February 2018 ~ world news

The military has employed the services of local fishermen and farmers in the search for the abducted Dapchi schoolgirls, the head of counter-insurgency operation in the North East (Operation Lafiya Dole), Maj. Gen. Rogers Nicholas, has said.

Speaking at the inauguration of helipad, office complex and residential quarters for officers and airmen at the newly established 171 Nigerian Air Force Detachment in Monguno town by the National Security Adviser, Maj-Gen. Babagana Monguno on Tuesday evening, Nicholas said over 200 hours have been spent by crafts combing the Theatre for the schoolgirls.

He said both the NSA and CAS have been flying round the Theatre to contribute to the ongoing search for the girls.Nicholas said the National Security Adviser and Chief of Air Staff came down to add value to the ongoing search for the missing Dapchi schoolgirls.

He said: “What this means is that nobody is sitting down, sleeping over it. It means that the government is serious in rescuing these abducted girls. Primarily, that is why the NSA is here to see things for himself and add value to what we are doing.

“Having said that, the NSA has also introduced us to some locals — fishermen and farmers — who have very good knowledge of this terrain to work with us in terms of intelligence to contribute to the search efforts we are making.

“The Nigerian Air Force has been airborne since the last three days and we will also declare additional platforms to do this exercise. As I speak, many areas have been covered, over 200 hours have been spent flying, combing the whole Theatre in search of the girls.

“Additionally the ground force are there in various places searching in various places identified.”

Court jails pastor who sprays insecticide on followers for healing

A South African court has fined a self-styled prophet who sprayed his followers in the face with insecticide as a supposed cure for illness.

Pastor Lethebo Rabalago was found guilty by a court in the northwest town of Limpopo of five charges of grievous assault and contravening chemicals laws .

He used “Doom”, a household insecticide on his followers, earning the sobriquet “Prophet of Doom”.

Lawyer Edmund Lubusi said Tuesday his client would pay the money.The Sowetan daily reported Wednesday that the presiding judge jailed Rabalago to four years or a 21,000 ($1,700) fine.

“We have made an arrangement that my client will pay 3,000 rand in instalments every month until the fine is fully paid,” Lubusi told the paper.

Photographs of Rabalago spraying volunteers at his church in Limpopo spread on social media in 2016.

The pastor claimed that some people were healed of various medical complaints after he had sprayed them.

However some suffered the effects for several months.

Rabalago said at the time he was “glorifying God” by spraying his congregation at the Mount Zion General Assembly (MZGA) church.

“Everything here on Earth belongs to God. Petrol belongs to God. Doom belongs to God,” he said.

Brand Tigers, which manufactures the spray, had issued a statement calling on Rabalago to halt his ritual healing and stressing the dangers of using their product on humans.

CBN warns against investment in virtual currencies

The Central Bank of Nigeria on Wednesday night cautioned Nigerians to be wary of investments in crypto-currency, stating that virtual currencies are not legal tender in Nigeria.

The apex bank in a statement issued in Abuja, stated that crypto-currencies such as Bitcoin, Ripples, Monero, Litecoin, Dogecoin, Onecoin, and exchanges such as NairaEx were not licensed or regulated by the CBN.

It added that since they are not protected by law, these investors may not be able to seek legal redress in event of failure or collapse of the business.The statement signed by the Bank’s Acting Director, Corporate Communications, Isaac Okorafor, emphasized that dealers and investors in any kind of crypto-currency in Nigeria were not protected by law.

2019: Imo deputy gov reportedly rejects Okorocha’s senate offer

Imo state deputy governor Eze Madumere disclosed why he turned his principal Governor Rochas Okorocha’s offer down
- Madumere said his zone has not produced a governor since the return of democracy in 1999
- The deputy governor, however, said he has made up his mind to contest for the office of the governor in 2019
Imo state deputy governor Eze Madumere has reportedly rejected his principal, Governor Rochas Okorocha’s offer to contest for the Imo east senatorial election in 2019.
The Nation reports that Governor Okorocha asked his deputy to contest for Senate instead of the governorship election to pave way for the Chief of Staff and his son in-law, Uche Nwosu, who he has endorsed as his successor.
It was learnt that Madumere rejected the the governor's offer because the Owerri zone where he is has not produced a governor since the return of democracy in 1999.
READ ALSO: Henry Okah appeals terrorism conviction at International Court of Justice
The deputy governor, however, insisted that he has made up his mind to contest for the office of the governor in 2019.
He made this known in a statement signed by his chief press secretary Uche Onwuchekwa, he has chosen his path towards realizing “God’s given vision to better the lot of Imolites”, adding that his fate “is in no man’s hands.''
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Describing the Okorocha’s offer as an act of betrayal, the deputy governor, argued that ''IfJesus Christ could be ill-treated by those he called his friends and was later betrayed by Judas, how much more a mere mortal like me.''
He said that he has been “molested, betrayed and insulted” by those he nurtured to “become relevant in life”.
Meanwhile, NAIJ.com had reported that Governor Okorocha stated that he won't aspire to be a senator in 2019.
The governor made the comment when about 5,000 members of the Rochas Mandate Movement held a solidarity rally for him in Owerri, on Friday December 15.
The governor's statement is coming at a time most of his colleagues gearing up to leave their respective government houses are preparing to contest for senatorial positions.

FG rejects Transparency International's report on corruption

- The federal government has rejected Transparency International (TI)'s report that there is a high rate of corruption in the country
- With proofs, official reports claim Nigeria, under the Buhari administration, has improved in many aspects of its national affairs between 2016 and 2017
- Laolu Akande, a senior special assistant on media and publicity in the presidency said that there have been clear procedures and accountability in the monitoring of public funds in the country's ministries, departments and agencies
Contrary to the report by Transparency International on the high rate of corruption in Nigeria between 2016 and 2017, details as to why the federal government rejected the claims are now springing up.
The TI had reported tha Nigeria ranked 148 out of 180 countries assessed in 2017 on the perception of corruption in the annual Corruption Perception Index (CPI), but a closer review of the report showed that in all of the nine categories of the evaluation, Nigeria fell short in only on category, while performing fairly well in others.
In the 2016 Index, the nation was ranked 136th, scoring 28 points out of 176 countries. An official source said: “It must also be pointed out that compared to the 2016 Index, Nigeria either improved or remained stable in all, but one of the Indexes."
READ ALSO: Breaking: INEC release elections timetable for next 35 years
As an example, Nigeria improved significantly in key indexes between 2016 and 2017: the Bertelsmann foundation transformation Index, a 5-point improvement; African development bank country policy and institutional assessment, a 2-point improvement; a 1-point improvement in the world justice project rule of law index expert survey and world economic forum executive opinion.
Reports further revealed that Nigeria remained stable in the following indexes: World Bank country policy and institutional assessment, global insight country risk ratings; PRS group international country risk guide and varieties of democracy project.
The only index ijn which the country fell short was the economic intelligence unit country risk service, on which basis is the sole reason for Nigeria’s decline in the overall Transparency International’s corruption perceptions index of 2017.
The Bertelsmann Stiftung’s Transformation Index evaluates the quality of democracy, a market economy and political management in 129 developing and transition countries, while the African development bank country policy and institutional assessment measures the capacity of a country to support sustainable growth, poverty reduction, and the effective use of development assistance with a particular focus on the assessment of key elements that are within the country's control. Nigeria improved in this categories in the TI’s report.
READ ALSO: Toyin Saraki expresses optimism that Dapchi girls will be rescued soon
Going by these findings, the Buhari administration’s effort in tackling corruption is perceived to have improved, and this is given credence by the improvement in the indexes.
A source in the the Economic and Financial Crimes (EFCC), revealed: “President Muhammadu Buhari remains fully committed to combating corruption, despite the challenges, and this administration will not relent in doing so in all areas. With hundreds of convictions secured by the EFCC alone in 2016 and 2017, and assets worth billions of naira recovered, it is evident that the Economic and Financial Crimes (EFCC) under the Buhari administration has made significant strides in the fight against corruption.” The source also said that the administration supports the rule of law and the sanctity of the judiciary in ensuring that these cases are properly prosecuted.
Moreover, the report also showed that in 2013 Nigeria scored 25, but jumped to 28 in 2016, a year after President Muhammadu Buhari assumed office.
Laolu Akande, a senior special assistant on media and publicity in the presidency said that under the Buhari administration, there have been clear procedures and accountability in the monitoring of public funds in country's ministries, departments and agencies.
He pointed out that the implementation of the Treasury Single Account (TSA), by the present administration has also aided the country to save billions of naira. Also, through the TSA and other interventions, the federal government has made massive reforms to detect fraudulent activities in public offices.
He remarked: “In 2016, for instance, the Presidential Initiative on Continuous Auditing (PICA) discovered discrepancies in the payroll of several MDAs to the tune of N5.7 billion monthly. Also, over 50,000 ghost workers have been uncovered by the audit team, as a result, over N120bn has been reportedly saved.
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"Leakages of unremitted funds have been blocked in many of country’s Revenue Generating Agencies, which have seen an increase in their revenues in recent times.
“The Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, remitted N1 trillion into the Federation account, the highest ever remittance by the agency, despite the country being in recession half of the year.”
Akande also revealed that the revenue generated by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), improved. The exams body remitted about N7.8 billion to the federal government in 2017,which is a contrast to the paltry N3 million that was the highest amount of money remitted by the agency considering what was obtainable in the past.
Similarly, the 2017 half-year remittance of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) was greater than its 2015 and 2016 returns combined.
Akande remarked: “You can see that these developments are indicators that demonstrate public confidence in the administration and the steady success in tackling corruption in the public sector.
“The administration’s whistle-blower policy which was introduced in December 2016 by the Federal Government to tackle corruption - a first of its kind government initiative in the country - has also helped in the area of accountability in the use of public funds in different sectors of national life.
“Out of the about 5,000 reports made, about 365 were actionable as at July 2017. While 39% of these reports were related to the diversion of funds, 15% related to violation of TSA,” according to Akande."
Moreso, experts have argued that Nigeria’s recovery from recession, the steady growth in the economy, and the subsequent improvement in the 2018 World Bank Doing Business Index, where the country climbed up 24 places and was placed on the list of 10 most reformed economies globally, are proofs of the economic policies brought about by the President Buhari administration.
The administration, despite the country's economic setbacks, has been commended in several areas for making considerable investments on infrastructure projects, the provision of N1.3trn for capital expenditure in 2016, a historic highest budget used for capital projects.
Earlier, NAIJ.com reported that vice president Yemi Osinbajo on Tuesday, February 27, said Transparency International’s verdict on Nigeria is not a setback , but an encouragement for the country to work harder and close its ranks.
While speaking on the theme, 'The imperative of cooperation of arms of government in a democratic dispensation,' at the dialogue of organs of government on reform of justice sector and campaign against corruption, Osinbajo said the latest corruption perception index should not be misconstrued, but an opportunity to continue building on the many successes recorded in key sectors of the country.

Breaking News;Mysterious fish swallows N52m SEEDC Fund in Abia State

The 52 million naira which was meant for the South East Entrepreneurship Development Centre(SEEDC) contract job and renovation of Women Development Centre has been swallowed by a mysterious fish.
Igbere Tv gathered that the contract was given to Phrenemos Int Ltd and was supervised by the current Abia State SSG, Dr. Eme Okoro who is very close to Governor Okezie Ikpeazu.
It was reported that before now there had been news of the SSG mismanagement of financial transactions & requests for kickbacks from contractors but this shocking revelation was the last straw which broke the camel’s back as a mysterious fish has been alleged to have swallowed the whole obey meant for the job.
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Upon investigations, it was gathered that the SSG who was instructed by Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu to oversee the job told the MD of Phrenemos Int Ltd to open a UBA account with one Glory Emucha in the pretence that UBA is the bank Abia State government is dealing with, not knowing the reason is for access into his account.
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Weeks later, the MD of Phrenemos Intl Ltd, Engr Emma Uche Adimoha approached UBA to know the status of his account in respect of the contract payment and discovered the unbelievable.
Adimoha was told that a mysterious fish has swallowed the whole money.
He discovered that N2m was paid in to the account but was swallowed by the fish without his knowledge, meanwhile jealous had started using his personal funds in facilitating the project.
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He also discovered that a financial project report was sentvtl the governor detailing that over N15million that was released has been used for the project.
This simply means that the government actually released N15million for the project but N2m was deposited into Phrenemos Int Ltd’s account which was withdrawn without his concentrate and the remaining diverted.
READ Katsina Governor sacks SUBEB director, Unit head over N138million ICT scam
The DSS already made some arrests in connection to the fraudulent activities and Gov Okezie’s government is already gathering bad image based on fraud issues.
It may be recalled that within the country N36m was reportedly swallowed by a snake in JAMB office and a monkey also allegedly swallowed public funds only few weeks ago.

Mysterious Elephant Cause Chaos Infront of First Bank Nigeria (Photos)

According to a Facebook user, Shadrack Okpomhe,
The elephant which was seen at the First Bank Nigeria branch located at the Seme border, at exactly 1:47pm yesterday carted away a whopping sum of N125million.
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It is said to have appeared immediately a bullion van arrived a the bank to dispatch funds forcing security operatives to swing into action, thereby leading to damage of property and the death of a bank official.

FIRSTBANK REACTS TO PRESUMPTION THAT ITS ELEPHANT MAY SWALLOW CUSTOMERS MONEY

First Bank of Nigeria Limited has reacted to the recent trend of animal swallowing public funds in Nigeria.
The reportage of snake swallowing N36m at a JAMB Office and a monkey eating another N70m instead of Banana took a viral dimension with Nigerians extending it to almost every aspect of national and personal lives.
A twitter user with the handle, @officialrohkip had tweeted thus:
“ “With the way animals swallow money now, I will have to close my @FirstBankngr account. I don’t trust that elephant on their logo….”. ” Acknowledging the power of the social media and the probable impacts that may have on its customer base, the bank addressed the issue in a separate tweet saying:
“ “The Elephant on our logo represents trust, integrity, dependability, and loyalty. Let your First Bank account remain open. We are your trusted ally. #Stillstanding #Stilldependable #YouFirst . ” First Bank restated that the elephant on its logo does not swallow customers’ deposits.

Wizkid performs at Coachella Festival in California

Nigeria music sensation, Ayo Balogun, aka Wizkid , will make his debut at popular Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival popularly known as Coachella in Indio, California .
Coachella is one of the largest , most famous, and most profitable music festivals in the United States and all over the world , reports say .
The 2017 edition of the festival was attended by 250, 000 people and grossed $114. 6m .
Wizkid, who is one of Nigeria ’ s biggest exports , confirmed his participation via a tweet on Tuesday, saying , “ We taking the African culture to Coachella BTW and am bringing out everybody . ”
We taking that African culture to coachella this year BTW and i’m brin out everybody.
3:28 PM - Feb 27, 2018
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Wizkid
The “ Soco ” crooner will be performing alongside international acts such as The Weekend , Beyoncé and Eminem .
Others are Black Coffee, Jorja Smith, Migos , Cardi B , Jidenna , Tyler the Creator .
Meanwhile, Daddy Yo , Wizkid’ s 2017 hit song, is part of the soundtrack for British - Nigerian actor John Boyega’ s new film ,
Pacific Rim Uprising .
Pacific Rim Uprising is an upcoming American science fiction and action film set for release on March 23.
The film is co -produced by Boyega; written and directed by Steven DeKnight in his feature film directorial debut .

NEC releases general elections dates for the next 36 years

The Independent National Electoral Commission on Wednesday announced dates for general elections in the country for the next 36 years , starting from 2019 to 2055.
Chairman of the commission, Prof. Mamood Yakubu , made the announcement at a consultative meeting with leaders of political parties in Abuja .
“ In 2019, the dates are February 16 and March 2; in 2023, the dates are February 18 and March 4.
“ In 2027, the dates are February 20 and March 6; in 2031, it is February 15 and March 1.
“ In 2035, it is February 17 and March 3; in 2039, it is February 19 and March 5 and in 2043, it will hold on February 21 and March 7.
“ In 2047, it is February 15 and March 2; in 2051, it is February 18 and March 1; in 2055, it is February 20 and March 6, ” Yakubu said .
He pointed out that in other democracies of the world , periods of elections are generally known and are not topics for speculation.
Yakubu explained that the aim was to engender certainty in the election calendar and also to allow for long - term planning by the commission and all stakeholders.
He said that certainty in election calendar was necessary to match Nigeria ’ s democratic system with global best practices.
The chairman said that in the last one week, INEC had received 108 applications from associations seeking to be registered as political parties .
He said that 66 of the applications did not meet the initial requirements , while 33 passed and had proceeded to the next stage.

Oloyede expresses satisfaction as 211,000 UTME candidates write mock exam

ABUJA- AHEAD of the 2018 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination,UTME,billed to commence on March 6,the Registrar of Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board,JAMB,Prof. Ishaq Oloyede,has expressed hope that the exercise would experience significant improvement over previous ones.

His confidence in the forthcoming examination was sequel to the successful conduct of a mock examination,Monday,across the country which he supervised along some officials of the board in Abuja and environs.

Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, the Registrar, Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB)

While monitoring the conduct of the mock examination which had a total of 211,000 participants out of the 257,000 that had shown interest to write, he expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the candidates and CBT centres visited.

Oloyede, who introduced mock UTME in 2017 following his appointed to take charge of the tertiary institutions’ examinations body,said it was aimed at allowing prospective candidates acquaint themselves with the Computer Based Test,CBT exercise and douse possible fear and anxiety in them during the proper exercises.

Oloyede said he was also impressed with the reports from state offices, which according to him,showed that the exercise was going on smoothly as planned.

To this end, he encouraged them and privately owned CBT centres to put finishing touches to their preparation for the 2018 UTME exercise.

Meanwhile, the JAMB Registrar, has insisted that items like wristwatches, pens, calculators, pencils, devices that could store data, transmit or receive signal, order than HB pencil, would not be accepted at the CBT centres during the UTME scheduled to begin March 9.

In addition to that, Prof. Oloyede maintained that electronic devices, mobile phones, spy reading glasses would be subjected to properly scrutiny before being allowed into the exam hall.

“Similarly, books or any other reading/writing material, cameras, recorders, microphones, ear piece, ink/pen readers, smart lenses, smart rings/jewellery, smart buttons and Bluetooth devices would not be allowed into the centres,”he said.

He explained that prohibition of the above listed materials and other rules were applicable to, not only the candidates but to the supervisors and examiners.

We’ll secure release of all abducted persons – Buhari

President Muhamamdu Buhari on Monday promised that his administration would ensure the safe return of all those abducted by the Boko Haram sect, including the 110 students of the Government Science and Technical College in Dapchi, Yobe State.

Buhari made the promise at the Presidential Villa, Abuja while receiving three University of Maiduguri lecturers, one policewoman and nine other women rescued from the insurgents.

“I can’t fully express the joy I felt this afternoon, as I received our citizens recently released from Boko Haram captivity—fathers, mothers, sons, daughters. We will go to any length to ensure that no one is left behind in the hands of terrorists. Every Nigerian life matters,” he wrote.In a series of messages he posted on his Twitter handle, @MBuhari, the President said he assured his guests that nobody would be left behind in captivity.

The President added, “They are the University of Maiduguri lecturers, abducted while on service to their fatherland, and also the women abducted from a funeral procession.

“Today they are safely back home, and Nigeria rejoices with them and with their families.

“They told me that they had given up all hopes of ever coming back alive. I assured them that we will never give up on any of our citizens.

“I have asked the security agencies to ensure that every abducted person—including the Dapchi girls—is safely released.”

Ekiti varsity students cry out as ASUU strike enters third month ‎

Some students of Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti, have appealed to the Academic Staff Union of Universities and the university authorities to resolve the lingering industrial crisis in the institution.

Some of the students told the News Agency of Nigeria on Monday in Ado Ekiti that they had become uncomfortable as the strike has entered the third month.

The university lecturers embarked on an indefinite strike at the end of December 2017, on issues bordering on staff welfare and under-funding.

A student, Mr. Solomon Adewale, said except the matter is settled on time, there is a tendency that the students might miss a whole semester.A cross-section of the students, some of who should have graduated, as well as returning and newly-admitted students, said they were tired of staying at home.

Another student, Mr Gboyega Akinola, urged ASUU and the school authorities to shift ground.

Akinola said both the school authorities and the lecturers should consider the future and plight of the students who bear the consequence of the strike.

The chairman of ASUU in the university, Prof. Olufayo Olu, said the strike was embarked upon as a result of unpaid salaries and poor funding by the state government.

Olu said that only N260m was released as monthly subvention to the institution, as against the about N500m required.

According to him, efforts made by the unions to make the state government understand the financial position of the institution and the need to be pro-active about it did not yield positive result.

“For instance, our several demands for increased subvention to the university and improved welfare of workers have always been treated with disdain.

“The management, at a time, paid some of us the allowances of 2011 to 2014 by borrowing N200m from the bank. I do not know how others will get theirs with this paucity of fund.“As I speak with you, we have not received “Academic Allowances’’ for six years.

“The university currently has a wage bill of N455m, so there is little we can do with a paltry sum of N260m monthly subvention from the government.

“Our university has not got any of such subventions for some months. As a result, the university has always been borrowing to pay net salary.

“To further compound our situation, within the last one year, the total number of additional workers has almost caught up with total number of employees of the institution since its inception in 1982.

“This is without increase in budgetary allocation to the institution.

“The consequences of poor funding and such unregulated employment have contributed largely to irregular payment of salaries, poor research, and poor learning environment.

“Other consequences are increased health casualties, epileptic power supply, inability to pass accreditation, staff and students’ increased agitations, among others.’’

He said ASUU and other unions of the university would not return to work until all the demands are met.

According to him, the strike began after ASUU and other unions of the university lost four of their members due to unpaid salaries and inability to maintain their families.

Olu sympathised with the students for missing classes, saying the unions had, in the past, cooperated with the management, thinking that the opportunity offered by the unions would be well appreciated.

Reacting, the Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Samuel Oye-Bandele, said the management was not losing sight of the plight of the students.

Oye-Bandele gave an assurance that everything humanly possible was being done to bring the strike to an end.

NAN reports that the Non Academic Staff Union of Universities, Senior Staff Union of Nigerian Universities, National Association of Technologies and Allied Matters had earlier embarked on strike.

The strike became effective in December 2017 when ASUU joined the other three unions to press home their demands. (NAN)

Ambode signs N1.046tn 2018 budget into law

Lagos State Governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode on Monday signed the 2018 Appropriation Bill of the State into law with a total budget size of N1,046,121,181,680.00.

The total budget size comprises of N347, 038, 938, 872.00 to be funded from the Consolidated Revenue Fund, and N699, 082, 242,808.00 from the Development Fund for both capital and recurrent expenditure for the year ending 31st December, 2018.

The Governor also signed two critical bills into law. They are the Consolidated Transport Sector Bill and the Lagos State Teaching Service Commission Bill.

The law also regulates the provision of an efficient transport delivery system and ensures availability of a safe and affordable transportation system. It is hoped that with this law, an efficient integrated transport management system will evolve in the State.The Transport Sector Law 2018 provides for the development and management of a sustainable transport system in the State, as well as development, management and maintenance of transport infrastructure and facilities within the State.

On the other hand, the Teaching Service Commission Law 2018 provides for the control and management of teaching service matters in the State, and for connected purposes.

The law regulates and co-ordinates the management of teaching service matters and provides uniform guidelines for the effective management of Post-Primary Schools in the State.

Governor Ambode, while presenting the 2018 Appropriation Bill to the State House of Assembly, had pledged that his administration would make every effort to complete all ongoing projects as well as initiate new ones to consolidate on the development recorded in the last two and half years.

He said the budget, christened as “Budget of Progress and Development”, would be used to consolidate on the achievements recorded in infrastructure, education, transportation/traffic management, security and health sectors, among others.

Outlining the key components of the budget, Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Mr. Olusegun Banjo said capital expenditure would gulp N699.082billion, while N347.039billion would be dedicated to recurrent expenditure, representing a Capital/Recurrent ratio of 67 per cent to 33 per cent and a 28.67 per cent increase over the 2017 budget.

He also listed key projects captured in the 2018 Budget to include the Agege Pen Cinema flyover; alternative routes through Oke-Ira in Eti-Osa to Epe-Lekki Expressway; the 8km Regional Road to serve as alternative route to connect Victoria Garden City (VGC) with Freedom Road in Lekki Phase I; completion of the on-going reconstruction of Oshodi International Airport Road into a 10-lane road and the BRT Lane from Oshodi to Abule-Egba.

Despite military presence, over a million cows have flooded Benue, Ortom laments

Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, on Monday raised fresh concerns of possible herdsmen attacks in the state.

The governor dropped this hint when he led the senior pastor of Dunamis International Gospel Centre, Paul Enenche, and his wife, Becky, to the cemetery of the 73 victims of the New Year Fulani herdsmen attacks.

Governor Ortom, who decried the influx of herdsmen into the state, appealed to the military to flush out the invaders so that the over 160,000 displaced persons who had been in eight camps could return to their homes.The governor hinged his alarm on the influx of over one million cattle into the state despite the launch of Ayem Akpatuma military exercise last Tuesday.

Ortom further said that more than 60 persons, including three people killed last week in Guma Local Government Area of the state, have been killed since the mass burial of the 73 persons initially killed by herdsmen in the New Year attacks.

“We appreciate president Buhari for the deployment of soldiers to the state to keep the peace, but our concern is the influx of over one million cows into the state despite the presence of the military.”

Conducting funeral service at the cemetery, Enenche anointed the land to signify the breaking of the yoke, declaring that the burial would also connote the interment of security failure, impunity, Jihadist agenda and all forms of evils.

He also prayed for God’s judgment against the killers and their sponsors throughout the country and charged the earth to rise up against them.

Nigeria needs N4.5tn annually for infrastructure — Report

Nigeria requires $15bn (N4.59tn at N306 to a dollar) worth of investments annually for 15 years in order to adequately develop its infrastructure nationwide, the Financial Derivatives Company, an economic and financial research firm, has said.

In its latest bi-monthly Economic and Business report for February 2018, the FDC stated that the underinvestment in infrastructure in Nigeria over the years had widened the infrastructural gap across the country.

It said, “Nigeria’s underinvestment in infrastructure has left it with a core stock of infrastructure of just 20 per cent to 25 per cent of Gross Domestic Product, compared to an average of 70 per cent of the GDP for more advanced middle-income countries of similar size.The report obtained in Abuja on Friday, however, stated that the Federal Government’s limited access to foreign credit and revenue constraints had made it difficult for the country to source for funds to meet its infrastructural needs.

“Bridging this gap will require investing about $15bn annually for the next 15 years. Given the government’s limited access to international debt, revenue constraints and competing priorities, the major question is where will funding be sourced?”

The report stated that the crippling infrastructure deficit in Nigeria was one of the biggest challenges confronting the country.

This, according to the FDC, has significantly increased the cost of doing business in Nigeria, adding that it has hampered both international and local investments in Nigeria.

It said, “One of the biggest constraints to competitiveness, economic growth and diversification in Nigeria is the crippling infrastructure deficit, estimated at about $300bn (N30tn) by the African Development Bank.

“They estimate that the gross underinvestment in infrastructure over the years has left Nigeria with a core stock of infrastructure of just 20-25 per cent of the GDP, compared to 70 per cent for more advanced middle-income countries of similar size.

“This has driven the cost of doing business up significantly and impaired both foreign and domestic investment. The cheapest alternative to public power supply is at least three times more expensive. Businesses simply need adequate transportation systems (road, railway and port) to receive supplies and access markets for their goods.”

It, however, noted that it was not feasible for Nigeria to attempt to follow the Chinese model in terms of capital budget, given the revenue profile in the African nation.The FDC described the capital budgets of Nigeria in 2017 and 2018 as unimpressive, particularly when compared to the capital budget of a country like China.

The report stated, “Nigeria spent N2.07tn (three per cent of the GDP) on capital expenditure in 2017 and plans to spend N2.43tn (3.5 per cent of the GDP) in 2018. This pales in significance to China, which spent an estimated 15 per cent of its GDP per year on infrastructure between 1980 and 2005.

“Attempting to follow the Chinese model will amount to spending N10tn ($33bn) per annum on infrastructure, 16 per cent higher than total expenditure proposed in the 2018 budget. This is simply not feasible given Nigeria’s current revenue profile and the huge burden of recurrent expenditure, much of which already goes into debt servicing.”

It added, “Borrowing specifically to address the infrastructure gap would only push the debt-to-GDP and debt-to-exports ratios – 11.1 per cent and 62.4 per cent, respectively – beyond sustainable levels.”

The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, on Thursday in Abuja confirmed that work had stalled on several road projects across the country due to funding constraints.

UTME candidats wants exam date to be shifted, Jamb says no

Candidates for the 2018 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) yesterday protested against the March date fixed by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB.The aggrieved candidates who paralysed human and vehicular movements along Bariga-Akoka road, demanding a postponement of the examination on the ground that the timing is too short.

The candidates carried placards with various inscriptions such as; “Admission is yet to close, why conducting another UTME now?”; “JAMB isn’t for revenue generation, stop milking our parents,” “2017 UTME was held in May, why March in 2018?” “2018 admissions not transparent,” among others.

They lamented that many of them who had hoped to be admitted into tertiary institutions during the 2017/2018 academic calendar year just found out this week that they were not admitted, saying the few weeks left for the conduct of the UTME cannot be enough to prepare for another examination.

But JAMB, in a swift reaction said there’s no going back on its the decision to hold the examination between March 9and 17, noting that it was a decision jointly taken by other examination bodies to avoid clash of timetables and to ensure that all admissions are concluded by August every year for a smooth academic system.
The examination body, however, advised the 245,000 candidates billed to take part in its Monday Mock examination to visit the website to reprint their slips and prepare adequately for the examination.

Addressing reporters during the protest, the National President of the Association of Tutorial School Operators (ATSO), Mr. Dotun Sodunke, who led the protesters said if the examination is allowed to hold as scheduled Nigeria would experience another round of mass failure. He said if JAMB was not only concerned about generating revenue for the government it would consider the candidates in fixing the date for the examination, saying it is obvious that there was no way the candidates would complete the UTME syllabus under one month.

Sodunke added that institutions like the University of Benin, Yaba College of Technology, among others, still released admission list on Wednesday, and that the students who had applied to such institutions but are yet to be admitted would not concentrate on preparation for another examination.He said; “The new head of JAMB needs to be called to order. He should not be carried away by the euphoria of revenue generation.

The future of this country depends on these children. JAMB is sure that if you conduct the exam early, many candidates would fail, and they would come back to register again next year. This is so because their children don’t school here.

“Admissions are yet to be concluded, yet you are fixing date for another one. Who does that? The introduction of the Central Admission Processing System (CAPS) is also a fraud. You would be admitted on JAMB portal and on CAPS page it would deny you admission.

However, the Head of the Press and Public Relations Unit of JAMB, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, explained that there was yet no basis for the postponement being sought by the candidates, saying the date had been fixed as early as December, 2017, and that it was made public.

Benjamin said; “JAMB is not alone in this business. All stakeholders in Nigeria’s education sector have realised that our calendar must be organised and firm as we experience abroad, and it must start somewhere. Even if heaven will fall, the new government wants to ensure that academic calendar starts every August, and that is why all admissions will be concluded by August this year. So if these candidates are affected, we apologise to them.

Boy hires assassins to kill parents so he could inherit wealth

A 22-year-old man has been tricked by police into thinking that a hitman he hired had killed his family so that he could inherit their wealth.

Detectives discovered a plot to kill his mother, father and 10-year-old sister in Sochi, Russia.

He detailed how and where his family should be murdered, drawing up a floor plan that showed where the cameras were placed and how to avoid guard dogs.

His parents were said to be devastated by their son’s plan but took part in a police mock-up, using fake blood with blood coming out of “fatal” knife wounds.But the hit man he was giving all the details to and agreed a fee with was actually an undercover police officer.

The “assassin” arranged a meeting in a Mercedes and showed the photographs of his “slain parents” to the man. No pictures were released of the man’s sister and it is unclear if she took part in the police set-up.

After seeing the pictures, the man expressed “delight” and agreed to pay the promised £38,000 fee to the man he believed was a contract killer as soon as he had collected his inheritance.

Instead, the son – who has not been named – was immediately detained by armed police as a police video shows. He immediately confessed, according to police in Krasnodar region, who revealed that the evil son had twice plotted to kill them previously.

“Before looking for a killer, he tried to get rid of his relatives twice. He checked the internet to find out how to carry out the murders.

“The criminal wanted to put pills in the kettle to poison his parents, but his father found out something was wrong.

“Then the son planned to break a thermometer in his parents’ car so that they were poisoned with mercury vapours. But he got cold feet.”

His parents ‘cannot believe he could do this’, said police.During interrogation, the young man said: “I had been planning it for several months. I’m so done with them, they didn’t understand me, so I found a contract killer.”

His father runs a major education institution in Sochi. The family have a large house and car as well as savings which would have gone to their son.

The man faces 15 years in jail if convicted of preparing the contract killings of his family.

Fake news as threat to humanity

The special prosecutor investigating the Russian connection to the 2016 U.S. presidential election, Robert Mueller, recently issued an indictment of 13 Russians. Might that be America’s first step in cleaning up the mental toxicity of social media? Perhaps. Perhaps not. I will return to this.

When during the campaign it became indisputably evident that Russians were actively seeking to affect the outcome of the election, then candidate Donald Trump downplayed the implication by declaring, “They all do it.” Even for someone who routinely shoots from the hip, it was an ominous comment. It was a reference to the fact that various countries — including the United States — have in ways fair and foul sought to or actually affected the outcome of elections in other countries.

Since then, the United States — directly or through NATO and the European Union — has progressively pulled the former Soviet republics into the Western orbit. And that has been to the chagrin and objections of the Russians. When pro-Western demonstrators forced out Ukraine’s pro-Russian government in 2013, that must have been the ultimate affront to the Russians. That they are seeking payback is the only plausible explanation for their subtle yet aggressive quest to destabilise the United States and its European allies.What has since become evident, however, is that the Russians are not merely interested in affecting elections, but fermenting or fanning discord of all kinds. It is the 21st century version of the Cold War. The Russians lost that war by the early 1990s when their Soviet empire disintegrated and Eastern European countries abandoned communism and the Warsaw Pact.

Early analyses of the patterns of Russian intrusion into the election found that it did not seem coordinated, that there was no apparent link to the government of Vladimir Putin. Well, of course not. Putin, the former KGB chieftain, must know that making such an operation seem uncoordinated — some analysist say they look like pranks — is the most effective way to launch such attacks. That allows him to smirk and deride those who suggest that his government has anything to do with it.

But the scope of the disinformation and fermenting of feuds suggests that it is more than the work of pranksters. The weapons of choice have included hacking and disseminating confidential memos, posting fake news on social media — especially Facebook and Twitter — and fanning the extreme opinions on major controversial issues.

When there is mass shooting, for example, the Russians would use their automated system to repost incendiary remarks such as that mourners for the victims are overreacting or that the shootings were staged by the government as a pretext for seizing people’s guns.

When the president of the University of Missouri was forced to resign in the wake of protests by black students over his handling of complaints of racial harassment, Russian trolls seized the opportunity. They posted fake news of a pending Ku Klux Klan invasion of the campus and distributed a photo of a black boy who was supposedly battered by white supremacists. None of that was true, but it all created enough tension to result in cancelled classes and shuttered stores.

The Russians are apparently doing the same with America’s Cold War partners, the European Union. Evidence has since emerged that just as with the election of Trump, the Russians affected the debate leading to the British vote to leave the European Union. And just as the election of Trump is testing the fabric of the American polity, so too the Brexit vote remains a thorny issue with the EU and Britain.

A recent headline in the online outlet TechCrunch reads, “Fake news is an existential crisis for social media.” The article is a clarion call for social media to clean itself up or lose its identity to regulation. Still, the headline is an understatement. Much more important than the threat to social media is the threat to society itself.

And fake news has an advantage that nuclear weapons don’t: it can be manufactured and detonated by anyone who has an agenda, thanks to the marvels of digital technology. Fake news is not just a mechanism for affecting election outcomes and sowing societal discord, it is also the weapon of choice for targeting and seeking to destroy individuals.When “news” becomes so badly corrupted and people can no longer tell what is real news and what is purposive hoax, society is in mortal danger. People’s rationality, which ordinarily is suspect, would be eviscerated. During the Cold War, the fear was of nuclear obliteration. While fake news is not that potent, it can do the next worst thing: turn people into mental zombies.

When J. Edgar Hoover directed the FBI’s power to besmirch at civil rights leader, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. in the 1960s, the impact was relatively marginal. Had King been targeted today, social media would have magnified the impact and seen to his downfall long before he was assassinated.

In fact, in this age any troll can claim that King was being paid by the Ku Klux Klan and provide the photos to “back it.”The gullible would readily gobble it up. And when social media gets into its characteristic frenzy, the improbable claim would be reposted so often that even the not so gullible would begin to find it probable.

Such power to troll has now largely replaced rational debate. It is so much easier to troll than to articulate a compelling viewpoint. So, activists target people who disagree with them or express an opinion that does not endorse their ideology or extol their lifestyle. As trolls, they have become a darker version of the paparazzi, leaving the distinct possibility that there can be lower lives than those.

Now back to Mueller’s indictment of 13 Russians, what good is that supposed to do? It is a case of applying the tactic of the Cold War to the information war. Even if the indicted Russians are punished—something that’s improbable — how many more indictments would it take to stop the menace? Millions?

Sure, those who purposefully make up and disseminate false news should be held accountable in proportion to the damage they cause. Still, in the long term, the efficacious way to cope with the challenge is to teach people to be more discerning and to question “the messenger’s motives,” as journalism philosopher John Merrill would put it.

Nigerian Troops 'Kill' More Boko Haram Terrorists, Recover Arms From Hideouts

Nigerian Army troops attached to Operation Lafiya Dole, the counter-insurgency intiative, have recorded more successes in their efforts against Boko Haram. Through Operation Deep Punch 11, which is aimed at clearing the remnants of Boko Haram terrorists within Sambisa Forest and Lake Chad Basin general area,the troops, on Thursday and Friday, launched a series of raids on terrorists' hideouts in Sambisa Forest.

The raids resulted in the killing of many insurgents, while others fled. The Air Task Force of Operation Lafiya Dole provided air cover for the ground troops throughout the operations.

This was disclosed in a statement signed by Colonel Onyema Nwachukwu, Deputy Director, Public Relations, Theatre Command, Operation Lafiya Dole.

On Thursday, said the statement, a large number of Boko Haram terrorists attempting to escape through one of the blocking positions of the troops were killed.

The statement added that the troops also recovered a variety of weapons in an ambush near Sabil Huda. Among items recovered were a G3 rifle magazine, one life jacket, a light machine gun metal link, four rounds of anti-aircraft ammunition and four rounds of 7.62mm (NATO) ammunition and three rounds of 7.62mm (Special) ammunition.

However, the statement disclosed, two soldiers suffered injuries and were evacuated by the Nigerian Air Force. They are said to responding to treatment.

On Friday, added the statement, troops launched a series of attacks on locations around Camp Zairo within Sambisa Forest. The offensive was, however, disrupted by an Improvised Explosive Device (IED), which affected one of the troops' Armoured Fighting Vehicles.

The troops, said the statement, were undaunted, as they continued with the offensive. This led to the clearance of terrorists' hideout around Parisu.

During the clearance, five Boko Haram terrorists were killed, while many others sustained injuries.

Recovered from the hideouts were one 122 millimetre truck-mounted gun that also bears an anti-aircraft gun, one Rocket-Propelled Grenade, one grenade revolver and seven mortar bombs among other weapons.

The troops equally recovered two Toyota Hilux vehicles, three power generating sets, two motorcycles, additional mortar bombs, gas cylinders. Also discovered was the terrorists' metal fabrication factory housing various machines for welding and making IEDs.

In addition, the statement disclosed that while carrying out offensive in other parts, troops of the 151 Battalion, in conjunction with 7 Division Support Group, terrorists' hideouts around Frigi crossing point and Izza general area.

The troops destroyed nine Boko Haram hideouts, killed an unspecified number of terrorists,rescued an old man and three elderly women.

The troop equally recovered a motorcycle, a bicycle, 10 bicycle tyres, three Boko Haram flags, one solar panel, five drums of guinea corn, two medium size mattresses, grinding machines, bags of metal scraps, motorcycle tyres and underground food storage facilities.

Among arms recovered were an AK-47 rifle magazine, one dummy rifle, a round of 12.7mm ammunition, 12 empty cases of 7.62mm ammunition, huge quantity of IED-making materials and a tool box.

Atiku: 'Snakes' Swallowing Money Will kill Nigeria

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has said the “snake of corruption” swallowing money in government agencies and ministries will kill Nigeria if it is not killed.

He urged the federal government to fight embark on serious fight against corruption instead of engaging in media warfare or propaganda.

Atiku Abubakar

Mr. Atiku said: “We must try to identify why, though we have been ostensibly fighting corruption for the past few years, Transparency International, the official global anti-corruption monitoring agency, has not increased our Corruption Perception Index rating,

“Not to belabor the point, but we have to kill the snake of corruption that swallows the commonwealth that should lift our people up from poverty. Whether that snake is in a JAMB office or any other government office, we must kill it or it will kill us

“This month of February 2018, according to the World Poverty Clock, Nigeria has just overtaken India as the world’s capital of extreme poverty. There are more extremely poor people in Nigeria than there are in India, a country that has six times Nigeria’s population.

“When people do not have jobs and the means to start a business are beyond their reach, they are incrementally much more likely to engage in criminal behaviors like terrorism, kidnapping, militancy and armed robbery”.

The former Vice President who has expressed interest in contesting for the presidency in 2019 on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP has also been subject of corrupt investigations in and outside of Nigeria.

Police begin investigation on suicide incident in Iheakpu-Obolloafor

The Enugu State Police Command has begun an investigation to unravel circumstances leading to suicide incident in Iheakpu-Obolloafor community in Udenu Local Government Area of the state.

The command’s spokesman, SP Ebere Amaraizu, said in a statement on Sunday in Enugu that the incident happened on Feb. 21 at about 7 a.m.

Amaraizu said that the lifeless body of one Kenneth Ugwuattama was found on a tree, where he (Ugwuattama) had allegedly hanged himself with a rope on a tree behind his house.

“It was gathered that the deceased identified as one Kenneth Ugwuattama, aged about 40 years, had allegedly hanged himself with a rope on a tree behind his house on that fateful day,’’ he said.He said that there was an uneasy calm at Iheakpu-Obolloafor community as family members and sympathizers of the Ugwuattama family woke up to see that the deceased, Kenneth Ugwuattama, had died.

The spokesman noted that the body of the deceased had been recovered and deposited in a morgue in Oboallafor for preservation and autopsy.

Buhari will secure a second term, says Akeredolu