PGF also sent another delegation to Ondo State, wherethe governorship election isscheduled for later part of the year.

The governorship aspirants, who faced the screening whichlasted till early hours of yesterday,include the Deputy Governor of the state, Dr. Pius Odubu, Dr.Chris Ogienmwonyi, GodwinObaseki, Prof. OsarhemienOsunbor, Gen. Charles Airhiavbere and KennethImasuangbon. After addressing leaders of the

party, the three governors metseparately with each of theaspirants with a view to giving allof them fair hearing. They were

OLEH—AS part of efforts tofacilitate the accreditation of

the Law and EngineeringFaculties of Delta StateUniversity, Oleh Campus, theIsoko Development Union, IDU,has donated educational items worth millions of naira to theinstitution.

It also warned against theencroachment on the campus’land, calling on the leadershipof Oleh and Emedecommunities, Isoko South LocalGovernment Area of the state to tell“their subjects to stay clear as

U YO —THE Akwa IbomState Government has

warned members of the publicflouting its ban on theoperation of motorcycles within the capital territory todesist henceforth or face the

attendant penalties whencaught.

The state government whilecondemning the gradualreturn of motorcycles to thestate capital, noted that the ban which covers all members of the public even securityoperatives was still in effect.

In a statement by the stateCommissioner for Informationand Communication, Mr. Aniekan Umanah, yesterday,in Uyo, said: “It has come tothe attention of governmentthat, the ban on the operationof motorcycles within the UyoCapital Territory limit is beingcontravened by somemembers of the public.

“It should be noted that, theban covers all members of thepublic, including officers of uniform organisations such asthe Nigerian Police Force andother security operatives."

By Innocent Anaba

government and Isoko people will soonmove against them.”

Presenting the items which includedconference tables, office chairs,refrigerators, law books, and cashdonation of N500,000, PresidentGeneral of IDU, Chief Iduh Amadhe,said the items were the first phase of IDU/ Oleh community donations to thecampus for 2016.

“In the next two months of theaccreditation exercise for Law Faculty,more materials will be donated, includinglaboratory/workshop equipment for Chemical Engineering, Petroleum andGas Engineering Departments,” hesaid.

said to have told the leaders andthe aspirants that their missionin the state was to bring unityand ensure that a level playingfield was given to all theaspirants.

They urged them to come up with their complaints to enablethe party leadership tackle theissues before the primaries. Theystressed the need for unity

ahead the election slatedSeptember 10, with Governor Arigbesola, saying “ Edo is theonly state we have in the SouthSouth and we don’t intend to giveit up. This election is a must winfor the party so we cooporationof everybody to achieve that andthat is why we were sent here.” After addressing the general

party leadership, the aspirants were called upon one after the

other to face the three manpanel. Vanguard learned thatthe aspirants were askedquestions on different issues

just as each of them spent about40minutes with the panelmembers.

Prof. Osunbor, Obaseki andOgienwonyi expressedsatisfaction with the outcome of the interaction, saying that thevisit will bring unity among theaspirants.

given to him, he never suspectedthat same was stolen, pointingthat the court may not be able todiscredit or discountenance thesuspect’s account and if the courtgoes ahead to rule on same, thepeople will make all sorts of allegations against the judgethat handed down the verdict. Also speaking at the event,

Nigerian Union of Journalists,NUJ, President, Mr WaheedOdusile, noted that the problem

was not with journalists, butprosecuting agencies which leakinformation to newsmen andbecause of the need for scoops,

such stories would always bereported.

He added that in so far as what was reported was not false, the journalists cannot be accused of indulging in media trial of suspects.

He noted that whileprosecuting agencies may leakthe charge to be preferred againsta high profile suspect, thechanging of the charge onarraignment day cannot be

blamed on the journalist, becausehe or her reported accurately what was given to him or her.

He added that most of the

reports by the media are of theneed of the society, as the journalists were only trying tomeet the society’s appetite for sensational stories in somecases.

Earlier in his paper, the guestspeaker, Prof. Paul Idornigie,SAN, stressed the need for journalists to be properly trainedso that they discharge their duties of informing, educatingand holding governmentaccountable to the masses, whoelected them to serve.

He added: “An independent judiciary and a free press areconstitutionally guaranteedbecause they are essentialfeatures of a healthy democracy.” Also, the Editor of Sun

Newspaper, Mr Onuoha Ukeh,in his presentation, stressed theneed for journalists to observehigh ethical standard in their reportage, for the better functioning of the society.

In the same vein, Mr CharlesOdinigbo, President of Law,Media and Social JusticeDevelopment, urged journaliststo always trike a balance

between what will promotepublic good with much relianceon facts in their reports, as doingotherwise will not do theprofession and the people anygood.

WORLD MILK DAY: From left—Marketing Manager, Dano Milk, Affousat Traore;Commissioner for Women Affairs & Social Development, Edo State, Hanena JemitolaFulani-Ojo; President, Medical Women Association of Nigeria, MWAN, Edo chapter, Dr.Anthonia Njoku, and member of Edo State House of Assembly, representing Oredo West,Mr. Chris Okaeben, during the presentation of Dano milk to the children of the IDPs camp in Edo State in commemoration of World Milk Day.



APC wins Nasarawa/Toto FederalConstituency by-election

Vanguard , FRIDAY JUNE 3 , 2016 — 35

Benue decries herdsmen' killing of 7, sackingof 3 Ukum communities

World Bankdonates$12m tosupporteducationin Jigawa

...As Plateau group condemnsrenewed Fulani herdsmen attack

By Aliyu Dangida

Adamawa uncovers 12,000 ghostworkers

By Marie-Therese Nanlong

There's massiveopportunities inwater, ministertells privateinvestors

By Umar Yusuf

LAFIA—THE IndependentNational Electoral

Commission, INEC yesterdaydeclared Mr Ja’afaruMohammed-Ibrahim of AllProgressives Congress (APC) asthe winner of the Nasarawa/TotoFederal Constituency by-election.

Dr Wilfred Uji of the FederalUniversity, Lafia, who was theConstituency Returning Officer for the election, made thedeclaration in Nasarawa,Nasarawa Local Government Area of the state.

Mohammed-Ibrahim won witha total of 55,981 votes to beat hisclosest rival from the PDP, Hon.Musa Ahmed-Mohammed, whohad 17,475 votes.

Uji, who commended the rolesplayed by political stakeholdersand security agencies in ensuringa peaceful conduct of the election,called for the sustenance of thisculture.

“If we will recall the May 28 by-election, the election result wasput on hold and the winner wasnot declared due to cancellationof votes in some polling units asa result of over voting.

“Four political partiesparticipated during the by-election.

“And today, the election hasbeen concluded peacefully.

“For Nasarawa/Toto FederalConstituency, we have a total

number of 202,338 registered

voters for the election out of which 87,602 were accredited.

“The total vote cast was 86,805and we have 85,728 valid votes while rejected votes stand at1,077.

“The four political parties thatparticipated in the bye-electionscored the following votes:

“ APC scored 55,981 votes,PDP scored 17,475 votes, APGA 12,227 votes and Labour party(LP) got 45 votes respectively.

“By the power conferred on meby INEC, Arch. Ja’afaru

Mohammed-Ibrahim of the All

Progressives Congress (APC)having satisfied the requirementsof the law and who scored thehighest total votes of 55,981 ishereby declared the winner.

“Hon. Musa Ahmed-Mohammed of PDP scored 17,475, Dr Joseph Ogbere-Osu of APGA scored 12,227 and AlhajiZakari Maikasuwa of Labour party(LP) got 45 votes respectively, “ hesaid.

The PDP boycotted the re-run wi th the party hinging it sdecision on non-use of card

readers by INEC.

DUTSE—THE World Bank yesterday

presented a cheque of $11,948,000 to Gov.Muhammad Badaru of Jigawa to support educationin the state. A representative of the

bank, Dr Tunde Adekola,presented the cheque at theinauguration of the WorldBank-supported GlobalPartnership for Educationproject in Dutse. Adekola explained that the

gesture was to improve accessto basic education, especiallyat early primary school level.

He said that the scheme would ensure that children were motivated to go to schooland ensure their retention. According to him, the project

will strengthen government’seducation system and ensureaccountability.

The World Bankrepresentative said thatprimary school teachers wouldbe given scholarships to

further their education under the programme. According to him, it is

projected that within the nextfour years all female teachersin basic schools must haveacquired National Certificateof Education under theprogramme. Adekola said that $100

million was ear-marked for theproject and would be sharedamong five states.

In his remarks, Badaruthanked developmentpartners for their efforts andassistance in thedevelopment of educationin the state.

A

BUJA—THE Minister

of Water Resources, Engr.Suleiman Adamu has called onprivate investors to come into the water sector and take advantageof the massive opportunitiesembedded therein.

Engr. Suleiman Adamu, whomade the call yesterday in Abujaat the 23rd Regular meeting of the National Council on Water Resources, NCWR, said privateinvestment will improvehydropower and municipal water supply in the country.

He said the theme of the 23rdedition of the meeting of NCWRis anchored on ‘Refocusing water and sanitation for achievingsustainable development goals in

Nigeria’, in recognition thatNigeria failed to reach the MDGtarget of 75% improved water supply and sanitation coverageby the year 2015 due to lowfunding and lack of proper framework for it implementationand other global objectives.

The Minister explained that water as a factor is crucial to life,civilization, socio-economicdevelopment, healthy ecosystemand for human survival. “Water is a very important factor inhuman settlement developmentand also serves a determinant of boundaries.”

Engr. Suleiman also maintained

that out of the five basic humanneeds which he stated as water,food, health, education, andpeace, He said water is a commonfactor to the other four, Foodproduction as well as other socio-economic activities dependslargely on availability of water.

MAKURDI—THE Benuestate government,

yesterday, decried Tuesday’sattack on Tse Aondo, Tse Ankyouand Igbogom communities inUkum local government area of the state, where seven persons were killed and scores injured bythe suspected Fulani herdsmen.

The Benue state DeputyGovernor, Mr. Benson Abounu , while fielding questions fromreporters in Makurdi, regrettedthat the state was under siegedespite the genuine efforts of thegovernment to checkmate theunending killings.

He said as a government thatthey will soon take stringentmeasures to check the incessantattacks on Benue communities bythe arms wielding herdsmen who have continued to unleashmayhem on their people.

“Very soon the government willsend a bill to the state assembly,

and that bill which will effectivelytake care of all issues pertainingto grazing in Benue state.” Abounu said, “this latest attack

clearly shows that we are a stateunder siege that is the mildest wayanybody can put it. Whathappened is quite unfortunate, just when you think that the matter had died down, one wakes up tonews of another ugly attack andkilling of innocent people.

“This ugly trend will no longer be condoned, the bad side of it isthat these attackers came in withtheir cows from neighbouringTaraba state and after unleashingmayhem on the people withdrewto where they came from.''

JOS—A group under theaegis of Berom Educational

and Cultural Organization(BECO) has petitioned thePlateau State Security Councilover what it termed “a dangerousbuild up to the possible eruptionof violence orchestrated by Fulaniherdsmen” in their communities.

Decrying what it calls renewed

killings in some communities inBarkin-Ladi and Riyom LocalGovernment Areas of PlateauState by suspected Fulaniherdsmen, BECO in the petitionmade available to Vanguard yesterday in Jos by the GeneralSecretary, Davou Choji said the

YOLA—THE AdamawaGovernment says it has

uncovered 12,609 ghost workersin the state’s local governmentpayroll.

Mr Maurice Vunobolki, theChairman of the LocalGovernment Staff VerificationCommittee in the state, disclosedthis yesterday while presentingthe committee’s report to Gov.Muhammadu Jibrilla in Yola.

Vunobolki said that 38,760 workforce was cleared andmigrated to the e-payment database as against 51,369 earlier presented to the committee.

He said that over 5,000 workersdid not turn up for the verificationexercise, while 1,780 among thosethat turn up were under agedemployees.

He said that the gross figureafter validation as at May 2016stood at N1,366,632,447.2,resulting in gross monthlyconsequence of N341,584,091.60and N4,094,140,059.60 annually.

By Peter Duru

continued killings, ambush andharassment of the Beroms muststop.

Davou Choji stated that as theraining season has set in that theBerom people, who arepredominantly peasant farmers,need protection and security asthey till their farm lands.

The statement reads in parts “for the avoidance of doubt, in the lastone month, four Berom people

have been killed in Zim, Kwok,Dajak-Shopp and Hoss whileother dastardly acts have been witnessed in Byei, Jol andShonong.

“These Berom communities arebeing pushed to the wall byforceful displacement and siege.''

By Funmi Olasupo

EXHIBITION:From left; Reni F o l a w i y o ,founder/CEO,ALARA; Logor Oluwamuyiwaartiste and Tokini Peterside Director, TP- C o l l e c t i v e during the private viewing of ‘Down The Rabbit Hole’ - d e b u t exhibition in the ‘ A L A R A E m e r g i n g Artists.



VANGUARD, FRIDAY, June 3, 2016— 37



CHANGE OF NAME

OMOGHENE OPARAUGO

FAVOUREFEU

AGBROKO REUBEN

NWAMKPA MOSES

OKOROAFOR IBOBO

ODOH

SMITH OPEYEMI ADENIJI

ISMAILA ASAMONYE OKPARA CHUKWUDI

AWUJO MONDAY NWABUISI OYOANGBODO

AMUTA OGUEGBU EKEH OSUJI

OBODO DANIEL ULORI MAJOR

IGWE DANIEL IGAGA ONASANYA

ANI SULEIMAN ASAMU EUGENE HASKE

KUPOLUYI OKORIE

FRANCIS

I, formerly known and

addressed as Ochuko

Omoghene, now wish

to be known and

addressed as Inana

Francis Ochuko. All

former documents

remain valid. General

public please take note.

I, formerly known andaddressed as StellamarisChimezirim Oparaugo,now wish to be knownand addressed asStellamaris ChimezirimIgwe. All former documents remain valid.The general public andthe authority to whom it

may concern to pleasetake note.

I, formerly known andaddressed as MissS m i t hO l u w a f u n m i l a y oMaria, now wish to beknown and addressedas Mrs. Tom JonesO l u w a f u n m i l a y oMaria. All former documents remain

valid. General publicplease take note.


addressed as Vincent

Francis Chigozie, now

wish to be known and

addressed as Ndu

Vincent Chijioke. All

former documents



I, formerly known andaddressed as Miss Adeg bo ye ga Rut hOpeyemi, now wish tobe known andaddressed as Mrs.Quadri Ruth. Allformer documents

remain valid. Generalpublic please take note.

I, formerly known andaddressed as Miss Ad en ij i Si keol aOluyemi, now wish tobe known andaddressed as Mrs. Aki nwunmi SikeolaOluyemi. All former documents remain

valid. General publicplease take note.

I, formerly known andaddressed as Miss RuthOluwafunmilola Kupoluyi,now wish to be known andaddressed as Mrs. RuthOlufunmilola Dixon. Allformer documents remainvalid. Federal Road Safety,United Bank for Africa(UBA), GTBank andgeneral public please takenote.


addressed as Okorie

Francisca Chidinma,

now wish to be known

and addressed as Achi

Francisca Chidinma.

All former documents



I, formerly known andaddressed as Adegbite Abdurahman Ismaila,now wish to be knownand addressed as Adegbite Abdulraman. All former documentsremain valid. Generalpublic please takenote.


addressed as Ijeoma

Gloria Awujo, now


addressed as Mrs.

Ijeoma Gloria Amu. All

former documents




addressed asIsebemhe AsemhomheMonday, now wish tobe known andaddressed asOkahdemhetse Favour As emho mhe. Al lformer documentsremain valid. Generalpublic please take note.

I, formerly known andaddressed as MissKatherine Nkechiyere Asamonye, now wishto be known andaddressed as MrsUgbene EsiwanojaKatherine Nkechiyere. All former documentsremain valid. Generalpublic please take note.

I, formerly known andaddressed as MissIfeoma FrancesOkpara, now wish tobe known andaddressed as Mrs.Ifeoma FrancesOsanebi. All former documents remainvalid. General publicplease take note.

I, formerly known andaddressed as MissChukwudi RitaNwenne, now wish tobe known andaddressed as Mrs.Rita Nwenne Okuku.

All former documentsremain valid. Generalpublic please take note.


addressed as Aphopho

Benson Efeu, no w


addressed as Aphopho

Benson Efeurenwe. All

former documents




addressed as Miss

Ikobochokor Favour ,


and addressed as Mrs.

Ojaruno Favour. All

former documents




addressed as MissNwabuisi NgoziOluwakemi, now wishto be known andaddressed as MrsSholanke NgoziOluwakemi. Al lformer documentsremain valid. Generalpublic please takenote.


addressed as MissO g h e n e t e g aOyoangbodo, now wish to be known andaddressed as Mrs.Oghenetega Ejiro. Allformer documentsremain valid. Generalpublic please take note.

I, formerly known andaddressed asErakpobruke Beatrice,

now wish to be knownand addressed as Agbroko Erakpobruke

Beatrice. All for mer documents remainvalid, General publicplease take note.

Confirmation of Name

This is to confirm thatReuben Moses E. andEgwu Moses refer to oneand same person. The ‘E’is abbreviation of Egwu. Inow wish to be known

and addressed as ReubenMoses E. All former documents remain valid.General public please takenote.

I, formerly known andaddressed as MissChinwendu Maryam Amuta, now wish to beknown and addressedas Dr (Mrs.)Chinwendu Maryam

Am ut a Ig we .

Al lformer documentsremain valid. Generalpublic please takenote.

I, formerly known andaddressed as MissOguegbu MalindaChiamaka, now wishto be known andaddressed as Mrs.Iwuozor MalindaChiamaka. All former documents remainvalid. General publicplease take note.

I, formerly known andaddressed as MissEkeh AugustinaNkechi, now wish to beknown and addressedas Mrs. Onyenwe

Augustina Nkechi. Allformer documentsremain valid. Generalpublic please take note.

I, formerly known andaddressed as MissOsuji Sylvaline, now wish to be known andaddressed as MissOsuji Sylvaline

Tobechi. All former documents remainvalid. General publicplease take note.

I, formerly known andaddressed as Miss Je nnif er Ch et an naNwamkpa, now wish tobe known andaddressed as Mrs. Je nnif er Ch et an naChidiebere. All former documents remainvalid. Nursing andMidwifery Council of Nigeria and generalpublic please take note.

Confirmation of NameThis is to confirm that thefollowing names; MosesOsomowo, MosesMonday, MosesOsomowo Anan, MondayMoses Osomowo andMoses MondayOsomowo, are myauthentic and validnames. All former documents remain valid.The general public and towhom it may concern to

please take note.

Confirmation of NameThis to confirm that thenames; Obodo O v u a k p o r a y eOghenemeruo MudiagaBenson Patrick andObodo OvuakporayeBenson, refer to one andthe same person – me, butI now wish to be known,called and addressed asObodo OvuakporayeBenson. All former documents remain valid.General public please takenote.


This is to confirm that thenames Onojete Gift Danielappearing in my WAECcertificate in 2010 andOnojete Eseoghene Giftappearing in my WAEC GCEof 2013, as well as OnojeteEseoghene Gift Daniel refer to one and the same person – me and are my true andauthentic names. All former documents remain valid.WAEC/GCE boards, General public please take note.

Confirmation of NameThis to confirm that thenames; Ulori Ulioyoappearing in my WAEC/GCE of 2014, and UloriUlioyo Happiness,appearing in my WAECof 2015, are mine and aremy true and authenticnames. All former documents remain valid.WAEC/GCE boards,General public please takenote.

I, formerly known andaddressed as Major Chris DouyeBipelegha, now wishto be known andaddressed asChristian DouyeBipelegha.All former documents remainvalid. General publicplease take note.

I, formerly known andaddressed as MissOkoroafor ChikodiGoodnews, now wishto be known andaddressed as Mrs.Uzoma ChikodiGoodnews .All former documents remainvalid. General pleasetake note.

I , formerly known andaddressed as IboboN g o z i c h u k w u k aFriday, now wish to beknown and addressedas Mr. AninweN g o z i c h u k w u k a Ja sp er.Al l former documents remainvaild. General publicplease take note.

I, formerly known andaddressed as MissIgwe Helen Ishioma,now wish to be knownand addressed as Mrs. An in we Hele nIshioma.All former documents remainvalid. General publicplease take note.


addressed as Veronica

Daniel, now wish to be

known and addressed

as Agofure Veronica.




Reconciliation of Name

I, Igaga AiroboleGrace hereby state thatthe names Igaga RemiGrace and Igaga Airobole Grace refer toone and same me. Allformer documentsremain valid. Generalpublic please takenote.

I, formerly known andaddressed as MissOnasanya BukonlaTobiloba, now wish tobe known andaddressed as Mrs.Onigemo BukolaTobiloba. All for mer documents remainvalid. General publicplease take note.


addressed as Miss

Odoh Blessing Ngozi,


and addressed as Mrs.

Blessing Ngozi Paul.





addressed as Miss

Oluchi Hyacinth Ani,

now wish to be knownand addressed as Mrs

Oluchi Jennifer

Okoroji. Al l fo rmer

documents remain

valid. General public

please take note.


addressed as

Mohammed Suleiman,


and addressed as

Mohammed Salman.




I, formerly known andaddressed as Miss

As am u Ra ma t

Adedoyin, now wish to

be known and

addressed as Mrs.

Ayi nd e Rama t Adedoyin. All former

documents remain


please take note.


addressed as Mrs.

Cynthia Eugene, now


addressed as Mrs.

Cynthia Nwabuzor. All

former documents




addressed as Aisha

Ahmed Haske, now

wish to be known andaddressed as Mrs.

Ai sh a Mu hamm ed

Kawu. Al l fo rm er

documents remain


please take note.

Vanguard , FRIDAY JUNE 3 , 2016 — 39




Mr. Umeike said: “As partof our desire to constantlyengage our customers, Value4naira is offering freedelivery within Lagos fromMay 25 to June 15.

“In the prevailing

economic climate we hopethis incentive will maketheir shoppingexperience on our p l a t f o r m ,value4naira.com, evenbetter.”

Online store offersfree delivery service

ABUJA—SENATEPresident, Dr. Bukola

Saraki, yesterday, promisedthat the Senate wouldintervene to find a lastingsolution to the continuedclashes between the Fulaniherdsmen and farmersacross the country.

Saraki, who described theperennial clashes betweenthe farmers and herdsmenas unfortunate, however,

appealed to them tomaintain peace at all times.He spoke yesterday when

a group of herdsmen fromKautal Hore Socio-Cultural Association, Jigawa Statebranch, visited him.

Earlier, Chairman of thegroup, Umar Hadejia in hisspeech entitled Appeal for an intervention, said theFulani were traditionally anomadic and pastoralpeople, who reared their cattle and sheep across thevast territory of Nigeria asthe largest nomadic groupin the world.

He lamented that due tourbanisation, there hadbeen an increasing trend of conflict between farmersand the pastoralists, largely

due to the Fulani seekingfertile grazing lands for their developmentalpurposes.

This, he said, had resultedin violent attacks andreprisal counter-attacks.

FUTA VC'S DAUGHTER WEDS:From left— Bride’s father Professor Adebiyi Daramola, Vice Chancellor, Federal University of Technology, Akure, FUTA; groom’s mother, Mrs Bodunrin; couple, Tolulope and Abiodun; bride’s mother, Mrs Daramola and groom’s father, Mr.Adewale Bodunrin, during the wedding at Sacred Heart Catholic Cathedral, Akure, Ondo State.

BELOW:The couple, former Miss Tolulope Daramola

and Mr. Abiodun Bodunrin at their wedding.

Senate'll intervene infarmers, herdsmen

clash—Saraki


CHANGE OF NAME

NURUNURUNURUNURUNURU ALALORALALORALALORALALORALALOR IWUOHAIWUOHAIWUOHAIWUOHAIWUOHA ABODABODABODABODABODAAAAA

YUSUFYUSUFYUSUFYUSUFYUSUF UKWUKWUKWUKWUKWAMEDUAMEDUAMEDUAMEDUAMEDUAAAAA OSADEMEOSADEMEOSADEMEOSADEMEOSADEME MALEGHEMIMALEGHEMIMALEGHEMIMALEGHEMIMALEGHEMI

GIWUEZEGIWUEZEGIWUEZEGIWUEZEGIWUEZEISIUGOISIUGOISIUGOISIUGOISIUGOMORDIMORDIMORDIMORDIMORDIOLORIOLORIOLORIOLORIOLORI

NWEKENWEKENWEKENWEKENWEKE ONWUKWEONWUKWEONWUKWEONWUKWEONWUKWE EKEUTEKEUTEKEUTEKEUTEKEUTOMIYEOMIYEOMIYEOMIYEOMIYE AKPAKPAKPAKPAKPANANANANAN

MUNEZEROMUNEZEROMUNEZEROMUNEZEROMUNEZEROOKOKOKOKOKOROROROROROOOOOUKAMUKAMUKAMUKAMUKAMEPEPEPEPEPALEALEALEALEALE

INETIANBORINETIANBORINETIANBORINETIANBORINETIANBOREJIROEJIROEJIROEJIROEJIROLLLLLOOOOOVELINVELINVELINVELINVELIN

ONYECHIONYECHIONYECHIONYECHIONYECHI

EMEKAEMEKAEMEKAEMEKAEMEKA

I, formerly known andaddressed as Nuru Joseph,now wish to be known andaddressed as Abdussamad

Nuru Joseph Ayinde . Allformer documents remainvalid. National HostipalAbuja, First Bank NigeriaPlc, West Affrican Collegeof Physicians (NACP) and

general public please takenote.

I, formerly knownand addressed asMiss AbodaChristopher VivianHabiba, now wish tobe known andaddressed as Mrs.Isah Christopher Viv ia n. Al l fo rm er

documents remainsvalid, general publicplease take note.

I, formerly known andaddressed as Miss Alal or Avoke Be ti t,now wish to be knownand addressed asMrs Aburime AvokeBetty Elizabeth. Allformer documents

remain valid. Generalpublic please takenote.

I, formerly known andaddressed asM i s s P r u d e n c eUdoezi Iwuoha, now wish to be known andaddressed as Mrs.Prudence UdoeziOkeke. Al l fo rm er documents remainvalid. General publicplease take note.

I, formerly knownand addressed asMiss Yusuf Kafayat,now wish to beknown andaddressed as Mrs.Mohammed Kafayat. All former documentsremain valid.General public pleasetake note.

I, formerly known

and addressed asMiss JosephineF u m n a n y aUkwamedua, now wish to be known andaddressed as Mrs. Josephine Fumnanya Anwuzia. All former documents remainvalid. General publicplease take note.

I, formerly knownand addressed asMiss Becky EbeleOsademe, now wishto be known andaddressed as Mrs.Becky EbeleBiayoron. All former documents remainvalid. General publicplease take note.

I, formerly known andaddressed as Miss Yemi Joy Maleghemi,now wish to be knownand addressed asMrs. Yemi JoyOmojero. All former documents remainvalid. Delta StateCivil ServiceCommission andgeneral public pleasetake note.

I, formerly knownand addressed asMiss Evonemo SusanOlori, now wish to beknown andaddressed as Mrs.Evonemo SusanEsievoadje. Allformer documentsremain valid.General public pleasetake note.

I, formerly knownand addressed asMordi SamsonNwadiolu, now wishto be known andaddressed as SamsonChucks Okonkwo. Allformer documentsremain valid. Generalpublic please takenote.


This is to confirm that thenames Roland RachaelOgechi and IsiugoRachael Ogechukwurefer to one and the same

person, but now wish to be known and addressedas Isiugo RachaelOgechi. All former documents remain valid.General public pleasetake note.


This is to confirm that thenames Mr. GiwuezeIsioma Blessing and Mr.Giwueze Isioma Luckyrefer to one and the same

person, but now wish to be known and addressedas Mr. Giwueze IsiomaBlessing. All former documents remain valid.General public pleasetake note.

I, formerly knownand addressed as An th on y Mo nd ayNweke, now wish tobe known andaddressed as Bulor-

An th on y Mo nd ayNweke. All former Documents remainvalid. General publicplease take note.

I, formerly known andaddressed as MissChidinma ChristianaOnwukwe, now wishto be known andaddressed as Miss

Chidinma ChristyOkwudili. All former Documents remainvalid. General publicplease take note.

I, formerly known andaddressed asEkeutomiyeOsamhanjiajie, now

wish to be known andaddressed asEkeutomiye

Osamhanjiajie Omons. All former Documentsremain valid.Guaranty Trust Bankand general publicplease take note.

I, formerly known andaddressed as Miss Jo y Iban ga Akpa n,now wish to be knownand addressed asMrs. Joy Ibanga

Bulor-Anthony. Allformer Documentsremain valid. Generalpublic please takenote.

I, formerly knownand addressed asEndurance HansEpale, now wish to beknown andaddressed as JefferyHans Arnold. Allformer documents remainvalid. General publicplease take note.

I, formerly known andaddressed as MissPatience Obo Ukam,now wish to be knownand addressed asMrs. PatienceOnyema Anyaka. Allformer documentsremain valid. Generalpublic please takenote.

Confirmation of NameThis is to confirm thatOkoro ErerukegaBenjamin and OkoroErerukega refer to oneand the same person, butnow wish to be known andaddressed as OkoroErerukega Benjamin. Allformer documentsremain valid. Ecobank,First bank and general

public take note.

I, formerly known,addressed and calledas Miss HarrietMunezero now wishto be known,addressed and calledas Mrs Harriet Jefe. Al l do cument sbearing former namesremain valid. Generalpublic please takenote.

Reconciliation of NamesThat the names Obizos C.Emeka and Emeka JoelZos belong to one andthe same person and nowwish to be known andaddressed as ObizosC.Emeka. All former documents remain valid.Sterling Bank, KeystoneBank and general public

please take note.

Confirmation of nameI, formerly known andaddressed asM i s s L o v e l i nOsadeka Ugborumeand Wanogho Lovelin,now wish to be knownand addressed asMrs. Ogidi Lovelin. All former documentsremain valid. Generalpublic please takenote.

Confirmation of nameI, Miss Egokiniovo TracyEjiro whose NECO June2004 certificate bore thename Egokiniovo. D.Ejiro is the same personand now wish to be knownand addressed as Mrs.J e m i d eEgokiniovo Tracy. Allformer documentsremain valid. General



addressed as Miss

Inetianbor Anthonia

Ese, now wish to be

known and addressed

as Mrs. Idehen

An th on ia Es e. Al l

former documents

remains valid.

General public please

take note.

I, formerly known asMs EmmanuellaChitoo Onyechi, now wish to be known andaddressed as Mrs.Emmanuella ChitooEzika. All previousd o c u m e n t s / certificates bearingmy former nameremain valid.

V ALUE4NAIRA, anonline superstore, says

it is offering free deliveryservices to customers inLagos.

The company’s Chief Operating Officer, Mr.

Ernest Umeike, said it wasthe cheapest onlinesupermarket in the country,aimed at giving customers100 percent satisfaction andgiving value for every itempurchased on the platform.



VANGUARD, FRIDAY, JUNE 3, 2016 — 41

Super star singer Prince died of overdose—Newspaper reports

MUSIC legendPrince died of an

opioid overdose, theMinneapolis Star Tribune

reported Thursday, citing asource familiar with theinvestigation into thesinger’s death.

Prince, whose full name was Prince Rogers Nelson,died April 21 at the age of 57, after being found

unresponsive in anelevator at Paisley Park, hishome and recording studioin Chanhassen,Minnesota.

Paramedics performedCPR but were unable torevive him, authorities said. An autopsy was conductedthe day after his death butofficial results have notbeen released. Opioids

and overdoses: 4 things toknow.

Since then, informationhas emerged about theentertainer’s alleged abuseof prescription drugs. An attorney for Prince’s

half-siblings said theyrevealed the singer had anaddiction to Percocetdecades before he died.One half-sibling said Princestarted using the drug tohelp him deal with therigors of performing, not for recreational use. A law enforcement source

told CNN thati n ve s t i g a t o r s f o u n dprescription opioidmedication on him and inhis Minnesota home.

Opioid history: From‘wonder drug’ to abuseepidemic The day before

Prince died, his team calledan eminent opioidaddiction specialist inCalifornia seeking urgenthelp for the singer, anattorney working for thespecialist and his son said.

OPEC states fail to reach deal onproduction

OPEC countries failedThursday to agree on

measures to influence crudesupplies and prices - amissed opportunity to showthe resolve that for decadeslet them set how muchconsumers and industries worldwide would pay for

gas, heating and relatednecessities. At the same time, OPEC

officials argued that thecartel was alive and well,scoffing at suggestions thatits authority was eroding to

the point where it will soonbe negligible.

“Don’t take that (to mean)that OPEC is dead,” saidSecretary General Abdullaal-Badri. “OPEC will bepowerful, will be strong.OPEC is alive.”

But the decision to makeno decision appeared morean illustration of lack of

unity, particularly betweenOPEC rivals Saudi Arabiaand Iran, whose deepeningstruggle for Mideastsupremacy has for yearsbeen mirrored at oilmeetings.

Amnesty accuses Gambian govt of brutalrepression

AMNESTY Internati- onal has urged

Gambian authorities torelease dozens of politicalprisoners and end a “brutalcrackdown” ahead of presidential electionsscheduled to take place inDecember.

In a report published onThursday, the human

rights group accuses policeof beatings and arbitraryarrests of peacefulprotesters and oppositionpoliticians duringdemonstrations in Apriland May.

“Gambia’s elections are just six months away andyet opposition members arearrested and beaten, journalists are muzzledand civil society muted,”

Alioune Tine, AmnestyInternational RegionalDirector for West andCentral Africa, said in thereport. According to the UK-

based group, at least 51people are awaiting trial,including OusainouDarboe, the leader of theUnited Democratic Party,and several other politicalfigures.Turkey recalls envoy to

Germany after genocide vote

TURKEYhas recalled itsenvoy to Germany in

protest against GermanMPs declaring the 1915massacre of Armeniansduring WWI as“genocide”.

Turkey called the vote“an example of ignoranceand disrespect”. Armenians say up to 1.5

million of their people diedin the atrocities of 1915.Turkey says the toll wasmuch lower and rejects theterm “genocide”.

The vote heightensGerman-Turkish tensions ata time when Turkey’s helpis needed to controlmigrant arrivals.

The Turkish President,Recep Tayyip Erdogan,said the resolution wouldseriously affect relations with Germany, and that thegovernment wouldconsider further measures

in response to the vote.The Turkish ForeignMinister MevlutCavusoglu tweeted: “The way to close the dark pagesin your own history is notby besmirching the history

of other countries withirresponsible andgroundless parliamentarydecisions,” a clear referenceto Germany’s Nazi past.

But the German ForeignMinister Frank-Walter Steinmeier called for calm.

“As expected, Turkey hasreacted, and I hope that we will succeed in the nextdays and weeks to avoid anyoverreaction,” he told journalists during a visit toBuenos Aires.

VENEZUELA: Police repel rare protest near presidentialpalace

EgyptAir plane made 3 emergency landings beforeit crashed

THE EgyptAir plane thatm y s t e r i o u s l y

disappeared in theMediterranean on May 19

with 66 people on boardmade three emergencylandings in the 24 hoursbefore the crash, theFrench broadcaster France3 reports. The report has yetto be confirmed bygovernment or airspaceauthorities.

The plane used for theEgyptAir Flight 804connecting Paris to Cairoreportedly had to turn

around three times andperform emergencylandings on each occasion while travelling to Eritrea,

Egypt, Tunisia, and Paris.Emergency signals

indicated a problem onboard shortly after takeoff each time, prompting theplane to turn around,France 3 reports. A technical verification on

the ground took place after each landing, but noproblems were found andthe plane took off again andcontinued on its route,

according to theinformation obtained byFrance 3. The Frenchnewspaper Le Parisienalso reported thisinformation.

EgyptAir’s chairman onThursday denied that those warnings took place. “For me it is not true,” SafwatMusallam said, accordingto Reuters. He added thatthe plane had notexperienced anymaintenance issues beforedeparture and that theplane was “normal.” “Wefully trust the aircraft andthe pilot,” he said.

NNSG to US, German and Italian Presidents: Prevailon Buhari to implement Confab report

By Chinwe Emeluwa

A COALTION of civil society groups, led by

the Nigeria NationalSummit Group (NNSG),

yesterday in Lagosembarked on peacefulprotests to ForeignEmbassies and HighCommissions to urge theFederal Government torestructure the country.

The placard carryingprotesters were at theembassies of the UnitedStates of America, Italy andGermany where letters were presented for onwardtransmission to thepresidents of their respective countries.

Briefing newsmen at theevent, the NNSGExecutive Secretary, Mr Tony Uranta, called on

President MuhammaduBuhari and the National Assembly to study the 2014National Conference report with a view to urgentlyimplementing most of the

resolutions.His words: “A lot of work

went into that report fromseasoned Nigeriansrepresenting all walks of life, and states of Nigeria."

Art of Life to fight violence in Africawith meditation

NO fewer than 700,000people in Nigeria

and 34 African countriesacross the world haveunited in a joint yogaexercise for global world

peace.The initiative which was

organised by the Art of Living InternationalFoundation membersMesses Raghu Sharma,Tanny Mahak and SachinChansarkar attracted

Nigerians from all walksof life to Lagos.

The organizers of theevent entitled:I Meditate Africa said thefoundation, which haspresence in more than 152countries across the world, would boost itsoperations in Africa,particularly Nigeria tocombat growing violenceon the continent.

Egyptian doctors offer free medical care to IDPsBy Victoria Ojeme

SUCCOUR seems tohave come the way of

some Internally DisplacedPersons ,IDPs, acrossvarious camps in Abuja

following the arrival of ateam of medical doctorsfrom Egypt, who were inthe country to meet thehealth needs of the IDPs.

The coming of the doctorsfrom Al-Azhar institution is

a fulfilment of an earlier promise by the Chief Imamof the Grand Mosque of Alexandria Universi ty,Sheik Ahmed Tiyyib whenhe visited the IDPs in Abujarecently. According to the

Ambassador of the ArabRepublic of Egypt, Ashraf Salama, the Sheik pledgedto assist the IDPs. Yesterday, in line with the

pledge, the team visited theKarmajiji DudunMunstsira Camp whereabout 12 tonnes of food were

also delivered to thepeople.

Earlier, the doctors visitedthe IDP camp in Durumi, Area 1, Garki where theycarried out variousdiagnosis on theinhabitants.

A throng of protesters demanding food madea run for the Venezuelan

presidential palace onThursday in a rare,apparently spontaneousoutburst of anger at the

socialist administration within the heart of Caracas.

More than 100 peoplecharged down the maindowntown thoroughfarechanting “No more talk. We want food” and got withinabout a half dozen of thepresidential palace beforepolice in riot gear headedthem off and began firingtear gas. Police pushed theprotesters back as somekicked their plastic shields.More officers ran toward thescene and filled in thestreets between theprotesters and the palace.

•Turkish ultra-nationalists protested against German MPs declaring the 1915 massacre of Armenians during WWI as “genocide” outside the German Consulate in Istanbul yesterday.

Gambia's Amadou Gillen who won £4m on a lottery scratchcard went straight back to finish his shift in the kitchen



42 —VANGUARD, FRIDAY, JUNE 3, 2016



VANGUARD, FRIDAY, JUNE 3, 2016 —43



VANGUARD, FIRDAY, JUNE 3, 2016 —45

YOUR party isexperiencing another of leadership crisis. Are

you not concerned that thecurrent conflict might be more

injurious to the PDP?I don’t think so. PDP is a very

big family and even within thenucleus you can havemisunderstanding, so I am notsurprised that we are havingthese challenges. My worry isthat we are not in power, weshouldn’t have allowed this tohappen to the party; we shouldhave curtailed them and movetogether to see what God hasfor us in 2019.

This distraction definitely willnot help us. Now that the APCgovernment is not doing fine,

we would have cashed in onthis and put a shadowgovernment to work towardsgetting back power. I am

worried, yes, but I don’t thinkit will lead to disintegration.

Do you think the party haslearnt enough from its past?

From what I am seeing wehave not learnt enough. Wehave not been practicing our slogan that is the problem. Itstarted when a group of peopledecided to pick an actingchairman. Why would you pick an acting

chairman? Why didn’t theyallow the deputy chairman who

was acting to complete thattenure and then go into the

convention so that all those whoare clamouring to take theposition will contest for it?

Now, power was given on aplatter of gold to one man andhe was called acting chairmanand now they are telling himto quit. That is what we arefacing now. The mistake made

was to get a new actingchairman in place of UcheSecondus.

The way forward is continuedialoguing and I pray that bothsides will shift ground. If thepresent chairman wants theparty to remain united andmove forward, he should notstick to his gun.

What is your assessment ofthe APC led FederalGovernment one year after? APC has not done very well.

Unfortunately our party whichis supposed to be theopposition party is not faringany better, thereby giving themthe leeway. So many of their promises have not been met,

we don’t have a strong voice tolet the people know that thesepromises were made and theyare not being kept.

Unfortunately for the partythey came in after which theeconomy crashed. I cannot say

whether APC was the cause or not.

But it is unfortunate becausethe team they have today cannotmanage the economy. This isthe truth because we have had

worst period than this and the

FG should dialogue with N’DeltaAvengers — Sen Amange SENATOR Bariagha Amange in this interview calls on PresidentMuhammadu Buhari not to approach the current crisis in the Niger Delta

region with military might, noting that dialogue is key to resolving the hostility. He also spoke on other issues.

By Ben Agande

problem is who are the peoplemanaging the economy? Arethey qualified to do it?

Were you surprised to hear about the misappropriation offunds by your party during itstime in office? Well, I am not surprised but I

am also surprised the way thepresent government is going.Let them tell us if they are after corrupt individuals or they areafter the PDP as a party.

•Amange: PDP has not learnt its lessons

If the government wants toprobe election funding, fine,then we should probe election

funding generally. What theyare doing is that they areprobing the source of PDP’sfunds that were used to fundelection. What of APC? The party was

funded by individuals. Labour Party and others were alsofunded. So government shouldcome out and say we areprobing election funding and

it should cover all the politicalparties.

There is resurgence ofmilitancy in the Niger Delta, what does this portend?

I always believe that theseboys in the Niger Delta are

agitators. When you saymilitancy like the President saidhe was going to treat them the

way he is treating Boko Haram,it is wrong. They are twodifferent things. They are

agitating. It is like the IPOB inthe Southeast, they areagitating. It is lack of equitythat is causing all these pocketsof agitations. And if a group isagitating, it is left for thegovernment to listen to them.

They have released a list of those who own oil blocks in theNiger Delta. If you look at thelist, all the names on it are from

one part of the country, why?So if people are agitating can’tyou call them or call their leaders and say if that one wasa mistake made by the military,the civilian government shouldbe able to correct it.

On bombing of pipelinesHow do you agitate? You must

make noise. We are notsupporting the destruction of the ecosystem because the morethey blow up oil pipelines themore they destroy theecosystem.

There are better ways toagitate I agree with you but

what I am saying is that thePresident said he will treatthem the way he is treatingBoko Haram. Now if you lookat Boko Haram and say theyare agitating, what are theyagitating for? One school of thought said they want to

Islamize Nigeria. If they wantto Islamize Nigeria, why arethey bombing mosques? TheSoutheast people are feelingthat they are not enjoying keypolitical appointments. Whynot see how their fears can beaddressed?

Where do you see the PDPin 2019?

2019 is for the PDP. Weshould forget about our selfishinterests because all the peoplestruggling are struggling for themselves, not for the party.If you have the party at heart,you can say let go so manythings.

But I am not seeing that. Thestruggle is selfish in nature andif we continue this way, it maynot be good for us. It is the partythat will eventually suffer. And if we don’t win 2019, it

will be difficult for us to comeback even in 2023 because thepresent party will consolidate.They know our lapses so they

will try to consolidate.

It is lack of equity that is causing all these pockets of

agitations. And if a group is agitating, it is left for the government to listen to them

Imo people are unfair to Rochas — AKABUOGU CHIEF Godwin Akabogu, a former aide to Imo State Governor, Chief Rochas

Okorocha in this interview laments that the governor’s stewardship is not being

acknowledged by some in the state. He also spoke on other issues.

WHAT do you make of themixed impression some

appear to have about theadministration of Okorocha? You see, people don’t even

understand who he is. To start with, Imo people, I will tell you without mincing words are veryunfair to Rochas Okorocha’sadministration. Given what hehas done in Imo State today, theyare unfair to him. You see, for the first time, I challenge Imosons and daughters to come outand show me, since the incep-tion of the state, a singular gov-ernment that has outperformed

Rochas Anayo Okorocha.But there were people like

Achike Udenwa and IkediOhakim, do you mean theydidn’t do much?

See, all those people you justmentioned did their own quota

By Charles Kumolu

•Akabogu

but whatever thing they did isnowhere to be compared with

what Anayo Okorocha has donein the past four years. What

Achike Udenwa did in eightyears, Rochas Anayo Okorochasurpassed it in four years.

A lot of people say Rochas isnot working but just playingpolitical games?

No, those who feel that Rochasis not working are not fair to him.I can stay here and tell youauthoritatively that RochasOkorocha has performedtremendously well. No, he is notinto political gambling. For thepast one month I have travelledthe length and breadth of ImoState, the projects Okorocha hasdone speak volume. You will seeall the projects Okorocha did andyou will discover that all thesethings speak for themselves. Areyou talking about roads? Are youtalking about the schools he reno-

vated? I mean, where would youstart to access him? Then, castyour mind back to the previousadministrations, what do theyhave to show for their govern-ance? Both Ikedi Ohakim and

Achike Udenwa even SamMbakwe. What the Igbo sonsand daughters do not understandis that, Rochas is the anointed sonof the late Ikemba Ojukwu.

Why did you say his peopleare unfair to him when they re-elected him?

In my thinking, they are veryunfair to Okorocha. This is a man

who gave them free education.He gave them different kinds of infrastructure, new and good roadnetworks and lot of transforma-tion. I saw this myself, it is notlike hearsay. At the end of the day, why

won’t you give honour to whomhonour is due? Why don’t yougive credit to whom credit is due?

There is a saying in my localdialect, it says ‘when you thankthe person that prepared greenbeans for you, he would be

energized to prepare another dish for you”. In Imo State whatare they saying? Their slogan isthis “Government of the family,by the family and for the family.”That shows that they are notbeing appreciative of the man.



Vanguard, FRIDAY, JUNE 3, 2016 — 47

Anti-Doping Agency(WADA) accreditedlaboratory in Lausanne within days, the sourcessaid. Ja ma ic a Ol ympi c

Association presidentMichael Fennelldeclined comment, while Jamaica Athletics A d m i n i s t r a t i v e Association presidentDr. Warren Blake toldReuters his organisationhad not been notified of any rule violation.

Following the biggestdoping scandal in years,the InternationalOlympic Committee(IOC) has orderedretesting of 2008 and

JamaicanContinues from BP

2012 Olympic samples where traces of drugsthat were undetectableat the time now show upunder advancedtechniques.

The IOC said lastmonth that 31 athletesfrom six different sportsand 12 countries hadtested positive in theretesting of 2008samples and that it hadlaunched disciplinaryaction against the yetunidentified athletes

wh o wo ul d no t beallowed to compete in August’s Rio de JaneiroGames. Russia hasalready said 14 of itsathletes were among thepositive tests from 2008.

in Africa at No 12 onthe continent.It is widely believed

that the top 5 in thecontinental ratings – Algeria, Cote d’Ivoire,Ghana, Senegal andEgypt – will enjoy abetter chance of makingPot A of the draw on June 24 in Cairo, Egypt.

Next week, FIFA willannounce the lucky fivetop seeds.

The climb in the FIFA rankings was down tothe wins over Mali and

Tough world cup drawContinues from BP Luxembourg achieved

by caretaker coachSalisu Yusuf. After crashing out of

AFCON 2017, Nigeria wi ll be se ek in g toqualify for a sixth WorldCup when the qualifyingseries for Russia 2018begin in October.

The 20-teams still inthe reckoning will bedrawn into five groupsof four teams each withthe five overall group winners catching theflight to Russia in 2018.

The Nigerian team were looking to start thetournament on a goodfooting, by winning or grabbing a draw, but that was not to be as their hosts proved too strongfor them.

Coach Siasia named astrong squad withEmmanuel Daniel andUsman Mohammedstarting.

The likes of Saturday

Erimuya and ErhunObanor marshalled thedefence line, and thebelief was that the team wa s go in g to ge tsomething from thegame.

The Dream Teamstarted the game on afrantic note and were byfar the better side in theopening 20 minutes of the game, but failed toconvert their chances.

Choi Kyubaek broketheir hearts with the latestrike and the hostsmanaged to hold onuntil the final whistle.

Siasia’s lads have achance to redeem their image in the competition wh en th ey ba tt leHonduras and Denmarkin the next two games.

S/Korea

The upwardmovement for theEagles is coming on the

heels of their back-to-back victories in recentfriendly games againstMali and Luxembourg.

The Super Eagles, who were ranked 67thin May, are nowoccupying the 61stposition in the world,but they remain outsidethe top ten teams in Africa at 12th place.

The Desert Foxes of Algeria remain highestranked team in Africa

Continues from BP

EaglesContinues from BP

Siasia

press conferencefollowing his team’s 0-1defeat by the host nationat the Suwon World CupStadium.

According to thetactician, his players were not able to play their game as they were stillsuffering from jet lag

occasioned by the longflight from Abuja. “Theflight didn’t help matters,but then that is not anexcuse for us not gettingat least a point from thisgame.

“The goal scored by theKoreans was madepossible because myplayers were adoptingoffside tactics; I don’tknow where they got thatidea from as we have

Continues from BP never kept offside in allour trainings and games.”

“I am happy the NFFdid everything to makeus come for thiscompetition as it hasexposed the boys to seethings from a bigger perspective, even thoughI wanted us to win thisgame to boost our confidence. The boys now

know that they have to situp in the other games.”

The African championslost to an 86th minutegoal scored by SouthKorea’s Choi Kyubaekfrom a free kick whichcaught the Nigeriandefence –line ball watching. Nigeria playDenmark, 4-3 winnersover Honduras, in her next game on Saturday.

while Argentina is thenumber one team in the world.

Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana,Senegal, Egypt,

Tunisia, Cape VerdeIsland, Congo DR,Guinea, Cameroon,Congo make up the top10 teams on thecontinent. As hi gh li gh te d by

FIFA, the top movers we re Sl ov aki a an dMadagascar. TheEuropeans climbedeight positions to take24th place, while theisland nation located off Af ri ca ’s So ut h Eas tcoast climbed 29positions into 108.

LIONEL Messi

denied havingknowledge of the tax

issues that led to fraudcharges against him,saying Thursday hesigned documents without reading thembecause he trusted hisfather and the advisersresponsible for managing his finances.

Messi: I signed tax papers withoutreading “I didn’t know

anything,” Messi said while testifying in histax fraud trial. “I only worried about playingfootball.”

The Barcelona player looked impatient in

court at times, lookingdown and trying tostretch his legs. The leftfoot that helps himthrive on the soccer fields kept bouncingimpatiently underneaththe chair.

R YAN Giggs is

ready to walk outon Manchester Unitedand prove himself as amanager after deciding toreject Jose Mourinho’soffer to join his coachingstaff, according to reports.

Giggs served asassistant manager toLouis van Gaal, havingreplaced David Moyes onan interim basis asmanager at the end of the2013/14 season. Having worked with Van Gaal for the duration of his two-year reign, Giggs washopeful of succeeding the

Dutchman when he wassacked last month, only todiscover that Mourinho would be getting the jobinstead.

Giggs departed on aholiday to Dubai the dayafter United’s FA Cupfinal success, but is dueto return to hold talks with Mourinho regardinghis future at the club. After spending 29 years

of his life associated withUnited as both a player

Giggs rejectsMourinho’s offer

and assistant manager,

Giggs in known to beunhappy with theprospect of beingdemoted from his role asNo 2. Mourinho willbring in his regular assistant in Rui Faria,having worked with the40-year-old Portuguesecoach throughout hiscareer.

Mourinho is believed tohave offered Giggs thechance to stay at OldTrafford in a role that would bridge the gapbetween the youth set-upand the senior team, but

Giggs lookedunfavourably on theposition and saw it as anobvious demotion fromhis job under Van Gaal.

The talks withMourinho have led theclub legend to decide thatthe time is right to leaveUnited and forge his ownmanagerial career elsewhere, having grownfrustrated by the twomissed chances tobecome United manager.

•Giggs



Messi, incourt overtax fraud— Pg.47

How to Play Sudoku

Place a number (1-9) in each blank cell. (No line canhave two of the same number)

YESTERDAY'S ANSWERS TODAY'S PUZZLE

Vanguard, FRIDAY, JUNE 3, 2016

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS

QUICK CROSSWORDQUICK CROSSWORDQUICK CROSSWORDQUICK CROSSWORDQUICK CROSSWORD

ACROSS2 Vigilant (5)7 Agitate (4)8 Trial (6)9 Vessel (5)11 Insane (3)13 Donkey (3)15 So be it (4)16 Circuit (3)18 Cease (4)19 Train (7)20 Greedy (4)22 Dash (4)23 Harmful (7)25 Watched (4)27 Fasten (3)28 Present (4)30 Free (3)31 Wand (3)33 Mendacious (5)36 Recess (6)37 Responsibility (4)

38 Tendency (5)

DOWN1 Vapour (5)2 Cure (3)3 Epoch (3)4 Child (3)5 Strange (3)6 Lariat (5)10 Achievement (4)11 Controller (7)12 Wished (7)13 Studio (7)14 Smacked (7)16 Inclined (5)17 Annoyance (5)18 Prosecute (3)21 Defective (3)24 Greasy (4)26 Cede (5)29 Rascal (5)32 Crowd (3)33 Permit (3)34 Wrath (3)

35 Deity (3)

ACROSS: 1, Trace 5, Divest 8, Order 10,Secure 11, Open 14, Pirate 15, Blossom18, Gem 19, Set 21, Deft 23, Eider 24, Soft27, Tan 29, Ray 31, Luckily 32, Peeled 34,Else 35, Untied 38, Basic 39, Regret 40,Phial.

DOWN: 2, Roe 3, Course 4, Err 5, Drop 6, Veered 7, Talent 9, Deposit 12, Pig 13, Name16, Lido 17, Medal 20, Tenuous 22, Full 24,Supper 25, Free 26, Taller 28, Sketch 30, Yes33, Debt 36, Nip 37, Era.

S/Korea shockNigeria 1-0

Suwon Invitational:

Eagles makeprogress

FIFA ranking

Tough World Cup draw awaits Eagles1) Algeria2) Ivory Coast3) Ghana4) Senegal5) Egypt6) Tunisia7) Cape Verde Islands8) Congo DR9) Guinea10)Cameroon

Top Ten African Teams

...Siasia blames fatigue

Jamaican athlete failsdope test

COACH Samson

Siasia hasattributed his team’sdefeat in the openinggame of the 4 –NationSuwon InvitationalTournament in SouthKorea to fatigue. Siasiasaid so at the post match

Continues on Page 47

A Jamaican athleteis among those

who have failed a doping

test after samples werere-examined from the2008 Beijing OlympicGames in the wake of adrugs scandal.

The athlete hasreturned an adverseanalytical finding for the A-sample and the resultof the B-sample test isexpected from the World


IT was a bad start for the Dream Team VI

in the SuwonInvitational Tournament

as they were pipped 1-0by hosts South Koreayesterday.

The Samson Siasia-tutored side lost at the

Suwon World CupStadium thanks to ChoiKyubaek’s 86th minute winner.Continues on Page 47

THE Super Eagles have moved up six notchesin the latest FIFA rankings released by the world

football governing body yesterday.


T H R E E - T I M E A f r i c a n

champions Nigeria couldstill face a very difficult2018 World Cup

qualifying group evenafter the latest FIFA rankings saw them move

up by six spots.Nigeria are now 61st in

the world, but still verymuch outside the top 5


•Siasia

•Mikel

•Bolt

Messi and father Jorge (rear) are facing tax fraud charges

Militants kill 2 soldiers, 6 civilians, sink houseboat

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