Gunmen kill bank manager, 7 others in Sapele beer parlour attack

IT was a bloody weekend in Sapele, Sapele Local Government Area of Delta State, as gunmen killed a bank manager and seven other persons at a drinking spot, opposite Okotie-Eboh Grammar School, in the
No reason was given for the mindless bloodbath, but a source said, “The killers, who claimed to be unemployed and hungry, were incensed that their victims were busy drinking and eating with their girlfriends, while they (killers) were starving.”

Meanwhile, another version of the incident, claimed that the husband of one of the women, who was killed was the person who hired cultists to invade the beer parlour, alleging that his wife lied to him that she was going to the saloon to make her hair, only to surface at the drinking spot with her lover.

The woman allegedly left two of her children at home and when her husband got wind of her action, he came with cultists, shot dead the wife and people in the beer parlour at the time.

But, Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Charles Muka, told Newsmen when contacted, that only five persons were confirmed dead, while two were rushed to the hospital. He said: “They were drinking and people came and sprayed bullets on them, four died on the spot and another one died later.”
A source told Vanguard that he counted the corpses, saying “There were about 10 persons drinking in Mama Chabula shop that evening when the gunmen came. We don’t know whether they are former militants, cultists or just criminals but they opened fire, seven persons died on the spot while three were rushed to hospital.

“Of the three that were rushed to the hospital was a bank manager and he died today (Sunday). The gunmen did not rob anybody in the store, they just opened fire at those drinking and left after committing the havoc,” the source added.

A Sapele youth leader, who corroborated the police claim, said, “What I heard was that three men and two women were shot in cold blood. One was shot on his legs, the incident happened about 8 pm. We are all confused, there is tension everywhere, nobody seems to know the real reason for the massacre.”
The police do not even know because the people were drinking when they opened fire at them,” he added.

N2bn pension scam: Perm Sec, directors in EFCC net

A Permanent Secretary in the Federal Civil Service has been quizzed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over a fresh N2bn fraud at the Police Pensions Office.

The man, who was arrested alongside seven directors, had served in the Police Pensions Office.

A member of the Pension Task Force told one of Newsmen that the Permanent Secretary’s office was searched and some incriminating documents were found.

The source said, “His office was searched and some documents were found including a fixed deposit of N1bn.”

Spokesman for the EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, confirmed on the telephone, that a Permanent Secretary and seven directors were arrested over the pensions scam. But he added that they had been given administrative bail.

He, however, refused to disclose the ministry and identity of the Permanent Secretary, saying that “investigations were still ongoing.”

Uwujaren said, “What I can tell you is that we arrested a Permanent Secretary in respect of the ongoing investigations into pensions administration – a permanent secretary and about seven directors.”

A member of the Pensions Reforms Task Team said the development was a fresh discovery.

“Some of the exhibits contained documents containing issues that were raised against (Abdulrasheed) Maina, including the one written by Borno Youths and other falsified documents that were filed against us,” said the Task Force member.

Further, he said the EFCC and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, all members of the PRTT, were continuing their investigations into the matter.

The Senate Joint Committee on the Investigation into the Administration of the Pensions Scheme, during its one week public hearing, was told of how officials of government falsified documents to siphon pensioners’ money.

FG deregulates electricity •Local govts, communities can now generate, distribute electricity says NERC

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission has issued regulations enabling communities and local governments to generate and distribute electricity within their areas. One of the two regulations, titled, “NERC Regulation on Embedded Generation 2012,” and issued on March 7, 2012, permits investors, communities, states and local governments to generate and distribute electricity for their exclusive consumption using facilities of existing electricity distribution companies or independent electricity distribution network operators.

Another regulation, issued on the same day, titled, “NERC Regulation for  Independent Electricity Distribution,” permits communities, local and state governments to invest in electricity distribution networks in areas without access to the grid or distribution network or areas poorly serviced.

Thus, state governments with investments in infrastructure for power generation and distribution can now begin to distribute electricity. Also, according to the new regulations,  states and local governments with enough financial capability, can now take fuller advantage of the regulations to provide adequate power for their constituents.

The Electric Power Sector Reform  Act, which established the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, is the enabling law for the power sector reform. The regulations, according to a statement posted on the website  of NERC,  are products of about six months’ intensive research and stakeholder consultations by employees of the commission. The regulations, the statement  said,   were direct attempts to cater for about 40 per cent of the country’s population without access to electricity. The regulations are also capable of addressing the problem of poor quality of electricity supply.

Signing the two regulations,the Chairman, NERC,  Dr. Sam Amadi, said that they would provide the needed solutions to the shortage in supply of electricity in the country. He said, “These are the most important regulations today in this country because we do not have enough electricity to go round. We also have so many constraints preventing us from having enough to generate, transmit and distribute.

“From now on, the much expected expansion in the electricity supply to the end- users would be easily realisable. With these regulations, we have further unlocked the opportunities in the sector to community, private and government participations. The laws are expected to revolutionise the sector.”

He enthused further that the appropriate tariff to encourage the use of renewable and alternative sources of power generation would soon be put in place by the commission. Amadi commended the efforts of the officials of NERC  that were able to put together such  regulations after due consultation with industry stakeholders. He said that similar efforts in the past would have been contracted out to consultants at a huge cost to the commission.

Meanwhile, Amadi also told Newsmen on the telephone that the new electricity tariff would take effect on June 1. Also, the NERC  had recently  warned electricity distribution companies not to charge their customers rates outside what was approved by it last year before the introduction of the new tariff.

The warning came on the heels of increasing number of petitions and complaints received by the commission that some of the distribution companies were cashing in on the recent media reports over planned increase in the electricity tariff and charging their customers rates other than those approved by the commission.

Reacting to the development, Amadi said, “No tariff increase has been announced. Chief executive officers of distribution companies who collect tariffs beyond what was approved last year are operating in disobedience of the industry’s regulations.” “It is an offence to charge rates outside the approved tariff regime. Any errant distribution company will be made to refund its customers money collected in excess of the approved tariffs,” Amadi added.

He said that NERC would not spare any chief executive officer of errant electricity distribution company as applicable sanctions stipulated in the Electric Power Sector Reform Act 2005 would be meted out on those acting in defiance of the Act.

The chairman said that the commission was harmonising submissions made in the course of stakeholders consultations held towards the planned tariff regime and that the final figures would be announced through the media, to put both the customers and operators on notice.

The existing tariff regime is the last schedule of Multi Year Tariff Order that was announced last year and will pave way for MYTO II this year. The MYTO is the model used in calculating prices of electricity. It was introduced in 2008 by NERC  to replace the rule of the thumb practice in determining prices of electricity.

The new tariff, taking effect on June I, is part of the many measures being taken by NERC in conjunction with the BPE to ensure a successful privatisation of the power sector.

It has been estimated that the country needs an average of $10bn investments annually in the power sector for it to  realise its  potential. The nation currently generate about 4,000 megawatts against demand in the region of 10,000MW.

Bizman denies accusing judicial officers of collecting N40m bribe

There is now new twist in the alleged N40 million bribe controversy between an Onitsha- based transporter, Chief Godwin Okeke and two top Judiciary officials in Anambra State as the former has denied ever accusing the officials of collecting money from him.

There had been a running battle between Chief Okeke and the two officials following the accusation that the two officials collected N40m bribe to release some of the suspects who kidnapped him in August 2009.
The judicial officers however denied the allegation.

Addressing newsmen, yesterday, in Onitsha, Chief Okeke, said what he stated in his petition to the Anambra State House of Assembly and his statement in court in Awka, was that one of the kidnap suspects who had been calling him on telephone threatening to kill him if he did not withdraw the court case against them, told him that he spent N40m to secure his release.

He further said he told the court and the House of Assembly that one of the suspects who was brought to the court in a wheel chair from the prison and released on health grounds went to Asaba few days after his release and threw a party for his friends even as he boasted that they were regrouping to eliminate him.

He said: ”I actually raised that alarm that the case was being frustrated by the office of the Attorney-General but there was no time I said that he collected any bribe. I still maintain that the Attorney- General and his DPP are frustrating the case and the Attorney-General and the DPP were trying to shift the blame against one another during our separate meetings with the House Committee; so that confirmed my suspicion but I never accused them of collecting any bribe, so if their conscience is judging them now there is still time to do the right thing.

Reuters: Nigeria opens indirect talks with Boko Haram

Nigeria’s government has in the last week held its first indirect peace talks with Islamist sect Boko Haram, meeting mediators to discuss a possible ceasefire, political and diplomatic sources told Reuters on Thursday.

Newsmen had reported that the group had given conditions for the discussions, some of which are the release from detention of its members and concrete guarantee that the members would not be harassed after peace talks.

Reuters said two persons close to Boko Haram have been carrying messages back and forth between the sect’s self-proclaimed leader Abubakar Shekau and government officials, the sources, who asked not to be named, said.

It was not clear whether any mediators met with President Goodluck Jonathan himself. A presidency spokesman said he could not immediately comment.

Boko Haram has said it wants to impose sharia, or Islamic, law across a country split equally between Christians and Muslims. The group has killed hundreds this year in bomb and gun attacks, mostly in the majority Muslim north of Africa’s top oil producer.

“BH (Boko Haram) has mentioned a conditional ceasefire but it wants all its members released from prison. The government sees this as unacceptable but is willing to release foot soldiers,” a traditional leader and civil rights activist involved in the talks told Reuters, asking not to be named.

“It is the first time a ceasefire has been mentioned, so it is a massive positive, but given the lack of trust a resolution is still a way off,” he added.

Jonathan’s national security adviser, General Owoye Andrew Azazi, told Reuters in January that Nigeria
was considering making contact with moderate members of the shadowy Boko Haram via “back channels”.

A source at the presidency confirmed that efforts are being made to reach out to the sect’s negotiators, but that direct talks had not yet begun. A well-respected Islamic cleric has been contacted to reach out to them, he said.

S’Africa rules out compensation for deported Nigerians

South African Government has ruled out the possibility of compensating the 125 Nigerians who were recently denied entry into the country.

Minister of Correctional Services, Mrs. Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, made known the position of her government in Abuja on Thursday.

Mapisa-Nqakula was in the Presidential Villa as the leader of an eight-man special delegation sent by President Jacob Zuma to formally apologise for the incident, which caused a diplomatic row between the two countries.

She said, “The issue of compensation is out of the question. We don’t understand why South Africa will have to compensate.

“We believe that it is enough that we have come out and apologised. It is enough that we have demonstrated our goodwill to the government of Nigeria; it is enough that the President has sent a special envoy to reiterate his commitment to the bi-national with Nigeria and to improve working relationship with Nigeria.”

She however said her country had commenced investigation into the activities of the airport officials who turned back the Nigerians on the gound that their Yellow Fever Vaccination Cards were fakes.

Senate passes N4.8trn 2012 budget

The Senate, yesterday, passed the budget of N4,877, 209,156,933 for the 2012 fiscal year, just as it plans to sue the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, over repeated failure to submit its budget to National Assembly for approval.

The new budget passed was N229 billion higher than the revised budget of N4.648 trillion sent to the National Assembly in February by President Goodluck Jonathan.

The budget includes an upward review of oil benchmark of $70 bpd proposed by President Jonathan to $72 bpd which is to help reduce provision for deficit budget of N1.162 trillion by N98 billion.

It also includes N888 billion funding for oil subsidy programme, beside another N180 billion provided for Subsidy Re-investment Programme, SURE.

Senators, during the clause-by-clause consideration of the budget after its presentation by chairman, Senate Committee on Appropriation, Ahmad Maccido underscored the poor performance of the 2011 budget.

Jonathan takes some blame for failed hostage rescue

President Goodluck Jonathan on Thursday accepted some blame for last week’s failed attempt by Nigerian and British special forces to rescue a Briton and his Italian colleague from the custody of suspected terrorists in Sokoto.

In an interview on Cable News Network, Jonathan said it was only logical for his government to take some of the blame for the failed operation, as it would also have been commended had it succeeded.

The suspected terrorists killed Chris McManus and Franco Lamolinara as the raid to got under way.

The development drew the ire of the Italian political leadership and media, with many questioning why the British government failed to inform Rome of the operation in good time.
During the interview, Jonathan said his administration collaborated with the British and other international intelligence agencies, but did not specify who the other nations were.

“We worked with the international intelligence system. If there was success, there would have been a collective glory. Since we did not quite succeed, well, we all take responsibility.

“So I cannot say I will not take part of that responsibility: yes, I do. I’m the president of the country.”
The two hostages were seized in Kebbi in May 2011 and moved to Sokoto by their captors.

FAAN shuts Enugu airport

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria is to shut the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu to flight operations from March 18, to enable a contractor to install runway lightings.

A statement from the Head of Public Affairs of FAAN, Mr. Alika Nwanganga, in Enugu on Thursday said the closure would last for three weeks, the News Agency of Nigeria reports.

The statement said the closure was to enable the contractor handling the project to commence the installation of Runway 08/26 Air Fleet lighting and other minor construction works at the airport.

FAAN, however, regretted the inconveniences the closure would cause to passengers.
The airport has been undertaking daytime flights since it was made international.
Another project going on at the airport is the construction of a new terminal building.

Salami: Court Transfers Suit To Court Of Appeal

Following the submissions by parties on Wednesday at the ongoing suit instituted by former President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Ayo Isa Salami, challenging his removal from office by President Goodluck Jonathan on the recommendation of the National Judicial Council, the case was on Thursday referred to the Court of Appeal by a Federal High Court.

The appellate court is now to take a decision on the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the suit. The ousted jurist sought the referral to expedite the determination of the matter.
The trial court, however, declined to refer other questions raised by Justice Salami relating to whether or not the issue was an employee/ employer relation matter.

The court maintained that those questions relate to the substance of the matter which would be delved into by the trial court after the appellate court would have taken a decision on the issue of jurisdiction.
Subsequently, the court stayed further proceedings in the matter pending the conclusion of the referred issue by the appellate court.

Salami is challenging his removal from office which was a fallout of his allegation against former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Katsina Alu over the Sokoto state governorship election matter and other corrupt activities allegedly committed by the former CJN.

A panel raised by the National Judicial Council to look into the allegations cleared the former CJN of the alleged offences and directed Justice Salami to tender an apology to Katsina Alu.

Salami’s refusal to comply subsequently led to his removal from office while the case he instituted against the NJC was pending before the court.

2 Nigerian House Maids Fight Over Indian Lover

Two Nigerian house maids, Patience Okpara and Elizabeth Emmanuel threw away decency and fought openly at Ilupeju Lagos State, Southwest Nigeria over an Indian man .

Patience was bitter that Elizabeth started having affairs with the Indian she claimd was her sex partner and boss.

The fight resulted in Patience boiling a hot water adding pepper to it and pouring it on Elizabeth and she sustained severe burns.

The incident happened at 17, Sere Close, Ilupeju, Lagos, where both work as domestic servants to two Indians. Both were arrested by the police at Ilupeju station.

Patience was charged to Oshodi Magistrate’s court, Lagos for pouring hot water on Elizabeth after their fight was separated by a security guard in the compound. Patience, 25, hails from Imo State and Elizabeth, 25, hails from Akwa Ibom State.

Newsmen gathered that Patience was so bitter that Elizabeth left her own man and had sex with her boss.
Patience said when she confronted Elizabeth, she was boasted about it, saying it was her boss that demanded her services that night.

Patience, who is now facing a one-count charge of assault at the court, pleaded not guilty.
The presiding Magistrate, Mrs. Osho Adebiyi granted her bail in the sum of N50, 000 with two sureties in like sum. The matter has been adjoiurned till 23 March 2012.

Mother jailed for locking son in mice-infested trailer and only feeding him four times a week

A woman who locked her 14-year-old son in a squalid trailer and fed him just a few times a week has been jailed for three years.

Amanda Jolliff, 37, pleaded guilty to false imprisonment and child abuse after police found the boy living in a rodent-infested mobile home in Erie, Colorado.

Police said the boy's bedroom window was boarded up, and there was an outside lock on his bedroom door in which he had imprisoned for three and a half years.

Judge Thomas Quammen rejected a defense request for a non-prison sentence.
'Both the judge and the prosecutor said at the hearing that Jolliff will be treated more humanely in prison than her son was by her, with three square meals a day and a clean environment,' Meghan Swella, spokeswoman for the Weld County District Attorney's Office said.

Swella said the boy is now doing well in a foster home.

Evolution of the Coca Cola

Coca-Cola is a carbonated soft drink sold in stores, restaurants, and vending machines in more than 200 countries.^[1] It is produced by The Coca-Cola Company of Atlanta, Georgia, and is often referred to simply as Coke (a registered trademark of The Coca-Cola Company in the United States since March 27, 1944). Originally intended as a patent medicine when it was invented in the late 19th century by John Pemberton,

Coca-Cola was bought out by businessman Asa Griggs Candler, whose marketing tactics led Coke to its dominance of the world soft-drink market throughout the 20th century.

The company produces concentrate, which is then sold to licensed Coca-Cola bottlers throughout the world. The bottlers, who hold territorially exclusive contracts with the company, produce finished product in cans and bottles from the concentrate in combination with filtered water and sweeteners. The bottlers then sell, distribute and merchandise Coca-Cola to retail stores and vending machines. Such bottlers include Coca-Cola Enterprises, which is the largest single Coca-Cola bottler in North America and western Europe. The Coca-Cola Company also sells concentrate for soda fountains to major restaurants and food service distributors.

The Coca-Cola Company has, on occasion, introduced other cola drinks under the Coke brand name. The most common of these is Diet Coke, with others including Caffeine-Free Coca-Cola, Diet Coke Caffeine-Free, Coca-Cola Cherry, Coca-Cola Zero, Coca-Cola Vanilla, and special versions with lemon, lime or coffee.

Based on Interbrand's best global brand 2011, Coca-Cola was the world's most valuable brand

Type	Soft drink
Manufacturer	The Coca-Cola Company
Country of origin	United States
Introduced	1886
Color	Caramel E-150d
Flavor	Cola, Cola Cherry, Cola Vanilla, Cola Green Tea, Cola Lemon, Cola Lemon Lime, Cola Lime, Cola Orange and Cola Raspberry.
Variants	See Brand portfolio section below
Related products	Pepsi RC Cola Cola Turka Zam Zam Cola Mecca-Cola Virgin Cola Parsi Cola Qibla Cola Evoca Cola Corsica Cola Breizh Cola Afri Cola

11 LASU Students Arrested With Guns

The Lagos State Police Command Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, has arrested eleven cult members who claimed to be students of the Lagos State University, LASU.

•The suspected LASU cultists.

They were nabbed at Ijanikin, a suburb of Lagos along Lagos/Badagry Expressway, Lagos State, Southwest Nigeria.

A police source told Newsmen that two members of Eiye Confraternity had hired a commercial motorcyclist (okada rider) to take them to Ijanikin where they shot a rival cultist, a member of Aiye Confraternity.

The okada rider, after the shooting, contacted SARS operatives who arrested the suspect’s accomplice identified as Wasiu.

The cultist, who fired the shot managed to escape, but Wasiu led policemen to the hideout of the cultists at Ijanikin, where other cult members were arrested, the police source revealed.

According to the source, items recovered from the suspected cultists include three locally made cut to size rifles, one black bag, one locally made pistol, one live cartridge, four axes, one cutlass, one black beret and one phone.

Those arrested include Amos Acholo, 25, an indigene of Kogi State who claimed to be a businessman but a part-time student of LASU; Ojo Ola-Oluwa, 28, from Osun State, Olupooye Foluso, 27, claimed to be a student of Political Science at LASU, Haruna Olanrewaju, 28, from Kwara State said he is not a LASU student but joined the cult because he is jobless and Ismail Alli, 24, claimed he is a businessman from Sokoto State and he dropped out of school. Others are: a 23-year old Malian, Jiba Abdulahi who said he is into business; Adeyinka Phillips, 25, claimed to be a Lagos State indigene and a student of Computer Science at Lagos State Polytechnic; Edeh Michael said he attended Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education, Ijanikin while another suspect, Irikivewe Charles told the police he is still struggling for admission.

Another member of the cult group, Udemeobong from Cross River State, said he is a 200 level student at LASU. He confessed to the police that he was initiated into the cult last year when he visited his friend in Benin City, Edo State.

Police sources told Newsmen this morning that the suspected cultists will soon be arraigned in court on charges of attempted murder.

Meanwhile, the victim who was shot by the suspects is still lying critically ill in an undisclosed hospital.
He was said to be having a swollen stomach perhaps caused by bullets lodged in his belly.

When Newsmen called the Public Relations Officer, of LASU students’ union, Teju Azeez, this morning, he disowned the suspects, saying “they are not LASU students.”

How I Robbed 70-Yr-Old Grandma, Suspect Confesses

A 24-year old, Michael Ndubusi is currently being detained at the Bode Thomas police division headquarter, Lagos for robbing a 70-year old grandma of N6,000.00. The suspect resides with his parents at 8, Ado Close, Obele, Lawanson, Lagos.

Newsmen investigation revealed that he went to Madam Victoria Akinusi, owner of house number 7, Sabiu Ajase Crescent, Surulere, Lagos when her children and tenants have gone to their various places of work.
In his confessional statement to the police he said: “I went upstairs to meet mama that I wanted to buy Starcomms recharge cards of N3,000.

She said she doesn’t have it. I then told her to give me MTN card of N100 and when she gave it to me, I asked if she had a thousand naira balance, she told me to go with it.

“As she turned to go, I quickly held her neck and covered her mouth with an handkerchief and threatened to kill her if she shouted. When she complied, I collected her handbag. I got only N6,000 and some recharge cards inside the bag. As I was running away, she shouted “ole, ole” meaning thief, thief and people ran after and arrested me. Luckily for me, as they made to set me ablaze, policemen from Bode Thomas Division rescued me. You can see the way I was beaten silly with injuries on my head and bruises all over my body.”

US ex-governor heads to jail for corruption

Ousted Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich reports to prison Thursday to serve a 14 year sentence for trying to auction off President Barack Obama’s vacated US Senate seat and a host of other corruption charges.

The Democratic governor was arrested in the midst of what prosecutors called a “political corruption crime spree” just weeks after Obama’s historic November 2008 election.

Blagojevich was convicted of 17 corruption counts in June after his first trial resulted in a hung jury on all but one of the charges.

The expletive-laden transcripts of Blagojevich’s secretly recorded conversations and his subsequent antics created fascinating political theater and the flamboyant politico refused to leave quietly.

He held a press conference outside his home Wednesday where supporters chanted “free our governor” as Blagojevich insisted “this is not over” and that everything he did “was on the right side of the law.”
“We are appealing the case,” Blagojevich told reporters. “We have faith in the future, faith in the rule of law.”

While Obama managed to emerge untainted, the scandal shone a spotlight on the state’s corruption-filled political scene and cast a shadow on his early days in office.

Five of the past nine Illinois governors have been indicted or arrested for fraud or bribery. Blagojevich’s predecessor, Republican George Ryan, is currently serving a six-and-a-half year jail term for fraud and racketeering.

Gunmen open fire on police station, injure two

Unknown gunmen on a motorcycle attacked a police station in Mayo Bani Village of Mubi North Local Government Area of Adamawa.

Eyewitnesses Thursday in Mayo Bani said that two gunmen on motorcycle Wednesday night opened fire on the station and escaped.

They said that during the attack, two policemen were injured, and “are now receiving treatment at the Mubi General Hospital”.

Similarly, an unidentified man has been shot dead in front of his house Wednesday night along Ahmadu Bello Way in Mubi, Adamawa.

The witnesses also said, there was a shooting incident at the Mubi grain market, during which one person was feared dead.

When contacted on the incidents, the Police Public Relation Officer (PPRO), Adamawa Police Command, Mrs Altine Daniel, said the command was yet to confirm the incidents.

Report says that on Monday, five people, including a soldier, a police inspector and three civilians, lost their lives in a shooting incident in Mubi.

The Monday night incident occurred after six death bodies riddled with bullet wounds were discovered on the streets of Mubi on Monday morning, which triggered a protest by residents of the town.
Meanwhile, the Adamawa Government has announced a dusk to dawn curfew in Mubi following recent development in the town.

Alleged kidnappers of slain Briton, Italian paraded

The State Security Service, on Wednesday, paraded eight Boko Haram members involved in the killing of the two abducted expatriate staff of Stabilini Visioni Construction firm Christopher Mcmanus, a Briton; and Franco Lamolinara, an Italian. The foreigners were killed in Sokoto during a failed rescue operation carried out by British commandos, SSS personnel and soldiers.

During the parade, the SSS gave details of the failed operation, revealing that the decision to conduct it was taken after the arrest of the leader of the kidnap plot, Abu Mohammed. Mohammed and five other members of the sect were arrested during a raid on their hideout at Layin Hanwa, Zaria, Kaduna State, on March 7, 2012. The suspects were said to have been arrested while holding a Shura Council meeting of the sect. The Shura Council is Boko Haram’s highest decision-making body.

The SSS said a soldier was killed and his throat slashed, while one SSS operative was seriously injured by Boko Haram members during the raid.

The Assistant Director, Media and Public Relations, Doyin Adetuberu, who addressed newsmen in Abuja on Wednesday, announced that Mohammed died two days later from the bullet wounds he sustained during the raid.

The service paraded three youths aged between 19 and 20 years who were found to have conducted surveillance on the victims before their abduction in May, 2011 at their residence in Kebbi State.

The suspects, Bashir Ibrahim (aka Adda’u), Ibrahim Habibu, and Gambo Maiborodi were described as the collaborators that made the abduction of the foreigners possible.

The SSS also paraded five other suspects, Abu Mohammed; Mohammed Adam (aka Dan Hajiya); Abubakar Habibu; Shitu Salihu; Abubakar Umar and Ahmed Samaila, who were involved in the crime.

Fire guts Ecobank in Surulere

Business activities came to an abrupt end on Thursday at the Aguda, Surulere, Lagos branch of Ecobank Plc, following an early morning fire which damaged part of its building.

The four vehicles and four units of air conditioners were also destroyed in the fire suspected to have been caused by a malfunctioning generator.

A worker of the bank said that the fire started around 7a.m. as “we were busy preparing for our daily activities when one of the security guards alerted us of the fire, saying he needed a fire extinguisher.

“When we realised that the fire was getting out of control, we got more fire extinguishers but, unfortunately, we were unable to put off the fire and so we called the Lagos State Fire Service and they arrived promptly.”

The bank worker who pleaded anonymity, added that the fire was put off by the firemen with the assistance of residents of the area.

Officials of the Lagos State Transport Management Authority (LASTMA), and policemen were at the scene to control traffic and secure the premises, while customers were directed to other branches of the bank. 

Anti-labour bill politically-motivated says NLC, TUC, others

Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress have rejected the proposed amendments to the Trade Union act by Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, saying the move is politically-motivated.

President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Mr. Abdulwahed Omar and his Trade Union Congress counterpart, Mr. Peter Esele, said during a joint press conference in Abuja on Wednesday that the proposed bill by the Bayelsa Senator was also “anti-people.”

The Congress for Progessive Change spokeman, Mr. Rotimi Fashakin, and the Campaign for Democracy President, Dr. Joel Okei-Odumakin, condemned the bill, saying it is not in the interest of the people.

N25m fraud: Judge’s absence stalls Danjuma Goje’s trial

Journalists and members of the public who came to the Federal High Court, Gombe, yesterday, to hear the continuation of the trial of former governor of Gombe State, Alhaji Muhammadu Goje, were disappointed, as they met an empty court.

Counsel to the former governor, Chief Adeniyi Akintola, SAN, had earlier written to the court that his client,  Goje, would not be available in court, citing a medical trip abroad as his reason.
Similarly, it was also learnt that the trial Judge, Justice Olaide Quadri, travelled for a workshop and only resumed same day.

Goje, who is at present, serving as a senator, is facing an 18- count charge of conspiracy and money laundering along with Alhaji Aliyu El-Nafarty (former Chairman, Gombe State Universal Basic Education Board), Alhaji Sambo Mohammed Tumu (the ex- governor’s cousin and food supplier to Government House) and S.M. Dakoro, a businessman.

They were said to have conspired to defraud the state of about N25 billion which represented proceeds of illegal acts, contrary to and punishable under Sections 15, 16, 17, 18 and 19 of the Money Laundering (Prohibition Act) 2011 as amended.

At the last sitting last December 9,  defence counsel, Akintola, had argued that his clients had no case to answer, adding that the former governor, for instance, was given executive powers by the constitution to act executively, by fiat, even in the award of contracts or appropriation of funds without reporting to anybody.

Independence Day Blast, Court Denies Okah Bail

Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Wednesday declined a fresh application for bail brought before it by suspected Independence Day twin bomb blast masterminds, Charles Okah and two others.



The court also stayed proceedings in the matter to allow the Court of Appeal reach a decision on an application filed by Okah and Nwabueze challenging the jurisdiction of the court.

Okah was initially standing trial alongside Obi Nwabueze, Edmund Ebuware and Tiemkemfa Francis, but Francis died on 2 March in prison custody.

At today’s proceedings, counsel to Okah and Nwabueze, Mr. Oghenovo Otemu orally applied for bail of his clients after he informed the court that the inhuman conditions the accused persons are subjected to in Kuje prisons has resulted to their ill-health. He told the court that the accused persons are still being locked up in their cells for 24 hours and are not allowed to exercise or go to worship centres.

Mr. Otemu had told the court last year that the cells of the accused persons were fumigated while they remained inside. He had also told the court that his clients informed him that prison officials said they were directed by the State Security Service, SSS, to torture them so they will be forced to apply to be moved back to SSS custody.

He prayed to the court to grant the accused persons bail on liberal terms so as to enable them attend to their health issues. Opposing the application, prosecuting counsel Alex Iziyon, a senior advocate of Nigeria, asked the court to be hesitant in exercising its discretion in granting the application.

He said statements made by Mr. Otemu regarding the accused persons’ living conditions in prison, is malicious, unverified and highly speculative. He further argued that no material has been placed before the court to support the allegations that the SSS instructed prison officials to torture the accused persons.
Denying the application for bail, Justice Gabriel Kolawole said he had already refused a written application for bail, as such they cannot come back orally.

He however ordered that the Prisons Comptroller should ensure that the accused persons are not locked for 24 hours in their cells and should be allowed to exercise and worship. The court also condoled the family of the dead accused person and described the incident as unfortunate.

Insecurity in North not linked to derivation says S-South Govs

SIX governors of the South-South region, Wednesday, took a swipe at the recent outburst of their colleagues from the North for linking the insecurity in some parts of the country to the issue of 13% derivation, describing the comments as misplaced and unfortunat

At the First Ordinary Session of the governors of Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Edo and Delta states codenamed BRACED, 2012, at the Executive Chambers of the Cross River State Government,they insisted that the issue which should take the front burner for discussion in this country was the environmental degradation and pollution in the Niger Delta occasioned by oil exploitation that had adversely affected fishing and farming activities in the zone.

The BRACED Commission Governors Council questioned the rationale behind the non-exploitation of other mineral deposits in the different parts of the country to the detriment of the oil and gas reserves in the South-South.

A communiqué read on behalf of the commission by Chairman of the South-South Governors Forum and the host governor of the meeting, Senator Liyel Imoke, at the end of the meeting which started at about 9pm Tuesday and lasted up to 2.30am the next day, described the position of their colleagues in the North linking the alarming insecurity to the issue of 13 per cent derivation as misplaced.

Tears as youth shot by DPO is buried

Abiodun Ademola, the 26-year-old youth shot by the Divisional Police Officer of Pen Cinema, Lagos, on January 9, during the protest against fuel subsidy removal, was on Wednesday buried at Atan Cemetery, Yaba.

Before the burial, there was a lying-in-state at Yaya Abatan, Ogba, at the exact spot where Ademola was shot by Segun Fabunmi. It was attended by the members of the Christian Association of Nigeria, officials of the Office of the Public Defender and executive members of the Ifako-Ijaiye Local Government, which organised the funeral.

The community erupted in an emotional welcome as his body arrived in a white casket. Youths who had gathered in black T-shirts wailed while the Ademola’s siblings sobbed inconsolably.

At the graveside, some youths rained curses on the alleged killer DPO and called on the government to ensure that justice was done.

A pastor, Wole Oluwatobi, described the slain youth as a martyr. He said, “A monument will be unveiled in his name today (Wednesday). Though he neither had no child nor a wife, he would always be remembered in this community.

“A lot of people had died as he did, but have been forgotten today. That shows Ademola was a man destined for greatness. But we are celebrating him today, not as a man who died, but as a youth who was martyred for a good cause.”

Chairman of the local government, Dr. Oloruntoba Oke, described him as a symbol of peace. He said he was particularly pleased that Ademola was not caught and killed as a criminal.

He said, “This befitting burial, which we organised in conjunction with the family, is to serve as a beacon of peace for youths of this area. Ademola was said to have been a peaceful and loving youth. This is why we are celebrating him.

2,000 soldiers on counter terrorism training says Ihejirika

Against the backdrop of continued terrorists attacks and killings in the country, Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen Azubuike Ihejirika, said yesterday in Abuja that 2,000 combatant soldiers were being  trained by experts on counter terrorism and other terrorism challenges in Jaji and Kachia.

Gen. Ihejirika made the disclosure at the opening of a two-day Nigerian Army Transformation Stakeholders Conference, with the theme: Enhancing the Implementation Strategy for Nigerian Army Transformation.

Explaining that the training was one of the innovations of the army to combat the present security challenges facing the country, the COAS said, “The army believes strongly that once human capacity is developed to the required level, every other thing will fall in place”.

According to the Army Chief, the Nigerian Army has gone ahead to put in place, a monitoring team to move from place to ensure that soldiers do their jobs professionally.

Christian, Muslims clash as Jos riots spread • 2 UNIJOS students stabbed,

THE violent clashes which began in Jos, Plateau State, since the Sunday bomb attack on a Catholic church in the city continued on Tuesday, as both Christians and Muslims in some parts of the city engaged one another, leaving  people with varying degrees of injury.

Newsmen findings revealed that as early as 9.00 a.m. on Tuesday, youths in places like Old Bukuru Park,  Apata, Bauchi Road, Masalasi Jumat, Terminus and Angwan Rukuba, trooped out to protest the killings that characterised the protest on Monday within the city, leading to the death of 19 people.

It was learnt that dangerous weapons, such as daggers, cutlasses and swords, were freely used while innocent people who ran into them were brutalised and abandoned to swim in the pool of their blood.
Men of the Special Task Force who arrived at the scenes had a hectic time in controlling the situation. In fact they had to resort to sporadic shooting into the air and firing of tear gas to disperse the  rioters before relative calm could be restored in all the affected areas.

As a result of the pandemonium caused by the riots, business activities were paralysed. This affected commercial banks while students of both primary and secondary schools, including their teachers deserted schools on hearing the pandemonium occasioned by the riots.

Students of the University of Jos also came out in their large number to protest against the molestation and the stabbing of two  of their students around the university on Monday by some people alleged to be out on reprisal over the killing of their kinsmen on Sunday.

Police, Special Task Force plan new security strategies for Jos

Police in Plateau State and the Special Task Force in Jos have mapped out new strategies aimed at  checking the spate of bombings in the state.
Also, the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Emmanuel Ayeni, alleged on Tuesday that those responsible for the February 26 bombing of Church of Christ in Nigeria and Sunday’s explosion which claimed lives at  St. Finbarr’s Catholic Church,  both in Jos, were outsiders.

Ayeni  said the new  measures were arrived at after a meeting between the Chief of defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Oluseyi Petinrin,  and all stakeholders in the state.

The CP said henceforth no vehicular movement would be allowed on roads leading to places of worship on Fridays and Sundays till the end of prayer sessions,  except those of officials who must arrive  before the beginning of worship.

He said, “We have agreed that to ward off these elements, all of us have roles to play.  Every worshipper must subject themselves to search while there must be no accessibility to  worship centres. Nobody must be allowed to carry bags to worship centres and when you suspect any object, do not go near.

“You can carry only your bible or your Qur’an. You must avoid clustering around worship centres after worship. We observe that after worship people cluster around to gossip. Your business is worship and go to your house after that endeavour to quickly go to your house.”

Man mounts telecom mast over delay in suit

 Mallam Musa Walkatu, caused a stir in Abuja on Tuesday when he climbed to the top of a telecom mast at the premises of the Federal High Court along Shehu Shagari Way.

He spent about three hours on the mast before he was persuaded to come down by security personnel and officials of the National Emergency Management Agency.

The middle-aged man, who was dressed in a cream kaftan, initially vowed not to come down until the Acting Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, or former Vice President Atiku Abubakar came to dialogue with him.

Walkatu, an indigene of Adamawa State, was said to be a litigant and had visited a courtroom on the third floor of the FHC complex. He allegedly complained to the staff about the slow pace of his suit which was being heard by the court.

Court officials, however, explained that Walkatu’s case was not making any progress because he did not have a lawyer to handle the suit. Walkatu left the courtroom shortly and then climbed the mast, ignoring entreaties made to him to come down by court officials, NEMA staff and policemen.

A court worker said, “When we pleaded with him to come down, the man refused, saying he would have taken his protest to  the National Assembly complex but there was no mast there.”

His action attracted crowds of onlookers. Motorists stopped to look at him, causing slight traffic hold-up.  Staff of a private security firm, Kings Guards, who were in charge of the court premises could not explain how Walkatu climbed the mast.

11 Vehicles Burnt In Fire Accident In Ibadan

At least eleven vehicles were burnt early this morning in a ghastly fire incident that occurred in front of NNPC Mega Station located very close to General Gas Junction along Iwo-Ojoo road.

The affected vehicles included eight trucks with registration numbers Lagos XU 39 KRD, Lagos XQ 647 MUS, Lagos XU 115 KSF and Lagos 417 FKJ, among others. Also some electricity poles were damaged by the vehicles.

According to the NNPC Sales Manager in charge of Oyo and Osun Depot, Mr. Adebisi Adewale, and the station manager, Bello Victor, a truck with registration number: XQ 717 GGE conveying coal from Ojoo veered off its lane and hit a NNPC truck, attempting to park on another lane.

The NNPC truck, while trying to avoid the truck conveying coal, hit another NNPC truck which was fully loaded with petrol.

He said: “The petrol spilled on the road and caused fire outbreak. The fire began to spread from one vehicle to another. It also spread to a truck fully loaded with diesel.”

Adewale added that Oyo State Fire Service was called immediately but did not turn up until 3 a.m. He, however, said they did their best to put out the fire.

He said nobody was injured or died.

According to him, what saved the situation was that the fire was prevented from spreading to the NNPC filing station and two other filing stations, Sycams and Keemrat filling stations.

When Newsmen visited the scene of the incident, men of the Oyo State Fire Service were trying put out the fire.

The incident scared residents at Iwo Road-Ojoo axis and Idi-Ape-Akobo axis, because of the continuous explosions caused by the fire.

Most of them said they could not go back to sleep out of fear that the fire could spread to their houses.

Copter Crash kills new Police chief, 3 others

A helicopter belonging to Nigeria’s Special Task force has crashed in Jos, the Plateau state capital, northcentral Nigeria, killing all the four men on board, including the newly appointed Police Deputy Inspector General, Haruna John.

The helicopter crashed in a residential area, around Rukuba Road behind Jos Satellite Market as it embarked on it’s regular surveillance early Wednesday morning.

None of the four persons on board survived the crash as the helicopter burst into flames.

The National Emergency Management Agency(NEMA) has confirmed the incident.
The Special task force was set up to coordinate the security of the troubled state following killing of hundreds of people.

Police sources said Haruna John who was recently promoted from Commissioner of Police to Deputy Inspector General of Police, DIG, was among the dead.

Newsmen could not confirm the identities of other officers who also died. Haruna John, born in 1956 was formerly the Commissioner of Police in charge of Benue State before his promotion as DIG. He was also in charge of Federal Capital Territory before his transfer to Benue State. He was from Taraba State.

“Four police officers, including a (deputy inspector general), were killed,” police spokesman Yemi Ajayi told AFP.

The officers’ mission was not clear as well, but a joint military and police task force is deployed in Jos to contain violence between Christian and Muslim ethnic groups that has rocked the city in recent years.
The identities of the other victims were yet to be made public.