UCHE OGAH ARRAIGNED FOR FORGERY AND FRAUD

The Nigeria police on Thursday arraigned the President of an oil firm, Masters Energy Oil and Gas Limited, Uche Ogah, and an ex-employee of the United Bank for Africa, Deji Somoye, before a Tinubu Magistrate’s Court, Lagos, for alleged fraud.

The said oil firm and the bank were also joined in three counts bordering on forgery and conspiracy proferred against the defendants by the police. According to the police, Uche Ogah allegedly forged a Memorandum of Understanding between Masters Energy Oil and Gas Limited and Mut-Hass Petroleum Limited sometime in March 2011. He and some other persons said to be at large were also accused of forging the signature of one Mrs. Bridget Adeosun. The alleged forgery was reportedly committed in Ikeja, Lagos.

The police also alleged that the bank aided Masters Energy Oil and Gas Limited to open an account in the name of Mut-Hass Petroleum to perpetrate a fraud without applying its internal control procedures in the opening of the account.

The police had claimed that UBA allowed the said account to be opened sometime in 2011 at its regional office in Palmgrove, Lagos, in breach of the provisions of the Financial Institutions Act 2004.

The defendants were brought before a Chief Magistrate, Mrs. Kikelomo Ayeye, by a police prosecutor, ASP Henry Obiazi.

Obiazi told the court that the offences contravened sections 363 (3)(u), 408 and 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011. The charges read in part, “That you, Masters Energy Oil and Gas Limited, Uche Ogah, and others at large sometime in March 2011 at Ikeja, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did conspire among yourselves to wit: forgery. “That you, Masters Energy Oil and Gas Limited, Uche Ogah, and others at large, on the same date, time, place and in the aforementioned magisterial district, did forge the signature of one Mrs. Bridget Adeosun and a document known as MoU between Mut-Hass Petroleum Limited and Masters Energy Oil and Gas Limited, with an intent that it may be in any way used or acted upon as genuine.

“That you, Deji Somoye, United Bank for Africa and others still at large, sometime in August 2011, at UBA regional office, Palmgrove, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did knowing that Masters Energy Oil and Gas Limited design to commit an offence, failed to use all reasonable means to prevent the commission or the completion of the crime.” The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges and were admitted to bail in the sum of N200,000 each with one surety each in like sum.

The case was adjourned till August 4, 2016.

MOB TIES CABLE THIEVES TO TRANSFORMER PROTECTOR.

An angry mob tied two cable thieves to the fence of a transformer in a village at the Gwagwalada area council. The dramtatic incident occurred on Wednesday night after the two men were caught stealing cables from a tranformer which had just been installed on the outskirts of the village.

Unfortunately for the cable thieves, a security guard alerted passersby as a mob quickly gathered at the scene of the crime. The mob then decided to tie both men up at the scene of their crime before handing them to men of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) at Gwagwalada.

DISCOs ARE DISTRIBUTING DARKNESS TO NIGERIANS –Senator Sani blasts Babatunde Fashola

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Domestic Debt and Loans, Shehu Sani has expressed deep concern over the darkness being experienced across the country.

He stressed that no excuse by power stakeholders was cogent enough to substantive hardships that Nigerians were passing through.

Describing the drop in power supply as unacceptable and embarrassing, he called on President Muhammadu Buhari to rethink his way towards appointing a Minister who is not only an electrical engineer, but who has the knowledge of the industry. 

“We are in a state of paralysis, and there is urgent need to appoint a reputable electrical engineer to manage the affairs of power, independent of other responsibilities”, he said.

Sani added: “Distribution Companies (DISCOs) were now distributing darkness despite increment in electricity tariff; private power investors have failed the nation by moving manageable power epilepsy to a complete paralysis”.

He called for a review of defunct Power Holdings Company of Nigeria assets, noting that privatisation of power regime had brought untold hardship to Nigerians.

While suggesting for the setting up of energy task force responsible for immediate technical and financial intervention in generation, transmission and distribution, he urged government to invest in renewable and non renewable energy.

"INFORM POLICE 24HRS BEFORE HAVING SEX WITH A WOMAN OR YOU SPEND 5YRS IN JAIL", UK COURT TELLS MAN:

A man cleared of raping a woman has been ordered to give police 24 hours' notice before he has sex, reports BBC.

The man, in his 40s, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was acquitted in 2015 at a retrial after claiming the alleged victim had consented.

 An interim sexual risk order, initially imposed in December, has been extended by four (4) months in Northallerton,  North Yorkshire in the UK by a magistrate court.

It requires the man to disclose any planned sexual activity with a woman to the police or face up to five years in prison.

The order - which was drawn up by magistrates in Northallerton, North Yorkshire, and extended in York - reads: "You must disclose the details of any female including her name, address and date of birth.

"You must do this at least 24 hours prior to any sexual activity taking place."

It also contains restrictions on his use of the internet and mobile phone devices and requires him to inform officers of any change of address.

A further court hearing in May will decide whether the interim order should be made into a full order, which has a minimum duration of two years and can last indefinitely.

Sexual risk orders were introduced in England and Wales in March last year and can be applied to any individual who the police believe poses a risk of sexual harm, even if they have never been convicted of a crime.

They are civil orders imposed by magistrates at the request of police.

ZIKA VIRUS, A GLOBAL EMERGENCY –WHO

On Monday (01-02-16), the World Health Organisation declared the Zika virus as an international public health emergency. This of course will send a great signal to anyone that, this virus is not something anyone should take for granted. As a matter of fact, it is very crucial that before anyone travels, especially to other countries, one must really take into account, the level of this Zika virus transmission in such places before embarking on such journey. Having said this, nobody needs to panic about this virus, what everyone needs to do, is just to know certain things about it, and also take some necessary precautions, which when taken, will really help to prevent one from contracting this virus.

THE ORIGIN OF ZIKA VIRUS

It was first identified in a monkey in the Zika forest of Uganda in 1947, after which it was also isolated from a mosquito in the year 1948. This virus was not known to be capable of infecting humans, and is therefore believed to have mutated. The first human case was detected in Nigeria, and the effective isolation of Zika was first published in 1954.

MODES OF TRANSMISSION

Though Zika virus can also be transmitted through sex, and pregnancy(mother-to-child transmission),it has been observed to be more transmitted through Aedes mosquitoes. Unlike the Anopheles mosquitoes that spread malaria,these mosquitoes are more active during the day. Zika virus is transmitted to Aedes mosquitoes whenever they bite an infected person, which by biting someone else transmit it to that person too. While this virus is believed to be transmitted from the mother to the child through the amniotic fluid

SYMPTOMS

The possibility of having a severe complication after contracting the virus is very low. Most times, the symptoms are mild, and sometimes a person who has been infected does not even know, which can be very dangerous in the case of a pregnant woman. However the following symptoms can be observed: Headache, Rashes, Fever, Joint Pain, Red eyes, MICROCEPHALY

 This virus has been suspected of causing Microcephaly, in which a baby is born with a small head and a damaged brain. This baby’s head size is always much smaller when compared to other children of same age. Such child may also experience vision and hearing problems, and ultimately death depending on the function of the part of the brain that is underdeveloped. So many of such death have been recorded.

GUILLAIN-BARRE SYNDROME

Zika virus has also been linked to a neurological disorder called Guillain-Barre syndrome, in which one’s immune system attacks the nerve, thereby causing weakness and numbness in the limbs. It may begin with weakness of the legs and gradually spread up the body. In the worst cases the patient may become totally paralysed.

TREATMENT

Though certain drugs can be used in treating some symptoms such as headache and pain, unfortunately, there is no vaccine to prevent Zika, or medicine to treat the infection. Infected people are always encouraged to have enough rest. Scientists are really working hard in order to create a vaccine for preventing Zika, and medicine to cure its infection.

PREVENTION

Zaki virus can be prevented by avoiding being bitten by mosquitoes, which can be achieved by using insect repellents, closing all doors and windows, and wearing of long-sleeved clothes. Experts have also advised against travelling to affected areas.

PROF. TAM DAVID WEST ON FUEL SUBSIDY

A one time petroleum minister during Ibrahim Babangida's military regime, Prof Tam David West breaks down his analysis of the falsehood behind the fuel subsidy that has only enriched a few rich and selfish individuals in Nigeria. See insightful details.
1) One barrel of Crude oil = 42 gallons or 159 litres
2) Our Refineries (i.e 4) Installed (combined)
capacity = 445,000 barrels per day
3) Actual refineries capacity due to ageing
equipment = 30% i.e. 133,500 barrels per day.
4) 133,500 barrels = 21.2 million litres
5) Local required consumption (F.O.S) = 12millions litres
6) It means that even our MORIBOND refineries can actually meet our local consumption need of petroleum.
7) The cost structure of crude oil (i.e. Qua Iboe Crude Oil) production; – Findings / development – $3.5
– Production cost – $1.5
– Refining Cost – $12.6
– Pipeline/transportation –$1.5
– Distr/bridging fund Margin$15.69
True cost of one litre of petroleum anywhere in Nigeria;
– Total sum cost = $34.8
– 1ltr cost = $34.8/159 litres = $0.219
– Naira equiv. 0.219xN160 = N35.02k
– Add Tax N5 + N35.02 = N40.02
9) Let FGN refute the above composition and if not, they should tell us how they came about
N95/N85 litre.
10) Locally refined products cannot be sold at International price.
11) We really do not need FGN SUBSIDY as
there was NONE in the first place.
12) What is LACKING, is the WILL to enforce
LAW ON CORRUPTION.

JUST IN: JERRY GANA GROUP HOLDS PARALLEL PDP CONVENTION IN ABUJA

The faction of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, led by a former Minister of Information, Prof. Jerry Gana, has carried out its threat of conducting a parallel national convention.

The faction is currently holding its national convention in Abuja, while another convention is simultaneously holding in Port Harcourt, Rivers state.

The Port Harcourt convention is led by Alhaji Modu Sheriff, the party’s interim national chairman.

Prof. Gana and other leading members of the party had announced the “removal” of Alfani Modu Sheriff from the office, saying they had taken over the administration of the party.

The Abuja convention is being attended by some of the founding fathers of the party.

Those attending the Abuja convention include former Minister, Tunde Adeniran, former Deputy Senate president, Senator Ibrahim Mantu, former presidential aide, Doyin Okupe, and former FCT Minister, Bala Mohammed, among others.

Senator Mantu, who is chairing the Abuja convention, said the Abuja convention was a non-elective convention, citing a court ruling stopping the party from electing a new chairman, secretary and auditor.

Messrs Adeniran, Mantu and Gana are to provide leadership for the faction till its next convention, the group announced.