SECURITY BRIEF – FEBUARY 10, 2014

FG to Issue N100bn Bonds for Lagos-Ibadan Expressway: The Federal Government on Tuesday, February 4, 2014, said it would issue road and infrastructure bonds worth N100bn to finance the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. It also said that N25bn was earmarked for the project in this year’s budget, while the same amount would be provided in 2015, while government institutions would generate N17bn for the reconstruction work on the road. The Minister of Works, Mr. Mike Onolememen, said this in Abuja when a delegation of the Peoples Democratic Party led by Senator Ibrahim Mantu paid him a courtesy visit. Onolememen said, “Government can decide how it funds its road projects and government has made commitments up to N50bn on that road. In 2014 alone, government budgeted N25bn for that road and that is after mobilizing the contractors last year. “And in 2015, we will repeat another N25bn on the road. We also have government institutions that are also putting money down up to about N17bn for that road. “And we have decided as a government and ministry that in order to fast-track the completion of that road, we are going to be issuing road bonds and infrastructure bonds, where we will raise a balance of N100bn. This is a novel way of funding infrastructure development projects across the world, and that is what can guarantee the quick delivery of that road.” The minister said attempts to discredit the government’s work on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway were being made by people who had personal interest as against national interest, adding that those people were in the habit of sponsoring spurious reports about the road.

Why Major Marketers no Longer Import: Executive Secretary of Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria, MOMAN, Mr. Obafemi Olawore, in his interview said lack of policy clarity on the importation of kerosene for domestic use has hindered its members from importing the product into the country. He therefore urged policy makers to promote LPG usage. He said there is lack of clarity on the whole policy. So for major marketers to come in, there must be clarity. There is no clarity at all. Let’s go back to history, about three, four or five years ago. There was a policy that kerosene has been deregulated, in other words, there is no subsidy. That is to say you will import it, sell it and make a reasonable margin, not cut throat. That is what we understand it to be. That was a policy issued by president Yar’ Adua. However, some officials in government tried to change that policy. So the confusion now came up, kerosene price was now pegged at N50 as the selling price. So there is a contradiction. If it is deregulated, why do you fix a price? Whereas there was a paper for deregulation but there is no paper to say that it has been reversed. Instead there is a paper that said the price is N50 and don’t go beyond N50. With this confusion, no major marketer ever imported and will ever import kerosene to sell, we won’t. Because if we import and government tells you that the subsisting circular said you should sell at N50, the whole process will be criminalized if you sell at more than N50 and whereas when you import, even the landing cost alone is more than N50, so there is no way you can come down and sell at N50 if subsidy is not paid. I can confirm to you that Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency, PPPRA, when president Yar’ Adua was still around never processed NNPC claims, they did not. In other words, PPPRA as at that time never paid kerosene subsidy. However, there was an interregnum between the other time and the present PPPRA. That period, PPPRA then processed some claims by NNPC for payment. Whether it was eventually paid or not by Ministry of Finance, I don’t know because I am not in the finance ministry and none of my members made claims for it because we never imported. So the situation now is, major marketers will not import kerosene and sell at a loss, major marketers will import kerosene when the policy about the product is made clear. I repeat; you cannot on one hand say there is deregulation and you don’t give a letter to that effect and later go and fix the price for N50, there is a contradiction. Until that contradiction is resolved, we are not going to come in and import. Major marketers will only import the aviation kerosene and sell as aviation fuel. NNPC is the one that imports kerosene and NNPC is the one that should answer whether they are paid the subsidy or not. As far as we are concerned, we have not made any claims because we did not import.

NCP to Protest Against Extortion of Electricity Consumers: Dr Tanko Yunusa, National Chairman, National Conscience Party (NCP), on Wednesday, February 5, 2014, said that the party would hold a protest on Feb. 7 on the issuance of “crazy bills’’ to some electricity consumers in the country. Yunusa made this disclosure while addressing newsmen at the late Chief Gani Fawehinmi’s house in Ikeja. He said that the rally would begin from Fawehinmi’s house by 9.00 am and terminate at the office of the Nigeria Energy Regulatory Commission (NERC) in Ikeja. Yunusa said the unwholesome practices of illegal charges by the new investors whether consumers consumed light or not needed to be stopped and addressed. “Our displeasure and the peaceful protest is informed by the unacceptable alarming and unabated sufferings of our members, indeed, poor Nigerian masses. “This is occasioned by the extortionist tendencies of disbanded NEPA or PHCN, and the new power generation and distribution companies in Nigeria under the gazing eyes of NERC,’’ he said. Yunusa frowned at the “scandalous’’ hike in electricity tariffs consumers were contending with, and without consuming power. The chairman said that NCP would continue to be on the side of the suffering masses and would not hesitate to go to the court on behalf of the masses. “To NCP, the measure of development and good governance is the material upliftment of our people. “If the rich can afford it, what happens to the widows, the barbers, the vulcanisers; the crazy bills and payment without light is enough,’’ he said. Yunusa also said that adequate security measures would be put in place, saying that the Lagos State Commissioner of Police had been informed in writing about the protest.

Meawhile, The Senate, on Tuesday, February 4, 2014, called on the managers of electricity in the country to discard what it described as ‘’estimated billing’’ in charging consumers, saying the method was not in the best interest of Nigeria and its people. It said they should instead provide pre-paid metres to meet up with modern day challenges in electricity sector. Chairman, Senate Committee on Power, Mines and Metallurgy, Philip Aduda, made this known, on Tuesday, February 4, 2014, when the management team of Electricity Management Service Limited, EMSL, paid his committee a courtesy visit in Abuja. Speaking earlier, Managing Director of the EMSL, Mr. Peter Ewesor, had commended the committee for its contribution to the successes so far recorded, in the on-going privatization of the power sector. He said they would do everything within its powers to ensure accountability in its dealings with the privatized companies.

 

Scam, New Nation Finance House Offices Shut Down Nationwide by SEC: The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has closed down offices of New Nation Finance House, one of the country's leading fund management companies in seven states of the federation- Lagos, Akure, Bauch, Birnin Kebbi, Calabar, Kano and Makurdi. The offices are to stop operations by Feb. 7. Mrs Pamela Obioru, SEC’s Assistant Director and leader of the enforcement team, said on Wednesday, February 5, 2014, that New Nation Finance House was an illegally entity. Obioru said that Section 153 of the Investment and Securities Act (ISA) prescribed that operators of such firms must obtain licence and file returns to the commission. She also said that 14 of the company’s officials had also been arrested by the police. She said that the action was part of SEC’s statutory responsibilities of regulating the capital market and protecting investors. Obioru said that the enforcement exercise was necessary to protect innocent investors from falling into wrong investment schemes.

EXCLUSIVE: Documents Show NNPC’s Claims on Kerosene Subsidy a Massive Scam

Claims by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, that over 80 per cent of the controversial $10.8billion (about N1.728trillion) was used for subsidy on kerosene may have been a scam after all. Multiple confidential memos showed that the purported subsidy on kerosene was actually in defiance of a subsisting presidential directive to the Ministry of Petroleum Resources and the Group Managing Director of the NNPC to remove the payment of subsidy on kerosene from the Petroleum Support Fund, PSF, template. On June 10, 2009, the late President Umaru Musa Yar’adua had approved the resolutions of the Presidential Committee, which sat the previous day to deliberate on the action plan on the deregulation of the downstream petroleum sub-sector. The committee had sought the president’s approval of the proposal to ameliorate the likely adverse impact of the planned removal of subsidies in the downstream sector of the petroleum industry. The memo to the President, No. SH/PSP/24/A/812, had, among several prayers, requested the petroleum minister be directed to “eliminate existing subsidy on the consumption of kerosene, taking into account that subsidy payments by government on kerosene do not reach the intended beneficiaries.” On June 2009, a memo No. SH/PSP/24/A/819, signed by the then Principal Secretary to the President, David Edevbie, conveyed the president’s directive to the Minister of Petroleum Resources. The memo also asked the Minister to avoid public announcement of the measure to be implemented PSF template. In spite of the presidential directive, the NNPC, apparently feigning ignorance of the directive, still submitted a request for the payment of subsidy on kerosene. But in memo No. SH/PSP/24/A/1087 dated October 19, 2009, the President rejected the request, pointing out that based on his earlier directive “the NNPC should not be entitled to make claims from the Petroleum Support Fund, PSF, in respect of kerosene with effect from the date of Mr. President’s approval.” It was not clear if the corporation received the subsidy after the demise of the former president. However, in July 2011, despite the subsisting presidential directive, the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Alison-Madueke, announced the launch of the Kero-Direct scheme initiated by the NNPC ostensibly to make kerosene available to consumers nationwide at a highly subsidized rate of N50 per litre. Under the scheme, the Pipelines and Products Marketing Company, PPMC, a subsidiary of the NNPC in charge of petroleum products marketing and distribution, was directed to provide the product sold to consumers using the products distribution facilities of an independent marketer, Capital Oil and Gas
 Industries Limited. But the House of Representatives Adhoc Committee probing the fuel subsidy regime in 2012 had, in its report, described the scheme as “a scam to defraud Nigerians and extort money from the Petroleum Support Fund, PSF.” The committee had noted that the scheme was not only implemented in defiance of a subsisting presidential directive removing kerosene from the subsidy regime, but also designed in a way the product would not get to the target beneficiaries at the approved price. The committee said throughout the period, kerosene, which was supposed to be distributed to consumers nationwide at the subsidized price, sold only at the 36 NNPC mega stations out of over 24,000 retail outlets across the country. Even then, it said the product was never available at that price as there was massive diversion of the product, which was resold to consumers at between N160 and N200 per litre in the open market. The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi has also faulted the NNPC’s claim that 80 percent of the $10.8 billion it admitted were unremitted to the Federation account was incurred on petrol and kerosene subsidy. He urged the Senate Committee on Finance not to accept the argument since a presidential directive had in 2009 barred payment of subsidy on kerosene. The directive, from former President Umar Yar’adua, remained in force long after the president’s death, Mr. Sanusi said, citing a letter to him from the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency, PPPRA, in December 2010- long after Mr. Yar’adua’s death- which confirmed that the agency had “ceased to grant subsidy on HHK(kerosene) through a presidential directive since July 2009”. “This may explain why NNPC waited till 2011 to claim its ‘arrears’ for 2009-2011,” Mr. Sanusi wrote. “So the first question here is: on what basis did NNPC pay itself billions of dollars as ‘subsidy’ for kerosene, in view of this directive.” On petrol subsidy, the CBN governor said documents showed the NNPC did not make any deductions from the domestic crude sales for subsidy payment between April 2012 and 2013. In the document attached as appendix, the row showing “adjustment for subsidy” consistently shows “NIL” within the period. Mr. Sanusi said there are two possibilities here: either the NNPC was lying to the government that it was not making deductions, or it is now lying that is made when it never did. “Either way, this shows we cannot trust NNPC or its management to tell us the truth,” he said. Also, a study conducted by a Lagos-based financial consultancy, Financial Derivatives Company Limited, revealed that retail price for kerosene in Lagos and environs between January 2012 to date ranges between N140 and N300 per litre despite the purported subsidy regime. The study showed that in January 2012, kerosene, which should go for N50 per litre, sold for as much as N300 even in some major towns and cities, which represents about 500 per cent hike, while the prevailing price for the month of February and March 2012 was N250, representing 400 per cent increase. Since April 2012, where available, the price for the commodity till date has continued to oscillate variously between N150, N175, and N225 per litre.

Nigerian Prisoners in U.K. Kick Against Transfer Agreement: Some Nigerians serving various jail terms in the United Kingdom have kicked against the recently signed Prisoner Transfer Agreement between Nigeria and British governments. The Nigeria High Commissioner to the UK, Dalhatu Tafida, on Tuesday, February 4, 2014, in London confirmed this in an interview. Mr. Tafida said that some of the prisoners have expressed concern over returning to the country to complete their terms, citing poor prison facilities and stigma as main reasons. While explaining the framework of the agreement, the envoy said that the prisoner transfer was not an automatic exercise whereby those in jail would return home immediately. According to him, transfer will not be voluntarily but decided by both governments. It would be recalled that Nigeria and UK in December, 2013 signed the agreement which will make it possible for prisoners to return home and complete their terms. The agreement is yet to be ratified by the parliaments of the two countries. Also, Mr. Tafida said that there had been a decline in the number of Nigerians in jail across the UK. “In 2008, when I assumed office, there were 800 Nigerians serving various terms; but today, the figure had dropped to about 390,” he said. He attributed the development to less crime, adding that those who finished their term were released. “Similarly, those without papers are returning home voluntarily as life is tough here,” he stressed. Mr. Tafida further said that as many as 40 people were usually repatriated monthly under the UK-Nigeria repatriation programme.

CBN, NNPC in Fresh War Over $20Bn Oil Sales: The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) are into fresh war of words Tuesday over the status of the outstanding $20 billion crude oil sales. At the re-opened hearing by the Senate Committee on Finance on the alleged unremitted funds by the NNPC to the federal treasury, CBN Governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, told lawmakers that the corporation was yet to account for $20 billion out of total sales of $67 billion worth of crude oil. But the NNPC Group Managing Director, Andrew Yakubu, dismissed Sanusi’s claims. He accused Sanusi of ignorance of “petroleum engineering issues,” insisting that the corporation was still reconciling sales figures. Besides, Yakubu said Sanusi is not an auditor as he is only a banker to the government, adding that the NNPC is already co-operating with the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation on the matter. Sanusi fired back, saying: “May I say Mr. Chairman, that some of those issues raised are subject to investigations. They have to do with whether the NNPC is repatriating money due to the Federation Account or not and because NNPC had given a number of explanations for why money has not come. “Out of the $67 billion that has accrued to the NNPC account, we have accounted for 47 billion dollars. Out of the 67 billion dollars that the NNPC shipped, 47 billion dollars had been repatriated to the CBN. “What we are talking about is the balance of the $20 billion and what explanations had been given. NNPC had said some of it does not belong to the Federation Account so, 6 billion dollars NPDC we have held the position that some of the crude shipped by the NPDC is shipped from oil wells that belonged to the federation. GVs that Shell went out of, which NNPC took over and handed over to NPDC, which then handed over to two Nigerian companies and transferred revenues that should come to the Federation Account for remittance. Yakubu’s reply: “We have made submissions but this meeting was not of detailed discussion of the submission. We came here for the Chairman to brief us on the programme and agenda on the detailed reconciliation that we are doing. As you were told in the meeting, we are reconciling at the point of conclusion on the reconciliation process with the various agencies. It is at the end of this that we will submit our detailed reconciled position which the committee will study and then commence detailed review session. That is where and what was reported is exactly the true position of things. “As you are aware, the major chunk of the amount in question, over 80 per cent of it is in the subsidy for both PMS and kerosene.” On not submitting documents before the committee, Yakubu replied: “We said we are at the point of concluding the reconciliation. We have been reconciling with PPPRA, on the subsidy documentation on PMS and kerosene. You were told the PPPRA testified to that. We are at the point of rounding up and that is the major chunk of the entire amount in question. As soon as that is done, we will reconcile, sign-off and then make formal presentation to the committee.” On the allegation of the outstanding $20 billion outstanding, the NNPC GMD dismissed them as old allegations from the CBN. “Now what they try to do is to audit and I heard some statements made here that they do not have this document, they don’t have that document. They are not the auditors. We have certified bodies and arms of agencies that are charged with the responsibility of auditing. They are banking right? So, what he said was not really new. Committee Chairman, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, urged Sanusi not to make “allegations in gross term,” noting that he should isolate the issues and address them. The meeting was adjourned till next Thursday for further hearing and to also enable the committee study the documents before it.

 

Update: Obasanjo, Buhari Absent as Nigeria’s Council of State Endorses National Conference: The National Council of State meeting, which held for about six hours on Tuesday, February 4, 2014, deliberated on the planned centenary celebrations, the National Conference, and the security situation of the country, an attendee has said. The Council also urged politicians to guard their utterances and not heat up the polity. The Council of State, the highest constitutional advisory body in Nigeria, is chaired by the President. Other members of the council are all past Presidents and Heads of States, past Chief Justices of the Federation, the 36 state governors, and the leadership of the National Assembly. Two former Nigerian leaders, Olusegun Obasanjo and Muhammadu Buhari were conspicuously absent at the meeting. Although no reason was adduced for their absence, both men have one thing in common: opposition to President Goodluck Jonathan’s planned re-election in 2015. Fielding questions from journalists after the meeting, the Benue State Governor, Gabriel Suswam, said the president briefed the council on the National Conference and a lot of contributions were made by the members. “The president briefed us about a lot of things including the impending conference that is coming up. There were a lot of contributions and the council approved it,” he said. Mr. Suswam said the National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, also briefed the council on the “general security situation in the country which all members of the council contributed as to the way forward and the decisions that will be taken to address some of the security issues that are affecting the country and then we concluded”. According to him, Mr. Dasuki said that some of the “unguarded statements by some prominent Nigerians are capable of inciting people; that we should be careful as major actors in the polity to avoid making some unguarded utterances that could unwittingly incite the generality of Nigerians.” “The council took note of that and agreed that people should be more careful about what they say as public office holders,” the Benue governor added. The council also approved the list of chairman and new members of the National Population Commission. Also speaking on the meeting, the Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha said that the Council deliberated on new strategies on how to move the nation forward. Mr. Okorocha also said that although his party, the All Progressives Congress, APC, had not taken a decision on whether or not to attend the National Conference, the party’s governors that attended the Council meeting supported the confab. “We discussed national conference which we see as a welcome development. The Conference is a good development and discussions were not along party lines. “Yes APC has not taken a position on whether to participate or not but this is not about party position, it is a matter that affects the whole country,” he said. Attendees at the meeting include former Heads of State: Yakubu Gowon, Ibrahim Babangida, and Abdulsalam Abubakar; and former Head of the Interim National Government Earnest Shonekan. Others include Senate President David Mark, and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal. Governors present at the meeting include those of Osun, Kaduna, Lagos, Ebonyi, Enugu, Cross River, Imo, Sokoto, Gombe, Niger, Jigawa, Ekiti, Taraba, Ogun, Niger, Akwa Ibom, Ondo, Abia, Nasarawa, Kano deputy governor, and Borno deputy governor. The governors of Rivers, Edo, Kano, and Oyo were absent from the meeting.

 

Police Detain 8 Women Affairs Ministry Officials for Alleged Involvement in N5 Million Theft: Eight senior officials of the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs were on Sunday, February 2, 2014, detained by the police over the theft of N5 million cash from a safe in the Permanent Secretary’s office. Also detained for questioning about the theft were all the security men on duty on Saturday (February 1, 2014) afternoon when the incident occurred. No reason has been given why such cash was kept in the office and for what purpose. As workers resumed from the weekend on Monday, the Permanent Secretary, Habibba Muda-Lawal and other top management staff of the Ministry were held up in a long emergency meeting in a frantic effort to stop leakage of the story to the media. Although the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Police Public Relations Officer, Altine Daniel, said the Command was yet to receive a report on the incident, a source close to the Ministry said the culprits were initially detained at the police post at the Federal Secretariat before they were transferred to the FCT Command for further interrogation. The money, which was kept in a safe in the permanent secretary’s office, was discovered stolen after a man was caught by the police when he attempted to scale the compound’s perimeter fence on Saturday. The suspect was said to have visited the Ministry on Saturday at the close of work in the company of an official who works in the permanent secretary’s office. The official, who is currently in detention, was said to have logged in his official staff identity details in the visitor’s register with the security men on duty and introduced the two others with him as his relations. Thereafter, the official and his visitors proceeded to the permanent secretary’s wing of the Ministry for an undisclosed mission. Not long after they went inside the office, two of the three persons reportedly came out without the third. Apparently unknown to the security man, they had gained access into the security safe in the Permanent Secretary’s office and removed N5 million cash from the office. The third person, who had the stolen cash stuffed away in a knapsack on his back, sensing that the security man may demand to see the content of the bag, had exited through the back of the building. He had successfully climbed the perimeter fence behind the building and dropped the bag over it. But as he attempted to jump down, he was nabbed by two police officers on duty, who were patrolling the area on a motor bike. When the police officers confronted the suspected robber, they were shocked to find wads of cash in the knapsack. The man was unable to provide a reasonable explanation for why he had such a large amount of money in his bag. He was then arrested and taken back into the Ministry for identification, where he was recognised by the security men as one of the three earlier visitors. On interrogation, the culprit was said to have confessed that the money was stolen from the safe in the office of the Permanent Secretary, though there was no indication that the safe was broken into.

FCT

NORTH EAST

Bandits Kill 18 Traders in Yobe: The Yobe Police Command on Tuesday, February 4, 2014, confirmed the killing of 18 traders by bandits in Bara Village. The Commissioner of Police in the State, Sanusi Rufai, said that the traders were ambushed by the bandits while travelling back from Ngalda market. “The bandits attacked and killed 18 traders; 10 from Kukuwa and eight from Dokshi villages’ and took away their money. “The bandits were masked and wearing army uniform”, he said. Mr. Rufai said that a policeman attached to a quarry in Bara Village was also shot dead by the fleeing bandits. “The Joint Task Force and police are now combing the bush and security agents across the state are on red alert”, he said. He stressed that the police was rebuilding confidence among the communities to volunteer information to security operatives. The commissioner said that “bandits now parade themselves as Boko Haram to induce fear in people.”

Again Scores Dead as Boko Haram Invades Askira- Uba LG in Borno: Gunmen suspected to be Boko Haram terrorists yesterday (Wednesday, February 5, 2014) invaded Askira, the Headquarters of Askira- Uba Local Government Area of Borno state killing three people. They also attacked a police post and shot two Policemen, even though, unconfirmed report has it that two of the Policemen who sustained gunshot injuries may not survive due to the nature of the injuries which has affected one of the sensory organs. Residents who did not want their name mentioned in the Print said that the gunmen numbering over 50 in Hilux vehicles with some of them disguising in military comouflag uniforms stormed the Council at about 7pm yesterday and opened fire on residents and other security posts, using Ak47 rifles, Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and petrol bombs. They stated that, the gunmen wrecked harvoc for over three hours by killing several innocent people with the burning of shops, houses and vehicles, before they fled into the bush. The Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mr. Gideon Jubrin confirmed the incident, said, it is true that suspected members of Boko Haram sects invaded Askira town on Wednesday evening and shot dead three people.

Comment: Askira- Uba is in Southern part of the state, and about 200 kilometres away from Maiduguri, the state capital. It also shares boarder with Madagali Council Area of Adamawa state which had witnessed a deadly church attack that claimed over 30 lives.

NORTH WEST

14 Northern States to Meet Over Oil Exploration: Gov. Babangida Aliyu of Niger would on Monday, February 10, 2014, declare open the meeting of Association of Petroleum Inland Basin States of Northern Nigeria (APIBONN) in Minna. This is contained in a statement signed by Danladi Ndayebo, Press Secretary to Gov. Babangida Aliyu, in Minna on Sunday, February 9, 2014. The statement said the 14 northern states which fall under the region’s sedimentary basin were set to kick-start oil and gas exploration in the inland basin states. The statement said the relevant commissioners in the affected states would brainstorm on the modalities and action plan that would kick start and sustain oil and gas exploration in the North. “The meeting will fashion out strategies to harness the resources in Sokoto, Chad, Bida and Benue basins, although their hydrocarbon contents are yet to be properly developed and estimated” , it said. The statement expressed support for ongoing efforts by the Federal Government to explore oil in the sedimentary basin of Northern Nigeria. The inland basin states are Adamawa, Bauchi, Benue, Gombe, Kogi, Kebbi, Niger, Sokoto, Zamfara, Kwara, Nasarawa, Taraba, Yobe and Plateau.

NORTH CENTRAL

Cholera Kills 30 in Makurdi: No fewer than 30 persons have died while several others are still on the danger list in different hospitals across Makurdi, the Benue State capital following outbreak of cholera the state capital. It was gathered from sources at the various hospitals visited within the city that those affected were person of the Hausa tribe who form the bulk of residents in the Wadata area of the metropolis. Speaking in his office on Tuesday, February 4, 2014, Dr. Adole Victor Edoh of Jeluwa hospital in the Wadata area, disclosed that two persons had died of the epidemic while about 80 percent of patients admitted in the hospital within the last one week were diagnosed to have cholera. “Yes, almost about 80percent of cases admitted are in this hospital in the last one week were diagnosed to have cholera. So far we have recorded two casualties and the outbreak intensified from last week. Epidemiologists came in and discovered that it was a case of cholera. The patients are mostly from Wadata area. At a point there were no bed spaces to accommodate patients.” Also at the Hope Hospital located in the Wadata area, Matron of the Hospital who was identified as Agatha Nyiataher said two of the over 20 cases of cholera admitted in the hospital lost their lives to the epidemic while others were responding to treatment. Efforts to get the Chief Medical Director of the Benue State Teaching Hospital (BSUTH), Prof. Orkuga Malu and the Medical Director of Madonna Hospital, Dr. Ameh Idoko to speak on the development failed as they were said not to be on seat at the time of the visit. But insiders at both hospitals disclosed that several patients who were rushed to the hospitals were diagnosed of the epidemic and were receiving treatment while some deaths were also recorded. However, when contacted, State Commissioner of Health and Human Services, Dr. Orduen Abunku confirmed that six deaths had so far been reported in the seven hospitals he visited adding that only one death was recorded yesterday. He disclosed further that the federal and state government as well as UNICEF were making contributions to provide drugs for the affected people even as public health awareness had been intensified in Wadata area of the metropolis. Abunku advised people living within Wadata to take issues of sanitation seriously and be careful about their sources of water.

24 Feared Killed in Fresh Plateau Attack: Some gunmen, Monday (February 3, 2014)  night, reportedly killed about 24 people in Atakar and Dajat communities of Ganawuri, Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State, a lawmaker has said. “18 persons were killed at Dajat, and six others were murdered at Atakar with several houses burnt,” a member of the state Plateau House of Assembly representing Riyom, Daniel Dem, said on Tuesday, February 4, 2014. Mr. Dem said that residents of the two communities are currently displaced and are taking refuge in neighbouring communities. The Plateau State Police Public Relations Officer, Felicia Anselm, confirmed the incident but denied that there were fatalities. She also said arrests have not been made. “Reports available to us indicate that some unknown people attacked Atakar community at about 16:00 hours, and several huts were burnt, but no life was lost. We have deployed more troops to the affected area,” she said. It was learnt that some of the displaced persons were taking refuge in Ganawuri, while some others escaped to parts of Kaduna State. The recent incident in Atakar community is coming barely 24 hours after a stakeholders’ security meeting between the police and traditional rulers in Plateau State. The meeting held on Monday in Jos and was convened by the Commissioner of Police, Chris Olakpe. At the end of the meeting, Mr. Olakpe threatened to arrest traditional rulers of communities where violence persists. Atakar and Dajat communities are boarder communities between Plateau and Kaduna states. They have, in recent times, been faced with persistent attacks by gunmen. Hundreds of people have been killed in the last one year in various clashes among various interest groups in Plateau. In another vain, Ms. Anslem confirmed the death of a man who was reportedly found hanging in a bush in the early hours of Tuesday in Rantya, along low cost housing estate in Jos South Local Government Area. She said the police are on the trail of the perpetrators of the various crimes and they will be brought to book.

Police Nab Woman for Abducting Neighbour’s Daughter

 

Funke Odelabi

When Mrs. Funke Olowokere of Sobi Road, Ilorin, Kwara State, left her one-month-old daughter with her neighbour and friend,  Funke Odelabi, last Sunday, little did she know that she would abduct the baby. After Olowokere, who had been washing the baby’s clothes, discovered that Odelabi had disappeared with her baby, she was said to have raised the alarm which attracted  neighbours who organised a search party for the missing girl and the suspect but all to no avail. Parading the suspect on Saturday, February 8, 2014, the outgoing Commissioner of Police, Kwara State Command, Mr. Agboola Oshodi-Glover, explained that after the residents failed to locate the suspect, the matter was reported at the police station. He added that in the course of investigation, Odelabi was traced and arrested in Ogbomosho, while the baby was rescued and handed over to her parents. Odelabi, who confessed to the crime, said, “I have no child of my own. This has been a burden to me as I really wish to carry my own baby. After all failed attempts to have a baby, I stole the child. The devil must have pushed me into doing this,” she said.

SOUTH EAST

5 Policemen Detained for Renting Rifle to Kidnappers: Five policemen, serving in Imo State police command, including the armourer of New Owerri police division, are now in detention over how one of the AK-47 rifles officially issued for guard duties, ended up in the hands of dare devil kidnappers operating in the state. Confirming the develpoment in a telephone interview yesterday, the state Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Musa Katsina, said while four of the five policemen were explaining their involvement in the sordid act, the armourer is being tried for negligent conduct. Katsina said: “It is true that I ordered the arrest, detention and interrogation of four serving policemen of this command for allegedly renting one of the rifles assigned to them to dare devil kidnappers.” According to the CP, all the police officers, including the armourer, arrested in connection with the sordid finding are now facing orderly room trial. He said: “I have constituted a panel to try them. They have been given the opportunity to explain and anybody found to be involved in the crime would be made to face the full weight of the law.” Giving a graphic account of how the police recovered the weapon from fleeing kidnappers, Katsina said the command’s Ambush Squad gave a hot chase to a gang of kidnappers and in the process, they abandoned the gun in their operational vehicle and ran away. “When the vehicle was thoroughly searched, the AK-47 rifle belonging to the command was recovered. We traced the point of issue to New Owerri police division and that is how the armourer came into the picture,” the CP said. Katsina said policemen are given weapons to protect the citizens and not to use it to terrorize the people they are supposed to protect. “The four were officially assigned the weapons for guard duties. The other three policemen never reported to anybody that their colleague whose weapon was later recovered from kidnappers, was not reporting for duty” the CP said. Investigations revealed that the four policemen were posted to the residence of a retired CP (names withheld), while Katsina has since reported the incident to the Inspector General of Police.

SOUTH SOUTH

8-Year-Old Girl Raped to Death in Akwa Ibom: An eight-year-old primary school girl has been raped to death by unknown persons in Ikot Ekang, Etinan Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom state. The incident took place on Tuesday (February 4, 2014) night when she was sent on errand by her grandfather at about 6.30 p.m. It was learnt that the grandfather, Enobong Wilson, raised alarm when the girl did not return three hours after she left the house. Her corpse was eventually found on Wednesday (February 5, 2014) morning near an uncompleted building in the village. The girl was a pupil of Christian Victory Nursery and Primary School in the village. The school’s Head Teacher, Ufok Tommy, said that the deceased was registered in the school by her grandfather at the beginning of this academic year. “We came to school this morning and discovered a crowd of women gathered in one uncompleted building along the school road discussing the incident. “So one of my teachers rushed to find out what had happened and was shocked to see the corpse of the primary three pupil of this school. “We saw her pant, two pairs of sandals and a can fish which she bought for her grandfather on the ground,” he said. The village head, Ekere Akpan, said it was the first time such incident had happened in the community. “When I heard of this incident, I reported the matter to the police who came to the scene and took the corpse away. “The police are doing their investigation and as the village head I will give them all the necessary support to ensure that the culprit is brought to book. The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Etim Dickson, confirmed the incident. “It is true that a girl of about eight years old was raped to death in Ikot Ekang, in Etinan. “We have made some arrests and investigation is on to unravel the culprits,” Mr. Dickson said.

Comment: Parents and guardians need to always be cautious when they send their children and wards on errands to avoid such ugly incident.

SSS Quizzes Dokubo-Asari Over Threat of Bloodshed in 2015

 

Dokubo-Asari

The president of the Niger Delta Peoples Volunteer Force, Mujahid Dokubo-Asari, is currently being interrogated at the headquarters of the State Security Service in Abuja. Dokubo was invited by the SSS, following his alleged inflammatory statements in connection to the 2015 election, in which he stressed in unequivocal terms that there will be bloodshed, if President Goodluck Jonathan was not re-elected. Dokubo, an ex-militant, arrived the SSS office at about 9.45am on Thursday, February 6, 2014, with scores of his supporters, and his lawyer. The SSS Deputy Director, Public Relations, Marilyn Ogar, confirmed that it was questioning Dokubo based on the inflammatory comments.

Gunboat Shoot-Out Reported in Bayelsa Community: Anxiety and tension enveloped Peremabiri Community, Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State in the early hours of Saturday, February 8, 2014, as youth from the area resisted a gunboat attack allegedly launched by ex-militant leader, Monday Paul, aka Ogun Boss. Though casualty figures remained unclear, a headcount of the youth reportedly indicated that two people were missing. The conflict is believed to be between the ex-militant and the community’s development committee. Some sources at the Bayelsa Police command said that the ex-militant leader had asked the Bayelsa Police Commissioner to release three police gunboats and escorts – supposedly to provide him with security for a burial. However, members of the community insisted that there was no burial in the area. The Bayelsa police command recently lost 11 officers to attacks by suspected ex-militants in the state. A source in the community explained that the police gunboat approached the coastal community at about midnight and commenced shooting to scare residents. The three gunboats allegedly fired at the community from the creeks for more than 30 minutes. However rather than scare the residents who were woken up by the sound of the gunfire, youth quickly mobilized and put up resistance. The situation was reportedly brought under control by a Naval unit stationed at an oil installation within the community. The Bayelsa Police Command has, however, denied the involvement of its gunboats in the shoot-out. Reacting to the incident, the Bayelsa Police Commissioner, Hilary Opara, said in an interview on Saturday that the police was in the community to maintain peace. “It is untrue that police attacked the community. How can we be attacking the people we are paid to protect? We were notified that there was a fight in the community and we deployed men to the area,” he said. “The people may have misunderstood our mission when the team arrived there, we saw them at the water front there and we asked our men to come back to avoid confrontation. We went there to maintain the peace and not to fight anyone, and I have asked my DPO in the area to bring all the factions to my office on Monday, February 10, 2014, so that we can further explore the opportunity of brokering peace,” he added.

 

SOUTH WEST

Pupils Wear Religious Regalia to School in Osun …Sing Different Religious Songs in Assembly

 

Pupils of Baptist High School, Iwo on the

Assembly ground... on Tuesday.

There was confusion at Baptist High School, Iwo, Osun State on Tuesday, February 4, 2014, as some pupils shunned their uniforms and wore choir gowns, white garments, Islamic apparel   and other unconventional dresses to the school. Although no group or individual could be identified as the mastermind of the bizarre dress code by the pupils, there were, however, conflicting reasons for the behaviour. While some people said the unconventional dresses were a way of registering dislike for the same uniform introduced by the government for all schools in the state,  others said some Christians who were opposed to wearing of hijab in schools founded by Christian missionaries orchestrated the drama. The suit instituted on the issue of hijab wearing to school is still pending before an Osun State High Court. But Tuesday (February 4, 2014) confusion reportedly became more pronounced at the assembly ground as the pupils could not listen to their teachers because they were busy lining up themselves along religious lines. A female pupil, who was dressed in a purple gown usually worn by the choir in the Baptist church, was said to have led Christian students in gospel praises, while her Muslim counterpart dressed in hijab was seen hollering “Allau Akbar” and singing praises to Allah from the same platform simultaneously. It was learnt that although many other pupils appeared in the government-approved uniform, a few ones who are neither Christians nor Muslims wore clothes with the insignia of their religious beliefs, making the atmosphere in the school chaotic. The confusion was said to have continued in the classrooms as pupils sang discordant tunes. The confusion, it was gathered, started on Monday, February 3, 2014, and continued on Tuesday morning. The teachers were said to be helpless in controlling the pupils due to the sensitivity of the issue. The Principal of the school, identified simply as Mr. Arowolo, said that that the issue had been reported to the appropriate authorities for action. The state Commissioner for Information, Mr. Sunday Akere, said the government had been informed of the development and had sent officials of the Ministry of Education to the school on a fact-finding mission. The Christian Association of Nigeria in the state had protested against the wearing of hijab to schools founded by Christians, describing it as an attempt to wipe away the heritage bequeathed to them by the early missionaries. But the Joint Muslim Action Forum, which is an umbrella body of all Islamic groups in the state, issued a statement, condemning the protest. The statement was issued by the JOMAF Coordinator, Alhaji Kola Uzamat and Secretary, Mr. Qaasim Odedeji. The group described the prevention of hijab-wearing students from Christian schools as an act of religious intolerance which would not be allowed in the state.The group accused Christians of attempting to sabotage Governor Rauf Aregbesola’s policy which it said was introduced to address the decay in the education sector in the state.

Man Kills Lover in Lagos Hotel, Dumps Body in the Bush: A 27-year-old lady, Miss Ijeoma Nwachukwu, has been murdered by her boyfriend in a hotel at the Satellite Town area of Lagos. Her body was dumped in a bush in the area. Investigation revealed that Miss Nwachukwu, who assisted her foster mother in operating a restaurant in Festac Town, resided at Number 1, Comweb Street, Ijegun, Imore area of Satellite in Lagos and had been in a four-year relationship with a young man, one Christian, who resides at Teddy town, Mowo in Satellite town. Christian, it was gathered, works as an apprentice spare parts seller inside the Trade Fair Complex, Lagos, and has two more years to complete his stewardship. It was gathered that Miss Nwachukwu had informed his boyfriend that she was getting married to another man and that she might not be seeing him again. It was further gathered that on the fateful day, the boyfriend had called up Miss Nwachukwu and given her a little keg containing some liquid substance, which he requested her to keep for him. Later that evening, he was said to have called her again and asked her to meet him under the Trade Fair Complex Bridge. When he noticed that she was accompanied by her friend, identified as one Miss Joy, Christian allegedly insisted that she should send her friend away and meet him at Cossy Inn, a hotel located at Abule Osun in Satellite town, Lagos. According to police sources, Miss Nwachukwu was said to have complied with Christian’s instruction and went to the hotel to wait for him. The couple, it was gathered, met along the road, from where they both walked back to the hotel, bought some drinks and got a room in the hotel. According to police investigation, Christian opened the bottle of Malt drink and sent her out to pick something at the reception. But before her return, he had poured the contents in the jerry can, which the police suspected to be electrolyte acid, into her drink. On her return, he allegedly had sex with the lady. Minutes later, she complained of stomach pains and was reeling in pains and then collapsed. Police investigation revealed that Christian, on noticing the result of his action, took the container and hurried out of the hotel, after informing the receptionist that his lady was dressing up. He allegedly quickly boarded a motorbike and left the hotel premises. It was gathered that a few minutes later, the receptionist discovered the lifeless body of the lady, who had been vomiting blood. She was said to have invited the hotel owner, one Mr. Sango Olusegun Olumo. Olumo then allegedly called his brother, one Kehinde Ajibola. The two, it was gathered, later decided not to involve the police. They allegedly removed the body from the hotel and dumped it in a nearby bush. Police investigation further revealed that the brother of the hotelier provided his vehicle for the evacuation of the body to the bush while the receptionist was directed to clean up the room. Some members of the public, who saw the lifeless body of the lady later made a report to the police. That was said to have prompted an investigation. A team of detectives, led by an assistant commissioner of police, ACP Okoro, and other officers, including the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of Onireke Police Station, was raised to unravel the incident. A few days after recovering the corpse, relatives of the missing lady then contacted the police. The body, which was deposited in the mortuary, was shown to her relatives who confirmed that she was the person they were looking for. Sequel to their confirmation, the police commenced a preliminary investigation but found nothing incriminating at the hotel. The deceased’s friend, Miss Joy, was later picked up and that helped to reveal the identity of the suspected killer. Christian had allegedly concluded plans to travel out of Lagos when he was nabbed on his way to the office, it was gathered.  ACP Okoro confirmed the story, adding that only the Lagos State Police Commissioner, Prince Umar Manko, could give details of the story. The commissioner later confirmed the story, adding: “We have arrested all those behind the crime. This is like another Cynthia case.”

 

Man, Daughter Die As Vehicle Plunges Into River

The recovered vehicle

A middle-aged man, Mr. Sunday Megba, and his 11-year-old daughter, Lola, died on Tuesday, February 4, 2014, after their vehicle plunged into a river at the Ikota end of the Lekki-Epe Expressway in Lagos. Emergency officials said that Sunday, his wife, Sade, and Lola were on their way from a vigil in a Toyota 4Runner Sport Utility Vehicle with number plate, DN866JJJ, when the vehicle somersaulted several times. Sade was said to have fallen out of the vehicle in the process, while the other two occupants fell into the river and drowned. It was learnt that the driver, who was a trader in Lekki, lost control shortly before the accident. Although the actual cause of the accident remained contentious, it was learnt that the police were working on the theory that Sunday dozed off while driving. It was learnt that immediately after the vehicle plunged into the river, a local diver, Francis Agbogbo, jumped into the water in a bid to save the victims. It was learnt that by the time Agbogbo was able to get to the victims, they had already drowned. The General Manager, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, Dr. Femi Oke-Osayintolu, said that the incident occurred around 1am. The bodies have been deposited in a mortuary, while the injured woman is receiving treatment. The vehicle has been handed over to the Ajah Police Division.”

Comment: Motorists need to be very careful on the road, especially at night.

2015, 5000 Political Thugs Undergoing Training in Lagos: About 5,000 political thugs are allegedly being trained in Lagos State ahead of the 2015 general elections. The Youths are said to have been recruited and trained under the name of FERMA Federal Task Force at the Old Tollgate near 7Up Bottling Company, the former yard of the Federal Road Maintenance Agency, FERMA. According to PM NEWS, the youths will undergo intensive training somewhere in Badagry and they will then be drafted to all southwest states under the guise of maintaining and protecting Federal Government roads. A top PDP chieftain in the southwest zone is alleged to be involved in the recruitment and training of the youths. The new taskforce will be playing the same role with the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, although they are not backed by any law. The Lagos state governor, Babatunde Raji Fashola, weekend before the last raised alarm about the presence of the trainee thugs during an interview. The FERMA has on its part denied any knowledge of the trainee programme saying it has no hand in any group operating under the name of FERMA Federal Task Force and carrying out recruitment and paramilitary training for youths in Lagos.

 

 

 

 

50-Year-Old Woman Gang-Raped, Murdered

Woman lived alone

A 50-year-old Beninoise woman was on Friday, February 7, 2014, gang-raped and subsequently murdered in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital. The incident occurred at Oniyonrin, Agbelora, where the woman, known as Mama Friday, lived in a one room apartment at the boys’ quarters of a house opposite a Cherubim and Seraphim Unification Church of Nigeria. The mother of five reportedly lived alone; while her husband, a bricklayer, worked in Ifo town, about 40 minutes’ drive from Abeokuta. The suspects reportedly forced their way through a window into the woman’s home around midnight, raped and hacked her to death. The police officers were seen removing the body to State Hospital Mortuary, Sokenu, Abeokuta. The Ogun State Police Command spokesperson, Muyiwa Adejobi, said that four people have been arrested in connection with the case.

Mother Flushes Baby Boy Down The Toilet: A 20-year-old woman, Rafiat Oseni, has been brought before an Ebute-Meta Magistrate’s court for allegedly killing her day-old baby by flushing him down a public toilet. The incident happened at Alaba Rago Market, Ojo area of Lagos State. It was learnt that Oseni, who hails from one of the Northern states in the country, worked as a sales girl in the market and had entered the toilet pretending to ease herself. She was said to have forced the baby into the toilet, but the baby got stuck in it. He died as people were attempting to rescue him. The magistrate, Mr Olanrewaju Olatunji, in obvious shock, asked the suspect why she decided to kill her own child. Instead of responding, Oseni burst into tears and pleaded for forgiveness. Olatunji then called the Investigating Police Officer, Woman Corporal Veronica Uket, who narrated the incident. She said, “Oseni went to the public toilet on January 3, 2014 around 2.30pm. She was said to have pretended that she wanted to ease herself. “She came out and nobody suspected anything. When she left, the baby started crying. It was another woman who wanted to use the toilet that first saw the child and called the attention of the woman in charge of the public toilet. “People went there and saw that the baby was stuck inside the toilet. By the time they removed him, they saw that he was already dead.” Uket said the suspect could not be found on the day of the incident, but she was caught the following day when she showed up again in the market for work. She was subsequently handed over to the police who arraigned her on Wednesday on one count of murder. The matter was adjourned till March 10, 2014.