Rape and medical care

Parents or guardians often accompany rape survivors to the clinics when it is already too late. I once attended to a particular undergraduate who presented with complaints of tiredness, headache and weakness.

Her mother had brought her; and her medical history was more in keeping with pregnancy, as was later confirmed by pregnancy test and pelvic scan.

The girl and the mother confessed that about two months earlier, the young lady had boarded a cab late one evening on her way back from school. The cab driver took the advantage of her being alone late at night to rape her.

The mother wanted the pregnancy to be terminated, but I refused for medical and legal reasons. Why have they kept silent for two months?

A second case is that of a 12-year-old Primary Six girl who was rushed to the medical emergency where I was the casualty officer on duty. The complaint was bleeding in the 12-year- old.

She looked pale; and it turned out that she had earlier been taken to a quack where criminal abortion was done, leaving the young girl with complications. She died within two hours of medical attention in the process of stabilising her vital signs, which included making arrangement for blood transfusion for her.

The mother later admitted that the girl was raped by her teacher, resulting in pregnancy which they had tried to abort. Again, why did the mother keep silent for so long?

A third case happened in the village where a mentally-challenged lady was taken to the traditional doctor. While her treatment by the herbalist lasted, the mother dropped her in the morning at the local treatment centre on her way to the farm and came to pick her by noon.

She was found pregnant after some months of treatment for mental illness. She delivered the baby safely, but the baby was brought to the hospital for treatment with nobody to pay medical fees.

The mother said the victim was raped by the herbalist, threatening to get him arrested. The question is, why has she kept quiet till now?

Guide for victim, family

This article is intended as a general guide for the public, victims, friends, parents and family members of a person who have been sexually assaulted. It is also intended to assist the public in breaking this tradition of silence.

Rape or sexual assault is defined as any sexual act performed by one (or more) person(s) on another without the latter’s consent. It may include the use of threat of force. In some cases, the victim cannot give consent to have sex because he or she is unconscious or otherwise incapacitated.

The public/victims should seek specific guidance about assault situation from a person who is experienced in the care and management of these victims, such as the casualty doctors, family physicians, general practitioners and gynaecologists, among others.

A person may be raped by a stranger, an acquaintance or date, or a family member. After being sexually assaulted, rape survivors may have a lot of questions, including: Why did this happen to me? Could I have prevented this? Will I develop HIV/AIDS or other infections? Will I become pregnant as a result of the assault? Who should I call first? Should I report this to the police? Is this reportable? Isn’t this my fault?

Recommended steps after rape

• Find a safe environment away from the assailant

• Call a close friend or parents/relatives — someone who will offer unconditional support

• Call the police or your health care provider.

• Rape is a medical emergency, Call 767 or 112

• Seek medical care; do not change clothes, bathe, douche, or brush your teeth until evidence is collected.

• Follow up with a health care provider one to two weeks later

• Seek counseling services

It is advisable people seek medical care early. However, medical care can be at any time; but  if some time has elapsed since the event, there will be scanty or no evidence for collection.

A health care provider can offer advice on reporting the event, address concerns regarding infection, pregnancy, and safety, and help you to begin to recover.

People who are raped may not be able to say they were raped or seek help. Most will come to complain and get medical help for a different complaint such as headaches, eating problems, body or abdominal pain and sleep problems.

Rape Trauma Syndrome

Many rape survivors will experience Rape Trauma Syndrome, a collection of emotional responses to the extreme stress of the sexual assault and may include anger or hostility, confusion, crying or feeling numb, fear, loss of emotional control, nervousness or inappropriate laughter, not eating or sleeping well, tightly controlled behaviour, withdrawal from family or friends.

They are also prone to post-traumatic stress disorder.

Victims of rape should be encouraged to understand that the act was not their fault. Any fault or blame is solely on the rapist.

Soldiers attack B’Haram camp, seize 700 vehicles

The Special Forces involved in the ongoing campaign against the Boko Haram insurgents have recorded what security sources have described as one the greatest breakthroughs in the  campaign against terrorists  in the North-East.

Investigations on Tuesday revealed that the Special Forces, comprising ground troops and the Air Force fighters, had demobilized one of the strongest fortresses of the Boko Haram sect.

It was learnt that the soldiers, who carried out the operation, were shocked by the volume of arms and ammunition and hundreds of operational vehicles that they captured at the camp.

A source put the number of vehicles captured from the insurgents at 700 while several members of the sect were arrested.

The spokesman of the 7th Division, Col. Mohammed Dole, referred our correspondent to the Director of Defence Information, Maj.-Gen Chris Olukolade, for comments on the issue.

Olukolade, who confirmed the capture of the Boko Haram camp, said that several terrorists who were wounded in the military raids were arrested and had made useful confessions.

The Director of Defence Information said in an electronic mail on Tuesday that some of the wounded terrorists who were captured near Lake Chad were pleading for mercy and were cooperating with interrogators from the Multi-National Joint Task Force.

Olukolade said that some of the insurgents were captured by troops around Dikwa, Cross Kauwa, Kukawa and Alargarmo.

He said that the captives revealed during interrogation that some of the camps were disbanded as the sect could no longer sustain the operation.

“In their confessions, it was revealed that some of the camps have been disbanded following the directive of their clerics who declared that the operation of the sect had come to an end as the mission could no longer be sustained.

“The captured terrorists, who are giving useful information as to the locations of their remnant forces, are full of apologies and pleas for their lives to be spared promising to cooperate,” the statement reads in part.

Olukolade said that the captured insurgents complained of starvation and the frequency of bombardments as some of the major problems which affected them.

The Defence spokesman warned members of the public to stay away from the area, saying troops were still continuing with the operation in the three states.

“They confirmed that starvation was a major problem in addition to ceaseless bombardments on the camp locations even when they kept relocating.  They also confirm that several members of the group have been wounded and no treatment was forthcoming.  Troops have continued their assault on other locations across the states covered by the state of emergency.

“Meanwhile, members of the public who have started visiting to engage in sight-seeing in some dislodged camps and fringes of  forests such as Sambisa and others have been warned to desist from doing so as the tendency will no more be condoned where operations are still ongoing.

“The general area still remains a theatre and movement remains restricted as the environment has to be cleared for safety of citizens.    The public will be informed when the locations are safe enough.”

It was learnt that the  seized vehicles included those that the insurgents used for attacks and other vehicles they snatched from people.

Military sources said that the camp was well planned with boreholes, dispensary and other facilities to aid the operations of the insurgents.

‘Gender-based violence should be tackled from home’

The Chairman, House Committee on Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Lagos State House of Assembly,  Mrs. Omotayo Oduntan, has said gender-based violence should be nipped in the bud from the home.

Oduntan said this during a symposium to celebrate the International Women’s Day in Lagos at the newly commissioned Police Officers’ Wives Association secretariat and multi-purpose hall, GRA, Ikeja, a statement from the Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation said on Tuesday.

Oduntan said, “Parents, particularly mothers, should treat both male and female children equally.  Children should not be given household chores based on gender. Boys should not be allowed to play football or watch television while girls are asked to go to kitchen.”

Delivering the keynote address, wife of the state governor, Mrs. Abimbola Fashola, who was represented by the wife of Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Mrs. Rhoda Ayinde, commended WAPA’s commitment to women development.

She advised parents, particularly mothers, to invest not only money in their children, but also time.

She said, “Mothers should inculcate in their children that real men don’t abuse or beat women, and the girls should also behave lady-like by being courteous and respectful in all that they do.”

Founder, Yemi Royal Organisation, a non-governmental organisation, Mrs. Yemi Osoba, delivered a lecture on impact of violence on women and girls.

Osoba said, “It is imperative for women to speak out against violence on them so that the menace can be curbed.”

She also advised parents to stop encouraging their daughters to stay in relationships engulfed in violence.

A director in WAPA, Ms Funke Odutola, commended  the government for its commitment and investment in programmes designed for women empowerment.

Repairs: LASG to close Dopemu, Iyana Ipaja bridges

The Lagos State Government says Dopemu and Iyana Ipaja bridges along the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway will be closed to public use for 10 days each.

The government explained that while Dopemu Bridge would be closed from Saturday March 15 to Monday March 24, 2014, Iyana Ipaja Bridge would be shut between Tuesday March 25 and Saturday April 5, 2014.

The spokesman for the Ministry of Transportation, Sina Thorpe, on Tuesday in Alausa, Ikeja, explained that the closure was to allow for the maintenance of the bridges, which would commence on Saturday March 15, and end on April 5, 2014.

He said, “The contractor would commence work at the Dopemu Bridge for the first 10 days — Saturday March 15 to Monday March 24, 2014 — and thereafter move to the Iyana Ipaja Bridge from Tuesday March 25 to Saturday April 5, 2014.”

Thorpe, an Assistant Director, said the government had put strategies in place to prevent traffic problem in the areas during the period of the repairs. He said during the period that the contractor would be working on Dopemu Bridge, motorists were expected to obey government’s plan.

“Consequently, vehicles approaching Dopemu Bridge from Ile-Zik inward Iyana Ipaja could make a U-turn back to Dopemu Bridge via the open median along the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway or take a left turn into Alimoso Road and use the link roads in the area back to Akowonjo or Iyana Ipaja Road.

“Similary, vehicles coming from Orile Agege and environs, and approaching Dopemu Bridge, will take a right turn through Surulere Road to link Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway and make use of the open median barrier into the link roads. In addition, vehicles from Akowonjo, Shasha going into Agege will go through Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway and turn at Ile  Zik back  to Agege,” the spokesman explained.

Thorpe said by the time repair works commenced on the Iyana Ipaja Bridge, vehicular movement in the area would also follow the special plan.

He said, “Vehicles coming from Dopemu, and proposing to use the Iyana Ipaja Bridge, will either make a U-turn back to Iyana Ipaja Bridge or a left turn into Abule Oki Street at the proposed median barrier opening on the expressway, go through Chief Adebayo Street back to Iyana Ipaja Roundabout.

“Also, vehicles coming from Iyana Ipaja Road will use the Abule Oki Street and navigate through Chief Adebayo Street back to Iyana Ipaja Roundabout, while vehicles coming from Iyana Ipaja Road will have to go through Dopemu Bridge area.”

He added that the traffic re-routing would facilitate seamless flow of traffic, urging motorists to use alternative routes provided by the government to avoid delays.

“The state government appeals for caution and cooperation from all road users by obeying all traffic regulations and ensuring traffic flow during the period of closure.

“The government, while regretting any inconveniences, has directed all relevant agencies to ensure free flow of traffic,” Thorpe said.

Ugandans challenge anti-gay law

Ugandan rights activists and politicians have filed a legal challenge to overturn a tough anti-gay law condemned by Western donors.

The law violated the rights of gay people and subjected them to “cruel and inhuman punishment”, they said.

Several cases of “violence and retaliation” have been reported since President Yoweri Museveni signed the law last month, the activists added.

Uganda is a deeply conservative society where many people oppose gay rights.

However, some people are beginning to question whether punishments proposed in the law are too harsh, reports BBC Uganda correspondent Catherine Byaruhanga.

It allows life imprisonment as the penalty for acts of “aggravated homosexuality” and also criminalises the “promotion of homosexuality”.

‘Tenants evicted’
The Civil Society Coalition on Human Rights and Constitutional Law, which represents about 50 groups, filed the petition in the Constitutional Court, asking for the law to be annulled.
Ruling party MP Fox Odoi, who is Mr Museveni’s former legal adviser, was among the lead petitioners.

Uganda’s anti-homosexuality act

Life imprisonment for gay sex, including oral sex
Life imprisonment for “aggravated homosexuality”, including sex with a minor or while HIV-positive
Life imprisonment for living in a same-sex marriage
Seven years for “attempting to commit homosexuality”
Between five and seven years in jail or a $40,700 (£24,500) fine or both for the promotion of homosexuality
Businesses or non-governmental organisations found guilty of the promotion of homosexuality would have their certificates of registration cancelled and directors could face seven years in jail
He broke ranks with his party by opposing the law in parliament, and said he did not fear a backlash from voters in the 2016 election, our reporter says.

“I don’t fear losing an election. There is only one thing I fear – living in a society that has no room for minorities. I will not live in a society that doesn’t respect and protect people who are different from the majority,” Mr Odoi said.

Prominent Ugandan journalist Andrew Mwenda also supported the court action.

“This Act not only represents an effort by the executive and parliament to scapegoat an unpopular minority for political gain, but we believe it also violates the highest law of our country,” he said.

Patience to support UN on women, children rights

The First lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, on Tuesday pledged to work with a UN Human Rights Commission to advance the rights of women and children.

Jonathan made the pledge when Ms Navanetham Pillay, UN High Commissioner on Human Rights paid a courtesy visit to the presidential villa in Abuja.

“I’m ready to work with you so that women and children can enjoy their rights. We are trying our best so that women will be given their rightful positions,” she said.

She outlined her efforts in advocating for women’s inclusion in governance so that women could contribute their quota to the development of the nation.

“We have advocated for 35 per cent inclusion and today, the President included women who hold key positions in governance.

“The president also ensured free education for the girl-child and we are still advocating for the states that are yet to adopt the child rights act to do so,” Jonathan said.

Earlier, Pillay said she was in Nigeria because the UN was advocating that all countries develop a culture of human rights.

“We want you to help us make people aware of their human rights, especially violence against women, development issues and protection of children.

“It would be so important if you raise your voice for the children. Nigeria can be a leader on the continent if it complies with these matters,” Pillay said.

She condemned the maltreatment of a Nigerian by the police in South Africa which was caught on video.

Russia refuses Ukraine talk

Russia’s leaders are refusing all negotiations with their Ukrainian counterparts, Ukraine’s acting President Oleksandr Turchynov has said.

Mr Turchynov told the AFP agency that Ukraine would not intervene militarily in Crimea, even though a secession referendum there was a “sham”.

Meanwhile interim Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk is travelling to the US to meet President Barack Obama.

On Thursday he is due to address the UN Security Council in New York.

‘A provocation’
“We cannot launch a military operation in Crimea, as we would expose the eastern border [close to Russia] and Ukraine would not be protected,” Mr Turchynov told AFP.

Confab: NSCDC deploys 2,000 personnel, hotels offer discount

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps has deployed about 2,000 personnel, and sniffer dogs for the national conference which is commencing next week.

The corps said its men and dogs have taken charge at the National Judicial Council venue of the confab along Airport Road, Abuja.

The NSCDC Public Relations Officer, Emmanuel Okeh, told our correspondent that all the entry and exit points of the Federal Capital Territory had been placed under security watch by the service.

He said, “We have already deployed about 2,000 personnel  and sniffer dogs to ensure extensive security coverage for the national conference. The conference venue, and all the entry and exit points have been placed under security watch and we are working with other security agencies to ensure a hitch-free confab.”

The police on the other hand, have yet to roll out their strategy measures for the conference, because the leadership of the FCT Police Command, has not met to take a decision on it.

The FCT Police Public Relations Officer, Altine Daniel, stated that the management team would soon meet to take a strategic decision on the security for the delegates and at the confab venue.

Checks showed that hotels in Abuja are preparing to host the delegates as some of them are offering discounts and other incentives to lure them to lodge with them for the three-month duration of the event.

Findings indicated that the Sheraton Hotel and Towers, is offering a discount of about N35,000 to delegates, as well as free breakfast daily.

The hotel’s Public Relations Officer, Nanji Tyem, who confirmed the offer on Tuesday, added that guests would also enjoy a variety of activities lined up by the management during the stay of the delegates.

It was learnt that the NICON Luxury hotel, was also making overtures to officials in the office of the Secretary to Government of the Federation, to accommodate some delegates in the facility.

It was learnt that the sales department of the hotel, was also offering generous discounts to the government, to sway them into lodging the delegates with them.

But it could not be confirmed if the government planned to handle the accommodation of the delegates or whether it intends to pay them their hotel allowances to them to enable individuals make their own arrangement.

JTF captures wounded B’Haram fighters in Lake Chad -Military

The Defence Headquarters on Tuesday said soldiers of the Multi-National Joint Task Force have arrested unspecified number of Boko Haram attackers who had been wounded in the course of the renewed bombardments of their camps by the military.
A statement on Tuesday by the Director of Defence Information, Maj.-Gen. Chris Olukolade, said the “captured terrorists” had also made useful information concerning their involvements in the insurgency in the North-East of the country while equally pleading for forgiveness.
The statement read in part, “Scores of wounded terrorists who escaped from various camps under the fire of security forces have been captured in the fringes of Lake Chad.  The captured terrorists some of whom are fatally wounded are already making useful statements to interrogators of the Multi-National Joint Task Force.  Others were captured by troops in locations around Dikwa, Cross Kauwa, Kukawa and Alargarmo.
“In their confessions, it was revealed that some of the camps have been disbanded following the directive of their clerics who declared that the operation of the sect had come to an end as the mission could no longer be sustained.  The terrorists who are giving useful information as to the locations of their remnant forces, are full of apologies and pleas for their lives to be spared promising to cooperate.”
The statement added that the captured terrorists said starvation had made their violent campaigns difficult while the wounded members of the sect could no longer access medical attention.
It said, “They confirmed that starvation was a major problem in addition to ceaseless bombardments on the camp locations even when they kept relocating.  They also confirm that several members of the group have been wounded and no treatment was forth coming.  Troops have continued their assault on other locations across the states covered by the state of emergency.”
The Defence Headquarters warned members of the public, who had cultivated the habit of sight-seeing in the camps, where the insurgents had recently been dislodged, to desist from such act.
“Members of the public, who have started visiting to engage in sight seeing in some dislodged camps and fringes of  forests such as Sambisa and others have been warned to desist from doing so as the tendency will no more be condoned where operations are still ongoing,” it added.

No excuse for failure, Aregbesola tells Jonathan

Osun Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, on Tuesday urged Nigerians to use their vote to remove leaders who always offered excuses for their failure to deliver dividends of democracy.

He spoke in Abuja while delivering a lecture at the Good Governance Forum organized by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission.

The ICPC chair, Ekpo Nta, said the forum was for governors, professionals and public officials “who are adjudged to have impacted meaningfully on the lives of Nigerians”.

Speaking on the title, “Governance, Accountability and Transformation”, Aregbesola said with education reforms and good policies, “Nigeria can achieve more success than the Asian Tigers and the newly industrialised countries of South America”.

According to him, government has no meaning if it does not translate to welfare of the people, their security and improvement in their conditions of living and beautiful things they aspire to have.

In a veiled reference to President Goodluck Jonathan’s comment that he inherited the rot in education, Aregbesola said, “We don’t have to reinvent the wheel. There is never a time when there will be no excuse for failure.

“ICPC don’t be annoyed oh. I won’t mention name. One government said ‘I didn’t bring the rot in education, I met it’. Baba Obasanjo said ‘I dey laugh o’. Me too I said I dey laugh o. We know that was why we elected you to change it. If this is how you met it then change it.

“The good thing about democracy is that it periodically provides opportunity for us to kick out a government that offers excuses all the time and blames others for its failure.”

Explaining the situation in Baptist High School, Iwo, where students wore masquerade attires and choir gowns because some wore hijab to school, the governor said he would have suspended 92 of the 2000 students responsible for the crisis.

He said, “Because I am a humanist that believes in the right of the people to protest, I allowed them to have their way. As a matter of fact, if you want to go to the root, there are over 2000 schools in Osun and more than one denomination of Christians; but the Baptist group for whatever reasons chose to be recalcitrant. We are still engaging them.”

The governor said he could not be labelled a fanatic because in the past he had been accused of promoting traditional religion.

“A personality that is fanatical will not recognize traditional religion. Osun is the only place where Ifa people do their things officially. I am a Muslim and I am serious about it; but beyond that, you can be anything.

“I don’t even discuss religion with my wife. Look at my wife, she does not wear hijab. If my wife does not wear hijab, how can I force another person to wear it?

“Which one do you want to accuse me of? Take your mind of this. Osun is at peace with everybody. I am a Muslim; there is no doubt about that.”

Aregbesola boasted that Osun was a trailblazer in education for providing free uniform for over 750,000 students which had generated 3000 jobs, providing one meal daily for over 250,000 students with 300,000 eggs, 15,000 chicken and 15 herds of cattle weekly.

“We are not deterred by the antics of our detractors, who being mortally afraid of our success in this area, are raising storm in a teacup by shifting the focus of our reform, imputing religious motives and fictively inventing a religious crisis when they could not rouse one,” he said.

The governor lamented that corruption had become a national albatross that had made government irrelevant to the people and therefore defeated the purpose of governance in the country.

He said accountability, legitimacy of government and transparency in democracy were needed to ensure good governance.

“The point must be made very clear that democracy only guarantees the people choice – in determining their rulers and in policy-making. It, however, does not guarantee good governance.

“In spite of its imperfection, democracy offers the highest assurance of a very high probability of good governance.

“This is because it is only in a democracy that the rulers can be most accountable to the people. It therefore follows that when governance is accountable and transparent, it would bring about positive transformation in the lives of the people, which ultimately is the end of government and governance,” he said.

Aregbesola advocated for financial autonomy for states to check mismanagement of public funds.

He said, “Many of our governments, at all levels, lack imagination and zeal. We all wait for the monthly federal allocation which in most cases is barely sufficient to pay salaries.

“Also, because the federation account allocation is more of an unearned rent, it is spent as freebies and this is one of the impetuses of corruption.

“Every state, including the Federal Government, should strive for financial autonomy and self sufficiency. The federal allocation should not be used for paying salaries and running government. It should be tied to specific development projects.”

Police kill three robbers in rivers, parade others

THE Rivers State Police Command on Tuesday Police kill three robbers in rivers, parade others said it shot and killed three armed robbers during two different gun duels with policemen in Umelelu Elele and Bori Market.
The State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Tunde Ogunsakin, disclosed this while parading 30 suspects at the state police command for various offences, including kidnapping and armed robbery.
Ogunsakin explained the police recovered a black Volkswagen Golf car, two AK-47 rifles, one locally made pistol, some live ammunitions, jewelries and a laptop.
The state police commissioner said his men had within three weeks waged war against hoodlums in the state, adding that two suspected kidnappers; Thompson Order and Daniel Ikimi, were arrested by men of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit.
He disclosed that one Mrs. Ibiso Atiegoba, who was kidnapped on February 20, 2014, was rescued by the police.
“On March 1, 2014, two armed robbers; Tamuno Michael and Inyenime Morgan were arrested by men of the anti-robbery unit after they, alongside three others , who are still at large, invaded a cosmetic store at No 3, Masa Street, Off Abuloma Road, Port Harcourt.
“The police recovered one beretta pistol with six rounds of ammunition from Tamuno Michael, while a locally-made pistol was recovered from his accomplice, Inyenime Morgan,” Ogunsakin added.
The state police commissioner pointed out that the anti-robbery squad and anti-kidnapping unit of the command arrested 10 suspects at the Abalama Forest.
He said the arrest became possible as a result of one week intense search within the forest known to be a hideout for criminals.
According to Ogunsakin, one AK-47 rifle and one locally-made pistol was recovered from the hoodlums’ hideout.
“I still stand by the earlier warning I sounded to all criminals in the state to either have a change of mind and become law-abiding citizens or re-locate from Rivers State immediately.
“This is so because they shall be made to face the full wrath of the law as there will be no hiding place for them,” the state police commissioner cautioned.

B’Haram attacks LG chairman’s convoy, three policemen, drivers missing

Three policemen and two drivers have been declared missing after suspected members of the violent Islamic sect, Boko Haram, attacked the convoy of Gwoza Local Government chairman, Hamman Ahmadu, where two vehicles were also destroyed.
It was learnt that the chairman and his convoy ran into an ambush by the sect members at a blown-up bridge on the Bama-Gwoza road at about 4.35pm on Monday.

Narrating the incident to journalists in Maiduguri on Tuesday, Mallam Baba, a driver attached to Borno State Government House, Maiduguri, said the convoy was surrounded by several gunmen as it got to the bridge.

He said, “On reaching the bridge, after returning from Gwoza township and Barawa village on an official visit, we were surrounded by several gunmen at the destroyed Firgi Bridge. They shot sporadic from all directions. Three drivers were able to make a U-turn and escaped while two other vehicles, including my Hilux vehicle, were abandoned, I had to crawl for about 300 metres to escape from the insurgents.”
On casualties of the attack, Baba said, “It is only God that saved our lives yesterday evening (Monday), including the council chairman, which was in the fifth vehicle in the convoy; before we were ambushed at the bridge. Three policemen are missing and two other drivers of the convoy. Up to the time I am speaking to you; the five people in the
attacked convoy are yet to be found, 20 hours after we were attacked.”

Obasanjo is Nigeria’s worst leader –Uzor Kalu

The immediate past Governor of Abia State, Chief Orji Kalu, on Tuesday said former President Olusegun Obasanjo remained the worst leader Nigeria had had since its independence in 1960.
Kalu spoke at an annual lecture organised by the Department of Economics, University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
He presented the keynote address, entitled ‘Youth Empowerment and Good Governance: Veritable Tools for Economic Development’.
The former Abia State governor said the closure of Hallmark Bank, where he (Kalu) had significant stake and Slok Air, were efforts deployed by Obasanjo to deal with him.
He said the former President’s action against Hallmark Bank and Slok Air slowed down the employment opportunities he (Kalu) would have created for Nigerians.
Kalu, however, enjoined the federal and state governments to initiate entrepreneurship programmes that would help achieve economic development.
The former governor said to achieve meaningful development, governments at all levels must empower the youths.
He observed that economic development was a major criterion for national development.
”If there is no economic stability in the world, there will be no political stability,” Kalu said.
He added, ”Economic development can only be possible when youth empowerment and good governance are firmly rooted, and the true measure of good governance is the ability of a government to realise people’s human rights and deliver sustainable and equitable development.
”As long as there is corruption, economic development may remain a mirage. There is great need for all of us, especially the government to work hard and work together to eliminate poverty.
”I urge the federal and state governments to make good use of the potentials found in the economic departments in our country because it is the department that should be the centre of research for government at various levels.”

Ecobank removes Tanoh, appoints Essien as CEO

Ecobank Transnational Incorporated on Tuesday appointed Mr. Albert Essien as the Group Chief Executive Officer of the bank with immediate effect.

Essien, hitherto the bank’s Deputy CEO/ Group Executive Director for Corporate and Investment, replaces Mr. Thierry Tanoh as the CEO of the bank.

ETI at its meeting in Lome, Togo, on Tuesday announced the departure of Tanoh from the bank with immediate effect. It also stated in a statement on that the outgoing CEO would no longer be a Director of ETI.

The statement said Essien had been at Ecobank for over 20 years, rising to the position of Deputy Group CEO in 2012.

It stated, “Prior to becoming Deputy CEO, Essien was the Regional Head for the Anglophone West Africa (excluding Nigeria) and Eastern and Southern Africa regions. He started his banking career in 1986 with the National Investment Bank in Accra, Ghana and joined the Corporate Banking Department of Ecobank Ghana in 1990. In 1997, he became Country Risk Manager.

Announcing the change of guard, ETI Interim Chairman, André Siaka, said, “We wish to thank Thierry Tanoh for his service to Ecobank and we wish him every success in the future. We believe that Mr Albert Essien has the experience and knowledge that Ecobank needs to take us forward as we continue to implement our strategy which is to deliver outstanding customer service, to improve long-term shareholder value and returns and to be the employer of choice in our markets.”

Speaking after his appointment, Essien said, “I have been working for Ecobank for more than 20 years and I am proud of what we have achieved so far. I am committed to achieving our vision of building a world class pan-African bank which contributes to the economic development and financial integration of Africa and to our mission of providing our retail and wholesale customers with convenient, accessible and reliable financial products and services.”

Pension thieves cashed 400 cheques in one day -Witness

A prosecution witness in the ongoing trial of seven persons accused of complicity in the multi-billion naira police pension fraud, Mustapha Gadanya, has narrated to Justice Hussein Baba of the Federal Capital Territory High Court how 400 cheques were  cashed in a day by the accused persons.
Led in evidence by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission  counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, Gadanya told the court on Tuesday in Abuja that he obtained and analyzed the Certified True Copy of instruments used in making withdrawals in the name of Veronica Onyegbula and the Directors of Police Pension  office, Esai Dangaba, Abubakar Atiku and Inuwa Wada.

A statement by the Head, Public Relations Unit, EFCC, Wilson Uwajaren, explained that Gadanya  told the court that the directors carried out the cheque transactions without any letter of exemption from compliance with the e-payment circular from the office of the Accountant General.

“Over 400 cheques were withdrawn and we got this information from the bank statement furnished us by First Bank Plc.

“We discovered that the three directors are all signatories to the fraudulent cheques. We also discovered that Mrs. Uzoma  Attang, John Yusuf, Gabriel Ikpe, Mike Okoro and one Mrs Amu (currently at large), are among those who signed the cheques,” Gadanya said.

Justice Baba, who was apparently shocked by the revelation, sought to know from the witness what currency was involved to which the witness responded, “Naira, my Lord”.

Gadanya then went on to state that between January 31, 2011 and May 6, 2011, over N1bn was withdrawn and that the sum of N650m was withdrawn on January 31,2011.

He said, “We discovered that between August 2007 and December 2007, over N4bn was withdrawn; between January and December 2008, over N5bn was withdrawn; between January and December 2009, over N8bn was withdrawn and between January and December 2010, over N3bn was withdrawn.”

The witness  also informed the court that between February and May 2011 when Wada was the director of the police pension office, he withdrew about N850m, while over N4bn was withdrawn between December 2009 and January, 2011 when  Abubakar was the director of the police pension office.

Also over N14bn was withdrawn during  Dangabar’s tenure from January 2008 to November 2009, bringing the total amount siphoned from the police pension account to N20bn, which EFCC described as a flagrant violation of extant financial regulations.

However, attempt by the prosecution to tender two documents – the analysis of the cheques and the certificate of identification- was opposed by the defence counsel.

Baba adjourned proceedings to March 12, for ruling on the defendants’ objection and continuation of trial.

Nasarawa crisis: Senator accuses gov of implicating Egon elite

The senator representing Nasarawa North Senatorial District in the Senate, Senator Solomon Ewuga, on Tuesday alleged that the State Governor, Umar Tanko Al-Makura, deliberately implicated Egon elites over the last year’s Ombatse crisis in the state which led to death of many security operatives.

Ewuga , an Egon leader,  made the allegation at a news conference in Abuja even as he  faulted the panel report which indicted him of involvement in  the bloody crises as contained in the report of Justice Joseph Fola Gbadeyan-led Commission  of inquiry set up to look into the Alakyo killings of May 7, 2013.

Ewuga said though he had not seen the white paper, “for the governor to have read the six-volume paper and swiftly emerged with appropriate punishment within two days indicated it was premeditated.”

Ewuga, who is the Vice Chairman, Senate Committee on Land Transport, also expressed surprise that a panel, which merely invited him as a witness and not as an accused could find him guilty of an offense without giving him the opportunity of fair hearing.

He said, “I have not seen the White Paper and the Panel’s recommendation but whatever my response is today is based on what I saw on the media, first on AIT on Monday and then, on the pages of the newspapers on Tuesday.

“The report was handed in on Friday and it is a six-volume report. For the fact that the White Paper is already out indicates a premeditation because it was an ingenuous thing to have read those volumes and to decipher the appropriateness of the punishment or otherwise within two days.

“Secondly, I was invited as a witness to the Panel not as an accused and I was not availed of any cross examination of purported accusation against me which you know by virtue of the provision of the Constitution, breaches my fundamental rights to fair hearing.

“To my understanding of the issues, my invitation as a witness was supposed to establish the credibility or otherwise of what I know within my purview of the event related to whatever circumstance the Ombatse is involved in.”

Ewuga exonerated himself from the alleged financing of the activities of Ombatse Cultural Group and argued that he was being witch hunted  for being politically visible in the state.

Ewuga had recently indicated interest in moving from the All Progressives Congress to the ruling People’s Democratic Party, and had expressed his interest to formalise his defection on the floor of the senate.

 

Anenih appeals to South-West PDP on unity

As the battle for the 2015 general elections draws nearer, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Tony Annenih has appealed to members of the party in the South-West to unite in order to enhance the chances of the ruling party.

Apart front this, he noted that reconciliation among members of the party in the zone was also very important.

Anenih spoke just as the Secretary to Government of the Federation, Senator Pius Anyim, said all parts of the federation had a stake in the continued stability and political development of the country.

The PDP BoT chairman spoke when he received executive committee and members of the South West Network, a pressure group within the ruling PDP, at his residence in Abuja on Tuesday.

The BoT chairman said it was imperative for the group to work with elders of the party at the states and the national levels in order to stem the dwindling fortunes of the party in the zone.

The former minister of works commended the initiative of the group and pledged his support for its determination to ensure victory of the party at the forthcoming governorship election in Ekiti and Osun states and other future elections.

He said, “You must brace to remain steadfast because some other people will try to attack you, but since your goals are noble and genuine, then you have my blessing.”

In his remarks, the Chairman of the SWN, Senator Hosea Agboola, said the group was formed to redress the sliding relevance of the South-West in the Nigerian political space, adding that disunity, continuous bickering and leadership vacuum had contributed to the maginilisation of the zone.

He said the group was embarking on reconciliation of leaders and providing the platform to rally round the South-West members of the PDP to take their rightful position in the scheme of things.

Agboola , who is also Deputy Chief Whip of the Senate, commended Anenih for his leadership and relentless effort to stem the  crisis in the party, adding that a new lease of life was returning to the party, which had helped the reconciliation process.

When the group visited Anyim, he told the its members to continue to sensitise the people of the zone on the need to see themselves as important segment of the federation and contribute to the empowerment of the people at the grass-roots

The SGF said, “Your group should look beyond the elections and contribute to developing the consciousness of the people towards the transformation agenda of the present administration.

“From the calibre of the members, your integrity and level of achievement, your group possesses the capacity and credibility to represent the interest of the South-West.”

Agboola said the group had also visited former President Olusegun Obasanjo; former Deputy Chairman of the PDP, Chief Bode George, and Chief Shuaib Oyedokun.

Ugandan rights activists challenge anti-gay law

Ugandan rights activists and politicians have filed a legal challenge to overturn a tough anti-gay law condemned by Western donors.

The law violated the rights of gay people and subjected them to “cruel and inhuman punishment”, they said.

Several cases of “violence and retaliation” have been reported since President Yoweri Museveni signed the law last month, the activists added.

Uganda is a deeply conservative society where many people oppose gay rights.

However, some people are beginning to question whether punishments proposed in the law are too harsh, reports BBC Uganda correspondent Catherine Byaruhanga.

It allows life imprisonment as the penalty for acts of “aggravated homosexuality” and also criminalises the “promotion of homosexuality”.

The Civil Society Coalition on Human Rights and Constitutional Law, which represents about 50 groups, filed the petition in the Constitutional Court, asking for the law to be annulled.

Ruling party MP Fox Odoi, who is Museveni’s former legal adviser, was among the lead petitioners.

He broke ranks with his party by opposing the law in parliament, and said he did not fear a backlash from voters in the 2016 election, our reporter says.

“I don’t fear losing an election. There is only one thing I fear – living in a society that has no room for minorities. I will not live in a society that doesn’t respect and protect people who are different from the majority,” Odoi said.

Prominent Ugandan journalist Andrew Mwenda also supported the court action.

“This Act not only represents an effort by the executive and parliament to scapegoat an unpopular minority for political gain, but we believe it also violates the highest law of our country,” he said.

Some people known or suspected to be gay had faced “violence and retaliation” since the law was signed, the coalition said in a statement, the AFP news agency reports.

It had documented 10 cases of arrests of people, and at least three cases of landlords evicting tenants, the coalition added.

Uganda’s authorities have defended the law, saying President Museveni wanted “to demonstrate Uganda’s independence in the face of Western pressure and provocation”.

The World Bank has postponed a $90m (£54m) loan to Uganda to improve its health services after the law was approved.

Several European nations – including Denmark, Norway, the Netherlands and Sweden – have cut aid to Uganda to show their opposition to the law.

The sponsor of the law, MP David Bahati, insists that homosexuality is a “behaviour that can be learned and can be unlearned”.

JTF trains 28 soldiers to tackle oil theft

Determined to end cases of oil theft in Nigeria, the Joint Military Task Force in the Niger Delta has graduated 28 soldiers trained on water operations and rescue missions.

The Commander of the 2nd Brigade, Brigadier-General Osasogie Uzamere, disclosed this on Tuesday during the fifth Watermanship Amphibious Training Programme for troops under the JTF Sector 2 Command in Degema, Rivers State.
Uzamere, who was represented at the occasion by the 2nd Brigade Chief of Staff, Col. Innocent Olotta, explained that the training was targetted as emboldening soldiers and erasing hydrophobia in the minds of soldiers during amphibious operations.
He stated that the soldiers received training in many swimming techniques like freestyle stroke, breaststroke, survival and endurance technique, butterfly stroke and backstroke.
Uzamere recalled that the JTF had in the past recorded death of its personnel due to the fear of water that led to the drowning of some of its men.
According to him, “Some of our JTF operatives are from the North where there are no rivers. This means that they are not used to water and the creeks of the Niger Delta.
“Despite wearing life jackets during rare occasions of boat mishaps while on operations, soldiers can possibly drown due to panic on sighting the broadness of water surrounding them.
“The Niger Delta terrain is quite difficult. So, it became necessary that JTF operatives received the best training available in other to better protect the nation’s economic lifeline.”
Uzamere pointed out that the watermanship course would enable JTF troops to swim and protect themselves, save drowning colleagues and rescue endangered civilian boats.
He expressed the JTF’s commitment towards ensuring that the troops were combat-ready, saying, “This is in-line with the federal government focus on ending attacks on the nation’s oil installations.

N61.9bn: Reps accuse colleague of attempting to shield Alison-Maduek

A shouting match erupted among members of the House of Representatives on Tuesday as they disagreed over the N61.9bn budget proposed for the Ministry of Petroleum Resources and its parastatals this year.

Trouble started after some members accused the Chairman, House Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream), Mr. Ajibola Muraina, of attempting to shield the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, from answering questions on the details of the budget.

Muraina, a Peoples Democratic Party member from Oyo State, had ordered that the details of the budget should be considered behind closed doors ( in secrecy) after the minister had given the highlights in the open.

However, not quite 10 minutes into the secret session, some members were heard shouting and protesting loudly over an alleged bid to shield the minister from talking.

One All Progressives Congress member from Kaduna State,  Mr. Bala Yusuf, forced the door open and stormed out of the session.

He kept shouting, “I will speak, I will speak, that is not the way to handle budget issues. Why can’t we ask questions? Why?

A PDP member from Imo State, Mr. Raphael Nnana-Igbokwe, rushed after the APC member, trying to calm him down to no avail.

The closed door session came to an abrupt end as Muraina too went to where Yusuf was standing and fuming. Muriana spoke to him in a hushed tone.

Alison-Madueke, who looked worried, also went to Yusuf and tried to calm him down by making a joke out of the situation.

She went to meet Yusuf in company with the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Mr. Andrew Yakubu.

The minister held Yusuf’s hand, asking, “Hon. What is your question? What is your question? Tell me, I will answer you.”

When she saw that the lawmaker was not ready to reduce to issue to a joke, Diezani added, “okay, next time, if you shout, I will shout too”, as she continued to smile.

At this point, the GMD attempted to intervene. Yusuf acknowledged him, saying, “This is my elder brother, I respect him.”

They succeeded in calming Yusuf, but the lawmaker later stated that he had already made his point.

Before Muraina called for the controversial closed door session, the minister had informed the committee that her ministry and parastatals had a budget of N61.9bn this year.

She broke the figure down into N53.8bn for personnel cost; N1.8bn for overhead cost; and N6.2bn for capital projects.

Alison-Madueke, who claimed that the ministry was facing funding challenges, told the committee that N4.3bn of the N8.5bn budgeted for capital project in 2013 was released by the Ministry of Finance.

But, she said the ministry could only utilise N3.8bn of the N4.3bn, an indication that over N500million was returned to the treasury.

As for the the N50.4bn and N1.8bn budgeted for personnel cost and overhead cost respectively in 2013, the minister said the sub-heads were implemented “100 per cent.”

Meanwhile, the committee reviewed the scarcity of petroleum products, especially petrol, in the country and directed Alison-Madueke to use “magic” to end it.

The meeting was a joint session of the committees on Petroleum Resources, Upstream/Downstream and Gas Resources.

On petrol scarcity, Muraina said, “There was the magic that you used sometime ago to stop scarcity. Go back to the magic and ensure that products flow freely.

“We saw the GMD trying to cover up by visiting some filling stations, but the truth is that there is scarcity.”

When journalists confronted Alison-Madueke with questions as she exited the venue of the meeting, the minister insisted that the scarcity was caused by “diversion and hoarding.”

She stated that the ministry was working hard to resolve the problem by investigating it.

She said the situation in Lagos had normalised following the intervention of the ministry and the NNPC.

The minister added that she was turning serious attention to Abuja where the scarcity had persisted in spite of raising the daily truck out of products to the city.

An NNPC source claimed on Tuesday that the daily truck out was increased  from 100 to 150 lately in efforts to end the scarcity without success.

FG increases aerial border patrol to stop attacks

The Federal Government has said several steps are being taken to check the violent activities of Boko Haram insurgents, including increased aerial surveillance of the north eastern part of the country.

It stated that a committee, set up to evaluate the preparedness of security forces to combat terrorists in the North-East, had submitted its report and the recommendations would be implemented.

Minister of Interior,  Abba Moro, who said this on Tuesday when he received a delegation from Dana Airline, added that the committee had taken an inventory of serviceable and unserviceable aircraft, stressing that the government would take appropriate decision to empower security forces to overcome the security crisis in the northern part of the country.

According to him, it is necessary to take proper control of the country’s borders especially in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states, where the security challenge is high.

Moro revealed that most of the perpetrators of mayhem in the country were foreigners who entered the country illegally through the nation’s porous borders.

The minister noted that the government was using three measures to check illegal entry at the borders by constructing border plazas, deploying vehicular patrol and technological equipment as well as increasing aerial surveillance.

He said, “Since my visit to your (Dana) office and inspection of our facilities, we have taken some other steps to see how we can resuscitate our air border patrol. I had set up a committee to examine our existing preparedness to undertake border patrol against the backdrop of our existing aircraft; some that are serviceable and some that are not serviceable and the report has been submitted.”

FG must not allow terrorists to sleep -Tambuwal

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Aminu Tambuwal, on Tuesday asked the Federal Government to redouble its anti-terrorism war by changing to strategies that would stop the killing of innocent children and other victims by members of the Boko Haram sect.

He said if the killers had resolved not to allow Nigerians live in peace, the government must not let them sleep too.

Tambuwal suggested that it might be time to revisit the clamour for state police.

In a speech entitled, “One massacre too many”, Tambuwal recalled with pain, the February 25 massacre of 59 students of the Federal Government College, Buni Yadi, Yobe State, by the sect and said the situation required a change of tactics by security agencies.

The House had declared Tuesday a day to grieve over the murder of the students and all other victims of Boko Haram attacks.

Members had reconvened for plenary after staying away for two weeks to allow standing committees work on the details of the 2014 budget.

However, the session was dedicated to the victims of terror attacks, where members observed a minute’s silence for the repose of their souls.

The session started with the Majority Leader, Mulikat Akande-Adeola, moving a motion to mourn the killings.

Part of her motion reads, “That this House do hold a special session to deliberate on the incessant killings and maiming of people and residents of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe by Boko Haram insurgents.”

As Tambuwal tried to imagine the anguish of the defenceless schoolchildren, the speaker described February 25 as a “day that will live in infamy in the history of this nation.”

Tambuwal said, “When innocent, harmless and defenseless women and children become the targets of these heartless murderous bandits; when the lives of sleeping children are so callously snuffed out, it becomes clear that these agents of terror have murdered sleep and they henceforth deserve none.

“Whatever grievances the terrorists harbor against the government of Nigeria, Nigeria’s innocent children have nothing to do with it. Nigeria’s children bear no responsibility for either policy making or policy implementation in Nigeria.

“It is therefore an act of cowardice worthy of ringing condemnation to target the children, to strike at those who are not only innocent but are also unable to strike back or defend themselves. There can be no reason, no justification and no acceptable excuse for this act of mindless brutality.

“Whatever message the terrorists set out to send to the Nigerian government has been drowned out by the cries for justice by the blood of these innocent martyrs.

“Today is not a day to apportion blames. It is a day for the expression of our sense of personal and national loss. But it is also a day for us to look for concrete solutions.”

As part of its support for the search for solutions, Tambuwal noted that the House had passed over 24 resolutions on national security, voted “huge sums” for security agencies and amended the Anti-terrorism Act, 2011 to give more powers to security agencies.

To get positive results, Tambuwal suggested that government should look in the way of strengthening intelligence gathering by security agencies, encouraging the Nigeria police to embrace community policing and creating a role for traditional rulers in this regard.

He said, “What about integrating local security structures into the regular security windows of the Nigerian Police Force with the Federal, State and Local governments supporting them with necessary resources?

“Is it perhaps time for us to revisit the idea of State Police?

“How do we develop an institutional framework for securing the land through a neighborhood audit where a tab is kept on every member and every housing structure whether completed or uncompleted?”

However, our correspondent observes that state police is no longer an item on the ongoing review of the 1999 Constitution by the House, as the proposal had earlier been rejected overwhelmingly by lawmakers.

There were no further debate after the speaker’ speech. Members simply adjourned plenary for another one week.

The House explained that the one week was to give some committees still working on the 2014 budget more time to conclude their meetings with Ministries, Departments and Agencies.

The plenary will reconvene on March 18.

N24bn pension fund: Reps summon Okonjo-Iweala, Aganga, Adesina

Two committees of the House of Representatives on Tuesday summoned the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, over two separate issues.

One summons was by the Committee on Public Accounts chaired by Mr. Solomon Olamilekan.

The committee is investigating how the N24billion drawn from the Service Wide Vote in 2010 for the Police Pension Fund was utilised.

Incidentally, the same committee had summoned the minister last week over the alleged diversion of another N29bn to capital projects from the police pension fund.

She was yet to appear in respect of the first summons when the committee summoned her again on Tuesday.

Similarly, the Committee on Customs summoned Okonjo-Iweala on Tuesday over the Federal Government’s policy on rice importation, said to have cost Nigeria revenue loss of N300bn last year.

To appear with her in respect of the rice importation, are the Minister of Trade and Investment, Mr. Olusegun Aganga, and his counterpart in the Ministry of Agriculture, Mr. Akinwumi Adesina.

The PAC had summoned Okonjo-Iweala after the Director-General of Pension Transitional Arrangement Department, Mrs. Nellie Mayshak, informed lawmakers that her office did not have documented evidence on how the N24bn was utilised.

Mayshak, who said she just resumed at the office, told the committee that the money was spent before her appointment.

She added, “We have no evidence, we have no record. It just look bad on our part. We rather tell you the truth or make it up”.

But, the Internal Auditor of the Pension Office, Mr Adeyemo Adebolu, whom the committee called to react to Mayshak’s submission, confirmed that the N24bn was drawn from the SWV in 2010.

However, he claimed that he had advised that the money should be lodged in an account in a commercial bank. He stated that he later kept out of the picture when the withdrawals started.

Expressing surprise over his comments, Olamilekan said, “I am taken aback, because what you are telling us is that the Service Wide Vote is a slush account.

“It is an account that is used to settle the boys. We will not allow this to go under the carpet”.

Summoned to appear along with Okonjo-Iweala were the Accountant-General of the Federation, Mr Jonah Otunla; Auditor-General of the Federation, Mr Samuel Ukura; and the Director-General Budget Office, Dr. Bright Okogu.

On rice importation, the Chairman of the Committee on Customs,  Mr. Mohammed Nakudu, recalled that the government’s policy on rice importation had “caused ripples in the country and indeed cause a high loss to the government revenue.”

He added that the ministers were required to explain how the policy cost the country a revenue of over N300bn in 2013.

Boko Haram killings senseless -US envoy

The United States has described the recent killing of Nigerians, especially schoolchildren, by the Boko Haram insurgents as “senseless”.

The US Consular-General in Nigeria, Mr Jeffy Hawkins, said this on Tuesday in Ado-Ekiti while addressing newsmen.

He spoke shortly after visiting some aspirants who would participate in the June 21 governorship election in the state.

The envoy said such a development was not good for a country planning to conduct general elections in 2015.

He warned that the activities of the Islamist sect could mar the elections if not checked.

Hawkins said the American government had already voted $15 million to facilitate the conduct of the elections in Nigeria.

The envoy said his government was keen to ensure free and credible elections in the country and urged Nigerians to ensure a peaceful outcome.

Hawkins said his country would monitor Nigeria’s electoral umpire to ensure that the June 21 poll in Ekiti and that of Osun scheduled for August were conducted successfully.

He said the war against terrorism and insurgency in the country must be won to enable the country move forward.

Gunmen abduct Bayelsa commissioner’s sister in Oloibiri

Gunmen on Monday attacked Oloibiri community in Bayelsa, abducting one Joyce Ebua, a sister to the state’s Commissioner for Sports, Mr Maitama Obodo.

The five gunmen stormed Ebua’s residence at about 8.55 pm and whisked her away through the waterways at the back of her house.

The incident prompted the Commander of the Joint Task Force, Operation Pulo Shield, Maj.-Gen. Emmanuel Atewe, to deploy officers and men to launch a manhunt for the kidnappers.

It was learnt that Atewe led troops to the scene of the crime on Tuesday.

The gunmen were said to have shot sporadically into the air before taking away their victim to an unknown place in the creeks.

The Media Coordinator of the JTF, Col. Onyema Nwachukwu, confirmed the incident.

“The command has activated the security network on both land and waterways in conjunction with other security agencies to locate and track down the kidnappers,” he said.

The Bayelsa Commissioner of Police, Mr Hilary Opara, said also that the police had commenced investigations.

Insecurity: Group urges FG to review strategies

A group, Northern Elders and Leaders, on Tuesday urged the Federal Government to review its strategies towards ending the current insecurity in the North-East and other parts of the country.

This was part of the resolutions reached by the group at the end of a two-day meeting held in Kano to address challenges facing the Northern region.

A communique, read by Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed , called for “a total review” of the procedure of engagement in the fight against Boko Haram insurgents in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe States.

It advised the Federal Government to implement past reports and recommendations so as to reduce the current levels of insecurity in the affected areas..

The meeting also resolved “to establish a Relief Fund to assist the victims of the crises in the North, particularly in Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Plateau, Nasarawa and Benue.

On the planned National Conference, the meeting cautioned Northern delegates against voting on any issue, advising them to “seek to achieve consensus on all issues.”

It also called on leaders at all levels to be more sensitive to the demands of their offices.

It also urged them to particularly respect and uphold the rule of law and to be honest and accountable to the people.

On the 2015 election, it urged all politicians to develop the highest level of tolerance and a willingness to respect the will of the people in order to have credible and peaceful elections.

APC urges Jonathan to visit Yobe

The All Progressives Congress, has called on President Goodluck Jonathan to visit Yobe to commiserate with the families of students of Federal Government College, Bunu-Yadi killed by the Boko Haram insurgents on Feb. 24.

This is contained in a statement issued by Mr Lai Mohammed the Interim National Publicity Secretary of the party and made available to newsmen in Abuja on Monday.

He said that the President’s visit to the scene of the incident would give succour to families of the students, and assure them that government had not abandoned them.

He added that it would also be a morale booster to the troops securing lives and property in the North-East region.

The party spokesman said the visit could be likened to what other world leaders usually do in similar situations.

“President Barack Obama of the U.S. flew to Tennessee, where he spoke at a high school where students were still reeling over the shooting of one of their classmates in January.

“Also, in 2012, President Obama paid a similar visit to Newtown in Connecticut, where he met the relatives of the 20 schoolchildren and eight adults who were shot,” he said.

Mohammed said that the president should not give the impression that there was any part of the country he could not visit, which could suggest victory to the terrorists in the North-East.

B’Haram: DHQ sends fresh 1,000 soldiers to Borno

As part of the ongoing reorganisation of the Special Forces in the North-East, the authorities of the Nigerian military have ordered the deployment of more troops in Maiduguri, Borno State.

A military source said that the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Kenneth Minimah, had approved the deployment of over a battalion of soldiers to intensify the ongoing battle against insurgents in the North-East.

Usually, a battalion of the Nigerian Army is made up of between 850 and 1,000 soldiers.

It was gathered that the deployment was a routine military exercise which must take place for as long as the military operation to  flush out the insurgents and stabilise the security of the zone continued.

It was learnt that most of the soldiers who were driven into the Borno State capital by 2pm on Monday were taken to the headquarters of the 7th Infantry Division of the Nigerian Army at Maimalari, Maiduguri.

Investigations revealed that the soldiers were deployed from the Nigerian Army formations in Kotangora, Niger State and the Nigerian Army School of Artillery, and Corps Headquarters, Bauchi.

It was however not clear whether similar troop deployment had taken place in Adamawa and Yobe states which are also under emergency rule.

Repeated calls to the mobile telephone of the Director of Defence Information, Maj.-Gen. Chris Olukolade, did not connect.

A military source, however, said that the deployment was part of the ongoing reorganisation by the COAS to reposition the Special Forces to make them more responsive to the escalating insurgency in the North-East.

The deployment occurred shortly after the temporary relocation of the Chief of Army Staff to the North-East to personally oversee the military operation in compliance with the resolution of the Senate Committee on Defence.

The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Defence and the Army, Senator George Sekibo, had told the PUNCH exclusively that the Army chief had moved to the North-East in compliance with the Senate’s resolution.

Since his relocation to the North-East, the Army chief has also effected major changes in the military leadership in the North-East, especially in Borno State.

Two weeks ago, Minimah had replaced the General Officer Commanding the 7th Division, Maj.-Gen. Junaid Bindawa, with an officer with a reputation for operational efficiency nicknamed ‘bandit’ in military circles, Maj.-Gen. A. Mohammed.

Minimah also replaced the Commander of the 21 Brigade, Maiduguri, Brig.-Gen. Yusuf with Brig.-Gen. Ogundele.

The reorganisation also affected other senior military officers who occupied the position of Chief of Staff and Deputy Chief of Staff to the former Brigade Commander.

Meanwhile, soldiers from the One-Mechanised Division, Kaduna have demolished a building suspected to be a hideout of the insurgents.

The building  located at Tashar Kanawa in the Kwaru,  Badarawa area of Kaduna North Local Government Area of the state, our correspondents gathered, came under heavy attack on Sunday night.

It was learnt that the house had been an abode for the insurgents for some time now  and they had all the while terrorised Kwaru and Badarawa communities.

It was learnt that the hideout was uncovered when gunshots were  reportedly  fired from it on Sunday, a development that attracted the attention of neighbours who alerted security operatives.

Confirming the incident, the Public Relations Officer of the division, Col. Abdul Sani, said, “Yes, we demolished the building as a standard procedure for any building housing armed men.”

INEC compiles list of electoral law breaker

The Independent National Electoral Commission on Monday said it had begun compiling names of politicians breaching electoral laws in the country.

It said that  information on such politicians was  being passed on to security agencies for necessary action.

The commission’s Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, made this known  during an interactive session with   editors  in Lagos.

Jega, who again warned politicians  violating electioneering rules  ahead of 2015 polls, noted that   all  the registered political parties  were also  guilty.

The News Agency of Nigeria quoted Jega as saying that it  was wrong for any politician   to   campaign  for votes  now  since no party had    conducted  its primaries.

“When you say vote for me for this office in 2015, it is wrong because there is no platform. This can only happen when primaries have been conducted,’’ he added.

The INEC chief  however said that  parties  were free to hold their  rallies as long as they did  not campaign for votes for the 2015 elections.

Although he was confident  that  the 2015 polls would  surpass  the previous ones,  he expressed  worry  over the  behaviour  of some stakeholders, especially politicians.

He urged such politicians to change their attitude and respect the rules of the game.

Jega said that the commission   had substantially “placed square pegs in square holes’’ to ensure improvement in future elections.

“We have told our members of staff that anyone who does anything wrong will have himself or herself to blame,’’ the nation’s chief electoral officer stated.

He said that    INEC had   intensified training for its permanent and ad hoc staff to make them more proficient and   improved the integrity of the biometric register.

“We have cleaned the register. It now compares favourably with any electronic register anywhere in the world,’’  the commission’s boss  added.

Jega disclosed that  the polling units in the country would increase from  120, 000  to 150,000.

He explained that INEC  decided to  increase the units  because some of them had  as many as 3,000 voters,  a situation that  “ is not ideal.”

“It should be an average size of 500 voters per unit,’’ the INEC chief said, stressing that the 2015  elections would not hold in one day.

Jega  said,  ‘’We did elections for three days in 2011,  starting with the presidential, then the National Assembly and governorship/Houses of Assembly. In 2015, we  have reduced the number of election days to two, beginning with the presidential/National Assembly  and followed by the governorship/Houses of Assembly.

“We cannot do the elections in a day. To try it will be inviting more challenges to the system. Doing the elections in one day will mean deploying five different ballot boxes and ballot papers. We will also have to give illiterates too five different ballot papers.

“Logistics will be too enormous. Instead of moving materials for a particular election, we will be moving materials for all the elections. It will be cumbersome. It is impossible to do it in a day because  it will be challenging.

“We decided to hold it in two days. We decided to hold the presidential/National Assembly elections  the same day and the governorship/Houses of Assembly the same day. We tried to be rational and logical in fixing the dates.”

INEC has also  adopted  some security devices that can check multiple registrations, Jega said, adding that ballot papers and result sheets would  be numbered to make it possible for its  officials  to account for them.

He said  that INEC lacked the capacity to prosecute  those behind the over one million cases of multiple registrations in its records.

This, according to Jega, was “why we recommended the setting up of electoral offences tribunals in line with Justice (Muhammadu) Uwais’ recommendations.’’

He also explained  that the permanent voter cards  being  introduced by INEC  were chip-based and contained details of individuals which could be screened by card readers at polling units.

 The INEC chairman  said voter registration  would continue before the 2015 polls and the forthcoming governorship elections in Osun and Ekiti states.

Jega defended the  conduct of the   Anambra governorship election, saying it was    not as bad as  it was  portrayed in some quarters.

On  the call by some stakeholders that the 2015 polls should  hold   in one day, he said Nigeria was not ripe for it.

Jega also  said  that INEC  had yet to register the Unity Party of Nigeria because there were some unresolved leadership issues in the  group.

He equally refuted claims that the African Peoples Congress  was not registered     because of the All Progressives Congress.

The African Peoples Congress,  according to him,    did not meet the requirements for the registration of  new parties and hence its non-registration.

“After looking at the documents of the African Peoples Congress, it was duly informed on why it could not be registered. APC met all requirements for merger. INEC was guided by the law in whatever it did. Anybody who feels otherwise can go to court,” Jega  said.

When asked if  he was not worried that the  outcome of the   National Conference  could affect INEC’s plans,  he  replied, “We will cross the bridge when we get there.’’

He said INEC’s  interactions with the National Assembly  suggested that amendments to the Electoral Act might be done by July.

Second Niger Bridge, confab, emblems of cohesion –Jonathan

After many  years of delay, President Goodluck Jonathan on Monday formally  kick-started work on the Second Niger Bridge in Onitsha, Anambra State.

The 1,590- metre long  bridge  which would  form part of the  11-kilometre  Onitsha by-pass project will be completed in four years.

It will be executed under a Public Private Partnership arrangement  that will see the Federal Government contributing 25 per cent of the N117 bn  construction cost  and the   private sector  75 per cent.

The private  investors,  according to Jonathan, will recoup   their   funds within 25  years  through tolling.

Jonathan described the second Niger Bridge and the planned national conference that will kick off on Monday,  as two major emblems of national cohesion.

He said, “Next week, in Abuja, I shall be inaugurating the National Conference, and it seems appropriate that this bridge, and the conference, two major emblems of national cohesion, are being inaugurated within the same period.

“I would like to assure you all that every effort will be made to ensure that this  Second  Niger Bridge is delivered.

The  President told the gathering that comprised top government officials and traditional rulers among others, that his government was confident in the competence of the Concessionaire, Messrs Julius Berger-NSIA Consortium, to deliver the project.

He said, “You will recall that during my electioneering  in 2011, I promised the good people of the South-East that if elected President, I would ensure that the 2nd River Niger Bridge, was constructed.

“Today (Monday), I have come, as your President, to start off of this vital bridge project, in order to move that solemn pledge, from sincere promise to concrete reality.

“As part of our administration’s transformation agenda in the road sector, we have set out to construct two very important new bridges, across our nation’s  two great rivers – the River Niger and River Benue. These are the Loko-Oweto Bridge linking Nasarawa and Benue states, which is progressing satisfactorily, and this  Second  Niger Bridge, connecting Anambra and Delta states.

“The Second Niger Bridge, whose foundation we are laying today(Monday), represents a strategic national infrastructure, with great socio-economic prospects for the contiguous states, and indeed, for the entire nation.

“It is an important economic artery that will connect the great markets of Onitsha and Aba in Abia State, as well as the industrial hub of Nnewi and beyond, to both the Northern and Southern parts of our country.”

Jonathan said on completion, the bridge, which is being constructed almost 50 years after the existing bridge opened to traffic, would alleviate the pains experienced by travellers as a result of heavy traffic on  the old bridge, especially during festive periods.

He added that the new bridge would significantly  improve road transport in the South-East and   reduce travel times substantially, in that part of the country.

The President  explained that the project had been programmed in strict compliance with the Infrastructure Concession and Regulatory Commission Act, and the Public Procurement Act, adding that no stone had  been left unturned in ensuring its  success.

Jonathan  commended Governors Peter Obi (Anambra)  and  Emmanuel Uduaghan (Delta)  as well as    the  host communities, for their patience, understanding, support and cooperation in  making  the commencement of the project possible.

He said as the nation marked its centenary, he believed that the bridge would deepen national integration and also enhance economic and social interaction among other parts of the country and the South-East.

The Minister of Works, Mr Mike Onolemenen, said that the ministry in 2013 commenced phase I of the project, including survey, morphodynamics study and soil investigation.

Onolemenen said,  “Let me at this juncture appreciate the Co-ordinating Minister for the Economy and  Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, for her strong support for  this project and for facilitating the World Bank support in the proposed construction of the  by-passes.’’

Obi  used the opportunity of the ceremony to  ask  Jonathan to give Nigeria’s first President, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, a befitting burial place.

Obi, who will be stepping down as governor next Monday,  said though the Igbo were appreciative that Jonathan had come to lay the foundation for the construction of the bridge,   they were not yet done with their expectations of  the President.

He lamented that 16 years after the death of Azikiwe, the people were still shocked that the foremost nationalist had not been well honoured  with a deserving burial place.

“If you see where and how Zik’s contemporaries  like the late Kwame Nkruma of Ghana and Jomo Kenyatata of Kenya were buried, you would see that Nigeria did not give Azikiwe  a befitting  burial,” the governor   said.

He, however,  thanked Jonathan for finding it proper to construct the Zik’s Mausoleum that was abandoned by previous administrations.

Obi recalled how the President  helped  in giving the late Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu a befitting burial and other things his administration  had done for the people of the South -East.

He said that at the appropriate time, the people of the zone would pay back the President accordingly.

The Chairman, South-East Governors’ Forum and Governor of Abia State, Chief Theodore Orji,  said  the  President , with this latest development, had  shown that  the South-East  was of great importance in the Nigerian project.

The Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, described the project as a dream come true.

He said that   Jonathan had  demonstrated an uncommon love for Ndigbo and Nigeria at large by the commencement of work on  the second Niger Bridge.

Also, the  Obi of Onitsha, Nnaemeka Achebe; former Senate President, Ken Nnamani and the  All Progressives Grand Alliance  Chairman, Victor Umeh, commended Jonathan for kick-starting the project.

Achebe  said “the construction of the bridge means a lot to us in Anambra; apart from the fact that it will increase commerce, it will also bring Nigerians closer to each other.

“It is a national project and it will help in transforming the nation in a very good way.

“The Federal Government has done its part by financing the project and we the locals on the  ground would make available a secure environment for the contractors to work and ensure peace.”

Nnamani expressed happiness that Jonathan had finally initiated the step to deliver  the project after many administrations failed.

He said the construction of the bridge meant increased economy for all the zones of the country.

Nnamani, who is also the Chairman of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission, said that steps would be taken to effectively monitor the project to ensure that it complied with the ICRC Act of 2005.

Umeh lauded the President for the “giant stride’’ in the construction sector.

He said that this was the first time Nigeria would have such a huge amount of project being done with availability of funds from the beginning.

But former Vice-President  Abubakar Atiku  said the commencement of work on the  bridge was belated, “as it ought to have been completed before now.”

He said this   while presenting the keynote address at the 16th annual conference of African Council for Communication Education on Monday.

The conference  entitled, “Communication, Children and the Youth in the 21st century”  was hosted by the Department of Mass Communication, University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

The former vice- president, however, commended the President for eventually starting the project   after   long years of waiting.