Manchester City were confirmed as Premier League champions without kicking a ball on Sunday as rock bottom West Brom stunned Manchester United with a 1-0 win at Old Trafford.
United simply had to avoid defeat to keep the title race mathematically alive, but a late header from Jay Rodriguez gave West Brom a hugely surprising three points and finally gave their fans something to cheer this season.
More importantly, though, it means Pep Guardiola’s City team cannot now be caught at the top of the table, thus handing the Catalan coach his first Premier League crown in just his second year in English football.
Realistically it was always a matter of when and not if City would become English champions for a fifth time following a dominant season from the blue half of Manchester.
But, just a week after spoiling City’s title party by beating their local rivals 3-2 at the Etihad, the way United abjectly gifted the title to their neighbours will sting.
United’s comeback at the Etihad from a 2-0 half-time deficit offered their supporters a rare fillip of flair and excitement after a difficult season where their style of play has hardly endeared Jose Mourinho to the club’s fanbase.
And that was also the case on Sunday, as United failed to spark the imagination in any tangible way even though they were playing a side that had hadn’t won in the league since January.
West Brom sacked manager Alan Pardew at the start of April after just four months following one win in his 18 matches in charge, but even a famous win at Old Trafford may be too little, too late for the Baggies as they still lie nine points off safety with just four games remaining.
United dominated possession early on, but despite the efforts of Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Sanchez, precious little real impact was made by the home side.
Lukaku saw one shot cannon back off the face of West Brom goalkeeper Ben Foster, while Pogba’s desire to make a difference saw him booked after half an hour for attempting to steer the ball into the net with a very obvious, very deliberate handball.
Prompted by the abject nature of the opening 45 minutes, Mourinho brought on Jesse Lingard at half-time and he was immediately in the heart of the action as United attempted to wake from their slumber.
West Brom, to their credit, also kept probing forward but they lacked the class required to really open United up at the back.
Mourinho attempted to end the stalemate – and the tedium – by introducing Anthony Martial with half an hour remaining and his introduction undoubtedly lifted the quiet Old Trafford atmosphere.
Increasingly poor conditions and a general lack of thrust continued to inhibit both sides, but United did force Foster into wonderfully save on 66 minutes when he tipped a Lukaku effort around the post.
However, the plucky visitors then sensationally seized their chance when Chris Brunt delivered a corner from the right with 17 minutes remaining. Nemanja Matic panicked at the delivery and headed back inside to Rodriguez, who could not miss from three yards out.
United, sensing the impact of the result, threw everything forward but West Brom displayed some new-found defensive fortitude and held on for a famous victory.
United will want to forget the result and its significance as quickly as they can.
However, the fans of West Brom — and certainly Manchester City — are likely to remember it for quite some time.
Despite blowing the chance to win the league against United last weekend, City still matched United’s record by claiming the title with five games to spare.
Much of the praise has gone to manager Pep Guardiola for moulding a side being compared to the greatest-ever teams to win the English top flight.
But backed by free-spending Abu Dhabi owners, Guardiola has had plenty of talent to work with.
AFP Sport looks at five of the key players in City’s title triumph.
Ederson Moraes
Guardiola showed his ruthless streak after a disappointing first campaign in charge, snapping up goalkeeper Ederson for £35 million ($49 million) within three weeks of the end of the season.
Much of the blame for Guardiola’s first-season struggles was pinned on a series of errors from Claudio Bravo, brought from Barcelona to replace the ostracised Joe Hart.
In contrast to Bravo, Ederson has been solid when called upon to make saves. But, crucially, he is even better with his feet, which suits Guardiola’s style.
The Brazilian’s long-range passing to launch City on the counter-attack and beat any high press employed by opponents has been a regular feature of the season, adding another weapon to City’s frightening attacking arsenal.
Kevin De Bruyne
The man most often picked out by Guardiola himself as the heartbeat of this City side, Kevin De Bruyne looks set to battle with Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah for the Premier League player of the year awards.
The Belgian leads the league in assists but he offers far more than raw numbers.
“He is the best example and he helps us to be a better club, a better institution for the future,” Guardiola said after De Bruyne led a 4-1 destruction of Tottenham Hotspur in November.
David Silva
If De Bruyne doesn’t get you, David Silva likely will. Having two natural playmakers in the same midfield has made City almost impossible to stop in the same way Guardiola harnessed the brilliant best from Xavi Hernandez and Andres Iniesta in a glorious four-year spell at Barcelona from 2008 to 2012.
“I think David is also one of the best this season,” said De Bruyne.
“Since I came here he has been unbelievable. He helped my game in a lot of ways.”
Silva has also chipped in with his share of important goals — opening the scoring in the first Manchester derby of the season at Old Trafford.
His telling contribution is all the more outstanding given the Spaniard has had to spend a lot of time back in his homeland between games after the premature birth of his son in December.
Raheem Sterling
The beneficial effects of Guardiola’s coaching are clear-cut in the case of Raheem Sterling as the 23-year-old has come of age this season to deliver on his abundant potential.
The England international is City’s second-highest scorer behind Sergio Aguero but his goals have also come at some key moments on their road to the title.
Guardiola’s men were on course to drop points in two of their opening three games until Sterling’s 97th-minute winner at Bournemouth back in August kicked off an 18-match winning run in the league.
That streak was kept alive as Sterling also struck late twice in three days in late November to edge out Huddersfield and Southampton 2-1 to demoralise the chasing pack.
Sergio Aguero
In City’s mega-rich era, managers and players have come and gone but one constant has largely remained — Sergio Aguero’s goalscoring.
The Argentine, who joined the club in 2011, is now City’s all-time leading goalscorer and has enjoyed another bumper season.
Initially challenged for his place in the team by Gabriel Jesus when the Brazilian arrived last January, Aguero has reestablished himself as City’s number one striker.
EPL: Guardiola’s Manchester City Are Champions
Race for 2019: Obasanjo intensifies efforts to oust Buhari
Sequel to meetings he has had with many stakeholders at Protea Hotel, Lagos, former president Olusegun Obasanjo is stepping up his game of ousting the current president Mohammadu Buhari in 2019. He is currently scheduled to meet the Yoruba elder statesman, Olu Falae, who he once contested against for the presidency. In recent times, Falae has been a victim of kidnap by Fulani herdsmen, who has been unrelenting in his attack on his farm. Once, they were alleged to have burnt his farm.
Obasanjo has met with the former Kano state governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso, former Osun state governor, Olagunsoye Oyinola and former Rivers state governor, Donald Duke, fueling speculations that the joint ticket of Kwankwaso and Duke may be in the wings. Last week, reports indicated that one of the four musketeers, Ibrahim Babangida, officially endorsed the new political movement generally called the third force. This is the Obasanjo movement hat is expected t transform itself into a new political party. Besides, he has been having talks with a coalition of thirty political parties.
In recent times there has been a groundswell of opposition towards the re-election of Buhari,who recently declared his intention to contest amid heightened attacks from Boko haram and Fulani herdsmen and rejection by Northern elites. Recently, the Arewa consultative forum, led by Professor Ango Abdullahi, gave indications that they may not back his re-election bid. despite the red card from prominent Northerners- Abdulsalami Abubakar, T.Y. Danjuma, Mathew Kukkah and other, he still declared his interest to run-and promptly ran to London. In London, he was met by U.K based Nigerian demonstrators asking him not to run.
The opposition to his candidacy has been hinged to his inability to fulfill even a small part of his party’s campaign promises, and his making blame game the center of his administrative policy.
JSS 2 Dropout Kills Girlfriend Over Pregnancy
A commercial motorcycle rider, Stephen Gyang, have been arrested by the Plateau State Police Commissioner for allegedly killing his girlfriend, Alice Samuel, and burying her remains in a shallow grave.
Gyang allegedly killed the victim for wanting to force her pregnancy on him.
The deceased and Gyang were dating for some time now before he allegedly killed the victim over unwanted pregnancy.
The 20-year-old Junior Secondary School two dropout said he killed his girlfriend because she had initially said he was not responsible for the pregnancy.
He said she recanted on the prompting of her mother, who wanted him to take responsibility for the pregnancy.
The incident happened in Tahoss village, in the Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State.
The state Commissioner of Police, Undie Adie, said it was a case of “culpable homicide”, adding that the suspect had confessed to the crime and would soon be charged to court.
Gyang, an okada rider, told magazine that he reported the matter to his elder brother because he lost his peace after the incident.
He said, “Yes, Alice Samuel was my girlfriend and we had been together for some time now. I killed her because of the pregnancy. After saying the pregnancy was not for me, she recanted and said it was mine; that was why I killed her. I decided to bury her that night in a shallow grave that was to be used either for a pit toilet or well.
“After the incident, the spirit of Alice Samuel did not leave me; she started disturbing me and I had to report to my brother who took the matter to my father. My father thereafter reported my predicament to the village chief.”
His friend and accomplice, 20-year-old Kelly James, who was an eyewitness, told our correspondent that he begged Gyang not to kill the victim, but he refused.
He claimed that the prime suspect threatened to kill him if he (James) did not assist him.
James said, “I had been seeing him and the girl together for over three years now. He is my friend and the two of us are commercial motorcyclists. On that particular day, I had gone to see his girlfriend, who sold palm wine. After taking palm wine at her shop, I went to my friend’s house. When I discovered that he was not at home, I picked the house key where he usually kept it, opened the door and slept off in his room.
“When he returned home at night, he was not happy that I entered his house without informing him of my visit. While I was asleep, I heard a knock on the window and he informed me it was his girlfriend, Alice.
“When I asked him what brought the girl by that time of the night, he said she came to see him. He opened the back door for her and they started having a discussion behind the curtains.
“He called me outside that the girl had implicated him over a pregnancy which did not belong to him. He insisted that the girl’s mother asked her to do so. I told him that since he had accepted the pregnancy and the case was already in the palace of the village chief, he should allow her to be with her parents for now.
“But he said no, that he was going to deal with the girl by killing her. I advised him against it, warning that if he killed Alice, we would not be friends again. But he refused.
“I left him outside and went into the room. I started trembling on the bed as I feared the worst. He was talking to the girl and I thought he had decided against killing her.
“Suddenly, I heard the sound of two legs on the ground, which suggested that she was struggling for life. I stood up and saw that he held the girl’s neck to the wall; he had strangled her and her eyes were already white. As I told him to leave the girl, he threatened to kill me if I did not assist him to cover up.”
ANLCA: Shittu Out, Nwabunike In
By Stephen Ubanna
For much of March and earlyApril, 2018, Olayiwola Shittu, who, until Saturday, April 14, 2018, was president , Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents, ANLCA, and his successor Tony Iju Nwabunike, a pioneer Chairman of the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarders in Nigeria, CFFRN, were said to have set in motion the machinery for handing of power to the incoming president of the Association. The duo were said to have set up an inauguration Committee to handle the assignment.
The duo were also said to have met at different times on the way forward for the Association. The fallout of the meetings was the Culmination of the handover of the insignia of office of the President of ANLCA by Shittu, the former President to Nwabunike on Saturday , April 14, 2018. in a The ceremony attracted people from all works of life, including Aminu Dahiru, , Assistant Comptroller General in charge of Nigeria Customs Service, Zone A, Lagos, who represented Hameed Ali, a retired Colonel and the Comptroller General. and Gani Adams, Aare Onakakafo, the Yoruba traditional war General . The insignia formally confirmed Nwabunike as the president of ANLCA, for the next four years. It was the first time since the establishment of ANLCA by an Act of parliament in 1954 that power is shifting from an elected President to another elected President without rancour or Court cases.
As a prelude to the swearing in of Nwbunike, the new President , Dahiru, who was the representative of the Comptroller General, was given opportunity to give his goodwill message. The Customs Zonal Coordinator, however, saw it as an opportunity to lambaste the importers with their agents over their crooked ways of doing business at Nigeria ports, airports and land border stations, pleading with them to support. H e promised a level playing field to stakeholders and support to the new leadership of ANLCA. Going back the memory lane, he alluded that he knew Shittu, the outgoing president and Nwabunike, the incoming , when he was a Deputy Comptroller in-charge of Enforcement, Tin-can Island port in 2012. He has a good sense n of humour forcing the people to laugh repeatedly.
Appealing to agents to reduce the friction with officers, he cautioned them to make genuine declarations, correct Classifications and Valuations of their imports as well as reduce alterations to their import documents.
He had recalled of the robust relationship between the Customs and agents which had existed over the years, urging the new leadership to Endeavour to sustain it as both Customs and agents need each other to remain relevant. He is right . The Customs collect the duties and other relevant charges at the seaports, airports and land border stations while the agents are the ones that that pay the duties and the other charges by serving as a go-between importers and Customs . There was absolute silence as agents turned to look at one another. The look in their faces show that they were all guilty of the crime.
The agents may have heaved a sigh of relief when Adams, Aare Onakakanfo fired back at the Customs Authorities over its high tariff on imported goods, urging the government to reduce to encourage more imports of cargoes into the nation’s seaports.
He pleaded with the ACG to take their complaint to Ali, who in turn should take it up with Kemi Adeosun, the Minister of Finance to force the government to reduce the tariff on imported goods. The Aare lamented that many Nigerians in diaspora who were used to shipping vehicles and other goods from contributions in their places of work may have been discouraged to continue in the business because of this outrageous tariff .
He fears that if nothing is fast done urgently to ameliorate the situation, most of these Nigerians in Diaspora may become liabilities to their parents, brothers and sisters at home as they may be forced to be sending money to them to feed and meet up other daily expenses. The speech by the Customs ACG and Are Adams may have opened the floodgate for other speakers to shower praises on Shitu for his outstanding leadership.
Until , he handed over to Nwabunike on Saturday, April 14, 2018, , shittu was at the helms of affairs in ANLCA for eight years, having been elected in Portharcourt in 2010. Indeed, the encomiums that were showered by members of the Association including a foremost agent , Nze Anyamene and the President of the Customs Brokers Association of Liberia, who came with a high powered delegation to witness the handover ceremony speaks volume, of Shittu’s influence beyond the shores of Nigeria.
The former ANLCA President who was regarded in Agents circles as the father of the Association and a bridge builder beyond the shores of Nigeria was said to have been honored with the Liberia Coat of arms to show their appreciation of his works in the country. The representative of the Liberia’s Brokers Association, Toby, was said to have sent greetings from the government to him, stressing that they would want him to come over to Liberia to continue the Brokers business if he did not find Nigeria suitable for business any longer.
He revealed that with the initiative of the former ANLCA president, they were already working on the establishment of the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, Brokers Association, with the implementation of the ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme, ETLS and Common External Tariff, CET, in the region.
Toby, the president, of the Liberia s brokers Association is optimistic that Nwabunike will continue from where his predecessor stopped to see to the realization of the dream of the formation of the ECOWAS Brokers Association.
Earnest Elochukwu, a foremost agent based in Portharcourt and former acting president of the Association during its period of crisis, who was said to have technically handed over to Shittu in 2000, described the change of baton in ANLCA as a” celebration of successful leadership”.
Appealing to the Anambra state born ANLCA, president to take a cue from the former President of the Association, Elochukwu explained that it is the only way to guarantee him a successful tenure instead of doing things that would polarize the Association.
He urged him to use the talents in the Association wherever could find them , no matter the Political divide. ”You are not in Competition with any person, follow what the Constitution of the Association stays, galvanize agents to do what you want them to do as you were elected to project ANLCA, He warned the ANLCA president, do not turn yourself into a dictator but see yourself as an” obedient servant of the agents”.
Eyewitness account disclosed that there was a standing ovation when Shittu stood up to talk. ”I knew a day like this will come’, he reportedly said. I have a retirement countdown application in my phone which was counting my days in office and when the time was ripe me to go, i the alert rang, he further said. The former ANLC president was said to have urged those in a position of leadership to know that a day like this would come for their retirement to start preparing for it from the first day in office.
In a voice laden with emotion, Shittu was said to have told the audience that ”in the journey to leadership, there would be a lot of betrayals , noting that in the beginning the leadership may be owned by a section of people who may claim to have master-minded his election and therefore no person has the right to question the rule of the majority now”.
Philosophically speaking, SShittu said, ANLCA is an evolving project that would outlive every member”. The former President may have had his support to Emmenike Nwokeji, to succeed him because of his loyalty.
It is not surprising why Nwabunike declared on his inauguration day that there is ”no victor no vanquished, remind one of the statement credited General Yakubu Gown, a former Head state, while making his broadcast after the surrender of Biafra in January, 1970. He pleaded with members to support the support the new EXCO ”to keep the vision mission of the Association alive”.
he may have spoken what the agents would want to hear when he rolled out his plan for the Association in the next four years: Development off a befitting Brokers village with the State of the art training facilities, ancillary services such as conference centre and Clinic . This is in addition to a hotel that would be built in the Brokers village , he said .
this may sound ambitious , establishment of Chartered Institute of Brokers, but the new ANLCA boss has promised to pursue it to its logical conclusion. H e has made the registration and Conferment of the status of a Chartered Institute of Customs Brokers as one of major plants of the Administration to ‘develop a Certification training programs for members to improve service delivery, standardization of operations and processes,” thus making ANLCA a truly professional body.
Exports: Nigeria Still Experiencing Deficits In trade
By stephen Ubanna
Barely three years after President Muhammadu Buhari initiated fiscal policy measures to boost export of made in Nigeria goods and Agricultural products, the much expected balance of trade between Nigeria and its trading partners in Europe, North America, Asia and East Africa is yet to be achieved.
This is evident going y the weekly export and import report at the nation’s premier, Apapa, cited by the Magazine last Friday, April 13, 2018 at the port. The record showed that in one week alone, Nigeria exported Cocoa beans, rough wood, Indomie, Seasonals and approved Agricultural products to the Asian countries of China and India, United States, Netherland, Belgium-Luxemburg the traditional trading partners .
Given an insider information of the total goods , bother manufactured and Agricultural products loaded into Containers, both ”20” and ”40” that passed through the port to Asia, Europe, North America and African trading partners between January and March 2018, Nkeiruka Nwala, an Assistant Superintendent of Customs and the Command Public Relations officer, in a Statement confirmed that the Command recorded a total of about 280,000 tonnes of various exports with a total Free On Board, FOB, value of 115.09 million dollars.
Henry Clime, General Manager, ports and Terminal Operators, Nigeria Limited, PTOL, attributed the low cargoes export from the country to the traditional trading partners to the fact that Nigeria exporters cannot compete in the international market because of the high cost of handling the Commodities earmarked for export in the country’s seaports, warehousing and automated method of loading.
Clime cited Ghana and Cote D’ Ivoire, where the estimated cost of handling a palm kernel cake vessel of Gross Registered tonnage of 2, 861 is $23.64 per tonne covering Stevedoring, trimming, haulage , warehousing and shifting from the warehouse to the shipside. He disclosed that in Nigeria, exporters pay as much as $30-$35 per tonne for the same services.
The PTOL General Manager stressed that there is need for the systems and logistics in the nation’s seaports to be critically examined for improvement to reduce the cost of shipment to make the country’s exporters Competitive in the International Commodities market.
The Magazine learnt that within the particular week in question, 3,500 imported Containerized cargoes passed through the port. It was gathered that out of the 3, 500 Containerized cargoes imported through the port ,about 2000 Containers , were transferred to the bonded terminals under the supervision and control of the Command. The fallout of the high import volume through the ports and other ports within the country may have been much talked about of the increased revenue collection by Customs formations throughout the country to meet the target set for it by the government this year.
Clime had made it clear to those that care to listen that ” a country that does not export but depend only on imports as a major source of revenue is doomed to suffer economically and not make progress. This is the common thread that run through the ports, Customs Commands celebrating the huge import duties collected for the government at the ports. From Apapa, Tincan Island, Onne, Port Area 1, Port multiservices terminal limited, PTML, Kirikiri lighter terminal, Ogun, Oyo, Kaduna/Katsina, the story is the same: celebrating import duties collection , if the monthly target is met or surpassed or better than the amount collected within the same period in the previous year.
Jibril Musa, the Apapa Command Comptroller confirmed that the collected and paid into the Federation Account about N82 billion covering duties on imported cargoes, 7percent Port Development Levy for the Nigeria Ports Authority, 5percent tax for federal Inland Revenue Services, FIRS, . one percent Comprehensive Import Supervision Scheme, NDDC levy and other charges for other government agencies. The Impressive revenue collection of Apapa Command within the first quarter of 2018 was not different from the declaration of other Commands. Take the case of Tincan Island Command. Baba-Musa M.A. , the Comptroller disclosed that the Command generated about N77 billion in first three months of 2018. The amount , according to Uche Ejesieme, a Deputy Superintendent of Customs and the Command Image maker was about N15 billion higher than the amount of revenue collected by the Command within the same period last year. The Command , under the then Comptroller, described in Customs as a Computer guru was said to have collected for the government a total Sum of N 61 billion.
Ejesieme attributed the improved revenue collection of the Command despite low volume of cargo import through the port to the ”innovations and reforms”, introduced by the Comptroller” towards rejigging and re-engineering the consciousness of the officers / men of the Command towards enhancing efficiency and productivity in line with the statutory mandate of the to collect revenue for the government.
The Comptroller, who is a World Customs Organization and World Trade Organization, Valuation and Classification expert , from the outset had introduced the Time Release Study , to remove the bottlenecks associate with trade facilitation at the ports. The policy measures put in place, based on the time release study appears to have facilitated the timely release of cargoes through the port with the government time of 48 hours and less, if the importer make the correct declaration .
Aminu Dahiru, an Assistant Comptroller General and NCS, Coordinator, Zone A, Lagos, disclosed that most importers experience problem in the release of their cargoes at the port because of false declaration, incorrect Valuation, alteration to import documents, noting that if they could make the correct declaration, they are have o reason not to take deliveries of their imports within the 24 hours set by the government. This is because Comptrollers at the seaports, airports and land border stations, he said, are working round the clock in implementing the Presidential order on the ease of doing business in the country to attract more cargoes into Nigeria ports.
The reasons adduced by Dahiru for importers major problem with Customs officers may have been responsible for the duely released Containers from Apapa, Tincan or Port multi-services terminal limited, PTML, which fell into the waiting hands of Comptroller Muhammed Uba Garba led Federal Operations Unit, FOU, Zone A, Ikeja, Lagos Roving team between January and March 2018.
In January , alone , the Customs Enforcement Unit was said to have recovered about N91.34 million from Containers that were released from the ports which fell into the waiting hands of the Command Lagos Roving team. This is revenue that could have been lost both for the vigilance of Muhammed’s men on the road. Two Containers , that could not be asses because of the level of fraud involved were said to have been seized by the Command. The first Container, a 40”,GATU132358/4, according to Muhammed was seized for false declaration. The Container, the Comptroller said was found to be carrying 537 cartons of India Whisky as against yeast declared in the SGD form by the Importer.
Many had expected other importers with their agents to have learnt their lesson from what happened to collegues to do the right thing , but instead they perfected new strategies to cheat the government through wrong classification, transfer of value and underpayment. This may have resulted in the good number of Containers released from the ports which was intercepted by the Command Demand Notice, DN, raised after re-examination. The Command was said to have recovered for the government through the DN raised on the intercepted Containers about N68 million within the moth. The situation was also not different in the month of March.
An aggrieved Muhammed was not happy that importers and their agents were not ready to change their bad attitude of doing business because of amount recovered from them for the government. He confirmed that the Command recovered over N166 million for the government and seized four Containers for contravention of the government fiscal measures.
Given an insider information , he disclosed that were ”40” and a ”20”. The Container no. of the seized ”20” was CSNU 106087/4. It was found to have carried 2,260 cartons of Gonca Spaghetti that was made in the European country of Turkey and an additional 530 package of energy drinks made in another European country but falsely declared as baking powder by the importer in the SGD .
one of the seized ”40”, Container no. PCIU86505/1, was said to have been seized for carrying 200 cartons of ladies shoes, 134 cartons of children’s own as Computer keyboard declared in the SGD. The second, ”40” Container no. FCIU80992/0 was said to have been seized for carrying 2,300 cartons of tiffany crunch and cream biscuit as against Tapet for fuel pump complete that was said to have been declared by the importer. Indeed, a common crime was said to have been committed by the importers whose Containers were seized: False declaration. The question on the lips of most people is: can importers and their agents ever learn from the mistakes of their colleagues who had lost both the duties paid and their goods to government? .” Only the importers can answer it, an officer remarked”. There is no gain saying the fact that releasing officers at the various Customs Commands and terminals in Lagos are guilty of collaborating with fraudulent agents to cheat the government going by the good number of Containers intercepted by FOU , Zone A, personnel, and transferred to the Command for re-examination. the Headquarters Strike Force have further exposed the rots at the ports by the millions which it had also recovered for the government in less than one year of its operations in Lagos. The job of the Customs Strike Force to track goods released from the port without going through proper import process with the back of the Customs Information Communication Technology, ICT , center at Apapa. All the Commands are said to be hooked to the center.
Fear of World War Three as May dances ping pong
With verbal missiles flying across oceans and diplomatic channels, World War three seems to be around the corner as world leaders get butterflies in their stomach over the death of former Russian spy. This time, it is no longer North Korea, but Syrian Assad seem to be currently caught in the cross fire.
The British Prime Minister, Theresa May, has called emergency meeting of the British Cabinet over Syrian chemical attack, claiming that “all indications” point to Assad regime. Indications are that she has already ordered submarines to move closer to Syria, within striking distances. To give them legal backing, he summoned the parliament out of recess to address the Syrian issue, believed to have the backing of Russian strongman, Vladimir Putin. White house has refused to rule out direct confrontation with Russia, and President Trump has, in his usual brash manner, asked Russian backers to “get ready” for missiles.
Adding this to North Korea Nuclear attack threat and the spy killings, the duo of Trump and Putin engaging in war of words, the issue of a global confrontation may be inevitable, with the United Kingdom joining forces with France and US in a military expedition against Assad. May have been spitting fire, saying that the perpetrators of the Douma,s gas attack “must be held to account.
Cross-Bench peer Lord Rickett, returning back to work for the emergency meetings, sees the issue on ground as grave enough to warrant deep considerations.
“It seems to me the question they have to answer is if the US and France our two closest military allies decide that it is right to take action, is it right for Britain to stand aside? Not least since we are the only other country in the world in recent weeks who has been subject to an attack using chemical weapons. I think it would be right for the three major western military powers to act together,” he said.
FOU: Bursting Crimes In The Jungle
By Stephen Ubanna
Those who think that the redeployment of Sani Madugu, former Comptroller ,Ogun Command to the Customs Headquarters as Comptroller , Enforcement, was as a result of the operation on Friday, April 6, 2018, by the Federal Operations Unit, FOU, Zone A, Ikja, Lagos Roving team at Illogbo Community iwithin in Lafenwa, in the outskirts of Abeokuta would be disappointed. The operation described in Customs circles as bursting crime in the jungle was said to have been well planned because of the violent nature of the people.
The Magazine learnt that Magdugu knew a month in advance that he would be redeployed to the Customs Headquarters to Had the Enforcement Unit in the Department of Enforcement and Investigation , headed by D an Gladima.A., a Deputy Comptroller General of Customs.
The Source gathered that the Lafenwa operation was at the instance of Muhammed Uba Garba, Comptroller, FOU, Zone A, Ikeja, based on” credible intelligence.” A source confirmed that at the onset it looked as if the operation would be a flop. This is because of the stiff resistance f of the people as they were determined to frustrate the FOU Ooperation team.
. Eyewitness account disclosed that aggrieved youths of the Community who had had kegs of fuel with them were battle ready to burn the Customs operational vehicles. The situation , according to the source was so intense that Jack, the team leader had to reach out to the Comptroller, who quickly contacted Madugu, the Comptroller of Ogun Command for reinforcement. The Comptroller was said to have ordered Seriki Abdullahi, a Chief Superintendent of Custooms, and the Command Head of Crack Squad based in Idiroko, the operational base of the Command , to mobilize his officers and move into Ilogbo Community to reinforce the FOU, Lagos Roving
In a military dispatch, Abdullahi was said to moved into Ilogbo with his officers to help quell the activities of the riotous youths of the Community to pave way for the FOU team to leave with the smuggled rice found in the makeshift houses in the area.
Muhammed, the Comptroller confirmed that 2,671 bags of 50 kg bags of foreign parboiled rice were evacuated from the village using nine hired trucks. Giving an insider information about the achievements recorded by the Command in its anti-smuggling operations in the last couple of weeks, he confirmed that the Command made a seizure of 6,003 bags of foreign parboiled rice. The total rice figure seized within the period include the 2,671 bags evacuated from Illogbo Community in Lafenwa axis of Abeokuta.
It would be recalled that early last March the Lagos Roving team had gone on operation based on credible information supplied at Idiroko, the major operational base of Ogun Command over suspected Vehicles loaded with rice being smuggled into the country from Republic of Benin. The officers of the Inspector General of police, IGP, Tactical Squad , was said to have been involved in the operation.
There was alleged stiff resistance from the people forcing Jack and his men to tactically withdraw from the scene to avoid casualty. A source told the Magazine that the smugglers who were coming into the country with nine Vehicles loaded with 50 kg foreign parboiled rice of about 25 bags of foreign parboiled rice of 50 each were trapped in their smuggling route. They could not move forward or backward because everywhere was strategically covered by Customs officers on the operation including the IGP’s men who were on ground armed to the teeth.
The tactical withdrawal of the FOU, Zone A, Roving team personnel may have created an opportunity for the IGP Tactical Special Squad to impound the nine vehicles loaded with the smuggled Vehicles loaded with rice.
Many had expected Ibrahim Idris, the IGP, to order the immediate release of the smuggled Vehicles loaded with rice to the Customs, which responsibility it is to intercept and keep seized goods. sources told the Magazine that the FOU, Zone A, Customs boss made all the necessary efforts including phone calls to Edgal Imohimi, the Lagos State Commissioner of Police including having a personal contact to facilitate the release of the items to the Customs Command but no luck.
Given the hard line position of the Police Commissioner on the matter, Mohammed, the FOU, Zone A, Customs boss was said to have petitioned Hameed Ali, a retired Colonel and Comptroller General, Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, to intervene to save the situation from degenerating. Ali was said to have reached out to Idris, his counterpart in the Force Headquarters, Abuja, and a Compromise reached to release the items to Customs.
A source confirmed that the IGP had directed that the eight or nine Vehicles loaded with the foreign parboiled rice still in police custody in Lagos, since March 14, 2018, be released to Customs. The Magazine gathered that the letter was written on March 16, 2018 but that was how far he could go. The source disclosed that Imohimi, the Lagos Police Command boss did not heed to the IGP directive to realse the items to the Customs Formation at Ikeja..
The argument in police circles, according was that the Ikeja Customs formation do not have the facilities to keep the seized smuggled items. They had had wanted to carry out an inspection of the place that the Customs formation would keep the items if handed over to them. It was a major bottle neck that was said to have been created by the police to delay the release of the items to Customs.
In spite of the fact that the Crime was committedin Lagos states in the south west geo-political Zone, the Commander, IGP, Tactical Special Squad was said to have unilaterally carried out an investigation into the case without the involvement of Customs officials.
Based on the investigation , it was gathered that eight persons were arrested in connection with the smuggled Vehicles loaded with rice and were subsequently charged to a Magistrate Court in Abuja. The question on the lips of most people was: why were the suspects being dragged to a Magistrate Court in Abuja instead of Lagos where the Crime was committed. ” They further queried on what ground are the suspects being charged to Court ”, This is because Customs cases against suspected smugglers are susally charged to a High Court . The eight suspects were said to have been convicted to five months imprisonment each on each count with an option of N6000.00.
Okeaga Azubuike, the trial Magistrate was said to have ordered the release of the alleged 150 bags of rice found in the vehicles to Customs and its forfeiture to the government. Already, Muhammed, Comptroller of FOU, Zone A, was said to have concluded arrangement to take over the items from Police Authorities in Lagos.
While the FOU, Zone A, Customs boss is making plans to take delivery of the smuggled rice loaded in nine Vehicles from the police, the Command on its part on Wednesday, April 11, 2018, handed over 570 parcels and 98 sacks of Cannabis sativa, popular India hemp, weighing 1,550kg to Lawal Isiaka, Principal Staff Officer, PSO, in charge of Intelligence and Investigation, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA at the Command.
An elated Isiaka said, ”the fight against illicit drugs is for everybody including security agencies”. He disclosed of plans by his agency to form a ”motorized patrol team with the NCS to block all loopholes used by the illicit drug dealers in the country”.
The major seizure of the Command during the period was said to have been made at Apapa and Tincan Island ports where four Containers intercepted for false declaration by the Command’s Lagos Roving team were seized on the orders of Muhammed, the Comptroller after re-examination.
Investigation by the Magazine shows that of the four Containers, both ”40” and ”20”, seized by the Command 2x”40” of it were found to have been released at APM Terminal, Apapa port while 1x”40” and another 1x”20” was released from Tin can Island port. The 1x”20”, Container no:CSNU06087/4 was found to be carrying 2,260 cartons of Gonca Spaghetti made in the European country of Turkey and an additional 530 package of Energy drinks made in another European country.
But what was said to have been declared by the Importer in the SGD form wasa baking powder. A tough talking an Muhammed revealed that the Container was never exited properly through the gate, fueling speculations that there might have been a collusion between Customs Officials and the Importer’s Clearing agent at the port to commit the fraud.
”We are still investigating and all those found culpable will face the wrath of the Law”, the FOU, Zone A, Comptroller said. The 1x”40”, Container no: CIU865957/1 was said to have been seized by the Customs Enforcement Unit for carrying 200 cartons of Ladies shoes, 140 cartons of that of Children among other items as against Computer keyboard and mouse in the SGD by the Importer.
In the case of the Containers that were released at Apapa port and seized by the Command, one of it , Container no: FCIU8992/1 was seized ” for allegedly carrying 2,300 cartons of tiffany chocolate, 385 cartons of tifanny crunch and cream biscuit as against ”Tapet for fuel pump complete which was said to have been declared by the Importer in the SGD .
aThis is an indictment on Jibril Musa and Baba Musa M.A. , Comptrollers , Apapa and Tincan Island Command respectively and their Enforcement Units for failure to track the Containers before it left the ports. This is because of their claims that that stakeholders at their ports are now compliant with government fiscal policy measures. Musa , the Apapa Customs boss was even boastful and optimistic that the NCIS II training which had flagged off at Kirikiri Lighter terminal, KLT, and Tin can Island port and other ports when it becomes operational at Apapa would help to block areas of revenue leakage and boosts its monthly revenue collections.
It would be recalled that the Customs Authorities had made clear to Importers with their clearing agents that release of Containers without examination, proper documentation, false declaration, flying of Containers or recycling of documents among others is liable to outright seizure and forfeiture to government.
Also, on the seizure list of the FOU, Zone A, Command were 64 exotic Vehicles . The vehicles were said to have been seized at different parts of Lagos state including Ogun state. It was learnt that18 of such exotic vehicles are still under detention and could only be released to the owners if theycould tender the necessary papers to the Command.
The Duty Paid Value, DPV of the alleged various contrabands seized by the Command including the exotic vehicles , according to the Comptroller was about N1.461 billion. This is in addition to the N166.207 million recovered from duty payments and demand notices, DN, on general goods from the seaports , airports and land border stations through ”wrong Classification, transfer of value and underpayment”.
Appealing to smugglers to desist from such trade malpractices and engage in legitimate business, the Comptroller said the Unit has devised other operational modalities that would give them a run for their money that would make many of them to rot in jail.
A t present , 10 suspects were said to have been arrested in connection with the seizures made by the Command in the recent time. The FOU , He disclosed that the Command could not have achieved that much without the support of the Ali led management team, the Army and the police including the support of officers and men of the Command .
To sustain the anti-smuggling drive, he has urged the officers to go out and make seizures to” win his confidence”. He was said to have rejig the operational roaster of the Command to give a bite to its anti-smuggling operations.
Imo Guber Race: Aspirants Plot Against “Third Term”
By Chidiebere Onyemaizu
Imo state governorship race is always crowded. Ahead 2019 governorship election in the state, the race to succeed the incumbent, Rochas Okorocha is crowded with notable sons and daughters of the state.
Okorocha has anointed his son-in-law, Uche Nwosu who is also his Chief of Staff as successor but the move has been receiving knocks from a broad spectrum of Imo people, including members of the governor’s own party, the All Progressives Congress, APC. Many say Nwosu’s governorship would be Okorocha’s third term by proxy.
However, there are speculations that Okorocha’s plan “B”, in the event that Nwosu becomes a hard sell, is to support a serving PDP Senator from the state, get him to defect to the APC and make Nwosu his Deputy.
Okorocha’s moves are however not deterring other aspirants, even within the APC , from carrying on with their ambitions.In the APC, Prince Eze Madumere who is Okorocha’s Deputy has spurned his principal’s entreaties to jettison his guber ambition, support Nwosu and pick the party’s ticket to represent Imo East in the Senate.The Deputy governor insists he better suited to lead the state as governor from next year.
Other APC guber aspirants include Chike Okafor who represents Ehime Mbano/Ihitte Uboma/Obowo Federal Constituency .However, it not clear whether the lawmaker is still interested in the race owing to his closeness to Okorocha’s preferred successor Uche Nwosu., has been touted to be interested in the governorship race.
Former Secretary to Government of Imo State, Sir Jude Ejiogu is also in the governorship race on the platform of the All Progressive Congress.
Former PDP Senator, Ifeanyi Araraume, though yet to formally declare his ambition, has not hidden his ambition to become Imo State Governor on the platform of the APC. Also in the contest on the APC platform is Chima Anozie (Home Base), a former General Manager of Imo ENTRACO and one time House of Assembly aspirant on the platform of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP. A retired Air Force Officer, Air Commodore Peter Gbujie has also declared his ambition to become Imo State Governor on the platform of the APC.There also feelers that Chucks Ololo, Okorocha’s brother in-law is also in the race. Chucks is married to Okorocha’s younger sister, Mrs Oluchi Ololo who is Imo state Commissioner for Happiness and Couple’s Fulfilment.
The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP are loaded with formidable governorship aspirants including former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt Hon Emeka Ihedioha, former Imo State Governor, Ikedi Ohakim, Senator Athan Achonu,.Tony Nwulu who repreents Isolo/Oshodi Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives and former APC stalwart, Jerry Chukwueke. Chukwueke who is the founder and Chairman of Germaine Group was a PDP chieftain before defecting to the APC. However, upon exiting APC recently , Awaka, Owerri born business mogul who is also the founding Director of Food Concept Ltd, said he left the party because the APC in Imo has degenerated into a monumental disgrace.
Senator Sam Anyanwu representing Imo East in the Senate and former Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Viola Onwuliri are also in the race for PDP Imo guber ticket and ultimately for the Government House.
The All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, has the highest number of aspirants. Among Imolites gunning for the party’s gubernatorial ticket are ex banker Chief.Okey Ezeh, former member House of Representatives,Hon Uche Onyeagocha, Daniel Kanu of the “One Million Man March For Abacha” fame, former APGA national officer Barr Steve Nwoga, former Social Democratic Party 2015 Imo ststae governorship candidate, Dr. Captain David Mbamala, a former Commissioner of Health in the, State Dr Obi Njoku,former Commissioner of Lands and Urban Planning Barr. Charles Onyeagbako, former Commissioner of Internal Generated Revenue (IGR) , Nick Oparandudu, Founder Associated Bus Company (ABC Transport), Frank Nneji, a legal practitioner and businessman Brrister Humphrey Anumudu, Senator Bright Nwanne, Barrister Phillip Ibekwe and former Chairman Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission,Dr Sam Amadi.
Buhari declaration sets new election template, sparks protests in London
Buhari-Muhammadu Buhari- the present Nigerian president, has stirred the hornets’ nest when he declared that he is going to contest the 2019 presidential election on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC. Although the possibility of denial of the declaration cannot be ruled out since the initial announcement was given, not by him, but by the Kaduna state governor, Nasir el-Rufai, after the APC stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja recently.
Already, the announcement that he has approved the release of $1 billion to fight the already defeated Boko Haram led to a loud public outcry, with critics bemoaning the fact that the appropriation was done without recourse to the National assembly. In fact, Senate President Bukola Saraki confessed that the senate was not intimated of the approval. This made that media handlers to hurriedly say the amount has not been approved.
Critics believe that the approval was to raise money for his presidential campaign through the back door. Not long after, the President declared his interest to contest the 2019 presidency.
But this declaration appears not to have gone well with the populace. critics were quick to point out that there is nothing to show for the three years of APC ruler-ship, with many pointing out that instead of showing Nigerians what they achieved within the period, they were distracting Nigeria by releasing alleged looters list, which ended up as a comprehensive list of top members of the opposition.
No sooner has he declared his intention than he jetted out to London for what his media handlers described as a deserved rest before the Commonwealth of nations meeting two weeks after.
His arrival in London, however, is far from being restful. Nigerians in London took to his Abuja House residence in protest against his declaration. The protest, which presidential handlers said are sponsored by corrupt Nigerians with slush funds stashed away, has been reported to be a serious embarrassment for the presidency, who fear the protests will be taken to the venue of the Commonwealth meeting.
Accusations of lopsided fight for corruption-specifically of hounding opposition and giving corrupt associates free protection-has been trailing the APC led government.
Apapa Shutdown: APM Terminals, Others Panic Over Huge Loses
By Bayo Bernard
Terminal operator operating in Apapa ports have warned the federal government over plan by the federal ministry of Power, works and Housing to shut down Marine Bridge for repairs in the next few weeks. The operators said the action will result in huge loses to them, aside attendant disruption on ports activities.
No fewer than nine terminal operators are conducting business in the two ports of Tin can and Apapa ports. Four operators, APM Terminals, Apapa Bulk Terminal, ENL Consortium, Greenview Development operate in the Lagos Port Complex while five others namely Tin Can Island Container Terminal, Port and Cargo, Josephdam, PTML and Five Stars Logistics are operating at the Tin Can Island Port Complex.
Should the government still go ahead with the plan the companies said they will be left with no option than to declare a force majeure.
The Babatunde Fashola led-ministry has recently announced that the bridge will be shut to vehicular traffic ahead the repairs expected to start in the next few weeks. The repair works will be handled by construction giant, Julius Berger.
The development also coincided with the ongoing construction work of a portion of Wharf road by another construction firm, AG Dangote. The company has recently also indicated its plan to close down both side of the road, to fast-track the construction work.
Port users and motorists have groaned under the slow pace of work which the company started last year. Experts warn of more hardship for road users as the raining season approaches. In fact the heavy rainfall in the last few days has further compounded the problems of users of the road.
The terminal operators are however more concerned with the cost implication to their business if the two major road to both the Lagos Port Complex and Tin can Port Complex are totally shut down for repairs.
The operators under the aegis of Seaport Terminal Operators Association of Nigeria ( STOAN), have recently warned of dire consequences should the ministry went ahead with the closure. Apart from declaring force majure, the companies are currently considering the option of suing the Nigeria Ports Authority, NPA a la federal government for breach of concession agreement contract the terminal operators had with the Nigerian government,
STOAN last week warned that the twin closure will lead to cargo build up and eventual congestion at the ports. The timing of the closure TOAN said will create a lot of problems for its members.
STOAN said ”while we commend the efforts of the federal government to address the issue of bad roads and the poor state of the bridge, the closure of both roads at about the same time will cause serious problems to the ports especially the Lagos Port Complex, Apapa and the Tin can Island Port.
The bridge and the Wharf Road are the two major entry points into Apapa and shutting both down will mean cargoes will be trapped inside the port. The implication of this is that there will be build up of cargoes at the various terminals and port congestion will inevitably set in.
“In no time” STOAN warns ”vessel queues will return and Nigerians ports run the risk of returning to the point where they were prior to port concession.”
According to the terminal operators this could lead to dire consequences, because ”once vessels queues return, shipping lines concession surcharge, which could amount to as much as $100 million per month could be slammed on the Nigerian ports and this cost will ultimately be borne by the market.”
Despite the warning, the ministry said it will still go ahead will the repairs expected to start any moment from now. Sources in the ministry told the magazine that the roads were already due for repairs and that the federal government had no plans to reverse its decision.