The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadiq Abubakar, has revealed how members of dreaded Boko Haram terrorist sect shot their jet, but ended up paying a bigger price following their reinforcement which degraded their fighters.

Air Marshal Abubakar, who made this known in a recent interview with the Voice of Nigeria in Abuja, said that war can be tragic as well as dangerous.

Recounting the sad experience in Borno State, the Air Chief said, “In the Air Force we have had situations where for instance, we went to conduct medical outreach for Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs in Gwoza and we picked all our medical personnel with the medications and so on, we were flying from Maiduguri to Gwoza and our aircraft was shot at,” Abubakar is quoted as saying by People’s Daily.

“Ah.., the bullet pierced through but fortunately for us, nobody was really killed eeehm, one of the passengers was wounded and the aircraft also continued its flight ahh, but there and then we made sure that those that fired that round would not be there to fire anybody again, because we called in our fight aircraft from Yola immediately and they were able to handle the situation on ground,” Abubakar said.

He noted that war is risky giving the fact that you will be aiming at your enemy while he is also trying to destroy you.

“Well, yes a number of times of course if you are fighting war, war is very tragic and very, very dangerous venture which we all know. You are going to kill the enemy the enemy is equally coming out to kill you.”

Continuing, Abubakar, who attributed their war success to God, lamented how they ejected some pilots due to bullet wounds with one dying which made them to be missing in action.

“Ahhm, we have had cases where they attempted to fire at us, they fired at the air craft, but God has been in control of us and in some incidents in 2015 or 2014, where some of our pilots ejected because they were shot at and unfortunately, we lost one and is still missing in action up to now.

“Apart from that, I think basically, we had a few problems but not directly as a result of enemy action. So I think God has been very kind to us.”

Read more at People’s Daily.

The Imo State governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, has promised not to leave the people of the state alone but send them the ‘holy spirit.”

Rochas Okorocha made this statement when he addressed in front of a scant crowd that showed up to express support for him and the federal government led by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Government House in Owerri, Tuesday, July 4, 2017.

According to Okorocha, the level of development the state has seen since he became governor, would take up to thirty years to achieve, adding that he had broken the jinx of poverty in Imo state.

“There is peace in the Niger Delta. These young men seated, maybe most would have been killed by the police or army if I did not intervene with the amnesty programme. Today, we have peace in Ohaji/Egbema and Oguta,” Okorocha is quoted as saying by Herald.

“Today, we have broken the jinx that poor people can never be millionaires. We have taken 305 youths here and made them millionaires. With this jinx broken all of you have the capacity to become millionaires in the future.”

Continuing, Okorocha noted that, “I have heard your request for a proactive successor, before I leave I will send you the Holy Spirit, I will never leave you alone, you can imagine if previous government for the past 30 years have been working the way I am working now, by now Imo State would have been London. The massive infrastructure in the state is only within six years, so think of 30 years.”

IPOB Stages Anti Okorocha Rally

Scores of members of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, IPOB, on Tuesday, July 4, 2017 staged a rally in major streets of Owerri, the Imo State capital, chanting songs derogatory of Governor Rochas Okorocha’s opposition to their cause.

According to one of their leaders, King David, who spoke to The Guardian, the agitation for the creation of Biafra Republic was very much on course, insisting that the governor’s indifference smacks of selfishness.

“We are calling for the realisation of Biafra. Biafra is real. We are having our day today. Nobody can stop us. Everyone knows that we are serious. Biafra is a reality. Look at the number of people who are here today (yesterday). This is to show you that we want Biafra. IPOB is calling for Biafra,” Mr. David said. 

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

The agitators happily displayed their flags, urging the residents to identify with them.

In a spontaneous move, a solidarity group countered the agitators with its own exercise.

Tagged a ‘Three million-man march’ for President Muhammadu Buhari and Governor Rochas Okorocha’, the supporters said they were solidarising to uphold what they regarded as “good governance, fight against corruption, exemplary leadership and amazing achievements.”

It was learnt that the rally had been scheduled for Monday to counter the planned one-million anti-government protest originally organised by a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain and former Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Kelechi Nwagwu.

After literarily obstructing human and vehicular movement for hours, the coordinator, Comrade Jeff Nwaoha, handed their document to Okorocha, saying the rally was in appreciation of the President’s achievements, “especially the relentless war against corruption and the governor’s monumental achievements.”

He said the state has “never had it so good”, maintaining that the governor’s six-year stewardship had surpassed the achievements of his predecessors put together.

There was pandemonium in Osun State as students of the state university took over the streets of Osogbo, the capital in a violent protest against the alleged ritual killing of their colleague.

The irate students had on Tuesday, July 4, 2017 burnt down a house close to where the deceased body was discovered, and continued their demonstration on Wednesday morning.

Dressed in black, the obviously angry students marched from their school campus at Oke Baale, to the Palace of the Ataoja of Osogbo, and made a stop at the Olaiya roundabout where a bonfire was made.

The students who came out in thousands were seen destroying everything they came across, chasing people with sticks and iron materials.

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

Channels TV’s correspondent noted that only one patrol vehicle of the police was seen moving with the protesting students, as they made their way to the state Secretariat.

Commercial and vehicular activities in the town have been grounded and there is a significant amount of tension in the air.

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

Read more at Channels TV.

A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has ordered the federal government to “immediately release to Nigerians information about the names of high ranking public officials from whom public funds were recovered and the circumstances under which funds were recovered, as well as the exact amount of funds recovered from each public official.”

The judgment was delivered on Wednesday, July 5, 2017 by Hon Justice Hadiza Rabiu Shagari following a Freedom of Information suit number: FHC/CS/964/2016 brought by Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP).

The suit followed disclosure last year by the Federal Government of funds recovered from some high-ranking public officials and private individuals.

In her judgment Justice Shagari agreed with SERAP that “the Federal Government has a legally binding obligations to tell Nigerians the names of all suspected looters of the public treasury past and present.” Joined as Defendants in the suit are the Minister of Information Alhaji Lai Muhammed and the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture.

Justice Shagari also granted the following reliefs:

A DECLARATION that by virtue of the provisions of Section 4 (a) of the Freedom of Information Act 2011, the Defendants are under a binding legal obligation to provide the Plaintiff with up to date information relating to the following:

To widely disseminate including on a dedicated website information about the names of high ranking public officials from whom public funds were recovered since May 2015

The circumstances under which stolen public funds were returned

SERAP is now processing a certified true copy of the judgment.

Timothy Adewale, SERAP deputy director who argued the case on behalf of SERAP and was in court this morning when the judgment was delivered said “This is a victory for justice, rule of law, transparency and accountability in this country. The judgment shows the way forward in the fight against corruption and impunity of perpetrators. We will do everything within the law to ensure full compliance by President Mohammadu Buhari and Acting President Osinbajo with this landmark judgment.

It would be recalled that the Ministry of Information last year published details of the recoveries, which showed that the Nigerian government successfully retrieved total cash amount N78,325,354,631.82, $185,119,584.61, £3,508,355.46 and €11, 250 between May 29, 2015 and May 25, 2016. Also released were recoveries under interim forfeiture, which were a combination of cash and assets, during the same period: N126,563,481,095.43, $9,090,243,920.15, £2,484,447.55 and €303,399.17. Anticipated repatriation from foreign countries totalled: $321,316,726.1, £6,900,000 and €11,826.11. The ministry also announced that 239 non-cash recoveries were made during the one-year period. The non-cash recoveries are – farmlands, plots of land, uncompleted buildings, completed buildings, vehicles and maritime vessels.

Subsequently, SERAP issued an FOI request and gave the Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Muhammed 14 days to disclose the names of all suspected looters.

The request reads in part: “While we believe that suspects generally are entitled to be presumed innocent until proven guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction, SERAP opposes blanket non-disclosure of names of high-ranking public officials from whom some of the funds were recovered.”

“SERAP insists that the public interest to know is greater than any other legitimate interest that the government might wish to protect. The Nigerian government has an obligation to balance whether the risk of harm to the legitimate aim (that is secrecy of ongoing corruption investigation and presumption of innocence) from disclosure of the names of public officials is greater than the public interest in accessing the information.”

“According to public interest test, even if the government demonstrates that the publication of the names of public officials would substantially harm a legitimate interest, it is nevertheless obliged to disclose the requested information if, as it is the case here, the public interest in disclosure is sufficient enough to overweigh the harm.”

“SERAP believes that the recoveries, specifically from high-ranking public officials (and not private individuals), are matters of public interest. Publishing the names of those public officials will provide insights relevant to the public debate on the ongoing efforts to prevent and combat a culture of grand corruption and the longstanding impunity of perpetrators in the country.”

“The gravity of the crime of grand corruption, the devastating effects on the socially and economically vulnerable sectors of the population, and the fact that recovery of huge funds from high-ranking public officials entrusted with the public treasury raise a prima-facie case and therefore amount to exceptional circumstances that justify naming those high-ranking officials in the public interest.”

“SERAP also argues that Nigerians are entitled to the right to truth derived from the obligations of the government to carry out an investigation of violations of human rights and crime of corruption committed within its jurisdiction; to identify, prosecute and punish those responsible; and to ensure that victims have the simple and prompt recourse for protection against violation of fundamental rights, as well as to ensure transparency in public administration.”

“SERAP believes that the right to truth allows Nigerians to gain access to information essential to the fight against corruption and in turn development of democratic institutions as well as provides a form of reparation to victims of grand corruption in the country.”

“Publishing the names of public officials involved could go a long way in preventing senior public officials from turning the public treasury into a private cashbox. SERAP argues that the public interest in publishing the names of the high-ranking government officials from whom funds were received outweighs any considerations to withhold the information, as there would be no prejudice against those whose names are published as long as the information is appropriately framed and truthful.”

“There is a general public interest in promoting transparency, accountability, public understanding and involvement in the democratic process. While the government in some limited cases can legitimately place restrictions on the public’s right to access certain information, attempts of the Nigerian authorities to justify the total closure of information related to the names of public officials from whom funds were recovered on the basis of “ongoing criminal investigation” and “presumption of innocence goes far beyond the limitations allowed under international law, and would promote secret recoveries.”

“The information being requested is not related to detailed investigatory activities of anticorruption agencies regarding the recoveries so far made. Similarly, the mere fact that the information being requested is related to ongoing investigation does not necessarily mean that the information could not be disclosed. In addition, governmental agency has the obligation to prove that the disclosure of the names of public officials would disrupt, impede, or otherwise harm the ongoing or pending investigations or presumption of innocence.”

Olisa Agbakoba, a former president of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, on Tuesday, July 4, 2017 condemned the call for the country’s restructuring, describing it as a political calculation by the elite to grab power in 2019.

Punch reports that Agbakoba, a senior advocate of Nigeria, justified the demand for self-determination by the Nnamdi Kanu-led Indigenous People of Biafra, which is seeking a referendum to achieve same.

Agbakoba, who rejected the declaration by acting President Yemi Osinbajo that Nigeria’s sovereignty was not negotiable, said IPOB’s quest for self-determination was lawful and found justification in Article 1 (2) of the United Nations Charter and Article 20 (1) of the African Charter of Human and Peoples Rights, to which Nigeria was a signatory.

He said the federal government must immediately initiate a process to put the continued existence of Nigeria as a sovereign entity to a debate, stressing that restructuring was not the road map to federalism.

The legal luminary addressed journalists in Lagos on Tuesday at his Ikoyi office on “The future of Nigeria.”

Agbakoba said, “I see every politician now says restructure but I disagree. I also think the acting President was wrong to say that Nigeria is insoluble. There is nothing sacrosanct about Nigeria. It can blow up anytime. It’s an artificial creation, which was made in 1914 and when it was amalgamated we were not there. It was amalgamated in the interest of the colonialists.”

Agbakoba said it was unfortunate that since 1914 when amalgamation was thrust on the people, there had not been any home-grown process to resolve the will of the people to co-exist.

Agbakoba, who had once sued the Federal Government for neglecting the South-East, argued that the Federal Government goofed by charging the IPOB leader with treasonable felony for seeking self-determination.

He said, “For me, the best that he can be charged with is unlawful assembly and an act capable of breaching public peace. Those are the things he can be charged with, but not treason; because Nigeria is a signatory to the United Nations’ Charter, which recognises the right for self-determination.”

When asked whether he aligned with IPOB’s call for a referendum towards self-determination, Agbakoba, who said he had nothing against Kanu, responded, “Absolutely!  What is sacrosanct about Nigeria? Nothing. What is sacrosanct about Nigeria is our agreement to be part of Nigeria. I’m not suggesting that Nigeria should not exist but to say that Nigeria’s sovereignty is not negotiable, nobody should talk about it.”

Agbakoba, who was a delegate at the 2014 National Conference, also said implementing the resolutions of the conference would not quell the various secessionist agitations in the country.

He argued that while it was politically incorrect for the Arewa youths to give the Igbo living in the North a quit notice, there was no legal basis to call for their arrest.

He said, “Did they commit any crime? They just said, ‘leave our place,’ that’s all. It’s not in the criminal code that if I tell a man to leave my house I have committed a crime. I have a right to tell you, this is my house, leave. It’s politically incorrect to tell the Igbo to leave but I don’t see any crime. And let’s be clear, we should not make this thing sound legalistic… it is political.”

Read more at Punch.

The Southern Senators Forum on Wednesday, July 5, 2017 re-emerged at the Senate after being in oblivion for some years.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the forum’s activity was last noticed 2006 and 2007 during the tenure of Ken Nnamani as President of the Senate. It had Sen. Ifeanyi Ararume as chairman

Announcing the revival of the forum after its meeting at the National Assembly Complex, Abuja, senate minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio, said that it was inevitable that the group existed.

He said that as lawmakers, they must get closer to the grassroots in order to provide them with the basic needs of life.

“We must ensure that we take decisions that will enable us get closer to our people as we provide a shoulder they can lean on,” the former Akwa Ibom governor said.

“We are alive to our responsibilities. It is not just to pass Bills. We will take on topical issues that will alleviate the sufferings of Nigerians like security and creation of employment. We will make Nigeria one,” Akpabio said.

According to him, there has always been the Northern Senators Forum while the Southern Senators Forum has just re-emerged in the 8th Senate.

“When they take decisions from the North, we will also take decisions from the South and from there we have a united voice in order to consolidate on the unity of the country,” he said.

Akpabio announced that Sen. Hope Uzodinma (PDP-Imo) was the chairperson of the forum, with Lanre Tejuosho as vice chairman.

Other members in the executive committee of the group are Sen. Mao Ohuabunwa (PDP-Abia), publicity secretary; Sen. Duro Fasheyi is the auditor.

The only female member of the committee, Sen. Stella Oduah (PDP-Anambra), is the welfare officer.

In his remarks, chairperson of the group, Uzodinma, said that the Southern Senators caucus would play vital role in strengthening the unity of Nigeria “going by the recent agitation by various sectional groups across the country”.

In the old and golden days when were growing up, news revolved around a few household names namely, The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and The Voice of America (VOA). Back then, an African Media House would not compete with any of these established news superpowers. In fact, those analogue days demanded that the African audience takes the established western media as the absolute voice of Truth.

But at 10pagepapers.com, we can now confirm that with the rise of the Internet, the privileges that African media once missed are now available without making a heavy investment in expensive infrastructure. The Net has brought about a level playing field that all media players can take advantage of. To add an icing on the cake, the Online Revolution has now gone mobile due to the rise of the Smartphone Revolution. With the Internet at the fingertips of hundreds of millions of Africans, it is now possible for African News Site to break old barriers and compete. With the rise of smartphones, target audience no longer needs laptops or desktop computers to access mobile news.

This post will share out some of the ways by which an African news site can take advantage of the increasing smartphone penetration in Africa to extend its tentacles. Keep reading to learn more on why going mobile is not an option, but a compulsory requirement for any African news site that wants to remain relevant in these digital days.

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

Increased contribution through amateur news contribution

Given that no online or offline media house can have its representatives everywhere across Africa, even the most established news channels get their news through amateur footages and contributors. The mobile smartphone wave has now made it possible to get news from the deepest recesses of the continent where online news media could not have accessed any other way. With a decent smartphone, an amateur news enthusiast can record news footages and voice clips that can be used by online news channels.

Additionally, not just amateurs can use these devices to capture news, no. Even correspondents of media houses are now using smartphones to record video and audio clips as well as shooting clear photos that were once a preserve of expensive and large cameras. In fact, the level of smartphone penetration in Africa has now made it possible for an average African person to own a 20-mega pixel camera phone for less than $200.

Gain a 24/7 access to news

Can you remember those old good days when you could only access news at designated times of the day or night? Back then, if you “missed news time,” you had to wait until after some few hours to get access to African news. Additionally, if some other news items came up along the way, then you will not get all you had missed because priority was given to the “hottest” items of the moment. But with an average smartphone at your fingertips, you can access news items you want and anywhere you are. You can also access news archives anytime. Additionally, you can make a follow-up on developing stories as they unfold. With time and geographical barriers now broken, an African news site can reach its audience on the move.

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

A multimedia approach

With the steady rise of smartphones in Africa, news lovers can now access their favorite African news sites in different media. For instance, they can get video and voice clips on their mobile phones. Additionally, they can access text versions of the same news coverage alongside excellent and clear photos accompanying those news items.

They facilitate news streaming

With the rise of streaming technology, the way Africans access and enjoy online news has changed for the good and the long-term. An African news lover no longer needs to “go to the cyber” to stream news that matter to them. For instance, when our great son was being coronated at the Capitol Hill in January 2009 as the first African (and Kenyan) to rule the USA, Africans who were not glued to traditional news boxes such as TV’s could access the historic event via mobile phones. They could follow the voice and video clips of the event that brought Africa and the whole world to a standstill.

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

Reduced cost of doing business

Another way through which the Smartphone Revolution can benefit African news sites is through reduced cost of doing business. With the analogue technology of the gone years, it was the duty of a media house to invest in heavy ground machinery to gain a wider coverage. But with the Internet at the fingertips of close to one billion Africans, the onus of penetration is no longer the duty of an online news media. All the media house needs to do is to fill their site with relevant news that speaks to the modern African, and make them patronize the site—that is all. With reduced investment in heavy machinery and the need to have correspondents everywhere on the continent, news sites can make remarkable savings on their cost of operation.

Enhanced worldwide competitiveness

Another benefit that smartphone can confer to African news sites is the ability to compete in the international arena. With the analogue age of doing news, survival and excelling were for the fattest pockets. But with mobile technology on the rise, African news sites can effectively compete with their colleagues from across the world as long as they know how to speak to the African audience and maintain it.

Faster conveying of breaking news

News is only news when it arrives on time and when it is still hot. If news cannot reach its target audience as fast as possible, it stops being news and becomes another outdated feature on the Net. But with smartphones penetrating the African continent faster, Africans can now use their smartphones to access news as soon as it breaks. Additionally, the availability of subscription services allows news sites to send breaking news via SMS hence their audience no longer needs to be online full-time to know what is going on. They can only visit the site’s online portal to get more details regarding a news item that interests them.

Build stronger social ties

With the rise of the social media, no African news site can forgo the power of social networks. You can only ignore Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter at your own peril. With smartphones in the hands of millions of African people, a news site can capitalize on this and keep their social ties with their audience stronger. With popular social networks conveniently glued to the hands of fans, African news sites can now send news notifications to their subscribers through social media. In fact, research has shown that people are more likely to believe, act on, and talk about a news item on social media as long as their trusted connections, friends, or family members endorse it. That is how powerful the social networks are, and smartphones have brought this power at the disposal of African news sites.

Parting shot

There you go with all the facts on how the Smartphone Revolution is benefiting African news sites. If you want to learn more on African news sites, you can contact us here.

Nigeria’s Federal Executive Council, FEC, has distanced itself from the statement of Acting President Yemi Osinbajo on the confirmation of nominations made by the executive.

In April, Osinbajo had the press, that he was in support of the view of Femi Falana, human rights lawyer, that the executive did not need to send the name of Ibrahim Magu, acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), to the senate for confirmation.

“There is an argument, whether or not we need to present him (Magu) for confirmation and that’s a compelling argument from Femi Falana,” Osinbajo had said.

“His (Falana) argument is that under the constitution, section 171, and if you look at that section, it talks about the appointments that the president can make. They include appointments of ministers, ambassadors and heads of agencies such as the EFCC. In that same section 171, the constitution rightly said that certain appointments must go to the senate such as ministerial and ambassadorial appointments. Those of heads of agencies like the EFCC do not have to go to the senate. That’s what the constitution says. But the EFCC act, which of course as you know is inferior, says that EFCC chairman should go to the senate for confirmation.

“I am sure that even a pocket book lawyer knows that when a legislation conflicts with constitution, it’s the constitution that prevails. I agree with Mr Falana that there was no need in the first place to have sent Magu’s name to the senate.”

Two months after the statement was made, the upper legislative chamber refused to accede to Osinbajo’s request of confirming Lanre Gbajabiamila as the director-general of Nigeria Lottery Commission.

The senate also resolved to suspend the consideration of all the nominees which the executive sends to it for confirmation, asking Osinbajo to withdraw his statement.

Fielding questions from reporters at the post-FEC briefing, Abubakar Malami, attorney-general of the federation, said the cabinet cannot defend what it did not decide on.

“Although the issue came up for discussion at the cabinet meeting since the cabinet was not particularly connected or reached a consensus to maintain a particular position, it cannot begin to defend what it did not decide on,” Malami said.

“The fundamental consideration about the alleged statement is the fact that at no point ever did the federal executive council sit down to arrive at the decision in one way or the other as far as the issue of nomination or otherwise is concerned.

“So, I do not think it constitutes an issue for the federal executive council to make any clarification about because it has never been considered by the FEC.”

Read more at TheCable.

Nigeria will come out of the economic recession before the end of 2017, Udoma Udo Udoma, budget and national planning minister, has reassured Nigerians.

He told journalists after briefing members of the National Working Committee (NWC) of All Progressives Congress (APC) on the implementation of the 2017-2020 Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP).

He reiterated that the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration inherited an economy that was in bad shape.

He cited insecurity, massive corruption, unemployment, poor infrastructure, import dependent economy and other structural weaknesses, as issues synonymous with the immediate past administration.

“APC promised to bring change to Nigerians; during the campaign, President Buhari promised to tackle the security challenges, fight corruption and fix the broken economy.

“Mr President has remained irrevocably committed to delivering on these three promises,“ the minister said.

He said that the medium-term plan for 2017-2020 was developed after an extensive consultative process.

He added that the plan was built on previous sectoral plans, adding that it captured key promises of the APC administration.

According to the minister, the ERGP contains bold actions that are required to tackle the current challenges and build a resilient economy for the country.

He explained that the plan was designed to get the economy out of recession unto a path of diversified, sustainable and inclusive growth.

The minister said the ERGP’s outlook and major deliverables include 4.6 per cent average real GDP growth rate over the plan period reaching 7 per cent by 2020.

He said that over 15 million direct jobs would be created by 2020 in agriculture, manufacturing, and construction among other sectors.

Udoma said that Nigeria would attain self-sufficiency in rice and wheat production in 2018 and 2020 respectively.

He said that there would be 60 per cent reduction in imports of refined petroleum products by 2018 and net exporter of refined crude by 2020.

The minister said that in the implementation of the ERGP, much of the capital provision in the 2017 budget was directed at projects that were aligned with its core execution priorities.

He solicited the support of the leadership of the APC to ensure delivery of the objectives of the plan, starting with the 2017 budget.

“Implementation of the 2017 budget will be targeted at achieving the objectives of the ERGP and delivering on the promises of the APC and of Mr President.

“As a ministry, we will continue strengthening our monitoring and evaluation framework covering physical inspection and verification as well as Impact Assessment of projects and programme implemented by MDAs,“ the minister said.

Udoma said that the ERGP was a plan for all Nigerians, stressing that the cooperation of all was critical to ensure its success.

Earlier, the APC National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, noted that the 2017-2020 Economic Recovery and Growth Plan was fundamental in rebuilding and strengthening the foundation of the economy.

“The plan is fundamental because it is the basis for which the rebuilding and strengthening of the foundation of this nation is going to be based.

“As a party, when we speak on the state of the economy, it must be based on knowledge and fact.

“With this presentation, we will be able to say that three years from now, everything being equal, this is where we are likely to be,“ Odigie-Oyegun said.

He said that the minister was invited to update members of the APC leadership on the economic situation and when it would come out of recession.

He maintained that the interaction would enable the party`s leadership talk to Nigerians authoritatively on the country`s economy, while giving them first hand information.

“The presentation is fundamental as it is the planning background, it is the basis on which the rebuilding, restructuring and strengthening of this country is going to be based, “ he said.

Nigerian crude for August loading is proving slow to find buyers amid rising supply, Reuters quoting oil trading sources has reported.

Reuters said the supply glut is a sign that an expected second-half rebalancing of the global market is getting off to a slow start.

An increase in production in Nigeria and Libya, where conflict and unrest had curbed output earlier this year, is adding to the volume of light, sweet crude looking for buyers in the Atlantic Basin, despite an OPEC-led supply cut aimed at getting rid of a surplus.

Oil traders say there are at least 40 unsold August-loading Nigerian cargoes looking for buyers, the equivalent of almost half of daily world demand and a higher volume than at similar points in earlier months.

“It’s starting to clear but there are still 40 plus left,” said a trader, who said the excess supply for August loading was higher than earlier months as production has increased.

“It’s more because there is a much bigger programme in August. It’s slow on Nigerian.”

Lingering cargoes of crude from Nigeria, Africa’s biggest exporter, have been a feature of the market this year , weighing on prices since Nigeria’s crude is sold in relation to Brent, the global benchmark..

Such signs of excess should start to be less visible in coming months if, as analysts like the International Energy Agency forecast, the global market tightens in the second half of the year helped by the OPEC cut.

But Nigerian exports are set to exceed 2 million barrels per day (bpd) in August, a 17-month high, and on Tuesday the head of the IEA said further increases by key producers could hamper the rebalancing.

“It is still a buyer’s market,” said Olivier Jakob, analyst at Petromatrix. “This is really the peak demand season and it does not feel particularly strong in the crude oil market.”

To be sure, traders say some Nigerian crude grades for August are selling well, such as distillate-rich crude Forcados, and traders say the number of remaining July-loading cargoes has dwindled to less than 10.

There were more signs of strengthening in the North Sea crude market, where the number of cargoes in floating storage has declined and production is set to fall in August amid seasonal oilfield maintenance.
Angolan crude has traded more quickly for August loading than in recent months, supported by increased demand from China, the biggest buyer, traders say.

A massive outrage has erupted in India after a Hindu-Muslim married couple was denied a room by a hotel in the southern city of Bengaluru just because they ascribed to different religions.

Shafeek Subaida Hakkim, the Muslim man, had gone with his Hindu wife Divya D.V. to Olive Residency hotel for a room, but the couple claimed that the staff denied them stay after learning that they are from different faiths.

“The receptionist noted the names in the register and then realised that I am a Muslim, while my wife is Hindu. He asked us if we were married as we follow different religions,’’ Hakkim told the media.

“When I confirmed that we were in fact married, he refused to give us a single room saying that it is not acceptable for a Muslim and a Hindu to stay together,’’he added.

Local TV channels showed a CCTV footage of the hotel reception where the couple is seen arguing with the staff after they were denied a room.

The owner of Olive Residency, Shiva Madhu, has admitted that the couple was not given a room, but gave a different reason.

“It is nothing to do with a Hindu-Muslim issue. The problem was that they had no proper ID and had no luggage,’’ he said.

However, many Indians took to social media to point to social prejudice many inter-faiths couple face in this country.

“This is supposed to be a secular country, but still there is a division,’’ wrote a Facebook user. (Xinhua/NAN)

Titi Atiku, a wife of former Vice President Abubakar Atiku, has told an Ikeja High Court that one Akpan Jacobs, the pastor, who allegedly defrauded her of N918 million was her “errand boy”.

Mrs. Atiku made this claim while being cross-examined on Wednesday, July 5, 2017 by Mr Amos Ibe, the defence counsel to Akpan-Jacobs.

“I paid N49 million for the land used as the premises of THA Shipping, my partner Fred Holmes never contributed to the buying of the land but he contributed to the building of the property.

“The N49 million was given to Akpan-Jacobs to purchase the land, but he did not know who he bought the land from.

“He never contributed a dime, he was just like an errand boy,” Atiku said.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, had charged Akpan-Jacobs with a 14-count charge bordering on conspiracy, stealing and fraudulent conversion of property worth N918 million belonging to THA Shipping Maritime Services Ltd.

THA Shipping Maritime Services Ltd, a company created in 2000, is owned by Atiku, Akpan-Jacobs and Fred Holmes, her German business partner.

Atiku was alleged to be the majority shareholder with 49 per cent shares, while Holmes and Akpan-Jacobs each had 25 per cent shares.

Akpan-Jacobs, who also doubled as the company’s Managing Director and Secretary, was alleged to have gone to the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) to alter the shareholding in his favour and forged the company’s board resolutions.

He allegedly allotted 70 per cent shares to himself and 15 per cent shares each to Titi and Holmes.

According to the EFCC, wielding a fraudulent shareholding power, Akpan-Jacobs sold a property belonging to the company to Dana Motors Nigeria Ltd for N918 million.

The property is located at Plot C63 A, Amuwo-Odofin Commercial Layout along Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, Lagos.

Responding to Atiku’s claim that Akpan-Jacobs was her errand boy, Ibe asked: “He was made a Managing Director (MD), how can an errand boy be made an MD?

“He was made an MD to stand in for Mr Fred Holmes because Holmes had not resigned from his job.

“When it was time for Akpan to step down as the MD, he refused because by then he had perfected his fraudulent acts.”

The wife of ex-VP denied Ibe’s claims that Akpan-Jacobs owned and promoted THA Shipping Maritime Services Ltd and only brought her on board to bring in big briefs and clients.

“Is he the one who bought the land, built the building? He was merely supervising.

“My clout gave the company a lot of prestige, a lot of people wanted to do business with us and people brought a lot of containers to us,” she said.

NAN recalls that while giving evidence on May 23, Atiku had told the court that she had used her maiden name, Florence Doregos, for business transactions because she was serving in government at the time.

She denied Ibe’s accusations that Akpan-Jacobs never forged her signature either as Florence Doregos and Titi Abubakar in company documents.

Mrs Atiku also denied Akpan-Jacobs claims that she never contributed to the construction of the building that housed the company.

“I have a breakdown of the costs used in the construction of the building, Akpan-Jacobs gave me the breakdown in 2002 but he did not sign it.

“I never said the property was built by Julius Berger, Mr Holmes was a Julius Berger staff and he might have used his connections to make the building a solid structure.

“There was a document that Akpan-Jacobs had showed me that was signed by Abubakar and I told him it was not Titi Abubakar’s signature.

“He forged Florence Doregos signature in a number of documents,” she said.

Atiku also told the court that she and Holmes on April 6, 2009 passed a resolution removing Akpan-Jacobs from the ownership of THA Shipping Maritime Services Ltd.

“He had sold the property by the time we passed that resolution but we wrote to Akpan notifying him of what we wanted to do.

“My lawyer, Mr Chima went to Dana Motors Ltd made efforts to stop the sale of the property because by then, they had not given Akpan much money for the sale of the property.

“When Mr Chima went to Dana Motors Ltd to tell them that the property was not for sale, they confided in him that the property was sold to Akpan for N918 million.

“I only gave power of attorney to one Ms Springerbeck, a German citizen; I, however, reverted the power of attorney to my lawyer after I noticed that she had a lot of excesses.

“Akpan used the property as a collateral for a loan from First Bank because he needed funds to run for governor of Akwa-Ibom.

“When he could not pay the loan and settle his creditors, he sold THA Shipping Maritime Services Ltd.

“I am not aware that a deed of assignment was signed by a secretary and director of the company, Akpan did not introduce any secretary to me,” she said.

Mr Babatunde Sonoiki, the EFCC counsel, while re-examining Atiku, asked if she signed any of the company’s resolutions used in the alleged fraud.

“Did you ever sign board resolutions assigning anyone as company secretary, approving the sale of the property and to loan money from First Bank on behalf of THA Shipping?”

Atiku replied: “I never signed any board resolution for any of those purposes.”

Justice Oluwatoyin Ipaye adjourned the case until today, July 6 for continuation of trial.

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) says at least 43 persons have won the bidding of vehicles in the first 48 hours of the newly launched e-auction platform.

Joseph Attah, the spokesperson of the service, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja that the platform “is active and working’’.

Attah made the clarification following numerous complaints from interested bidders that they could not access the Customs’ auction websites

Colonel Hameed Ali, the comptroller general of the Customs service, on Tuesday, July 3, 2017 in Abuja inaugurated the e-auction platform aimed at giving all Nigerians equal opportunities to partake in bidding for seized vehicles and to increase Customs’ revenue.

“At the first day of the launching, there were technical challenges with the e-auction platform and these challenges have already been resolved.

“Potential bidders can now register smoothly without hitches.

“The first 48 hours expired at 12noon on Wednesday and already 43 persons have won the bidding including a journalist, so you can see this platform is working.

“For now it is only Jaiz bank that is on the platform, other designated banks are having Interswitch issues and they will soon be on board as soon as they ratify the issues.

“I understand that today one bank will soon be on board,’’ he said.

Attah called on potential bidders to be calm and make use of the bank available on the platform for now until other banks could come on board.

“For those trying to registers, they should go to the designated bank area on the platform, click on the Jaiz bank and print out the page from their system and go to the bank to pay.

“This means the person has activated with Jaiz bank and the bank can key you into the bank system to enable you pay the N1, 000 administrative fee, which will be transferred to your e-wallet,’’ he said.

NAN reports that between 4:10 p.m. and 4:45 p.m. on Wednesday, July 5, the platform was showing “Under Maintenance’’.

The platform also gave an instruction saying: “Dear user, the server is currently undergoing scheduled maintenance or upgrade. Please refresh the page in a few minutes.’’

Turkish authorities detain 12 human rights activists, including Amnesty International’s country director along with one German and one Swedish national, while attending a conference in Istanbul.

According to an Amnesty International statement on Thursday, July 6, 2017 the 11 were detained on Buyukada, an island just off Istanbul which is a popular tourist destination accessible by public ferry.

Turkey detains 12 at human rights meeting in island hotel https://t.co/vYZ4wiFi9H via @Reuters @aforgutu

— amnestypress (@amnestypress) July 6, 2017

Human rights activists said that the meeting at a hotel in the area was focused on best practices for defending human rights activists in Turkey.

Amnesty’s Turkey director Idil Eser was among the detained in a statement by the human rights group called the detention “a grotesque abuse of power.’’

“Eser, and those detained with her, must be immediately and unconditionally released,’’ Amnesty said.

The group’s press office said on Twitter that Amnesty “unequivocally condemns the incommunicado detention’’ of Eser.

Director of Amnesty International Turkey @aforgutu must be released from incommunicado detention https://t.co/qF4qhqFfPh #G20 #BRAVE pic.twitter.com/FUzFiIBlQ7

— AmnestyInternational (@amnesty) July 6, 2017

Amnesty said access to the detained was initially denied to lawyers.

The head of Amnesty International’s Turkey branch was arrested in June along with more than a dozen other lawyers.

A number of civil society groups have been closed during Turkey’s state of emergency, which was imposed after a failed coup last summer by a military faction.

Turkey’s Tayyip Erdogan has been slammed for clamping down on human rights of citizens since the failed coup in 2016.

ntel, Nigeria’s first 4G/LTE-Advanced network has launched a bespoke 4G/LTE device – ntel NOVA.

The ntel NOVA phone is, according to a statement from the company, “an exciting ergonomically designed, low priced, dual-SIM device defined by characteristics of both a feature phone and a smart phone.”

Continuing further, the statement, which was emailed to The Trent on Friday, July 7, 2017 said “The entry of ntel NOVA into the device market signals a new dawn in the evolution of the Nigerian 4G/LTE segment which has been impacted by concerns around the availability and affordability of 4G/LTE-capable devices. Our investment in ntel NOVA further underscores our firm commitment to changing the game in the 4G/LTE broadband segment and to support the actualisation of the penetration targets outlined in the National Broadband Plan of 2013.”

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

The sleek device which comes in three distinct colours; rose gold, gold and grey, runs on the Android 6.0 operating system with a 8GB+1GB RAM capacity and has front 5 mega pixels and rear 2 mega pixel cameras, with Bluetooth and WiFi hotspot capabilities.

The ntel NOVA has space for a micro USB 2.0, earphone jack and two micro SIM card slots. It has 1800mAh battery capacity, with Standby time of 7 days and talk time of 9 hours.

In addition to a high-quality 3.8-inch capacitive touch screen, it also provides a traditional keyboard for quick dialing while boasting 4 dedicated Quick Launch keys for internet apps – Facebook, Internet Browser, Twitter, and WhatsApp.

The device is expected to retail at about N25,000, and includes a free bundle of 25GB Data, and 250 voice minutes to call any network, valid for one month.

ntel is undertaking a road show across its three major cities of operation to introduce the phone and create awareness for its latest 4G/LTE device which comes in to complement its fast selling MiFis and routers.

ntel is Nigeria’s first advanced 4G/LTE network providing superfast Internet access that enables voice, data video and TV on demand. The ntel network is built on the 900/1800 Mhz which are the best propagation frequencies for the deployment of 4G/LTE technology.

The company made its first on-net test data call in Lagos on Monday January 18, 2016 then followed up with its first on-net Voice over LTE call in Lagos on Tuesday, February 23, 2016.

Full commercial operations began on Friday 08 04 2016 in Lagos and Abuja with Port Harcourt coming on stream in December 2016.

A lawmaker in Nigeria’s house of Representative has revealed that 19 students and staff of the University of Maiduguri were killed in separate attacks launched by Islamist terrorist sect, Boko Haram in this year.

The university has been attacked at least six times by the Boko Haram sect.

The first attack was in January, 2017 with the latest in July, 2017

In his motion, Mohammed Monguno is asking the federal government to deploy a team of security officials from all security agencies including the Department of State services to protect the school.

He is also opposing a proposed closure of the university.

The motion was supported by members of the House.

The lawmakers are asking security agencies, particularly the military, the police and the Department of State Services, to “submit a comprehensive plan of action to maintain constant security of the university.”

About 100,000 people have been killed since the start of the Boko Haram insurgency in 2009.

Most of the attacks happened in three north-eastern states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe.

Buhari Defeats Boko Haram?

Late December 2016, President Muhammadu Buhari declared victory over the Islamist terrorist group after Nigerian troops announced that they have recaptured Camp Zero in Sambisa forest, the base of the deadliest terrorist group in the world.

The Nigerian Army later presented the president with the flag belonging to the terrorist group in a “mission accomplished” ceremony.

Since the declaration a week ahead of Christmas Day 2016, Boko Haram has launched a number of deadly attacks in the North Eastern region of the country where the terrorists have murdered at least 50,000 since they began their campaign to establish an Islamic caliphate in the country.

Additional reports by TV360 Nigeria.

After weeks of public furore and media frenzy, a sudden blackout has descended on the case of Chukwuduneme Onwuamadike a.k.a. Evans, Nigeria’s infamous billionaire kidnapper, thus fuelling speculations that he’s escaped, or dead.

Saturday Sun has however gathered that Evans is not dead as his family now fears but has been moved from the Lagos police command headquarters cell by about 30 heavily armed men at midnight few days ago to an undisclosed destination. Some senior police officers in the know told the newspaper he was moved to Abuja

Indeed, in the last few days, a palpable silence seemed to have enshrouded the Evans phenomenon. Where is Evans? It is a question the police is not prepared to officially answer right now. A man who hitherto divulged the details of his criminal life to the public almost on a daily basis is suddenly no longer accessible to even the press corps.

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

All a reporter who visited the state police command was told was that Evans is no longer allowed to talk to the press till further notice. The secrecy surrounding his whereabouts in the official quarters baffles those who have closely followed his story since his arrest.

After days of sniffing around the Lagos police formations to get information on Evans whereabouts, it was gathered that the kidnap kingpin had been moved out of the Lagos command headquarters days ago by heavily armed policemen and is yet to be returned.

Police had last week said they had got a court order to detain him for three months to give them enough time to complete their investigation. This followed two suits filed by Evans lawyer, Olukoya Ogungbeje, at the High Court seeking   his release and claiming N300m damages from the police.

Some senior police officers who spoke on the condition of anonymity expressed fears that Evans might not make it to the court. They argued that he might plot his escape from prison, or get across to some of his members who are still on the run. Their concerns are not farfetched, given that several inmates in the past had reportedly committed much heinous crimes even while in prison.

Some of the officers confirmed that Evans was no longer in the police cell in Lagos. “He has not been returned since he was moved out. Evans is a broken man; police can’t resort to extra-judicial killings at this point. He is cooperating, and he is ready to help return all his ill-gotten wealth as soon as possible,” one of the officers said.

Another reliable source at the police command told Saturday Sun “Evans is not an ordinary criminal. I guess that they took him out for further investigation but I don’t know why they are yet to return him to his cell.” The source further assured: “No one is planning to kill Evans. I believe that they will return him later. He could be in any good cell in the state for security reasons, but I can assure you that he is not dead yet. Even if anything happens to him, if he dies in custody, it will be as a result of cancer which he claims  he is suffering from.”

Yet another senior police officer who preferred anonymity assured that Evans is okay. “He is okay and seriously cooperating with the police in its investigation. From the look of things, he might not spend up to three months in detention before he’s charged to court. As for his location, I assure you that he is in a protective custody somewhere out of town.” The officer who reinforced fears within the police circle, said that “a criminal is always a criminal,” adding that, “with the number of robbery cases and kidnappings to his credit, he is well known among criminals.”

He told Saturday Sun: “Within the short period that he spent in our cell, he is already controlling inmates in the cell. They fear and respect him; we do not want to run the risk of allowing him to form another notorious group which is common amongst them.”

On why his family is yet to get access to him, the officer said that they are yet to approach the police. “A lot of his family members benefitted from his ill-gotten wealth, so they are afraid to come close to the police station.

“Evans confirmed that he bought a car for his father and also gave him N3m. The police will recover such money and properties.

“We will soon get a warrant to pick his father up and possibly his mother, who also benefitted.”

Calls and text messages to both the Lagos Police Spokesman, Olarinde Famous-Cole and the Force PRO, Moshood Jimoh on the official position of the Police on Evans’ whereabouts were neither answered nor responded to as at 10pm yesterday.

Read more at Saturday Sun.

Ibrahim Magu, the boss of the acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has said that the Boko Haram insurgency and recent agitations in Nigeria are being funded by corrupt people in the country.

Magu, who stated this at a town hall meeting with civil society groups in Kano State on Thursday, July 6, 2017 noted that the fight against corruption was one for the survival of Nigeria.

The meeting was organised to develop new strategies which would make the fight against corruption more effective and also bridge the gap to reach out to the grassroots.

The EFCC boss said: “I think corruption is the cause of all these agitations. Corrupt people are the ones behind most of these agitations and even the insurgency of the Boko Haram and the Niger Delta militants are all fundamental causes of these things and you can trace it to corrupt practices. They are funded by looters who stole our money and are using the stolen money to divide our people.”

He urged Nigerians to be more united against ethnic, religious or political affiliations, stressing that “righteousness will continue to win over evil no matter how long.”

“We need journalists more than any other professionals in the fight against corruption. If we really want to fight corruption and if journalists really key into the fight, we would finish it in less than one year.” Magu added.

Read more at Channels TV.

The Nigerian Television Authority, NTA, network center on Ahmadu Bello way in Victoria Island, Lagos, has been shut owing to the flood which accrued from the rainfall of the early hours of Saturday, July 8, 2017.

Major streets in the neighbourhoods of Victoria Island (VI) and Lekki were overtaken by flowing waters.

This left many people trapped in their homes, while vehicles found it difficult to move.

When TheCable’s correspondent visited the VI office of the largest television network in Africa on Saturday evening, it noticed that there were no activities.

An official of the station, who spoke off the record, said the office would remain shut till Monday.

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

“Our office has been shut because of the flood. Although the water has gone down now, the management has decided that for safety reasons, activities should be suspended until Monday,” he said.

Meanwhile, Lagos state police command has announced a closure of Ahmadu Bello way.

Olarinde Famous-Cole, spokespsman of the state police command, disclosed this in a statement issued on Saturday.

Famous-cole advised motorists plying that axis to seek alternative routes.

“Due to the downpour of rain in the state, motorist plying route like Ahmadu Bello way in Victoria Island and other areas prone to flood which has caused traffic gridlock are advised to take alternative route made available by the traffic officials,” the statement read.

“This is because the flood in the area has caused us to temporarily block the road for safety.

“We would like the public to note that the relevant traffic and security agencies are on the ground to flush out the drains and thus secure road users in the state.”

Read more at TheCable.

A man was seen paddling his kayak on Ahmadu Bello Way in Victoria Island following the floods that overran the Island and Lekki area of Lagos on Saturday, July 8, 2017.

Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.

The symbolism around the Galleria shows how terribly bad the Lagos flood was today.

While assuring the general public of the heavy deployment of environmental sanitation officers and emergency rescue teams, especially in flood-prone areas of the state, the government urged residents to stay indoors, either at home or in their places of work, whenever there is heavy downpour, except when the need to commute becomes necessary.

Warning that heavy downpour is expected for a few more weeks, the government solicited the support of citizens to desist from dumping refuse in the canals and gutters and observe safe and hygienic conducts at all times in order to reduce the effect of temporary flooding being recorded in some areas.

The government also urged residents to make use of emergency numbers in case of dire situations.

Due to the floods, the management of the state-owned National Television Authority, NTA, has shut the Lagos centre of the international TV station in Victoria Island.

You may watch the video which was sent to The Trent by a reader.