Senate Stolen Mace Saga, An Attempted Coup - Senator Waku

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Senate Stolen Mace Saga, An Attempted Coup - Senator Waku

Elder statesman and former Senator representing Benue North-West District between 1999 and 2003, Joseph Waku, has described the snatching of the mace from the chamber as an attempted coup.

Waku, who likened the Wednesday’s incident to the days of Chuba Okadigbo as the Senate President, said the person behind the drama should be brought to book

He told Premium Times that, “It is not just our democracy but also our security. The person behind this should be brought to book. That (National Assembly) is an institution. It is an attempted coup. He should be tried for treason. The mace is the symbol of authority of the Senate and the Senate President is the chairman of the National Assembly. So it is an attempted coup and should be treated as such.

“In that case, there was no breakage. We took it, it was not stolen. It was during our vacation. We were on vacation. It was during Obj’s (President Olusegun Obasanjo) time and it was during a crisis.

“There was a plan to remove Okadigbo and we got wind of it and adjourned and took the mace. But the then deputy senate president, Haruna Abubakar, attempted to reconvene the Senate. They went and arranged for a fake mace but we intercepted it. Haruna wanted to preside as acting senate president.”

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Missing Mace: FG Orders Immediate Probe Of Senate Invasion

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Missing Mace: FG Orders Immediate Probe Of Senate Invasion

The Federal Government has ordered a probe of the invasion of the Senate on Wednesday, during which the mace was taken away.

Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, disclosed this in a statement issued in Abuja.

The statement said the government received the report of the theft of the Senate’s mace with shock.

We reported that thugs suspected to be loyal to the suspended Senator representing Delta Central Senatorial district, Ovie Omo-Agege had invaded the red chambers and forcefully taken away the mace.

They broke into the chambers when plenary was going on, creating serious confusion and tension.

Few minutes later, the mace was reportedly recovered and the hallowed chamber resumed sitting.

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Salkida Reveals 30 Not 15 Chibok Girls Are Still Alive

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Salkida Reveals 30 Not 15 Chibok Girls Are Still Alive

Ahmad Salkida, a journalist and close ally of the Boko Haram sect has reversed his statement behind the abduction of Chibok girls from Borno State in 2014.

Salkida, on Saturday had revealed that only 15, out of the 113 schoolgirls remaining in Boko Haram captivity were alive.

However, in new tweets, yesterday, Salkida said new information available to him, from two other cells within the sect, indicated that apart from the original 15 he knew were alive, there were 15 other girls still alive.

He wrote: “A leading member of the Jama’atu Ahlis-Sunna Lidda’Awati Wal-Jihad or BH has now clarified the earlier information about 15 girls.

“Indeed, the 15 #Chibokgirls are available, but known to a particular cell that spoke to me emphatically days leading to the fourth anniversary.

“However, two other cells within the larger group have brought additional information, clarifying the earlier information; that there are another 10 girls available to another cell.

“Outside of the 15 and 10, another 5, amongst the girls, are also alive; as at early hours of today. (yesterday).

“With the new information, the total number of the girls, reportedly, alive are 30.”

Salkida said the objective of his tweets on Saturday was to compel government and Boko Haram to speak but that government was unnecessarily defensive.

“It is most disappointing that the federal government, in its might and given the machinery available to it, peremptorily declared to the public that it lacks institutional memory regarding the processes of the #Chibokgirls,” he added.

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Nigerian Health Workers Embark On Indefinite Strike

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Nigerian Health Workers Embark On Indefinite Strike

The Joint Health Sector Unions, JOHESU, has announced an indefinite strike.

The union said the latest industrial action would paralyse activities in all health institutions across the country.

“All federal government health institutions in Nigeria including federal medical centres, specialists’ hospitals, orthopedic hospitals, psychiatric hospitals among others will be the first to shut down.

If the government allows the strike to continue after two weeks, all the states and local government health institutions will now join,” the National Vice Chairman of JOHESU, Ogbonna Chimela, told newsmen on Monday.

The members of JOHESU are hospital workers, including nurses and pharmacists, but excluding medical doctors and dentists.

Chimela said the strike will commence from midnight on Tuesday.

“Before now we gave the government 21 working days as an ultimatum. Last month, we so threatened to go on strike after 30 working days, whixh expires today (Tuesday) and government have not really done anything tangible.

“They only invited us on April 5 and told us that our issues are being looked into as usual without any concrete effort on how they are planning to meet our demand.

“So our National Executive Council (NEC) met in Abuja and appraised the situation and we resolved to continue with the strike, no going back”, the union leader said.

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39 Killed, 15 Houses Razed Down In Nasarawa As Herdsmen strike Again

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39 Killed, 15 Houses Razed Down In Nasarawa As Herdsmen strike Again

Fulani herdsmen have allegedly killed 32 Tiv villagers at various locations across the southern senatorial district of Nasarawa State.

Report reaching NAIJA VOICE reveals that another attack were carried out Monday night with seven killed and over 15 houses burnt in same Keana Local Government Area.

Punch had reported earlier attacks on Saturday and Sunday, carried out simultaneously in Awe, Keana, Obi and Doma local government areas of the state.

The Monday night attack that left 7 dead was the continuation of the previous ones that also had nineteen people badly injured.

The state Commissioner for Water Resources, Gabriel Akaaka, told Punch that the gunmen invaded his house and set it ablaze.

He said, “It is true the gunmen believed to be Fulani herders raided my house this morning and set it ablaze.

“The Tiv villagers are stranded. I have just spoken to the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ahmed Bello, to deploy his security personnel and security operatives in the state to the area in order to rescue the villagers.”

Also confirming the incident to Punch, the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Kennedy Idirisu, said the command only learnt of the attack early on Monday.

He said, “There was an attack on Monday morning, but the command has yet to receive details as regards the number of people that lost their lives in the early hour attacks by unknown gunmen.”

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N-Power Speaks On The Deduction In Beneficiaries' Stipends

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N-Power Speaks On The Deduction In Beneficiaries' Stipends

N-Power, Federal Government empowerment scheme, has explained why stipends of some beneficiaries were deducted.

The scheme explained that ” Beneficiaries who selected the Tecno and Speedstar devices incurred additional charges.

This information was contained in a statement on its Twitter handle.

The Statement with the title, ‘Deduction in Stipends’ reads:

”A few beneficiaries will have noticed a deduction in their stipends.

”You will recall that the Federal Government entered into a 20-month Asset Finance Agreement with the Bank of Industry for the N-Power devices.

”Beneficiaries who selected the Tecno and Speedstar devices incurred additional monthly charges over and beyond the N4,500 monthly device credit voucher of the FG.

”Consequently, the additional costs will be deducted from their stipends between the months of March and July, 2018.”

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Am Only Paid N950,000 As Minister - Rotimi Amaechi

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Am Only Paid N950,000 As Minister - Rotimi Amaechi

The Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi, has revealed how much he earns monthly under Buhari’s administration.

Amaechi speaking at the presentation of a book titled, ‘Dignity in Service,’ authored by the late Dr. Matthew Mbu, a former Minister of Foreign Affairs said he earns “only N950,000” a month, out of which he also pays his aides.

While extolling the virtues of the late Mbu, Amaechi promised to promote transparency.

He said, “A minister earns only N950, 000 a month. Out of this money, N350, 000 is for accommodation, so there is no more money given to you. The remaining N600, 000 includes payment for your staff, personal assistants and all that.

“Nigerians like going to parties. That is one benefit of this government. We now assess our wealth and value money. Before, once you get money from the illegal means, we hold parties. There are very few parties these days because there is no more money to hold such parties.

“There are no ‘owambe’ anymore because there is very little money to hold ‘owambe.’ The reason is that the ‘owambe’ money used to come from the government and there is no money in the government to do such.”

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Nigerian Govt Laments On The Killings Of Nigerian Youths In UK

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Nigerian Govt Laments On The Killings Of Nigerian Youths In UK

The Federal Government on Monday expressed worry over increasing spate of killing of Nigerians in UK in recent time.

In a statement on Monday by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa, she expressed government’s position on the matter. .

The statement signed by her Media Aide, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, stated that Dabiri-Erewa advised Nigerians to be careful and exercise restraint.

The presidential aide was quoted as saying “the increased killing of blacks, especially those of Nigerian origin in London was worrisome and disturbing.”

“It is reported that more than 50 blacks, mainly youths, were either stabbed or gunned down in the first quarter of 2018 in London alone.

“Nigerian boys killed in the UK in the first quarter of 2018, mainly London, included Oluwadamilola Odeyingbo, 18, Taofeek Lamidi, 20, and Harry Uzoka, 25.

“Others were Rotimi Oshinbajo, 26, Fola Odubiyi, 18, Niyi Shode, 24, Kelvin Odunuyi, 19, Abraham Badru, 26, Israel Ogunsola, 18, and more unreported cases.”

Dabiri-Erewa had last week written protest letter to the British High Commissioner in Nigeria, demanding justice and investigation into the matter.

She, however, advised Nigerians to continue to be good ambassadors of Nigeria by obeying the rules of their host country and not to take laws into their hands.

She condoled with the affected families and prayed unto God to comfort them.

She said government would continue to seek for justice and bring to book the perpetrators of the gruesome killings.

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Nigerian Govt Has Made Boko Haram Richer - Bishop Kukah

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Nigerian Govt Has Made Boko Haram Richer - Bishop Kukah

The Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, Matthew Kukah, has alleged that the Nigerian government has made members of the Boko Haram insurgents richer through ransom.

Kukah said there was urgent need for the government to accommodate the complaints of the aggrieved persons and put human face to ending activities of the insurgents in the North-East.

The Bishop, in a chat during a Channels TV programme, ‘Hard Copy’ on Sunday, lamented that the government had reduced the fight against terrorism to only military operations and failed to address the roots of the problem.

He said, “Why do we assume that security is just about guns and bullets? When Boko Haram started, I published an article titled ‘Breath not Bullets.’ I made a point that we would probably spill into a time when we would not be able to contain ourselves when those conflicts become a military operation.

“The first problem is that it is becoming capital intensive. The second problem is the human angle to the conflict. What is it that has made a decent human being to take up arm against his country?

“The problem we have is that the government has turned the Boko Haram war into military operations and turning the concept of security into guns and bullets. The question is that what is it that has been producing this discontentment? Why has the northern Nigerian become the centre of fire? We have failed to ask the right questions

“I have said it several times, we could close the window on Boko Haram today, but what is going to happen next we don’t know. The point I am making is that a country has to have high quality of listening devices about the voices of the weakest; about how people are hurt and what people are interested in.”

He said the Dapchi schoolgirls’ abduction nullified the claim that Boko Haram had been weakened and called for comprehensive dialogue with the terrorists.

Kukah said, “Those with superior information and superior knowledge, which is what the government is all about, know something that the rest of those don’t. There is no war that has ended whereby everybody is declaring victory and going home. It has never happened; everybody has ended up around the table.

“When it comes to closing a conversation of that nature, you have to have a screening system. There are people who will tell you people found themselves in Boko Haram by all kinds of means; some voluntarily went there while some were compelled to go there. There are criminals who got into the game and there are some of them who have done terrible and horrible things. Their numbers, leaders and so on, have to be taken together.

“There is no way we can end the conflict without carrot; it is not possible.

“We say they are no longer holding our territory, but if they can come and take away this number of children, now the Boko Haram is richer than it was. Who knows what they are going to do with the money they have collected.”

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How Nigerian Government Repaired £2.8 Million Ship With Whooping £18 Million - Mathew Mbu

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How Nigerian Government Repaired £2.8 Million Ship With Whooping £18 Million - Mathew Mbu

 

A former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mathew Mbu, has told a story of how the Nigerian Government repaired a ship worth only £2.8 million with a whopping £18 million.

This was made public through an autobiography he left behind to be published by his family.

The book was entitled, ‘Mbu: Dignity in Service’.

He said that he bought the ship on behalf of the country for £2.8 million and expressed surprise that the Ministry of Defence officials allegedly sent the vessel for refitting at a whopping sum of £18m, shortly after he left the ministry.

Mbu, who died on February 6, 2012, had left the manuscript of his autobiography which the family published in his honour.

The former Minister’s son, Mathew Mbu Jr., told journalists on Thursday that the book would be launched posthumously on April 10, 2018 at the Shehu Yar ’Adua Centre, Abuja.

The author explained in the book how he fought corruption by serving with dignity, noting that the then Minister of Defence, Alhaji Muhammad Ribadu, approved £6 .5 million for the flagship, which he (Mbu) purchased for the Nigerian Navy for £2.8 million, thus saving the nation £3. 7 m.

Mbu Jr. said, “MT Mbu did not only come back with a flagship befitting the NN for £2 .8 m and saved £3.7 m, but had a deal to pay back the £2 .8 m in 10 years interest-free.

“The story of Mbu tells us how to stop kickback and start kicking forward. Unfortunately, and it was a sad moment for Mbu when he left the ministry and one of those ships was sent for refitting at the cost of £18 m.

The deceased, in the autobiography, advised the government to focus on free and fair election, security and anti-corruption fight, noting that if these were achieved, “Nigerians in their ingenuity will fashion out the rest in no time.”

Mbu also frowned at the investment in Tinapa Resort by the Donald Duke administration in Cross River State, describing it as a non-viable project.

“Politically, it was myopic at conception; why should the resources of a state be frozen for decades? What about the cost of maintaining a non-viable project?” The former ambassador queried.

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FG Demands Justice From UK Government Over The Killing Of 26yr-Old Nigerian By Gunmen In London

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FG Demands Justice From UK Government Over The Killing Of 26yr-Old Nigerian By Gunmen In London

The Federal Government has demanded justice from the UK Government over the killing of Mr Abraham Badru, son of Enitan Badru, a member of the House of Representatives, representing Lagos Island federal constituency, by a gunman in London.

Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, made the demand in a statement by her Media aide, Mr Abdur-Rahman Balogun, on Wednesday in Abuja.

Dabiri-Erewa was quoted as making the call in a letter written to the British High Commissioner in Nigeria.

“I wish to sadly bring to your attention, the killing of a 26-year old Nigerian, Mr Abraham Badru, by a gunman on Ferncliff Road, Hackney, London, at about 11 p.m. on March 25.

“The deceased, a son of a current member of the House of Representatives (Lagos Island Constituency 1), Mr Dolapo Badru, has worked as a football coach at the University of Gloucestershire, UK.

“The deceased was also recently honoured with bravery award by the police after saving a sex-attack victim and assisted in the convictions of the attackers.

“His death has left his parents and other members of his family in deep shock, grief and agony.

“He was a successful and law-abiding person in the United Kingdom and also the Sports Development Officer for six months in the city of Bristol.

“In view of the foregoing, we appeal to the British Government to conduct thorough investigation into the gruesome killing of this young Nigerian and bring the perpetrator to justice accordingly,’’ Dabiri-Erewa stated.

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Defend Yourself Inline With The Law - Presidency Supports Danjuma's Call For Self Defence

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Defend Yourself Inline With The Law - Presidency Supports Danjuma's Call For Self Defence

 

A Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity, Mr Garba Shehu, yesterday backed calls by former Minister of Defence, Lieutenant General Theophilus Danjuma (Rtd) that Nigerians should defend themselves against the unending violence in some parts of the country.

Shehu, who appeared as a guest on Channels Television’s political programme, Sunday Politics, however, warned that it must be within the ambit of the law.

“There is absolutely nothing wrong with you defending yourself in line with the law,” he said.

“The security services in the country will probably not be telling Nigerians to do nothing when they come and attack,”

We reported that a day earlier, the Buhari-led government had appealed to prominent Nigerians, who have national influence, to watch what they say. 

Meanwhile, on the reaction of the President to the Former Defence Minister’s outburst, Shehu said he believed that President Buhari was taking the pleas made by Nigerians seriously in dealing with the issues raised.

“This is a listening government and the reaction then was of silence to say to them that we have heard you.

“We will listen to the useful advice you have given us. We will take what we can use from what you have said,” he noted.

The Presidential aide, however, exonerated the military of condoning attacks that have led to bloodshed in the land.

He was of the view that members of the Armed forces were there to defend citizens of the country even to their own detriment.

TY Danjuma had on March 24 accused the military of complicity in the killings within Taraba, Benue and other “riverine states” in the country.

According to Danjuma, during a convocation ceremony of Taraba State University, “The peace in this state is under assault. There is an attempt at ethnic cleansing in this state and, of course, in all the riverine state of Nigeria. We must resist it. We must stop it. Every one of us must rise up,”

Following his outburst, many Nigerians have expressed their views, with many criticizing the President Muhammadu Buhari administration for failing to address the security challenges in parts of the country.

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Junaid Mohammed Gives Buhari Platinum Award On Corruption, Says He Perfected Corruption

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Junaid Mohammed Gives Buhari Platinum Award On Corruption, Says He Perfected Corruption

Second Republic lawmaker and prominent northern politician, Dr. Junaid Mohammed, has said “President Muhammadu Buhari and his people have perfected corruption more than any previous administrations,”claiming that the President deserves a platinum award for corruption.

While alleging that the ongoing fight against corruption is designed to fill the pockets of the President’s relatives and friends, he stated that those who are related to Buhari have become billionaires overnight.

Speaking in an interview with ThisDay, the Russian-trained doctor wondered the award which national leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, would now give Buhari having sarcasticly honoured former president Goodluck Jonathan with a gold medal for corruption.

Junaid said, “Buhari has ruined the national economy; he has messed up the national security; he has lied through his teeth about integrity by promoting and supporting people who have no gravitas –those who’re related to him that have become billionaires overnight. On what basis did they become overnight billionaires? Simple: on the basis that they are related to him. Buhari cannot win a free and fair election in 2019. I challenge Buhari to tell me one thing he has done for this country. If he got re-elected, it might be because of tribal sentiments or geopolitical sentiments”.

“Talking about the gold medal award for corruption to Jonathan, I think he richly deserved that. It is nothing but sarcasm and of course, Tinubu has a tremendous sense of humour. So, if he sarcastically gave gold medal to Jonathan, I don’t know what he’ll be willing to give Buhari… because Buhari and his people have perfected corruption more than any previous administrations in the country. I will award Buhari platinum (in corruption) because it is higher than gold. I’ll offer him platinum,” he asserted.

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Dapchi Schoolgirls: US Speaks On The Release Of The Girls By Boko Haram

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Dapchi Schoolgirls: US Speaks On The Release Of The Girls By Boko Haram

‎ The United States Government has reacted to the releaseof the Dapchi schoolgirls abducted by Boko Haram.

The world power noted that there still remained enormous challenges in Nigeria which would require the attention of the United Nations and other international players.

This is part of remarks by the American Deputy Secretary of State, John Sullivan, during the International Advisory Council’s closing luncheon held at the United States Institute of Peace in Washington.

His words: “It’s a whole-of-government effort. It sounds trite to say, but it’s certainly true. We work closely with our colleagues at the Department of Defence, USAID, and the State Department. I was in Abuja, Nigeria a few months ago, and the challenges are enormous.

“The threat from Boko Haram and ISIS West Africa, particularly in north-western Nigeria, is very serious, as we’ve seen just in the last few weeks with the kidnapping of another 110 schoolgirls, most of who have been released, but only on the condition that they are not  allowed to go back to school, which is astounding on its face. But we’re thankful that at least most of those young girls have been released. But we’ve got to address the security situation.

“But there are deeper problems – economic and social – that require not just U.S. Government’s assistance but assistance from a wide array of private organisations, other countries, and the United Nations. So that’s what we’re looking to mobilise to address the causes of the refugee flows out of that area and prevent these crises from developing,” the American diplomat stated.

Sullivan added that the problems of illegal migration and terrorism facing Nigeria and few other African countries would require more efforts and global cooperation to solve.

He disclosed that the US would work more closely with the G5 countries and national governments to tackle the issues.

“Looking at what we do in the U.S. Government, I’d focus, for example, on Africa, particularly in countries like Nigeria, the countries in the Sahel and Northern Africa, the tragic scenes that we have seen of refugees and migrants leaving Libya, Tunisia, Algeria for southern Europe.

“And those people are coming from countries farther south in Africa, where there is conflict, poverty, et cetera. So we’ve got to have – from the U.S. Government’s perspective, it requires an integrated strategy with our colleagues at the Department of Defence to partner host governments.

“For example, the countries in the Sahel, the so-called G5 – working with them to address the terrorism problems that are presented in the region, to establish a baseline of security so that humanitarian assistance, development assistance can flow into the region, and remove the causes of people who are fleeing those countries, risking their lives to cross the Mediterranean to get to hope for a better future in Europe.”

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Enugu Depot Will Not Be Re-open - NNPC GMD, Baru

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Enugu Depot Will Not Be Re-open - NNPC GMD, Baru

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), has ruled out the possibility of re-opening its Enugu depot in the nearest future.

The depot, has been out of fuel supply for several years now, leaving marketers with the option of shopping for the product in other areas.

However, the Corporation has said although it was desirous to resume supply of fuel to the Enugu depot, it would not be visible at the moment.

Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Dr Maikanti K. Baru, who made the disclosure in Enugu, insisted that as long as vandals continued their nefarious activities on the oil pipelines, there would be no supply to the area.

He spoke during the NNPC Special Day at the on-going 29th Enugu International Trade Fair.

Dr Baru also spoke on the problem of ‘profiteering’ among fuel dealers in southeast zone, particularly in Enugu and its environs where dealers sell fuel above the official price of N145 per litre, and condemned the attitude of such marketers who make fortunes at the detriment of the average consumer in the area.

According to him, he had earlier held a meeting with Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi on how to make the Enugu depot functional, but he explained to him that the implication of vandalization of the oil pipelines, one of which is that “if the vandals don’t stop their negative activities on the oil pipelines, there won’t be supply to the area.”

Baru disclosed that the NNPC has so far recorded 685 spots of vandalization of oil pipelines between the Aba and Enugu depot, maintaining that “as long as this thing continues, there’s no way we can supply petroleum products to Enugu depot.”

He said that Enugu depot was a very strategic one to the corporation, assuring the southeast zone of rehabilitation of facilities and resumption of supply of petroleum products so long as vandalization of oil pipelines was brought to an end.

On profiteering and the shylock attitude of some oil marketers in the zone, Baru said there was no reason people should be selling fuel above the official price of N145 per litre while using cost of transportation as an excuse.

“The issues are many but we need your assistance; we need your cooperation. Talk to your members,” Baru specifically told the President of the Enugu Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (ECCIMA), Sir Emeka Udeze.

“It is our desire to have the depot re-opened because it is from there that we pump fuel to Makurdi and Yola. But it will be difficult for us to supply fuel to the Enugu depot as long as this continues.

“So, we want you to appeal to our people, especially within Isiagu and Osisioma in Abia State and other areas,” Baru added.

The ECCIMA boss had earlier in his keynote speech, appealed to the GMD to ensure resumption of fuel supply to the Enugu depot.

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"They Pull Our Wombs Out And Ask Us To Sleep With Men" - Libya Returnees Recount Horrible Ordeals

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"They Pull Our Wombs Out And Ask Us To Sleep With Men" - Libya Returnees Recount Horrible Ordeals

Seven Libyan returnees at the weekend recounted their ordeal in Libya before their rescue.

They spoke in Abeokuta, Ogun State, at a session with former President, Olusegun Obasanjo during the maiden Youth Migration Summit themed “Curbing Youth Irregular Migration.”

One of the victims, Ubong Rosemary, mother of four, shared her story.

She said: “I am a native of Delta. I was living in Lagos before I lost my husband in a car crash. After I lost him; things became very hard for me and my children.

“I could not pay house rent or school fees for my children, so my children dropped out and I went back to help my mother who was a food vendor in the village in her one room apartment.

“We had a lot issues and quarreled. She had an accident and at point could not cook.

“I decided to go somewhere far because I could not provide for my kids. I wanted to go far from my predicament and met a lady who introduced me to a Madam.

“On the way to Libya; I lost my way and contact.
They were just carrying me with the people- I was like somebody lost. I didn’t know where I was going.

“I made it to Sabat and saw our fellow men and women selling women into prostitution. I was sold in Tripoli and not Sabat.

“I was not able to pay the cross money over the Mediterranean. They sold me to connection house. Someone else bought me.

“We were there for days until they pushed three boats into the Mediterranean. I saw two boats capsized before my very own eyes. Someone kidnapped us and jailed us.

“I was about to be killed as it was the very day I was to be killed that IOM raided us and saved us from death.

“What they did to us was very bad. The use sponge along with harmful chemicals like shampoo to clean the private parts of women.

“They push it into the women’s wombs and the wombs fall out, after that, they will put the womb back in again and urge women to continue to sleep with the men there.”

Rosemary said that she could not forgive herself for abandoning her four children with her mother who was still alive and taking care of them in Edo state.

“I haven’t seen my children, except for just once”, she said in tears as Obasanjo consoled her.

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Former Minister Of Works And Housing, Hassan Lawal Is Dead

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Former Minister Of Works And Housing, Hassan Lawal Is Dead

A former minister of works and housing, Hassan Lawal is dead.

Mr. Lawal served as minister under the late President Umaru Yar’Adua

He died in the late hours of Saturday after a protracted illness at the Turkish Nizamye Hospital in Abuja, according to a family member.

His burial will take place on Sunday morning at his home town, Keffi Local Government Area, in Nasarawa State according to Islamic rules.

Until his death, at various times, he served as minister of labour and productivity, health minister, and works minister.

He is survived by two wives, children and relatives.

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Senator Dino Melaye Speaks On Police Threat To Declare Him Wanted

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Senator Dino Melaye Speaks On Police Threat To Declare Him Wanted

The Senator representing Kogi West, Dino Melaye, has insisted he will only appear before the police in Abuja, as he believes his safety cannot be guaranteed in Kogi state.

Melaye’s position was contained in a letter written by his lawyer on Saturday, in response to a summon by the police, to appear before the Command in Kogi state.

The lawmaker also referred to a letter which the lawyer had written to the Inspector General of Police on March 21, in which he outlined several steps taken by the Police Command in Kogi state, which according to him appeared to indicate that Melaye’s life would be in danger.

“For the records, I did not flee Nigeria and have no reason to flee my country, leaving behind my family as the online paper wants Nigerians to believe. My attention was drawn to their lies this night, hence this public statement.

“It has become expedient for me to issue this statement to the public and to let you know that I have taken the matter up with the international community in order to report this undue intimidation and harassment.

“Let me reiterate here for the umpteenth time that no amount of intimidation, blackmail, arrests or threats will stop me from championing the cause of the masses,” part of his statement read.

His comments came shortly after the Police gave a final warning to the senator, noting that the command would obtain an arrest warrant and declare him wanted if he failed to show up on March 28.

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Over 7.4m Pupils Are Benefiting From School Feeding Programme - Osinbajo

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Over 7.4m Pupils Are Benefiting From School Feeding Programme - Osinbajo

Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, says at least 7.4 million pupils are benefiting from the National Home Grown School Feeding Programme (NHGSFP) of the Federal Government.  

Osinbajo who was represented by Boss Mustapha, Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF), made the disclosure at a National Symposium on NHGSFP on Friday in Abuja. The symposium, organised in partnership with the National Social Investment Office, was in honour of the African Day of School Feeding. NHSGSP is one of the pillars of the social investment efforts of the Federal Government.  

“I am amazed at the level this wonderful programme has attained; this is a major success recorded. The programme provides a social safety net that improves the health and education of the poorest and most vulnerable children. NHSGSP is among our efforts to combat poverty; it is anchored on ensuring nutrition for our children. It is our attempt to reach the family unit in very real times; we have some good work in this regard; it is currently operating in 22 states in Nigeria with 7, 487, 441 pupils as beneficiaries. We must appreciate the micro-economic effect of this; it has engaged 75, 330 cooks; over 8000 persons are employed in the value chain– that helps in fighting poverty,’’ he said.  

Mustapha said that there was need for all stakeholders to scale up their efforts at making the programme a huge success.  He called on all arms of government to strengthen their commitment to NHSGSP. 

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