Late Ifeanyi
The Nollywood actor dies after a prolonged battle with stroke
Veteran Nollywood actor, Ifeanyi Ikenga Gbulie, is dead.
The actor who has been bedridden for several months, as a result of stroke, passed away in the early hours of December, 13, 2018, in Enugu.
C. Ronaldo
Juventus forward Cristiano Ronaldo will appear before a court in Madrid on January over a £14.7m tax evasion fraud.
The five time Ballon D'or Winner was charged by Spanish authorities in 2017 over money owed from image rights.
MySportDab report this was after a shell company British Virgin Islands was used to hide parts of his income between 2011 and 2014.
“The accused made use of a corporate structure created in 2010 to hide from the tax authority income generated in Spain through image rights,” said a statement by prosecutors at the time the charges were first brought.
According to AS, Ronaldo who signed for Juventus in the summer will now be sanctioned to appear before the court to hear the verdict - which a be a two-year prison sentence.
He has applied to the courts to appear by video-link.
Spanish law dictates that jail sentences of two years and under are to be suspended for first-time offenders, pending the accused not committing any further crimes in Spain during that period.
Ronaldo's lawyer, José Antonio Choclán, had lobbied the courts for the sentence to be commuted to a €375,000 fine - the same outcome as was negotiated for another of his clients, former Real defender Fábio Coentrão, for similar offences.
That deal was rejected by presecutors.
Ronaldo has already paid up the bulk of the €14.7million which was outstanding in order to smooth over his move to Turin, and January's court appearance will bring a close to the matter.
The final bill for the Portugal forward will ultimately top €18.9million once fines and interest are factored in.
While in Spain Ronaldo became Real Madrid's highest ever goalscorer, netting 451 times after joining from Manchester United for a then-record £80million in 2009.
Ronaldo is also Portugal's most-capped player, with 154 appearances, and record goalscorer, with 85.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said Wednesday his cabinet would approve next week a 22 percent increase in the monthly minimum wage to 1,050 euros ($1,192) r over N429,000 in 2019.
The increase, “the biggest since 1977”, will be submitted to a cabinet meeting in Barcelona on December 21, he told parliament.
“A rich country can’t have poor workers,” said Sanchez, who is widely expected to call an early general election next year.
The measure was part of his minority Socialist government’s draft 2019 budget unveiled in October but which he is struggling to pass in parliament so it will now be approved by decree.
The announcement comes after French President Emmanuel Macron unveiled Monday a 100-euro ($113) per month increase in the minimum wage from next year in a major concession to “yellow vest” protests which have roiled the country.
After years of austerity policies imposed to cope with the fallout from the 2008 financial crisis, governments are under increasing pressure to ease the purse strings, especially for the lower paid.
Sanchez’s Socialists control just 84 seats in the 350-seat parliament, the smallest number for a government since the country returned to democracy following dictator Francisco Franco’s death in 1975.
He negotiated the draft 2019 budget with far-left party Podemos, which controls 67 seats, but would still need the support of Catalan separatist parties to pass the spending plan and they have steadfastly refused.
The government estimated the minimum wage hike will cost the state 340 million euros per year.
Employers groups and the conservative opposition parties, the Popular Party (PP) and Ciudadanos, oppose the wage hike, saying it will hurt job creation.
PP leader Pablo Casado has said the 2019 budget, which also includes tax hikes, is “economically suicidal”.
The Nigeria Police Force says it is not a crime to have sex in one’s car.
The police, however, said it could be considered a crime if one has sex with underage person; or if the car is parked in a religious institution when the act takes place.
The Police also say car sex is unlawful if both persons are of the same sex.
The Police, therefore, asked that anybody who is harassed for having sex in a car should report the incident immediately.
The Head of the Police Public Complaints Rapid Response Unit, Mr. Abayomi Shogunle, said this while responding to a question on Twitter.
The question had been raging on social media following an incident that occurred last week wherein a couple was harassed by a mob for having sex in a car.
Responding to a question, however, Shogunle said, “No. Sex in a car in a public place is not a crime in Nigeria, provided the location is not a place of worship; both persons are 18 years and above; the act is consensual (agreed to by parties); parties are of opposite sex.
“If threatened with an arrest over above, please report to the Police.”
See the tweet:
Abayomi Shogunle
✔@YomiShogunle
NO.
Sex in a car in a public place is not a crime in Nigeria provided;
1. Location is not a place of worship
2. Parties are 18 yrs+
3. The act is consensual (agreed to by parties)
4. Parties are of opposite sex
If threatened with an arrest over above, pls contact @PoliceNG_PCRRU.stan d man@Stanley_Moses13
Oga @YomiShogunle please is it a crime to have sex in your car?
~ •••AFFIRMS DISQUALIFICATION OF TONYE COLE AND ALL OTHER RIVERS APC CANDIDATES
The Court of Appeal, Port Harcourt Division on Wednesday confirmed that the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State will not field any candidates during the 2019 General elections when it dismissed the appeal filed by the factional Rivers State APC Governorship Candidate, Mr Tonye Cole.
The Court of Appeal, Port Harcourt Division also confirmed the judgment of Justice Chinwendu Nwogu that Rivers State has no ward executives, local government executives and State Executives as it dismissed the appeal filed by Sacked Rivers State APC State Chairman, Mr Ojukaye Flag Amachree.
The Court of Appeal Port Harcourt Division Special Panel Chaired by Justice Abubakar Yahaya dismissed the two appeals for lack of merit.
The third appeal which centred on the judgement by Justice Chinwendu Nwogu was dismissed because it was filed out of time and therefore statute barred.
Delivering his judgement Justice Yahaya,said the appeal against the Justice Chinwendu Nwogu High Court judgement on the party Congress crisis lacks merit, adding that the application for joinder failed to observed the 14 days rules of Appeal.
While delivering judgement on the substantive appeal number CA/PH/198 that bothered on Justice Nwogu’s judgement, the panel ruled that the Ojukaye faction failed to seek leave of court before appealing against the judgement.
Justice Yahaya ruled that the judgement delivered at the lower court was a consent judgement, adding that Ojukaye faction should have done the needful legally before approaching the court.
Counsel to Ibrahim Umar and 22 others, Mr Patrick Luke said that the rulings of the Court of Appeal confirm that the judgement by Justice Chinwendu Nwogu remains valid and is still subsisting.
Counsel to Ojukaye Flag Amachree, Emenike Ebete noted that the court heard the three matters and in her wisdom arrived at the rulings confirming the judgment of Justice Chinwendu Nwogu.
He said: “Arguments were taken but the Court in its infinite wisdom held that in appeal 461, that is the substantive appeal, that the consent judgement of the High Court of Rivers state and by provision of the constitution, we ought to have sought leave of court to appeal against that consent judgement. That is their own decision and they struck it out.
“The one for the candidates and the party state excos, we were dismissed on the ground that it was a pre-election matter, that we did not bring the application within 14 days after decision was delivered on October 10. What that means is that, we will approach the Supreme court to contest the judgment “.
It will be recalled that on October 10, 2018, a High Court in Port Harcourt nullified the nomination of Mr Tonye Cole as the Governorship Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State on the ground that his nomination is a function of illegality and unconstitutional acts.
The Court also nullified the the Rivers State APC Senatorial, House of Representatives and House of Assembly Primaries conducted on the premise of the illegal ward congresses.
The High Court further nullified all the elections of Rivers APC Ward Executives, Local Government Executives and State Executive Committee that arose from the illegal ward congresses.
In a judgment delivered by Justice Chiwendu Nwogu in a suit filed by Ibrahim Imah and twenty-two others against the APC, the Court declared that the ward congresses of Rivers APC were illegal because they were not conducted in line with the APC Guidelines and Constitution.
The Federal Government and the striking Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) have reached a partial agreement, Dr Chris Ngige, the Minister of Labour and Employment, announced on Monday.
Ngige made the announcement at a reconciliation meeting in Abuja aimed at finding ways of resolving the strike which commenced on Nov. 5.
He said: “we have finished our deliberation for today. I am happy to report that we touched some areas of understanding in implementation from the Memorandum of Action which we agreed to in 2017.
“Some of these areas we have substantial compliance and some other areas have not been fully dealt with.
“Like the issue of shortfall in salaries of some Federal Universities’ workers and lecturers, ASUU has given a list to the Accountant-General’s Office and we have agreed that by Wednesday that list should be cross-checked by the Presidential Initiative on Continuous Auditing.
“So, the Accountant-General’s Office is to get back to us by Wednesday.
“We also have the issue of Earned allowances, revitalisation, these are issues of 2009 agreement and partial implementation and we have agreed on the modus operandi to look into the fund situation, this is due to low revenue on the part of government. ”
He noted that the meeting had identified one area to look for the fund for the revalidation that the appropriate government organ would be contacted on the issue.
Ngige said that government was sure to have good information for the striking lecturers.
He said the same situation applied to other allowances, adding: “we have agreed on what we are going to do to make sure that the outstanding amount is handled in a way that all parties will be properly accommodated.
” We also discussed the issue of state universities and agreed also that even if education is on the concurrent list, the universities should be properly funded and staffed so that we do not produce half-baked students from those universities.
“In realisation of this the Ministry of Education will set up a committee, that would engage the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, and the Minister of Education has taken steps in that direction to formalise the interaction.
” Thus discussion are fruitful and we do hope that in the next adjourned date we would have had the requisite result on the few agreements reached today.”
The minister said he hoped with the agreement reached that the union would call off the strike in order for students to go back to school and those who had exams could go and take their exams.
He said the next meeting would be at 4p.m. on Dec. 17.
On his part, Prof. Abiodun Ogunyemi, ASUU National President, said they had a useful discussion.
“Our own understanding is that we heard promises made on the part of government, we shall await the report on all the issues, which they have made the promises.
“Only after that, we can get back to our members to take a decision,” he said.
The Nigeria Labour Congress is to liase with the International Trade Union Congress to place names of governors in the states where workers are being owed salaries and pensions for several months on a “watch list”.
NAN reports that the ITUC is the world’s largest trade union federation.
It was formed on November 1, 2006, out of the merger of the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions and the World Confederation of Labour.
Mr. Ayuba Wabba, President of the NLC, made this known while addressing the Nigeria Union of Pensioners at its 17th anniversary on Tuesday Abuja.
He said that aside, “naming and shaming” these governors, the NLC would soon direct Nigeria workers to monitor various airports in the country to stop such governors, who may have completed their term from fleeing the country
“We will instruct workers at the nation’s airports to disallow and disgrace any governors trying to leave the country in order to enjoy themselves overseas.
“We have issued statements to these governors owing salaries, informing them that they cannot go anywhere to enjoy the monies they have carted away.
“They will be disgraced and chased away,” he said.
He said, “Instead of using the money to make lives good and build the country for the good of everybody, a few elites will embezzle what is meant for all for their personal use.”
Wabba however assured pensioners that the NLC would not relent in its effort to ensure the issue of minimum pension alongside the minimum wage, was addressed.
He said that the government must address the welfare of pensioners, this he said would ensure that workers desist from looting.
Wabba commended President Muhammad Buhari for the payment of pensions arrears for the Nigeria Airways workers and the 33 per cent increment the pension.
(NAN)
According to reports reaching our news desk, possible frustration may have lead a man to have committed suicide by hanging himself after killing his four children, and subsequently setting his residence ablaze in Eleme local government area of Rivers State.
According to an online news blog, Groovenaija360, the sad incident took place at about 1.00 am this morning in the Alesa community in Eleme.
Further details revealed that the Man is from Ogoja town in Cross River State, but resided in the rented two room apartment in Alesa community in Eleme Town, with his four kids and a wife.
Then at about 1.00am he caught his kids and strangled them to death, set his rooms on fire and hanged himself.
The wife who escaped from the tragic incident was the one who raised alarm that attracted a huge crowd to the scene.
The dead bodies have been removed by the police command in the area as at the time of filing this report.
See Photos.
Photos.
>>> https://grovenaija360.com/man-kills-his-four-kids-hangs-himself-in-eleme-rivers-state-photos/
The Assistant Pastor of the Anointed Chosen Vessel Ministry, Okota, Lagos, Mike Oliseh, has been detained at the Lagos State Police Command Headquarters, Ikeja, for allegedly defiling the 12-year-old twin daughters of a church member and close friend.
PUNCH Metro gathered that while 54-year-old Oliseh allegedly penetrated the private parts of the first victim, he allegedly inserted his fingers in the private parts of the twin sister.
Our correspondent learnt that Oliseh, an indigene of Delta State, and the girls’ father, Okoro (not real name), lived on Ago Palace Way, Okota, Lagos State.
Oliseh, who lived opposite Okoro’s house, was said to have relocated his wife and four children (a girl and three boys) to the Ikotun area of Lagos.
He, however, retained his apartment at Okota, where he reportedly stay during the week before returning to his family in Ikotun by weekends.
Oliseh, who is also into borehole drilling, was said to have employed the services of Okoro, whose bus was used to convey equipment to sites.
The two then became close friends, as Oliseh also used the opportunity to win over Okoro’s family to his church.
However, Okoro’s wife, Chidera (not real name),travelled on a business trip in 2017, during which time Oliseh started sleeping in their home.
The first victim, Chioma (not real name), told our correspondent that while her father was fast asleep, the suspect defiled her.
I’ll free Lagosians from godfatherism – Agbaje
Chioma narrated, “He started it (rape) last year. He used to come to sleep in our house. He said there was heat in his apartment. So, while my twin sister and I would sleep on the floor, he used to sleep on the bed with my father. While my dad slept, he would come to the floor and sleep with me. He has done it many times.
“He put his male reproductive organ in my private parts. He threatened that if I told my father, he would not take him to work again. He and my father eat and work together, and they both sleep on the same bed.”
PUNCH Metro learnt that the crime had gone undetected until recently when the suspect attempted to sleep with the second victim, Nnena (not real name).
The victims’ mother, Chidera, said Oliseh was pulling off her daughter’s pants when an elderly woman saw him.
She said, “On that Thursday, my daughter did not go to school; she was alone in the compound. Mike (Oliseh) came and chased her. The girl ran into the backyard to hide. He went there and started pulling her pants; the girl shouted.
“An elderly woman, who came for omugo (the Igbo practice of female parents tendering their daughters’ newborn babies) in our compound and was in the room, saw him. When she opened the door, Mike quickly brought out a phone and pretended to be speaking to my husband on the telephone. He said he wanted to give my daughter something, but she was not ready to collect it. He then put his phone in his pocket and left.
“The woman, who observed that he did not dial any number on the phone before putting it to his ear, called my husband to ask the children what his friend had been doing to them. That was how the secret was blown open. He slept with my first daughter regularly, but had only succeeded in inserting his fingers into the private parts of my second daughter.”
Chidera said she was disappointed because Oliseh was a trusted pastor and family friend.
The victims’ father, Okoro, told PUNCH Metro that he did not believe the allegations until the suspect confessed to them.
He stated, “I trusted him because I thought that he was a man of God. I have a bus and whenever he had a borehole drilling job, I used the vehicle to take the equipment to site. He would pay me for the service. He also took my family to his church.
“Also, whenever my wife travelled, I would take my children to his wife’s place in Ikotun. Whenever I cooked, we would eat together from the same plate. I never suspected anything. Even when it was noticed the first time, I doubted it. However, when he agreed to it and said what he did was little, I became weak.”
PUNCH Metro learnt that the case was reported at the Lagos State Office of the Public Defender and the victims were referred to the Mirabel Centre, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja.
A social worker at the OPD said the results of the tests carried out on the victims confirmed that the girls had been defiled.
The social worker stated, “In fact, it was when the results came out that we reported at the Ago Police Station.
“When we got to his house, he was not around. The general overseer of the church had called the victims’ parents and was reprimanding them for involving the police. The man said since he had already agreed to settle it for them, they should not have involved the police.
“We just told the family to play along. So, they agreed with the general overseer and that gave the suspect a false sense of security. He returned to his house and that was how he was arrested. He was transferred to the Gender Unit on Tuesday.”
The Director, OPD, Mrs Olayinka Adeyemi, said justice would be done.
“The innocent girls were defiled by a so-called pastor under the guise of helping their father. It is very sad. While we will ensure that the girls get justice and the perpetrator is punished, it is important that parents should be watchful and careful,” she stated.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Chike Oti, confirmed the incident, adding that the suspect would be arraigned at the end of investigation.
Source:
https://punchng.com/lagos-pastor-defiles-church-members-twin-daughters/
Former National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Bolaji Abdullahi, has shared his reasons the Muhammadu Buhari Nigerians voted into power in 2015 is not the same President at Aso Rock today.
Abdullahi, who was part of the mass defection from the ruling party, called on Nigerians to jump out of Buhari’s train, adding that the man presiding over the affairs of the nation today was not the leader Nigerians trooped out enmasse to elect in 2015.
He said this Monday in a chat with Vanguard in reaction to the vote of no confidence passed on President Buhari on Sunday by leaders of the Northern Elders’ Forum.
The Director, Communications and Strategies of the PDP, Presidential Campaign Organisation pointed out that he was not joining the cloning debate, but insisted however, that Buhari had dumped the principles for which he was widely adored.
He said, “Some of us risked our political careers to rally round Muhammadu Buhari in 2015 and today we have realised that we are in a one-chance vehicle. But I say that having realized where we are, it is time to get down from that one-chance vehicle.
“The Northern Elders Forum was one of the strongest supporters of Buhari in 2015 but they have now realised that the Buhari we have today is not the Buhari they voted for in 2015.
The Buhari most of us risked our political careers for was the Buhari whose memory we carried with us since 1983. That Buhari had zero tolerance for corruption and was a strong -willed leader.
“But the Buhari of today has been receiving corrupt people into his party who are hoping he will give them cover. Today, the position of the Northern Elders Forum has vindicated some of us who saw the wisdom in leaving the party (APC) to join the crusade to rescue Nigeria.”
Source:
http://dailypost.ng/2018/12/10/2019-man-aso-rock-not-buhari-ex-apc-spokesperson-abdullahi/
Sen. Akpabio
Former Akwa Ibom State Governor, Senator Godswill Akpabio has said that he will continue to speak for the people of the state till he dies.
The Senator, who represents Ikot Ekpene at the National Assembly, spoke at Ukana, in Essien Udim council at the weekend, adding that he represents the three senatorial districts of the state.
He said, ‘’I am not only a Senator representing Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District. I am a Senator representing the whole of Akwa Ibom State.
‘’I have projects I have commissioned in Uyo Senatorial and Eket Senatorial Districts even when I am meant to only represent Ikot Ekpene Senatorial district.
‘’I shall continue to speak for the people of Akwa Ibom State till I die. I am for everyone. I am for all the 31 Local Government Areas in Akwa Ibom State. I am for the 10 Federal Constituencies in Akwa Ibom State.
“I am for the 3 Senatorial districts in Akwa Ibom State. I am for the voiceless, I am for the less privileged and I am even for you that is opposing me.’’
Obi Ezekwesili and Buhari.
The presidential candidate of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria, Mrs. Obiageli Ezekwesili, has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to sign the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2018.
Ezekwesili, who made call at a news conference in Abuja on Monday, said signing of the bill was for the development of democracy in Nigeria.
She said the constitutional will of Nigerians had been expressed through elections since 1999, and therefore the chain should not be broken in the 2019 General Elections.
According to her, without a democratic and electoral system that enables quality candidates to participate, it will be impossible to get competent leaders into elective offices across the country.
“The 1999 transition to civil rule and the election that ushered in our latest experience of democracy was the beginning of the longest ever and unbroken cycle.
“This democratic turn of event may not mean much seeing that it has not translated to good governance and improvement in quality of life to citizens.
“The 2019 elections are looked upon as the moment Nigeria must entrench electoral integrity and level playing field for all contestants.
“I have called this press conference to demand that President Buhari signs the Electoral Act Amendment Bill transmitted by the National Assembly into law,” she said.
The Bring Back Our Girls convener added that failure to sign the electoral bill would undermine transparent and democratic growth of the country.
“The President should immediately request the National Assembly to re-transmit the amendment bill for his swift assent.
“The President must be reminded to avoid all actions that will mar the genuineness of the 2019 elections,”she said.
(NAN)
Another meeting between the federal government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) ended on Monday night without an immediate resolution of the dispute.
The meeting which held at the Federal Ministry of Labour was to find a lasting solution to the ongoing strike by the university lecturers.
At least four other meetings have been held between both parties before Monday’s since the strike commenced on November 4.
While addressing journalists, the minister of labour and employment, Chris Ngige, said the meeting has been adjourned to December 17.
Mr Ngige said the federal government is taking all necessary steps to address ASUU’s demands.
Mr Ngige had earlier appealed to the striking lecturers to ensure that Monday’s dialogue yields results that will lead to ending the strike.
”The strike is five weeks old today and it is not in anybody’s interest. We will ensure the needful is done,” he said.
Meanwhile, the ASUU chairman, Biodun Ogunyemi, said the union will await the next adjournment date to see how far the federal government will deliver on its promises before it will take a decision on whether to suspend the industrial action.
The union embarked on the strike on November 4 over the poor funding of Nigerian universities and non-implementation of previous agreements by the government.
•Theatre Command exposed us to attack
•Soldiers on war front being owed allowances
•B/H attacked us with 15 N/A vehicles
•DHQ reaffirms that only 23 soldiers died in Metele attack
•Why Army Chief, Buratai, changed 85% of Lafiya Dole field commanders
•I’ll continue to work for elimination of terrorism in Lake Chad—Buhari
•As Jordan King commiserates with Nigeria over soldiers massacre
Contrary to claims by the Nigerian Army that 23 soldiers died in the recent attack by Boko Haram insurgents on Nigerian Army 157 Task Force Battalion in Metele, Borno State, one of the soldiers who survived said no fewer than 200 people lost their lives in the incident.
He also said that Boko Haram members, who were earlier arrested by soldiers in the battalion but later released by superior authorities, were among the attackers.
Army
But Defence Headquarters in a reaction, dismissed all the allegations raised by the surviving soldier, insisting that only 23 soldiers were killed in Metele attack.
The soldier, who disclosed these, yesterday, on condition of anonymity, said the video being circulated as depicting the Metele attack was the video of an earlier attack on soldiers in Jeli.
He further noted that the wrong location of the base, faulty Armoured Personnel Carriers, APCs, and absence of aerial support from the Nigerian Air Force made it possible for the insurgents to inflict heavy casualties on the soldiers.
However, the surviving soldier appealed to President Buhari to disregard the information being given to him, saying that apart from the poor equipment deployed to the battlefield, soldiers were being owed six months allowances.
Consequently, he urged the President to review the welfare packages of those fighting the war, alleging they are being underpaid by the authorities.
Also, he regretted that the ground troops were not getting enough support from the Air Force, saying while Boko Haram insurgents monitored their activities with drones, the Air Force hardly carry out such tasks in enemy camps.
Continuing, the soldier, who said the Army does not have an accurate data of those on the war front, added that the Air Force always attribute alleged inability to support them to poor visibility.
THE METELE ATTACK
His words: “The information about the Metele attack by the head of the Army, especially the Chief of Staff is wrong. I do not think they are doing what they are being paid to do. Soldiers are being killed daily, and their families are not being catered for properly. Last year, a celebration was hosted in Maiduguri to make sure that Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs returned to their respective areas. One hundred and fifty (150) vehicles left Abuja for Maiduguri for the exercise, 15 suddenly got missing and the 15 vehicles that got missing were painted green, with Operation Last Hold written on them. They are the vehicles being used in attacking military locations, including Gagiram that was first attacked.
“The attack led to the death of a Captain and 11 others, but they told the press and others that we lost only seven soldiers. Even if seven soldiers died, was it right to describe the figure as only? I think Nigeria is in a state of war. For us to lose about 11 soldiers and they called it just seven it is not true.
STATE OF WAR
“Gagiram was attacked the second and third time. Minari was attacked and we lost 13 soldiers and officers. Others, who ran into the bush are still missing. The fight against the insurgents became intense with attacks on many locations. Between Gudunbalo and Gamasa, we lost many soldiers but it was unreported in the press and to the Presidency. No fewer than 200 soldiers were killed and the truth was never told.
“Jeli was also attacked. Many soldiers died and some are still missing. The question I am asking today is: Does the Army headquarters actually know the total strength of soldiers fighting in the North East? I don’t think so.
“Since the Metele attack, many soldiers are still missing. Some corpses have been recovered while many have not been recovered. How do they know the total number of soldiers? I was surprised when the Chief of Army Staff came out on the TV and said only 23 people died. Let’s assume that 23 soldiers died, was that enough to call the number only? It is inhuman. What I know is that when a General loses in a battle, he is supposed to be court-martialed, retired, or jailed.
But, some of our commanders failed and were then promoted. It shows that we are very wicked and we have lost it all as a nation. What about the people that died as a result of his actions?
WE ARE POORLY FED
“On our welfare, the Federal Government has released Ratio Cash Allowance, RCA, and operational allowance. It has not been given to us. We are only paid N20,000 monthly, and we are not paid at when due.
They pay N10,000 in cash and N45,000 is being given to the commandant for feeding. What are we being fed? They feed us beans every day in the morning. At noon we are given rice, while we eat garri for supper. People have developed diabetes because of regular intake of carbohydrate. Some soldiers now have challenges with their eyes because of what we eat. We are not properly fed, but they will come out to tell Nigerians that soldiers are well paid.
“The issue is not about deploying more people to the North East. People have stayed in the North East for four years without being rotated. Some have never seen their families, some who had no chance of seeing their families have died. They should forget about sending people to the North East and equip the soldiers properly. I want the President to heed this advice. What we need is not to send people to Sambisa. The President should ask what the army leadership did with money for the procurement of weapons. Did they actually buy new weapons or refurbished weapons?
ARMY ON THE DEFENSIVE
“The APC’s we have cannot run for 10 to 15 minutes without overheating or stopping in the bush. The Anti-Aircraft Artillery, AA, also has the same challenges. We cannot shoot for three minutes without stoppages. But Boko Haram shoots for more than two straight hours without stoppages. Now, the question I am asking is: Is the Army supposed to be on the offensive or defensive? I know that an army is supposed to be on the offensive. There is no need for us to be defensive all the time.
“We lack equipment. Soldiers have overstayed in the battlefield. There is a standing order that soldiers who have spent three months will be allowed to have two weeks to visit their families. What suddenly happened to the standing order?”
RECOGNITION FOR COL SAKABA
He continued: “Soldiers, who fought and died were never to be promoted. But those who recovered the body of the late Major General Akali in Jos have all been promoted. What about the people who are fighting Boko Haram and those who died fighting Boko Haram? The late Lt. Colonel Sakaba who died in Metele should be promoted. The families of other soldiers who died fighting should be compensated. We are all human beings. We only read about our allowances on the pages of newspapers.
“It was reported that we are entitled to N2,000 daily for feeding, while N5,000 is the operational allowance for 30 days. The Federal Government said the soldiers in the North East are being paid N95,000, it is not true. We are only being given N20,000 as monthly allowance and it is not regularly paid. We want our money paid as at when due and they should pay us all the arrears effective from the day it was released.
“They have moved soldiers from Arege to Malapatori but Malapatori is not supposed to have two locations. The removal of soldiers from Arege has made Monguno vulnerable to attack. The moment they take Monguno, definitely, they will capture Maiduguri.”
DEFENCE HEADQUARTERS REACTION
Meanwhile, the Defence Headquarters yesterday, dismissed insinuations that troops in the North-East battling Boko Haram terrorists were not properly fed, adding that there was no iota of truth in the allegations that soldiers wounded in Metele attacks were paying for their drugs.
It also denied that over 170 soldiers died in the recent attack carried by the terrorists at Metele Village in Borno State, reaffirming that only 23 soldiers died, with 31 others wounded.
The Director of Defence Information, Brigadier General John Agim, reacting to the allegations while speaking on the telephone, insisted that the military authorities were fully responsible for all the needs of the troops in the North East and asked the general public to disregard the allegations he described as not only baseless but also unfounded.
He said: “It is not true that our troops are feeding themselves. The allegation that their allowances are not being paid and also that they are paying for their kits is baseless and unfounded.
“Where are they getting their kits from? Where are they buying the food from and where are they getting the money from to feed themselves?
“It is not true, people just want to bring corruption to everything we are doing. I think the allegation came after the attack in Metele.
“Well, we are fighting a battle and these people (insurgents and terrorists) are getting more daring because they are now getting support from Islamic State of West African Province. So,we are fighting ISIS, we are fighting ISWAP altogether. We are bound to have setbacks if there are lapses.
“But people are trying to raise allegation of corruption against the commander, but they should know that the Metele attack affected the commander too; he died. So if he was corrupt as some are alleging, where has it taken him?”
Brigadier General Agim appealed to the general public to support the military in its ongoing battle against the terrorists so that the security situation in the North East could be brought to an end, saying anything on the contrary could only escalate and prolong the situation.
“I want to appeal that if we have an attack, everybody should stand behind the military and encourage them, we are always very quick to castigate the military; you don’t know that these things have consequences.
‘’For instance, there are insinuations that soldiers are running away from the terrorists in the North East and they can’t stand to fight. This kind of thing only emboldens the terrorists.
“There are certain things about these terrorists that we shouldn’t write about because doing so will rather encourage the terrorists and insurgents to be bold. We should be downplaying some of these things because it is not possible that these things you mentioned are happening because their allowances are paid as at when due,” he further said.
Speaking on the actual number of soldiers that died in the Metele attack, Agim said contrary to speculation that more than 170 soldiers died, only 23 died in the attack.
The dead, he said, included the Commanding Officer and the Intelligence Officer.
“We have 23 soldiers that died, including the officers. The officers were Intelligence Officer, the Commanding Officer and the 2IC. Also, we have 31 troops that were wounded in the unfortunate attack,” he said.
Also, over the weekend, indications emerged that the decision of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Tukur Yusuf Buratai, to carry out massive redeployment of several Brigade Commanders and Commanding Officers in the ongoing battle to eliminate Boko Haram terrorists from the North East was due to the need to restore confidence and high morale among fighting troops.
It was also gathered that concerns about the strict adherence to implementation of allocated allowances and other welfare packages for troops which had been filtering into the ears of the Army Chief, which became louder, following the November 18 Boko Haram attack on Metele base in Guzamala Local Government of Borno State, spelled the last straw.
Vanguard gathered from a General in the Army who spoke in confidence that because of the determination of the COAS to ensure maximum morale among troops in routing Boko Haram terrorists, he had bypassed bottlenecks in the disbursement of allowances due troops prosecuting the operation.
“So it was a surprise to the authorities that some revelations that came out after the Matele attack pointed to issues of allowances to troops as one of the things that affected morale,” the officer said.
Asked why some soldiers who got injured in several gun battles with terrorists were left to cater for themselves by buying drugs, the officer said though he was not in a position to confirm the development, it also bordered on welfare which was one of the reasons for the COAS’ action.
Regarding the issue of payment of N1,000 RCA to troops in the battle front, the officer said the Army authorities, particularly the Chief of Army Staff, should be commended for paying N1,000 which was hitherto N500 daily.
“Mind you, this is aside from their normal feeding which is provided by the Army as at when due. As I speak with you, every other soldier outside operational areas receives N500 daily as RCA. So there is no foul play there,” he said.
Speaking on allegations that many more soldiers (over 100) were killed by Boko Haram during the Metele attack, than the 23 dead and 31 injured quoted by Army headquarters, the senior officer said he could not dispute the casualty figure of the Chief of Army Staff, noting that there were procedures and investigations backing the figure released by the authorities.
He added: “Those choosing to doubt the Army should know that the dead are dead. They have families. So what will be the gain of saying somebody is alive when he is dead or denying when he has a family”.
King of Jordan condoles with Nigeria
Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari has assured His Majesty King Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein of Jordan that he would continue to work towards total elimination of terrorism in the Lake Chad basin area.
President Buhari gave the assurance, yesterday, when he received a condolence message and assurance of support in the fight against terrorism from the Jordanian King who prayed for peace and calm in Nigeria, and throughout Africa.
A statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, disclosed that the condolence was sent through telephone conversation.
According to the statement, King Abdullah, who is from the Hashemite family of Jordan, commended the Nigerian Army for its courage and resilience in the face of challenges in fighting terrorism.
President Buhari thanked King Abdullah for his concern on the recent setbacks that led to the loss of lives of soldiers in the North East.
The President assured that several measures had been discussed and were being implemented to steer the country from the unfortunate occurrence.
Source: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/12/true-story-of-metele-attacks-by-surviving-soldier/.
The Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association (DAPPMA) has suspended its earlier directive to commence shutdown of depots across the country and stop loading petroleum products effective from midnight of Sunday.
The directive to suspend the action was conveyed in a statement issued around 1.20am on Monday by DAPPMA’s Executive Secretary, Mr Olufemi Adewole, in Lagos.
The association had issued a shut-down directive to its members following the continuing indebtedness of the Federal Government to petroleum marketers.
“However, following the intervention of well-meaning Nigerians, including the National Assembly as represented by the Senate Committee of Petroleum Downstream and constructive engagement of the Federal Government team by the labour unions most affected by the disengagement of our personnel, namely, PENGASSAN, NUPENG NARTO,PTD,and DAPPMA.
“The union has resolved to recall its disengaged personnel for 5-days to give the FG’s team the opportunity to conclude its process of paying marketers the full outstanding of N800 billion with the first trench being the amount already approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC)
“The association has acted in good faith to avoid unnecessary hardship which could befall Nigerians during the yuletide season and we hope that government would make good its promise to see that those issues are resolved by Friday, Dec., 14, 2018 as promised.
“To this, end, our disengaged personnel would be recalled on Monday, Dec. 10 and considering the reactivation time or hitherto shut down system, all depots with fuel stock should be fully active same day,’’ the statement said.
The statement said further that the conclusion of the debts payment would curtail the continuing wastage of public funds as interest accruing on the over N800 billion debt.
“DAPPMA depots are therefore advised to commence loading operations immediately and await further notification in respect of our long overdue payment.
DAPPAMA had on early on Sunday directed its members to shut down all loading operations by midnight, adding that oil marketers had disengaged employees due to their inability to pay salaries.
It said that the Association took a bold step to stop the financial haemorrhaging of its members by the painful disengagement of its loyal workers after over three years of engaging with the government in the efforts to secure the payment of all subsidy induced debt owed marketers.
According to DAPPMA, to avoid owing staff without any hope of pay, it is hereby agreed that since all our staff have been disengaged, all DAPPMAN member depot are not in a position to operate hence will shut down all loading at midnight
DAPPMA said that the decision of government to settle N236 billion out of the outstanding N800 subsidy arrears was not acceptable to DAPPMA members, leading to last week’s Thursday meeting which ended in a deadlock.
They explained that the decision of government to pay the N236 billion through promissory notes was equally rejected by the oil marketers.
‘‘As the name suggest, promissory note is a payment instrument that is post dated. Based on this when you approach the banks with the instrument, you don’t get the actual value on it.
“About 30 per cent is knocked off because Government will be making the payment at a later date which ties down the bank’s capital’’’ he said.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said despite the refusal of President Muhammadu Buhari to assent to the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill 2018, which makes the use of card reader mandatory, the 2019 elections will not be conducted with incident form.
INEC’s assurance is coming as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Campaign Organisation has said the use of incident form in the impending general elections would be unacceptable to it.
The electoral body, however, said the rejected bill would have addressed the controversies that trailed the 2015 exercise especially the place of technology and others that the amendments seek to address.
Responding to THISDAY enquiry yesterday, INEC’s Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Mr. Oluwole Osaze-Uzzi, said the presidential veto has created no lacuna in the electoral legal regime, explaining that the Electoral Act 2010 as amended in 2015 would be the operative law.
According to him, “While it may be better to have the necessary amendments to avoid some of the controversies that trailed the 2015 exercise, especially the place of technology and others the amendments seek to cure, we can still have good elections with the extant act as we did in 2015, which were adjudged free, fair and credible.”
Reacting to a report by an online newspaper that 13.5 million voters voted for Buhari without full biometric accreditation in 2015, Osaze-Uzzi said, “How was this determined? Biometric accreditation does not determine who a person votes for. Put another way, the card reader is used for biometric accreditation. It doesn’t determine how such persons vote.
“Incident forms will not be used in 2019.”
President Muhammadu Buhari had last week, for the fourth time withheld his assent to the amendment bill, citing legal drafting errors.
In separate letters dated December 6 titled, ‘Presidential Decision to Decline Assent to the Electoral (Amendment) Bill, 2018’, addressed to the President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki, and Speaker Yakubu Dogara of the House of Representatives, Buhari explained that he was declining assent “principally because passing a new electoral bill this far into the electoral process for the 2019 general election, which commenced under the 2015 Electoral Act, could create some uncertainties about the applicable legislation to govern the process.”
The president also listed four provisions of the bill that required drafting amendments by the National Assembly. They include Section five of the bill amending section 18 of the principal act, which should indicate the subsection to which the substitution of the figure “30” for the figure “60” is to be effected and Section 11 of the bill amending Section 36 should indicate the subsection in which the proviso is to be introduced.
But the PDP presidential campaign said the use of incident form would not be acceptable to it in 2019.
One of the spokespersons, Mr. Segun Sowunmi, said that outpouring of goodwill by Nigerians since the PDP started its zonal presidential campaigns was an indication that the All Progressives Congress (APC) could not win the election in a free and fair contest.
He stated, “I want to tell INEC that it is a major unacceptable embarrassment that the business of incident forms will now take precedence over the card reader.
“Card reader is what must be encouraged to be the only thing that will be used for the 2019 elections. But how can we trust the integrity of the process if it is compromised by incident forms and underage people voting.”
Sowunmi insisted that the 2019 elections should be a celebration of the development of the country’s democratic journey, which he said could only be achieved if INEC conducts free, fair, credible and transparent elections in 2019.
An online newspaper at the weekend reported that at least 13.5 million Nigerians voted manually, without biometric accreditation, in the 2015 presidential election, according to data from INEC, part of the problems the amendment bill seeks to address.
The data, obtained by DeepDive Intelligence, shows that Buhari, candidate of the APC, won in nine of the 10 most-affected states, notwithstanding that the non-use of PVCs during the poll cut across all the political parties’ strongholds.
The 2015 presidential election had two major contenders, Buhari and Goodluck Jonathan, Nigeria’s first incumbent president to lose a re-election bid.
Of the 31,746,490 accredited voters in the election, 13,536,311, representing 42.6 per cent of voters, voted without biometric accreditation.
Out of this number, 10,184,720 votes are from states won by Buhari and 3,351,591 votes came from states won by Jonathan, the PDP candidate, representing 75 per cent and 25 per cent of accredited voters respectively.
Former governor of Akwa Ibom State, Godswill Akpabio, has taken a swipe at his estranged political godson, Governor Emmanuel Udom.
Akpabio said he was “shocked that Emmanuel whom I brought from Lagos and installed as a Governor even though he was not a member of the party on whose platform he stood election and become Governor, could call a world press conference to insult me.”
According to him, the Governor never had a membership card of any political party neither had he contested for any election on his own before he (Akpabio) picked him up from Lagos and made him Governor.
Akpabio, a former Senate Minority Leader, said the All Progressives Congress, APC, would record landslide victory in the general elections in the State.
The Senator representing Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District stated this at an assembly to flag-off his senatorial election campaign and inauguration of Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District APC Campaign Council at Ukana, his country home in Essien Udim Local Government Area of the State on Sunday.
He said, ‘’the electorate in the state would reciprocate the kind gesture of Mr. President Buhari by voting massively for him and all candidates of the APC in the state.’’
Taking a swipe at Governor Emmanuel over what he described as hypocritical campaign slogan tagged “only God”, Akpabio said God cannot be mocked, noting that, “Only God could have made it possible to make someone who was never a party member to become a governor.
“Only God could have made somebody who has never had a party card or know what is called ward to become a governor.
“Only God could have made someone who could not have stood election on his own even as a Councilor and win to be brought from somewhere and made Governor.
”Only God could have made a man who has never helped anyone to become anything to become governor.”
The Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN) has directed its members to shut down all loading operations by midnight.
The association gave the directive in a statement released on Sunday and signed by Olufemi Adewole, its executive secretary.
According to the statement, oil marketers have disengaged their staff due to inability to pay salaries.
“The Association took a bold step to stop the financial hemorrhaging of its members by the painful disengagement of its loyal workers after over 3 years of engaging with the Federal Government in the efforts to secure the payment of all subsidy induced debt owed marketers,” the statement read.
“To avoid owing staff without any hope of pay, it is hereby agreed that since all our staff have been disengaged, ALL DAPPMAN Member depot are not in a position to operate hence WILL SHUT DOWN ALL LOADINGS AT MIDNIGHT, Sunday, December 9.”
The ministry of finance had announced that it had reached an agreement with by the painful disengageoil marketers on how to pay the outstanding subsidy claims.
However, DAPPMAN denied reaching an agreement with the government because it failed to agree to demands that the claims should be paid in cash instead of using promissory notes.
A statement released on Saturday by Henry Ikem-Obih, chief operating officer, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) downstream, had assured that the Debt Management Office would pay N236 billion out of the N348 billion approved by the national assembly as outstanding subsidy claims on Friday.
The Federal Government has scrapped the Award of HND Certificates by Polytechnics.The decision was reached at the Federal Executive Council, FEC, yesterday where the approval of a comprehensive reform of Nigeria’s tertiary education system was made.
In effect, the award of HND will be limited to only the students currently admitted for the programmes.Also, all the programmes currently being run by polytechnics, which are not technology-based, and which are about 70 per cent, will be scrapped.
Under the new rule, the polytechnics will now become campuses of the proximate universities with the Vice Chancellors of those universities appointing provosts for the polytechnics, subject to the ratification of the Universities councils.
The polytechnics will now be limited to award of the National Diploma (ND) while those desirous of further education will be awarded the Bachelor of Technology (B. Tech) by the proximate university.
To kick-start the new policy, the nation’s two most prominent polytechnics – Yaba College of Technology and Kaduna Polytechnic – will henceforth be known as City University of Technology, Yaba and City University of Technology, Kaduna. And to give legal teeth to these approvals, the FEC approved the submission of two Executive bills to the National Assembly for enactment.
With education being on the concurrent list, the states may wish to consolidate their tertiary institutions. But if they do not wish to follow the federal example, their programmes will continue to be regulated by the relevant agencies of the Federal Ministry of Education.
The first bill will concretise the setting up of the two city universities while the second will approve the preparation and consolidation of all federal polytechnics and colleges of education as campuses of proximate universities.
The Ministry of Justice will do the preparation and submission of the two bills to the National Assembly.
Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, told journalists after the weekly meeting of the council that under the reform measures, his ministry would, however, continue to license private polytechnics and colleges of education for the award of qualification at ND and National Certificate in Education (NCE) levels.
He said, “There will be no more award of HND.“After we have exhausted the current students under the programme, there will be no more award of HND. This means that there will be no fresh admission for HND programmes. And in addition, any programme that is not technical will be out of the polytechnics. “About 70 per cent of polytechnic graduates are in the non-technical courses. It is going to be a rigorous implementation programme.”
A ministerial committee to ensure the smooth implementation of all that is required for the take-off of the reform initiatives is to begin work immediately. Adamu said, “The HND certificate will remain a legal tender in Nigeria and holders of such certificate will continue to be recognised as the equivalent of first degree holders without discriminatory remunerations and limit to progression in the work place.
“The NCE certificate will be retained as the minimum teaching qualification at the basic level of education. Any higher qualifications by these private or state-owned polytechnics will be only affiliation with a university. So, HND is no longer in existence, but existing HND will be respected and considered legal tender.”
President Muhammadu Buhari has disclosed why he refused to give assent to the Electoral Amendment Act. President Buhari had for the third time withheld his assent to the bill.
This was disclosed by his Senior Special Assistant on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Ita Enang.
President Buhari explained that passing the bill could cause “some uncertainty about the applicable legislation to govern the process.”
The President’s reasons for refusing to assent the Bill was contained in a letter transmitted to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara dated December 6, 2018 and was published by his Personal Assistant on Social Media, Lauretta Onochie, on Saturday via Twitter.
The letter reads partly: “Pursuant to Section 58(4) of the constitution of the Federal republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), I hereby convey to the House of Representatives my decision on 6th December 2018 to decline Presidential Assent to the Electoral (Amendment) Bill, 2018 recently passed by the National Assembly.
“I am declining assent to the Bill principally because I am concern that passing the new electoral bill this far into the electoral process for the 2019 general elections which commenced under the 2015 Electoral Act could create some uncertainty about the applicable legislation to govern the process.
“Any real or apparent change to the rule this close to the election may provide an opportunity for disruption and confusion in respect of which law governs the electoral process.”
