Ministerial List: Buhari to become Petroleum Minister!

Buhari dropped an hint on what his ministerial cabinet may look like in one of the interviews he granted one of the foreign media in his hotel shortly before departing New York.

“I will serve as the Minister of Petroleum Resources myself,” Buhari told his interviewer.

The President was in New York to participate in the 70th United Nations General Assembly.

The nation’s petroleum sector has been said to be enmeshed in corruption with millions of dollars said to be missing in the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation.

Shortly after assuming office, Buhari sacked and replaced the management of the company.

The new management had started a general reorganisation of the firm.

Buhari had on Monday said the trial of those who looted the NNPC would commence soon.

Meanwhile, ministerial list that President Muhammadu Buhari will submit to the Senate on Wednesday (today)will not contain all the members of his proposed cabinet, from reports.

“What the Senate will be getting on Tuesday or Wednesday will not be a complete list. The names will be sent in batches but quite a number will be on this first list while others will be compiled and sent later,”  a government source confirmed.

The President may have decided to send the names in batches in order to meet the September deadline he set for himself rather than waiting to compile the full list and fail to beat the deadline.

The issue of the list has however been generating concerns among members of Buhari’s delegation to the 70th United Nations General Assembly holding in New York.

Many of the politicians on the President’s delegation who felt they might be considered for ministerial positions were getting in touch with Nigeria intermittently on the telephone for latest information on the list while they also kept making themselves visible for Buhari.

Some of them who could not hide their anxiety were heard asking Nigerian journalists if they had latest information on the list.

Prominent chiefs of the All Progressives Congress on the President’s delegation include a former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi; a former Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi; and a former member of the House of Representatives, Abike Dabiri-Erewa among others.

The Punch

Falae confirms ransom was paid,narrates his ordeal!

Chief Olu Falae, spoke with newsmen yesterday when he  received the former Chief of Defence Staff, General Alani Akinrinade at his residence in Akure.
Chief Falae said his abductors threatened to kill him every 30 minutes until they received information that money had been given to them as demanded.

He said: “There were six of them with three or four guns and every half an hour or so, they will say, ‘Baba we are going to kill you if you don’t give us money. We are going to kill you.’

They were Fulani, they spoke Hausa.”
“The cattle rearers have been giving me a hard time for the past two or three years. Because I have a dam on the farm, so they like to bring their cattle there to drink water, then they eat other people’s crops,” he stated.

“This time they ate up my maize farm, two hectares. We took pictures, and it was videoed, the police went there.

“They were asked to pay compensation, they begged and paid half of what we claimed and we accepted it.

“That was about two months ago. Whether it was one of them who went to bring his brothers to come and deal ‘with this wicked man,’ I don’t know. It is plausible. Absolutely plausible.

Explaining how he was abducted, the former minister said: “When the hoodlums came, they slashed me with their cutlasses, they said I was not cooperating. And they dragged me barefooted into the bush.

“After dragging me around for about two hours, they stopped somewhere for us to rest and there they asked me to phone my wife and tell her that I have been kidnapped and taken out of Ondo State by car which was a lie.

“It was about 2.30pm on Monday we started walking with very few stops until 2am the following morning. I suspect that I must have covered a minimum of 15km. That morning I did not take anything.

“ So all day, I had no food, no water and I walked close to 15km. How I survived I cannot really remember. I had no food in my stomach, I had no shoes, my clothes were torn to shreds.

“At some point, one of them gave me rubber slippers. We walked until about 2am. At some point, they called for an okada. 

“At about 2.30am, the okada man took me away and I had no clue where we were going. Finally, they dumped me somewhere. We stayed there until I was released on Thursday.

“In that place, we all slept on bare ground, unfortunately, the rain came in the night and I was thoroughly drenched where I was lying down.

“One of them brought a small umbrella to cover my head, my head was covered, but the rest of my body was not covered.

“They offered me bread, but I told them I cannot eat it. I demanded for a bottle of coke, which was what I drank everyday to have the strength to survive and to continue the march, because they were permanently moving.

“They were changing locations at two to three times a day. I suspect because they did not want the police to succeed in tracing them.”

“On Wednesday, one of them came and said, ‘look we are going to leave here on Thursday morning. Since we cannot leave you here alone, if we don’t get what we want, we are going to kill you.’  And they said they gave me until 3pm and if at 3pm they don’t get the money that they would execute me. I thank God that at 21 minutes to  3pm, one of them came and said, ‘the money don complete.”

I was released same Thursday in the bush and i had to walk all the way out until I found an okada rider,  who gave me a lift to Owo.

“The place was about 10km from Owo town. The place was between Owo and Ifon. And I walked most of the distance between my farm to that place, that is about 25km that we had to trek.

 “I did not break down, but I want to tell you that when I got back home I became completely exhausted. But I am now 80 per cent fit and I know in the next few days, I will be up again.”

Chief Falae, however, warned that “this sort of thing should not be allowed to happen again as it could result to even graver consequences.

“It is not because of me. As for me, I am a very humble person, but by virtue of what God has made me and the status God has given me, it is an insult to our race that a man like me could be abducted by a bunch of hoodlums.

“By the way, one of them told me that if after I had left them, talk nonsense that they will come and catch me again. That is the kind of insult I received.”

Earlier, Akinrinade  had described  the recent abduction of Chief Falae as an insult on the entire Yoruba nation.

Akinrinade asked the Federal Government to find a lasting solution to the spate of kindnapping in the country.

According to him, kidnapping is more pronounced in the South West now. He added that criminals now penetrate  Yorubaland more than before.

He said the recent abduction of Falae was the height of insult not only on the Yoruba race in  South West Nigeria, but also the nation as a whole.

The former minister later said that only two of the kidnappers could speak some English. He said they were between the ages of 25 and 35.

 Falae said he was not surprised that the police could not trace and arrest the kidnappers because of the manner of their movement and operation.

 “These fellows were permanently on the move. Day and night they were walking. Through farm lands, through water, through swamps…they were scared, they knew they could be traced with GPRS, that was why they were running around all the time,” he said.

“I was not surprised at all that the police could not trace them before they decided to let me go.”

Earlier, Akinrinade  had described  the recent abduction of chief Falae    as an insult on the entire Yoruba nation.

“This is a big insult to the Yoruba nation. Chief Olu Falae was  traumatized in the hands of these hoodlums. This is a gentle man who is making farming for a living and doing well with it,”
 
He said “the fact that the Yoruba people are hospitable in their  dealings with other tribes should not be a basis for dis-respecting its leaders including its culture and norms.”

 

Nigeria witness Lunar Eclipse today!

Lagos, Abuja and some other Nigerian cities witnessed a very pronounced reddish darkness in the wee hours of today.

This is as a result of a lunar eclipse, which had earlier been announced. The eclipse occurred on schedule as expected by the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA)

The scenario was expected to commence around 2.am and continue intermittently till about 6.22am, the agency said.

In a statement, Head Media and Corporate Commissions of the Agency, Dr. Felix Ale said, the lunar eclipse will be visible in all the various locations in the country from 1.11am, with total eclipse at 3:47am and end by 6.22am.

According to the agency, the lunar eclipse is an astronomical event that occurs when the earth comes in-between the sun and the moon, and the earth casts its shadow on the moon so that the moon appears reddish.
The statement said: “The lunar eclipse which is also called the blood moon will be observed in some regions around the world.

The NASRDA spokesman also dismissed the on-going speculation in some quarters that the lunar eclipse will last for two weeks, saying it will only be observed within five hours and eleven minutes in the early hours of Monday, September 28, 2015.

BVN: 30 million accounts may be deactivated!

Data from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) showed that the emerging statistical trend of the BVN registration exercise show that out of about 52 million active bank accounts in various banks, only about 20 million customers are registered leaving 30 million accounts in danger of been
deactivated.
The CBN introduced the BVN registration on February 14, 2014 to improve customer service delivery; to create a unique identity for all bank customers and other users of financial services in the country by the use of the customers’ biometrics as means of identification. One of the most potent arguments advanced by banks for not extending enough credit to prospective credit customers in Nigeria has been the absence of credible identity system.

It was estimated that all bank customers would, within a period of 18 months would have been completely enrolled. The enrollment scheme which can be done in all banks across the country is only for accounts opened prior to the Feb 14 date as BVN registration is a mandatory requirement for opening an account now.

There was so much confusion few days to the end of the mandatory 18 months, which was June 30, 2015, there was commotion and stampede in banking halls across the country, as customers were pushing, shoving and climbing on each other in order to beat the deadline for the BVN registration thus the extension of the exercise by the CBN to October 31st, 2015.

The CBN has however expressed concern that bank customers have not taken advantage of the extension to complete their BVN registration, and also ensure that their various bank accounts have been linked to the BVN.
It was also observed that after the initial rush between the end of June and July 2015, there has been a steady decline in new BVN enrollment figures for August and September, 2015.
What is required is for a bank customer to visit any branch of his bank and the desk officer would capture his finger print and a photograph of his face, his signature and demand for a photocopy of either of his driving license, national identity card or international passport of the customer.

The Sun

Catholic Bishop, Osinbajo disagrees over Boko Haram!

The Catho­lic Bishop of Kafachan, Kaduna State, Rev. Joseph Bagobiri and Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo who is also a Pastor in the Redeemed Christian Church of God, yesterday subtly clashed over a perceived condemnation of Boko Ha­ram activities by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Bogobiri insisted con­demnations would have helped in stemming the tide of Boko Haram activities during the administration of former president Goodluck Jonathan but Osinbajo warned Christian leaders to be mind­ful of their utterances.

Speaking on the topic, “Making Nigeria function as a family: Panacea to healthy national integration” during independence anniversary interdenominational church service, Bagobiri said for­mer military president, Gen­eral Ibrahim Babangida and Muslim leaders in the coun­try only opted to condemn activities of Boko Haram when serious damage had already been done.

In his counter remarks, Osinbajo said: “Muslim and Christian leaders must know something; It is our duty not to pursue wrong narratives. For Christians, it is our duty to ensure that we do not cre­ate further divisions by our words. Jesus Christ did not come to establish religion. Men did that.

“We must recognise that the first order for the church is unity. That also applies for our nation. Our nation is divided and it has been so for long. It is divided along religious and tribal line. The moment we are divided, nothing works. We must speak about the unity of our country as we speak about the unity of the church.

“The North East is where I have traveled to. I have seen the dead, wounded and the sick. These victims are in their hundreds and they were Muslims and Chris­tians. Poverty was one thing that united them. Our major problem in Nigeria is that we play politics with every­thing. When a bomb goes off in Borno, it does not ask if you are a Christian or a Muslim.”

Meanwhile, the Presi­dent of the Christian Asso­ciation of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor was conspicuously absent at the well-attended anniversary church service. No expla­nation was given for his absence by other executive members of CAN, who par­ticipated during the church service.

The Sun

MTN Project Fame Season 8 ends as Jeffrey Akoh wins it!

The winner of the season 8 of the popular TV  music show, the mtn Project fame has emerged and he is 18 year old South African Jefferey Akoh.

Jeff , a trained Sound Engineer from SAE Institute, Cape Town won a grand prize money of N5 million(five Million Naira), an SUV and a recording contract.

He claims his musical influencers are Chris Brown, Lawrence Flowers, and Kim Burrell.

Pearl Olanma Awa-Agwu secured a 2nd place finish, she receives a car and N3 million. Anderson Emmanuel Amos finished in 3rd place, he gets a car and N1 million. In 4th place was Adanoritsewo “Ada” Gold Tosanwumi and she receives a N1 million prize.

Music Artiste battling for life after been shot by a Soilder!

A young Nigerian music artist was shot at many times by an unindentified Army officer Wednesday morning at the Kirikiri area of Lagos State.

It was learnt that the victim was returning home from the studio with his friend when he was shot by the soldier. He was later rushed to a nearby hospital that same night for treatment.

When the  Vanguard News visited the hospital, yesterday, the victim who was lying critically ill in one of the male wards, was barely able to speak. He narrated his ordeal: “I was coming back from the studio with my friend at about 2am when we noticed the presence of the Army officer. My friend attempted to run because he was afraid when the officer stopped us. He told me to run but I refused. While we were at the studio, my friend had smoked Indian hemp and was misbehaving, despite efforts made to stop him from smoking that night.

“I tried to explain our mission to the officer and why we were returning home at that particular time of the night, but he still kept on suspecting us. At this stage, my friend took to his heels and I followed him. The officer then ran after us and when I became tied, he shot at my leg four times. The pain was unbearable and I became unconscious. The next morning, I woke up only to see myself at the New Nigeria Hospital battling with pains. Since then, I haven’t heard from my friend.”

The owner of the hospital, Dr Geoffrey Orajekwe, who spoke to Vanguard, said some policemen and other individuals brought the victim to the hospital around 3am. He said when he was about closing for the night, the officers asked him to start administering treatment immediately without initial deposit.

“Up till now, nobody has paid for his medical bill. Though I heard some gunshots that night but I didn’t know what was happening until I saw the victim. Seeing the condition of the boy, I immediately picked up courage, took him to one of the wards and had to open the left and right legs of the boy to remove the bullets before it spreads to the joint. I finally found the bullets and I assure you that he would be fine very soon,” the doctor said.

– Vanguard

Over 450 Pilgrims dead in hajj stampede!

At least 453 people taking part in the Hajj pilgrimage have been killed in a stampede near the Islamic holy city of Mecca, officials in Saudi Arabia say.

Another 719 people were injured in the incident at Mina, which occurred as two million pilgrims were taking part in the Hajj's last major rite.

They converge on Mina to throw stones at pillars representing the devil.

Preparations for the Hajj were marred when a crane collapsed at Mecca's Grand Mosque this month, killing 109 people.

The Saudi civil defence directorate said on Twitter that 4,000 personnel had been sent to the scene of Thursday's stampede, along with more than 220 emergency and rescue units. The injured are being taken to four hospitals in the area.

Photos published by the directorate showed rescue workers treating the injured on stretchers and loading them on to ambulances.

It said the victims were of "different nationalities", without providing details.

BBC Hausa Service correspondent Tchima Illa Issoufou, who was with some of those affected in Mina, said there were many pilgrims from Niger among the dead.

Arsene Wenger parts way with wife!

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has split from his wife Annie.

The pair have parted ways after months of speculation about their relationship.

The Gunners manager and Annie got a judge to issue a “separation of bodies” judgement in June.

It means they are free to see other people – but it’s not a full divorce.

The 65-year-old manager is still expected to support Annie financially.

Revealed : See the brain behind Saraki's Trial!

This is not coming as a surprise anymore and as suggested in many quarters, Senator Bukola Saraki's problem is coming right from his own party!
It is no secret that Saraki's emergence as the President of the senate in the present political dispensation didn't go down well with many of his party faithfuls especially the 'Decision-Makers' who had their own candidates for the same position and there is a well-orchestrated plan to remove him by all means possible!
The revelation coming from the Senate President's Special Assistant on News Media, Bamikole Omishore supports this theory.
Omishore revealed in his tweet that a top APC Chieftain and Governor of Kaduna state, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai is the one providing all the evidences been used by the Code of Conduct Tribunal against Senator Saraki!

There is a common saying that " a house divided against itself can never stand"

Fayose distributes sallah rams to Muslims!

Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, on Tuesday distributed ram to Muslims in the state, appealing to them to shun politicians whipping religious sentiment.

It would be recalled that a communique was signed by the state’s Assistant Secretary, League of Imams and Alfas, Alhaji Quadri Oguntuase, and two others, who ordered Muslims in the state not to collect rams and other food items for Sallah celebration.

Tragedy : Another building collapse in Lagos!

The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA says it has yet to determine the number of casualties in Tuesday building collapse in Lekki area of the state.

Mr Michael Akindele, the General Manager of the agency, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria at the scene of the incident.

NAN reports that the collapsed building was located at 37 Agungi
/Ajiran Road, Osapa London, Lekki.

Saraki granted bail on self recognition!

The Code of Conduct Tribunal has adjourned hearing on the case of false declaration of assets brought against the Senate President Dr. Bukola Saraki till the 21st, 22nd and 23rd of October, 2015.

The court however grant the Senate President bail on self recognition

Dr. Saraki had earlier appeared before the Code of Conduct Tribunal along side his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu several other senators as well as former Governor of Sokoto State Aliyu Wamako.

Saraki who arrived the tribunal premises at 9:32 a.m., accompanied by “about 50 senators and some members of the House of Representatives pleaded not guilty to the 13 count charge.

He said he is being told about the charges for the first time while prosecution disagreed explaining that it is not the first time the senator is b being told about the charges.

Tight security had been thrown around the tribunal while the Tribunal has barred the media from live coverage of proceedings.

Niger State Governor criticised over Chelsea/Arsenal match!

There was rain of abuses  from the public ,the last time a public office holder was reported to have gone to watch a match in England.
That government worker happened to be Amanju Pinnick, the Nigeria Football Federation(NFF) President when he watched the community shield match between Arsenal and Chelsea!
Another match was played on Saturday and this time, it was a Premier League game between same pair of Chelsea and Arsenal. Niger State Governor Abubakar Sani decided to go and watch the match live in England.

Residents of the state on Monday has however described the governor’s visit to Stamford Bridge as “frivolous” considering the financial problems of the state.

However, the governor explained on his Twitter page that he was at Stamford Bridge to watch the match at the instance of Chelsea midfielder Mikel Obi, who plans to set up a football academy in the state.

“I was at Stamford Bridge to watch the derby between Chelsea and Arsenal at the invitation of John Obi Mikel,” he wrote.

According to him, Mikel   approached the state government to partner with the state in developing its   sports, stressing that it will be wrong to turn down an investor who is willing to invest in the state.

The Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Ibraheem Dooba, said Bello was in Europe and his visit to Stamford Bridge was part of his itinerary since he was to meet other international development partners, adding that he was invited by Mikel.

But a trader, Moses Akwu said, “Things are hard for us in Niger while our governor is travelling to watch matches. I heard they said he was invited but is it not government resources that he used to go on the trip?

“We did not vote him in to watch football, we voted him because we want him to work and bring back the lost glory of the state. Watching matches is not governance, it is absolute recklessness.”

Another resident, Gambo Mohammed, said the governor needed to focus on governance.

“Sports development is not what Niger State needs now. We need jobs for our unemployed youths, boost for our economy and agriculture, and good roads.”

Bello had on August 31 warned sports officials not to use his name to organise sports competitions. He made this known when board members of the Nigeria Chess Federation and the state hockey team that won the National Super League visited him.

The President of Nigeria Chess Federation Suleman Gora had requested to organise a national championship in his honour which he objected saying, “I am not a billboard.”

Copyright PUNCH.

Chief Falae kidnapped on his 77th birthday! N100million Demanded by Abductors

Ex-Secretary to Government of the Federation and Afenifere chieftain, Chief Olu Falae has been kidnapped.

The Akure Chief who was a Presidential candidate of the now defunct Alliance for Democracy, AD, and Chieftain of a pan-Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere, Chief Samuel Oluyemisi Falae was yesterday kidnapped by suspected herdsmen in Akure, the State Capital.

He was abducted on the day he marked his 77th birthday.

Falae was secretary to the military government of Ibrahim Babangida from January 1986 to December 1990 and was briefly the Finance Minister in 1990.

It was learnt that he had been having a running battle with the herdsmen over his farmland located at Ibafo in Igbatoro – Akure.

The State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Wole Ogodo, who confirmed the incident said 50 mobile Policemen have been deployed to the farm.

Ogodo confirmed “Baba Falae has been having a running battle with the Herdsmen, and this morning, we learnt that he visited the farm and was allegedly attacked by these Herdsmen; but we have sent 50 of our men to the farm to start searching for him.”

Sketchy reports on Monday, confirmed that the Kidnappers are asking for a ransom of N100 million.

 

The complexities of Saraki's trial & The Presidency's Involvement!

One phase of the triangular legal battles will be at the Code of Conduct Tribunal CCT, where Justice Danladi Umar will be expecting the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase and other security agencies to produce Saraki for arraignment. Saraki refused to appear before the CCT on Friday and sent his team of lawyers led by former President of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Mr. J.B Daudu (SAN) to file a memorandum of conditional appearance on his behalf.  Justice Umar in issuing a bench warrant said that having sworn to protect the constitution Saraki should have shown respect to the tribunal and appeared.

The second leg will be at the Federal High Court Abuja, where Justice Ahmed Mohammed is also expecting the Ministry of Justice, the chairmen of the CCT (Justice Umar) and the Code of Conduct Bureau CCB, Mr. Sam Saba over the charge against Saraki. Justice Mohammed had on Thursday summoned the trio to appear before him today after hearing Dr. Saraki’s ex-parte application.

And the third front is at the Court of Appeal where Saraki has gone to challenge the powers of the CCT to try him as well as the refusal of the tribunal to discharge the bench warrant for his arrest, adding that the CCT acted without jurisdiction by assuming jurisdiction over a charge that is being challenged at the Federal High Court.

The Presidency meanwhile has distanced itself from attempts linking the ongoing trial of the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, to the Presidency. Views to the effect that the Code of Conduct Bureau, CCB and the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT can only act upon external instigation are equally uninformed.

A statement by Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant to the President said that there is no place in law that the Bureau and the tribunal should take instructions from any quarters.

As an independent institution equal to any superior court of record, the tribunal is set up by the constitution to determine the issue of default, false declaration or forgery in assets declaration. This therefore is purely a judicial process and has nothing to do with the presidency.

If anyone has an axe to grind with what they are doing, they should do it in a judicial manner by challenging those actions in a proper court of law. Let them hire a good team of lawyers to prove their innocence.

Government has no desire to persecute anybody. The President has vowed to respect the rule of law and this is what he is doing by staying out of this matter. He has said times without number that the war against corruption has no sacred cows.

Even if the President wants to help, there is no way he can do anything. Is he going to ask the judge to stop the trial?

It is purely a judicial process, the type of which are routinely dealt with by the CCB and the CCT.

There are many cases like this that are going on.

The President has sworn to an oath to protect the constitution and will not violate that oath.

Young Man kills Father & elopes with his heart in Lagos!

Tragedy struck over the weekend at Abesan Estate in the Ipaja area of Lagos State where a certain young man, Nelson Oamen, stabbed his father, Ehiremen Oamen, to death during an argument.

Nelson, who reportedly fled his father’s apartment in Block 272, after the incident on Friday, removed the septuagenarian’s heart and left with it.

The Punch Metro reports that the Oamens, who hailed from Edo State, had been living in the estate for over 15 years.

It was gathered that the father, said to be a retired worker in a company in Apapa, was battling with stroke, and usually remained indoors.

34-year-old Nelson is said not to have a stable job,  a drug addict, and had had violent clashes with people in the area which were reported to the police.

At about 2pm on Friday, Nelson had gone to his father’s apartment and an argument had ensued between the two.

Nelson, who was suspected to be high on drugs, allegedly stabbed his father to death in his bedroom, and covered his body with a blanket.

He was said to have sneaked out of the house and had yet to be found.

Nelson’s younger sister, who did not want her name in print, reportedly came into the house a few minutes later, and found traces of blood in the family’s sitting room.

She was said to have discovered Ehiremen’s corpse on his bed, after which she raised the alarm.

It was gathered that some neighbours and residents, who also rushed to the room to see Ehiremen, realised that there was a deep hole on the left side of his chest after he had been stabbed in several places.

It was said that Nelson allegedly escaped with his father’s heart, which the residents claimed, was responsible for the bloodstains in the sitting room.

When PUNCH Metro visited the area on Saturday, a crowd of sympathisers was observed thronging the deceased’s apartment.

Nelson’s elder sister, who came from Abeokuta, Ogun State, and also did not want her name in print, said the family could not say what caused the argument between her father and Nelson.

She added that Ehiremen had been physically attacked by Nelson in the past.

She said, “For about five years now, dad had been nursing a stroke, and he could not work again. So, he used to stay at home. Nelson did not have a stable location. He just came to the area on Friday.

“I was told that he came in through the window before committing the act. It was his younger sister, who has a shop in the area, and came in a few minutes later to change her clothes, who first observed bloodstains in the sitting room.

“She then traced the bloodstains to daddy’s room, and found out that he had been killed. We have not seen any sign of Nelson since then.”

A landlord in the area, Akeem Salau, who described the deceased as an easy-going man, said he was praying in the mosque at about 2pm, when the news of Ehiremen’s death filtered in.

He said, “The man has eight children. Nelson is the fourth child. The young man does not have any stable job. He also smokes and drinks heavily. He does not live here, but only comes once in a while.

“On that Friday, some people saw him in the afternoon. The people who saw him said he was unstable. He went into their house, and it was a few minutes later that they found the father dead. He fled immediately. When I went in to see the corpse, I observed that the old man was stabbed in several places. No one could have been so wicked except one was on drugs.”

The police in Ipaja had launched a manhunt for Nelson.

The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Joe Offor, said the police were on the trail of Nelson and would soon get him.

Mama HID Awolowo dies at 99!

The matriarch of the Awolowo family, Chief Hannah Idowu Dideolu Awolowo, is dead.
Mama, as she is fondly called by many, died on Saturday.
She was 99.
She would have turned 100 on November 25 this year.
First Weekly is reporting that Awolowo died shortly after a meeting on Saturday with her family members.
Yeye Oodua, as she is also popularly known, was said to have been a part of the meeting for the planning of her 100th birthday.
She was until her death the chairman of Nigeria’s foremost newspaper, Nigerian Tribune.

Court orders Saraki be arrested with immediate effect!

The Conduct Tribunal in Abuja has ordered the arrest of the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, for failing to appear on Friday as the tribunal commenced hearing of a 13-count charge of alleged corruption against him.
The chairman of the tribunal, Danladi Umar, issued a bench warrant against Mr. Saraki, brushing aside a Federal High Court order seeking to stop Mr. Saraki’s arraignment.
Mr. Saraki had on Thursday obtained a Federal High Court order directing that the case against him be halted.
On Friday, the prosecution counsel, Muslim Hassan, asked the
tribunal to order his arrest for failing to appear before it, arguing
that the high court had parallel jurisdiction with the tribunal and
as such, had no powers to halt a trial of the tribunal.
Mr. Saraki’s lawyer, Joseph Daudu, however, prayed the tribunal to
adjourn the case until after the Federal High Court sitting on
Monday.
But the tribunal chairman granted
the prayer of the prosecutor.
The Code of Conduct Bureau had slammed a 13-count charge of
corruption on Mr. Saraki.
He is accused of offences ranging from anticipatory declaration of assets to making false declaration of assets in forms he filed before the Code of Conduct Bureau while he was governor of
Kwara state.
According to the charges, the Senate President is also accused of failing to declare some assets he acquired while in office as governor.
Among other offences, including allegedly acquiring assets beyond his legitimate earnings, Mr. Saraki is also accused of operating foreign accounts while being a public officer – governor and senator.
The offences, the charge said, violated sections of the Fifth Schedule of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, as amended.
Mr. Saraki is also said to have breached Section 2 of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act and punishable under paragraph 9 of the said Fifth Schedule of the Constitution.
The charges were prepared by M.S. Hassan, a deputy director in the office of the Attorney
General of the Federation.

Premium Times

Nigerian Woman had husband killed to collect insurance.

Homicide Detectives in Cleveland have indicted a Nigerian woman, Uloma Walker-Curry , and she has been charged with aggravated murder, after it was established that she conspired with a group of young men to kill her Cleveland, USA, firefighter husband so she could collect on a life insurance policy and cover up financial fraud she committed in her husband’s name, prosecutors said.

The 44-year-old woman was indicted on aggravated murder, conspiracy and felonious assault charges in the November 2013 slaying of fireman Lt. William Walker, 45, the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office announced Walker was shot to death in the driveway of his home after the trio of Chad Padgett, 21, Christopher Hein, 22, and Ryan Dorty, 23, laid ambush on him after being hired by his wife.

Curry asked Padgett and a juvenile to kill her husband, prosecutors said. They allege Padgett then recruited his cousin, Hein, who turned to Dorty, who killed Walker.
A court heard how Walker-Curry hired Padgett, who was dating her daughter at the time, and Padgett in turn recruited his cousin Hein, a juvenile who turned to Dorty, who allegedly pulled the trigger on Walker.

The detectives initially followed leads provided by Walker-Curry that neighborhood drug dealers might have killed her husband to stop him from complaining about them but a Crime Stoppers tip and cellphone technology, including text messages, led detectives to investigate Walker-Curry, and it was discovered that she had her husband killed so that she could lay claim to his insurance money.

No attorney information was available for the four suspects. Walker-Curry and Padgett are being held on $1 million bonds. No bond has been set for Hein, who was arrested Monday. The juvenile will eventu hhally face delinquency charges, prosecutors said.

Must Read: Man gets Duped of $30,000 right inside a bank in Lagos

A man (name yet unknown) on Friday went to FCMB trade fair Complex to buy Dollars but unfortunately the bank didn’t have enough money, few minutes later an Hausa man  who operates a bureau d' change approached him and told him he had 30,000 US dollars, so he followed the man to his office to collect the money according to an eyewitness.

When he got the money, he transferred the naira equivalent of $30,000 into the Hausa man’s account.
The victim never suspected any foul play so he did not bother checking the dollar notes well until he got home by 7pm when he discovered they were all fake but he couldn’t make it to the bank because it was already late.

So on Monday morning, the victim went back to the Hausa Man’s office to report that the money was fake, however the Hausa man confirmed it was fake and said he bought the money from FCMB, when they headed back to lay their complain at the bank, the bank denied giving them the money.

The man started shouting which caused the security men attached to the bank to push him outside and poured tear gas on his body. He removed his clothes and started crying.

The bank locked him outside while the Hausa man remained inside. People gathered and demanded the bank to provide the Hausa man and officer who poured the tear gas on the victim but the bank refused. People started protesting outside the bank and the police were called.

When the police arrived, it was learnt that the bank let the Hausa man out through the back door without people knowing. They took the victim away with their vehicle.

Osun lecturers storm Assembly, sit on the floor over unpaid salaries

  Aggrieved Lecturers under the aegis of Council of Academic Staff Unions of Osun State Owned Tertiary Institutions, stormed the Osun State House of Assembly, protesting that the 8 month salary arrears been owned them by the State government  be paid.

The lecturers, who had been on strike for the past three months were led by leaders of the body including Chairman, Lasisi Jimoh; Secretary Olusegun Lana and Public Relations Officer, Dotun Omisore.
The lecturers, who were armed with placards with various  inscriptions, were chanting,  ‘Save our Souls’, ‘Enough is Enough’, ‘Pay our Salaries’ and ‘We Reject Half Salaries’,  sang anti-government songs.
They also pointed it out the there will be rejection if plans are made to pay half salaries while saying they would not submit themselves to fresh screening directed by the government.
Disgruntled lecturers said the plan of the state government to pay workers half salaries was shocking because the state had received its share of the bailout fund from the Central Bank of Nigeria.
The letter  was signed by the CASUOSTI Chairman, Lasisi Jimoh; secerayry, Olusegun Lana; Chairman Academic Staff Union of Polytechnic, Iree, Dotun Omisore; ASUP chairman, Esa Oke, Adesola Akande;  COEASU Ila-Orangun Chairman, Segun Onifade and COEASU Ilesa Chairman, Oladele Ojo.
The Chief Whip of the House of Assembly, Mr. Folorunsho Bamisayemi, while addressing the protesters  appealed to them to exercise patience, saying efforts were underway to ensure their demands were met.

University Students' Union budgets N1.8million for calls!

 In a dispensation where corruption is been frowned at all corners in Nigeria, the  same can not be said to be happening in our higher institutions as the Student Union executives and legislators at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, have budgeted N1, 837, 550 (approximately 10,000 US dollars) to make official phone calls between August, 2015 and January, 2016.

In a copy of the Student Union budget which was debated by members of the OAU Student Representative Council on Sunday evening, the leaders also had a separate budget for internet facilities and sending of bulk Short Message Service.

The sum, which did not also include the one for purchase of phones, was budgeted by the leadership of the Central Executive Council and Students’ Representative Council led by Mr. Omotayo Akande and Mr. Adebari Aare respectively
Others are the clerk, deputy speaker, halls of residence executives, chairmen and secretary of transport, judicial, and budget and finance committees.

The student union leaders, who in totality budgeted N26, 090, 469 for their various needs, are expecting an income of about N15m.

A breakdown of the budget showed that the speaker, Mr. Adebari Aare, proposed to spend N232, 500 for official phone calls for 310 days, while the president of the union also proposed to make calls for 180 days with N108, 000.

Among other items that surfaced on the president’s budget were fuelling at the cost of N270,000; bus maintenance, N300, 000; ‘intervention’, N300, 000; and security vote, N300, 000.

Contained in the speaker’s budget is welfare costing N217, 000; long journey and short journey accommodation, N1, 250, 000; long and short journey trip, N500, 000 among others.

When contacted, the Chairman, Budget and Finance Committee, Mr. Abayomi Samuel, said the budget had not been approved.

Samuel, whose committee also budgeted N114, 000 for phone calls, added that some of the expenses had been reduced.

While speaking on the telephone, Samuel confirmed the outrageous phone call expenses, and he said the budget has not been approved.”

However, reports gathered that students of the university are divided over the budget.

One of them, Sammy, said, “How will they say they want to make phone calls with that kind of money when we are all complaining of poor toilet facilities and lack of food in our hostels. This is extreme wickedness.”

PUNCH

La Casera lays off 700 workers as violence ensues!

Hundreds of  workers at La Casera Company Plc staged a protest on Monday in Lagos, moments after about 700 workers received their sack letters, the News Agency of Nigeria reports.

The company, however, described the protest as an invasion of its premises by “hoodlums.’’

NAN reported that the crisis began after the workers arrived at the company premises in Amuwo Odofin Industrial Estate, Mile 2, Lagos, and found the gate locked against them and a notice of disengagement pasted at the entrance.

The notice dated September 14 and addressed to all members of staff, stated that “as a result of the unwarranted invasion of our business premises on September 11, we cannot guarantee the well-being of our employees from hired hoodlums and their collaborators.
“As a result of this unprovoked act of vandalism, we are unable to continue operations under this circumstance.

“Unfortunately we regret to inform all our members of staff of their immediate disengagement.”

But the workers, under the aegis of the National Union of Food, Beverage and Tobacco Employees, condemned the act, noting that some of them had worked for between five and 15 years.

Some of their placards read, “No more slavery in this country by foreigners (India); “We are against xenophobia from India” and “We can never be slaves in our fatherland.”

The Head of Education Department in NUFBTE ., Mr. Mike Olarenwaju, who spoke for the workers, said that for 12 years the company had denied workers the right to unionise.

Olarenwaju said that when an in-house union was about to be inaugurated, the management of the company sacked the chairman, which made the NUFBTE officials to visit the company on September 11 to address the workers.

“We were surprised today (Monday) that the company locked the gate and sacked the workers.

“Meanwhile, the case between the workers and the company over unionisation is currently at the National Industrial Court.’’

He said that until the workers were re-absorbed, the union would continue to picket the company.

The state Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Mr. Idowu Adelakun, told NAN that the act of calling labour officials hoodlums was wrong and vowed that labour would not allow the company to function until the matter was resolved.

Pastor And Wife in a mess over adoption of stolen baby!

A 71 year old retired pastor of a pentecostal church in Abriba, Ohafia Local Government Area of Abia State, Rev. Chima Egbochiogum, and his wife, Ugo, have been arrested for an alleged illegal adoption of a baby.

Commissioner of Police, Joshak Habila, who paraded the couple in Umuahia, alongside other suspects in connection with the incident, alleged they bought a stolen baby.

The police boss said the pastor and his wife were nabbed following a confession by a notorious child trafficker who was arrested last month for human trafficking.

According to PUNCH, the child trafficker, identified simply as Ekwutosi, stole an 11-month-old baby girl belonging to a 21- year -old pregnant mother, who he had pretended to assist.

He said Ekwutosi had approached the young woman, who had a baby out of wedlock, with promise that he would secure a job opportunity for her.

The excited woman was said to have left her baby in the custody of Ekwotosi when she went to buy food for her.

“But by the time the mother returned, Ekwutosi had disappeared with the baby,” the police commissioner said.

According to Habila, the suspect was later intercepted by the police at Owerrinta when he was allegedly trafficking pregnant girls to Port Harcourt.

He said the suspect confessed to his criminal activities including the stealing of the 11- month old baby during interrogations. His confession led to the arrest of the pastor who allegedly adopted the stolen baby.

Habila said the suspect sold the baby at the cost of N500, 000 to the wife of the pastor. But later in an interview with journalists, the pastor said he was not aware that the baby adopted by his wife was a stolen child.

The retired cleric had married his second wife following the death of his first wife, who had born children to him.He said he was innocent of the crime as he thought the adoption followed due process.

Meanwhile, his second wife, who had yet to have a baby of her own, decided to adopt a baby. According to the woman, she was contacted by one Maria Mba, who told her that one of her relations, a teenager, wanted to give out a baby she had out of wedlock.

She said that the baby was paid for at the premises of the Federal Medical Centre Umuahiawhere it was allegedly delivered to her. She also claimed that she did not know that the baby was stolen.

Meanwhile, there was a mild drama when the notorious trafficker, Ekwutosi said he did not receive up to N500,000 in the transaction claiming that the intermediary, Mba short-changed him.

But Mba said she only kept back N100,000 as her commission , insisting that she gave N400,000 to Ekwutosi.

PUNCH

See Buhari's Ministerial list! Fashola, Amaechi could miss out!

Amidst the anxiety surrounding the announcement of President Muhammadu Buhari ministerial cabinet, some appointees have reportedly failed to pass the anti-corruption test of The Department of State Service (DSS) .

The DSS recently received a list of 36 ministerial nominees for security screening among whom were  three immediate past governors, Babatunde Fashola, Rotimi Amaechi and Kayode Fayemi and all indications show that these three have failed to scale through the security agency's test.

The Nigerian Pilot reports that the DSS did not clear the three ministerial appointees based on claims of corruption brought against them before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offenses Commission (ICPC).

The source said that the security agency supposedly denied to clear Amaechi, Fashola, Fayemi because of a series of petitions written against them over accusations bordering on money laundering, fraud and misuse.

The news daily claimed Buhari had given a directive to the DSS not to clear any appointee with any image damaging or fraud related issue.

Festus Odimegwu, a former managing director of Nigerian Breweries Limited, and a former presidential candidate, Pat Utomi, are also among the ministerial appointees that have been screened.

Those already said to have been screened as nominees for President Muhammadu Buhari’s cabinet also include a former Governor of Osun State, Olagunsoye Oyinlola; and a Lagos-lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN).

Also on the list are a former Chief of Army, Lt.-Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazu (retd.); an ex-chief executive of the Federal Inland Revenue, Mrs. Ifueko Omoigui-Okaru; a former finance commissioner in Lagos State, Mr. Wale Edun; and a former National Legal Adviser to the defunct Congress for Progressive Change, Abubakar Malami (SAN).

According to some sources Falana was favoured by a camp in the party to emerge as the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation.

A top APC chieftain said the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo and the national leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, had persuaded Buhari to appoint Falana.

Tinubu and Osinbajo were said to have told Buhari that appointing Falana, who he jailed over 30 years ago, would boost his image as a ‘converted democrat.’

It was, however, learnt that Malami was being favoured by the President.

The APC has three former governors in Ekiti State: Niyi Adebayo, Segun Oni and Kayode Fayemi.

“Falana has already been screened by the DSS. However, Buhari is closer to Malami who is from the North,” a source from APC said.

Utomi, a famous economist and former presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, had been screened by the DSS and the police.

Edun, who served under former Tinubu as Lagos state governor, had also been screened by security agencies.

Odimegwu, nominated by the president, fell out with former president Goodluck Jonathan when he openly criticised the federal government.

Odimegwu is also close to former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

Oyinlola, a one-time secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, defected to the APC shortly before the Osun State governorship election and he is a close associate of Obasanjo.

Another appointee, who asked not to be named, said: “Although I have met the director-general of the DSS twice, I don’t think such visits could be regarded as screening.

“I understand the service has done its research on ministerial nominees. For now, nobody is sure of anything until the names are announced.”

See full list below:

1. Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, former Osun State governor and ousted PDP national secretary.

2. Chief Bode Mustapha, former PDP National Auditor and an APC chieftain from Ogun state

3. Engineer Segun Oni, former Ekiti state governor and APC deputy national chairman (South West)

4. Kayode Fayemi, the immediate past governor of Ekiti state

5. Abba Ruma, a former Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources

6. Chief Kanu Agabi, a former Minister of Justice.

7. Donald Duke, a former Governor of Cross River state

8. Babatunde Fashola, the immediate past governor of Lagos state

9. Yinka Folashade Oredola

10. Rotimi Akeredolu, a former gubernatorial candidate in Ondo state.

11. Rotimi Amaechi, the immediate past governor of Rivers state

12. Engineer Funsho Kupolokun, former Group Managing Director of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

13. Rabiu Kwankwanso, immediate past governor of Kano state

14. Bisola Adegbenro

15. Isaiah Danjuma, son of General Theophilus Danjuma from Taraba state.

16. Dele Momodu, publisher of Ovation.

17. Kehinde Lawanson, a former executive director of First Bank.

18. Chief Bayo Ojo (SAN), former Minster of Justice

Djokovic wins US Open!

Top seed, Novak Djokovic beat Roger Federer in four dramatic sets to win his second US Open and 10th Grand Slam title.

The Serb won 6-4 5-7 6-4 6-4 in New York, and will end the year with three of the four tennis majors.

Djokovic, 28, held his nerve in front of a heavily pro-Federer crowd at Flushing Meadows.

The 34-year-old Swiss had been hoping to win his 18th major title and first for three years.

In a raucous New York night session atmosphere on Arthur Ashe Stadium, after the start of play was delayed by more than three hours because of rain, Federer looked to have a real chance in the third set.

However, Djokovic broke the Federer serve six times and saved 19 of 23 break points as he battled his way to a 27th win in 28 Grand Slam matches this year.

 It's been an incredible season, next to 2011 the best of my life," said Djokovic, who also won three Grand Slam titles four years ago.

"But I'm enjoying this year more than I did any previous one because I'm a husband and a father, and that makes it sweeter."

Five-time champion Federer was playing his first US Open final since 2009, and drew one of the loudest cheers of the night when he told the crowd: "I'll see you guys next year."

The Swiss added: "I'm pleased with where my game is at.

"It is always tough playing [against Djokovic] and I think we both walk away from it knowing more about our games and more about each other."

65 year Old flogged 12 strokes for witchcraftry in Sokoto!

Zainab Labbo a 65 year old woman in Isa Local Government Area of Sokoto State, was flogged 12 strokes over accusation of practicing witchcraft!

She was tried at the palace of the District Head, Alhaji Nasiru Malami Ahmed according to the sharia laws.

Her daughter-in-law accused her of using witchcraft to make her son treat her badly. Zainab was immediately tried by the palace authority and made to face the music after being found guilty of using magical powers.

Zainab however denied the allegation to journalists and confirmed that the twelve strokes were administered on her by the palace guards on the order of the District Head. Aggrieved residents at a press conference said that she was not the first victim to suffer such an unjust treatment by palace authorities.

A resident speaking to pressmen said:

“Our people are under siege by the gross and jungle justice of the palace authorities but nobody was ready to speak out before now. We are just courageous enough to invite you people (journalists) to Isa town and see things for yourselves. We have decided to tell the whole world what we are passing through.”

However, reacting on behalf of the District Head, Alhaji Aliyu Sarkin-Yamma, who is his younger brother and Village Head of Tsabre area, described the the allegations as unfounded. He explained that all disputes lodged at the palace are handled in accordance with the dictates of Shariah Law and said they are running the affairs of the people with the absolute fear of God

Channels News

UNILAG'S ELECTROCUTED STUDENT: Sibling holds LUTH Culpable!

In different spheres of life in Nigeria, there are various challenges We face everyday at the hands of government officials..from the extortion of money by the police and road traffic regulators like Lastma to the rude way government hospital staff address their clients and sometimes neglect their duties on the pretence of been busy or following "rules"....many people had died as a result of this!

The electrocution of  22year Old Oluchi Anekwe, a student of the University of Lagos showed nothing has changed in this regard..Oluchi’s immediate elder sibling, Nkem – a practising lawyer – gave a vivid account of her last moments before the sad incident. The 26-year-old told Saturday PUNCH that the accounting undergraduate could have survived had staff of the UNILAG medical centre attended to her immediately she was rushed to the facility. She said they insisted on seeing her Identity card before checking her.
She battled to contain her emotions while pouring out her heart.

“Oluchi was still alive by the time she was rushed to the medical centre of the school but the doctors and nurses refused to attend to her until they saw her identity card and confirmed that she was a student. They refused to attend to her and that was how the girl died there. The most shocking part was that when I got there, Oluchi wasn’t even placed on a bed; they had wrapped her body and placed it on the floor. I told the doctor that it was wrong for them to have done that because sometimes the person could still be alive at that point. It was an indirect statement from them that nothing was done to save her life. Even Uju, our last born who was with Oluchi when the incident happened, wasn’t attended to even with the injuries she sustained. It was after I confronted the doctor for not being sensitive enough that Uju was only given panadol and one small tablet. This was around 8:00pm. You can imagine how long she was abandoned from the time the cable fell on them.

“At the mortuary at LUTH that night, the officials refused to honour the death certificate issued for Oluchi, insisting that it was not valid because the doctor did not sign it. He probably didn’t sign it because he knew he didn’t examine her at all before pronouncing her dead. The ambulance that brought us from UNILAG had to take the nurse back to get the doctor to sign the death certificate while the body was wheeled to a corner outside the mortuary. It was until about 11:30pm that her body was finally taken into the morgue.

“Oluchi was brought to the medical centre alive but she died because they refused to treat her. It’s a shame that an ordinary school ID card would be more valuable than the life of a human, a promising young lady,” she said.

Oluchi recently posted this on her Facebook page
She wrote: “Many are born great but die unknown…everything that makes us human is vain.”

It is sad!

Omotola blasts Buhari & Ambode For Unilag's Student death!

Popular Nollywood Actress Omotola Jolade Ekeinde appeared to be very upset with the Federal Government and Lagos State Government for showing no concern at all concerning the death of a female student of the University of Lagos. It would be recalled that a 22year Old 300 level accounting student Oluchi Anekwe, was electrocuted to death on the Campus of Unilag on Tuesday 8th September, 2015.

The Nollywood star did not mince words in her post on twitter in relation to this sad event.. Check below her tweet!

Alamieyeseigha: Obasanjo almost had a heart attack when he saw me!

The former Bayelsa State Governor, Diepreye Solomon Peter Alamieyeseigha is still angry with former President Olusegun Obasanjo 10 years after he was impeached and imprisoned for corrupt charges though he claims he has forgiven Obasanjo.

Alamieyeseigha, who spoke to Saturday Vanguard in his country home in Yenagoa, said that he had forgiven all those who plotted and sent him to jail purely for political reasons even though the experience remains very painful to him.

The former governor was impeached and removed from office in December 2005 and was subsequently sent to jail for alleged mismanagement of Bayelsa State funds.

Some of his property alleged to have been secured with stolen funds in and outside Nigeria were confiscated and given to Bayelsa State by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) working in conjunction with foreign security agencies.

But Alamieyeseigha, who was granted state pardon by his former deputy governor and immediate past President, Dr Goodluck Jonathan, last year, said that Obasanjo has not known peace because of the role he played in events leading to his impeachment, arrest and subsequent imprisonment.

He recalled that Obasanjo nearly fainted the first time he met him after his release from prison. He said the former president, who met him accidentally at the Katsina Airport became jittery on seeing him and managed to shake hands with him. Alamieyeseigha said: “I have forgiven all those who plotted against me, including former President Obasanjo. I know all those who plotted against me and sent me to jail. I cannot be living in the past as it does not help me in any way.

“What I passed through is painful all right but it would not have happened if it was not permitted by God. It is even more important to me that I am still alive today because I passed through many shadows of the valleys of death and still came out of them.

‘’I have met Obasanjo at very close quarters twice since I came out of prison.

“I did not know that he was at the VIP Lounge at the Katsina Airport to attend the marriage of the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua’s daughter. Obasanjo came face to face with me at the airport when I went to use one of the rest rooms. It happened that as I opened the door to ease myself, I saw Obasanjo sitting face to face with me and he almost passed out.

“But I held his hands. He was scared and he felt uneasy all through. Then he began to ask ‘DSP, DSP, DSP! What have I done to deserve shaking your hands?’ There were many people there, one of them was Kenny Martins, the then chairman of the Police Equipment Fund.

“I told Obasanjo ‘I was only shaking you for two reasons: one-because of the fear of the Almighty God, who created us and two, for the fact that I am the Ganuma Katsina and you are a visitor to my emirate and tradition demands that I should welcome visitors’.

“That prompted Kenny to get up also and greet me, saying ‘great leader, great leader’ and he came and hugged me.’’

The former governor said his second post-prison encounter with Obasanjo took place aboard a Dubai-bound flight where the former president met him seated in the business class and addressed him as ‘Fayose’ out of fear.

His words: “The second encounter with Obasanjo was when we met on a flight going to Dubai. When Obasanjo came, I was already seated in the Business Class and he had no choice but to greet me.

“But because of possible fear of seeing me, Obasanjo called out ‘Fayose, Fayose, Fayose.’ I protested to him that I am not Fayose and I said: ‘Former President Olusegun Matthew Okikiola Aremu Obasanjo, you are a devil incarnate.’”

“I warned him not to talk again or he would face my anger. And I tell you, throughout the flight he could not say anything to me.

“The only thing Obasanjo managed to say was to ask me whether I was the only one who had ever been sent to the prison. ‘DSP, is it only you that entered prison? Don’t you remember that I was also imprisoned? You entered prison and I also did’.’’

In spite of his criticism of the former president, Alamieyeseigha, still has some kind words for Obasanjo.

Describing Obasanjo as a leader, who keeps his word and works hard, the former governor said he has a dossier on Obasanjo and would reveal it in his forthcoming memoirs to enable Nigerians know what the man had been doing since 1966.

“But one thing I know about Obasanjo is that he is a leader. If Obasanjo gives you his word, it remains his bond. You can call him any time of the night, and he will pick his phone directly.

“He is ready to sit with you on how to solve a problem but he would not allow you to talk. That is the type of character he is. I have a dossier on Obasanjo and I will expose him and Nigerians will read it in my memoir,” Alamieyeseigha said.

Serena's grand slam dream ended!

Serena Williams dream of a calendar grand slam sweep has just ended!
She faced Italian Roberta Vinci at the rescheduled semifinal match at the U.S opens and started with a 2-6 match-set victory but surprisingly lost the 2nd and 3rd sets by same scoreline of 6-4, 6-4.

Buhari wouldn't have been President if I was there!

The ex-National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, said on Thursday that if he had not been forced out of office, his party would have still been in charge of power at the centre.

Tukur, who spoke with journalists at his residence in Abuja as one of the activities to mark his 80th birthday, said the party was winning elections when he was in office.

The former PDP chairman was forced to resign from office when he sanctioned some governors of the party.

Tukur, who was a former governor of the defunct Gongola State, identified lack of internal democracy as the bane of the former ruling party.

The defeat suffered by the PDP was unprecedented as the then opposition party, the All Progressives Congress, won the Presidential election and many states where the PDP had hitherto remained unbeaten.

Tukur however said the situation would have been different if he had not been booted out of office unceremoniously.

He said, “Well, when I was there I won elections and in the same vein, if I was there I also expect to win the election.

“But first and foremost, this is a democracy and in every democratic system, you have the opposition and the party in government.

“So, it is time (for the opposition) because it is a democracy and it is the people who decide who they want to vote for and that is what the people have done.

“Sure the PDP will rediscover itself. I am sure about that; it is their own party and they can find out what have gone wrong.

“If for 16 years people allowed you to rule them and in the 17th year they say no, you have to find out why they said no.”

He said he faced problems in the party because some of those he described as strong members of the party were afraid of election and would rather prefer selection.

He said such powerful men were ready to leave the party, but he decided to leave for them.

Tukur added, “Well, I thought we were in a system of democracy and my views were such that what I believed in were what I will preach.

“I wanted election and people said they wanted selection. If the majority or the strong people in the PDP did not believe in it then the choice or the next thing for me to do was to leave.

“It is either I leave or they leave but I did not want them to leave, so, I decided to leave. At that time, people said I was preaching internal democracy instead of imposition. So, it was difficult for me to sit down and be part of them.”

Despite the way he was treated in his party, Tukur said he would not defect to the APC, saying that it would be difficult for him to change his principle at 80.

He said, “At 80, what do you want somebody to do? You want to change somebody’s character at 80? Is it possible?

“At 80, you remain because you cannot bend. You are unbendable anymore and if you do it by force, you will break.”

THE PUNCH.

Normalcy returns to Unilag as lectures resumes!

A relative peace can be felt on the campus of  the University of Lagos (UNILAG), after a protest by the students of the institution on Wednesday, over the electrocution of a female student.
The protest led by the students union, paralysed academic and administrative activities on campus, forcing the Vice Chancellor, Prof Rahamon Bello, to address the angry students.
On Tuesday, a 300 level Accounting female student, Oluchi Anekwe, was electrocuted in front of one of the female hostels. The students union President, Abiodun Martins said she was a first class student.
The Deputy Vice Chancellor (Administration), Prof Duro Oni, said: ‘’Unilag is not shut. We are in our offices and have attended various meetings. Lectures are ongoing and the campus is peaceful.’’
A lecturer at the Political Science Department who declined to be named confirmed students’ protest but reiterated that: “The university was never shut and that calm has returned to the institution.
Chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Dr. Laja Odukoya, said the information that the university was shut because of the protest was false and that his members have been lecturing the students.

The Sun

Check out Mourinho's pretty daughter at an Event Yesterday!

The self-dubbed 'Special One'  Jose Mourinho was caught on cameras with his beautiful teenage daughter Maltide.

The 52-year-old , who wore a James Bond look attended the GQ Men of the Year Awards with his teenage daughter Matilde, 18, at London's Royal Opera House on Tuesday night; the Portuguese picked up the Editor's Special Award at the ceremony hosted by legendary actor Samuel L. Jackson.
was joined at the glitzy event by a host of household sporting names including British Formula One superstar Lewis Hamilton.

Matilde, who was born in 1996 to Mourinho's wife, Matilde Faria, is a long-term friend of One Direction singer Niall  Horan, who is an avid football fan, and she is sure to be delighted at being her famous father's 'plus one' for the party.

Dailymail

Buhari meets Obasanjo in closed door meeting!

President Muhammadu Buhari and former President Olusegun Obasanjo met at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Tuesday.

The closed door meeting of the two leaders, which lasted for about an hour, was kept classified from pressmen as details of the meeting were unknown at the time of filing this report.

It was learnt that Obasanjo declined to speak to journalists when Buhari accompanied him to his vehicle at 4:17pm.

He simply told journalists that approached him: “comot joor” lol......baba with him pranks!

Nigerian Senator mentions his 2 wives in his assets declaration.. Lol

Since President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo made their assets declaration public, Nigerian Politicians have been trying hard to outdo one another in setting an integrity template.

A senator representing Kaduna Central, Shehu Sani, has made public his assets and he included his two wives in his declaration.

The senator’s assets and liabilities, according to him include a bank balance of N22m; seven houses in Kaduna, Abuja, Niger and Katsina states; “several vehicles,” two uncompleted office apartments in Kaduna; N5m in shares reportedly bought in 2007 and crashed in 2008; 30 books published in Nigeria, the United States and the United Kingdom with royalties; and a community journal titled, Peace Magazine and his two wives.

According to him, making his assets declaration public is in conformity with the standard of transparent and exemplary leadership set by the President and Vice-President. He explained that the act indicated his submission to the public demand for integrity from all public office hold

Zenith Bank sacks 1200 from its Workforce!

Zenith Bank PLC, one of Nigeria’s leading new generation banks, who were served notices of termination appointments to about 1200 of their employees on Tuesday 8th September.

The actual figure of those affected can not be ascertained with initial report claiming no fewer than 1,200 were involved from all the bank’s branches, while a source close to the bank told Premium Times that about 240 people, including eight General Managers and 40 Assistant General Managers, were affected.

What is, however, clear is that the action swept away most of top management staff in a deliberate attempt by the bank to drastically cut down on its top heavy management structure.

“One thing that is clear is that Zenith Bank is not under any threat,” the source, who spoke with our reporter on condition of anonymity. “With the current crisis in the banking industry in the country, it is incumbent on any bank that wants to growth to bend backwards to re-strategize and restructure its operations to expand and grow.

“The number might not be as high as is being speculated. But, the decision is not by accident. It is a deliberate one, because the time is ripe for the bank to restructure the management and reposition its operations for greater efficiency and profitability both for shareholders and investors. The decision was inevitable that it had to happen.

“If one looks at Zenith Bank, it was becoming top heavy, with many of the managers earning so much that could have been enough to support the business growth plans. With the action now, there is no doubt that a lot of money would be saved for the bank.”

The source, however denied speculations about the mode of serving notification of sack on the affected staff, saying it was not true that they were informed through text messages.

“A formal meeting was held with the affected staff since Monday this week, where details of their disengagement benefits were discussed and agreement reached,” the source explained.

Zenith Bank says it’s overall vision is to emerge a reputable international financial services network recognized for innovation, superior customer service and performance, while creating premium value for all stakeholders.

With the latest development, the bank joins the growing list of banks in the financial sector of the economy to embark on the restructuring of its staff as a strategy to repositioning for growth.

Recently, Access Bank, which acquired former Intercontinental Bank in the wake of the bank consolidation policy, dispensed with the services of over 1,600 of its workers across the nation, while Mainstreet Bank, one of the three nationalised banks is reported to have equally sent more than 400 of its workers away for a similar reason.