Editor’s note: Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari was invited to address the European Parliament in Strasbourg on February 3, Wednesday. The leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and the director of the Radio Biafra Nnamdi Kanu, who was arrested in the mid of October last year, writes an open letter to European Parliament. Kanu asks the global community for fair assessment of Buhari and justice in his case.

I am that Biafran locked up in DSS custody
for 98 days without trial
Firstly, I wish to thank this honorable
parliament, representatives of member
nations and all her leaders. On the defense
of rule of law and human right this
parliament thrived. The making of a better
world where mankind shall be free, easy life
and prosperous world had been the banner
of this parliament and never shall diplomacy
or any form of tie cause a deviation or
severe the cause of this great parliament.
I am a Biafran, I am that Biafran locked up
in Buhari’s DSS dungeon for 98 days without
trial, given inhuman treatments, tortured and
abused. I am that Biafran competent courts
of jurisdiction freed but Buhari by his powers
held me illegally. I am that Biafran that left
his wife suffers the pains of child birth
alone. I am that Biafran his newly delivered
wife is still having emotional trauma and
mental torture of losing her husband to time
or death.
I am that Biafran that never killed a man or
man killed for me
I am that Biafran this parliament gave right
to agitate for freedom, UN charter told to
demand for freedom, Nigerian constitution
also told to agitate for Biafra, when I did
what the law said I should do, I was thrown
into the prison without asking me what I
want or how my want can be addressed. I
am that Biafran that never killed a man or
man killed for me, that Biafran that only
stood a radio station as a weapon to fight for
freedom, that Biafran that cherished freedom
of speech, that Biafran that is persecuted
because of truth. I am Nnamdi Kanu that
Biafran Nigerian government under Buhari
unlawfully oppressed.
I am that Biafran his 7 years old child was
shot to death in Aba, that Biafran his
brothers and sisters were massacred in
Onitsha. I am that Biafran his people were
again massacred in Aba, that Biafran his
people are being kidnapped, extra-judiciary
killed and illegally imprisoned by Buhari. I
am that Biafran who Buhari illegally ordered
soldiers of Gowon to invade my land and
slaughter my children, sisters, brothers,
fathers and mothers in their millions in
1967. I am that Biafran his people are being
marginalized, subjugated and enslaved just
because they fought a war and lost, instead
of healing and forgiving us, they chose to
keep punishing us.
Biafrans are losing their lives for lawfully
asking a legal course
Before Buhari addresses this honorable
parliament, let him be assessed and
subjected to scrutiny, that he may not infect
this honorable parliament with dishonor,
lawlessness and primitive tendencies. Under
his words, over 1000 innocent men and
women lost their lives because of his political
ambition in 2011 and today more Biafrans
are losing their lives for lawfully asking a
legal course.
This parliament having warned of human
right abuses by Nigeria, Buhari has gone on
without discretion in handling of call for
Biafran independence which fully contradicts
the ethics of this honorable parliament,
hence I call for a discrete advise or compel
him to respect human life and do the
needful- referendum for Biafra and release
his prisoner of conscience or a political
prison without odds or record of unlawful
act.
We are Biafrans condemned by Nigerian
government
The treatment of Kanu represents how
Biafrans are treated in Nigeria, we are
Biafrans, condemned by Nigerian government
and deprived of right to live, speech, belong,
freedom and thrive. Even-though our land
feed the country, our land is marginalized as
diseases, contaminated land, bad roads, lack
of infrastructure and social amenities bedevil
us as virtually removed from federation. This
federal absence left our land in decay that
we today seek freedom to have a nation to
call a home and enjoy human right which
gives meaning to life. Thanks, yours faithfully,
Nnamdi Kanu in Ifeanyi Chijioke of Family
Writers.

– Lai Mohammed said some APC members were being investigated for corruption – He said Buhari’s administration was not selective in fighting corruption – He noted that his ministry would embark on nationwide sensitisation of Nigerians on corruption

Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the minister of
communication and culture has disclosed
that some members of the ruling All
Progressives Congress (APC) are under
investigation for corruption, The Guardian
reports.
Mohammed was reacting to allegations in
some quarters that the administration of
President Muhammadu Buhari was selective
in its war against corruption.
According to him, Buhari’s administration is
committed to fighting corruption to a
standstill and any Nigerian, irrespective of
tribe of party affiliation, found to have soiled
his hands with public fund would be brought
to book.
He said: “ A major fault which has been
exploited to weaken the anti-corruption
efforts is the ethno-religious consideration.
Instead of focusing on the social impact of
corruption, we are rather concerned about
the religious or ethnicity of those who are
being accused of corruption.
“This is ultimately counter-productive and
weakening the anti-corruption fight.”
Mohammed called on Nigerians to report any
known APC member involved in corruption to
enhance investigation and prosecution.
The minister noted that the citizens had a
role to play in the fight against corruption by
assisting the government achieve its goal in
bringing sanity to both public and private life
in the society.
He begged Nigerians to stop reading
undue ethno-religious meaning to those
currently undergoing investigation and
prosecution on corruption.
Mohammed added that his ministry would
embark on nationwide sensitisation of
Nigerians on corruption soon.
He stated that the enemies of the country
were already using media platform to
condemn Buhari’s anti-corruption war.
He, therefore, urged the media to support
Buhari’s administration eradicate corruption
so as to guarantee a better future for the
nation.
Yesterday, Mohammed revealed that
government officials looted N273.9bn from
pension funds between 2005 and 2011,
adding that corruption had under-developed
Nigeria and condemned the citizens into
perpetual poverty.

– The minister said government officials looted N273.9bn from pension funds between 2005 and 2011 – He said Nigeria spent N2.587trn on fuel subsidy in 2011, 900 per cent more than the N245bn that was appropriated for that purpose – He drew a link between corruption and under- development Lai Mohammed

Nigeria’s federal government has yet again
revealed that government officials looted
N273.9bn from pension funds between 2005
and 2011.
Revealing this, the minister of information and
culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed who spoke while
delivering his note as the guest lecture of the
faculty of arts, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-
ife, on Friday also listed other corruption cases
in the country.
N1.9bn Special Intervention Ebola Fund
Scandal; the Police Equipment Funds scandal in
which about N774m was diverted; the
Dasukigate that has so far revealed that 21
individuals benefitted from the scam to a tune
of 54bn; the pension scam, in which top
government officials in charge of pension funds
in the country looted about N273.9bn from
2005 to 2011 and the fuel subsidy scam, in
which Nigeria spent N2.587trn on fuel subsidy
in 2011, 900 per cent more than the N245bn
that was appropriated for that purpose.
He called on the citizens to form coalitions that
will galvanise their individual efforts to tackle
corruption, saying there was a role for everyone
in tackling graft. The minister said once the
people were determined to battle corruption,
they were assured of victory.
He drew a link between corruption and under-
development, and noted that corruption had
under-developed Nigeria and condemned the
citizens into perpetual poverty.

– Sen. Stella Oduah said that her sack rumors were “mere interpretations” of the Supreme Court’s rulings. – A solicitor to the nine lawmakers that were allegedly sacked have written to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). – The Supreme Court did not order the withdrawal of the Certificates of Return issued by the Commission

The senator representing Anambra North,
Stella Oduah (PDP) on Friday, January 29 said
that her sack rumors were “mere
interpretations” of the Supreme Court’s
rulings.
In a statement by Cynthia Ferdinand, Press
Secretary to the Senator, Oduah therefore
stressed that she and all the other lawmakers
from Anambra state have not been sacked by
the Supreme Court contrary to media
reports.
The statement read: “Adverse to the rumours
that the Lawmaker Representing the good
people of Anambra North Senator Stella
Oduah of the Peoples Democratic Party has
been sacked by the Supreme Court .
“It is however pertinent to note that this is a
mere misinterpretation of the Supreme Court
rulings and should be disregarded in all
entirety.
“The Supreme Court did not order the
withdrawal of the Certificates of Return
issued by the Commission.It did not hold
that the faction of the PDP had the right to
sponsor candidates for the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP).
“It did not equally authorize the Commission
to substitute our clients with the individuals
whose names were on the list improperly
allowed by the Commission. Series of
judgment of the Supreme Court of Nigeria
states that that it is only the National
Executive of the party that has the vires to
sponsor candidates,” she said.
However, the solicitor to the nine lawmakers
that were allegedly sacked have written to
the Independent National Electoral
Commission (INEC) not to be misled by the
court ruling.
It read in parts: “ This correspondence is
aimed at setting the record straight so that
your good self will not again be misled by
your legal department into unjustifiably
occasioning an unnecessary confusion in the
process.
“May I draw your attention to the most
pertinent segment of the Judgment for the
purpose of the status of the legislators
sponsored by the Peoples Democratic Party
(PDP) at pages 46, 47 and 48 of the
Judgment where their lordships of the
Supreme Court held as follows:-
“The Court below, however, veered from the
course set by the trial court and took the
matter to another level which clearly failed to
take into consideration the main issue before
the trial court.
“It is established beyond peradventure that it
is the National Executive Committee of the
appellant which has the power to conduct a
valid primary for the nomination or selection
of candidates for a general election.
“Accordingly, I hold that there was no feature
in the case submitted by the Appellants that
warranted the court below to apply the cases
of OKADIGBO v. EMEKA & Ors (Supra) and
EMENIKE v. PDP (supra).
“The two authorities decided on which organ
of a Political Party has power to conduct
primaries. This is not the issue in this case.
Thus, this issue is yet again resolved in
favour of the Appellants.” It read.
Naij.com recalls that in December 2014, the
Federal High Court had ruled that the Ejike
Oguebego-led executive was the only
constitutionally recognized leadership of the
party in Anambra state that could conduct
the PDP primaries.
Despite that ruling, the parallel state
executive of the PDP led by Chief Chukwudi
Okasa went ahead to conduct parallel
primaries.
However, by this judgment, the apex court
reaffirmed the verdict of the Federal High
Court declaring that the Oguebego-led
executive had the sole right to conduct the
primaries in that state.

-EFCC concludes plans to invite former NNPC heads -The investigation was opened due to alleged corruption in the sector -presidency reportedly ordered fresh probe

The Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission (EFCC) has begun fresh
investigations into the workings of the Nigerian
National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC)
The anti-corruption crusade championed by
President Muhammadu Buhari has shone its
beam on the NNPC prompting the EFCC to
conclude plans to invite former group
managing directors of the corporation in
February.
The Punch reports that on Friday, January 29,
the EFCC made plans to invite the directors
over the loss of revenue during their tenure.
They are: Dr.
Mohammed Barkindo (2009-2010); Alhaji
Shehu Ladan (April – May 2010); Mr. Austen
Oniwon (2010-2012); Andrew Yakubu
(2012-2014) and Mr. Joseph Dawha (August
2014 –2015).
According to an EFCC source, the people have
not been indicted yet but they would be
required to answer some important questions
concerning some transactions that occurred
during their tenure.
As part of the investigation, the EFCC on the
order of the presidency raided the house of
one of the former heads of one of the NNPC
subsidiaries leading to the confiscation of huge
amounts of money. The intelligence report
came from the Department of State Security
The source said: “You know that there is
collaboration between the agencies in the
ongoing efforts to recover some of these funds
from these people.
“It was the DSS that got the intelligence report
that some amount of money was being kept in
the residence of a former head of an NNPC
subsidiary.
“And the operation was partly successful
because they recovered some funds from the
residence of the man. I don’t have the
information of how much was recovered from
the man.
“All the former group managing directors of
the NNPC will be invited by the EFCC next
month. They need to make some clarifications
on their tenure. It is their explanations that
will determine, if they will be detained or not.”
Also, several top executives of the NNPC, who
served under the previous administration, had
been penciled down for probe.
The reason for the investigation is not
unconnected to probe opened by the EFCC and
the DSS last year into how the federal
government was allegedly short-changed by the
NNPC in swapping crude for refined products

– NFF to review the duties of assistant coaches – NFF is on a cost-cutting mission

Duties of the assistant coaches of all the
national teams will be reviewed by the
Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), a top
official of the football house revealed
exclusively to naij.com sports.
The NFF is obviously broke and have been
unable to pay the salaries of coaches and
players; this has made the Federation to
engage all assistant coaches on a part-time
basis.
This new structure is open to a future review,
the source explained:
“I can reveal to you that the federation
pocket is dry, all through last year we did
not make any extra income and it has been
so difficult for us to get a lot of things done”
“It has become so embarrassing that we have
to start cutting down cost to enable us
manage our little funds properly as you know
we have important matches ahead,” the
source who pleaded anonymity said.
In line with the cost-cutting system that has
been adopted the federation decided to cut
down on the engagement of all assistant
coaches in the national teams.
“They are to only work when players are
gathered in camp or whenever there is an
official assignment.”
“This new system can still change but for
now that has to be the new style of
operation.”
The source further disclosed that these
coaches will not earn any money and will be
free to continue working with their respective
coaches.
“Look, the truth is this, we are just paying
these assistant coaches for doing absolutely
nothing whenever they are not in camp and
are free to work elsewhere when the camp is
not in session”
“We can only pay them for services rendered
and that is it, no going back.”
When Naij.com sports asked about the code
of conduct for the national team coaches,
the source said that assistant coaches do not
have such things.
Meanwhile, my life is in danger, Sunday
Oliseh cries out . According to reports, it was
alleged that some people are after his life in
Nigeria and Oliseh is beginning to think twice
about his health.
“Oliseh no longer feels safe being in Nigeria.
Recall that all through the team’s camping
for CHAN 2016 in Abuja, he refused to show
up but was the first to hit South Africa for
the second phase of camping in Pretoria.
“After his team lost out of CHAN, he left for
Belgium on the excuse that he had to go and
continue treatment for his flu. That action
speaks volumes about his fears.”
However, in a swift reaction, NFF media
officer, Ademola Olajire stated that it is all
rumour.
“Did Oliseh not grow up here in Nigeria, so
why would he be afraid of anyone in
Nigeria? Agreed that Nigerians are very
passionate about football and would
castigate any coach that does not produce
results but that is not enough for anyone to
insinuate that his life is in danger.”

– Obanikoro has challenged the EFCC – He said EFCC claims were mere allegations that have not been proven – Obanikoro further asked the EFCC to stop deceiving Nigerians

Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, the immediate
past minister of state, foreign affairs and a
former Nigerian ambassador to Ghana, has
reacted to reports associating his sons to the
Sylva McNamara account that allegedly
received funds from the office of the
embattled National security Adviser, Sambo
Dasuki.
A statement signed on Saturday, January 30,
by one of his media aide, Jonathan Eze
challenged the Economic and Financial
Crimes Commission (EFCC) to sincerely
publish the names of the directors and
signatories to the alleged Silva McNamara
Limited account to the public, Premium
Times reports.
The EFCC traced the sum of N4.75bn to a
Diamond Bank account, owned by Silva
McNamara Limited and Gbolahan and
Babajide Obanikoro, two sons of the former
minister were discovered to be on the board
of the company.
The funds discovered in Silva McNamara
Limited’s account is connected to the
ongoing investigation on the alleged
diversion of $2.1bn meant for arms
procurement under the immediate past
administration of Goodluck Jonathan.
Obanikoro asked Sahara Reporters and the
EFCC to stop demonising and deceiving
Nigerians with vague, contrived and distorted
information.
He noted that that there is nowhere in the
world where investigations are being
conducted using the pages of the
newspapers
The statement read in parts: “ Associating my
sons to the Sylva McNamara account that
allegedly received funds from the office of
the embattled National security Adviser is
highly preposterous and unthinkable.
“I am particularly amazed by the fact that
trials and investigations are being done
using the media unconventionally just to
satisfy the cravings of political entities who
are desperate to rub my hard earned
reputation in the mud.
“Since the invincible Sahara Reporters whom
I have legal cases against are at the forefront
of misleading the public and defaming my
person, perhaps rationalizing that I would
withdraw pending suits against it, I am using
this medium to challenge it and the EFCC to
publish in good conscience the signatories
and the names of the directors of the said
company and to restate that I shall
conclusively pursue this injustice and
infringements to a logical end .”
He urged the EFCC to be straight and above
board in their investigations and avoid
speculations and conjectures that are
infringing on the fundamental human rights
of his sons.

-David Mark applauds Idoma people for sanding by him for 16 years -The former Senate president vowed to continue to deliver to his people -Two groups volunteered to campaign for his re- election

Senator David Mark has commended his people
for standing by him for the 16 years he has
been a senator and has pledged to deliver on
his promises
The election of the former Senate president was
annulled following charges of electoral
irregularities brought by the candidate of the All
progressives Congress in the Benue south
election.
Leadership reports that ahead of the February
20, 2016 Benue South reruns election, Mark
applauded his people for standing by him for 16
years.
In a statement issued by Paul Mumeh, the
media aide to the senator on Friday, January 29,
Mark received members of Idoma Dreams and
Idoma Young Professionals who were already
campaigning for his re-run.
“I am deeply touched by this uncommon show
of brotherhood and solidarity.”
The two groups volunteered to campaign for his
re-election and Mark assured them that he was
committed to the development of Benue and
beyond.
He said: “I am deeply touched by this
uncommon solidarity. Let me also remind you
that in going about the campaign for me please
always be law abiding. I need you to be
peaceful during the pre election, election day
and post election.
“Like I mentioned before, no election is worth
injury or loss of life . I crave for a peaceful
conduct of election at all times. The choice of
representation resides with the people and
ultimately God.
“I want to thank you for believing in my
leadership and understanding that credible
representation at the Senate is of utmost
importance.
“By the grace of God, we shall triumph at the
rerun election. I will defend the interest of our
people at all times,”
Mr. Donald Ogah, the team leader of the Idoma
Dreams said returning mark to the Senate was
not negotiable “because he represents Idoma
Dreams. This battle is not for you ( Mark) but
for the survival of Idoma nation.
“We would not sit and watch outsiders
determine our future and destiny. We have a
choice in Senator Mark”.
Meanwhile, about ten groups, under the auspice
of the United Idoma Citizen (UIC), on Sunday,
January 24, urged the former Senate president,
who had been in the Senate since 1999, to step
down for other to lead.

-Supreme Court annulled the senatorial election of Akobundo-led faction -The Oguebego-led faction had earlier lost in the appeal court before proceeding to the apex court -The new senators are expected to be sworn in soon

Reports have emerged that the decision of
the Supreme Court to sack Senators Stella
Oduah and Andy Ubah representing
Anambra central and Anambra south
respectively was based on an appeal by a
faction of the PDP in Anambra State led by
Ejike Oguebego, Premium Times reports.
The two senators who ran on the platform of
the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were
earlier declared winner by the Independent
National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the
senatorial election last year but the Supreme
Court annulled their election in a ruling
delivered on Friday, January 29.
The court ordered that Chris Ubah from
Anambra South and Annie Okonkwo from
Anambra Central should replace the ousted
senators. Uche Ekwunife, the third senator
from the state also from the PDP had earlier
been removed by the court of appeal. PDP
members of House of Representatives from
Anambra state were also sacked.
Oguebego’s case for recognition as the
authentic executive of the party in the state
and the right organ to conduct primary
election prior to the 2015 election was set
aside by the Court of Appeal early last year.
A Federal High Court, in Abuja, presided by
Justice Evoh Chukwu, had in an earlier
judgment affirmed Mr. Oguebego’s
leadership of the party. However, the appeal
court had set aside the judgment of the
Federal High Court and recognized the PDP
faction led by Augustine Akobundo and INEC
thereby accepting the nomination of Oduah,
Ubah and Ekwunife.
Both factions had separate primaries but
INEC duly accepted the nomination
recognized by the appeal court and the
national secretariat of the PDP.
Chuks Chinwoba, one of the counsels of the
Oguebego faction said in spite of the appeal
court’s decision, they still went ahead to
conduct primary elections which was
monitored and reported by INEC.
The Supreme Court also re-affirmed the
chairmanship of Oguebego as the authentic
state chairman of the PDP in Anambra state
which automatically nullified the list of
candidates for various elective positions
submitted by the other faction.
The Senate president, Bukjola Saraki and the
Speaker of the House of Representatives,
Yakubu Dogara are expected to swear in the
members nominated by the Oguebego
faction of the PDP in Anambra state
following the ruling of the Supreme Court.
Meanwhile, Odua has reacted to the verdict
of the apex court that her sack rumors were
“mere interpretations” of the Supreme
Court’s rulings.

-Police ordered to declare assets -The compliance level of officers has reportedly been low

The wave of asset declaration has found its
way into the Nigerian police as men of the
force have been ordered by the federal
government to declare their asses.
President Muhammadu Buhari and his vice,
Yemi Osinbajo began their administration by
declaring their asset in a gesture of
transparency and this this has moved to other
government parastatal with the police force
being the latest one.
Nigerian Tribune reports that the offices of the
Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) expressed
satisfaction at the level of compliance shown
by the customs service but expressed
displeasure at the non-compliance of the
police.
A CCB official who spoke on the condition of
anonymity said that although the level of
compliance by senior police officers had been
satisfactory, the rank and file had been largely
defiant, apparently unaware of the legal
implication of their attitude.
It was reported that the CCB has written
commissioners of police to warn them of the
implication of their men’s refusal to declare
their assets.
However, the 14 day deadline given by the
comptroller general of the Nigeria Customs
Service to officers to declare their assets may
be flouted by some men of the service.

Adegbola Dominic, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party in Lagos, has strongly condemned the handcuffing of Olisa Metuh, the national publicity secretary of the PDP, by security agents.

“It is obvious that what the presidency is
doing is aimed at humiliating not just Olisa
Metuh but the entire PDP and to bring it into
disrepute.”
Speaking with Daily Independent on Friday,
January 22, Dominic described the incident as
an attempt by the presidency to ridicule the
opposition party.
The PDP chieftain noted that Metuh has not
shown any sign of violence, therefore, he does
not deserve to be handcuffed by the security
agents.
Commenting on the allegation that the PDP
spokesman tore the statement written by him,
Dominic said that it is a plot by the security
agents to portray Metuh as an uncooperative
and violent person.
“It is obvious that what the presidency is
doing is aimed at humiliating not just Olisa
Metuh but the entire PDP and to bring it into
disrepute.”
“The offence allegedly committed by Metuh is
a bailable one. He has not been found guilty
of anything. He is yet to be tried and the DSS
have not shown any sign that he is not
cooperating or violent. Putting him in
handcuff is therefore uncalled for.”
“They alleged that he tore the statements he
wrote and even attempted to chew it. That is
ridiculous. I believe that they brought that in
so as to prove a point and gave the court a
reason to refuse him bail,” he said.
In the same vein, governors on the platform
of the PDP have described the handcuffing of
Metuh as a gross abuse of human
liberty. They accused President Muhammadu
Buhari of using the anti-corruption agencies
and other institutions of state to subject
accused persons like the PDP spokesman to
inhuman treatment.
Meanwhile, Adams Oshiomhole, the governor
of the Edo state, supported the move , saying
that there was nothing wrong with restraining
Metuh.

Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) has warned President Muhammadu Buhari and the federal government against witch-hunting a former militant leader, Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, who was charged with theft and money laundering.

According to Ijaw Youth Council, the
prosecution of Tompolo is singling out their
ethnic group.
According to the group, the prosecution of
Tompolo, which is a part of Buhari’s anti-
corruption war, is singling out their ethnic
group.
Speaking with journalists, Eric Omare, the
spokesman of IYC, said:
“Our position is that due process should be
followed. We support an anti-corruption war
that is done within the ambit of the law.
“We seriously oppose selective prosecution
and political victimisation.”
Last week, suspected ex-militants reportedly
blew up a gas pipeline in Warri South-West
local government of Delta state. The attack
happened barely hours after a Federal High
Court in Lagos ordered security operatives to
arrest Tompolo.
Commenting on the incident, Omare stressed
that the IYC condemned such vandalism.
However, he also claimed that the military
had invaded several Ijaw communities in
Delta state, destroying properties and
causing injuries.
“The Ijaw people are not at war with the
federal government. We call on the military
to exercise restraint in their actions. There is
no basis to attack innocent villagers,” he
said.
Ramsey Mukoro, another former militant
leader, added: “None of us is happy with
what is happening to Tompolo and other
Ijaw people who served under Jonathan. It is
a tribal witch-hunt.”
PM News reports that residents of the
Southern Ijaw region of Bayelsa state are
worried that prosecution of Tompolo and
others could influence people to disobey
lawful orders.
Ebi Hitler, an Ijaw resident in Yenagoa, is
also warned of a return to insecurity, which
severely dented Nigeria’s crude output.
“What is currently going on is not prosection
but persecution of Ijaws. It is very
provocative and the government should
realise that there is a limit to everything,” he
said.
Earlier this week, the Niger Deltan Patriotic
Alliance warned the federal government and
the All Progressives Congress to desist from
what it called “the harassment” of Tompolo .

Tired of trying to catch up with the latest Naira exchange rates? Then worry no more!

You’ll find everything you need to know in
our second update on the Naira’s
fluctuations on the parallel market.
It’s crucially important to make yourself
familiar with this information as the Nigerian
Central Bank’a official forex rate remains
fixed at N197 to USD1.
We take fluctuations in global oil prices,
political news, economic events and other
issues into account when drawing up out
articles and present the information in an
easy to understand format.
One issue that is obviously crucial, given that
it accounts for 78% of Nigeria’s economy, is
the price of crude oil.
As you can see above, the massive plunge in
global oil prices has had a huge effect on the
strength of the Naira against the US Dollar.
The Naira is now buying at N297 to the US
Dollar and selling at N301, after recently
dipping down to as low as N310, a record
low in over the last decades.
Amid ongoing tension between oil powers
like Iran and Saudi Arabia, and an uncertain
market in China and East Asia, there is no
guarantee that oil prices will increase in the
near future, so watch this space.
We will keep track of all the most important
events that effect the exchange rate, so you
do not have to!

The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered that Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) be remanded in prison.

The Federal High Court also struck out six
charges of treasonable felony brought against
Kanu by the Department of State Services
(DSS).
Kanu was arraigned in court today, January 20,
2016, on treason charges and other offences
resulting from his agitation for the secession
of a republic of Biafra from Nigeria.
Founder of Radio Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu during
his appearance on treasonable charges at the
Federal High Court Abuja on Wednesday.
Photo: The Punch
Chuks Muoma (SAN), counsel to Kanu, in his
argument said that his client should be
detained in prison custody rather than by the
DSS.
He argued that since his incarceration, his
client has been kept incommunicado for three
months within the confines of the DSS facility.
He further asked the court to send the
accused to prison so that his family could visit
him.
But, Mohammed Diri, counsel to the DSS in
his objection said the accused should remain
in DSS custody for security reasons.
Diri also asked the court strike out the
charges that were filed against Kanu on Friday,
December 18.
“We filed the first set of charges on December
18, and the second set of charges on
December 23. The prosecution intend to
withdraw the charges filed on December 18
and proceed with the charges filed on
December 23,” Diri said.
After listening to both counsels, Justice John
Tsoho ordered Kanu to be remanded in the
custody of the Nigeria Prison Service, Kuje,
pending his trial for treason.
“Having considered all submissions and
application before the court and relying on
the constitution, an accused person should be
remanded in prison custody,” he said.
Find out more from Naij.com’s exclusive video
report below:
Tsoho said that all arrangements for the
transfer of the accused and all security
measures needed should be undertaken by the
federal government.
Kanu’s case was adjourned to Monday, January
25.
Kanu was arrested in Lagos on his arrival from
the United Kingdom on October 2015. He has
been granted bail by three different courts,
but the DSS has continued to flout the court
orders.

President Muhammadu Buhari has been urged by Ijaw-elders to only go after militants behind the recent attacks within the Niger-Delta.

Ijaw elders urge Buhari to take on militants
who are attacking the Niger-Delta
The elders on Friday, January 22 told
President Buhari,to clamp down on vandals
on destroying major oil and gas pipelines in
the Niger Delta region.
At a crucial meeting in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa
state capital, to review the state of the
nation with particular attention to the rising
attacks on oil and gas installations, the elders
appealed to Buhari to prevent security
operatives from destroying innocent
communities under the guise of fishing out
pipeline vandals.
Some of the Ijaw elders present at the
meeting were HRM Joshua Igbagara,
Ibenanaowei of Oyiakiri clan; HRM Jonathan
Kubor, Ibenanaowei of Bassan clan and HRH
King Richard Seibarugu, Ibedaowei of
Okordia kingdom.
Also present at the meeting were Chief A.M.
Aduba, Deputy chairman, Rev. (Mrs.) Jane
Alek, Amba Ambaowei, Dr Hellen Opigo,
Austin Lugbenwei and Chief Dennis
Daunemugha, among others.
They, however, called on the perpetrators to
desist from further attacks on pipelines to
avoid further damaging the economy of the
state and the country in view of continuous
fall of crude oil price.
The communiqué was signed by BEC’s
Chairman, Chief Francis Doukpola and
Publicity Secretary, Chief Thompson Okorotie.
The elders also asked the federal government
to exercise caution while making statements
on the matter and to consult widely before
making decisions on issues affecting the
amnesty programme.
They urged the federal government to apply
the carrot and stick approach by negotiating
with the host communities to bring about
sustainable solutions to the problem.
They said: “The council expresses its support
for the anti-corruption crusade embarked
upon by President Mohammadu Buhari. It is
however concerned about the way certain
fellow Nigerians including Ijaws have been
handled in the process.
“All Nigerians deserve to be treated decently
in preservation of their fundamental human
rights under the rule of law”.
Meanwhile, former federal commissioner for
information, Edwin Clark has written to
President Buhari, asking him to intervene in
the alleged ‘humiliation and harassment’ of
Niger Deltans.
The outspoken Ijaw leader asked Buhari to
look into the harassment of former militant
leader, Government Ekpemupolo, better
known as Tompolo and the proposed
scrapping of the Maritime University in
Okerenkoko, Warri South West Local
Government, Delta state.

The Lagos state government has confirmed the outbreak of Lassar fever in the state, saying that it has claimed the life of one person so far.

The Lagos state government has confirmed
the death of one of the three cases of Lassa
Fever in the state.
Vanguard reports that Jide Idris, the
commissioner for health, gave an update on
the outbreak along with Babatunde Adejare,
the Lagos state commissioner for
environment, on Friday, January 22.
Idris said that one dead victim was expected
to be buried on Friday and revealed that the
state has recorded 14 suspected cases of the
disease as at January 21.
The commissioner disclosed that the ministry
has shortlisted 447 contacts of the confirmed
cases and 438 of the contacts who are
currently being monitored.
“Three of the suspected cases were
confirmed positive of Lasssa fever. One case
was confirmed on January 15 and two cases
were confirmed on January 18. Eight
suspected cases tested negative, while we are
awaiting results for the remaining three
suspected cases,” he said.
Speaking on the late victim, Idris said that it
was a 51-year-old man who lived in Ilasan,
Lekki, and returned from Edo state, where he
attended a wedding ceremony on December
28, 2015.
“The dead victim will be buried today after
due consultation with the family and has
been kept in the morgue in leak proof body
bag,” he added.
Earlier this week, Prof. Isaac Adewole, the
minister of health, confirmed that the
virus spread to 17 states , affected 62 local
government areas and 212 suspected cases
within nine weeks. He also explained why the
war against a fast-spreading Lassa fever
cannot be fought the same way the country
tackled Ebola.

A group known as the Abia Youth Team, protesting against the judgment of the Appeal court which declared the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) candidate, Dr. Alex Otti the winner of Abia State governorship election, have made a shocking revelation.

According to the group, they were hired to
embark on the protest, Vanguard reports.
This revelation was made by the group
following their sponsors’ inability to fulfil the
agreement reached before the protest.
One of the members of the group told
newsmen in Lagos: “We were individually
invited to protest against Alex Otti’s Appeal
Court victory. They agreed to pay each of us
the sum of Two thousand naira after.
Group reveals how they were sponsored to
protest against Abia state governor-elect Alex
Otti
“After much argument, they agreed to our
terms. When we were about ending, a
government vehicle got to the place with a
plated number ABGH30. Later, the vehicle
tried escaping with the two men that
contracted us, but we refused. Seeing how
serious we were, they attacked us and we
retaliated back.”
However, reacting to the report, the Abia
North senatorial candidate of the All
Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) David
Onuoha condemned the involvement of the
youths, while advising that they should not
allow themselves to be used by overzealous
politicians.
Delivering judgment in an appeal filed by
Alex Otti, the appeal court sitting in Owerri,
the Imo state capital and constituted of five-
member panel, headed by Justice Oyebisi
Omoleye nullified the election of Governor
Okezie Ikpeazu of the Peoples Democratic
Party (PDP)
According to the Appeal court, Alex Otti
scored 164,444 valid votes to defeat Governor
Okezie Ikpeazu who scored 114,444 votes.
The court declared that Otti was the winner
of the April 11 and April 25 supplementary
elections in Abia.
Justice Omoleye said the cancellation of the
elections held in three LGAs of Obingwa,
Osisioma Ngwa and Isiala Ngwa by the
returning officers after the results were
uploaded to INEC was wrong.
The appellate court maintained that the
lower tribunal erred by not handling all the
issues raised before it on their merit.

A Federal High Court in Abuja has adjourned the case concerning the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col Sambo Dasuki (rtd) till February 4.

Judge over the case Hussein Yusuf said the
adjournment will allow the court time to go
through all submissions made by the
counsels.
“I’m not unmindful that the first defendant
filed an application urging your lordship to
prohibit the prosecution to proceed with this
charge or stay the proceedings,” Jacobs said.
He said he submits that the application
cannot be taken or if taken should be
adjourned till the end of this proceeding.
“My Lord, the era of stopping criminal trial is
over by the effect of the criminal Justices Act
in May 2015.”
Jacobs said once an arraignment has been
made, trial continues day to day.
“My lord that is the provision of Section 396
and with due respect the provision the trial
should continue,” he said.
He also added that section 306 enjoins the
court not to stay the application.
In his defense, Joseph Daudu told the court
that the prosecution took his client back into
custody shortly after he was released.
“As far as we are concerned it is our duty to
ensure that the orders of this court are
obeyed,” Daudu said.
He also noted that his team is not aware of
where the brought his client, Dasuki from.
The only thing I can see now is that he is
looking thinner and thinner and we have not
even discussed with him,” he said.
He also reminded the court that it was on
the judge’s order that the federal
government produced Dasuki on Thursday,
January 21.
“First of all, a lot of damage has been done
by the fact that he was re-arrested,” he said.
He said: “Nobody forced them to bring him
to court when they had not finished their
investigation.”
He also informed the court that the
defendants have been charged with a 26-
paragraph counter affidavit this morning and
will need time to reply.
Also speaking, counsel to the second
defendant, Akin Olujimi said his team has
been served additional proof of evidence.
He asked that the prosecution be advised to
place all his cards on the table if he is sure
he is ready to go on with trial.
“My lord we have to cross all these hurdles
created by the prosecution before we can
head to trial,” Olujimi said.
Speaking also, counsel to the fourth
defendant, Solomon Umoh said he is aware
of an application before the court.
He however, noted that his team is yet to be
served the application.
“My lord I can say the issue is not yet ripe, I
am yet to get the said application and when
that comes I will have yo study it,” Umoh
said.
But Jacobs in his argument told the court
that it was only this week that one of the
counsel informed him that he needed the
statements of accused persons and some
other documents.
He said it will be unfair to state that he
created a hurdle for the defense counsels.
Having listened to all the submissions, the
judge adjourned the case to Thursday,
February 4.
Dasuki alongside his former finance director,
Shuaibu Salisu, Baba Kusa and two
companies are facing a 19-count charge
bordering on money laundering and criminal
abuse of public trust before Justice Yusuf.
He also facing various charges in two
different courts in Abuja.
He is accused of diverting funds meant for
the procurement of arms during his tenure
as the national security adviser.
The money, $2.1 billion, the EFCC alleged
were shared between the former NSA’S
cronies for the funding of the last
presidential election campaign.
Meanwhile, Dasuki has filed a suit against the
federal government before the ECOWAS court
in Abuja over his continued detention.
In the suit filed by his lawyer, Robert
Emukpoeruo, Dasuki wants the court to
declare among other things that his
continued detention after having been
granted bail by three different courts and
met the conditions for his release, was
“unlawful, arbitrary and an egregious
violation” of his human rights.

Like Idi Amin, Jonathan made the CBN his ATM–Soludo

A former Governor of the Central Bank of
Nigeria (CBN), Professor Chukwuma Soludo, has
likened the state of affairs under erstwhile
President Goodluck Jonathan to what obtained
in Uganda between 1971 and 1979, when Idi
Amin Dada ruled the east African country with
an iron clad fist.
Soludo who was CBN Governor between 2004
and 2009, said the revelations from the Dasuki
arms scandal points to how Jonathan
manipulated the CBN to serve his own political
needs.
In a chat with The Interview magazine, Soludo
described the CBN as “the ATM of the
Presidency,” under Jonathan.
He said it was regrettable that in spite of the
bank’s statutory independence, it continued to
be a victim of high wire politics, often
“electrocuting” its leadership.
Said Soludo: “Recent revelations regarding the
‘arms-gate’ and the apparent abuse of the CBN
as an ATM by the Presidency should get
reasonable people thinking.
“Imagine a scenario where a President can
order the CBN to create an intervention fund
for national stability and the CBN literally
‘prints’ say, N3tn, and doles it out as cash to
the President to prosecute an election
campaign, or for just about anything he fancies.
It is a scary thought.
“We are going down a dangerous path that
ruins the economy. I don’t know any other
country where such is tolerated, except perhaps
what I watched in a movie about Idi Amin and
his governor of the central bank.”
Incumbent CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele had
admitted to disbursing huge sums to former
NSA Sambo Dasuki on the instructions of the
then Commander-In-Chief, Goodluck Ebele
Jonathan.

President Muhammadu Buhari has appointed Abuja-based lawyer and activist, Maryam Uwais, as his special adviser for Social Protection Plan, Premium Times reports.

According to a presidency source on the
condition of anonymity, Uwais, wife of
Muhammadu Uwais, a former Chief Justice of
Nigeria, was appointed weeks ago.
She has been immediately deployed to the
office of Vice President Yemi Osibajo, where
she is coordinating the administration’s
social protection schemes, including a
N60billion micro-credit scheme for artisans
and market women.
President Buhari Appoints El-Rufai’s Ex-
Classmate Maryam Uwais as Special Adviser
on social protection plan
Until her appointment, Mrs Uwais was
Principal Partner, Wali-Uwais & Co., an
Abuja-based law firm.
Between 1988 and 1989, she was at the
Nigerian Law Reform Commission, before
moving on to the Central Bank of Nigeria
where she remained till 1998.
Maryam Uwais is a legal practitioner and
human rights activist with over 20 years
cognate law practice experience including
the Kano State Ministry of Justice and
Nigerian Law Reform Commission.
She was appointed a member of the National
Job Creation Committee and served on the
Acting President of Nigeria’s Presidential
Advisory Council.
She founded the Isa Wali Empowerment
Initiative in December 2009, which targets
the conditions of women and children in
education, healthcare and empowerment.
Uwais has also worked as a consultant to the
Open Society Initiative for West Africa,
UNICEF, the World Bank, and the British
Department for International Development
(DfID).

Chief Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, has written to President Muhammadu Buhari over his involvement in the alleged N34 billion NIMASA fraud.

In an open letter to the president and
personally signed by him, Tompolo denied
involvement in the alleged N34 billion
Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety
Agency (NIMASA) fraud.
Chief Government Ekpemupolo (Tompolo), in a
letter to President Muhammadu Buhari has
denied involvement in the alleged N34B
NIMASA fraud.
He said: “The truth of the matter is that I do
not know anything about the 34 billion naira
EFCC is talking about. First, it was 13 billion
naira (N13bn) issue, now it is 34 billion naira
(N34bn).
“I am not a signatory to any of the companies
mentioned in the said N34bn case, so I do
not know where this one is coming from.”
Tompolo is being arraigned in connection with
a multi-billion naira fraud involving a land
deal with the Federal government.
The Federal High Court in Lagos had ordered
Tompolo to appear before it to face a 40-
count charge of alleged N13bn fraud levelled
against him by the Economic and Financial
Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Justice Buba also granted leave to the EFCC to
serve Tompolo the summons and charge
number FHC/L/553/2015 through substituted
mean, by “affixing same on the conspicuous
part of his known address situated at 1 Chief
Agbanu DDPA Extension Warri, Dalton state”.
The judge issued the summons following an
application filed by the EFCC through its
lawyer, Rotimi Oyedipo, alleging that they not
been able to serve his with a copy of the
charge.
Tompolo was also alongside accused with the
former director-general of the NIMASA Patrick
Akpobolokemi of diverting N34 billion which
accrued from the public private partnership
agreement between NIMASA and Global West
Vessel Specialist Limited for personal use.
Yesterday, January 16, a report on Daily Post
had showed a statement of threat to President
Muhammadu Buhari issued by Tompolo.
Reacting to allegations that he attacked oil
installations in Warri area of Delta state,
a statement issued by Tompolo’s media aide,
Paul Bebenimibo, reads in part: “Well, I am
sure this is what President Buhari is looking
for. He should allow the people of the Niger
Delta Region to know peace, otherwise he will
not know peace as well.”

Following a series of events trailing the controversial Zaria massacre in December 2015, the Nigerian army has granted members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) access to interact with their embattled leader Sheikh Ibrahim Zakzaky.

MEHR news agency reports that a member of
the movement, Professor Dahiru Yahya, visited
the sheikh on Saturday, January 16. According
to the reports, Zakzaky is being held in a
house in the capital Abuja along with his wife.
Professor Yahya confirmed that the reports
that both have been shot were true. Sheikh
Zakzaky is reportedly suffering from four
gunshot wounds while his wife has two. The
pair are said to have received medical
attention abroad.
In a statement issued today the Islamic
Movement also pledged to continue its non-
violent campaign to secure the release of
Sheikh Zakzaky and other detainees. It called
on the Nigerian government to release all the
corpses of those it had reportedly killed in the
controversial attack, as to allow the families of
the deceased to arrange for a proper burial.
Meanwhile, the Shiites have submitted its
memorandum to the National Human
Rights Commission (NHRC) concerning
the alleged pogrom by the Nigerian army on
December 12-14, 2015.
The group said their submissions were done
both individually and collectively, with
signatories being mainly victims of the
merciless clampdown on the Movement as
well as eye witnesses and relatives of the
victims.

The former president Olusegun Obasanjo, has finally spoken his mind on the January 15, 1966, military coup in Nigeria.

Speaking yesterday, January 15, in Lagos state
at the Nigerian Institute of International
Affairs (NIIA) on the occasion of the 50th
anniversary of the assassination of the First
Republic politician and minister of finance,
Chief Festus Okotie-Eboh, Obasanjo described
the January 15, 1966 coup as a monumental
error.
The Nation reports that Obasanjo said the
1966 coup that was orchestrated by the late
Major Chukwuma Nzeogwu brought the
military into politics.
“Exactly 50 years ago darkness enveloped
Nigeria. Many who were around then were
confused; many of us were taken by surprise.
“That we are able to gather here today to
remember and in a way acknowledge the life
of our early leader who, whatever may be his
deficiency, is a testament to the fact that he
gave us the best,” Obasanjo said.
Speaking also, Alhaji Yusuf Maitama Sule, a
colleague to Okotie-Eboh, said the former
minister of finance was a true Nigerian.
“Festus was a friend of the people; he was a
friend of the East, friend of the West and
friend of the North.
“He had fantastic public relations. That was
why he was loved by all; you could never
guess the political party he belonged to,” he
said.
According to him, whenever Okotie-Eboh
walked into parliament, his nickname,
Omimiejor would take over the air.
“He was full of humour, even when members
of the opposition were attacking him. But, it
was not the kind of attack you have today,” he
said.
Speaking also, Chief Mbazulike Amaechi, a
First Republic politician, said Okotie-Eboh was
one of the financial pillars of the defunct
NCNC. He said even after his Itsekiri kinsmen
left the party for the Action Group (AG),
Okotie-Eboh remained in the NCNC.
He described Okotie-Eboh as a man of vision
who managed the finance and the economy of
the country far beyond the expectations of
everyone.
The ceremony, which was chaired by Obasanjo,
also witnessed the public presentation of the
book, “Chief Okotie-Eboh, in Time and Space”
and it attracted many dignitaries, including
the former vice president Alex Ekwcueme,
Chief Akintola Williams, Ahmed Joda, Philip
Asiodu, Great Ogboru, Dr. Wale Babalakin,
royal fathers from all parts of the country
including the Emir of Kano, Alhaji
Muhammadu Sanusi and a host of others.
The minister of power, works and housing,
Babatunde Fashola, in a tribute to Okotie-
Eboh called for the establishment of a
foundation in his name, to teach young
Nigerians the country’s history.
The 1966 coup also claimed the lives of Prime
Minister Abubakar Tafawa Balewa; Northern
Region Premier Ahmadu Bello and
Western Region SLA Akintola, among others.
Obasanjo, speaking during a public discussion
of the Biafra issue in Abuja organized by
Nextier Advisory on January 15, Friday, urged
Nigerians to give up the agitation for Biafran
independence.

Nigerian lawyer and social critic, Festus Keyamo, has again talked tough regarding the ongoing antigraft war as led by President Muhammadu Buhari.

an interview with Naij.com, the human
right activist cleared the air regarding claims
that the current administration is
concentrating all its efforts in the war against
corruption, leaving other fields to lie fallow.
Keyamo said he disagrees with the claims,
stressing though the drive to recover looted
funds tends to be at the fore currently, it has
not stopped the administration from carrying
out all its other duties.
In his words: “it is wrong to say that all the
attention is being focused on the anti-
corruption process, what is happening is that
the anti-corruption agents are just doing their
job.”
He went on to say that nobody has a scale as
to determine whether the government has put
more efforts in one sector over another sector.
Reacting to a question on President Buhari’s
alleged disregard for the rule of law, the
astute human rights activist noted that there
are so many misinformation going on within
the country.
The lawyer who claims he is at the very heart
of most cases regarding the antigraft process,
said the agencies involved ensure that they
follow procedures as required by law.
He said the fowl cries based on bails
reportedly not granted, stems from the fact
that the individuals involved do not
understand the clauses in the law. He
informed that in most cases, the people
involved do not meet the requirement set for
their bail, hence their being held in custody
till the terms are perfected.
Keyamo pointed out strongly that all those
who looted the nations treasury using the law,
would also be brought to justice using the
law.
On the stand of Nigeria regarding militants
especially within the Niger Delta where he
hails from, Keyamo informed that like
governments before it, the current government
has continued to extend a hand of fellowship
by continuing the amnesty program, till a
stipulated time when the exercise will be
scrapped.
He assured Nigerians that “there is no
persecution going on anywhere”. He said he
would not comment whether rightly or
wrongly who the Nigerian State sees as an
outlaw, but noted however, that no one is
above the law.
Keyamo noted that no region is favoured
above the other, and if a person from the
north and another from the east is detained,
then “why should somebody from the
southsouth not be in detention? Is he bigger
than the Nigerian State?,” the Senior Advocate
asked.
The frontline activist concluded by reiterating
that the fight against corruption and
insurgency is not a deliberate policy towards
any region.

Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) made an announcement that it has put an end to daily dollar auctioning, Reuters reports.

CBN director of financial markets,
Emmanuel Ukeje, made this known on Friday,
January 15.
“We don’t sell (dollars) on a daily basis any
more. When we do the auction everybody
bids,” Emmanuel Ukeje said.
Budget, Former CBN Governor Reveals
According to Reuters, the news appeared four
days after CBN halted dollar sales to Bureau
De Change (BDCs) operators and retail
currency outlets in a bid to conserve its
dwindling foreign reserves.
Prior to the latest change, commercial bank
were required to pre-fund bids which were
submitted to the central bank on a daily basis
for the allocation of dollars.

The former governor of Plateau state Jonah Jang is set to face the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission today, January 14, over corruption allegations levelled against him.

The senator representing Plateau North in the
National Assembly made this known in a press
statement signed by his senior legislative aide,
Barr. Olivia Dazyam and made available to
LEADERSHIP in Jos, the Plateau State capital,
yesterday, January 13.
According to Jang, there is need to inform his
teeming supporters and constituents of the
Plateau North senatorial district of Plateau
state of his invitation by the EFCC.
Ex-governor of Plateau state, Jonah Jang to
appear before the EFCC
The statement reads: “This has become
necessary owing to the fact that Senator Jang
owes it a duty, having meritoriously served as
governor of Plateau state for eight years to
clear any grey areas that may need further
clarification in the course of his stewardship.”
“As a two-time military governor and a
democratically elected governor for two terms
of four years each, Senator Jang will not
create any encumbrances in order not to
appear before the EFCC to give account of his
actions while in office, which he executed to
the best of his ability and in the best interest
of the Plateau people.
“The senator took oath of office to defend the
constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
and that is what he did as a governor and is
continuing to do as senator.
“Let no one therefore misinform the public
and especially the people of Northern Plateau
with contrived stories; the truth remains, Sen.
Jang has received an invitation from the EFCC
to give further explanations to some perceived
grey areas for which former appointees of the
governor have been severally invited to the
EFCC without any evidence to back the
spurious claims and allegations by some
petitioners; an invitation he is going to
honour today Thursday, 14th January, 2016.”
A committee led by deputy governor of
Plateau state Sonni Tyoden, had last year said
that the current administration of Governor
Simon Lalong incurred a debt of N222.3
billion.
Jang, of the PDP was declared winner of the
Plateau North senatorial elections after
supposedly polling more votes to defeat the
APC candidate, Eunice Sambo.
The APC however filed an appeal, challenging
the decision of the tribunal.
The election petition tribunal however upheld
Jang’s election at the March 28, elections.

Senator Chris Ngige, the minister of labour and employment, has disclosed that he would not abandon the national assignment bestowed him as a minister to contest Anambra central senatorial election.

The minister stated that he will not contest
the election for both personal and official
reasons stressing that the mission given to
him by President Muhammadu Buhari require
a season administrator like him to take carry
out the job well.
Ngige made this statement while fielding
questions from reporters at the national
secretariat of the All Progressives Congress on
January 13, Leadership reports.
He noted that despite the slow turn of the
country’s economy, his ministry will work hard
to fulfill its mandate on job creation.
He said: “ I am not running because of official
and personal reasons. The official reason
being that I have an assignment given to me
by Mr president as minister of Labour and
Employment. As a matter of fact, the job is 60
percent more of employment generation than
Labour. Labour matters constitute only about
40 percent which is about labour and
Industrial relations, workers welfare and the
rest of them all.
“Unemployment is a very big scourge, a very
serious disease in Nigeria now and we need to
fight it frontally. I have gone to that ministry,
had briefings from relevant officers and top
management officers and I feel that Nigeria is
at a crossroads.
“The APC manifesto stipulates what we are
going to do. We promised Nigerians that we
were going to create jobs, we are going to
create employment. And unfortunately for us,
the economy has taken a serious down turn.
So we need spartans like me to keep our flag
flying and bring out water from the rock and
that is what exactly we are going to do.”
On whether he had endorsed Senator Uche
Ekwenife, who recently defected to APC, Ngige
said: “ As at the time Ekwunife came in, she
was the only person from the APC that wanted
to participate in the rerun. If she is the only
person, I have no objection. But today, I’m
told that two other people have shown
interest. The party would do the normal thing
and the normal thing the party is to do, is to
run a primary, the question of baptizing of
blessing now does not arise. ”

President Muhammadu Buhari via his spokesman Malam Garba Shehu reacted to the reports on the alleged missing 2016 national budget.

The Nigerian senate was incapable to
commence considering the proposed budget
because of the missing documentation.
President Buhari provided the hard copies of
his first budget to both houses at the end of
December.
Reacting via his Facebook page, Shehu Garba
wrote: ”Enquiries about the budget: Nobody
except the president can withdraw the
budget. As far as we know, he hasn’t done
that.
”The copies in their hundreds have been
delivered to both chambers of the National
Assembly.
”By tradition, once the budget is submitted, it
ceases to be our property. Enquiries as to
where it is should be directed to the
appropriate quarters. Best regards.”
The Senate established the committee
instructed to investigate the controversy
surrounding the “missing” 2016 budget.
The committee, which was set up at an closed-
door session of the Senate on January 12, will
present the report on Thursday.
President Buhari presented a N6.08 trillion
budget in the end of December before a joint
session of the National Assembly.
In the budget, capital expenditure takes N1.8
trillion, marking a significant over 300%
increment from the 2015 vote of N557 billion.

Nigeria’s president, Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday, January 13, surprised most members of the Federal Executive Council as he arrived the Council Chambers for today’s meeting at about 9.50 am.

According to The Punch, only a handful of
council members were already in the hall for
the meeting slated for 10.00 am at the time
when the president arrived.
President Buhari noted the absence of most
of the council members immediately he
stepped into the hall. He asked members in
attendance to recite the National Anthem.
As of the time the meeting started, only about
19 out of the 36 ministers were in attendance.
Those in attendance include Winifred Oyo-Ita,
the Head of Service (HOS) of the Federation
and Babachir Lawal, the Secretary to the
Government of the Federation.
Immediately after journalists were excused,
the meeting went into closed session. Some
members of the council including Vice
President Yemi Osinbajo; Chief of Staff, Abba
Kyari; National Security Adviser, Babagana
Monguno; Minister of Labour and
Employment, Chris Ngige; and Minister of
State, Foreign Affairs, Khadija Bukar Abba;
arrived at about 9.55 am.
Many of them were seen checking their time
and rushing into the chamber when they
discovered that the meeting had started.
Some other ministers however arrived after
the 10am scheduled take off time.
However, contrary to the culture of a weekly
FEC meeting, President Buhari has decided to
meet with members of his cabinet when
necessary.
The meeting which is supposed to be presided
over by the president and the vice president
would also include ministers, chief of staff to
the president, secretary to the government of
the federation, national security adviser and
the head of service of the federation.

Meet Guled Adan Abdi, a talented boy from Somali whose passion for making electronic toys has made him famous in his country.

Guled taught himself how to make plastic
toys from bits of discarded objects. Credits:
The BBC
A 13-year-old boy taught himself how to
make plastic toys from bits of discarded
objects.
“I started making toys when I was younger. I
used to play with them without any motor.
But later I said to myself: ‘Why don’t you
make them into a moving machine?’
“So I looked at the cars in the town and
invented my toys with the same design,” he
said.
Guled has already constructed four electronic
toys, including a truck and a plane, and a
fan that can be used as a light at night. All
toys were mainly made of plastic from old
cooking oil containers.
All toys are mainly made of plastic from old
cooking oil containers. Credits: The BBC
The BBC reports that Guled lives at home
with his mother, older brother and sister. His
father disappeared in 2002 and is presumed
dead.
The boy goes to a school in Buhodle but has
missed a lot of his education and is only in
the third year at primary school.
Although his mother is working hard and
struggling to support the family, sometimes
they do not have enough money for living
and the family has to stay with relatives in a
remote area where Guled cannot go to
school.
After school, the boy dedicates hours to his
inventions working on his cars from noon to
late in the evening.
“I have never seen anyone make such things
and I was not trained by anyone. I
investigated and found out for example how
a car’s tyres turn,” he said.
Guled has constructed four electronic toys,
including a truck and a plane. Credits: The
BBC
At first, Guled’s toys did not move, but soon
he decided to connect them to a battery-
powered control box, which is marked with a
plus and minus sign.
“If it is switched to minus, the car will move
backwards, if you move the switch to the
plus it will go forwards,” he said.
The toys are made from rubbish, so the only
things he has to pay for are the batteries.
Asha Ahmed Omar, Guled’s teacher, has
always encouraged the pupil to continue
with his experimenting and bought him the
first batteries.
As his reputation has grown, many people
visit the boy to give him encouragement and
watch him at work.
A few years ago, the boy’s Maryan Hassan
was not keen on his obsession and
sometimes even threw away out his model
cars. But now she is proud of her talented
son and believes he is a genius.
Guled’ fame has spread beyond Buhodle after
his teacher told the local authorities about
her pupil.
Earlier this month, the boy travelled to
Garowe, the main town of Somalia’s semi-
autonomous Puntland region, where he met
President Abdiweli Mohamed Ali at state
house and showed him the toys. The
president was impressed by Guled’s talent
and promised him that the government
would fund his education.

The Senate on Wednesday, January 13, 2016, moves to stop Federal Executive Council (FEC) to stop approving contracts.

This was said while the senators were
deliberating on a motion titled: Urgent need
to empanel the National Council on Public
Procurement of Nigeria.
Ali Ndume, one of the sponsors of the motion
and the Senate leader strongly spoke against
the council and said the Senate needs to
encourage what is right.
He said: “The FEC is not supposed to be an
awarding body. This government will welcome
the idea that the senate is encouraging it to
do the right thing and saddle with the
responsibility to do what the Federal Executive
Council is doing.
“We have to change the ways things are done
so it can be done properly.
Adamu Aliero representing Kebbi central
senatorial district, who was also in support of
what Ndume said, said the council should
instead of awarding contracts formulate
policies that are meant to set direction and
focus.
The Senate also urged the federal government
to urgently and officially set up the National
Council of Public Procurement to give life and
meaning to the Public Procurement Act. This
is in order to achieve the laudable objectives
for which the act came into being.
Bukola Saraki, the Senate president, who
expressed his satisfaction in the motion said
the council should be set up immediately.
He also said that the committees should look
at the appropriate places for review.
Meanwhile, a bill for an act to amend the
Agricultural Credit Guarantee Scheme Fund
Act passed its second reading.
The bill seeks to promote commercial
agriculture in Nigeria and ensure credit
support for production, storage, processing of
target commodities, markets and enterprise
development to provide concessionary funding
for agriculture and for other related matters.
It was referred to the committee on
agriculture to report back to the Senate in
four weeks.

The Nigerian military has insisted the Boko Haram insurgency has been decimated in the country as members of the group can no longer launch attacks.

President Muhammadu Buhari promised last
year that the insurgency will be completely
wiped out. Although there have been pockets
of attacks, the military insists Boko Haram
cannot cause mayhem.
Daily Post reports that General Gabriel
Olonisakin, the chief of defence staff said on
Tuesday, January 12 that “Boko Haram has
been degraded and they are not fit any longer
to carry out coordinated attacks but off course
suicide bombing is an issue we are still
battling with.”
He assured the people that the military would
take the issue of suicide bombing seriously
and end the activities in the country.
Brigadier General Mansur Mohammed Dan-Ali,
the minister of Defence said the president was
committed towards maintaining security in the
country.
He said that militant groups, Boko Haram and
Biafra agitators were criminal groups that
have “continued to pose serious threats to our
cherished democracy and the corporate
existence of Nigeria.”
“The need for a strong, virile and proactive air
force that can proudly defend our airspace
and make Nigeria a leading air power on the
continent cannot be overemphasised.
“Considering the ever-changing geostrategic
environment, it is important to note that the
Chief of Air Staff’s vision of repositioning the
NAF for effective, efficient and timely
employment of air power to meet the grand
strategy for National Security is a step in the
right direction,”
Sadiq Abubakar, the chief of air staff
commended the troops finding in the north
east and that the president would ensure that
the glory of the forced is restored.

The Nigerian Army has reinstated the former commander of 7th Division in Maiduguri, Borno state, who was reportedly shot at by soldiers under his command at Maimalari Barracks in 2014.

This was made known to Sahara Reporters on
Wednesday, January 13, by the spokesman of
the Nigerian Army, Col. SK Usman.
Major General Ahmadu Mohammed was shot
at by soldiers under his command after they
lost 12 of their colleagues in an ambush to
Boko Haram members at Chibok community.
It was gathered that Major General
Mohammed’s reinstatement was secretly done
by the military high command after he had
written several letters to the army author
demanding his reinstatement into the military.
The terrorist group in its guerilla warfare
reportedly ambushed a convoy of soldiers
returning from Chibok community, the town
where hundreds of female students of
Government Girls Secondary School (GGSS)
were kidnapped and opened fire on them.
The reaction of the soldiers irked the military
authority who set up a court martial to try the
erring soldiers. Some of the soldiers were
sentenced to death for mutiny.
The affected soldiers, however, accused
General Mohammed of negligence of duty as
well as aiding the terrorists by sending
soldiers to fight without adequate weapons.
Major General Ahmadu Mohammed was in
charge of Giwa barracks when Boko Haram
attacked it on March 14, 2014. The army
responded by killing more than 640 escapees.
He was later removed from his post after
mutiny from soldiers whom alleged that the
death of their colleagues on May 12 as well as
the ambushed killing of 70 more the next day
when returning from Chibok, stirred up the
bad blood that led to the mutiny against their
commander, Major General Mohammed, at the
Maimalari Barracks.
Reacting to the sad incident then, the
Commander, Army Headquarter Garrison,
B.T Ndiomu, ordered the General Court
Martial (GCM) to be presided over by C.C
Okonkwo, a Brigadier General. The Army
court-martialled 18 soldiers for attempted
murder and mutiny in Maimalari
cantonment, eleven of the soldiers were faced
with a six-count charge including committing
mutiny.
A source within the military who spoke on
condition of anonymity during the happenings
gave a detailed insight on how the 12 soldiers
were killed in 2014, by Boko Haram at Bita
village. The source disclosed that selected
soldiers, who were transferred from their
operational base in Mubi, Adamawa state, to
the “213” battalion from the newly created “7
Division” of the Nigerian army were stationed
in Maimalari Barracks. The source disclosed
that upon their arrival, the soldiers were asked
to gear up without knowing the location of
their mission.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Army in 2014 came
under massive criticism for its extreme tactics
in fighting the terrorists group Boko
Haram. Amnesty International in its report
then, accused the Nigerian military including
senior military commanders of committing
horrible atrocities in northeast of the country.
Its report unveils facts, figures and identities
of those responsible for war crimes including
setting up death camps and gas chambers.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has dissociated itself from the call made by the party’s deputy national publicity secretary, Abdullahi Jalo, The Nation reports.

Acting National Chairman of PDP, Prince Uche
Secondus has said the statement credited to
Abdullahi Jalo is not the stance of the party.
READ ALSO : Real Reason I Dumped PDP For
APC, Jim Nwobodo
It was reported that Jalo, called on Jonathan to
respond to the claims by the former National
Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, that the $2.1
billion arms procurement fund was disbursed
on the directives of the former president.
The acting national chairman Prince Uche
Secondus, who spoke at the party’s
constitution amendment forum in Abuja, on
Tuesday, January 12, disowned the statement
credited to Jalo.
Secondus said Jalo spoke for himself and that
his views did not represent the position of the
party’s leadership.
“Let me make it clear to you that Jalo was only
expressing his personal opinion because his
views did not represent the position of the
party.
“There was no time we discussed at the
National Executive Committee (NEC) that
Jonathan should speak on the arms deal
scandal. There was no time such a thing came
up at the NEC. So, Jalo must be expressing his
personal opinion,” Secondus said.
The acting chairman who lamented the
continued detention of the party’s national
publicity secretary, Olisa Metuh and other
chieftains of the PDP by the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), called on
the anti-graft agency to immediately release
Metuh.
According to him, Metuh’s continued
detention was against the rule of law and a
breach of his fundamental human right.
Secondus used the opportunity to denied
reports that he has been removed as the
party’s acting national chairman, pointing out
that the party’s constitution recognised his
position in the absence of a substantive chair.
Meanwhile, about 12 prominent PDP
chieftains, including Dasuki, are currently
standing trial for their involvement in the
disbursement of $2.1 billion meant for arms
purchase for the Nigerian armed forces to
prosecute the war against Boko Haram
terrorists group under the administration of
former president Jonathan.
However, Metuh, has reportedly torn a
statement he made to the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC),
concerning his alleged involvement in the $2.1
billion arms fraud.
The national chairman of the ruling All
Progressives Congress (APC), John-Odigie
Oyegun in reaction to the alleged witch-hunt
claimed by the PDP, has said that the party is
not apologetic over the anti-corruption war of
the administration of President Muhammadu
Buhari.

The Borussia Dortmund striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has replied Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure over his outburst at the recently held 2015 Confederation of African Football award.

Ivory Coast skipper Toure had won the award
three years in a row, but was beaten by the
Gabonese international to the 2015 honour,
leaving the City midfielder questioning the
award criteria after the ceremony.
According to Toure, he led the Elephants of
Cote’D’Ivoire to the final of the 2015 African
Nations Cup last year, winning the title that
has eluded the team in a long while. But
Gabon on the other hand were eliminated in
the early stages.
Aubameyang replies Toure after CAF award
outburst
“I’m very, very disappointed. It’s sad to see
Africa react this way, that they don’t think
African achievements are important,” Toure
told RFI.
“I think this is what brings shame to Africa,
because to act in that way is indecent. But
what can we do about it?
“Us Africans, we don’t show that Africa is
important in our eyes. We favour more what’s
abroad than our own continent – that is
pathetic.”
However, Aubameyang’s displays in the
German Bundesliga and the Europa League
were enough to end Toure’s reign as the best
African player and speaking to Sport Bild at
Dortmund’s winter training camp in Dubai,
Aubameyang said that he won’t let Toure spoil
his achievement.
He said: “I really don’t know why he said that
in the first place.
“But I don’t get annoyed with it, and by now I
don’t even care about it. I am not interested
in it.”
Meanwhile, the forward is at the centre of
speculation as reports have linked him with a
move to the English Premier League giants
Arsenal.
Aubameyang has scored 18 goals in 17
Bundesliga games in the first half of the
season and a total of 41 goals in all club
competitions in 2015.