Vol. 1 N0. 115 Tuesday, June 7, 2011 N150 Vol. 2 N0. 430 Tuesday, August 21, 2012 N150

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Kuramo evictees blame surge on Eko Atlantic CityPolice arrest fl eeing terrorism kingpin in Kano

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Six more bodies recovered

AYO OLESIN WITH AGENCY REPORTS

Anglo-Dutch oil firm, Shell, paid Nigerian police of-ficers and other security agents $383m (N59.3bn) to guard its installations in three years, according to a report by an oil industry watchdog.

Citing leaked company documents, London-based Platform said Shell spent a total of $383m on security in Nigeria between 2007 and 2009, when a rebel in-surgency in the oil-rich Del-ta region was at its peak, The Guardian of London, reported yesterday

Those funds partly paid

FG allays fears over Nigerias $5bn external debt

Protecting people, assets, our priority, says oil fi rm

Shell spent N59.3bn on police, security Report

Children having fun at the National Theatre during the Eid-el-fitri celebration in Lagos, yesterday. PHOTO: OLUFEMI AJASA

Ex-IG blames IBB, military for destroying police

P.8

SWest legislators plan regional integration law

OMEIZA AJAYI

Former Inspector-General of Police, Alhaji Muhammadu Gambo Jimeta, has con-demned the recent agita-tion for the establishment of a state police, taking a swipe at its proponents, especially his former boss

and ex-military president, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida.

He also accused the mili-tary of laying the founda-tion for the destruction of

Jonathan

Omirin

Shell spent N59.3bn on police, security Report CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Kuramo evictees blame surge on Eko Atlantic City

Policemen at the entrance of Kuramo Beach in Lagos, yesterday. PHOTO: YINKA ADEPARUSI

DAYO AYEYEMI AND MURITALA AYINLA

Evicted owners of demolished struc-tures at Kuramo Beach in Lagos have blamed Saturdays surge on the coastline on the multi-billion naira Eko Atlantic City project.

This is coming just as six more dead bodies were yes-terday recovered at the beach where about 16 persons were swept away into the Atlantic Ocean last Saturday.

This brings to 10 the number of bodies so far recovered by rescue opera-tion agencies and local div-ers, while the search for others continues.

The evicted residents said they had not experi-enced ocean surge before the commencement of the project in 2009, stress-ing that the frequent tidal waves had now been taking tolls on tourism activities at the beach.

Speaking with National Mirror, one of the owners of the demolished structures,

who identified himself as Mr. Fred Okulama, said the woes of the residents began in 2009, with the commence-ment of land reclamation in the area.

He said: For me, the cause of this ocean surge came from the Lagos State government.

Since 2009, when the state government com-menced the construction of the Eko Atlantic City, the surge has begun to in-crease. And this year, the work got to Kuramo Beach. That was why it affected

our structures.The ocean surge hap-

pens yearly, especially from August to November, when the ocean current is expect-ed to increase, and it hap-pened this year.

And because of the ongoing work at the Eko Atlantic City, the ocean current had nowhere to flow and instead flowed to the shore to demolish our structures.

Although, the Lagos State Emergency Manage-ment Authority, LASEMA, could not immediately con-

firm the recovery of the six bodies, evicted residents and local divers told Na-tional Mirror that the bod-ies were swept ashore by high tidal waves.

National Mirror learnt that five of the bodies were recovered in the early hours of the day floating around the ocean shoreline, while another one was re-covered about 1:30p.m. by the State Environmental Health Management Unit, SEHMU.

The corpses have been deposited at the state mor-tuary.

The Lagos State Police Command spokesperson, Ngozi Braide, confirmed the recovery of the six bodies, adding that the remaining five were still being expected.

She gave the names of the six victims as Joseph Oke, Olorunwa Babatunde, Daniel Ajose and Alhaji Ba-batunde Benson, popularly known as KC.

The other two, whose surnames were not known, are Olumide and Mary.

The state government had completed the demoli-tion of illegal structures at the beach on Sunday, ow-ing to loss of lives resulting from the surge that swept residents of shanties erect-ed at the beach.

National Mirror gath-ered that the search parties and the rescue team were still searching to recover more bodies yesterday.

Some evicted residents also lamented that the inci-dent had affected patronage at the nearby Bar Beach as fun seekers stayed away despite the ongoing Eid-el-fitri holiday.

The state Commissioner for Waterfront, Prince Ad-esegun Oniru, said the state government would find a lasting solution to the surge as it did on Bar Beach some years back.

He said: What we need here is permanent solution to the problem like we did on the Bar Beach. That is why you see the whole of Ahmadu Bello Way is not flooded.

This problem is not a Lagos problem, it is a na-tional problem. The Federal Government should come to the aid of the state gov-ernment. Huge amount of money is required to put permanent solution and the state government alone cannot finance this.

Meanwhile, another resi-dent of the beachfront, Ab-bey Edwards, said it would be difficult to forget the pains of losing five of his good

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for the Anglo-Dutch com-panys own 1,200-member force as well as the protec-tion provided by some 1,300 government forces that guarded Shells facilities, Platform said.

An estimated $127m (N19.6bn) was spent on un-explained category marked other, the documents said.

According to the data, the worlds largest compa-ny by revenue spent nearly $1bn on worldwide security between 2007 and 2009.

According to The Guard-ian, if it were a country, Shell would have the third highest security budget in Africa, after South Africa and Nigeria itself.

The documents showed that nearly 40 per cent of Shells total security expen-diture over the three year period $383m was spent on protecting its staff and installations in Nigerias volatile Niger Delta region. In 2009, $65m (N10.07bn)

was spent on Nigerian gov-ernment forces and $75m (N11.6bn) on other secu-rity costs believed to be a mixture of private security firms and payments to indi-viduals.

Activists expressed con-cern that the escalating cost of Shells security op-eration in the Niger Delta was further destabilising the oil rich region and help-ing to fuel rampant corrup-tion and criminality. The scale of Shells global secu-rity expenditure is colos-sal, said Ben Amunwa of London-based oil watchdog Platform. It is staggering that Shell transferred $65m of company funds and re-sources into the hands of soldiers and police known for routine human rights abuses.

The financial docu-ments, passed to Platform, suggest Shells worldwide security costs almost dou-bled between 2007 and 2009, coinciding with the rise of armed insurgency in the

Niger Delta.In 2008, 62 Shell employ-

ees or contractors were kidnapped and three killed, many Shell-operated pipe-lines, well heads and off-shore oil platforms were attacked and the company was forced to halt oil ex-ports for several weeks after attacks by groups in-cluding the Movement for the emancipation of the Ni-ger Delta.

Nearly a third of Shells global security budget in 2008, or $99m, was spent on third parties. This was double what the company spent on its own security staff and is believed to in-clude the services of 600 Nigerian government po-lice and 700 members of the controversial state joint task force (JTF) comprised of Army, Navy and Police.

Shell denies having any direct control over JTF forces, amid numerous ac-cusations of human rights abuses, including a large-scale military attack in 2009

which the US state depart-ment said led to the dis-placement and loss of liveli-hood of tens of thousands of residents.

But in the past, Shell has supplied government forc-es with gunboats, helicop-ters, vehicles and satellite phones to better patrol the myriad creeks and water-ways of the Delta.

This proves what we in the Niger Delta have known for years that the air force, the army, the police, they are paid for with Shell mon-ey and they are all at the disposal of the company for it to use it any how it likes, said Celestine Nkabari of the Niger Delta campaign group, Social Action.

According to Platform, a significant amount of Shell funding is channelled via senior military officials which provides ample op-portunities for corruption.

US cables, released by WikiLeaks in 2010, alleged that the company paid hundreds of thousands of

pounds towards the deploy-ment of 350 soldiers in the Delta in 2003.

But Shell International said that any allegation of corruption should be ad-dressed to the Nigerian au-thorities, and that its spend-ing is necessary to protect its staff and operations.

Although armed insur-gency in the oil producing regions of the Delta has de-clined since a 2009 amnesty, the company says it faces widespread criminality, or-ganised crime and massive oil theft. It has stated that 15-20 per cent of its output is stolen by international gangs.

Shell spokesman, Mr. Precious Okolobo, in a statement, sent to National Mirror last night said: Pro-tecting our people and our assets is Shells highest pri-ority.

Our spending on secu-rity is carefully judged to meet this objective, wherev-er we operate in the world. We have always acknowl-

edged the difficulties of working in countries like Nigeria. In the period that this report refers to, the armed militancy in the Ni-ger Delta was at its height, requiring a relatively high level of security spending there.

All our staff and con-tractors are expected to adhere to the highest levels of personal and corporate ethics, as set out in our code of conduct. We support the voluntary principles on se-curity and human rights (VPSHR), and we recognise that these principles help maintain the safety and se-curity of our operations in a manner consistent with upholding human rights. We also investigate griev-ances under the VPSHR.

The company declined to comment on whether world-wide costs for security were increasing because of the Arab spring. The company has recently left Syria and has interests throughout

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net2 Tuesday, August 21, 2012News

National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net 3Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Marina Road, empty as a result of the Sallah holiday in Lagos, yesterday. PHOTO: OLUFEMI AJASA

Borno State Governor Kashim Shettima (right), during a Sallah visit to inmates of the Maximum Prison in Maiduguri, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

Children at the prayer ground in Lagos during the Sallah celebrations.RR

Riders leading their camels into the Government House, during a Sallah homage to Bauchi State Governor Isa Yuguda In Bauchi.

L-R: Emir of Dutse, Alhaji Nuhu Sunusi (left) and Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa, during the emirs Sallah homage to the Governor in Dutse. PHOTO: NAN

Soldiers interrogating two suspected trouble makers at the Abuja Millennium Park, during the celebrations, yesterday. PHOTO: ROTIMI OSASONA

Alhaji Ahmed Shehu, riding into the Government House during Sallah homage to Governor Isa Yuguda in Bauchi, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

Children having fun at the Abuja Millennium Park, yesterday. PHOTO: ROTIMI OSASONA

Yandaba cultural group entertaining guests during the Emir of Bauchis sallah homage to Governor Isa Yuguda in Bauchi. PHOTO: NAN

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net4 Tuesday, August 21, 2012News

EID-EL-FITRI CELEBRATIONS IN PICTURES

Ex-IG blames IBB, military for destroying police

Kuramo evictees blame surge on Eko Atlantic City

Shell spent N59.3bn on police, security Report

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2

L-R: Chief Imam of Abuja National Mosque, Ustaz Musa Mohammed; President Goodluck Jonathan and Vice-President Namadi Sambo during a Sallah homage to the President in Abuja on Sunday.

the police, adding that po-licemen fared better in the First Republic.

The military destroyed the police, the ex-IG said.

Jimeta, also a former National Security Adviser, NSA, had served as IG un-der the Babangida regime.

He said that some people seemed to have been bought over by the proponents of state police, describing such agitation as a dishon-est ploy to steal more public funds.

We are doomed if any-body can be lobbied to trun-cate the truth. This is part of the national dishonesty we are talking about. It is a ploy to steal more money, he added.

Jimeta, who spoke to journalists at his Abuja residence as part of the Eid-el-fitr celebration, also chal-lenged Nigerians to unite and fight those he described as the mafioso.

Although, he did not mention names, Jimeta noted that it is criminal the way and manner we handle the security of this country.

He added that the mafia

had held the country hos-tage for so long, urging Ni-gerians to rise in defence of their future.

Let us unite to fight the mafia in this country be-cause they have destroyed all the systems, he said.

Recalling that he had on different occasions dis-agreed with Babangida, even while serving under him, the former police boss said since Nigeria pres-ents a very peculiar scenar-io in terms of the diversity of its population, it would be suicidal to kowtow to the minoritys demand for a state police.

The former Head of State was my boss and I served under him. I have also read his views on the issue of state police as re-ported in the newspapers.

With due respect, there is a wide margin of dis-agreement between those of us operating in the force and people like my former boss. While I was in office, we had differences, he added.

Babangida, who spoke with journalists last week in Minna as part of activi-ties marking his 71st birth-

day, had said that Nigeria could not afford to continue to remain stagnant, add-ing that the fears that state governors might misuse the concept of a state police were misplaced.

There is the need for us to go forward; I do not think there is anything wrong with the state police and I believe that the state police will work.

I dont think the incum-bent governors can use state police to intimidate anybody. Honestly, the fear is unfounded, he had said.

Babangida wondered why Nigerians had refused to shed their bitter experiences in the hands of the Native Po-lice in the pre-independence era and in the early years of independence.

But Jimeta recalled that during the constitutional conference in the 1960s, it was agreed that some is-sues be made residual and others exclusive, stressing that the force was one of such exclusive preserves of the Federal Government. He said: Nigeria presents a very peculiar situation with a vast number of tribes and if you want to keep Nigeria

united, you require certain institutions to do that and it was agreed that a single po-lice force, devoid of ethnic-ity and politics, was needed.

The actual words they used were that there should be no preponderance of any tribe in the force.

The former IG also hailed the Parry Osayande-led Presidential Committee report on the reorganisa-tion of the police, especially for recommending for the scrap of the Ministry of Po-lice Affairs.

Describing the minis-try as a waste of money and another conduit pipe to fritter away the nations resources, Jimeta said that the decision to act on the recommendation was a pre-rogative of the President.

He advocated the cre-ation of a department in the Presidency to handle issues relating to explana-tions of government poli-cies on the force.

Jimeta said that the IG had no business appearing before the National Assem-bly to defend certain poli-cies, explaining that such would be the responsibility of the department.

He recalled that the po-litical crisis in the Western Region, commonly called wetie was aggravated due to the regional nature of the force, adding that Nige-ria might witness greater crisis with the creation of state police.

The ex-IG faulted claims by state governors that they could not control the commissioners of police in their states, adding that no policeman would refuse to carry out a legitimate busi-ness of governance if di-rected by a state governor. He noted that the governors would prefer a situation where they could use the force to feather their own nests, adding: Neither the president nor the gov-ernor has the powers to use the police outside the provisions of the law.

The former police boss also described as unhealthy the continued proliferation of security agencies in the country.

He said that if ade-quately funded, the police could handle the func-tions for which some new agencies or commissions had now been saddled

with. There is now a prolif-

eration of security agen-cies to the extent that if something happens, you would not know which of the agencies to hold ac-countable, Jimeta said.

Governors of the 36 states had on June 24 met in Abuja under the aegis of the Nigeria Governors Forum, NGF, with a call on the Federal Govern-ment to establish a special intervention fund to cater for violence-prone states.

The governors also identified the increasing need for state police as a strategy for combating the rising insecurity in the country.

But Jimeta said despite the wave of gun and bomb attacks in some parts of the North, the situation would become worse were the governors allowed a direct control of the force. He advocated a National Police Council, which would include all the state governors, which would provide a platform for governors to make strate-gic input on how best to po-lice their individual states.

the Middle East.But the scale of Shells

spending, revealed by the data for the first time, rais-es questions about the ef-fectiveness of its security policies.

What is striking about the amount being spent in Nigeria is its ineffective-ness, said Amunwa. Shell

spent many millions of dol-lars each year on govern-ment forces who failed to provide the company with adequate security.

Nkabari said: Shell cannot call this spending security. If it was really providing security, then why do we continue to have vandalisation, why do we have bunkering (theft of

oil), why do we have the security mess that we have in the Niger Delta? They give protection to the oil workers but they are not providing the region with security.

These figures are alarming it is a scandal that so much money is spent on security instead of on the local communi-

ties whose livelihoods are destroyed as a result of the oil exploitation, said Jaff Napoleon Bamenjo of Re-lufa, which campaigns for environmental justice in West Africa.

Across Africa oil, min-ing and agro-industry companies regularly pay for the services of local security forces that have

deplorable human rights records; sometimes as a contractual obligation, said Bamenjo. This is an extremely unethical practice held over from the colonial era which must end immediately.

Not only is it bad for lo-cal communities who are the primary victims of police and military pre-dation, but as Shell well knows, it exposes foreign companies to lawsuits in multiple jurisdictions.

friends to the ocean surge.Edwards, who claimed to

be the chairman of the busi-ness community at Kuramo Beach, told National Mir-ror that his friends were in their houses when the surge swept them away about 2a.m. last Saturday.

He said that many oth-ers, who were swept away by the ocean waves, had been on the beach for over 10 years.

The resident said he made frantic efforts to res-cue his friends but that the sea waves overpowered him, showing National Mirror his right leg where he sustained injury in the process.

Edwards condemned the

way the Lagos State govern-ment moved in to destroy their property and displaced them without giving them alternative accommodation.

He said: How can I quantify lives? How can I quantify the lives of my five friends that were lost to the surge? If we say this is the amount, government may be saying that we want to extort money from it.

The evicted resident al-leged that the state govern-ment had labelled them il-legal occupants, saying that the government and the Ac-tion Congress of Nigeria, ACN, had forgotten how they besieged their com-munity last year to canvass for votes.

National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net 5Tuesday, August 21, 2012 News

Akwa Ibom Governor, Godswill Akpabio

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net6 Tuesday, August 21, 2012News

Mobil begins clean-up of Akwa Ibom oil spill

ROTIMI FADEYIABUJA

The Federal Govern-ment is making efforts to avert in-dustrial crisis involving National Union of Petro-leum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, oil marketers, Power Hold-ing Corporation of Nige-ria, PHCN, staff and the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC.

The Special Assistant to the President on Public Af-fairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, said in a statement in Abuja yes-

terday that the government approach to resolve the crisis was multi-faceted and multi-dimensional.

He said the ministers of labour, power, and other high level officers of government had met for several hours with the aggrieved PHCN workers and virtually all their demands had been agreed upon except for the issue of the workers sever-ance benefits.

Okupe said while the workers insisted on their terms of employment, gov-ernments proposition was based on the Pension Act of

2004.He noted that the matter

would probably be resolved favourably within the com-ing week by the Presidency.

Okupe also explained that the Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Min-ister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, had shifted her base temporarily to La-gos despite the holidays and had been engaged with the aggrieved marketers, union members and other stake-holders in the downstream sector.

He said: All indications are to the effect that favour-

able resolutions are being reached and all matters are likely to be resolved within this week, as all these ef-forts are being made to en-sure that the crisis that has caused a lot of hardship to commuters and motorists is not unduly prolonged and does not also extend beyond the city of Abuja in the case of the fuel scarcity.

The Federal Govern-ment therefore urges Nige-rians to be calm, as all hands are on deck to ensure that normalcy returns soonest.

Meanwhile, NUPENG has appealed to the Federal

TONY ANICHEBEUYO

Mobil Producing Nigeria, MPN, yesterday be-gan the clean-up of Ibeno coastline contaminated by an oil spill reported on August 13.

It was learnt that the oil company engaged 40 youths from the com-munities affected by the spill in the clean-up.

The operator of the Qua Iboe oil fields, MPN, said although it was still conducting tests on the oil samples to determine the source of the spill, it had accepted to clean up the shoreline.

The company said in a statement signed by its Manager, Commu-nications and Govern-ment Affairs, Mr. Nigel Cookey-Gam, that: The source of the hydrocar-bon remains unknown as fingerprinting of col-lected samples is ongo-ing.

MPN remains com-mitted to ensuring that the health and environ-ment of our neighbour-ing communities are protected.

Meanwhile, the resi-dents of Esit Eket Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom have urged the authorities of the council to ensure that the oil company takes responsibility for losses caused by the spill.

A youth leader in Ibe-no, Mr. John Cyril, said the number of youths engaged for the clean-up was inadequate.

He said: It is very un-fortunate that Mobil can, at this period of emer-gency, be talking of sav-ing costs when the safety of people is threatened.

The more people they hire, the faster the work but if they are seeking to keep costs low, the job will be delayed.

SEBASTINE EBHUOMHANBENIN

Two parallel executive councils of the Edo State chapter of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) emerged yesterday to run the affairs of the state union of medical doctors in a crisis that resulted from the nullification of an earlier state election.

National Mirror reliably learnt that the out-gone ex-ecutive of the state asso-ciation led by Dr. Philip Ug-bodaga, had last Saturday conducted an election that returned Dr. James Kpo-lugbo, as chairman along with other members of the executive.

But the election was dur-ing the week nullified for not satisfying some basic rules for its conduct by the national NMA, which went ahead to organise another election yesterday at the Central Hospital in Benin City.

The new election, which returned Dr. Emmanuel Ig-hodaro, as Edo State chair-man, meant that two execu-tive councils are leading the association in the state.

Commenting on the is-sue, the National President of the NMA, Dr. Osahon Enabulele, described the Ig-hodaro-led executive as the authentic one that should be recognised by all medi-cal doctors in the country.

He also described the fac-tion led by Kpolugbo as a fraud. Enabulele described the election that was con-ducted by the out-gone ex-ecutive led by Ugbodaga as a kangaroo election that was not attended by more than 30 medical doctors.

In contrast, he said the second election that pro-duced Ighodaro as state chairman was attended by over 100 medical doctors, in-cluding former NMA Presi-dent, Dr. Dominic Osaghae, Prof. Linus Ajabor and the Edo State Director of Medi-

cal Services, Dr. Eboreime. Enabulele explained that

the out-gone executive in the state had earlier been suspended along with those of Jigawa and Niger States for breaching the constitu-tion of the NMA by over-staying their term in office.

As as a result, they were not qualified to conduct any election for new executives and by extension that made whatever they have done, null and avoid, ab initio.

However, in his reac-tion, Ugbodaga said due process was followed in the conduct of the first election and added that some of those who took part in yesterdays elec-tion had also taken part in last Saturdays election that produced Dr. Kpolug-bo as state chairman.

What is happening now is that people who lost ran to the national body to save their face. Having lost, they formed a parallel body.

Justice Sulei-man Belgore, the founder of Is-lamic Brotherhood of Nigeria, ISBON, yes-terday called for the in-volvement of Nigerian youths in peace nego-tiation processes across the country.

He made the call in Abuja while speaking at the ISBONs Fam-ily get-together, or-ganised as part of the Sallah celebration.

Belgore said that the involvement of the youth in peace negotiations was im-perative because they were the ones foment-ing trouble in the country.

The Islamic schol-ar, however, said that the citizens moral values had broken

down considerably, stressing the need to return to core soci-etal values to have a better Nigeria.

He blamed the growing immorality of youths on the par-ents, who were busy pursuing their busi-nesses and chasing money at the expense of their childrens upbringing.

On her part, the Leader of ISBONs Women Wing, Hajia Silifat Ahmadu, said the gathering was to make members of the brotherhood happy and have a sense of belonging.

She said that the organisation would inaugurate its Nurs-ery and Primary School in September.

FG will soon resolve fuel, labour crises Okupe

Edo NMA in crisis as national body nullifi es election Involve youths in peace negotiation Islamic Brotherhood

The scene of an accident at Ojuelegba, Lagos, yesterday. PHOTO:NAN

Government to pay the 2012 petroleum subsidy arrears to ensure peace and indus-trial harmony in the coun-try.

The President of the union, Mr. Igwe Achese, who briefed journalists in Lagos yesterday, said the continu-ous delay in the payment of the money had impacted negatively on workers in the oil and gas sector.

He said: Government said it had paid about N400bn as subsidy arrears for 2011 and 2012 and from... Okonjo-Iwealas explana-tion, N200bn was paid in ex-cess as subsidy arrears.

We are worried that there was selective payment as the real depot owners are yet to be paid because their workers are being owed.

We urge the government to announce the names of those that had been paid the subsidy arrears because those who have investments and employees in the sector are yet to receive any mon-ey.

Achese said NUPENG was open to dialogue to re-solve the issues, but warned that the union would call a nationwide strike if the sub-sidy money was not paid in time.

The union president ex-pressed concern about the diversion of crude oil meant for the refineries, which he alleged, was now being sold in the open market.

Pay subsidy arrears or face strike, NUPENG warns govt

The Federal Ministry of Environment has predicted heavy rain between now and August 27 in 23 states.

The downpour, accord-ing to the ministry, may cause flooding.

The prediction was con-tained in a report issued yesterday in Abuja by Dr Morohunkeji Oyeleke, the Deputy Director (Erosion, Flood and Coastal Zone Management) of the min-istry.

Oyeleke identified some areas that could be affected in Kebbi as Argungu, Bun-gudu, Bunza, Gwandu, Jega, Kalgo and Birni-Keb-bi.

Other areas are Keffi and its environs in Nasar-awa State, Okigwe in Imo, New-Bussa in Kwara, Sab-ongida-Ora in Edo, Buruku in Benue and Echara-Onu and its environs in Ebonyi.

Oyeleke also listed Dau-ra, Yelwa, Katsina, Funtua, Jibia, Bakori and Bunda-

wa, all in Katsina State; and Dutse, Gumel, Gwaram, Hadejia, Miga,Mallam Fa-tori and Ringim, all in Jiga-wa; as part of the areas.

Besides, the flood-prone areas include Bukuru and Shelleng in Plateau, Gombe and Nafida in Gombe,Damasak, Kukawa, Biu and Briyel in Borno.

Areas which could be af-fected by the downpour-in-duced flood include Birnin Gwari, Jemaa, Kachia, Kaduna, Kafanchan, Kapa Madaki, Shanga, Zaria, Ka-uru and Shanga in Kaduna State; and Bebeji, Gezawa, Gwarzo, Kano, Karaye, Su-maila, Tudun-Wada and Wudi in Kano State.

Oyeleke identified Aza-re, Bajoga, Darazo, Yelwa, Jamaare, Itas, Katagum, Kirfi and Misau as areas that could be affected in Bauchi State, while Mu-tum-Biyu, Lau, Gembu and Beli in Taraba; Bida, Rijau, Sarki Pawa, Jebba and Ko-tangora in Niger could also

be affected.Other areas are Kaura-

Namoda, Maru, Maradun, Gusau, Bukwium in Zam-fara; Damaturu, Machina, Gashua, Dapchi, Putis-kum, Kanama in Yobe; Yorro, Yola, Song, Numan, Mubi, Mayo-Belwa, Jimeta, Gainye and Demsa in Ad-amawa.

Gada, Goronyo, Gummi, Isa, Makira, Kargiwa, Shagari, Silame, Sokoto and Wamakko in Sokoto State, as well as Eleyele, Challenge, Moniya, Bodija, Odo-ona, all in Ibadan, Oyo State, could also be affected.

National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net 7Tuesday, August 21, 2012 News

L-R: Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) official, Abiola Fatoye ; Regional Sales Manager, National Mirror, Mr. Isaiah Olowere; FRSC Head of Training, Mr. Peter Davou; National Mirror Regional Managing Editor, South-West, Mr. Biyi Adegoroye and Commander, Mrs. Mary Wakama, during a presentation of National Mirror newspaper to the commander in Ondo State recently.

Okupes appointment in order, says PDPThe Peoples Demo-cratic Party (PDP) has said that new Special Assistant on Public Affairs to President Good-luck Jonathan, Dr. Doyin Okupe, was appointed to engage Nigerians on sa-lient issues of national im-portance.

The party said Dr. Okupe has what it takes to succeed in his assignment, add-ing that his appointment would deepen the channels of communication between the Presidency and Nigeri-ans.

The PDP was reacting to calls by the opposition on Okupe to resign his ap-

pointment, based on what the party called unfounded allegation.

Deputy National Secre-tary of the PDP, Hon. Binta Masi Garba, said in a state-ment in Abuja that in ap-pointing Okupe, President Jonathan took the right de-cision, noting that the Pres-ident is constitutionally empowered to give appoint-ments to deserving Nigeri-ans under the presidential system that the country operates.

The PDP particularly described as blackmail the

involvement of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in the ongoing campaign, adding however that the President cannot be intimi-dated on the issue.

It said: We have noted the copious references by the ACN through its spokesman, Mr. Lai Mo-hammed, to the purported unwholesome acts in the execution of some projects in Benue and Imo states several years ago.

It is our considered opinion that issues of con-tracts are basically civil

issues between contract-ing parties and certainly most contract documents contain clauses for dispute resolutions.

According to the party, since the Economic and Financial Crimes Com-mission (EFCC) had said that Okupe was not being investigated for any crime or indicted by any court of competent jurisdiction or any investigative panel, he should be deemed innocent until proven otherwise.

The call for Dr. Okupe`s removal is therefore not

only baseless and unwar-ranted, but equally mali-cious. The President will therefore not be black-mailed into following any agenda based on trumped-up charges, outright lies and misinformation, it added.

The PDP urged those trying to raise a storm out of the issue to desist from further undue political ex-ploitation and misrepresen-tation.

It is a common saying that those who live in glass houses should not throw stones and he who comes to equity must come with clean hands, it added.

In a related develop-

ment, Okupes lawyers have confirmed that the Benue State Government actually awarded a rural road con-tract to Messrs Value Trust Investment Limited, one of the companies in which Dr. Okupe served as chairman.

In a statement signed by Yemi Gbonegun, the Lagos-based firm, Yemi Gbone-gun and Co., described the contract award as purely a commercial transaction.

It explained that trouble started when the adminis-tration of the state changed hands and incumbent Gov-ernor Gabriel Suswam took over from former Governor George Akume.

OMEIZA AJAYI

Sympathisers wept in the early hours of yesterday in Jik-woyi, a suburb of the Federal Capital Terri-tory (FCT), when a nine-year-old boy was electro-cuted while attempting to feed his pet - a pigeon.

His death came several weeks after members of the House of Representa-tives passed a resolution urging the Nigeria Tele-communications Limit-ed NITEL and the Power Holding Company of Ni-geria (PHCN) to evacuate some of its cables which they said have constitut-ed hazards in some com-munities.

Hassan Sani Abuba-kar, a twin and lover of pets, had reportedly left his family house located in Jikwoyi for the State Security Service (SSS) quarters in the area in an attempt to feed his pi-geon.

The late Hassan al-

legedly climbed an overhead water tank to feed the pigeon when he slipped off, and in an at-tempt to regain his bal-ance, held unto a seem-ingly innocuous electric cable. Eyewitnesses said he was immediately elec-trocuted.

National Mirror learnt that residents of the SSS quarters, who were attracted to the scene, immediately in-formed his father, Alhaji Sani Abubakar, who mo-bilised some youths to bring down the body.

A grief-stricken Abubakar, the Abuja Bu-reau Editor of the Nige-rian Newsday Newspaper and Vice Chairman of the FCTA Press Corps, recalled that his late son was an ardent lover of pets, particularly pi-geons.

According to him, he had banned his late son from keeping the pigeon as he dedicated most of his time to the pet to the detriment of other do-mestic activities.

Teenager electrocuted in Abuja

Heavy rain likely in 23 states Ministry

Unsteady power hampers 24-hour port operations

A licensed Customs Agent, Chief Ozo Chukwurah, says unsteady power supply has been the major impediment to 24-hour port operations in the country.

Chukwurah, Chairman, Anti-smuggling and Cor-ruption Unit of the Asso-ciation of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), made the remark at an elec-tion held by the Igbo Mari-time Forum (IMF) yesterday in Lagos.

The first and major prob-

lem is energy. We cannot op-erate in darkness and expect things to work properly, he said.

Chukwurah, however, noted that other problems militating against the pos-sibility of round-the-clock operations at the ports were man-made.

The clearing agent cited the absence of manpower and lack of security at night as other problems militating against 24-hour port opera-tions.

He told the News Agency

of Nigeria (NAN) in a post-election interview that the customs agents were still experiencing delays in cargo clearance, adding that 80 per cent of the problems were, however, man-made.

We are facing delays in cargo clearance because the shipping companies and the terminal operators are ben-efiting from such delays

Every little delay, be it one minute or a day, is to their benefit, because they still continue to collect stor-age charges, he said.

Because of his addic-tion to the pigeons, I had instructed my late child to remove them from the compound so that he could concentrate. But unknown to me, he kept the pigeons at the SSS quarters, which is not far from my house, Abubakar said.

The late Hassan has been buried according to Islamic rites.

Flays ACN over call for aides resignation

Minister of the Environment, Hadiza Mailafia

Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun (left), at the on-going state biometric data capturing exercise for civil servants, in Abeokuta, at the weekend.

Three die in Ondo auto crashThe police in Ondo State yesterday confirmed that three persons died in an accident on Okitipupa-Ore road in Okitipupa Local Government Area of the state.

The Divisional Police Officer in Okitipupa, Mr. Titilola Lasisi, told the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, that one person also sustained injuries in the

accident which occurred on Sunday night.

He said the accident in-volved two vehicles, which collided near Aye Junc-tion, Okitipupa, at about 8.00 p.m.

He explained further that the vehicles were a Golf car, marked EDO AE 844 HER, and an Opel car, marked, OGUN AM 27 JBD.

Lasisi explained that the Golf car, which was con-

veying the three persons, suddenly veered off its lane and collided with the Opel car.

He said the driver of the Golf car sustained injuries and was treated at the State Specialist Hospital, Ok-itipupa, before he was arrested.

He also said that the bodies of the three per-sons had been deposited at the hospital morgue.

Minister of Infor-mation, Mr. La-baran Maku, yes-terday dispelled fears over Nigerias foreign debt pro-file, saying the countrys $5bn debt could not harm the economy.

We currently owe $5bn as foreign debt, the min-ister said, while speaking with Nigerian journalists in London.

If you compare that to our foreign reserves and our economic capac-ity, there is no problem as far as the countrys exter-nal debt is concerned, he added.

Maku, who noted that most developed and de-veloping nations were not free from debt, how-ever, conceded that debts should not be allowed to overwhelm the countrys capacity to pay back.

He stressed that in the last 13 years of Nigerias democracy, the country has been able to exit the debt track.

Maku recalled that at a

point in time, the country owed the Paris Club of creditors about $35bn, add-ing that the country was, nonetheless, able to pay off a substantial part of its external debt.

What led to the huge debt was that the money borrowed was used for things that were not pro-ductive, he said.

The minister stressed that the new debts owed by the government were used to revamp the coun-trys infrastructure such as the railways and the power plants.

These debts are pri-vate-sector loans, guar-

A political group, the Democratic Values Initiative (DVI), yesterday challenged the Independent National Elec-toral Commission, INEC, to resolve the puzzle surround-ing the form submission of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) candidate in the Ondo State October 20 governorship election, Chief Rotimi Akeredolu.

The group said it has be-come imperative for INEC to clear itself of any complicity in the matter.

In a statement issued in Abuja yesterday and signed by its Publicity Secretary, Godwin Shari, the group said it has been following with keen interest the unfolding drama and the controversy surrounding the form sub-mission issue of the ACN candidate.

It took a text message sent by Akeredolu, late Sat-urday evening, to dispel ru-mours about the party not meeting the deadline given by INEC.

Reports in some newspa-pers yesterday had detailed of how reporters met brick walls while trying to con-firm whether or not the ACN was able to submit the INEC forms before the rumoured August 15 submission date.

It was reported that nei-

ther Akeredolu nor the INEC Resident Electoral Commis-sioner (REC) in the state, Mr. Akin Orebiyi, offered any explanation, the statement read in part.

The group said it viewed strongly, however, a text mes-sage from Akeredolu late Sat-urday evening which noted that his party still had up till Monday, August 20, to submit the forms which will confirm the partys readiness to par-ticipate in the poll.

Registering its curiosity at the twist in the develop-ment, the group said; We were, however, curious when a statement by the Akeredo-lu Campaign Organisation signed by the Media Director, Mr. Idowu Ajanaku, yester-day announced that the ACN candidate had indeed sub-mitted the forms.

We therefore demand that INEC should speak up on this issue in order to con-firm its integrity and neu-trality towards the poll in the state.

First, INEC should tell the whole world whether or not Akeredolu, which the com-mission had, as at Saturday, reminded about the October 20 submission deadline, had actually submitted the forms.

We also wish to know whether Akeredolu could submit the forms on Monday

South-West legislature to make regional integration law

Group challenges INEC over Akeredolus form submission claims

Maku allays fears over Nigerias $5bn external debt

Maku

ABIODUN NEJOADO EKITI

A parliamentary con-ference of South-West lawmakers to provide legal framework for easy execution and sustainability of the inte-gration programme being fashioned for the zone is under way.

The Vice-Chairman, Conference of Nigerian Speakers (South West), Hon. Adewale Omirin, has said.

Omirin, who is the Speaker, Ekiti State House of Assembly, said financial constraint ow-ing to the present meltdown had been slowing it down, assuring that it would be con-voked as soon as the finances of the states improve.

The lawmaker told jour-nalists in Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, yesterday that the need for legal backing for the South-West economic agenda could not be over-em-phasised.

He said the regional inte-gration programme was an attempt to put the zone back to the fast lane of economic development as witnessed un-der the late sage, Chief Oba-femi Awolowo, and expand the frontiers of socio-economic and political interactions of member states.

Omirin said convocation of a national conference was necessary, if the ongoing con-stitutional amendment was to be meaningful in view of the limitation of the powers of the National Assembly to amend and not to rewrite the constitution.

His words: The National Assembly only has the power to amend and not to rewrite the constitution. With this, it will be difficult for Nigeria to witness the right constitution-al democracy if the right con-stitution is not put in place.

As things stand now, many sections of our constitution should be rewritten and not just amended, so there is no way a national conference

that will comprise of true rep-resentatives of the people will not be convoked to rewrite the countrys constitution, the lawmaker said.

Omirin, who wondered why the National Assembly was not comfortable with the idea of a constituent assembly, said what is being expended on the ongoing constitutional amendment is enough to carve out a new constitution that can stand the test of time.

He lamented that the prob-lem with Nigeria is that we dont leaders that have the genuine interest of the nation at heart.

The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) chieftain ex-pressed optimism that the proposed alliance between his party and the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) would work this time around.

According to him, The al-liance failed during the last general elections because of differences between the lead-ers of the two sides. Now, there is better understanding.

anteed by government, because the loans are given out at lower interest rates, he said.

Maku said for instance, the Chinese Nexim Bank was currently negotiat-ing a loan to build modern rail tracks in Nigeria.

They (Chinese) are already building one rail-way track between Kadu-na and Abuja. Also, work has commenced on the railway line linking Lagos through Ibadan to Ilorin and Minna, while linking up with the one from Abu-ja to Kano, he said.

These are private sec-tor projects that will de-velop the economy, Maku said.

The minister expressed optimism that the pri-vate sector debts would propel the growth of the economy.

Speaking on the hous-ing sector, Maku admitted that there was a huge gap existing in Nigerias hous-ing delivery programme, stressing that the Federal Government recently un-veiled a new housing pol-icy for the country.

knowing full well that INEC staff would not be on duty on that day.

Another aspect that INEC should clarify is whether or not the ACN could submit un-completed forms because very crucial information which has to do with the deputy gover-norship candidate would be missing.

We demand that in case the Ondo REC would not be willing to talk, the INEC image makers at the headquarters in Abuja, Mr. Kayode Idowu, who was a former editor with The

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net8 Tuesday, August 21, 2012South West

2015: ACN, CPC alliance to wrest power from PDP Lam HAKEEM GBADAMOSI

AKURE

The Ondo State chap-ter of the Peoples Democratic Party has described members of a factional group in the party as political mer-cenaries paid to cause disharmony within the party.

In a statement issued in Akure yesterday by its state Director of Public-ity, Ayo Fadaka, the PDP also accused the group of frustrating efforts to regain the state by assist-ing Governor Olusegun Mimiko to win the Octo-ber 20 governorship elec-tion.

Fadaka explained that most of the genuine par-ty leaders who earlier pitched their tent with the group had deserted it after noticing that it was pursuing a different agen-da from that of the party.

This group, which at the onset, was able to disguise its agenda to a section of the party, pre-tending to be on a renew-al within the party, has since been discovered by its initial supporters as an absolute ruse, a smoke-screen and shadowy or-ganisation that was pro-cured by Mimiko to assist him in accomplishing the destruction of our party in Ondo State and as such has been deserted by all genuine members of the party who have all force-fully moved back into the party to contribute their quota in its continual development and help it to win the governorship election come October 20th 2012, Fadaka said.

He also disclosed that efforts were made by the leadership of the PDP to unite the party by ac-cepting their demand to dissolve the Tayo Dairo-led executive last year which paved the way for the Transition Commit-tee that administered the party till March.

The PDP spokesman, however, said the recent turn out of party support-ers and the acceptance of the party standard bearer, Olusola Oke, for the forth-coming election by the people of the state led to the current upsurge from the group to destabilise PDP in the state.

He said: Since we

held the largely success-ful unity rally that was attended by thousands of members of the par-ty from every nook and cranny of the state, a crowd of party men and women who in a demon-stration of their commit-ment and faithfulness to the party, a crowd that forcefully indicate that power has already shifted in the state and paled into insignificance the motley rented crowd that graced Mimikos own rally, this group has up scaled its act upon realising that their evil, insidious and despicable agenda of de-struction has failed.

We are, however, comfortable in our con-fidence that these group of political mercenaries, spent forces and largely tired and castrated poli-ticians are in no position to injure our new found strength, confidence, in-fluence and respect that we command in the state.

Respect that is newly ignited by the so many solid and enduring achievements of the last PDP administration in the state that pale into insignificance ephem-eral contributions of the Mimiko administration.

Every member of the party now knows them for what exactly they repre-sent, fifth columnists, we all know that it is Mimiko that picks their medi-cal expenses, both local and foreign, placed many of them on salaries and subventions. We all know about their nocturnal meetings in the Govern-ment House and the in-structions they take from there and they know in all honesty that they are ab-solutely effeminate as re-gards any ability to injure the PDP any further.

KEMI OLAITANIBADAN

The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayi-wola Adeyemi III, has appealed to Nigerians to reflect the lessons of Rama-dan in everything they do.

He gave the advice in a statement issued by his Me-dia Assistant, Alhaji Azeez Fehintola, and made avail-able to journalists yesterday in Ibadan, the Oyo State

capital.Congratulating Mus-

lims across the country on the successful observance of the annual fasting and the Eid-el-fitri celebration, the monarch said as Islam preaches peace and obedi-ence to constituted author-ity, people should always strive to live in peace and be their brothers keeper for the sake of stability of the country.

He said: Islam is a reli-

gion of peace. The period of fasting is for abstinence from all forms of sins and iniquities. It is a period people should be righteous in all their dealings just as Mohammed preaches in the Quran.

Much as Muslim faithful had subjected themselves to these teachings and virtues during the Ramadan pe-riod, I implore them to let the teachings continue to be part of their way of life

so that our society could be a better one for all to live in.

Strive to live a righteous life style. Refrain from acts capable of disrupting the peace of your communities. Support your leaders, love your neighbours as your-self, and always work to-wards the growth and devel-opment of your fatherland.

Adeyemi also implored the religious fundamental-ists in the North to stop kill-ing innocent people, saying that Islam forbids such act.

NRC to inaugurate refurbished rolling stock Thursday

Faction members are political mercenaries Ondo PDP

Internalise lessons of Ramadan, Alaafi n urges Nigerians

OLUSEGUN KOIKI

The Nigerian Rail-way Corporation, NRC, yesterday said it would on Thursday in-augurate rolling stock re-furbished through direct labour.

The corporation said the refurbishment was neces-sary in order to provide efficient and effective pas-senger train services which would guarantee comfort, affordability, mass carriage, and safety to the commuting public.

The NRC, Assistant Di-rector Public Relations, Mr. David Ndakosu, said in a statement that the roll-out of phase one of a planned rehabilitation of the entire rolling stock in the system would be utilised on Minna - Kaduna - Minna Mass Tran-sit Train Service.

Ndakosu added that in another few weeks, coach-es of mass transit trains in Lagos, Ilorin, and Ka-duna would be withdrawn systematically for reha-bilitation without any dis-ruption to passenger train services.

He explained that the rolling stock refurbished at various locations of the corporation included 12 economy class coaches, one restaurant, one business class coach at the Zaria workshop; one canteen coach, two sleeper coaches, six parcel vans, two power cars, and one business class coach at the Lagos work-shop.

Others are three econo-my class coaches, three busi-ness class coaches all in the corporations Carriage and Wagon workshop, Ebute-Metta, Lagos; 49 steel wag-

ons, three guard vans at the Minna workshop; 30 hopper wagons at Apapa; and eight covered steel wagons at the Zaria workshop.

Ndakosu said the gradu-al nationwide roll-out of re-furbished rolling stock was part of NRCs approach to address congestion on its mass transit trains; show-case the quality of work done by the engineering staff of the corporation; op-timise accruement of mar-ket share of the passenger traffic offer to the corpora-tion as well as give the com-muting public value-added

KEMI OLAITANIBADAN

Former Governor of Oyo State, Alhaji Lam Adesina, has promised to ensure that the ongoing efforts to form an alliance between his party, the Action Con-gress of Nigeria, ACN, and the Major General Muhammadu Buhari-led

Congress for Progressive Chance, CPC, succeed.

Adesina, who made the pledge yesterday while speaking with journalists at his Felele, Ibadan resi-dence on the Eld-el-fitri celebration, said efforts must be made to wrest power from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in 2015.

Giving reasons why

he is supporting the pro-posed ACN/CPC alliance, the former governor said with the PDP in power at the centre, Nigeria would not be able to witness any meaningful development as its members only be-lieved in serving their own interest rather than the interest of Nigerians.

He said: I welcome any alliance that will drive

PDP out of power in 2015 because with the PDP at the centre, Nigeria cannot witness any meaningful development.

The PDP has contin-ued to fail Nigerians for over 12 years, and we in the opposition cannot con-tinue to fold our alms. We must take pragmatic ac-tions to drive the political party out of power.

L-R: Chief Operating Officer, Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State, BCOS, Mr. Yomi Layinka; State Coordinator, National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, Pastor Olanipekun Alao and Assistant Director, NYSC Skills Acquisition Empowerment Department, Mrs. Josephine Bakare, during a visit to BCOS in Ibadan, yesterday.

Oke

National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net 9Tuesday, August 21, 2012 South West

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

GEORGE OPARA ABIA

The Abia State Farm-ers Co-operative Union is on war path with the Interna-tional Center for Entre-preneurship Development - loan consultant to the Federal Governments N1bn agric loan to states - over the method of dis-bursement and condition-ality.

The union said since the

loan was released, none of its members had accessed it despite the fact that they had earlier obtained forms to that effect as directed and that the consultant had been playing hide and seek game with them.

In a statement made available to journalists, the farmers union president, Chief Uzoma Nwogwugwu, expressed sadness over the way his members had been sidelined in the disburse-ment of the loan.

Nwogwugwu explained that the union had submit-ted applications of about 85 names of individual co-operative societies out of about 4, 580 societies of not less than 48,000 individual members for loans to the consultant through the Abia State Ministry of Co-operative Poverty Reduc-tion, but regretted that ever since, nothing had been heard.

He said it was unfair for the co-operative societ-

ies to be sidelined in the disbursement of the loan after the Ministry of Agri-culture had collected N5, 000 from each cooperative society, stressing that what obtains in other states in this regard ought to apply in Abia State.

Speaking later, Nwog-wugwu said as things were now, most farmers would not be able to meet one of the demands of assessing the loan which was that an applicant must be guar-

anteed by a government worker of Grade Level 9 and above, stressing that most individual farmers have no relations that fall in that category.

He said: In other states, the loan is passed to farm-ers cooperative societies through the farmers coop-erative union which stands as guarantor to the prima-ry societies and we are now wondering why the con-sultant is not applying the same method in our state.

Tuesday, August 21, 2012 10 South East

CHRIS NJOKUOWERRI

Tension is building up in Imo State as the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) yesterday alerted the pub-lic of an alleged plot by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to cause breakdown

of law and order.In a statement signed

by the APGA Chairman, Prince Marshal Oka-for Anyanwu, which was made available to National Mirror, the party alleged that over 200 buses carry-ing thugs from unknown states would converge on Imo State tomorrow to

force the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Hon. Benjamin Uwaju-mogu, to swear-in Chief Eugene Dibiagwu as a

member representing Oguta constituency, a mat-ter which it claimed is still before the court and on which judge ruled that the status-quo should re-

main.Dibiagwu, a member of

PDP, won House of Assem-bly seat in Oguta Constit-uency re-run election on August 11, 2012, but APGA claimed it boycotted the election and proceeded to court, a situation which made the House to stop the swearing in of the

PDP candidate.However yesterday,

APGA alleged that fol-lowing the refusal of the House to swear-in Dib-iagwu, PDP planned to import hoodlums into the state to create instability that will lead to mayhem and a declaration of a state of emergency.

Tension as PDP accused of plot to destabilise Imo

Youths threaten to assault judge for alleged injustice

Okorocha

GEORGE OPARA ABIA

A judge in Owerri, the Imo State capi-tal, Justice Ngozi Opara, has escaped violent assault by irate youths over perceived injustice and fla-grant abuse of the rule of law.

It was gathered that Justice Opara received an application for ex-parte motion from the All Pro-gressive Grand Alliance (APGA) seeking an injunc-tion restraining Imo State House of Assembly Speak-er, Hon Ben Uwajumogu, from swearing-in Chief Eu-gene Dibiagwu as member representing Oguta Con-

stituency in the House. Chief Dibiagwu, candi-

date of the Peoples Demo-cratic Party (PDP), had scored 15,338 to defeat the candidate of ruling the APGA, Mr. Walter Uzowun-ne, who scored 3401 and Hon Henry Igbomeze of the Action Congress Nigeria (ACN) with 2502 votes.

The result was a com-bined effect of April 26, 2011 and August 11, 2012 results in four out of the 11 wards of Uwaorie, Ndiuloukwu/Umuowerre, Obudi/Aro, and Mgbala/Uba.

The Independent Na-tional Electoral Commis-sion (INEC) had declared elections in the four wards in Oguta inconclusive after

the April 2011 general elec-tion.

However, litigation her-alded the emergency of a representative for Oguta as parties headed for court to determine whether an out-right cancelation should be made in the 11 wards or to uphold results of seven out of the 11 wards where some PDP members believed results were successfully returned before the supple-mentary governorship elec-tion in Imo.

But the battle ended June 25, 2012 following the decision of a Federal High Court sitting Owerri and presided over by Justice Owo Ade who ruled that results of the seven wards

were valid. On August 16, the ruling

APGA sought an experte motion of the court to stop the Speaker from swearing-in Dibiagwu.

Justice Opara, after hav-ing allowed counsel in the matter to announce their appearances, wrote for about 15 minutes before reading out to parties that he had re-assigned the ap-plication to the state Chief Judge.

He directed the Speaker not to swear-in Dibiagwu till the Chief Judge re-sumed his annual vacation even when no debate was held on the application.

Justice Opara attributed his action to allegation by

the PDP Publicity Secre-tary, Mr. Blandyn Amaju-ruonwu, of alleged com-promise in handling the application which, accord-ing to him, was aired in a local radio.

Sensing danger on the mood of over 700 youths from Oguta who attended the session, Justice Opara quickly rose from his seat to announce the closure of court and ran into his chambers.

The act, however, trig-gered off hooting at the judge and throwing of stones, sachet water, sticks and other weapons at the judges chamber, damaging window glasses, among oth-ers.

L-R: Anambra State Comptroller of Prisons, Mr.Patrick Onodu; Minister of Interior, Mr. Abba Patrick Moro and Governor Peter Obi , during the inspection of prison facilities in Awka Prisons, yesterday.

CHARLES OKEKE AWKA

The Anambra State Commissioner for Special Duties, Chief Vincent Ezenwa-jiaku, has called for the removal of Chief Victor Umeh as National Chair-man of the All Progres-sives Grand Alliance (APGA) as a way of re-storing lasting peace to the party.

It will be recalled that the party has been bedev-iled by supremacy battle among members loyal to Anambra State Governor Peter Obi and those of Chief Umeh.

Since the crisis started some months ago, the party has not known peace as the two factions have been waging a re-lentless battle.

Addressing journalists in Awka, Chief Ezenwa-jiaku said stakeholders had been taking neces-sary measures to flush out Chief Umeh and his cohorts from whatever positions they claim to be holding in APGA.

APGA crisis: Commissioner insists Umeh must go

CHRIS NJOKUOWERRI

Imo State Governor Rocha Okorocha has approved N320m in-tervention fund for all primary and secondary schools in the state.

Governor Okorocha, who disclosed this after a one-day workshop with head teachers, principals and other stakeholders in the education sector, said the fund would enable the newly established man-agement teams of vari-ous schools to embark on

maintenance projects ahead of resumption of schools.

He explained that each primary and secondary school would get N200,000 as part of the measures towards implementing school autonomy, adding that his administration would establish man-agement teams that will oversee the affairs of the schools towards ad-dressing the bureaucratic bottle-neck that had con-tributed to the collapse of infrastructure in the public schools.

Okorocha approves N320m intervention fund for schools

Abia farmers, consultant at war over agric loan

L-R: Chairman, Tai Local Government Area, Rivers State, Gbenekenu Kuapie; Programme Coordinator, Dr. Chinyere Nwaneri and Senator Magnus Ngei Abe, at the launch of the Free School Eye Health programme by Senator Magnus in the council, yesterday.

lowed up by being physical-ly present at the scene. The situation was immediately put under control as two prison inmates who had earlier escaped through holes bored from within were re-arrested.

The commissioner of police was shown the two

holes bored into the cell walls and one through the fence. All made by the in-mates probably over the time without the knowl-edge of the prison warders and the security operatives within the premises. It is untrue, misleading and unfounded that there was

bomb blast at Oko Pris-ons or that gunmen came from outside to invade the prison as reported in some dailies.

The command wishes to reaffirm that there was no invasion of any kind, and there was no bomb blast. The escape bid was

purely the handiwork of prison inmates. The situa-tion has, however, been put under control while secu-rity has been intensified in and around the prison environment.

Balogun, however, said his command was still waiting for the authorities

EMMA GBEMUDUYENAGOA

A special security outfit codenamed: Operation Amie-kuma, has apprehended two suspected sea pirates and four cultists terroris-ing communities in Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

The security outfit con-stituted by the Chairman of the council, Waribogo Sylva, to check the activities of sea pirates and cultists in the area arrested the sus-

pects in Nembe town at the weekend.

A witness, who pleaded anonymity, said the suspects were flogged and paraded in the coastal community for several hours.

The suspects, it was learnt, have been handed over to the police in Yena-goa, the state capital, for in-terrogation.

Identities of the suspects were not disclosed at press time.

The Chairman of Nembe Council of Chiefs, Michael Ogbotubo-Olokutu, said the

arrest of the suspects would serve as a deterrent to sea pi-rates and cultists operating in communities in the local government.

He warned that the spe-cial security outfit would not spare any criminal in its determination to maintain law and order in the area.

In recent times, sea pi-rates have continued to attack boat operators and passengers plying the wa-terways.

The sea pirates often lay ambush for their victims in the creeks.

Benin jailbreak, an insiders job, says CP

Declare emergency on Rivers roads, ACN tells Amaechi

Bayelsa: Security outfi t arrests two pirates, four cultists

Foundation partners Akpabio on campaign against violence

Nobody can force Jonathan out of offi ce NDelta group JOHN UWEABUJA

The Niger Delta Indigenous Move-ment for Radical Change, NDIMRC, has advised President Good-luck Jonathan to ignore calls by a group of terror-ists for him to convert to Islam or resign from of-fice for peace to reign in the country.

Describing the de-mand as laughable and a huge joke, the group warned the terrorists to stop frustrating Presi-dent Jonathan and put an end to the senseless killings in parts of the North.

In a statement signed by its President, Nelly Emma, Secretary, John Sailor, and Public Rela-tions Officer, Mukoro Stanley, NDIMRC noted that the demand that Jonathan should convert to Islam or resign was a cheap blackmail which must be ignored by the good people of Nigeria.

The group implored the terrorists to stop the killings and give the President the needed peace to discharge the mandate freely given to him by Nigerians in the

2011 general elections.The statement reads

in part: President Jona-than has the mandate of Nigerians to rule this country and he will not succumb to any black-mail. The President can-not be intimidated; he will not resign because he is the custodian of a mandate given to him by Christians and Muslims alike.

The people of the South-South region have been the natural politi-cal allies of the North and have given their un-flinching support to all the past Presidents from the North; never a time peo-ple from the South-South frustrated past Presidents from the North while in office.

Those who are doing everything to make the country ungovernable should know that their continuous harassment of the President will not be tolerated and should also be told now that they can-not stop President Jona-than from contesting the 2015 general election.

The people of the South-South have resolved that President Jonathan will remain in office and come back again in 2015.

CHINEDUM EMEANAPORT HARCOURT

The Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, has called on the adminis-tration of Governor Rotimi Amaechi to declare a state of emergency on roads in Riv-ers State.

The state Publicity Secre-tary of the party, Mr. Jerry Needam, said in a statement that the call followed a report by The Environment Watch, a Non-Governmental Organ-isation, NGO, that there were 50,200 potholes on roads and streets in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.

The report, according to

the ACN spokesman, was compiled after five months of painstaking study of the conditions of roads in the state capital.

He said: The report of the study reveals that our roads and streets are peril-ous. We therefore, call on government to declare an emergency on this sector.

Needam said the party was aware and applauded genuine efforts of the Riv-ers State Government to rehabilitate failed roads and streets in the state capital, but urged the government to conduct a thorough in-vestigation to identify the causes of the dilapidated

state of these roads and streets, bearing in mind the fact that these roads and streets were repaired barely two years ago.

The party also kicked against plans by the Minis-try of Works to rehabilitate roads in the state capital without reviewing the failed efforts of the recent past.

Paradoxically, these same roads and streets, that government intends to re-pair all over again, were the same that were said to have been rehabilitated and main-tained by the Rivers State Road Maintenance Agency and the Operation Zero Pot-holes, Needam added.

SEBASTINE EBHUOMHANBENIN

Police in Edo State said yesterday that the Sunday morning jailbreak at Oko Prison in Benin City was an internal work which was planned and hatched inside the prison.

Speaking on the inci-dent at a press briefing in Benin, the state Commis-sioner of Police, Mr. Olay-inka Balogun, said that holes were bored in the walls of the prison cell and fence.

He said: Edo State Po-lice Command wishes to inform the general public that on 20th (19th) of Au-gust, 2012 at about 0105 hours, there was a distress call from Oko Prisons. Police patrol teams from Airport Division, and op-eratives from B Ops were immediately dispatched to the scene by the commis-sioner of police. He also fol-

of the prison for more de-tails on the incident.

However, like the prison authorities, the commis-sioner failed to give the actual number of inmates who escaped during the jailbreak.

But sources said that the number of inmates who escaped was yet to be ascertained.

TONY ANICHEBEUYO

A Non-Governmental Or-ganisation, NGO, the Martin Luther King Youth Empowerment Founda-tion, said it was partnering the Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State on the cam-paign against violence in the country.

This is contained in a state-ment signed by its National President, Emmanuel Jona-than Esq, and its Akwa Ibom State Coordinator, Comrade Anieti Udom.

According to the statement, Martin Luther King Youth Empowerment Foundation, whose aim, among others, is to preach peace and non-violence in society, found it necessary to partner Akpabio because of his achievements in the res-toration of peace and unity in Akwa Ibom and Nigeria at large.

Governor Akpabio has consistently been at the fore-front of the campaign for peace and non-violence in Ni-geria. He has been able to cre-ate an ambience of peace and harmonious coexistence in his own state, making it possi-ble for development to thrive.

Today, because of the ef-fort of Governor Akpabio in restoring peace and unity in Akwa Ibom State, all major retreats and conferences of national significance are be-ing held in the state; the lat-est of which is the 2012 Senate Retreat on Security held in the state.

Apart from preaching against violence everywhere he goes, the governor has also decided to use education as a tool to stop violence and crimi-nality through the introduc-tion of free and compulsory education up to the senior sec-ondary school level to Akwa Ibom indigenes, as well as other Nigerians resident in the state, irrespective of tribe or religion, the group said.

National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net 11Tuesday, August 21, 2012 South South

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

WOLE ADEDEJI ILORIN

The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in Kwara State has described as justified, the 24-day ultimatum given by members of the state chap-ter of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employ-ees (NULGE) to demand payment of their salary ar-rears and allowances

In a statement made available yesterday to jour-nalists, ACN Chairman, Kayode Olawepo, said: The non-payment of salary to workers is just a symptom of political deceit, endem-ic corruption and mindless economic sabotage.

That there could be no

reasonable explanation for the habitual delay in the payment of salaries, a problem that is unique to Kwara.

We support the ac-tion and resolution of the NULGE in Kwara State on the issues of salaries and welfare. There could be no reasonable explanation for the habitual delay or refus-al to pay workers monthly.

But we are quick to point out that the non-payment of salaries is just one of the symptoms of the political deceit, endemic corruption and mindless economic sabotage cham-pioned by the PDP-led state government in active con-nivance with the partys leadership.

12 Tuesday, August 21, 2012 North

AUGUSTINE MADU-WEST KANO

The Kano State Com-missioner of Po-lice, Alhaji Ibrahim Idris, said yesterday that the search for the fleeing suspected terrorists, who engaged security agents in gun battle on Sallah day in Kano, has paid off.

He said one of the fleeing suspects had been arrested.

Idris told journalists at the palace of the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero, yesterday that security agents had spread their

dragnet to track down flee-ing members of the group hit by bullets when the se-curity personnel repelled the terrorist attack on one of the check points in the city.

He said: My men have arrested one of them with bullet injuries, while the search for others has been intensified. We plead with members of the public, especially the medical per-sonnel to report the pres-ence of any patient with bullet wound to the police.

The police boss said the incident was over blown by the media, adding that the Sallah celebration ended on a peaceful note, but said attempts by the terrorists to attack a check point was re-pelled.

Idris was at the Emir of Kano palace to pay Sallah homage.

He said he was there to thank the emir for his sup-port to campaign by security agents to rid Kano of crimi-nal activities.

Members of a terrorist

group and Joint Task Force (JTF) officials clashed in one of the check points in Kano on Sunday.

Spokesman of the 3 Bri-gade of the Nigerian Army, Kano, Lt Ikedichi Iweha, said no military personnel was hurt in the confronta-tions which were prominent in Hotoro and Zaria areas of the city.

Meanwhile, gunmen killed two persons in Mubi on Sunday in an attack, which left one other person wounded.

The Adamawa State Com-missioner of Police, Mr.

Mark Idakwo, confirmed yesterday in Yola, the capital, that two people were killed, while one was hospitalised following the attack in the Sabon-Layi area of Mubi.

The police chief, who did not give details of the inci-dent, urged members of the public to give any informa-tion that could assist secu-rity agencies to track down suspected criminals in their midst.

However, an eyewitness told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that six gun-men descended on the area around 8:pm on Sunday

and ordered everyone to lie down.

They collected money and handsets from the people before shooting spo-radically as they retreated, hitting four people in the process, he said.

The eyewitness, who preferred anonymity, said that the attack took place in front of the house of Alhaji Sahabo Jauro, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman in Mubi North Local Government Area.

Most of the victims were the politicians visi-tors, he added.

Sallah day attack: Police arrest fleeing suspected terrorist

OMEIZA AJAYI

A forum of Benue in-digenes under the aegis of Benue Zone B Collective (BZBC) has warned against alleged plot by some politicians to instigate the removal of the Senate Minority Leader, Senator George Akume, describing the move as ill-thought out.

The group told jour-nalists in Abuja that it viewed the development as satanic, adding that the plot by the enemies of peace and progress was unwarranted and a classic case of a rape on democracy.

Represented by its National President, Col. Awua Yese (rtd) and the General Secretary, Mr. Ayoo Angwe Ayoo, the group said it watched with dismay, the

deliberate and sustained at-tempts by the enemies of democracy to harangue, ma-lign, impugn and denigrate the person of the Senator representing Benue North-West Senatorial District oth-erwise known as Benue Zone B Senatorial District.

The group said: For long, we have watched with restrained anger how des-perate people with a morbid fear of the Senators rising profile have sought to dis-tract attention from their political nakedness by mak-ing Akume a target of their cheap pull-him-down tactics.

We felt that with time, these avowed Akume bash-ers would give up on him, and begin to find solutions to national challenges like insecurity, election rigging, corruption in the judiciary and political violence. But unfortunately, the attacks have graduated from politi-

cal blackmail to media ter-rorism. And now, there is a grand plot to remove him as Senate Minority Leader.

The group said that such development represent incessant and annoying dis-tractions, which would go a long way in retarding prog-ress, democracy and social harmony, just as it called on such persons to leave Akume alone, insisting that Akume, like the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), his party, is not the problem of Nigeria neither is he the black stain on its democracy.

According to the group, since the Senator is not part of those who have continued to work against the nations democracy, he should be left alone to continue his good work of quality representa-tion, deepening the content of democracy at the nation-al and repositioning the ACN for 2015 and beyond.

INUSA NDAHIMAIDUGURI

Tragedy was averted in Maiduguri, Bor-no State yesterday as an Improvised Explosive Device, IED, loaded in a Camry saloon car failed to detonate near a drinking joint.

National Mirror learnt that the incident took place about 4.30pm at the Tudu area of the metropolis, be-hind the state Police Com-mand Headquarters.

According to an eyewit-ness, the suspected terror-ist had parked the explo-sive laden car very close to the drinking spot and all at-tempts to detonate it failed.

The eyewitness said that rather than the device ex-ploding, there was smoke inside the car, at which point, the man ran away by mingling with the crowd.

I was about 10 metres away from the vehicle, watching what the occu-pant was doing. We ini-tially thought that it was an electrical fault, which he wanted to rectify, so, we continued with our drink-ing.

But, as soon as we saw the car engulfed with smoke, with the occupant running away, we also ran and immediately alerted the security agents. And when the Anti Bomb Squad arrived the scene, it was discovered that the vehicle was loaded with containers and cylinders of IEDs, the eyewitness said.

The Joint Task Force, JTF, spokesman, Lieuten-ant Colonel Sagir Musa confirmed the incident.

He said: We received a distress call from Tudu beer joints, behind the po-lice headquarters in Mai-

duguri and we intend to brief the press tomorrow. But now that you have called, all I will tell you is that a Camry car which was loaded with IEDs failed to explode when the mas-termind, now at large, run into the crowd an escaped before the JTF arrived the scene.

National Mirror learnt that security agents in the state had on Sunday re-ceived intelligent report that a suicde bomber in a Camry car was on his way to Maiduguri from Damaturu, the Yobe State capital.

As a result, heavy secu-rity was mounted on all major roads linking the two towns with a view to appre-hend the hoodlum. The se-curity clampdown also led to heavy traffic congestion in Maiduguri both on Sal-lah day and yesterday.

Tragedy averted in Maiduguri as bomb failed to explode

Group warns against plot to remove Akume as Senate Minority Leader

Cross section of Yelwa and Dass Boys Brigade on parade during the closing ceremony of their annual council retreat in Bauchi at the weekend. PHOTO:NAN

Salary: Kwara ACN backs LG workers 24-day ultimatum

Gunmen kill two in Mubi

As it is common practice the world over, new governments normally pronounce their policy thrusts, which they intend to pursue and upon which their subsequent actions and inac-tions are based and interpreted. Nigerian past leaders have not been found wanting in this regard as they have made series of policy pronouncements, strategies and pro-grammes, with which they meant to trans-form the Nigerian economy in past years.

Not to be left out and following in the footsteps of his predecessors, shortly after his inauguration on May 29, 2011, Presi-dent Goodluck Jonathan unveiled what he called Transformation Agenda, with which he hoped to turn the country around by the end of his first term in 2015.

The Transformation Agenda contains the key priority policies, programmes and projects of the administration, which are to be coordinated by the National Planning Commission. The Agenda, which draws its inspiration from the Vision 20:2020 and the first National Implementation Plan (NIP), when implemented, is expected not only to transform the Nigerian economy and make it one of the best 20 in the world by 2020, but also transform the life of the average Nige-rian.

The Agendas key policies include: (a) Ensuring greater harmony between fiscal and monetary policy, through the Nation-al Economic Management Team, which would be strengthened to facilitate effective coordination of fiscal and monetary poli-cies; (b) Pursuit of sound macroeconomic policies among which are fiscal prudence supported by appropriate monetary policy to limit inflation to single digit; (c) The re-view of the budget process to provide great-er clarity of roles between the executive and legislature and to ensure that the ap-propriation bill is enacted into law within the first month of any year, drawing inspi-ration from the United States system and concentrate on setting allocation priorities rather than micro-budgeting or contesting figures with the executive; (d) The review

retail trade, tourism and entertainment, manufacturing and building and construc-tion sectors.

The key priority projects of the Agenda are derived from 20 ministries, depart-ments and agencies (MDAs) and other sectors with 1,746 projects identified, from which 385 are new while 1,361 are ongoing. More projects are also to be indentified and commenced in the course of the duration of the Agenda.

But as laudable as the Transformation Agenda looks, in over one year of its exis-tence, how far has it impacted positively on the lives of the Nigerian masses? Has the average Nigerian faired better or worse in the first year of the implementation of the Agenda?

If you confront the man on the street, the first question he would ask is: what Agenda? To many Nigerians, their lives have only gotten worse since the advent of the present administration. This is because there were high hopes and aspirations from the generality of Nigerians when Jonathan won the 2011 elections and assumed office in May 29, 2011.

Although the economy may not be said to be on a high when Jonathan took the mantle of leadership, it is on record that he did not inherit a total economic ruin, despite that the countrys foreign reserves were grossly depleted and the foreign debt profile was on the rise and the cost of gov-ernance had skyrocketed, stunting capital expenditure.

Many Nigerians are of the belief that they have been short-changed by the Jona-than administration, saying that it had failed in its primary responsibility. To them, this is simply because all the sectors are in comatose and governments response to the ailing sectors of Nigerias national life is non-existent and where it exists, it is at a snails speed. The pessimism trailing the Transformation Agenda is premised on the various happenings around the country. Nothing seems to be working. Nigerians now pay more for darkness, while other na-tions are marking various hallmarks in the power sector; the roads have become death traps with lives of Nigerians wasted almost on daily basis; Nigerians, especially the rich, continue to travel abroad for various health remedies, with India becoming the Mecca of health for average Nigerians and thus making Nigerian hospitals, which the late Sani Abacha referred to as consulting clinics in 1983, now mortuaries; employ-ment rate is at an all time high rate of 30 per cent, according to the Bureau of Sta-tistics, but which in actual fact is hovering around 45 and 50 per cent; corruption is no longer a cankerworm, but a behemoth and

of existing revenue allocation formula to achieve a more balanced fiscal federalism, expected to pave the way for more effec-tive implementation of programmes at sub-national level and (e) Institutionalis-ing the culture of development planning at all levels of government and ensuring that the annual capital budget allocation takes a cue from medium and long term develop-ment plans.

Its key components are in the areas of job creation and labour and productivity, management of public expenditure, good governance, efficient judiciary capable of dispensing justice, focused foreign and eco-nomic diplomacy, dynamic, constitution-ally effective and public responsive legisla-ture, effective educational policy, effective health care delivery, massive infrastruc-tural development and improvement of the parlous power state. Others are in the areas of Information and Communication Tech-nology, Niger Delta and transportation.

Planned for between 2011 and 2015, the life span of the first tenure of the Jonathan administration, the Agenda was necessi-tated by the need to correct past flaws in the drive towards the development of the country, which was short of long term de-

velopment, lacked continuity, consistency and commitment to policies already agreed upon. All these ingredients that were lack-ing in the implementation of previous poli-cies and programmes of government have impacted negatively on the lives of the Ni-gerian people.

The Agenda is projected on a baseline GDP growth rate of 11.7 per cent per an-num for the four-year duration, with the hope of it translating to real and nominal GDP of about N428.6 billion and N73.2 tril-lion respec