Fulani Herdsmen:Terrorist or ……?

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July 19, 2018

By Stephen Ubanna

President Muhammadu Buhari appears to be under intense pressure within and outside the country to declare the Fulani herdsmen as a terrorist group. This is because their operational strategies, according to security experts are not quite different from the Islamic Fundamentalists, Boko Haram, in the north east geo-political region, which was declared a terrorist group by the then government of former President Goodluck Jonathan .

The activities of the Fulani herdsmen in Communities invaded in different parts of the country, particular, Benue, taraba, Plateau and Zamfara, according to Bello Yakubu, a businessman was not different as they had renamed the occupied Communities with Islamic names as their own land cattle breeding. It is not surprising why many Communities in these states had lost their farming land to the herdsmen.

A most recent case was the occupation of Mbatoho Community in Makurdi local government where the herdsmen were said to have sacked over 5,000 inhabitants in the vast Island .The invaders were said to have told the locals to vacate their ancestral homes or be killed. The fallout was that the farmers fled their homes after which the well armed herdsmen razed the makeshift homes on the Island and took over the Iand as the people turned to refuges.

President Muhammadu Buhari: Under Pressure To Declare herdsmen Terrorists

Paul Hemba, a Lt.Colonel ,rtd, confirmed that that there had been infllux of herdsmen in Benue in the recent time especially along Agatu, Guma, Logo,, Katsina /Ala, local government Areas and Communities bordering Nasarawa state e.

The Magazine learnt that the armed herdsmen had succeeded in displacing many farmers from their ancestral homes in these local governments with little or resistance. The message carried to the conquered Communities is: we have come to take over our land

Many believe that what the armed herdsmen are doing in the occupied farming Communities in different parts of the country are not different from the activities of Boko Haram insurgents in the north east. The insurgents had entered Borno without resistance and quickly gained a foot -hold . They took over full control of over 20 local government Areas in the state where it hoisted its flag after declaring it a Caliphate.

It took the intervention of Tukur Buratai, a Lt. General and Chief of Army Staff and his soldiers, at the instance of Buhari, to reclaim the occupied local governments but the insurgents have not been completely driven out from the state and the other states in the region as they have continued to strike, kill and go.

Security experts want Buratai to mobilise the soldiers to do exactly what the they did in the north east to save the people from the grip of bokoHaram in to the people in the north central states of Benue, Plateau, Nasarawa and Taraba from the continued harassment of Fulani herdsmen. The President may have directed , Ibrahim Idris, the Inspector General of Police, IGP, to arrest, any herdsmen caught with arms, which security analysts described as inconsequential as the killings by the herdsmen has continued in the country.

The international Community had expected Buhari after his last visit to the United States on the invitation of president Donald Trump to read his body language to the declare herdsmen as terrorists. Trump had told him clearly that the herdsmen must stop the killing of Christians in the country. He had stopped short of calling the group terrorists.

Between 2015 and now, the armed Fulani herdsmen had killed thousands of farmers n different parts of the countryMany believe Buhari may be acting out the script of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association, the umbrella body for herdsmen in the country. The group had consistently warned those pressurising the Buhari government to declare herdsmen terrorists to stop because they have not breached any section of the 199 Constitution as amended.

But Nnamdi Kanu, a Lawyer, and leader of the Indigenous People Of Biafra, IPOD, was still languishing in detention for leading a defenseless group demanding for a state of Biafra and which had unofficially been declared a terrorist Organisation and subsequently proscribed by the Buhari government.

In proscribing the Organisation by the Buhari government, Lai Muhammed, the minister of Information said the activities of the group are ”similar to those of other terrorists group that had been identified in other parts of the world.

Muhammed may have given an insight to the proscription of the group to a letter allegedly written to some foreign nations describing Nigeria as a country where Muslims persecute Christians and where genocide is carried out by the state. He claimed that security report further shows that the Organisation had set a para-military organisation, a parallel military group, Biafra secret service and Biafra National Guard which is a threat to the nation to justify the government action.

Ismaila Ibrahim Ribeji, Spokesman of Miyetti, said there was no basis for people to clamour for the proscription of the Association or declaring it a terrorist group , because the Fulani herdsmen have not done anything to” warrant branding them terrorists”. He insists that , ”Fulani herdsmen are not terrorists and should not be declared as such”.

An angry Ribeji said ”the cattle breeders are not doing anything contrary to the Constitution or committing crimes like BokoHaram and other international Organisations. He believes that IPOD got what it deserves because they were going to fight the government and declare their own country. Ribeji statement may have confirmed people’s impression that Buhari was acting out the script of Miyetti to deal with any group in the group.

The President had further showed that he cared for the interest of the herdsmen when started soliciting for the states to donate land through Audu Ogbeh, minister of Agriculture and Rural Development for the establishment of Cattle colonies to accommodate the over 19,000 across the country in cattle ranches.

The governors in the south west, south east and south south may have read his lips clearly that they have refused to oblige his request. The repeated killing of farmers in Benue and the cattle colony policy of the Buhari Administration may have forced Daniel Ortom, an All Progressive Congress, APC, governor of Benue state to quit the party for an undisclosed party to actualise his political ambition in the state.

Presidential Ticket: PDP/CUPP Settles For Atiku, Favours Obi For VP

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Chidiebere Onyemaizu

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July 19, 2018

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By Chidiebere Onyemaizu

Barring an 11^th hour reconsideration and recalculations, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar will be nominated by the People’s Democratic Party, PDP as its standard flag bearer for the 2019 presidential election.

Atiku, a founding member of the PDP returned to the party last November after a sojourn in the All Progressives Congress, APC where he squared up against President Muhammadu Buhari for the party’s 2015 presidential ticket.

Multiple PDP sources who spoke to The source individually on Atiku’s chances confirmed the party has narrowed its search for a candidate strong enough to defeat president Buhari to three persons with Atiku coming tops.

One of the sources was emphatic that the PDP is now saddle with task of selecting a running mate for the former VP as the party has settled for him for the presidential ticket.

The party is considering former Anambra state governor, Peter Obi, former Ogun state governor, Gbenga Daniel, immediate past governor of Akwa Ibom state and Senate Minority leader,Senator Godswill Akpabio, outgoing Ekiti state governor, Ayo Fayose and Deputy Senate, Professor President,Ike Ekweremadu as Atiku’s running mate.

Atiku, the source, revealed, will most likely emerge as CUPP/PDP’s candidate through a consensus arrangement as talks to this effect are ongoing with other PDP presidential aspirants and stakeholders in the newly formed Coalition of United Political Parties,CUPP, a coalition over 30 parties, including the PDP put in place recently as a united platform to wrestle power from the APC and President Buhari next year.

Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers state gave credence to the consensus arrangement recently while receiving one of the PDP presidential aspirants, Taminu Kabiru.He told the visiting presidential hopeful that since the party has zoned its presidential ticket to the North, the region should present a consensus candidate.

Ironically, Wike, the magazine was informed, hitherto did not buy the Atiku candidature. The Rivers state governor until recently was rooting for Sokoto state governor, Aminu Tambuwal for the ticket. This Magazine learnt that Wike has now seen reason to support the former VP’s candidature. Similarly former President Olusegun Obasanjo who is driving the anti-Buhari/APC coalition has reportedly soft-pedaled in his misgivings about Atiku’s candidature and eventual presidency. The change of hearts came about, according coalition insiders, when it dawned on the stakeholders after a careful study, that among all the PDP presidential aspirants angling for the party’s ticket, Atiku has overwhelming edge over the rest and is in a good stead to defeat the incumbent.

Apart from Atiku and Kabiru, the immediate past governor of Jigawa state, Sule Lamido, former Sokoto state governor,Attahiru Bafarawa and former governor of Cross River state Donald Duke have all announced their intentions to grab the ticket. Though officially still members of the APC, Sokoto state Aminu Tambuwal, Senate President, Bukola Saraki and Senator Rabiu Musa Kwamkwaso-all former PDP bigwigs before crossing over to APC in 2013-are also reportedly eyeing the PDP presidential ticket.

A member of PDP’s National Working Committee,NWC who spoke to the magazine on the condition of anonymity said in picking its presidential candidate, one of the criterion the party will consider is country-wide reach and acceptance, as well as deep knowledge of the dynamics of Nigeria’s delicate multi-ethnic and religious setting.The PDP bigwig say Atiku meets the attributes of the quality of presidential candidate party will field in 2019.

Essentially, apart from deep pocket and war chest to run a successful presidential campaign, one of Atiku’s edge of the rest of PDP presidential aspirants is name recognition. Unlike his fellow aspirants, the name ‘Atiku’ is easily associated with the Vice presidency of Nigeria, a position he held from 1999 t0 2007 under Obasanjo.Atiku also resonate loudly with the American University of Nigeria,INTEL and host of other business concerns linked to him.The import of this is that there is no part of Nigeria where the name Atiku Abubak is a strange to people.

Analysts postulate that the former number two citizen is urbane, liberal, can boast of country-wide reach, influence and friends across religious and ethnic divides.These attributes, they say, stand him shoulder high above other aspirants and even the incumbent President, Buhari.

Besides being a job and wealth creator on the account of ownership many income generating businesses, Atiku is also detribalized. He has a Yoruba and Igbo wives and easily blend in the gathering of non Northerners and Moslems.Most of his businesses are also sited in the Southern part of the country with Southerners holding key positions. The former VP’s supporters say he loves education and believes that no Nigerian child should be denied the benefits of quality education hence his establishment of Nursery, primary and secondary schools in addition to the American University of Nigeria.

With Atiku’s candidature virtually wrapped, The source has reliably gathered that in the coming days, the PDP/ CUPP stakeholders will be engaging in intense consultations to decide who pairs with Atiku as running mate. Though there is a strong push by South west bloc in both the PDP/CUPP for a Yoruba running mate to counter balance APC/Buhari’s likely re-monination of Professor Yemi Osinbajo as VP running mate even when the coalition has penciled down the South west for the Speaker of House of Representatives, majority of members of CUPP and good number of PDP stakeholders are rooting for the South east for the VP slot.Insiders told The Source that impressed by his sterling performance as Anambra Governor, Obi is widely favoured by pro-South east CUPP/ PDP chieftains to clinch the VP ticket.

Keen followers of the unfolding PDP/CUPP drive to oust Buhari next year posit that Fayose and Gbenga Daniel’s ambitions for the VP job have been severely abbreviated by two factors: For Fayose, the defeat of his candidate in the just concluded Ekiti gubernatorial election; and Daniel, his present position as the Director General of the Atiku Campaign organization.

former Anambra governor — Obi: Stakeholders want him for VP

Stakeholders say Professor Ekweremadu and Akpabio are strong voices in the Senate who the Coalition will need in the National Assembly to drive its policies.There are feelers that the two distinguished Senators are being prevailed upon to drop their VP ambitions and rather return to the Senate with the likelihood of Akpabio emerging Senate Leader.

Just like Atiku who has been described as the most prepared presidential hopeful in Nigeria, political analyst are of the view that Obi is the most prepared for the any higher political office, the VP job inclusive after his eventful tour of duty as Anambra governor.

Even out of office, Obi is still involved in human capital development efforts, dedicating himself to helping lift the quality of education by making donations running into millions of Naira to dilapidated schools and indigent students, especially in the rural areas. Initially, the former governor concentrated his education oriented philanthropy to the South east but he has since widened the scope to include schools and indigent students across the country. Recently, he visited schools in Sokoto where he gave out cheques for renovation of dilapidated ones in the state.

Rivers state governor, Nyesom Wike — Wike, pushes for consensus candidate

Political watchers say Obi’s keen intervention in the education sector across the country even as a private citizen has a political undertone. The magazine learnt that with sight set at the presidency or the Vice presidency, Obi’s country wide school interventions are geared towards stamping his feet across Nigeria as a detribalized Nigerian, urbane and pan-Nigerian enough to be entrusted with a higher national office.

His numerous liaison with high profile political office holders in Europe and United States, and fraternity with foreign diplomats, captains of industry, corporate bodies and Non –governmental organizations are also deliberate moves to make him visible in the international community preparatory to vying for a higher office after eight years as governor.

Meanwhile, political analysts say CUPP will be in a better position to dislodge the APC and President Buhari from power next year if the coalition coalesces into a single party rather than individual parties in the coalition adopting a single presidential candidate while still maintain their separate identities.

After fifteen years, Nigeria Unveils New National Carrier

By

Uche Mbah

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July 19, 2018

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By Uche Mbah

After fifteen years in limbo, Federal Government resurrects Nigeria Airways with a different name: Nigeria Air. Incidentally, the unveiling of the logo of the new airline was done in London, the international capital of Nigeria. Most policy pronouncements of Nigeria in recent times are usually done in London.

The unveiling of the logo as done during the ongoing international Airshow in Farnborough London, Minister of state for Aviation, Hadi Sirika, was elated with the prospect of having a new national Carrier which, according to him, will only concede 5% of the shares to the Federal government, being a privately driven venture. He, however, refused to name the investors, but insider information indicates that it may have been hijacked by current presidential loyalists and Lackeys.

Nigeria Airways was liquidated under former President Obasanjo, and its vast assets were sold to Arik Air, an Airline he is believed to have personal shares with a former South-south governor.

The Airline is expected to take off by December 2018.

Already many aircraft are said to have been bought from the US on wet lease, from a so called retired aircraft pool. Using private consultants, government has been planning the Inaugural flight to an Asia Country.

Although the government insists it is only going to own 5%, yet it is pumping $310m for the take off of the project as its takeoff share . It is hard to believe that $310million is five percent of the total share take off. This has heightened the speculations that the presidency has a lot to do with being part of the investors, as a retirement investment.

According to Sirika, “Government has been quite liberal by liberalizing the sector at the tail end of 70s and early 80s to allow private sector to participate in creating a robust airlines that would serve the market, and that would transform the economy of that region. Unfortunately, the stories of the initiatives which were well recognized and respected, has not yielded the desired goals of achieving a top class, competitive, efficient and vibrant carriers.”

Nigeria has been facing a lopsided Bilateral Air Service Agreement, BASA, skewed against it because they could not fill their Quota.

“With the government of Nigeria, it is extremely important that the service is provided, Sirika continued,” The reason being, there is a service that is needed and also, it will offer employment opportunities that will kick start and ginger and double up and rush the growth of the economy of Nigeria. So we take it as an extremely very important venture. And that is why government thought it has the responsibility upon itself much more than a social in trying to create a new National Carrier that will be typical and private sector led and driven through Public Private Partnership (PPP) arraignment”.

“We have selected 81 of those routes; 40 for domestic, regional and sub-regional and of course International routes, about 41. This airline because it is a PPP, The investors put in their money and strategic partners would decide who runs the airline. This airline is a business and not a social service.

“It is not intended to kill any airline in Nigeria but complement it and promote it. It must be done in a right way so that it would be here to stay. Government will not hold shares beyond 5 per cent at the top most. This airline is having the backing of the government. Government will come up with funding according to the Business Case that has been delivered to government.

“We will engage the youth of Nigeria because we do believe in the “Not Too Young To Run”. We engage them in the campaign to name this airline. We engage 400,000 Nigerian youth to arrive at the name of the airline. All of their ideas were taken and digested and we came up with what is an average. The airline will take into cognizance the multicultural nature of nation through its diversity. We want to use this airline to make a statement that Yes can we do it. We want to use it to promote our culture and tradition.” Sirika said.

“There would not be a single government control of this airline. Not in management, not in human management. People who invest would determine that. We have a policy where employment goes to Nigerians fist before it goes outside” The Minister said “We will fast track our International Air Transport Association (IATA) membership and go through IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) Audit soon. We are not afraid to go through this because we have demonstrated that Nigeria is a responsible state”.

Worries are the Airline will start building infrastructures anew, and this Magazine has it on good authority that they are already looking for a befitting property in the high brow area of Government Reservation Area, Ikeja.

Fashola And DISCOs: Power-ful Liars

By

Oji Odu

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July 19, 2018

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By Oji Odu

Both the Power Works and Housing Minister, Babatunde Fashola and the electricity Distribution Companies (DISCOs) should know that the supposedly gullible Nigerians are tired of all the bickering and lies they are always engaged in almost on weekly or monthly basis to explain to why the sector is not working.

They should also know that Nigerians are no longer deceived or fooled by their theatrical fisticuffs while the helpless electricity consumers continues to be ripped-off on daily basis with the estimated and crazy monthly electricity bills with no one ready to come to their aid, as electricity supply continues to deteriorate.

Recently, while directing the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to find ways of eliminating the draconian estimated billings at a Press briefing in Abuja, the Minister of Power Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola advised the DISCOs to improve in their service delivery to the customers or exit the electricity market for investors that are ready to satisfy consumers.

The Minister said if he had his way, he would have directed that estimated billing regime be terminated immediately, but the local capacity is not enough to bridge the metering gap in the market.

The minister, who made this disclosure said that complaints coming to government about meters, estimated billings and mass disconnections, where not everybody is owing cannot continue.

“Government must act. DISCOs bought these assets with their eyes wide open and they must compete to deliver or exit,” he said.

Fashola directed NERC to ensure that the DISCOs improve on their distribution of equipment and capacity to take up the available 2,000mw in order to optimize the use of electrical resources produced by the electricity Generating Companies (GENCOs).

The Minister also mandated NERC to “enforce the contracts of the DISCOs to supply meters, and act to ensure the speedy installation of meters with a view to eliminate estimated billings and promote efficient industry and market structure, to stop the DisCos from preventing entrepreneurs from entering the market to supply the consumers whom the DisCos cannot yet supply and to license such persons subject to terms and conditions in order to promote competition and private sector participation and avoid a private monopoly in the market.”

He said that it is neither his intention nor that of government to take over the investors’ business, but the government desires to see the firms flourish in a competitive environment.

Government will however find a solution whenever the DisCos are inefficient and not ready to improve, he said.

The Magazine learnt that this did not go down well with the DISCOs. Speaking on the poor metering issue and in response to claims by Fashola that they power to stop estimated billing rests on them as they have the right to meter their customers, they said they do not have the exclusive right to provide meters to consumers in Nigeria.

In a statement released on Tuesday, July 17, 2018, in Abuja, the DISCOs faulted Fashola’s claims, saying the development is meant to paint them in a bad light.

“This is a contradiction of his convenient assertion now that customers with no meters should turn to the Discos,” the firms noted.

“The metering gap, a major concern for our customers and us, unfortunately, has become a politicised issue. As a means of tracking and accounting for our revenues, there is no greater interested party in comprehensive metering than the Discos.

“With the farming out of the responsibility of metering to third-party vendors under the Meter Asset Provider regulation enacted by NERC, it is our hope that the challenges of estimated billing will be minimized for our customers over time.”

They added that government has continued to prevent the Discos from receiving the allowable revenue needed to run the sector effectively and has turned around to accuse them of not investing in the sector. This they say is disingenuous, and is the major reason why the Discos can’t contract directly with the Gencos.

“The minister’s position is inconsistent with the facts. Indeed, the various interferences in the past four years have simply created a continuous shifting of the goal post,” the stated.

Speaking further, the 11 DISCOs on Tuesday, July 11 took a swipe at the Federal Government for being economical with the truth about power generation and misleading Nigerians who see them in bad light. They said government lied on its claims of improvement in power generation in the country, stressing that generation capacity as at January 2015 was 6,421 megawatts (MW) and not 4,000MW as often claimed by the government.

The operators who also took a swipe at the federal government for asking them to either upgrade their efficiency levels in the market or quit the stage, saying that such orders would not stop the imminent collapse of the electricity sector.

Reacting through the Executive Director, Research and Advocacy of their umbrella association, Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors (ANED), Sunday Oduntan, the DISCOs explained that the government has largely created more confusion in the operations of the country’s electricity sector, than it had helped it.

On government’s claims that power generation had peaked to 7,000mw since President Muhammadu Buhari came into office in May 2015, Oduntan explained that as at January 2015, Nigeria already had close to that generation figure.

He also described as false, the government’s repeated claim that an excess generation of 2,000MW was idle.

“A review of NERC’s “Daily Energy Watch” for January 28, 2015 would indicate a generation availability of 6,421MW – divided into peak of 4,230MW and constrained energy of 2,191MW. In other words, it is misleading to state that available generation has grown from 4,000MW in 2015, as a measure of progress, given that a volume of generation slightly under 7,000mw already or previously existed, prior to the beginning of this administration.

“Furthermore, there is no stranded 2,000mw. While there is an available capacity of 7,000MW, the best that can be generated, at this time, is 5,000mw. This is because there is insufficient gas to power the thermal plants due to gas line limitations – for instance, the non-completion of the Oben pipeline, and the absence of a commercial framework that would encourage gas exploration,” he said.

According to him, generation that is constrained by gas amounts to an average 1,500mw daily, adding that 25 out of 28 generation plants are fuelled by gas.

He explained that transmission grid frequency, line limitation and water management made up the difference of the balance 500mw of constrained generation.

He added: “In simple terms, the often-advertised and pronounced DISCOs limitation to take on 2,000MW of additional generation is not consistent with the facts or reality. This, therefore, shows that very little has actually changed contrary to the minister’s constant pronouncements.

“It is with much regret that we feel compelled to respond to the significantly distorted picture that has been painted of the DISCOs by the Minister of Power, Works and Housing (Mr. Babatunde Fashola), in his press briefing of Monday, July 9, 2018.”

Oduntan also faulted the government’s order to the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) through Fashola, to get them to buckle down or shape up, adding that no amount of government’s order would correct the failings of the sector, which they added would lead to its collapse.

“We are also left wondering whether such demonisation of the Discos is camouflage for the absence of the effective policy leadership that is desired for implementing the enabling environment that is necessary for the viability and sustainability of NESI?

“We recognise that we are on the crux of a political season, in which all manner of advantage is being sought by political contenders, we however do not want to be used as the whipping dog to advance other people’s agenda.

“—-Our members, the Discos, are not politicians, even though they distribute a product that is of great importance to politicians, in view of the needs of their constituents. Our constituency which consists of customers, employees, bankers, vendors and investors have a greater interest in improved service delivery than the adoption of cheap theatrics and propaganda for political advantage.”

He also stated that the Ministry of Power had taken away the independence of the NERC by constantly imposing on it orders to execute in the sector.

In his reaction, Kaliwo Ameh, a Sociologist, told the Magazine in a chat : “ It seems the two partners in crime that have continued to rip electricity consumers in this country of their hard earned money through crazy billing and estimated bills are at war. Maybe returns have reduced and there is high suspicion.

“ We are not deceived because they will always make up and continue with their dubious trade of fleecing Nigerians of money for services not rendered. Who is dishing out estimated bills for unrendered services? Who has ever been punished for not supplying prepaid meters? Who has ever stopped estimated and crazy billing? Nobody. Unless Nigerians rise up against this injustice, nothing will happen.”

In a similar vein, Mrs. Bolanle Ayodele who operates a provision store while speaking to the Magazine in a chat said: “ See how they are exposing themselves how they are shamelessly killing the power sector and hindering its progress.

“Both the Power Minister and the DISCOs should know that Nigerians see them as the same people that have continued to make life very difficult and unbearable for them. What we need is constant power supply and electricity bills for power we used, not estimated bills or crazy bills.”

Court Jails Three Fraudsters Who Duped Bureau de Change

By

Uche Mbah

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July 19, 2018

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By Chibuike Osuji

Three people were recently found guilty of conspiracy to defraud and obtaining money with false pretense by the a Lagos based Federal High court presided over by Honorable justice Ibrahim Buba . The Accused, three individuals, Umem Anita, Isa Hassan and Mfon Iniunam and two corporate organizations, Kafisto Oil and Gas Limited and M4 Connections Ltd. There various sentences range from ten years in prison to the refund of one million US dollars.

Trouble started in 2014 when Dashad Bureau de Change, a parallel market licensed operator, was approached by the suspects on a business transaction. They intimated the company that they have Dollars to sell, and that the dollars are ready to be delivered once the Naira equivalent is released. The Managing Director of Dashad, one Alhaji Tayo, was taken in by the scam, and proceeded to pay about N800 million, a dollar equivalence of $1.5 million (one million, five hundred thousand Dollars only) at the then prevailing exchange rate. But investigations indicated that the accused +were falsely claiming to have the dollar equivalent, but have nothing of such. Instead, they were out into the black market to buy the dollar. They were, however, able only to secure one third of the dollar equivalent. They paid Dashab Bureau de Change $500,000 (Five hundred thousand dollars only) and have reneged in the payment of the balance of $1 million (one million dollars only).

The case came to the attention of the special fraud unit and they swung into action, arresting the culprits. After investigations, they were charged to court for conspiracy and obtaining the money via false pretenses. The charge was constituted as charge number FHC/L/331c/2015.

After three years of legal battle with CSP Emmanuel Jackson prosecuting at the Lagos Court,, the first defendant, Umen Anita, was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment without option of fine; Isa Hassan, 7 years imprisonment without option of fine; Mfon Iniuam, 7 years imprisonment without option of fine. Umen was asked to refund $1 million dollars, and the two companies are to be wound up and assets forfeited to the Federal government in accordance with sections 1(3) and 10(2) of Advance Fee fraud and other fraud related Offenses act 2006.

Customs: Anti-smuggling Officers Desperate To Win Ali’s Ear

By

Steve Ubana

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July 18, 2018

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By Stephen Ubanna
officers and men of the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, across the country , particular, the anti-smuggling officers , are working round the clock to win the ear of Hameed Ali, a retired Colonel and Comptroller General , NCS, by arresting smugglers on the wanted list of the Service. The action may have been spurred by a recent article by the Source, that Customs officer turn another way to VIP vehicle smugglers for a price.
From Lagos, Ogun, Kwara, Oyo, Osun, Cross river, Sokoto, Kebbi, Zamfara, Kebbi, Kano, Jigawa, Katsina, Adamawa, Taraba Borno and Yobe states, the story is the same: Hunt for VIP vehicle smugglers.
Only recently, a well known VIP Vehicle smuggler , one Deinde, who operates in the Idiroko border axis and had been on the wanted list of the Service for years was arrested in his private vehicle in Lagos by a Customs patrol team who had been trailing his movement through informants.
Sources told the Magazine that the popular VIP was not found with smuggled exotic vehicles but was arrested on the road.

Many had thought that it was Comptroller Muhammed Uba Garba led Federal Operations Unit, FOU, Zone A, Ikeja, Operations and Lagos Roving team headed by Riks Lura, a Chief Superintendent of Customs, whose men are all over the border areas in the south west geo-political region that made the arrest but it was not. Those who knew him disclosed that he does not go out of his way to arrest suspects for the sake of arresting but it must be with reason.
Eyewitness account described the arrest of the VIP as uncalled for because he was not found with any smuggled vehicle but on a private visit to Lagos. Given a standing order from Dangladima, a Deputy Comptroller, Enforcement and Investigation , to his men to get him and others who had been elusive at all cost because of the number of exotic vehicles which usually found their way into the Lagos market through Idiroko and Seme land border stations daily. It was learnt the alleged VIP had trained many other vehicle smugglers doing the job for him at a price.
insiders told the Magazine that he had remained elusive over the years because there were senior Customs officers both serving and retired who were on his pay roll and giving out information to him. It was therefore not surprising that his arrest had dominated the discussion of officers at the Commands and Customs Headquarters.
The Magazine gathered that he was quickly flown to Customs Headquarters where he was shown to Ali, the Comptroller General as one who had broken all the security measures put in place by Customs to forestall vehicle smuggling in the land border area of Seme and Idiroko axis.
It was gathered that after a brief interrogation at the Customs Headquarters, he was flown back to Lagos at the expense of the Customs Authorities and detained at FOU , Zone A, for about two days. He was said to have been released on bail after fulfilling all the bail conditions.

Despite releasing him on bail , he had continued to report to the Command on a daily basis. He was said to have told those that care to listen that he was not molested in detention. The arrest of the VIP smuggler has sent a signal to other VIP vehicle smugglers that there are no hiding places for them ant longer as they could be arrested anywhere.

It would be recalled that in one week , the Command Operations and Lagos Roving team detained 18 exotic vehicles evacuated from two private residences and a car mart at Ikeja, alone. Muhammed, the Command Comptroller , according to a source is still awaiting the owners of the detained vehicles to come forward with the relevant Customs document to take delivery of it.
Unconfirmed reports said 15 of the vehicles were smuggled while three were released from Tincan Island port without payment of the appropriate duty. Investigation by the Magazine shows that much of the rot at the seaports are committed on the vehicle Seat as importers with their agents connive with Valuation officers to under-value vehicle models at the expense of the government.
A retired senior Customs officer who spoke to the Magazine disclosed that without the interventionist measures of Muhammed , the FOU, Zone A Comptroller and the support given to the Riks led Operations and Lagos Roving team to do their job without inter interference, the nation could have been losing millions of naira in unpaid vehicle duties daily.
As at last Wednesday, July 18, 2018, the 18 exotic vehicles earlier impounded by Riks and his men were still at the Command premises. A visitor to the Command would mistake it as a” car mart” dealing on on vehicle sales, because of the number of officers watching over the vehicles as if they were mandated to look out for Customers. one of the vehicles,a G-Wagon, landing cost was said to be about N100 million.
There are fears in both official and unofficial circles that 15 of the 18 exotic vehicles may be forfeited to the government because they were smuggled into the country through unapproved routes. For the owners of such vehicles , their case could only be handled by Ali, the Comptroller General and the Presidency through Executive Order, a source said.

This is because the detailed information about the detained exotic vehicles had already been forwarded to the Comptroller General by Muhammed, the Customs Comptroller, meaning that the Customs Comptroller General has daily records of vehicles and other Contraband seizures made by the Command, particular, foreign parboiled rice stocked at the Customs warehouse.
There is no saying the fact that the given the in-road that had been made by the Command in tackling the die- hard vehicle smugglers in the south west, many who were not happy with Muhammed’s achievements over the last one year had done everything within their powers to blackmail him including writing petition to rope him in but got it wrong This is because the various investigations teams that were said to have been sent to the Command to verify the allegations had found nothing incriminating against him but to encourage him and his boys to continue their good job. The fallout was that the Command Operations and Roving team officials and other patrol teams had been let lose to go after the big time vehicle smugglers in their hideouts sniffing like mad dogs on the field. The Operations and Lagos Roving team, particular, were said to have extended their operations to the Ogun and Lagos hidden water sides that were not known to the Western Marine Command and had made seizures of truck loads of foreign parboiled rice .

Ekiti Election, Senate Dares INEC, As the Commission Commends Eleka Over Legal Option

By

Steve Ubana

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July 18, 2018

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By Stephen Ubanna

The last may not have been heard about the Ekiti state governorship election in the south west Nigeria. This because the Bukola Saraki led Senate has ordered Mahmood Yakubu, a Professor and Chairman Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to organise a fresh governorship election in the state because of the alleged falsification of the September 14, 2018, election which the opposition All Progressive Congress, APC , flag bearer , Kayode Fayemi and who incidentally was a former minister of Mines and Solid Mineral Development had won.

The Senate was said to have fixed February 14, 2019, for a fresh governorship in the state . The upper legislative Chamber was said to have appointed Ben Bruce, a Senator representing Bayelsa state East as the returning officer of the rescheduled election . Senators Olujimi , a Senator from Ekiti and Dino Melaye, a former APC Senator from Kogi state but who had decamped to PDP, were said to have moved a motion for cancellation of the Ekiti election over alleged manipulation. Melaye , claimed he had jumped out from a moving INEC bus because he could not watch and see them manipulating the election result.

But Yakubu , the INEC boss, source said was not bothered by the legislative directive as he has dared Kolapo Olusola Eleka, a Professor and the People’s Democratic Party , PDP, governorship election Candidate, to head for the Election Tribunal and the Court to challenge the election that gave Fayemi of the APC victory.

The INEC helmsman has every reason to beat his chest that the election which had produced Fayemi of the APC as the governor-elect of the state was ” free and fair” because thhere was no breakdown of law in the state when the official result was finally announced.

Wole Osaze-Uzzi, the INEC Director of voter Education was said to have welcomed the decision of Eleka, the PDP governorship Candidtate decision to go to the Election Tribunal and the Court to Challenge APC governorship Candidate result , stressing that it is the proper thing to do” rather than ”inciting statements and engaging in media trials”.

The Magazine learnt that the INEC legal Department at the instance of the Chairman are working together with a team of lawyers to rubbish the plot of Ayode Fayose, the state governor and the PDP in the state to make mockery of the Ekiti governorship election.

Many believe that the PDP and its governorship Candidate in the election resolve to go to the Election Tribunal and the Court may have be strengthened by the apparent confusion and various figures dangling about in the Commission circles as the authentic election result that ought to have been announced by Abel idow Olayinka, a professor and Vice Chancellor of University of Ibadan. The Ekiti governorship election may have been altered , according to the sources because the returning websitemay have been hacked.

More worrisome was the fact that the Ekiti election result had been removed from the INEC website, fueling speculation that the Commission knew what they did i to give APC victory. It was learnt that initially at the collation centre at Ado Ekiti, the state Capital, the APC governorship Canditate polled 157,459 votes and the PDP Candidate, Eleka, was coasting home victory with 178,121 votes. It was gathered that the INEC officials and the security operatives who were acting out a script from the Presidency tried 157,459 for the PDP governorship Candidate, it did not work. They were also said to have tried 177,459 and it was still below PDP votes. This, the official said may have forced them to go for 197,459 for the APC Candidate.

Notwithstanding the figures making the rounds as the real Ekiti governorship electionon September 14, 2018, Yakubu, the Chairman of the Commission insists that they stand by the official results posted on their website and it is there for Nigerians to access.

Given the undisclosed amount spent by the Commission to conduct the last Ekiti state governorship, particular, election materials and maintaining the large array of securities deployed to the state to maintain law and order, the Commission had requested for about N242.45 billion to organise the 2019 general election but President Muhammadu Buhari was said to have told Yakubu and his officials that only N164.105 billion would be released for the election through virement or supplementary budget due to paucity of funds.

As a prelude to the conduct of the election, Buhari was said to have sent a letter to the Bukola Saraki, the Senate President , requesting that the sum of about N228.85 billion of the N578.319 billion worth of projects , inserted by the National Assembly into the 2018 budget be converted for the purpose of funding the election. He was said to have made the Senate to understand that that about N242.45 billion would be needed for the election. Whether the senate would approve the amount remain to be seen. This is because of the frosty relationship between the National Assembly and the Executive and the Senate current position on the Ekiti election that it was be cancelled and INEC , ordered to conduct a fresh governorship election in the state.

Dele Momodu Launch Books on June 12

By

The Source

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July 17, 2018

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On Tuesday 11^th of July 2018, the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs Victoria Island Lagos, was thrown into frenzy of activities as the publisher of Ovation Magazine, Chief Dele Momodu, launches three different books to commemorate the 20^th anniversary of M.K.O Abiola’s death, and also to mark the 25^th anniversary of the annulled June 12, 1993 presidential election. The three books were titled ‘’PENDULUM 1& 2, and FIGHTING LIONS’’. The hall was full to capacity, Captain of Industries, Media Guru, Royal Fathers, friends, family and well wishers all besieged the venue to honor him.
Following; some personalities present at the event by Uche Nwosisi.

**Mr. Folusho Adeagbo and Amb.Toye Okanlawo**

**Mr.Abdul Mumuni Abiola, Mr.Tajudeen Amed and Mr.Jamiu Abiola**

**Mrs. Ngozi Areh and princess Omotade Abiodun**

Otunba Dayo Adeneye and Mr.Bode Opeshitan

**Pastor Oladele Ogundipe and Mr. Abdul Mumuni Abiola**

**Chief Olusegun Osoba and Ganiyu Olanrewaju Solomonv**

**Mr. Akin Oshitokun and Mr. Reuben Abati**

Ekiti: How The Election Was Lost And Won

By

Uche Mbah

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July 16, 2018

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The Ekiti election has come and gone, but the reverberations are still with us here. But the build up to the elections was an indication of what to expect during the forthcoming 2019 elections though it is doubtful whether it validates Minister of information Lai Mohamed assertion that the result is an endorsement of his principal, Muhammadu Buhari.
Problem had started with the deployment of what was described as an unprecedented number of security agencies to the state. According to Ekiti state house sources, it was apparent they were out to win the election for the All Progressives Congress, APC, by all means and from any means. And this appears to be the case, based on what was observed. First, the Chief of staff of Governor Ayo Fayose was arrested for reasons this magazine has not been fully authenticate. Before the elections, many of top Peoples Democratic Party members had already decamped to the APC. Even with several appeals, they could not be swayed, probably because, according to analysts, the whole election will be between PDP and the combination of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC and Security Agencies on the other hand..
Two days before the election, a private Jet was sighted at Akure Airport, which was said to have ferried cash allegedly from one North east Governor. Besides that, part of the recovered loot from Switzerland, generally called Abacha Loot, was said to have been ear marked for the election while the Federal government pretends that they are going to pay it into the accounts of poor Nigerians. They actually did during the elections, at least indirectly.
The cash was allegedly first taken to the Ondo state governor for onwards transmission to the place of the APC candidate, Kayode Fayemi.
At the same time, a Helicopter was sighted at the Ekiti state Government house, believed to be carrying cash from two South-south governors, also allegedly for the elections. Because of security concerns, and the fact that security agencies appear to be targeting the PDP, Banks were used by the state government to pay indigenes for the yet to be conducted elections. “People just woke up to receive alerts they did not expect. Worse still, from a government that has been owing so many months of salaries to workers”, and indigene said. But they were forced to up their ante by superior money power.
The election itself was calm, except for thugs and party agents who were trying to outspend themselves in sharing money to the electorates. At a stage, not wanting to be cheated, agents will demand that voters snap their ballot paper to confirm who they voted for before they could be given their own money. Initially it was N3000. It was raised to N5000, and before the close of voting, some boots were paying out N10, 000. This, the magazine gathered, was from the APC agents. In fact, the Magazine gathered that one senior party member was given N200 million to prosecute the election but he released only N50 million for sharing. What happened to the N150 million can best be imagined.
Such was the situation that made the incumbent Ekiti governor to lament that the election was a sham.
Even at that, based on the result trickling in, it was seen that the card reader, apart from a few hitches here and there, were working fine. And the PDP candidate was coasting to victory based on the result from the polling boots and wards. Based on the authentic results gathered, the PDP were gearing for celebration. Then disaster struck.
At the final collation centre, it became clear that something fishy is going on. There was an unusual black out of the final counting of the votes from the press. It was gathered that only few press organisations, allegedly those sympathetic to APC, were allowed to be at the collation centre. PDP agents were allegedly worked out by security agencies. On getting wind of this, Governor Fayose decided to upstage the INEC by announcing the alleged authentic result of the elections. He did this on National television, and the National Broadcasting commission, an organ of the Federal government, promptly sealed up Ekiti Radio and Television houses.
Due to the fact that international observers were involved, and Drones were used to monitor the elections, the INEC returning officer, a Vice Chancellor from one of the western Universities, allegedly panicked, and wanted the result out in good time to assuage the suspicion that they were doctoring the election. Indications were that the alleged result, which presented PDP as having won with over 200,000 votes and APC with about 190, 000 votes were not acceptable to INEC, whose director of National Operations, Amina Zachary, is president Buhari’s niece and calls him Uncle. So the INEC, according to Sources, slashed the PDP votes to about 170 000. But they forgot to redistribute the shaved-off figures among the two in a less suspicious manner during the confusion. Hence, in a hurry, they released an embarrassing result. Hence they had APC: 197,459, PDP: 178,114, and got a total of 316,019 instead of 375,573. With that, PDP won in 4 local government, and APC, even with 12 local government, can only win 197 000 votes. So INEC declared Kayode Fayemi governor elect.

Since the declaration, no APC bigwig has congratulated Fayemi, apart from President Buhari’s spokesperson. Buhari himself left the country on the eve of the election to the Hague International Criminal Court. Though he was said to have been invited to deliver a talk, indications are that he may have been called based on numerous petitions against him by various groups on human rights abuses, and accusations af complicity in the Herdsman crisis. Olusegun Obasanjo, former president who wants Buhari out of Aso Rock, was said to have congratulated Fayose. But he denied it, saying the congratulations were done with his stolen letter headed paper, and that therefore he is dissociating himself from it. But reports indicate that Fulani herdsmen were jubilating in Ekiti, which was wearing a somber look, with many indigens weeping.

The National body of PDP has rejected the election, calling it daylight robbery. Rivers state governor, Nyesom Wike said he has never seen this type of political robbery before. The PDP gubernatorial candidate, professor Eloka, also rejected the election. Indications are that the PDP is dusting the files to go to election tribunal. Wole Olanipekun, SAN, and Afe Babalola, SAN, are to lead a team of lawyers to the tribunal. Given the weight of the people involved, it promises to be an epic battle. It also shows that the Yorubas, in as much as they want to all belong to APC, see the invasion as an affront to the Yoruba nation.

Ekiti Election: PDP Dares APC, Prepare For Legal Battle

By

Steve Ubana

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July 16, 2018

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By Stephen Ubanna

More facts have emerged why the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, which claim to control 80 percent of the 16 local government Areas in Ekiti state lost the November 14, 2018, governorship election to the opposition All Progressive Congress, APC, in the state.

this is because the PDP played into the hands of the APC, the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC, and the Security agencies with reported and filmed cases of attempted snatching of ballot boxes in polling units linked to APC supporters in some wards leading to the cancellation of some owards’ results and rejection of votes in PDP strongholds.

The situation was said to have been made worse by the unofficial announcement of the election results by Ayodele Fayose, the ruling PDP governor in the state , giving victory to Kolapo Olusola Eleka, the state Deputy governor and the party governorship Candidate . The illegal release of the election results may have forced the Nigeria Broadcasting Corporation, NCC, to close down the state controlled Ekiti Television station where it was aired by Fayose.

President Muhammadu Buhari: PDP Is Dead With the Victory Of APC In Ekiti Governorship Election

He may have taken it upon himself to announce the election results because of lack of trust on the INEC officials believed to be working closely with Kayode Fayemi, a former minister of Mines and Steel Development and the APC governorship Candidate in the election. The Ekiti governor had expected the youths to match out to the streets to protest the result that might be announced by the electoral umpire if it fails to favour Eleka, the PDPD Candidate.

He got it wrong as the people were calm when the election result was eventually released on Sunday, July 15, 2018 by the returning officer, Professor Abel Idowu Olayinka, the Vice Chancellor of University of Ibadan at the instance of the state REC, showing that Fayemi, the APC Candidate won. The APC Candidate was said to have polled 197,459 votes, spread across the 16 local Areas in the state. The result also shows that he won clearly in 12 out of the 16 local government areas in the state. His closest rival , Eleka of the PDP, was said to have scored 178,121 votes spread across the 16 local government Areas in the state but won convincingly in only four local government Areas: Ado, Ikere,Emure and Efon Alaye.

With the release of the official results giving victory to Fayemi the APC governorship Candidate, and no sskirmishes in any part of the state, Fayose was disappointed. He could not believe that the people could turn their back at him and the PDP at the last minute.An aggrieved Fayose lamented that INEC meant to conduct a ”Free and Fair ” election in the state but the process was hijacked by the police, describing it as a ”national disaster”.

Signs that Eleka would lose the election manifested when the INEC Card reader could not read his PVC in his ward on the election day and the arrest of most of his key supporters and foot soldiers in different parts of the state by the police. The Ekiti governor confirmed that there were reports of snatching of ballot boxes and votes buying at Ado and other local government Areas across the state. He disclosed that the party made several efforts to reach out to the police Authority but they refused to pick their call. The refusal of the police Authority to pick the party calls finally confirmed to him that Eleka had lost the election to Fayemi of the APC. Fayemi described the victory as ‘light over darkness”. Already, President Muhammadu Buhari of the ruling APC has declared that with the outcome of the Ekiti governorship election,”PDP will never win an election in any state of Nigeria from now on”. He described the party as dead.

But the PDP leadership in the state and at the national level are not ready to let go the APC victory unchallenged at the Elections Tribunal and the Court of Law. It was learnt that the party has started talking with Wole Olanipekun, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN , who is expected to assemble a team of legal luminaries to drag INEC, APC and Ibrahim Idris, the Inspector General of police to Court over the Ekiti election.

A s a prelude to heading to the Election Tribunal and the Court, Eleka, the PDP governorship Candidate in the Ekiti election has rejected the official result of the Ekiti governorship election released by Olayinka, the INEC returning officer in the state. The Ekiti deputy governor has told those that care to listen that he won a landslide in the election but was denied victory by INEC and the police.

The PDP governorship Candidate had justified his claims with the allegations of ”intimidation, oppression and inducement by security agents hiding under the cover of maintaining law and order in the state during the governorship election. He claimed that the police and the other security agencies personnel in the state ”aided and abetted APC manipulation of the electoral process which gave the APC Candidate the alleged victory.

He described the Ekiti governorship election as having been” hijacked by political desperados leveraging on Federal might to pervert the electoral process, subvert the will of the people and viciously steal the mandate willingly and freely given to him on a massive scale by the people”.

An embittered Eleka insists that he won the governorship election by receiving 70 percent of the votes cast in all the local government Areas of the state. The PDP governorship Candidate may have spoken the mind of Fayose, the state governor, when he said the result bandied about by INEC was falsified to give victory to the APC governorship Candidate, Fayemi. He alleged that INEC had allowed late voting by APC supporters in hideouts in the state because they were acting out a script of the Presidency to give victory to the APC Candidate in the election.

He fears that what had happened in the Ekiti governorship election is a bad signal to what would happen in the next governorship election in Osun state and the 2019 general election. But Buhari has said there was no cause for alarrm. Nothwithstanding Presidential assurance of a free and fair election in the 2019 general election,, former President Olusegun Obasanjo had drummed it to the ear of people that the 2019 general election is not going to be a” tea party”.