Soldiers foil ex-militants’ protest, FG begins payment today

Soldiers on Sunday foiled a protest by ex-militants under the presidential amnesty programme in Warri and Effurun, Delta State. The protest, it was learnt, was in connection with delayed payment of their monthly stipends, Our correspondents gathered that the ex-militants drawn from phase 1 and 2 of the amnesty programme had not received their stipends for three months. The presence of soldiers allegedly from the Third Battalion of the Nigerian Army, Effurun, at strategic positions in Warri, Effurun and their environs, prevented the ex- warlords from carrying out the protest. It was gathered that the soldiers acted on an intelligence report. Our correspondent, who monitored the development, observed presence of soldiers at the DSC roundabout connecting the Ughelli section of the East-West road where the former agitators had planned to carry out the protest. Their presence where also observed at the popular Effurun roundabout, PTI Junction, Udu Express junction, Enerhen Junction and Jakpa junction all in Uvwie Local Government Area of the state. A senior military officer from the Effurun Barracks, who craved anonymity, confirmed the incident. He noted that the ex-militants had planned to cause havoc during the protest. Meanwhile, the Federal Government says it will continue the payment of stipends to ex-militants as from Monday (today). The Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta/ Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Brig. Gen. Paul Boroh (retd), who stated this on Sunday, noted that the agency was already addressing the hiccups in the payment. A statement by the Head, Media and Communication Department of the Presidential Amnesty Office, Abuja, Piriye Kiyaramo, urged the repentant militants to be patience with the organisation. The statement quoted the amnesty boss saying, “President Muhammadu Buhari attaches so much importance to the amnesty programme, which explains why the President in his inaugural address to the nation promised to invest in the projects and programmes currently in place for the ex- agitators in the region. “The President is already putting together a youth development and empowerment package that would directly impact the ex-agitators and other youths in the region.” SOURCE: Peter Dada and Ovie Okpare

Disarm Fulani herdsmen, Anglican church tells FG

The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) has called on the Federal Government to take urgent actions to “disarm all Fulani herdsmen ravaging the country.” The church, which premised its demand on the need to stem the wave of attacks and killings of harmless farmers in the country, also called on the Christian Association of Nigeria to map out strategies to curb the killings of Christians in the country. The position of the Anglican Church was contained in a communique on Sunday by Bishop Rev. Duke Akamisoko after the second session of the third synod held at St. Bartholomew’s Cathedral, Kubwa in Abuja. The church expressed disappointment with the prevalent attacks on farming communities by the herdsmen in different parts of the country, stressing that the situation was inimical to Nigeria’s desire to promote agriculture. Akamisoko said, “The Synod notes with dismay the prevalent attacks on farming communities by Fulani herdsmen in different parts of the country and demand that more decisive actions should be taken by the government to disarm the herdsmen to stem the rising wave of attacks and killings of harmless farmers as this is inimical to its desire to diversify our economy through agriculture.” The cleric noted that while the church was trying to recover from the effect of the massive destruction of lives and property in the North-East by Boko Haram insurgents, the incessant killings of Christians, like the women killed in Kano and Kubwa, were worrisome. The Bishop also called on the three arms of government to guard the constitutional provisions of freedom of worship and association. Speaking on the government’s anti-corruption crusade, the church appreciated the efforts of the government, advising the anti-graft agencies to adopt a strategy that would cut across all arms and tiers of government, agencies and departments. Akamisoko enjoined Nigerians to cooperate with the government for effective result. SOURCE: Friday Olokor

Crisis as two leaders emerge in Lagos NMA

Two factions have emerged from the annual election conducted by the Nigerian Medical Association, Lagos State chapter. The election, which took place at different venues, was supervised by different national officials of the association. A former President of the Lagos Medical Guild, Dr. Olumuyiwa Odusote, emerged as the Lagos NMA chairman- elect at the election held at the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Yaba while Dr. Olubunmi Owojowolo was declared the winner at the election that held at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba. Both parties who spoke to our correspondent on Sunday claimed that they had followed the NMA national constitution by announcing the planned venue of the election. Odusote, the chairman- elect of one of the factions, said the association was committed to reconciling members of the other faction under its umbrella. He said, “The national body of the association was invited into the matter through a petition that was written by four affiliates of the association. The national NMA then set up a two-man committee to investigate. They visited Lagos a week ago and each side presented its positions. “NMA then issued a directive that no election should hold in LUTH or LASUTH and we should look for a neutral venue for the election and we fulfilled this and other criteria for the election to hold.” According to Odusote, the association, over the years had been fragmented as private doctors were being sidelined in many activities carried out by the state NMA. Odusote said, “If we can harmonise the efforts of our private practitioners with that of the government to achieve a robust health sector that Lagos needs, that will be better and we are committed to ensuring that this happens. To achieve this, we need all hands on deck; and our goal is to ensure that we reconcile all practitioners of medicine in Lagos.” Also speaking at the swearing in of the newly- elected officers in LUTH, the other factional leader of the state NMA, Owojowolo, insisted that the association was not divided in the choice of its leadership. Owojowolo said, “We are all doctors united with the aim to provide quality healthcare delivery to the public in general. We will ensure, as officials of the association, to give the sector the best and to run the association according to the set out rules and regulations.”

I regret supporting Sheriff to become PDP chairman – Fayose

The Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, said he had learnt his lessons from his initial support for the embattled factional National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff. Fayose said this when the ex-chairman of Daar Communications, Chief Raymond Dokpesi, took his PDP national chairmanship campaign to Ekiti. He said, “I must tell you that I have learnt my lessons from my past experience. I will not openly identify or campaign for a candidate any longer. As part of our great party in Ekiti, I ‘m assuring you that I do not have a personal candidate and God knows I have not spoken to my people about any candidate. “We will allow God to choose for us this time by ensuring that all aspirants have a level-playing ground. “I have learnt my lessons on Ali Modu Sheriff and I take full responsibility for the consequences. Imagine, if we have allowed him to get there, with the way he is now behaving, it would have been worse than this.” Fayose, while expressing concerns about the crisis rocking the party, lamented that some people were merely paying lip service to reconciliation efforts in the PDP because of selfish interest. Dokpesi pleaded with the delegates to allow him to serve the party and return it to the winning ways. According to him, since the last general elections, the All Progressives Congress has not allowed the PDP leaders to rest, urging members of the party to stand and defend democracy in the country. Dokpesi also denied stepping down for a former National Vice-Chairman of the party, Chief Bode George. He stated, “Some people have alleged that I have surrendered for our elder in the party, Chief Bode George. Let me make it categorically clear that I was born and bred in Ibadan and I do understand and appreciate the Yoruba traditions so much and so I have respect for elders. “But there was no time that Chief Bode George and I met and discuss this issue and I did not in any way surrender the race to him. I have not stepped down for him in any way because this time we need fresh and younger blood that would have the physical and mental alertness for the job. “I have been touring 17 states of the federation for just about a week now and I’m still strong.” Meanwhile, the Chairman, Board of Trustees of the PDP, Senator Walid Jibrin, has faulted insinuations that Sheriff was planted by some unseen forces to destroy the party. He said at Sherrif’s age, nobody could have planted him to destroy a party, which was built by great Nigerians, both living and dead. Jibrin, however, noted that God would not forgive anyone who wanted to destroy a party that governed Nigeria for 16 years. The BoT Chairman, who spoke to newsmen in Kaduna on Friday, said in spite of the Thursday’s ruling by Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court in Abuja, the August 17 National Convention of the PDP in Port-Harcourt, Rivers State, would hold as planned. Jibrin, who expressed shock over the judgment, said preparations were in top gear to ensure a hitch-free convention. He noted that the judge had the right to give judgment while the party had the rights to appeal the judgment. SOURCE: PUNCH

Return schools to original owners, Ooni tells govt

The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, has called on the government to return schools to their original owners in order to ensure efficient management of the institutions and improve on the quality of education in the country. He said the sign that public schools, especially those established by missionaries, had lost their sparkle, was evident in the fact that none of those who graduated from those schools, wanted to send their children to those schools today. The Ooni believed the present state of the schools that were taken over by government in the mid-1970s had shown that government lacked the financial capacity to manage the schools and offer quality education. The call is coming at a time when the action by the Oyo State Government to involve private partnership in the management of 31 out of 631 public secondary schools in Oyo State, is generating crisis. Oba Ogunwusi, who spoke during the inauguration of a N1bn Development Fund for his alma mater, Loyola College, Ibadan, in Ibadan on Sunday, lamented the falling standard of education in the South-West, but commended missionaries for establishing the schools. Present at the event were the Catholic Archbishop of Ibadan Arch Diocese, Leke Abegunrin; political economist, Prof. Pat Utomi; Elejesi of Ijesi Ife, Oba Akintunde Awosule; Alayemore of Ido Osun, Oba Aderemi Adedapo, who accompanied Ooni on the visit; and other important dignitaries in education and other sectors. Oba Ogunwusi stated, “I appreciate all the discipline that we received as pupils of Loyola College. God will continue to bless the likes of Ven. Godwin Daramola, our retired principal. “I feel sad when I look at the school today and see its ruins. I visited the school shortly before I was enthroned as the Ooni. We should always strive to nurture our source; without the school, we will not be where we are today. “I will be one of the happiest men in the world on the day the missionary schools are returned to their owners. Today, we cannot send our children to those schools because the values have disappeared. Let us bring back these schools and make them the best again so that once again, we can send our children back there.” The Ooni, who listed his numerous prizes for the school, said there was hope in public schools system if the right management was put in place.

Dogara diverted FG water project to his farm –Jibrin

A former Chairman, Committee on Appropriation, Mr. Abdulmumin Jibrin, has vowed to continue making fresh allegations against the four principal officers until they were prosecuted. In his latest question, which he numbered 21, Jibrin accused the Speaker, House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, allegedly “diverted” a Federal Government water project to his farm in Nasarawa State. “Allegation no 21 to Mr. Speaker: why did you fraudulently divert a Federal Government water project to your farm in Nasarawa State? How are you funding the farm?” he asked on his twitter handle. Jibrin, who called himself an “accidental activist,” boasted that his dream was to reform the entire National Assembly, starting with the House. He explained, “When a new speaker emerges and the other principal officers replaced, I will write to the presiding officers of both chambers to commence a radical internal reform in the entire National Assembly beyond budget to cover performance assessment, running cost and allowances, investigations, etc. “If the reform so done on the National Assembly is not made public latest by December, I shall take it up and lay before the general public even if I am alone. “The idea is to do a cleanup, flush out corruption and corrupt members so that in 2019, only corrupt-free people, who want to serve, will come in.” Jibrin had alleged on Thursday last week that the four principal officers requested the inclusion of N40bn projects in the 2016 budget, besides sundry projects in sums ranging from N20bn to N30. He claimed that his refusal to oblige the four principal officers and his opposition to several financial infractions, were responsible for his sacking by Dogara on Wednesday, last week. Asked to react to the allegation that the speaker diverted a Federal Government water project to his farm, the Chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Mr. Abdulrazak Namdas, said it served no purpose responding to Jibrin’s allegations any further. Namdas said the House had made enough reactions to his allegations and would wait till resumption on September 13. “We will wait till we resume on September 13. “We won’t reply him again as we made adequate responses,” he told The PUNCH. Meanwhile, members of the Gombe State Caucus of the House of Representatives on Thursday disassociated themselves from the allegations of “budget padding,” Jibrin made against Dogara, and three other principal officers. The other three are the Deputy Speaker, Mr. Yussuff Lasun ; the Chief Whip, Mr. Alhassan Ado-Doguwa; and the Minority Leader, Mr. Leo Ogor. The caucus said the 2016 Appropriation Act was duly signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari, and could no longer be described as padded. It noted that it was “criminal” and “illegal” for anybody to call an existing law a padded law. “Failure to even implement any part of the Act is an illegality. “Mr. President himself, who signed the Act, knows it. The only way anything can be dropped from that Act is by referral to the same National Assembly to make any changes”, one of the members of the caucus, Mr. Yunusa Ahmad-Abubakar, told a news conference in Abuja. Meanwhile, in his response to the Gombe lawmakers, Jibrin said they merely repeated the “lies” Dogara and the three others made his colleagues to believe. The former appropriation chairman, who advised them to read the text of his reply to Dogara, added that two members of the Gombe caucus were on the list he would forward to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for investigation. SOURCE: PUNCH

Clinton accepts nomination, slams Trump

Hillary Clinton on Thursday claimed her place in history as she became the first woman presidential nominee of a major US party, promising economic opportunity for all and rejecting Donald Trump’s dark picture of America. The former secretary of state, her hand on her heart, received ecstatic cheers from thousands of delegates as she strode into the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia and then pledged to be a president for “all Americans.” The 68-year-old Clinton, needing to connect with voters in her biggest moment on the national stage, took aim at her Republican opponent, slamming him as a fear-monger with no policy credibility. Clinton repeated the convention’s theme of “stronger together,” declaring that her lifelong goal has been to ensure that Americans can use their talent and ambition to help make the nation stronger. “And so it is with humility, determination, and boundless confidence in America’s promise, that I accept your nomination for president of the United States,” she said. “Herstory,” read a handwritten sign held up by a delegate. Clinton’s moment in the spotlight came eight years later than she might have hoped — in her first White House campaign, she was defeated in 2008 in her party’s primary race by Barack Obama. In an hour-long primetime address, she laid out plans to improve the US economy, stressing that “my primary mission as president will be to create more opportunity and more good jobs with rising wages.” Her efforts will focus particularly on places “that for too long have been left out and left behind, from our inner cities to our small towns, Indian Country to Coal Country,” she said. And in a bold admission for a candidate seeking in large part to build on Obama’s policies, she said the economy “is not yet working the way it should.” After a bruising primary campaign against self-declared democratic socialist Bernie Sanders, and even as she savaged and mocked Trump, Clinton extended an olive branch of sorts to her skeptics and critics. “I will carry all of your voices and stories with me to the White House,” she said, adding that her administration would incorporate several policies pushed by Sanders. “I will be a president for Democrats, Republicans, and independents,” she added. “For the struggling, the striving and the successful. For those who vote for me and those who don’t. For all Americans.” Throughout Clinton’s speech, pockets of revolt emerged, mainly Sanders supporters who shouted out in protest but were quickly drowned out by Clinton supporters chanting “Hillary! Hillary!” The four-day Democratic convention in Philadelphia has been a parade of party heavyweights — and some independents — who have all stressed that the former first lady and US senator is uniquely qualified to be commander-in-chief. Obama led the charge on Wednesday, stirringly hailing Clinton as his political heir — and tweeting after her Thursday speech that “she’s tested. She’s ready. She never quits.” Clinton spoke of the strains that have been placed on US society during the toxic year-long campaign that has featured heated rhetoric from Trump and other candidates. “Powerful forces are threatening to pull us apart. Bonds of trust and respect are fraying,” Clinton said. “We are clear-eyed about what our country is up against. But we are not afraid,” Clinton will add. “We will rise to the challenge, just as we always have.” Clinton also rejected much of the Trump rhetoric that has been a constant on the trail, and his policies that critics warn discriminate against some Americans and would make the country less safe. “He loses his cool at the slightest provocation,” Clinton said. “A man you can bait with a tweet is not a man we can trust with nuclear weapons.” The pair will face off in their first presidential debate in late September. Clinton faces a major trust deficit among a US public that has followed every Clintonian turn of the past quarter century. Rocked by an email scandal that refuses to die, she is now about as unpopular with voters as her Republican rival. Her remarks signal a plan to focus attention on down-and- out communities that have felt ignored by the slow and erratic economic recovery. After her speech, Clinton and running mate Tim Kaine will seek to carry her momentum straight onto the campaign trail Friday, taking a three-day bus tour into Rust Belt communities in swing states Pennsylvania and Ohio. Helping Clinton with her task of appearing as the steady hand at the tiller were retired US military generals, lawmakers and even Republicans furious over the rise of Trump. While Clinton must play to the party’s base — and seek to soothe bruised Bernie Sanders supporters — a key mission was to appeal to crossover voters and independents wary of Trump. In a moment designed to appeal to both gun control advocates and more conservative voters, Clinton forcefully said: “I’m not here to take away your guns.” “I just don’t want you to be shot by someone who shouldn’t have a gun in the first place.” But she spent considerable energy berating her November election rival, saying no Americans should trust a candidate who pledges that “I alone can fix it,” as Trump said last week in Cleveland. “Enough with the bigotry and bombast. Donald Trump’s not offering real change,” she said. as she suggested that the unprecedented ascent of her rival might be a unique moment in US history. “Here’s the sad truth. There is no other Donald Trump. This is it.” SOURCE: AFP

N4.7bn fraud: I transported poll funds for Obanikoro, says ex-aide

An officer of the Nigerian Navy, Lt.-Cdr Olumide Adewale,
has told the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
that he helped his former boss, Senator Musiliu
Obanikoro, to transport money, which was flown to Akure
and later handed over to Abiodun Agbele on the
instructions of Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State.
Adewale, who was the Aide-de-Camp to Obanikoro when
the latter was the Minister of State for Defence, said this
on Wednesday when he was grilled by detectives of the
EFCC.
According to the anti-graft agency, the money was part of
the N4.7bn that was paid into Obanikoro’s sons’ company
account, Sylvan McNamara, on the instructions of the
embattled former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo
Dasuki (retd.).
Adewale, who was in charge of Obanikoro’s security for
about a year, told the EFCC that everything he did was
under the strict instructions of his boss.
He told investigators that on June 16, 2014, barely a week
to the Ekiti State governorship election, he, alongside
Obanikoro, departed the ex-minister’s Park View home in
Ikoyi, Lagos, and headed for the Murtala Muhammed
Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.
The naval officer told detectives that on getting to the
airport, he met Obanikoro’s son, Gbolahan. He said
Gbolahan and the former minister had a brief meeting
after which a bullion van arrived at the private wing of the
airport.
Adewale told the EFCC operatives that Gbolahan then
directed some men at the airport to offload the money
from the bullion van and load it unto the aircraft.
The entire activity was said to have been captured on
CCTV.
A detective of the anti-graft agency quoted Adewale as
saying, “The flight was delayed for about an hour. Later, a
bullion van pulled into the hangar where the chartered
flight was. Shortly after, Gbolahan ensured that some bags
were offloaded unto the plane. I later boarded the flight
with Obanikoro and his friend, Dr. Tunde Oshinowo (a PDP
chieftain and a mutual friend of Obanikoro and Fayose).”
The EFCC detectives told one of our correspondents that
on getting to the Akure airport, Obanikoro was welcomed
by Mr. Abiodun Agbele, Fayose’s ally, who had since been
arrested by the commission.
Adewale confirmed that Obanikoro was welcomed at the
airport by a politician.
He told investigators that he did not know the name of the
person but could recognise the person.
The naval man was further quoted as saying, “On arrival at
Akure, the minister had a discussion with political friends.
A bullion van was driven to the tarmac. The bags were
offloaded unto the bullion van and the minister directed
that we escort the van to a Zenith Bank branch in Akure.
“On arrival, the bags were offloaded by bank workers
under the supervision of a civilian who had come to meet
the minister at the Akure airport. I don’t know the man
facially but I can recognise him.”
Meanwhile, Fayose has said the EFCC is on a wild goose
chase in Ekiti State.
The governor stated that the anti-corruption commission
had shifted attention to the finances of Ekiti State after
what he claimed to be the failure of the commission to link
him with the diversion of arms funds at the NSA’s office
under Dasuki.
Fayose, who spoke on Orange FM station in Akure, Ondo
State, on Thursday, said the EFCC had started harassing
banks in Ekiti State, seeking for records of government
finances, on allegations that the contractors gave him
(governor) kickbacks.
“They are on vendetta mission. They said I collected
money from Dasuki and I have told them that I did not
collect a dime from Dasuki. I have N300m in my fixed
deposit account in Zenith Bank and I declared it in my
Asset Declaration Form.
“I have challenged them to publish the statement made to
the EFCC by Dasuki where he said he gave Senator Musiliu
Obanikoro money to give me or where Obanikoro himself
said he gave me money.’’
Fayose called for proper restructuring of the country in
line with the report of the 2014 National Conference.
“Nigeria has not been properly structured and that’s why
we are facing all these problems. Remember it was those
in power now that clamoured for restructuring when they
were in opposition. Now that they have the federal powers
and they are using the powers to oppress the people, they
are against the restructuring of Nigeria,” he said.

Convoy attack: UN suspends aid to Borno

The United Nations has temporarily suspended aid deliveries in Borno State, after a humanitarian convoy was attacked, the U.N. children’s agency UNICEF said on Thursday. Reuters reported that UNICEF said in a statement that unknown assailants attacked the convoy on Thursday as it returned to Maiduguri from delivering aid in Bama, injuring a UNICEF employee and an International Organisation for Migration contractor. “The United Nations has temporarily suspended humanitarian assistance missions pending review of the security situation,” it said. Nearly a quarter of a million children in Borno suffer from life-threatening malnourishment and around one in five will die if they do not receive treatment, UNICEF said earlier this month. Medecins Sans Frontieres said on Wednesday that severely malnourished children were dying in large numbers in northeast Nigeria, where food supplies are close to running out. By 2014, Boko Haram controlled territory around the size of Belgium in North-East until most of it was recaptured last year by the Nigerian army and troops from neighbouring countries. More than 15,000 people have been killed and at least two million displaced by Boko Haram’s insurgency in the country. SOURCE : PUNCH

Hard times ahead for Nigerian economy, says Lemo

A former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Tunde Lemo, has said the country should expect a further shrinkage in economic activities this year. He said the impact of this projected shrinkage would be especially felt across the major sectors of the economy. He, therefore, advised the Federal Government to intensify efforts towards diversifying the economy.

A statement made available to our correspondent on Thursday quoted Lemo as saying this at the 61st Annual National Convention of the Foursquare Gospel Church.

The event, which held at the Foursquare National Headquarters in Lagos, had as its theme, ‘The Nigerian Economy: The past, present and the future’. Lemo, according to the statement, said it was regrettable that despite the progress made by the country on the political front, available indices “have unveiled the painful lop-sidedness of Nigeria’s economic prosperity.” He was quoted as saying, “Nigeria economic activities are expected to shrink by 1.8 per cent in 2016 in a bid to adjust to foreign currency shortages as a result of lower oil receipts, low power generation and weak investors’ confidence.

These will affect the major sectors of the economy. “We need to key into ways to reform the economy and drive toward diversification.” The ex-CBN deputy governor noted that the country’s Gross Domestic Product had contracted by -0.36 per cent in the first quarter of this year, which he said was “a likely indication that the economy would record another negative growth in the second quarter.” “The country has been badly hit by unemployment rate at 12.1 per cent with exports dropping by 34.6 per cent, while imports declined by 7.8 per cent in the first quarter of 2016,” Lemo observed. He said Nigerians needed to demand from the President Muhammadu Buhari administration an urgent diversification of the economy. Lemo explained, “The present administration advocated for anti-corruption and economic reform during the past election, but it has not succeeded in proving to Nigerians and the world its capacity to bring about economic reformation. Its major headache lies in how to rejig the Nigerian economy and set it back on a growth trajectory. “We have to insist on economic reform and diversification to revamp the economy, because it can help to deliver inclusive growth in the system,” Lemo called. He declared that Nigeria had slid into an economic recession, pointing out that a country would be in a recession when it records two consecutive quarters of negative economic growth as measured by its GDP. “The country is economic is in recession. What we need now is massive fiscal policy to help revive the economy. Government has to pump more money into the economy and not just on capital projects,” Lemo said. Also speaking at the event, the General Overseer, Foursquare Gospel Church in Nigeria, Rev. Felix Meduoye, said the theme was relevant to the realities of the situation in the country, noting that the public lecture was a build- up to the church’s 61st convention, which will hold between November 14 and 20 this year at its campground near Ajebo in Ogun State. The event was chaired by a former Nigeria’s High Commissioner to Great Britain, Dr. Christopher Kolade.

Late Bukky Ajayi, an iconic thespian, says Lai Mohammed

                                                        Late Bukky Ajayi




The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has described Bukola Ajayi who died on Wednesday as an “iconic thespian”.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the Minister said Ajayi was a “colossus of her time who has left an indelible footprint in the country’s creative landscape”.
The statement signed by the Special Adviser to the Minister, Mr Segun Adeyemi, was made available to newsmen in Abuja
In the statement, the minister said that in spite of Ajayi’s old age, he still received the news of the death of the veteran actress and broadcaster with shock, sense of sadness and great loss.He described the late stage and screen actress as a multi-talented creative person.
The minister recalled that Ajayi started off her career as a television presenter and news reader before taking to acting, where she excelled.
”Her journey in the Nigerian creative industry spans decades of amazing performances in classic productions
“Among the productions are the unforgettable Village Headmaster and a number of critically acclaimed stage and screen productions like ThunderBolt, Oduduwa, Women’s Cot, Mother of George and The Sisters.
”Her name will be etched in the mind of her colleagues and fans in Nollywood because of the memories she gave all of us to cherish.
“There is no doubt that she will forever be an inspiration to generations of people in the creative industry.”
The minister prayed for the repose of the soul of the deceased and succour for those she left behind.

Policeman killed in Bangladesh Eid prayer attack

At least one policeman was killed and five others wounded on Thursday following an explosion and a gunbattle near a mass prayer gathering to celebrate Eid in northern Bangladesh, police said.
Only days after 20 hostages were murdered by suspected Islamists in Dhaka, police and local media reported a new attack by jihadists near a prayer ground where at least 200,000 people were marking the end of Ramadan in the northern Kishoreganj district.
“One police constable is dead and at least five others were injured,” Mahbub, a police officer in the district control room, told AFP, without giving details of how the policeman had died.
The private Somoy TV station broadcast footage of a gunfight between police and a group of attackers and reported the policeman had been hacked to death.

Afenifere, Ohanaeze disagree as President says Nigeria’s unity not negotiable

President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday told militants who have continued to destroy oil installations in the Niger Delta that the unity of the country remained non-negotiable. Buhari also called on those who had looted the nation’s treasury to approach the government and negotiate how they would return their stolen wealth. Buhari said these when Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Muhammed Bello, led residents of the FCT to pay the President Sallah homage at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. But the Igbo socio-cultural organisation, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, and the pan-Yoruba socio-political body, Afenifere, have faulted the position of the President on the unity of the nation. The organisations, on Wednesday, told Buhari that the unity of the country was negotiable. Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka had, on Tuesday last week, described the oneness of Nigeria as “very negotiable”. The President regretted that while the anti-terrorism war was being won, the issue of militancy in the Niger Delta resurfaced. Buhari said the Federal Government had commenced the process of identifying the number of groups involved in militancy in the region with a view to getting their leaders and appealing to them to give peace a chance. He said he was in agreement with the slogan made popular by a former military Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon, that to keep Nigeria one “is a task” that must be accomplished. Buhari added, “Please, pass the message to the militants that one Nigeria is not negotiable. They better accept this fact. “The Nigerian constitution is clear as to what they should get and I assure them that there will be justice.” The President stated that looters would not know peace if they refused to return stolen funds because his government would continue to be on their trail. “Please tell those with plenty of money, which does not belong to them, to try and negotiate and return it in peace so that both they and us will be in peace, otherwise we will continue to look for them,” the President said. On security, the President expressed delight that his government had made a lot of progress in fighting terrorism in the North-East. Buhari also admitted that despite the change in name and form of the National Electric Power Authority, the power situation in the country had remained unreliable. “Those who watch television are at the mercy of what is used to be called NEPA. Whichever form it (NEPA) has taken now, it has maintained the tradition of unreliability. It is not every day that the people get the news,” the President said. Buhari also admitted that there were a lot of problems bedevilling the nation, especially on food production. He disclosed that the Minister of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbeh, and the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, were working hard to address food production problem. He said the CBN was borrowing the minister money outside the budget so that he could assist states, especially the 13 states that could produce rice. Osinbajo had stated that it had been a tough journey for the present administration because of the clean-up exercise it embarked on since inception. He said the Buhari administration inherited what he called a “huge financial mess” from the past administration. The vice-president, however, expressed joy that things had started looking up, adding that things would soon be better for the nation and Nigerians. “We will place the country on a strong footing,” Osinbajo assured Nigerians. Osinbajo prayed for Buhari that as he continued to grow older, he would be stronger in strength, adding that the President would have enough strength to be victorious no matter the challenges facing him and the country. The Minister of FCT presented a giant season’s card to the President while representatives of the Aso Villa Chapel presented him with a big mirror and a giant season’s card. Buhari not reading the mood of the nation correctly – Afenifere The National Publicity Secretary of Afenifere, Yinka Odumakin, believed Buhari might not be reading the mood of the nation correctly. In an interview with one of our correspondents, Odumakin said, “I think the President is a sincere man but he may not be reading the mood correctly. The country is divided under him than before. Amalgamation and armed dialogue are going on all around us over the unity of Nigeria which many sections perceive has treated them unfairly. “To continue to insist that the unity is not negotiable is aping that bird which buries its head in the sand and believes, because it is seeing nobody, it has become invisible too.” Ohanaeze says it’s not calling for secession The President of the Ohanaeze Youth Council, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, aligned with Afenifere’s position, saying the unity of Nigeria was negotiable. In a telephone interview with one of our correspondents, Isiguzoro said the current structure of Nigeria had not favoured all parts of the country. According to him, Nigeria’s unity should be subjected to periodic review. The OYC leader noted that the Igbo, as a group, canvassed the restructuring of the country during the last constitutional conference. Isiguzoro said, “We (Ohanaeze Ndigbo) believe that Nigeria’s unity is negotiable. The principles and structures on the co-existence of the various nationalities that make up the country should be reviewed periodically. “At the moment, the structure that is in place is not in favour of everybody. “Those that it is favouring are the ones who want the status quo to be maintained, but those it has not favoured, like the Igbo, are open to a negotiation of the country’s unity.” He added, “The Igbo demanded restructuring at the last constitutional conference and we are still holding on to that demand. We believe Nigeria’s unity should be subject to periodic review. “We are not calling for secession, but a periodic review of the terms of the country’s unity is necessary for peaceful coexistence, otherwise agitations for separation would continue to grow.”

SOURCE: PUNCH

‘Buhari hates Judiciary,’ Ekiti Governor says

Fayose accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of trying to manipulate the judiciary.

The Ekiti state Governor, Ayo Fayose, is one who has constantly aired his opinion on national issues, not minding whose ox is gored.

This time the Governor has asked President Buhari to leave the judiciary alone to do their work.

This is coming on the heels of a comment by Mr. President where he said “On the fight against corruption vis-à-vis the judiciary, Nigerians will be right to say that is my main headache for now.”

According to Vanguard, Fayose said “President Buhari should have simply told the whole world that he hated the Nigeria Judiciary because he lost the petitions that he filed against his electoral defeats in 2003, 2007 and 2011, instead of hiding under the fight against corruption to ventilate his anger.”

The Governor also asked Buhari to respect the laid down democratic principles of separation of powers.

He also said “in recent times, politicians like President Buhari are the ones responsible for the rot in the judiciary because of their desperation to use the courts to foist one party state on Nigerians with conflicting judgments from election tribunals.”

Fayose accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of trying to manipulate the judiciary.

He also said the APC convinced people to confess to rigging elections, just to rubbish his victory in the polls.

Apparently, he was referring to allegations of rigging levelled against him by a former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain, Dr. Temitope Aluko, who claimed the Governor rigged the 2014 governorship elections in the state.

Rampaging Avengers blow up 3 more oil facilities, attack surveillance team

WARRI— MILITANTS continued their onslaught, Monday night, blowing up a crude oil pipeline, wellhead and manifold belonging to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC and Chevron Nigeria Limited, in Makarava and other parts of Delta State. The manifold, suspected to be operated by the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company, NPDC, was also bombed, Monday night. Meanwhile, the Niger Delta Avengers has claimed responsibility for the Monday night attack on an NPDC manifold, close to Batan and two PPMC/NNPC crude oil trunk lines in Delta State later, yesterday. The group on its Facebook page, NDAvengers, at 2.00 pm, yesterday, said: “At 11:15p.m., Niger Delta Avengers blew up NPDC Manifold close to Banta and two PPMC/NNPC crude oil trunk Lines.” It added in another post: “At 10p.m., Niger Delta Avengers blew up Chevron Well 10, close to Otunana flow station.” A security source, who confirmed the latest attacks to Vanguard, said on phone: “The affected crude oil wellhead at Makarava belongs to Chevron and they bombed it at 10.00 pm on Monday.

                                                        Militants vs Buhari

Militants attack surveillance team

Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/07/rampaging-avengers-blow-up-3-more-oil-facilities/

Militants attack surveillance team

Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/07/rampaging-avengers-blow-up-3-more-oil-facilities/

 Meanwhile, Chairman of Batan community, Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State, Ogugu Dickson, yesterday, said militants suspected to be members of the Niger Delta Avengers, weekend, attacked a pipeline surveillance team some minutes after blowing up a crude oil trunk line close to the Batan flow station. Ogugu, who spoke on the Monday night attack, said: “Following Saturday’s attack, at 11p.m, we heard the blasts and a PPMC surveillance team that was patrolling the river decided to drive to the scene of the incident to ascertain the extent of damage. “Though the point the blasts occurred is less than a kilometre from two military houseboats, the surveillance team, which was roughly six kilometres from the scene of the incident, drove to the scene and were attacked by the vandals, who were still in the vicinity. “As soon as the hoodlums heard the approaching sound of the speedboat, they opened fire. Luckily for the team, no casualty was recorded. “Our surveillance team on oil facilities in the area confirmed the attack. They blew up the facility at two separate points. One was on an NNPC pipeline, which is about 800 metres from the manifold.”

 CEPEJ condemns attacks

 Meanwhile, the Centre for Peace and Environmental Justice, CEPEJ, has deplored the fresh bombings by the NDA. Coordinator of the group, Sheriff Mulade, said: “The continued bombings of oil and gas facilities is an ill-wind that does the region no good. Rather, it is adversely affecting the environment and slowing down the economy.” It reiterated its appeal to the Avengers to sheathe their swords and allow peace to reign, saying no development can take place in an environment wracked by conflicts. CEPEJ also appealed to the Federal Government to go ahead with the proposed peace talks, but engage critical stakeholders, not militants. According to the group, negotiating with militants will create room for pseudo groups to emerge. The group warned that the dialogue committee constituted by the Federal Government should not be a diversionary ploy, explaining that weeks after President Muhammadu Buhari announced the composition of the committee, nothing concrete had happened. Similarly, Niger Delta Movement for Socio-Economy Inclusion, NDMSEI, an Itsekiri group, blamed the attacks on alleged Ijaw sponsors, saying it was deliberately attacking oil facilities in Itsekiri territory to incite the people.

 Beef up security —Itsekiri group

 NDMSEI in a statement by the chairman, Oki Ajonibode, said: “We are neither surprised nor disappointed because the manner both federal and state governments are handling this issue of the Niger Delta Avengers will surely lead to more bombings and destruction in the Niger Delta. “Like we said in our earlier statement, not until the federal and state governments decide to establish military posts (both army and navy personnel) with speed boats to patrol the creeks every second and minute, the attacks will continue. The security operatives have to patrol all the open rivers as well. “We are saying this to the government because we foresee communal clash/crisis coming again; we are also using this opportunity to call on our people (Itsekiri) and other ethnic nationalities to wake up. “We are saying this because in the present day Delta State, the Ijaw have three local governments (Burutu, Bomadi and Patani) but the Avengers have not bombed any pipeline within these environments. “They have specific and peculiar areas where they carry out bombings in Bayelsa State and these are places with mixed tribes. “For instance, in this present bombings, they either go uptown to Warri and Effurun areas or the Itsekiri communities in the riverine areas, or southern Ijaw in Bayelsa where they have mixed tribes to carry out their destruction.”

 Military officers feeding fat on crisis 

The group told the National Security Adviser, NSA, that some military officers were colluding with the militants and extending the crisis because they were benefiting from the emergency. It said: “We want to inform the National Security Adviser that Niger Delta militants are not like Boko Haram terrorists who kill and maim without reasons or gain some form of financial benefits from it. “Funds voted to tackle Niger Delta crisis are more than resources put together for 10 federal ministries. Past records are there to show for it. Go and look into the history of JTF past commanders and officers attached to each of the areas in the Niger Delta during the Warri Niger Delta crisis. They have billions in their accounts and acquired property during their stay here.”

 Call militants to order —Emami

 Meanwhile, former chairman of Delta Waterways and Security Committee, DWSC, Warri, and Itsekiri leader, Chief Ayiri Emami, yesterday, condemned the renewed attacks by militants, saying it was shocking that the Niger Delta Avengers had continued to bomb oil installations, despite negotiations with government. Emami asked Ijaw leaders to call the militants to order, saying the understanding reached with government was that leaders should call the boys to order, but the Avengers have continued to bomb oil facilities, especially in Itsekiri areas. He said: “Some of us are opposed to dialogue with criminals, but for the sake of peace, we did not want to say no to the proposal by government. I think everybody is seeing why we said government should not dialogue with them. “The way these militants are going, I hope nobody will complain if the military goes after them again. They have been given opportunity for peace, for dialogue, but they rejected it."

SOURCE: VANGUARD 

Troops kill Boko Haram spy in Borno

Nigerian Army, yesterday, said its troops ambushed and killed a Boko Haram spy carrying out surveillance for the group in Borno State. A statement by Col Sani Usman said, “The patrol team of 157 Task Force Battalion, 7 Brigade, on Monday ambushed and killed a Boko Haram spy at Barwati village, Kukawa Local Government Area. Nigerian army soldeirs patrol along a road in Chibok, northeastern Nigeria, on March 5, 2015. Nigeria's government said that work had begun to rebuild a school in the northeastern town of Chibok from where Boko Haram gunmen kidnapped more than 200 girls last year. Finance minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala laid the foundation stone at the Government Secondary School on Thursday on behalf of President Goodluck Jonathan, a statement from her office said.

                                     Nigerian troops

 The insurgent, who was on reconnaissance mission to infiltrate the troops’ position, was killed while trying to gain entry into military location. “The team recovered 1 AK-47 rifle, 59 rounds of 7.62mm (Special) ammunition, one 40mm x 46mm BGL2 grenade, 1 bandolier and 3 AK-47 rifle magazines from him. ”Troops have intensified vigilance and high level of alertness as they continued with efforts of clearing the remnants of the Boko Haram terrorists in their Area of Responsibility.”

Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/07/troops-kill-boko-haram-spy-borno/

Obama says ready to ‘pass the baton’ to Clinton

Barack Obama delivered a forceful plea Tuesday for Hillary Clinton to succeed him as president, praising the character of his former secretary of state whose horizon brightened after the FBI recommended no charges be filed over her email scandal. 

Barack Obama delivered a forceful plea Tuesday for Hillary Clinton to succeed him as president, praising the character of his former secretary of state whose horizon brightened after the FBI recommended no charges be filed over her email scandal.

Obama, returning to a swing state that helped elect him in 2008, laid out a passionate, compelling case declaring he is “ready to pass the baton” to Clinton and urging voters to make her the nation’s first female commander in chief. “I’m here today because I believe in Hillary Clinton,” Obama told a fired-up crowd at a rally in Charlotte, North Carolina, pumping his fist and leading chants of “Hillary! Hillary!” “There has never been any man or woman more qualified for this office. Ever!” CHARLOTTE, NC - JULY 05: Democratic presidential candidate former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (R) and U.S. president Barack Obama greet supporters during a campaign rally on July 5, 2016 in Charlotte, North Carolina. Hillary Clinton is campaigning with president Obama in North Carolina. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images/AFP Democratic presidential candidate former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (R) and U.S. president Barack Obama greet supporters during a campaign rally on July 5, 2016 in Charlotte, North Carolina. Hillary Clinton is campaigning with president Obama in North Carolina. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images/AFP But Obama’s debut appearance on the 2016 campaign trail, while it showcased his trademark oratory and communication skills, was overshadowed by the extraordinary announcement hours earlier in Washington. The FBI’s assessment, which found that Clinton was “extremely careless” in sending classified information via her personal email account, was far from the complete exoneration she had hoped for as she rallied Democrats in her showdown with Republican Donald Trump. Clinton and Obama flew together to North Carolina aboard Air Force One for the first in a series of high-profile rallies that the candidate hopes will energize voters — particularly minorities who remain enamored with the outgoing president, in crucial battleground states where the November election will be decided. Neither made any mention of the FBI’s bombshell decision to recommend that Justice Department prosecutors file no criminal charges in the Clinton email investigation. FBI Director James Comey said that after an exhaustive probe, carried out with no political agenda, investigators found no evidence of “intentional misconduct” by Clinton or her close aides. Clinton spokesman Brian Fallon said the campaign was “pleased” by the FBI’s recommendation.

 – ‘She was guilty’ – 

 Comey’s conclusion that Clinton sent and received information that was deemed classified, and in some cases top secret, contradicts her repeated assertion that she never sent classified information through her personal email account or homebrew server. While not as legally damaging as prosecution would be, Comey’s judgment is far from the all-clear that the Clinton team would have hoped for. And the FBI accusations of carelessness fueled Trump’s narrative that the Clintons have operated above the law for years. “She was guilty, and it turned out that we’re not going to press charges. It’s really amazing,” Trump said in North Carolina, where he held a competing rally in Raleigh. “Today is the best evidence ever that we’ve seen that our system is absolutely, totally rigged,” he said, adding that Clinton “is laughing at the stupidity of our system.” The billionaire reality TV star said the former top US diplomat should not be eligible to seek high office due to her handling of work emails while at the State Department’s helm. “This, again, disqualifies her from service,” Trump said. “We know now that these deletions include emails that were work related and one big, fat, beautiful lie by crooked Hillary. Any government employee who engaged in this kind of behavior would be barred from handling classified information.” Clinton and Trump also sparred after the Republican presidential hopeful praised late Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein for killing off “terrorists.” “Trump’s cavalier compliments for brutal dictators, and the twisted lessons he seems to have learned from their history, again demonstrate how dangerous he would be as commander-in-chief and how unworthy he is of the office he seeks,” senior policy advisor Jake Sullivan said in a statement. With just three weeks until the Democratic convention formally anoints Clinton as the party nominee, other Republicans have seized on the email case to highlight her perceived lack of trustworthiness among voters. House Speaker Paul Ryan slammed Clinton for “recklessly mishandling” classified information and saying Comey’s announcement defies explanation.

  – ‘Couldn’t be prouder’ – 

The former first lady already came under recent fire after it emerged that her husband Bill met briefly with Attorney General Loretta Lynch at an airport in Arizona last week — prompting Republicans to cry foul over possible government interference with the probe. Clinton sought to reset her campaign with her joint appearance with Obama, and move on from the controversy. The president is at his highest approval rating in years and can still rally the Democratic base, crucial for Clinton, whose popularity is deep in the red, as is Trump’s. Obama proved her all-too-capable attack dog, tearing into Trump and labeling the provocative billionaire as an untested, impatient blowhard without the temperament for the Oval Office. “Everybody can tweet, but nobody actually knows what it takes to do the job until you sit behind the desk,” Obama said in a swipe at Trump’s propensity to fire out his reactions on Twitter. Trump hit back, calling Obama’s return to the campaign trail “a carnival act” and derided him as a president “who doesn’t know what the hell he’s doing.” But Obama, looking relaxed and confident on stage, insisted Clinton was the way forward. “The bottom line is, I know Hillary can do the job,” he said. “I couldn’t be prouder of the things we’ve done together, but I’m ready to pass the baton,” Obama said. “And I know that Hillary Clinton is going to take it.” SOURCE:vanguard

Pistorius jailed for six years for murdering girlfriend

South African Paralympian Oscar Pistorius was sentenced to six years in jail on Wednesday for murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp at his home three years ago. High Court judge Thokozile Masipa listed several mitigating factors for sentencing him to less than half the minimum 15-year term for murder, including the athlete’s claim he believed he was shooting an intruder. “The sentence that I impose on the accused… is six years imprisonment,” she said. Pistorius, 29, hugged his family before being taken out of the court in Pretoria to begin serving his term. The double-amputee Olympic and Paralympic sprinter was freed from prison last October after serving one year of a five-year term for culpable homicide — the equivalent of manslaughter. But an appeals court upgraded his conviction to murder in December. Pistorius shot Steenkamp, a model, in the early hours of Valentine’s Day in 2013, saying he mistook her for a burglar when he fired four times through the door of his bedroom toilet. The sentencing may not be the end of the saga, as Pistorius or the state could launch a final round of appeals against the length of the prison term. SOURCE: VANGUARD