GOVERNMENT of the United Kingdom, through its
Department for International Development (DfID),
has said it will provide £300 million per year by
2015, as development assistance for Nigeria.
Announcing the plan to inject the fund into the
economy, the UK government said its aim was to
unlock the potential already latent in the Nigerian
economy and pull people out of poverty.
UK's Minister for Africa, Henry Bellingham, made the
disclosure at a business and investment summit on
Nigeria, at the Dorchester Hotel, London, on Monday.
The event was hosted by the Nigeria Olympics
Committee and the Bank of Industry (BoI) in Nigeria.
The minister described the Petroleum Industry Bill
(PIB) currently before the National Assembly as of
great significance, as it provides opportunity for
Nigeria to demonstrate to the business community
that it is ready and willing to embrace and protect
new investments.
He said a well-crafted PIB could set a legal framework
that would boost investor confidence in the oil and
gas sector, even as it could ensure immense natural
resources in the country were harnessed and
managed for the good of the Nigerian people.
"In the last year alone, British exports to Nigeria
grew by 13 per cent. The UK remains in the top five
exporters to Nigeria and it remains our second
largest market in Sub-Saharan Africa. The trade is
not all one way, Nigerian exports to Britain have also
grown substantially during this period, despite global
economic challenges," he said.
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
FG has evacuated about 50 Nigerians from Syria - Minister
MINISTER of Foreign Affairs, Mr Olugbenga Ashiru, on
Monday, said about 50 Nigerians had, so far, been
evacuated from Syria, following the ongoing crises in
the country.
Ashiru told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in
Abuja that the evacuees complied with government's
directive to leave Syria and he advised others to
vacate the Middle East nation.
"We have evacuated quite a lot of Nigerians from
Syria, it was not an airlift exercise like we did in the
case of Libya, because they are very few.
"From the report I got, those moved so far are less
than 50, we advised them to move long before the
situation deteriorated. Some have decided to stay
behind, but it is their choice," he said.
The minister also said the families of the Charge
d'Affairs and officials at the embassy had been
relocated to the neighbouring nation of Lebanon,
adding that "they are very safe there."
NAN recalled that the Syrian conflict began on March
15, 2011, with public demonstrations as part of the
wider Arab spring and developed into a nationwide
uprising.
Monday, said about 50 Nigerians had, so far, been
evacuated from Syria, following the ongoing crises in
the country.
Ashiru told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in
Abuja that the evacuees complied with government's
directive to leave Syria and he advised others to
vacate the Middle East nation.
"We have evacuated quite a lot of Nigerians from
Syria, it was not an airlift exercise like we did in the
case of Libya, because they are very few.
"From the report I got, those moved so far are less
than 50, we advised them to move long before the
situation deteriorated. Some have decided to stay
behind, but it is their choice," he said.
The minister also said the families of the Charge
d'Affairs and officials at the embassy had been
relocated to the neighbouring nation of Lebanon,
adding that "they are very safe there."
NAN recalled that the Syrian conflict began on March
15, 2011, with public demonstrations as part of the
wider Arab spring and developed into a nationwide
uprising.
Bauchi Assembly passes 5 bills into law •Seeks to make HIV/AIDS test compulsory
IN a move to deepen good governance with a view to
enhancing the standard of living of the people of the
state, the Bauchi State House of Assembly passed
five bills before it into law, even as it sent a bill on
making the Human Immuno Deficiency Virus/
Acquired Immuned Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS)
test before marriage in the state to the assembly's
committee on health for further consideration.
Briefing newsmen on the activities of the assembly,
the chairman House Committee on Information,
Honourable Dayyabu Chiroma, stated that the bills
passed into law were the bill to restrict ceremonial
horse riding in the state capital, bill to provide
auditing of public account, bill to amend law for
primary health care delivery agency, bill to create an
agency for orphans and vulnerable children and the
bill to amend local government system in the state,
which sought to reduce the tenure of the 20 local
government areas chairmen from two and half years
to two years.
According to Honourable Chiroma, the speaker of the
assembly, Honourable Yahaya Miya, had directed the
clerk of the assembly to prepare clean copies of the
five bills for onward transmission to the executive for
the assent of Governor Isa Yuguda.
Meanwhile, the assembly has considered a bill
seeking to make HIV/AIDS test for intending couples
in the state compulsory before getting married.
The bill, according to the Honourable Chiroma, which
was sponsored by Honourable Iliyasu Zwall,
representing Lere/Bula state constituency, was
aimed at reducing the menace of the HIV/AIDS
scourge in the society.
enhancing the standard of living of the people of the
state, the Bauchi State House of Assembly passed
five bills before it into law, even as it sent a bill on
making the Human Immuno Deficiency Virus/
Acquired Immuned Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS)
test before marriage in the state to the assembly's
committee on health for further consideration.
Briefing newsmen on the activities of the assembly,
the chairman House Committee on Information,
Honourable Dayyabu Chiroma, stated that the bills
passed into law were the bill to restrict ceremonial
horse riding in the state capital, bill to provide
auditing of public account, bill to amend law for
primary health care delivery agency, bill to create an
agency for orphans and vulnerable children and the
bill to amend local government system in the state,
which sought to reduce the tenure of the 20 local
government areas chairmen from two and half years
to two years.
According to Honourable Chiroma, the speaker of the
assembly, Honourable Yahaya Miya, had directed the
clerk of the assembly to prepare clean copies of the
five bills for onward transmission to the executive for
the assent of Governor Isa Yuguda.
Meanwhile, the assembly has considered a bill
seeking to make HIV/AIDS test for intending couples
in the state compulsory before getting married.
The bill, according to the Honourable Chiroma, which
was sponsored by Honourable Iliyasu Zwall,
representing Lere/Bula state constituency, was
aimed at reducing the menace of the HIV/AIDS
scourge in the society.
Typhoid fever, rare cause of hallucination
Typhoid fever is a life-threatening illness that is both
preventable and treatable with antibiotics. However,
experts warn that when the infection is not promptly
treated, it is deadly in that it can cause internal
bleeding, perforation of the intestine and
hallucination, reports Sade Oguntola.
Typhoid fever is a bacterial disease,
caused by Salmonella typhi. It is
transmitted
through the ingestion of food or
drink contaminated by the faeces or
urine of infected people. It is a
serious health threat resulting in
some 22 million new cases yearly
and approximately 217,000
fatalities.
Salmonella typhi lives only in humans. According to
Dr Adegboyega Akere, a consultant
gastroenterologist, University College Hospital (UCH),
Ibadan, Oyo State, persons with typhoid fever carry
the bacteria in their bloodstream and intestinal tract.
In addition, a small number of persons, called
carriers, recover from typhoid fever but continue to
carry the bacteria. Both ill persons and carriers shed
Salmonella typhi in their stool.
Dr Akere said: "Carriers are not sick; in fact their
symptoms have disappeared.
However, they still have the bacteria, Salmonella
typhi, especially in their gall bladder and other parts
of the body. The gallstones serve as reservoir for
Salmonella typhi. In addition, people that pass blood
with their urine due to Schistosomiasis (bilharzias)
also acts as reservoir for the Salmonella typhi."
Unfortunately, food handled by vendors with typhoid
fever who don't wash their hands after going to the
toilet can contaminate the food they sell with S.
Typhi if they are carriers.
"Food handlers that are chronic carriers of S. Typhi
are a special health hazard because they spread the
organism that causes typhoid fever. Although, they
are not sick, they continue to shed the bacteria,"
stated Dr Akere.
How soon do symptoms appear? Symptoms
generally appear one to three weeks after exposure.
Persons with typhoid fever usually have a sustained
fever as high as 39° to 40° C. They may also feel
weak, or have stomach pains, headache, or loss of
appetite. In some cases, patients have a rash or flat,
rose-colored spots. The only way to know for sure if
an illness is typhoid fever is to have samples of stool
or blood tested for the presence of Salmonella typhi.
"The body temperature increases in a step-like
fashion. Today, it is 38° tomorrow it changes to 39°
and it keeps increasing each day without subsiding
compared to what happens in malaria. In malaria, the
temperature is high and after a while reduces and
then goes up again," he explained.
With typhoid fever, Dr Akere said, "in the first few
days, aside the increasing body temperature, there is
headache and rose-coloured spots on the chest.
Then after a while, the person will start to have
abdominal pain, especially in the right lower side of
the abdomen. Later constipation and or diarrhoea
sets in. But constipation is commoner in children but
diarrhoea in adults."
Typhoid fever can be prevented and can usually be
treated with antibiotics.
However, if left untreated different complications can
develop. "Typhoid fever is a systemic disease that
affects several organs of the body, not just the
digestive organs," said Dr Akere.
He declared: "When a person eats contaminated food
or drink, including contaminated water, the
organism, Salmonella Typhi, enters through the
digestive tract and from there into the blood stream.
The germ through the blood spreads to different
body organs aside the digestive tract."
When typhoid fever is left untreated, Dr Akere stated
that complications can result when it infects any
organ in the body, including the heart, brain, kidney
and lungs. "The person may start to bleed internally
when there is perforation of a portion of the colon.
When there is perforation of the colon, its content
spills into the abdominal cavity, causing severe
infection again. This is deadly. As a result, the person
might feel pain all over the abdominal area. Of
course, the person will be very sick and might even
go into shock."
Moreover, he said that another complication of
typhoid fever was typhoid psychosis. "The person
could have what is called a psychiatry manifestation
of typhoid fever. Such a person starts to behave like
a person with psychiatric problem; such starts to
behave abnormally. The person may be extremely
aggressive, confused, disoriented and may be
hallucinating."
According to the medical expert, typhoid fever gives
different symptoms depending on the organ of the
body that it infects.
But, "typhoid fever is a treatable with antibiotics and
with these drugs, the body can get rid of this
infection on time if treatment commences early.
"Even carriers of the bacteria also need to be treated
with antibiotics, but for a longer period of time, say
about six weeks, to clear it from their body system.
However, carriers with gall stone will have to remove
their gall bladder through surgery because gall
stones serve as reservoir for the bacteria. Without
the removal of the gall bladder, the bacteria cannot
be totally eradicated from the body."
Meanwhile, Dr Akere assured that people can be
vaccinated against typhoid fever. There are both
injectable and oral vaccines for typhoid fever. The
vaccine is to be followed up with booster doses every
two to five years. But the vaccine is more suitable for
people coming from non-endemic typhoid fever
regions to endemic typhoid fever regions.
Places endemic for typhoid fever include Asia, Latin
America and Africa. So, for people coming from
countries such as United Kingdom, Canada and
United States of America, it is advisable that they
take be vaccinated.
Nonetheless, he stated that it was better for people
in typhoid fever endemic areas, including Nigeria, to
ensure they are protected from this disease that
could kill. According to him, the most important step
in protecting one's self from the disease is personal
and environmental hygiene, including proper sewage
disposal.
"The person that is sick with typhoid fever sheds the
bacteria through the faeces. If faeces is properly
handled, there is no way it will contaminate food or
water. Growing food items with human faeces or
waste water also contaminate food, thus
predisposing individuals to different diseases
including typhoid fever.
"Regular hand washing after visiting the toilet is also
important just as there is the need to be sure of the
source of water used in the preparation of food and
washing of hands," he further added.
Watching what one eats and drinks when one travels
is also as important as being vaccinated in the
prevention of typhoid fever, including travellers'
diarrhoea, cholera, dysentery, and hepatitis A.
preventable and treatable with antibiotics. However,
experts warn that when the infection is not promptly
treated, it is deadly in that it can cause internal
bleeding, perforation of the intestine and
hallucination, reports Sade Oguntola.
Typhoid fever is a bacterial disease,
caused by Salmonella typhi. It is
transmitted
through the ingestion of food or
drink contaminated by the faeces or
urine of infected people. It is a
serious health threat resulting in
some 22 million new cases yearly
and approximately 217,000
fatalities.
Salmonella typhi lives only in humans. According to
Dr Adegboyega Akere, a consultant
gastroenterologist, University College Hospital (UCH),
Ibadan, Oyo State, persons with typhoid fever carry
the bacteria in their bloodstream and intestinal tract.
In addition, a small number of persons, called
carriers, recover from typhoid fever but continue to
carry the bacteria. Both ill persons and carriers shed
Salmonella typhi in their stool.
Dr Akere said: "Carriers are not sick; in fact their
symptoms have disappeared.
However, they still have the bacteria, Salmonella
typhi, especially in their gall bladder and other parts
of the body. The gallstones serve as reservoir for
Salmonella typhi. In addition, people that pass blood
with their urine due to Schistosomiasis (bilharzias)
also acts as reservoir for the Salmonella typhi."
Unfortunately, food handled by vendors with typhoid
fever who don't wash their hands after going to the
toilet can contaminate the food they sell with S.
Typhi if they are carriers.
"Food handlers that are chronic carriers of S. Typhi
are a special health hazard because they spread the
organism that causes typhoid fever. Although, they
are not sick, they continue to shed the bacteria,"
stated Dr Akere.
How soon do symptoms appear? Symptoms
generally appear one to three weeks after exposure.
Persons with typhoid fever usually have a sustained
fever as high as 39° to 40° C. They may also feel
weak, or have stomach pains, headache, or loss of
appetite. In some cases, patients have a rash or flat,
rose-colored spots. The only way to know for sure if
an illness is typhoid fever is to have samples of stool
or blood tested for the presence of Salmonella typhi.
"The body temperature increases in a step-like
fashion. Today, it is 38° tomorrow it changes to 39°
and it keeps increasing each day without subsiding
compared to what happens in malaria. In malaria, the
temperature is high and after a while reduces and
then goes up again," he explained.
With typhoid fever, Dr Akere said, "in the first few
days, aside the increasing body temperature, there is
headache and rose-coloured spots on the chest.
Then after a while, the person will start to have
abdominal pain, especially in the right lower side of
the abdomen. Later constipation and or diarrhoea
sets in. But constipation is commoner in children but
diarrhoea in adults."
Typhoid fever can be prevented and can usually be
treated with antibiotics.
However, if left untreated different complications can
develop. "Typhoid fever is a systemic disease that
affects several organs of the body, not just the
digestive organs," said Dr Akere.
He declared: "When a person eats contaminated food
or drink, including contaminated water, the
organism, Salmonella Typhi, enters through the
digestive tract and from there into the blood stream.
The germ through the blood spreads to different
body organs aside the digestive tract."
When typhoid fever is left untreated, Dr Akere stated
that complications can result when it infects any
organ in the body, including the heart, brain, kidney
and lungs. "The person may start to bleed internally
when there is perforation of a portion of the colon.
When there is perforation of the colon, its content
spills into the abdominal cavity, causing severe
infection again. This is deadly. As a result, the person
might feel pain all over the abdominal area. Of
course, the person will be very sick and might even
go into shock."
Moreover, he said that another complication of
typhoid fever was typhoid psychosis. "The person
could have what is called a psychiatry manifestation
of typhoid fever. Such a person starts to behave like
a person with psychiatric problem; such starts to
behave abnormally. The person may be extremely
aggressive, confused, disoriented and may be
hallucinating."
According to the medical expert, typhoid fever gives
different symptoms depending on the organ of the
body that it infects.
But, "typhoid fever is a treatable with antibiotics and
with these drugs, the body can get rid of this
infection on time if treatment commences early.
"Even carriers of the bacteria also need to be treated
with antibiotics, but for a longer period of time, say
about six weeks, to clear it from their body system.
However, carriers with gall stone will have to remove
their gall bladder through surgery because gall
stones serve as reservoir for the bacteria. Without
the removal of the gall bladder, the bacteria cannot
be totally eradicated from the body."
Meanwhile, Dr Akere assured that people can be
vaccinated against typhoid fever. There are both
injectable and oral vaccines for typhoid fever. The
vaccine is to be followed up with booster doses every
two to five years. But the vaccine is more suitable for
people coming from non-endemic typhoid fever
regions to endemic typhoid fever regions.
Places endemic for typhoid fever include Asia, Latin
America and Africa. So, for people coming from
countries such as United Kingdom, Canada and
United States of America, it is advisable that they
take be vaccinated.
Nonetheless, he stated that it was better for people
in typhoid fever endemic areas, including Nigeria, to
ensure they are protected from this disease that
could kill. According to him, the most important step
in protecting one's self from the disease is personal
and environmental hygiene, including proper sewage
disposal.
"The person that is sick with typhoid fever sheds the
bacteria through the faeces. If faeces is properly
handled, there is no way it will contaminate food or
water. Growing food items with human faeces or
waste water also contaminate food, thus
predisposing individuals to different diseases
including typhoid fever.
"Regular hand washing after visiting the toilet is also
important just as there is the need to be sure of the
source of water used in the preparation of food and
washing of hands," he further added.
Watching what one eats and drinks when one travels
is also as important as being vaccinated in the
prevention of typhoid fever, including travellers'
diarrhoea, cholera, dysentery, and hepatitis A.
Jonathan jets out to Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica
PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan will depart Abuja
today to attend Trinidad and Tobago Emancipation
Day, as well as Jamaica's Independence anniversary
celebration.
The president, who will be accompanied by his wife,
Patience, will review the Kambule Street Procession,
the major event marking the Trinidad and Tobago
Emancipation Day tomorrow, with the Prime Minister
of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Honourable
Kamla Persad-Bissessar.
A statement issued by Dr Reuben Abati, Special
Adviser on Media and Publicity, in Abuja, on Monday,
said President Jonathan would also pay a visit to
Professor George Maxwell Richards, president of
Trinidad and Tobago and his wife, Dr Jean Richards,
and meet with members of the Nigerian community.
The president's official visit to Jamaica would
commence on Thursday, with a special
commemorative session of parliament in his honour,
after which he will be hosted by the Jamaican Prime
Minister, Portia Simpson-Miller.
President Jonathan is expected back in Abuja on
Saturday.
today to attend Trinidad and Tobago Emancipation
Day, as well as Jamaica's Independence anniversary
celebration.
The president, who will be accompanied by his wife,
Patience, will review the Kambule Street Procession,
the major event marking the Trinidad and Tobago
Emancipation Day tomorrow, with the Prime Minister
of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Honourable
Kamla Persad-Bissessar.
A statement issued by Dr Reuben Abati, Special
Adviser on Media and Publicity, in Abuja, on Monday,
said President Jonathan would also pay a visit to
Professor George Maxwell Richards, president of
Trinidad and Tobago and his wife, Dr Jean Richards,
and meet with members of the Nigerian community.
The president's official visit to Jamaica would
commence on Thursday, with a special
commemorative session of parliament in his honour,
after which he will be hosted by the Jamaican Prime
Minister, Portia Simpson-Miller.
President Jonathan is expected back in Abuja on
Saturday.
Bank driver arrested with 19 ATM cards,N652,000
The Lagos State Police Command has arrested Dare
Oladujoye, a driver with Zenith Bank, for allegedly
being in possession of 19 Guaranty Trust Bank ATM
cards and the sum of N652, 000.
PUNCH Metro learnt that the suspect was using the
cards to withdraw money from an ATM at Ogba
branch of GTB when a security guard raised the
alarm.
The Commissioner of Police for the state police
command, Mr. Umar Manko, said as of the time of his
arrest, the suspect had withdrawn N652, 000 from
the ATM.
Manko said, "On July 26, 2012, around 8:30pm, there
was a distress call that there was commotion at GTB,
Ogba branch. On getting there, the suspect was seen
with 19 ATM cards.
"He is an employee of Zenith Bank and we wondered
what he was doing with the 19 cards. He was
arrested and as of the time of his arrest, he had
cashed N652, 000. The matter is under
investigation."
The suspect however denied stealing the ATM cards.
He said whenever he lent people money, he would
collect their ATM cards as collateral and return them
after payment.
He said, "I usually loan people money and I've been
doing it for over a year. Whenever I loan people
money, I will collect their ATM cards and their
Personal Identification Numbers. When they repay
me, I return their cards to them.
"However, if they don't pay me back in cash, I go to
withdraw money from their accounts through the
ATM."
When quizzed on where he got the money which he
lent people, he said he was into various kinds of
businesses.
He also said he had friends in the banking sector who
helped him with funds.
He said, "I am a very hard working person. I joined
Zenith Bank as a driver over three years ago and in
less than a year, I bought a tricycle which I leased to
another driver that gives me returns on a regular
basis.
"The following year, I bought two tricycles bringing
the total number to three. I make N150,000 monthly
from the tricycles and N60,000 from my salary. I also
get credit facilities through my connections in the
banking sector.
"On the day I was arrested, I went to withdraw
money on Thursday night with some of the cards
when a security guard raised the alarm. I did not
steal those cards. I know the owners of the cards and
I have their numbers on my phone."
Meanwhile, the command has warned members of
the public to be very careful when buying vehicles so
as not to buy stolen ones.
The warning became imperative following the arrest
of two mechanics who allegedly received six stolen
vehicles and even sold some to members of the
public.
Manko said buyers could sense stolen vehicles by
their cheap prices.
It was learnt that on July 7, 2012, Sunday Okoduwa
came with a report that his car was stolen on Victoria
Island.
Policemen later traced the car to a workshop in
Agidingbi and arrested a man identified simply as
Abdusalam, who in turn claimed that he bought it
from one Idowu Adegboyega.
PUNCH Metro learnt that when Adegboyega was
arrested and could not give a satisfactory
explanation, his house was searched and some
documents were found which led to the recovery of
six other vehicles.
A police source said, "When we searched the
suspect's house, some documents were recovered
which led to the recovery of six other vehicles.
"All the vehicles were registered in the name of one
Oti Olusekola Jacob, who is believed to belong to the
gang of armed robbers in Lagos."
In a related development, the police have arrested 12
armed robbery suspects.
Police authorities said the suspects belonged to a
syndicate that specialised in snatching vehicles from
the owners at gunpoint.
The police alleged that the suspects operated in
Ikorodu where they robbed and also sold vehicles.
According to the police, Ahmed Abdullahi, Azeez
Abiodun, Olusoga Taiwo, Wasiu Azeez and Dele
Balogun are among the suspects arrested.
It was learnt that three of the suspects, Adebiyi
Mafimisesin, Lekan Aibinuomo and Okalawon
Akinpelu; were receivers of stolen vehicles, which
were either Toyota or Honda products.
A police source said, "The case emanated from
Ikorodu Police Station and was reported on June 20,
2012 by a complainant who was attacked and robbed
of his Toyota Sienna Space bus.
"We swung into action and we discovered where they
keep stolen vehicles and sell to buyers. We recovered
six vehicles; Toyota Sienna, Toyota Corolla, Honda
Accord, Toyota Camry and two others.
"We also recovered single-barrelled locally-made
shotguns and 24 live cartridges and one expended
cartridge."
Oladujoye, a driver with Zenith Bank, for allegedly
being in possession of 19 Guaranty Trust Bank ATM
cards and the sum of N652, 000.
PUNCH Metro learnt that the suspect was using the
cards to withdraw money from an ATM at Ogba
branch of GTB when a security guard raised the
alarm.
The Commissioner of Police for the state police
command, Mr. Umar Manko, said as of the time of his
arrest, the suspect had withdrawn N652, 000 from
the ATM.
Manko said, "On July 26, 2012, around 8:30pm, there
was a distress call that there was commotion at GTB,
Ogba branch. On getting there, the suspect was seen
with 19 ATM cards.
"He is an employee of Zenith Bank and we wondered
what he was doing with the 19 cards. He was
arrested and as of the time of his arrest, he had
cashed N652, 000. The matter is under
investigation."
The suspect however denied stealing the ATM cards.
He said whenever he lent people money, he would
collect their ATM cards as collateral and return them
after payment.
He said, "I usually loan people money and I've been
doing it for over a year. Whenever I loan people
money, I will collect their ATM cards and their
Personal Identification Numbers. When they repay
me, I return their cards to them.
"However, if they don't pay me back in cash, I go to
withdraw money from their accounts through the
ATM."
When quizzed on where he got the money which he
lent people, he said he was into various kinds of
businesses.
He also said he had friends in the banking sector who
helped him with funds.
He said, "I am a very hard working person. I joined
Zenith Bank as a driver over three years ago and in
less than a year, I bought a tricycle which I leased to
another driver that gives me returns on a regular
basis.
"The following year, I bought two tricycles bringing
the total number to three. I make N150,000 monthly
from the tricycles and N60,000 from my salary. I also
get credit facilities through my connections in the
banking sector.
"On the day I was arrested, I went to withdraw
money on Thursday night with some of the cards
when a security guard raised the alarm. I did not
steal those cards. I know the owners of the cards and
I have their numbers on my phone."
Meanwhile, the command has warned members of
the public to be very careful when buying vehicles so
as not to buy stolen ones.
The warning became imperative following the arrest
of two mechanics who allegedly received six stolen
vehicles and even sold some to members of the
public.
Manko said buyers could sense stolen vehicles by
their cheap prices.
It was learnt that on July 7, 2012, Sunday Okoduwa
came with a report that his car was stolen on Victoria
Island.
Policemen later traced the car to a workshop in
Agidingbi and arrested a man identified simply as
Abdusalam, who in turn claimed that he bought it
from one Idowu Adegboyega.
PUNCH Metro learnt that when Adegboyega was
arrested and could not give a satisfactory
explanation, his house was searched and some
documents were found which led to the recovery of
six other vehicles.
A police source said, "When we searched the
suspect's house, some documents were recovered
which led to the recovery of six other vehicles.
"All the vehicles were registered in the name of one
Oti Olusekola Jacob, who is believed to belong to the
gang of armed robbers in Lagos."
In a related development, the police have arrested 12
armed robbery suspects.
Police authorities said the suspects belonged to a
syndicate that specialised in snatching vehicles from
the owners at gunpoint.
The police alleged that the suspects operated in
Ikorodu where they robbed and also sold vehicles.
According to the police, Ahmed Abdullahi, Azeez
Abiodun, Olusoga Taiwo, Wasiu Azeez and Dele
Balogun are among the suspects arrested.
It was learnt that three of the suspects, Adebiyi
Mafimisesin, Lekan Aibinuomo and Okalawon
Akinpelu; were receivers of stolen vehicles, which
were either Toyota or Honda products.
A police source said, "The case emanated from
Ikorodu Police Station and was reported on June 20,
2012 by a complainant who was attacked and robbed
of his Toyota Sienna Space bus.
"We swung into action and we discovered where they
keep stolen vehicles and sell to buyers. We recovered
six vehicles; Toyota Sienna, Toyota Corolla, Honda
Accord, Toyota Camry and two others.
"We also recovered single-barrelled locally-made
shotguns and 24 live cartridges and one expended
cartridge."
Gunmen kill one at VP Sambo’s house • Suicidebomber attacks office of AIG zone 10 •Suspected terrorists on the rampage in Sokoto, Kaduna
GUNMEN early Monday attacked the family residence
of the Vice-President Namadi Sambo in Tundun-
Wada, Zaria, Kaduna State, injuring the two mobile
policemen guarding the house.
A cobbler attending to one of the mobile policemen
as of the time of the attack was reportedly hit and
died on the spot. The attack on the VP house
occurred at 11 o'clock in the morning.
Also, suspected suicide bombers launched attacks on
the office of the Assistant Inspector-General of Police
in charge of Zone 10 in Sokoto, Muhtari Ibrahim, and
a shop owned by the Police Officer Wives'
Association, adjacent to the Unguwar Rogo police
station, Marina, Sokoto.
Dead victims of the Sokoto attacks included a
hairdresser, a policeman, and the two suspected
bombers.
The attacks in Sokoto and Kaduna came on a day the
police announced the casualty figure of Sunday
night's bombing in Kano. The police said four persons
were killed in the blast that rocked the Kano-Gwarzo
Road but residents insisted on Monday that the
casualty figure was higher.
In Tundun-Wada, Zaria, unknown gunmen on a
motorbike fired at Sambo's residence under
rehabilitation and injured the policemen on guard.
The house had remained uninhabited by the VP
family since it was attacked during the 2011 post-
election violence in Kaduna State.
Ibrahim confirmed the attack on his office and the
death of a policeman, a Corporal; and the suicide
bomber. He said eight policemen and a civilian were
injured as a result of the attack.
The AIG said that five offices and other parts of the
one-storey building, the gate, and some
neighbouring houses were shattered. The official car
of the police chief was also reportedly damaged.
He was quoted by the News Agency of Nigeria as
saying that the suicide bomber who attacked his
office drove a Honda Accord car and forced his way
into the premises after he was denied entry.
Ibrahim said that only the dead suicide bomber was
in the vehicle, adding that investigations would
continue on the development.
He asked members of the public to provide security
agencies with useful information to curb the trend.
Deputy Commissioner of Police, Kudu Nma, who
confirmed the attack on the Unguwar Rogo police
station, said the attacker could not gain access into
the police station .
According to Nma, only the attacker died at the
Unguwar Rogo police station after he struck a nearby
POWA shop.
Spokesman for the Sokoto State Police Command,
Sani Salisu, a Deputy Superintendent of Police,
confirmed the death of the hairdresser at the POWA
shop near Unguwar rogo police station.
The Deputy Force Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba,
who also confirmed the attacks, said security had
been beefed in the areas.
"Security has been beefed up in Sokoto and Zaria
and men of the Anti-Terrorist Squad have taken over
the areas," Mba told The PUNCH.
The violent attacks in Sokoto and Kaduna, analysts
said on Monday must have taken security agents by
surprise given the expectation that the attackers,
believed to be members of the violent Islamic sect,
Boko Haram, would cease fire during the Ramadan
season.
The attacks also came barely 24 hours after two ex-
heads of state, Olusegun Obasanjo and Ibrahim
Babangida, in a joint statement lamented the
worsening state of security in the country. Obasanjo
and Babangida said Nigerians were living in fear and
uncertainty.
The Kano State Police Commissioner, Mr Ibrahim Idris
had also confirmed the attack on the city on Sunday
night.
He said that some gunmen attempted to attack a
mosque in Jan Bulo quarters around 10:30 p.m. on
Sunday.
An official statement by the command on Monday
said, "The Kano State Police Command wish to inform
the general public that on 29th Day of July 2012 at
2030hrs, unknown gunmen on three motorcycles
attacked a patrol team attached to Rijar Zaki
positioned at 2nd Gate JamblockEstate.
"The police patrol team responded and in the
ensuing gun duel, two of the attackers were gunned
down by the police, while two died from explosives
they were carrying.
"One of them was burnt beyond recognition. There
was no police or civilian casualty. Recovered at the
scene of the incident were three motorcycles, one AK
47 rifle, an assault rifle and 50 rounds of
ammunition.
"Officers of the Command Anti-Bomb Squad combed
the entire area and further recovered 10 undetonated
explosives. The area is now calm."
However, residents of the area insisted on Monday
that the casualty figure was higher because it was a
densely populated area.
"Whoever claimed that only four people (attackers)
died is telling a huge lie. Some civilians were victims
too. The area was busy with people; some were still
breaking their Ramadan fast. Some were already at
the mosque for prayers," a resident who did not want
his name mentioned told our correspondent in Kano
on Monday.
Meanwhile, the Senate President, David Mark, has
condemned the Sokoto attacks and asked security
agencies to come with new strategy to deal with the
worsening insecurity in the country.
Mark said the attacks were an assault on the peaceful
co-existenc among the people of Sokoto and begged
religious leaders to continue to appeal to members of
Boko Haram to accept the dialogue offer from
government.
He said, "The Federal Government will not dialogue
with itself. It has to dialogue with those who are
disenchanted with the system, particularly,
leadership and members of the Boko Haram sect.
"We also urged our political and religious leaders to
continue to appeal to the sect to listen to the voice of reason.
of the Vice-President Namadi Sambo in Tundun-
Wada, Zaria, Kaduna State, injuring the two mobile
policemen guarding the house.
A cobbler attending to one of the mobile policemen
as of the time of the attack was reportedly hit and
died on the spot. The attack on the VP house
occurred at 11 o'clock in the morning.
Also, suspected suicide bombers launched attacks on
the office of the Assistant Inspector-General of Police
in charge of Zone 10 in Sokoto, Muhtari Ibrahim, and
a shop owned by the Police Officer Wives'
Association, adjacent to the Unguwar Rogo police
station, Marina, Sokoto.
Dead victims of the Sokoto attacks included a
hairdresser, a policeman, and the two suspected
bombers.
The attacks in Sokoto and Kaduna came on a day the
police announced the casualty figure of Sunday
night's bombing in Kano. The police said four persons
were killed in the blast that rocked the Kano-Gwarzo
Road but residents insisted on Monday that the
casualty figure was higher.
In Tundun-Wada, Zaria, unknown gunmen on a
motorbike fired at Sambo's residence under
rehabilitation and injured the policemen on guard.
The house had remained uninhabited by the VP
family since it was attacked during the 2011 post-
election violence in Kaduna State.
Ibrahim confirmed the attack on his office and the
death of a policeman, a Corporal; and the suicide
bomber. He said eight policemen and a civilian were
injured as a result of the attack.
The AIG said that five offices and other parts of the
one-storey building, the gate, and some
neighbouring houses were shattered. The official car
of the police chief was also reportedly damaged.
He was quoted by the News Agency of Nigeria as
saying that the suicide bomber who attacked his
office drove a Honda Accord car and forced his way
into the premises after he was denied entry.
Ibrahim said that only the dead suicide bomber was
in the vehicle, adding that investigations would
continue on the development.
He asked members of the public to provide security
agencies with useful information to curb the trend.
Deputy Commissioner of Police, Kudu Nma, who
confirmed the attack on the Unguwar Rogo police
station, said the attacker could not gain access into
the police station .
According to Nma, only the attacker died at the
Unguwar Rogo police station after he struck a nearby
POWA shop.
Spokesman for the Sokoto State Police Command,
Sani Salisu, a Deputy Superintendent of Police,
confirmed the death of the hairdresser at the POWA
shop near Unguwar rogo police station.
The Deputy Force Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba,
who also confirmed the attacks, said security had
been beefed in the areas.
"Security has been beefed up in Sokoto and Zaria
and men of the Anti-Terrorist Squad have taken over
the areas," Mba told The PUNCH.
The violent attacks in Sokoto and Kaduna, analysts
said on Monday must have taken security agents by
surprise given the expectation that the attackers,
believed to be members of the violent Islamic sect,
Boko Haram, would cease fire during the Ramadan
season.
The attacks also came barely 24 hours after two ex-
heads of state, Olusegun Obasanjo and Ibrahim
Babangida, in a joint statement lamented the
worsening state of security in the country. Obasanjo
and Babangida said Nigerians were living in fear and
uncertainty.
The Kano State Police Commissioner, Mr Ibrahim Idris
had also confirmed the attack on the city on Sunday
night.
He said that some gunmen attempted to attack a
mosque in Jan Bulo quarters around 10:30 p.m. on
Sunday.
An official statement by the command on Monday
said, "The Kano State Police Command wish to inform
the general public that on 29th Day of July 2012 at
2030hrs, unknown gunmen on three motorcycles
attacked a patrol team attached to Rijar Zaki
positioned at 2nd Gate JamblockEstate.
"The police patrol team responded and in the
ensuing gun duel, two of the attackers were gunned
down by the police, while two died from explosives
they were carrying.
"One of them was burnt beyond recognition. There
was no police or civilian casualty. Recovered at the
scene of the incident were three motorcycles, one AK
47 rifle, an assault rifle and 50 rounds of
ammunition.
"Officers of the Command Anti-Bomb Squad combed
the entire area and further recovered 10 undetonated
explosives. The area is now calm."
However, residents of the area insisted on Monday
that the casualty figure was higher because it was a
densely populated area.
"Whoever claimed that only four people (attackers)
died is telling a huge lie. Some civilians were victims
too. The area was busy with people; some were still
breaking their Ramadan fast. Some were already at
the mosque for prayers," a resident who did not want
his name mentioned told our correspondent in Kano
on Monday.
Meanwhile, the Senate President, David Mark, has
condemned the Sokoto attacks and asked security
agencies to come with new strategy to deal with the
worsening insecurity in the country.
Mark said the attacks were an assault on the peaceful
co-existenc among the people of Sokoto and begged
religious leaders to continue to appeal to members of
Boko Haram to accept the dialogue offer from
government.
He said, "The Federal Government will not dialogue
with itself. It has to dialogue with those who are
disenchanted with the system, particularly,
leadership and members of the Boko Haram sect.
"We also urged our political and religious leaders to
continue to appeal to the sect to listen to the voice of reason.
Policeman killed, victim shot in rescue operation
A Police Corporal was killed in Isele-Uku, Delta State,
on Monday morning during an operation to rescue a
father and his son who were forcibly taken away by
suspected kidnappers on Sunday.
The son of the abducted man, Duke Okeze, former
Senior Special Assistant, Due Process, to Governor
Emmanuel Uduaghan, also sustained bullets wounds.
It was learnt that the attempt to rescue the victims,
which took place around 6.30am, went awry when
some members of the kidnap gang opened fire on
the police rescue team.
The unnamed Police Corporal died immediately,
while Okezie's son sustained gunshot injury.
However, the senior Okezie was rescued unhurt,
while his car and a few other belongings had been
recovered by the police.
The Special Anti-Robbery Squad was said to have
stormed the hide-out of the kidnappers at Atuma Iga
part of Isele-Uku early in the morning, but met a
strong resistance from the gang.
Three suspects, including a lady, were arrested in
connection with the abduction and were taken to the
state command headquarters in Asaba, after the
operation.
on Monday morning during an operation to rescue a
father and his son who were forcibly taken away by
suspected kidnappers on Sunday.
The son of the abducted man, Duke Okeze, former
Senior Special Assistant, Due Process, to Governor
Emmanuel Uduaghan, also sustained bullets wounds.
It was learnt that the attempt to rescue the victims,
which took place around 6.30am, went awry when
some members of the kidnap gang opened fire on
the police rescue team.
The unnamed Police Corporal died immediately,
while Okezie's son sustained gunshot injury.
However, the senior Okezie was rescued unhurt,
while his car and a few other belongings had been
recovered by the police.
The Special Anti-Robbery Squad was said to have
stormed the hide-out of the kidnappers at Atuma Iga
part of Isele-Uku early in the morning, but met a
strong resistance from the gang.
Three suspects, including a lady, were arrested in
connection with the abduction and were taken to the
state command headquarters in Asaba, after the
operation.
Lagos moves to tackle fake land documents
The Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, on
Monday, said many of the land documents in the
state were fake.
He said this during the signing of the Land Use Act,
Title, Documentation and Regulation bill into law at
the Lagos House.
Fashola said, "In a day only, I discovered that out of
50 files, eight are false and I forwarded them to the
Attorney-General for prosecution."
He added that the discovery was besides the ones
already discovered by the land bureau officials.
He, however, urged land owners to use opportunities
provided by the new Land Use law to obtain valid title
documents.
He said, "If people need lands, they are available, we
will help to process and regulate them.
"Those that have trumped up files should honourably
come and withdraw them, and come with fresh re-
applications. They should be able to process new and
authentic land document within the next six
months."
The Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice,
Mr. Ade Ipaye, explained that the bill would aid in the
authentication of land ownership in the state.
He said, "This will help in providing valid
documentation and total registration of land in
Lagos. This will eliminate squabbles and fraudulent
transactions perpetrated by deceitful people.
"Anyone that presents forged documents will be
prosecuted under the criminal law, which is a year
imprisonment."
The Permanent Secretary, Land Bureau, Mr. Hakeem
Okunola, said through the law, people would have
confidence that they have valid land titles.
Monday, said many of the land documents in the
state were fake.
He said this during the signing of the Land Use Act,
Title, Documentation and Regulation bill into law at
the Lagos House.
Fashola said, "In a day only, I discovered that out of
50 files, eight are false and I forwarded them to the
Attorney-General for prosecution."
He added that the discovery was besides the ones
already discovered by the land bureau officials.
He, however, urged land owners to use opportunities
provided by the new Land Use law to obtain valid title
documents.
He said, "If people need lands, they are available, we
will help to process and regulate them.
"Those that have trumped up files should honourably
come and withdraw them, and come with fresh re-
applications. They should be able to process new and
authentic land document within the next six
months."
The Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice,
Mr. Ade Ipaye, explained that the bill would aid in the
authentication of land ownership in the state.
He said, "This will help in providing valid
documentation and total registration of land in
Lagos. This will eliminate squabbles and fraudulent
transactions perpetrated by deceitful people.
"Anyone that presents forged documents will be
prosecuted under the criminal law, which is a year
imprisonment."
The Permanent Secretary, Land Bureau, Mr. Hakeem
Okunola, said through the law, people would have
confidence that they have valid land titles.
Police to get new code of conduct
Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar,
says a Code of Conduct has said professional
standards have been drawn up for policemen while
human rights desks will be established in police
stations across the country.
Abubakar said this while receiving a copy of the
enhanced police training syllabus from the Swiss
Ambassador to Nigeria, Dr. Andreas Baum, in Abuja
on Monday.
He also said the police would activate a methodology
and teaching manual for use by their training
institutions and colleges to ensure sound
implementation.
The IG said, "To demonstrate our commitment to the
respect of human rights and the proper conduct of
policemen in the performance of their duties, this
administration has developed and will soon
inaugurate a Code of Conduct and professional
standards for all officers, as well as establishing
human rights desks in all police formations that will
be manned by qualified personnel.
"This administration is strongly committed to
ensuring that police officers conduct official duties
with utmost respect for the rights of citizens and
persons under criminal investigation. In order to
respect human rights therefore, the police must first
know and understand them
"The police must be familiar with the standard
international ethics and imbibe the very principles
guiding the profession. This is the invaluable
knowledge that the police must apply as they
perform their duties."
Chairman of the Police Service Commission, Mr. Parry
Osayande, said with the reviewed syllabus, the police
would perform better.
He said, "The Police Service Commission has a vision
of a highly motivated, professional, disciplined and
accountable police service that upholds human rights
and is committed to improving service delivery by
promoting transparency and accountability in the
police.
"We are prepared to work with all relevant
stakeholders to ensure operationalisation of the
reviewed syllabus, especially in terms of
development of the methodology and training
manual."
Baum, while appreciating the police and all
stakeholders for their s "genuine commitment and
collaboration towards the success of the human
rights syllabus", said the collaboration between the
Nigerian police, relevant civil society actors, and
international experts had been exemplary.
He said, "We are satisfied that together we have
been able to accomplish some substantive work
towards the quest for a policing that is effective,
lawful and humane. One which is able to balance its
enforcement responsibilities with the rights of the
citizens it is policing.
"It is hope that this introduction of human rights as a
major cross-cutting subject in the police curriculum
will not only enhance the effective practice of
policing, but also its moral, legal, and ethical
imperatives."
says a Code of Conduct has said professional
standards have been drawn up for policemen while
human rights desks will be established in police
stations across the country.
Abubakar said this while receiving a copy of the
enhanced police training syllabus from the Swiss
Ambassador to Nigeria, Dr. Andreas Baum, in Abuja
on Monday.
He also said the police would activate a methodology
and teaching manual for use by their training
institutions and colleges to ensure sound
implementation.
The IG said, "To demonstrate our commitment to the
respect of human rights and the proper conduct of
policemen in the performance of their duties, this
administration has developed and will soon
inaugurate a Code of Conduct and professional
standards for all officers, as well as establishing
human rights desks in all police formations that will
be manned by qualified personnel.
"This administration is strongly committed to
ensuring that police officers conduct official duties
with utmost respect for the rights of citizens and
persons under criminal investigation. In order to
respect human rights therefore, the police must first
know and understand them
"The police must be familiar with the standard
international ethics and imbibe the very principles
guiding the profession. This is the invaluable
knowledge that the police must apply as they
perform their duties."
Chairman of the Police Service Commission, Mr. Parry
Osayande, said with the reviewed syllabus, the police
would perform better.
He said, "The Police Service Commission has a vision
of a highly motivated, professional, disciplined and
accountable police service that upholds human rights
and is committed to improving service delivery by
promoting transparency and accountability in the
police.
"We are prepared to work with all relevant
stakeholders to ensure operationalisation of the
reviewed syllabus, especially in terms of
development of the methodology and training
manual."
Baum, while appreciating the police and all
stakeholders for their s "genuine commitment and
collaboration towards the success of the human
rights syllabus", said the collaboration between the
Nigerian police, relevant civil society actors, and
international experts had been exemplary.
He said, "We are satisfied that together we have
been able to accomplish some substantive work
towards the quest for a policing that is effective,
lawful and humane. One which is able to balance its
enforcement responsibilities with the rights of the
citizens it is policing.
"It is hope that this introduction of human rights as a
major cross-cutting subject in the police curriculum
will not only enhance the effective practice of
policing, but also its moral, legal, and ethical
imperatives."
Planned demolition of 19 Abuja towns creates panic
Planned demolition of houses in 19 satellite town of
the Federal Capital Territory has created panic
among Abuja residents.
Already, the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council
has marked structures to be pulled down in Mpape
near highbrow Maitama area.
Other settlements to be affected are Idu, Karmo,
Dape, Tasha, Gwagwa, Saburi, Zauda, Jahi and
Gishiri.
The rest are Mabushi, Kuchigoro, Chika, Aleita,
Piwoyi, Lugbe, Pyakassa, Tudun -Wada, Dei-Dei and
Guzape.
Our correspondent learnt that a majority of the
owners of the property had been running around for
alternative accommodation before the arrival of the
demolition teams.
It was learnt that residents, whose houses were
marked for demolition at Mpape, had been searching
for accommodation at Kubwa, Dutse Alhaji,
Gwarimpa.
The Public Relations Officer, AMMC, Mrs. Josie
Mudasiru, told our correspondent on Monday that the
demolition would affect property without genuine
land allocation documents and building approvals.
She explained that the demolition would be carried
out in the 19 communities as part of measures to rid
the FCT of illegal structures.
Mudasiru said, "We have sensitised the affected
communities about the structures that will be
affected during the exercise. All buildings on illegally
acquired land and every structure without legal
building approval/document will be pulled down."
Meanwhile, the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy
Centre has flayed the FCT Administration over the
planned demolition describing it as insensitive and
inhuman.
Policy and legislative advocacy officer of the centre,
Kolawole Banwo who spoke with newsmen
condemned the decision and called on the
administration to rescind it.
the Federal Capital Territory has created panic
among Abuja residents.
Already, the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council
has marked structures to be pulled down in Mpape
near highbrow Maitama area.
Other settlements to be affected are Idu, Karmo,
Dape, Tasha, Gwagwa, Saburi, Zauda, Jahi and
Gishiri.
The rest are Mabushi, Kuchigoro, Chika, Aleita,
Piwoyi, Lugbe, Pyakassa, Tudun -Wada, Dei-Dei and
Guzape.
Our correspondent learnt that a majority of the
owners of the property had been running around for
alternative accommodation before the arrival of the
demolition teams.
It was learnt that residents, whose houses were
marked for demolition at Mpape, had been searching
for accommodation at Kubwa, Dutse Alhaji,
Gwarimpa.
The Public Relations Officer, AMMC, Mrs. Josie
Mudasiru, told our correspondent on Monday that the
demolition would affect property without genuine
land allocation documents and building approvals.
She explained that the demolition would be carried
out in the 19 communities as part of measures to rid
the FCT of illegal structures.
Mudasiru said, "We have sensitised the affected
communities about the structures that will be
affected during the exercise. All buildings on illegally
acquired land and every structure without legal
building approval/document will be pulled down."
Meanwhile, the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy
Centre has flayed the FCT Administration over the
planned demolition describing it as insensitive and
inhuman.
Policy and legislative advocacy officer of the centre,
Kolawole Banwo who spoke with newsmen
condemned the decision and called on the
administration to rescind it.
Ekiti LG workers threaten showdown over minimum wage
Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees in
Ekiti State have issued a 14-day ultimatum to the
state government over the delay in commencement
of payment of the new minimum wage.
The NULGE, in a statement by the secretary of the
union on Monday, Mr. Victor Adebayo, said it was
unfortunate that the government which promised to
pay the new minimum wage of N19,300 to all its
workers since 2011, was yet to fulfill the promise at
the end of July.
The union said it would not make public its next step
if the government failed to implement the new wage
after the expiration of the ultimatum.
But the Commissioner for Information, Mr. Funminiyi
Afuye, in his reaction to the ultimatum appealed to
the workers while assuring them that the
government would pay the new minimum wage.
He said the government was carrying out biometric
data capture of all the workers to know the number
of genuine workers in the councils.
Afuye assured the workers that the exercise would
soon be completed, saying the workers would be
paid.
But the NULGE said, "Instead of government
acceding to our request by paying the new salary to
our members,government has been ordering us to go
for verification and unfortunately this particular
exercise has claimed lives of some of our members.
"Consequently, the union has directed that a second
notice to the effect for another 14 days,be served to
the government to address the matter raised by the
union.
Ekiti State have issued a 14-day ultimatum to the
state government over the delay in commencement
of payment of the new minimum wage.
The NULGE, in a statement by the secretary of the
union on Monday, Mr. Victor Adebayo, said it was
unfortunate that the government which promised to
pay the new minimum wage of N19,300 to all its
workers since 2011, was yet to fulfill the promise at
the end of July.
The union said it would not make public its next step
if the government failed to implement the new wage
after the expiration of the ultimatum.
But the Commissioner for Information, Mr. Funminiyi
Afuye, in his reaction to the ultimatum appealed to
the workers while assuring them that the
government would pay the new minimum wage.
He said the government was carrying out biometric
data capture of all the workers to know the number
of genuine workers in the councils.
Afuye assured the workers that the exercise would
soon be completed, saying the workers would be
paid.
But the NULGE said, "Instead of government
acceding to our request by paying the new salary to
our members,government has been ordering us to go
for verification and unfortunately this particular
exercise has claimed lives of some of our members.
"Consequently, the union has directed that a second
notice to the effect for another 14 days,be served to
the government to address the matter raised by the
union.
Monday, July 30, 2012
Jihad not war of hate –Aregbesola
Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola has
condemned the conduct of some Muslims in the
country who engage in violence in the name of Jihad.
According to Aregbesola, from the history of life and
times of the Holy Prophet, Jihad has not and "is still
not a war of hate, destruction, indiscriminate, a
random war of a mandate that can be appropriated
by just about anyone".
Aregbesola, who said this on Saturday at a Ramadan
lecture organised by the Al-Habibiyyah Islamic
Society at the Women Development Centre, Abuja,
also lamented the violent activities of the violent
Islamic sect, Boko Haram, describing it as "posturing
which was far from Islamic tenets and teachings".
In his lecture entitled, 'Islam, Education and the
Principles of Jihad', the governor said honest and
discerning Nigerian would testify to the fact that
what the group stands for does not approximate
Islam by any stretch of the imagination.
He said it somewhat represents a dynamics within
Islam which if not well managed, could affect the
perception of Islam by the larger world and its
fortunes in a changing world.
Meanwhile, Aregbesola, in Osogbo on Sunday, said
the appellation, 'Your Excellency' used to address
public office holders was an aberration of the
country's constitution and sycophantic.
Aregbesola, who stated this at public lecture,
maintained that the phrase was "introduced by the
political class wishing to segregate itself from the
common man."
The lecture was organised by Muslim Association of
Nigeria at the Osogbo City Hall, Osogbo.
The governor also faulted the use of 'Executive
Governor,' describing the phrase as repetitive.
He stressed that he was comfortable with being
addressed as a governor.
condemned the conduct of some Muslims in the
country who engage in violence in the name of Jihad.
According to Aregbesola, from the history of life and
times of the Holy Prophet, Jihad has not and "is still
not a war of hate, destruction, indiscriminate, a
random war of a mandate that can be appropriated
by just about anyone".
Aregbesola, who said this on Saturday at a Ramadan
lecture organised by the Al-Habibiyyah Islamic
Society at the Women Development Centre, Abuja,
also lamented the violent activities of the violent
Islamic sect, Boko Haram, describing it as "posturing
which was far from Islamic tenets and teachings".
In his lecture entitled, 'Islam, Education and the
Principles of Jihad', the governor said honest and
discerning Nigerian would testify to the fact that
what the group stands for does not approximate
Islam by any stretch of the imagination.
He said it somewhat represents a dynamics within
Islam which if not well managed, could affect the
perception of Islam by the larger world and its
fortunes in a changing world.
Meanwhile, Aregbesola, in Osogbo on Sunday, said
the appellation, 'Your Excellency' used to address
public office holders was an aberration of the
country's constitution and sycophantic.
Aregbesola, who stated this at public lecture,
maintained that the phrase was "introduced by the
political class wishing to segregate itself from the
common man."
The lecture was organised by Muslim Association of
Nigeria at the Osogbo City Hall, Osogbo.
The governor also faulted the use of 'Executive
Governor,' describing the phrase as repetitive.
He stressed that he was comfortable with being
addressed as a governor.
Keke Ajumose: We now buy one for N420,000—Okada riders •We gave each out for N340,000- Govt
IDOWU ADELUSI, in this
piece, takes a look at the
complaints by stakeholders
that the Keke Ajumose
scheme of Governor Isiaka
Abiola Ajimobi is being
hijacked by a cartel for
personal reasons.
IN ORDER to alleviate transport problems often
encountered by commuters in Ibadan, the Oyo State
capital, the state government under Governor Isiaka
Abiola Ajimobi introduced a three-wheeled pedal-
driven vehicle transport scheme nick-named Keke
Ajumose.
It was launched with fanfair as many stakeholders in
transport business, lawmakers, politicians and
government officials were in attendance.
The government arranged for the tricycles to be
assembled in Ibadan and to be sold to operators at
N400,000 each on hire purchase an after initial
deposit of N40,000.
To guide against default in payment for the tricycles,
interested buyers were told to produce a guarantor
who should be a government worker on grade level
08 and above. The government also arranged that
the tricycles would be distributed to the commercial
operators through their associations.
However, the scheme which was intended to alleviate
poverty in various homes and ease movement of
commuters, has turned the other way round. Aside
the tricycle being too costly, the commercial
operators alleged that some government officials,
politicians and lawmakers have bastardised the
scheme and have ended up tainting the intention of
the administration.
According to Sunday Tribune findings, the tricycles in
Ibadan are of two products: Honda which has four
stroke engines and Bajaj which has two stroke
engines. The petrol being used by the Bajaj product
must be mixed with engine oil as opposed to the
Honda tricycles which use direct fuel. The prices of
Bajaj and Honda were put at N360,000, and
N375,000 respectively. The Oyo State government
has been distributing Bajaj product.
Complaints by the commercial operators were that
the government has been selling the tricycles to
some of its officials, politicians, lawmakers and
friends of the administration who in turn sell the
tricycles to them at between N520,000 and
N550,000 each.
According to Mr Tunde Ajao, one of the operators at
Gate-Mokola unit, "the government sold Keke
Ajumose to our members at N400,000 per one on
hire purchase but we have to pay a deposit of
N40,000. We are to pay a balance of N360,000 either
daily or weekly.
"Some rich men who are legislators and government
officials went to purchase the tricycles and are now
selling the keke to our members who cannot afford
the N40,000 deposit at between N520,000 and
N550,000 per one. The Keke Ajumose are being
packed in the compounds of these people leaving
none for our members to buy directly from the
government."
Another operator, Mr Kamarudeen Tokunbo told
Sunday Tribune that he got his from a lawmaker at
N500,000 on hire purchase and has been paying
back at N10,000 weekly to the lawmaker.
He said, awa to je pe keke yi lafi n jeun, won ko gbe
fun wa. Awon olowo, awon osise ijoba, awon omo Ile
Igbimo Asofin ni won gbe fun, ti won wa n gbe fun wa
ni owo goboi. Literally translated, this means the
government has been selling the tricycles to
moneybags, government officials and legislators
instead of operators who earn their living from it.
Sunday Tribune gathered that quite a number of
these operators have paid the N40,000 deposit and
have been waiting since three to four months ago but
they have not been supplied. They were always told
to come back.
Some of the lawmakers have turned the scheme to
poverty alleviation project in their constituencies.
They even wrote their names on the body of the
tricycles.
But an operator asked, "what poverty are they
alleviating after they had purchased the tricycle from
government at N400,000 and sold it to us at
N520,000. Is that alleviating or aggravating
poverty?"
Depending on arrangement, the payment is N10,000
weekly or N2,000 daily to the owners, and if there is
default in payment for two or three weeks, the
tricycle would be taken from the defaulting operator
and given to another interested buyer who will
continue with the payment from where the last
operator stopped. Operators have not been finding it
easy to pay back because of the high price especially
those who did not get their tricycles from the
government, Sunday Tribune learnt.
According to the operators, they often used proceeds
from Monday to Friday to pay for the tricycles, while
Saturday and Sunday proceeds were meant to feed
their families, take care of fuelling and maintain the
tricycles. The operators said that when Governor
Ajimobi launched the scheme, it was meant to ease
transportation, provide job, reduce unemployement
and also reduce accidents often associated with
commercial motorcyles.
Mr Tajudeen Amuda, who operates at General Gas-
Akobo Oju Irin Unit, said the arrangement that their
members should produce government workers as
guarantors have been a stumbling block to them
because not many of the government workers were
willing to stand in for them. He said: "If government
can allow us to present landed property, it will be
better. The scheme is good and we thank the
governor for that, but he has allowed some self-
centered politicians to use the scheme to inflict pains
on us."
Mr Ademola Isola, a union executive member of the
Three-Wheeler Operators Association, appealed to
Governor Ajimobi to deal dirctly with members of his
union and the Almalgamated Commercial Motorcycle
Owners And Riders Association of Nigeria
(ACOMORAN), advising that the government should
deal with the unit chairmen by releasing the tricycles
to them for proper distribution to their members. He
said his union members were disciplined and that his
union has regulations binding on the members. Mr
Isola said members of his union have never defaulted
in payment for those tricycles received from the
government.
Reacting to the situation, the Special Adviser on
Media to the Governor, Dr Festus Adedayo said it was
either mischief or ignorance of the poverty initiative
scheme of the government of Oyo State tagged Keke
Ajumose that has led to most of the conclusions on
"this highly applauded scheme.
"The facts of the thousand tricycles, as against
claims by some people, are stated as follows:
"The cost of each of the Bajaj Indian brand tricycles
purchased by the Oyo State government and
distributed to end users in the state is N360,000 in
the open market. However, because the state
government procured it in large quantity, it got each
for and sold it at the cost of N340,000 and not at
N420,000 as alleged. The Chinese brand of the
tricycle, is sold between N300,000 and N320,000 in
the open market.
"But because most of the users of the tricycles didn't
have enough money to procure them, they went
through the Amalgamated Commercial Motorcycle
Owners And Riders Association of Nigeria
(ACOMORAN) which secured fund from a finance
house and thus added its cost of finance of the fund
to the cost it gave it out to the users. When
ACOMORAN thus added the cost of registration of the
tricycle, number plate procurement and insurance, to
the earlier cost, these now made the amount it
collects from each user to be the sum of N380,000,
as against the N420,000 alleged in some quarters.
"Moreover, the state government's repayment term
is N7,000 per week and N28,000 a month and not
N20,000 a week as also being alleged.
"Government has never sold any of the tricycles to
any lawmaker but to ACOMORAN. It is indeed very
illogical to claim that government sells the tricycles
to moneybags because if one is a moneybag, he
shouldn't come to government for its purchase in the
first instance.
"More importantly, government has ordered for
another batch of the tricycles, having exhausted the
first tranch of 1000."
piece, takes a look at the
complaints by stakeholders
that the Keke Ajumose
scheme of Governor Isiaka
Abiola Ajimobi is being
hijacked by a cartel for
personal reasons.
IN ORDER to alleviate transport problems often
encountered by commuters in Ibadan, the Oyo State
capital, the state government under Governor Isiaka
Abiola Ajimobi introduced a three-wheeled pedal-
driven vehicle transport scheme nick-named Keke
Ajumose.
It was launched with fanfair as many stakeholders in
transport business, lawmakers, politicians and
government officials were in attendance.
The government arranged for the tricycles to be
assembled in Ibadan and to be sold to operators at
N400,000 each on hire purchase an after initial
deposit of N40,000.
To guide against default in payment for the tricycles,
interested buyers were told to produce a guarantor
who should be a government worker on grade level
08 and above. The government also arranged that
the tricycles would be distributed to the commercial
operators through their associations.
However, the scheme which was intended to alleviate
poverty in various homes and ease movement of
commuters, has turned the other way round. Aside
the tricycle being too costly, the commercial
operators alleged that some government officials,
politicians and lawmakers have bastardised the
scheme and have ended up tainting the intention of
the administration.
According to Sunday Tribune findings, the tricycles in
Ibadan are of two products: Honda which has four
stroke engines and Bajaj which has two stroke
engines. The petrol being used by the Bajaj product
must be mixed with engine oil as opposed to the
Honda tricycles which use direct fuel. The prices of
Bajaj and Honda were put at N360,000, and
N375,000 respectively. The Oyo State government
has been distributing Bajaj product.
Complaints by the commercial operators were that
the government has been selling the tricycles to
some of its officials, politicians, lawmakers and
friends of the administration who in turn sell the
tricycles to them at between N520,000 and
N550,000 each.
According to Mr Tunde Ajao, one of the operators at
Gate-Mokola unit, "the government sold Keke
Ajumose to our members at N400,000 per one on
hire purchase but we have to pay a deposit of
N40,000. We are to pay a balance of N360,000 either
daily or weekly.
"Some rich men who are legislators and government
officials went to purchase the tricycles and are now
selling the keke to our members who cannot afford
the N40,000 deposit at between N520,000 and
N550,000 per one. The Keke Ajumose are being
packed in the compounds of these people leaving
none for our members to buy directly from the
government."
Another operator, Mr Kamarudeen Tokunbo told
Sunday Tribune that he got his from a lawmaker at
N500,000 on hire purchase and has been paying
back at N10,000 weekly to the lawmaker.
He said, awa to je pe keke yi lafi n jeun, won ko gbe
fun wa. Awon olowo, awon osise ijoba, awon omo Ile
Igbimo Asofin ni won gbe fun, ti won wa n gbe fun wa
ni owo goboi. Literally translated, this means the
government has been selling the tricycles to
moneybags, government officials and legislators
instead of operators who earn their living from it.
Sunday Tribune gathered that quite a number of
these operators have paid the N40,000 deposit and
have been waiting since three to four months ago but
they have not been supplied. They were always told
to come back.
Some of the lawmakers have turned the scheme to
poverty alleviation project in their constituencies.
They even wrote their names on the body of the
tricycles.
But an operator asked, "what poverty are they
alleviating after they had purchased the tricycle from
government at N400,000 and sold it to us at
N520,000. Is that alleviating or aggravating
poverty?"
Depending on arrangement, the payment is N10,000
weekly or N2,000 daily to the owners, and if there is
default in payment for two or three weeks, the
tricycle would be taken from the defaulting operator
and given to another interested buyer who will
continue with the payment from where the last
operator stopped. Operators have not been finding it
easy to pay back because of the high price especially
those who did not get their tricycles from the
government, Sunday Tribune learnt.
According to the operators, they often used proceeds
from Monday to Friday to pay for the tricycles, while
Saturday and Sunday proceeds were meant to feed
their families, take care of fuelling and maintain the
tricycles. The operators said that when Governor
Ajimobi launched the scheme, it was meant to ease
transportation, provide job, reduce unemployement
and also reduce accidents often associated with
commercial motorcyles.
Mr Tajudeen Amuda, who operates at General Gas-
Akobo Oju Irin Unit, said the arrangement that their
members should produce government workers as
guarantors have been a stumbling block to them
because not many of the government workers were
willing to stand in for them. He said: "If government
can allow us to present landed property, it will be
better. The scheme is good and we thank the
governor for that, but he has allowed some self-
centered politicians to use the scheme to inflict pains
on us."
Mr Ademola Isola, a union executive member of the
Three-Wheeler Operators Association, appealed to
Governor Ajimobi to deal dirctly with members of his
union and the Almalgamated Commercial Motorcycle
Owners And Riders Association of Nigeria
(ACOMORAN), advising that the government should
deal with the unit chairmen by releasing the tricycles
to them for proper distribution to their members. He
said his union members were disciplined and that his
union has regulations binding on the members. Mr
Isola said members of his union have never defaulted
in payment for those tricycles received from the
government.
Reacting to the situation, the Special Adviser on
Media to the Governor, Dr Festus Adedayo said it was
either mischief or ignorance of the poverty initiative
scheme of the government of Oyo State tagged Keke
Ajumose that has led to most of the conclusions on
"this highly applauded scheme.
"The facts of the thousand tricycles, as against
claims by some people, are stated as follows:
"The cost of each of the Bajaj Indian brand tricycles
purchased by the Oyo State government and
distributed to end users in the state is N360,000 in
the open market. However, because the state
government procured it in large quantity, it got each
for and sold it at the cost of N340,000 and not at
N420,000 as alleged. The Chinese brand of the
tricycle, is sold between N300,000 and N320,000 in
the open market.
"But because most of the users of the tricycles didn't
have enough money to procure them, they went
through the Amalgamated Commercial Motorcycle
Owners And Riders Association of Nigeria
(ACOMORAN) which secured fund from a finance
house and thus added its cost of finance of the fund
to the cost it gave it out to the users. When
ACOMORAN thus added the cost of registration of the
tricycle, number plate procurement and insurance, to
the earlier cost, these now made the amount it
collects from each user to be the sum of N380,000,
as against the N420,000 alleged in some quarters.
"Moreover, the state government's repayment term
is N7,000 per week and N28,000 a month and not
N20,000 a week as also being alleged.
"Government has never sold any of the tricycles to
any lawmaker but to ACOMORAN. It is indeed very
illogical to claim that government sells the tricycles
to moneybags because if one is a moneybag, he
shouldn't come to government for its purchase in the
first instance.
"More importantly, government has ordered for
another batch of the tricycles, having exhausted the
first tranch of 1000."
Jos crisis: Northern governors in disarray•Pressure mounts on Plateau to pull out offorum •I harbour no hatred against Muslims -Jang
There are strong indications that the recent hostility
in some parts of Plateau State where over 160
innocent people, including two lawmakers,
were killed has further worsened the relationship
among Northern governors and caused a sharp
division among them.
It would be recalled that a group of terrorists
suspected to be Fulani herdsmen from neighbouring
Niger and Chad republics invaded some parts of
Barkin Ladi and Riyom local govenment areas of the
state and snuffed lives out of the inhabitants,
including Senator Gyang Dantong and Majority
Leader, Plateau State House of Assembly, Honourable
Gyang Fulani.
A source close to the Plateau State government
revealed that through out the mourning period, only
a handful of governors from the North visited or
called to commiserate with the state government
over the calamity.
It was gathered that many eminent and senior
citizens of Plateau State have been wondering if
there existed love and unity among the governors.
A senior retired military officer who spoke with
Sunday Tribune on condition of anonymity said the
posture of most of the governors was quite
disturbing and wondered if they considered Plateau
as an integral part of the North.
"I have found out that majority of them did not come
or call to sympathise with us over the calamity. So,
what is the essence of the forum if it is not to be our
brothers' keepers? I believe it is high time the
objectives of the forum was redefined," he said.
It was further learnt that there is a subterranean
move in the North-Central, especially in the area
considered as Middle-Belt, to prevail on the
governors in the zone to resuscitate their own forum
which had been dormant for some time.
Sunday Tribune further learnt that tbe statement
credited to the chairman, Northern Governors'
Forum, Governor Babangida Aliyu, over the military
operations in the affected communities in Plateau
State with the aim of flushing out the undesirable
elements that perpetrated the dastardly act further
compounded the situation.
It was learnt that there were some governors who
shared this sentiment and condemned the alleged
lackadaisical posture of some of their colleagues
towards recent happenings in Plateau State.
A source close to the recent Northern Governors'
Forum meeting told Sunday Tribune that Governor
Jonah Jang raised the issue, especially concerning the
statement credited to the Niger State governor at the
meeting and the governors apologised.
Meanwhile, Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau State has
debunked the insinuation doing the rounds in certain
quarters that he hates the Hausa/Fulani and Muslims
with passion, saying it is a misconception by those
who want to create enemity between him and the
Hausa/Fulani community in the state.
The governor, who made the clarification during his
visit to some parts of the state capital affected by the
recent flood that claimed many lives and property,
said out of the whole nation, it was only Kano State
that surpassed Plateau in terms of sponsoring
pilgrims to the holy land.
"If I dont like Muslims and deride the Hausa/Fulani,
as a Christian governor, how would I have sent such
large contigent of Muslims to the holy land? Our
contingents from Plateau are always the second
lagest in the country, and the Saudi Arabian
authority always commend us for adequate welfare
of our pilgrims.
"I am a governor for all irrespective of religious
background, there is no way a part of the state will
be in pain that I, as a governor, will not feel it. I care
all for all, all I need from you all is your cooperation to
move the state foward," he said.
He said the problem in the state was not caused by
the Hausa/Fulani resident in the state but by
outsiders, urging them to join hands with others to
bring about lasting peace in the state.
Governor Jang attributed the flood in the affected
communties to lack of drainage system, adding that
the government was ready to open up the areas to
aviod reccurence of flood disaster.
He said, "I am going to direct surveyors to come and
survey the affected communities, because we are
determined to open up Jos city for development.
"To carry out this development, we need to demolish
some houses. But I can assure you that we will pay
compensation to those who would be affected by the
demolition."
He stated that the recent ban of comercial
motorcycles in the state was not meant to witch-
hunt anybody but to bring sanity to the state.
According to him, the government has over 300
vehicles and triycles to share to people in order to
cushion the effects of the ban.
The governor directed the representatives of the
communities to liase with the state government for
immediate supply of tricyles and vechiles to youths
in the affected communities.
in some parts of Plateau State where over 160
innocent people, including two lawmakers,
were killed has further worsened the relationship
among Northern governors and caused a sharp
division among them.
It would be recalled that a group of terrorists
suspected to be Fulani herdsmen from neighbouring
Niger and Chad republics invaded some parts of
Barkin Ladi and Riyom local govenment areas of the
state and snuffed lives out of the inhabitants,
including Senator Gyang Dantong and Majority
Leader, Plateau State House of Assembly, Honourable
Gyang Fulani.
A source close to the Plateau State government
revealed that through out the mourning period, only
a handful of governors from the North visited or
called to commiserate with the state government
over the calamity.
It was gathered that many eminent and senior
citizens of Plateau State have been wondering if
there existed love and unity among the governors.
A senior retired military officer who spoke with
Sunday Tribune on condition of anonymity said the
posture of most of the governors was quite
disturbing and wondered if they considered Plateau
as an integral part of the North.
"I have found out that majority of them did not come
or call to sympathise with us over the calamity. So,
what is the essence of the forum if it is not to be our
brothers' keepers? I believe it is high time the
objectives of the forum was redefined," he said.
It was further learnt that there is a subterranean
move in the North-Central, especially in the area
considered as Middle-Belt, to prevail on the
governors in the zone to resuscitate their own forum
which had been dormant for some time.
Sunday Tribune further learnt that tbe statement
credited to the chairman, Northern Governors'
Forum, Governor Babangida Aliyu, over the military
operations in the affected communities in Plateau
State with the aim of flushing out the undesirable
elements that perpetrated the dastardly act further
compounded the situation.
It was learnt that there were some governors who
shared this sentiment and condemned the alleged
lackadaisical posture of some of their colleagues
towards recent happenings in Plateau State.
A source close to the recent Northern Governors'
Forum meeting told Sunday Tribune that Governor
Jonah Jang raised the issue, especially concerning the
statement credited to the Niger State governor at the
meeting and the governors apologised.
Meanwhile, Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau State has
debunked the insinuation doing the rounds in certain
quarters that he hates the Hausa/Fulani and Muslims
with passion, saying it is a misconception by those
who want to create enemity between him and the
Hausa/Fulani community in the state.
The governor, who made the clarification during his
visit to some parts of the state capital affected by the
recent flood that claimed many lives and property,
said out of the whole nation, it was only Kano State
that surpassed Plateau in terms of sponsoring
pilgrims to the holy land.
"If I dont like Muslims and deride the Hausa/Fulani,
as a Christian governor, how would I have sent such
large contigent of Muslims to the holy land? Our
contingents from Plateau are always the second
lagest in the country, and the Saudi Arabian
authority always commend us for adequate welfare
of our pilgrims.
"I am a governor for all irrespective of religious
background, there is no way a part of the state will
be in pain that I, as a governor, will not feel it. I care
all for all, all I need from you all is your cooperation to
move the state foward," he said.
He said the problem in the state was not caused by
the Hausa/Fulani resident in the state but by
outsiders, urging them to join hands with others to
bring about lasting peace in the state.
Governor Jang attributed the flood in the affected
communties to lack of drainage system, adding that
the government was ready to open up the areas to
aviod reccurence of flood disaster.
He said, "I am going to direct surveyors to come and
survey the affected communities, because we are
determined to open up Jos city for development.
"To carry out this development, we need to demolish
some houses. But I can assure you that we will pay
compensation to those who would be affected by the
demolition."
He stated that the recent ban of comercial
motorcycles in the state was not meant to witch-
hunt anybody but to bring sanity to the state.
According to him, the government has over 300
vehicles and triycles to share to people in order to
cushion the effects of the ban.
The governor directed the representatives of the
communities to liase with the state government for
immediate supply of tricyles and vechiles to youths
in the affected communities.
UCH CMD calls for renewed action against fake drugs
The Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the University
College Hospital (UCH), Professor Tope Alonge, has
called for renewed commitment and efforts towards
the African child's survival and health, particularly
with regard to fake drugs that threaten treatment of
diseases in children.
The UCH CMD made these remarks at a public
enlightenment lecture organised by a non-
governmental organisation (NGO), Dorcas Oke Hope
Alive Initiative (DOHAL), held at the Conference
Centre, University of Ibadan on Saturday.
While identifying malaria, measles, pneumonia,
diarrhoea etc. as some of the diseases that challenge
the well being of the African child, Professor Alonge
maintained that the menace of fake drug had further
compounded efforts of medical experts to contain
these health challenges.
The lecture, entitled; Fake Drugs and the Survival of
the African Child, was attended by former Director of
the Institute of African Studies, Professor (Mrs.)
Bolanle Awe; Pastor of the Sword of the Spirit
Ministries, Bishop Francis Wale Oke, and his wife,
Reverend (Mrs.) Oke, among other prominent
Nigerians.
Alonge said the survival of the African child
depended on water, food, shelter, education, faith
and medicine, adding that lack of these had made
"Africa, particularly sub-Saharan Africa, the most
difficult place in the world for a child to survive."
College Hospital (UCH), Professor Tope Alonge, has
called for renewed commitment and efforts towards
the African child's survival and health, particularly
with regard to fake drugs that threaten treatment of
diseases in children.
The UCH CMD made these remarks at a public
enlightenment lecture organised by a non-
governmental organisation (NGO), Dorcas Oke Hope
Alive Initiative (DOHAL), held at the Conference
Centre, University of Ibadan on Saturday.
While identifying malaria, measles, pneumonia,
diarrhoea etc. as some of the diseases that challenge
the well being of the African child, Professor Alonge
maintained that the menace of fake drug had further
compounded efforts of medical experts to contain
these health challenges.
The lecture, entitled; Fake Drugs and the Survival of
the African Child, was attended by former Director of
the Institute of African Studies, Professor (Mrs.)
Bolanle Awe; Pastor of the Sword of the Spirit
Ministries, Bishop Francis Wale Oke, and his wife,
Reverend (Mrs.) Oke, among other prominent
Nigerians.
Alonge said the survival of the African child
depended on water, food, shelter, education, faith
and medicine, adding that lack of these had made
"Africa, particularly sub-Saharan Africa, the most
difficult place in the world for a child to survive."
‘We didn’t forge signatures of APGA members’
The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) faction
loyal to Alhaji Sadeeq Masall has denied forging the
signatures of some executives of the party on the
attendance list of National Executive Committee
(NEC) meeting of the party held on July 12, 2012.
Chief Victor Umeh, who has been reportedly
restrained by an Enugu High Court from taking steps
to convoke a national, state or local government
executive committee meeting of the party, and his
group, had brought the allegation and is also
prepared to take legal action.
The Masalla group claimed that the document
published in some national dailies, purporting to
have emanated from them, were forged as it did not
contain any attribute of the letter head.
Denying the allegation, the Masall group disclosed
that it had formally complained to the Inspector-
General of Police (IGP) that he should commence
perjury proceedings against some members who had
sworn to an affidavit alleging that their signatures on
the list were forged.
Alhaji Masall countered that they never forged
anybody's signature.
"What we are doing in the party is voluntary and
aimed at repositioning the party, and to remove it
from the clutches of one man," he said.
"For one of us to deny what one is part of and
swearing an oath about it is most unfortunate, no
amount of intimidation or blackmail can stop us from
getting our party back on track.
"If you look at this publication and our letter head
carefully, there is distinct difference between the
logo published and the logo on our letter head.
"In the one published in the papers, Chief Umeh and
Alhaji Shinkafi's telephone numbers are on it, among
other telephone numbers, but on this one I am
holding, which is the authentic letter head, it has
only my number and that of the acting National
Secretary, Dr. Okwenna.
"I am sure they superimposed the signatures
published in the papers as there are shadows on the
publication which clearly shows there were
superimpositions.
"Even the INEC stamp is bold on top and very small
at the bottom of the same letter and I doubt if a
commission would stamp twice on the same
document.
"The letter we submitted to INEC had 98 names, not
20 or 11. What we have here is entirely different from
what we sent to INEC.
"The matter has been reported to the Police and the
IGP has authorized that the issues of perjury raised
should be investigated," he added.
loyal to Alhaji Sadeeq Masall has denied forging the
signatures of some executives of the party on the
attendance list of National Executive Committee
(NEC) meeting of the party held on July 12, 2012.
Chief Victor Umeh, who has been reportedly
restrained by an Enugu High Court from taking steps
to convoke a national, state or local government
executive committee meeting of the party, and his
group, had brought the allegation and is also
prepared to take legal action.
The Masalla group claimed that the document
published in some national dailies, purporting to
have emanated from them, were forged as it did not
contain any attribute of the letter head.
Denying the allegation, the Masall group disclosed
that it had formally complained to the Inspector-
General of Police (IGP) that he should commence
perjury proceedings against some members who had
sworn to an affidavit alleging that their signatures on
the list were forged.
Alhaji Masall countered that they never forged
anybody's signature.
"What we are doing in the party is voluntary and
aimed at repositioning the party, and to remove it
from the clutches of one man," he said.
"For one of us to deny what one is part of and
swearing an oath about it is most unfortunate, no
amount of intimidation or blackmail can stop us from
getting our party back on track.
"If you look at this publication and our letter head
carefully, there is distinct difference between the
logo published and the logo on our letter head.
"In the one published in the papers, Chief Umeh and
Alhaji Shinkafi's telephone numbers are on it, among
other telephone numbers, but on this one I am
holding, which is the authentic letter head, it has
only my number and that of the acting National
Secretary, Dr. Okwenna.
"I am sure they superimposed the signatures
published in the papers as there are shadows on the
publication which clearly shows there were
superimpositions.
"Even the INEC stamp is bold on top and very small
at the bottom of the same letter and I doubt if a
commission would stamp twice on the same
document.
"The letter we submitted to INEC had 98 names, not
20 or 11. What we have here is entirely different from
what we sent to INEC.
"The matter has been reported to the Police and the
IGP has authorized that the issues of perjury raised
should be investigated," he added.
SFU drags 3 suspected fraudsters to court over N400m
Barring any odd, the Police Special Fraud Unit (SFU)
Ikoyi Lagos, will tomorrow arraign three suspected
fraudsters, among whom is one Oyeyoke Hanson
Toba and two others for trials before the Lagos
Magistrate Court 2, Igbosere, for attempting to
defraud the government of Anambra State the sum
of N400 million.
A press statement signed by the image maker of the
police anti-fraud unit, Ngozi Isintume, and made
available to Sunday Tribune yesterday stated that
the suspected fraudsters had allegedly hacked into
the account of a bank in Ago Iwoye, Ogun State, and
fraudulently transferred the money from the account
of the Anambra State Government to their accounts
in Enugu, Onitsha and Aba branches of the bank.
However, Isintume, an Assistant Superintendent of
Police (ASP), noted that before the accused persons
could withdraw the money, the fraud was detected
and nipped in the bud by the bank.
According to her, "the case is slated for trial on
Monday, 30th July, 2012."
Ikoyi Lagos, will tomorrow arraign three suspected
fraudsters, among whom is one Oyeyoke Hanson
Toba and two others for trials before the Lagos
Magistrate Court 2, Igbosere, for attempting to
defraud the government of Anambra State the sum
of N400 million.
A press statement signed by the image maker of the
police anti-fraud unit, Ngozi Isintume, and made
available to Sunday Tribune yesterday stated that
the suspected fraudsters had allegedly hacked into
the account of a bank in Ago Iwoye, Ogun State, and
fraudulently transferred the money from the account
of the Anambra State Government to their accounts
in Enugu, Onitsha and Aba branches of the bank.
However, Isintume, an Assistant Superintendent of
Police (ASP), noted that before the accused persons
could withdraw the money, the fraud was detected
and nipped in the bud by the bank.
According to her, "the case is slated for trial on
Monday, 30th July, 2012."
Kano police arrest woman for stabbing son in stomach •2 men nabbed for raping 4 and 6-year-old girls
KANO State police command has arrested a 28-year-
old woman, Mrs Joy Akule who stabbed her biological
son in the stomach in an attempt to divide the boy
into two so that she and her estranged husband
could each take a part, just as the command also
nabbed two middle-aged men for allegedly raping a
six and four- year- old girl.
The command has also arrested two fake policemen
who specialised in stolen motorbikes, while 17
policemen, comprising six Inspectors, three
Sergeants and five Constables have been arrested by
the command for various disciplinary offences such
as extortion at road blocks,
Disclosing this on Saturday in Kano while addressing
a press conference, the state Commissioner of Police,
Mr. Ibrahim Idris said Mrs Akule admitted her guilt by
confessing that she stabbed her son in order to cut
off any relationship with her ex-husband who is the
father of the boy.
This is just as the woman disclosed that her intention
was to cut the boy into two equal half so as to share
the body equally with Mr. Thomas Akule,(her
husband) since he has refused to give her the
custody of the child.
Mr. Idris who also disclosed that one Abubakar Ya'u,a
20-year-old of Ladan village in Minjibir local
government lured a six-year- old girl into his room
and raped the innocent girl, while another man,
Ismaila Jibrin lured a four-year-old girl into his room
in the abscence of her parent and raped her.
According to him, the two who are now in police
custody had confessed while doctor's report also
confirmed that they committed the offence. The
Commissioner of Police, however, added that the duo
have been charged to court for prosecution.
Speaking further, Mr. Idris confirmed the arrest of
one Taofeek Adekunle who operated an illegal
banking service to defraud no fewer than 328
'customers' to the tune of N5.5 million.
He hinted that the illegal bank operator deceived his
victims by asking them to deposit 20 per cent of the
credit facility before he would disburse the loan,
noting that after collecting the percentages,
transaction would stop and he would not disburse
the loan as promised.
He, however, disclosed that the fraudster had in the
past disbursed loan to some fortunate members of
the public and this was what spurred some other
people to become his victims.
Mr. Idris said that in order to ensure safety of lives
and property during the ongoing Ramadan fasting
period, the command held series of meeting with
Ulamas , Muslims communities and religion leaders
on safety methods to adopt during the period.
He said the command advised the people to erect
barricades where applicable and not to allow people
with bags, parcel, packages and containers into the
mosques or its vicinities.
The CP then gave out phone numbers to contact in
case of emergencies. The numbers were
08032419754, 08123821575, 08031803555,
064977004, 064977005,or send an e-mail to
npfkano@yahoo.com.
old woman, Mrs Joy Akule who stabbed her biological
son in the stomach in an attempt to divide the boy
into two so that she and her estranged husband
could each take a part, just as the command also
nabbed two middle-aged men for allegedly raping a
six and four- year- old girl.
The command has also arrested two fake policemen
who specialised in stolen motorbikes, while 17
policemen, comprising six Inspectors, three
Sergeants and five Constables have been arrested by
the command for various disciplinary offences such
as extortion at road blocks,
Disclosing this on Saturday in Kano while addressing
a press conference, the state Commissioner of Police,
Mr. Ibrahim Idris said Mrs Akule admitted her guilt by
confessing that she stabbed her son in order to cut
off any relationship with her ex-husband who is the
father of the boy.
This is just as the woman disclosed that her intention
was to cut the boy into two equal half so as to share
the body equally with Mr. Thomas Akule,(her
husband) since he has refused to give her the
custody of the child.
Mr. Idris who also disclosed that one Abubakar Ya'u,a
20-year-old of Ladan village in Minjibir local
government lured a six-year- old girl into his room
and raped the innocent girl, while another man,
Ismaila Jibrin lured a four-year-old girl into his room
in the abscence of her parent and raped her.
According to him, the two who are now in police
custody had confessed while doctor's report also
confirmed that they committed the offence. The
Commissioner of Police, however, added that the duo
have been charged to court for prosecution.
Speaking further, Mr. Idris confirmed the arrest of
one Taofeek Adekunle who operated an illegal
banking service to defraud no fewer than 328
'customers' to the tune of N5.5 million.
He hinted that the illegal bank operator deceived his
victims by asking them to deposit 20 per cent of the
credit facility before he would disburse the loan,
noting that after collecting the percentages,
transaction would stop and he would not disburse
the loan as promised.
He, however, disclosed that the fraudster had in the
past disbursed loan to some fortunate members of
the public and this was what spurred some other
people to become his victims.
Mr. Idris said that in order to ensure safety of lives
and property during the ongoing Ramadan fasting
period, the command held series of meeting with
Ulamas , Muslims communities and religion leaders
on safety methods to adopt during the period.
He said the command advised the people to erect
barricades where applicable and not to allow people
with bags, parcel, packages and containers into the
mosques or its vicinities.
The CP then gave out phone numbers to contact in
case of emergencies. The numbers were
08032419754, 08123821575, 08031803555,
064977004, 064977005,or send an e-mail to
npfkano@yahoo.com.
Soldiers beat MASSOB CSO to coma, remove property
GROUP of soldiers from the Artillery Brigade, Obinze,
Abia State, yesterday reportedly stormed the office of
the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign
State of Biafra, (MASSOB), in Orlu, Ihioma, Imo State,
arrested the MASSOB Chief Security Officer (CSO),
Boniface Ijeuwa, beat him to coma and clamped him
into their cell.
Addressing newsmen in Onitsha, Deputy Director of
Information on MASSOB, Mazi Chris Mocha, said that
the soldiers carted away MASSOB office equipment
that included a laptop valued at N120,000.
Mocha described the incident as unfortunate, adding
that the intimidation, harassment and assault on
MASSOB by soldiers would not deter it from fighting
to actualise the emergence of sovereign state of
Biafra.
Reacting to the incident, the MASSOB leader, Chief
Ralph Uwazuruike, advised the soldiers to hand over
the matter to the police if they would not want to
release the CSO.
Uwazuruike expressed dissatisfaction with the action
of the soldiers, adding that it surprised him to hear
that soldiers stormed MASSOB office, beat the CSO,
detained him and carted away some office
equipment.
In a related development, Mazi Mocha recalled that
some MASSOB members were still being detained at
Awka prisons despite the order from 'above' to
release all members detained.
He named those detained to include Chibuike
Aghaigbo; Hycient Ebubedike Okafor; Francis Alike,
Ifeanyi Ibe and Izuchukwu Nzom.
Abia State, yesterday reportedly stormed the office of
the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign
State of Biafra, (MASSOB), in Orlu, Ihioma, Imo State,
arrested the MASSOB Chief Security Officer (CSO),
Boniface Ijeuwa, beat him to coma and clamped him
into their cell.
Addressing newsmen in Onitsha, Deputy Director of
Information on MASSOB, Mazi Chris Mocha, said that
the soldiers carted away MASSOB office equipment
that included a laptop valued at N120,000.
Mocha described the incident as unfortunate, adding
that the intimidation, harassment and assault on
MASSOB by soldiers would not deter it from fighting
to actualise the emergence of sovereign state of
Biafra.
Reacting to the incident, the MASSOB leader, Chief
Ralph Uwazuruike, advised the soldiers to hand over
the matter to the police if they would not want to
release the CSO.
Uwazuruike expressed dissatisfaction with the action
of the soldiers, adding that it surprised him to hear
that soldiers stormed MASSOB office, beat the CSO,
detained him and carted away some office
equipment.
In a related development, Mazi Mocha recalled that
some MASSOB members were still being detained at
Awka prisons despite the order from 'above' to
release all members detained.
He named those detained to include Chibuike
Aghaigbo; Hycient Ebubedike Okafor; Francis Alike,
Ifeanyi Ibe and Izuchukwu Nzom.
Mega filling stations threaten strike over NNPC policy
Unless the Nigerian National Petroleum Company
(NNPC) reverses its intending cash and carry policy
on all its products being supplied by the NNPC Retail
Limited, the Association of Mega Filling Station
Owners of Nigeria (AMFSON) has threatened to
embark on a strike action.
The National President of the association, Andrew
Ashiga, said this at a press conference, in Kaduna, at
the weekend that two considerations were, however,
delaying the strike action, stating that they were
skeptical about the cash and carry policy by the
NNPC Retail Limited."
According to Ashiga, the mega station operators
have tabled the matter before the House of
Representatives, which has in turn referred the issue
to the House Committee on Gas Resources for
consideration.
The strike, he added, was put on hold because of the
association's belief in the transformation agenda of
the Federal Government and its commitment to
ensure that the country run smoothly economically
and politically.
"The consequences of the strike would bring
hardship on the general public," he added.
Ashiga warned members of the association not to
succumb to any act of intimidation from the NNPC
Retail Limited to accept the policy since the case was
still before the National Assembly.
"We intend to take action, a kind of strike action
against the cumbersome cash and carry policy of the
Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC)
Retail Limited.
"The consequences of that action will bring about
suffering and hardship on the public because the
smooth distribution and sales of petroleum products
being enjoyed all over the country today will be
disrupted.
"We assure all our members that the National
Assembly will resolve the issue,"he noted.
(NNPC) reverses its intending cash and carry policy
on all its products being supplied by the NNPC Retail
Limited, the Association of Mega Filling Station
Owners of Nigeria (AMFSON) has threatened to
embark on a strike action.
The National President of the association, Andrew
Ashiga, said this at a press conference, in Kaduna, at
the weekend that two considerations were, however,
delaying the strike action, stating that they were
skeptical about the cash and carry policy by the
NNPC Retail Limited."
According to Ashiga, the mega station operators
have tabled the matter before the House of
Representatives, which has in turn referred the issue
to the House Committee on Gas Resources for
consideration.
The strike, he added, was put on hold because of the
association's belief in the transformation agenda of
the Federal Government and its commitment to
ensure that the country run smoothly economically
and politically.
"The consequences of the strike would bring
hardship on the general public," he added.
Ashiga warned members of the association not to
succumb to any act of intimidation from the NNPC
Retail Limited to accept the policy since the case was
still before the National Assembly.
"We intend to take action, a kind of strike action
against the cumbersome cash and carry policy of the
Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC)
Retail Limited.
"The consequences of that action will bring about
suffering and hardship on the public because the
smooth distribution and sales of petroleum products
being enjoyed all over the country today will be
disrupted.
"We assure all our members that the National
Assembly will resolve the issue,"he noted.
NUPENG suspends strike, Jeptson to open jetties and depots
THE National of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers
(NUPENG) has suspended the on-going industrial
action while the Jetties and Petroleum Tank Farm
Owners Association (JEPTFON) has also agreed to
open the jetties and depots owned by its members.
The s agreed to suspend the strike, following a
crucial meeting between the Federal Ministry of
Labour and Productivity; Federal Ministry of Finance;
Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC);
Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency
(PPPRA); Jetties and Petroleum Tank Farm Owners
Association (JEPTFON) and the National of Petroleum
and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) at the Federal
Ministry of Labour and Productivity on Saturday.
The National of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers
has embarked on a strike over the payment of 2012
Petroleum Subsidy Arrears, state of the nation's
refineries, the labour issues concerning the Shell
Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria
(SPDCN), bad roads in the country, restructuring of
loans of JEPTFON members
After extensive deliberations at the meeting and
based on this understanding, NUPENG agreed to
suspend the industrial action while JEPTFON also
agreed to open the jetties and depots owned by its
members
After noting the concerns expressed by the NUPENG
and JEPTFON, the Federal Government affirmed that
the payment of Petroleum Subsidy for 2012 has
commenced, while it stated that the issuance of
Sovereign Debt Notes (SDN) for verified and
processed batches will be concluded within two (2)
weeks.
(NUPENG) has suspended the on-going industrial
action while the Jetties and Petroleum Tank Farm
Owners Association (JEPTFON) has also agreed to
open the jetties and depots owned by its members.
The s agreed to suspend the strike, following a
crucial meeting between the Federal Ministry of
Labour and Productivity; Federal Ministry of Finance;
Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC);
Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency
(PPPRA); Jetties and Petroleum Tank Farm Owners
Association (JEPTFON) and the National of Petroleum
and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) at the Federal
Ministry of Labour and Productivity on Saturday.
The National of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers
has embarked on a strike over the payment of 2012
Petroleum Subsidy Arrears, state of the nation's
refineries, the labour issues concerning the Shell
Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria
(SPDCN), bad roads in the country, restructuring of
loans of JEPTFON members
After extensive deliberations at the meeting and
based on this understanding, NUPENG agreed to
suspend the industrial action while JEPTFON also
agreed to open the jetties and depots owned by its
members
After noting the concerns expressed by the NUPENG
and JEPTFON, the Federal Government affirmed that
the payment of Petroleum Subsidy for 2012 has
commenced, while it stated that the issuance of
Sovereign Debt Notes (SDN) for verified and
processed batches will be concluded within two (2)
weeks.
Parents sell children for N4,000 in Makurdi
REPORTS have indicated that parents in Makurdi, the
Benue State capital, were involved in the sale of their
children to human traffickers at the sum of N4,000 or
N5,000 per ward.
This was revealed when the Quick Response Group
Team of the Nigerian Army in Lokoja arrested one
human trafficking suspect, Mr. Sunday Agbo, from
Benue state.
Parading the suspect to newsmen on Friday at the
Army Headquarters, the Commandant of Army
Record, Major General Alphonso Chukwu said the
suspect was arrested alongside 10 children, both
male and female, on July 26 by his Quick Response
Group Team, along Itobe-Ajaokuta road.
According to him, the suspect who hails from Obi
Local Government Council of Benue State was
arrested in a ash colour Toyota Camry car with the
registration number CW 322 LSD with 10 children,
comprising of six males and four females between
the ages of seven and 19 heading to Lagos state.
He stated that when the suspect was confronted by
his men, he said that the children belonged to him,
but after further interrogation, he confessed that
they were handed over to him by his agent, one
Madam Janet Akpa, from the same village and that
he was asked to deliver them to another agent in
Lagos.
The Army Commandant stressed that investigations
revealed that Agbo had been trafficking children by
discussing with the parents and offering a mere sum
of N4,000 or N5,000 naira under the pretext of
getting them jobs in Lagos as househelps.
The Army Commandant who enjoined parents to be
vigilant so as not to fall prey of the human traffickers,
stressed that the children were most vulnerable to
ritualists.
One of the children, Blessing Jacob, who said she had
just finished her promotional examination to SSS 2
said she was told to follow the suspect to Lagos for
her holiday where she would work for a while.
While still waiting for further details, the suspect
received a text message from the agent in Lagos that
one of the children he earlier brought to Lagos had
absconded from the house.
While speaking with the suspect, he disclosed to
Sunday Tribune that this was not his first time,
adding that parents of the children were given a
token amount of money ranging from N4000 to
N5000 for each of the children.
Benue State capital, were involved in the sale of their
children to human traffickers at the sum of N4,000 or
N5,000 per ward.
This was revealed when the Quick Response Group
Team of the Nigerian Army in Lokoja arrested one
human trafficking suspect, Mr. Sunday Agbo, from
Benue state.
Parading the suspect to newsmen on Friday at the
Army Headquarters, the Commandant of Army
Record, Major General Alphonso Chukwu said the
suspect was arrested alongside 10 children, both
male and female, on July 26 by his Quick Response
Group Team, along Itobe-Ajaokuta road.
According to him, the suspect who hails from Obi
Local Government Council of Benue State was
arrested in a ash colour Toyota Camry car with the
registration number CW 322 LSD with 10 children,
comprising of six males and four females between
the ages of seven and 19 heading to Lagos state.
He stated that when the suspect was confronted by
his men, he said that the children belonged to him,
but after further interrogation, he confessed that
they were handed over to him by his agent, one
Madam Janet Akpa, from the same village and that
he was asked to deliver them to another agent in
Lagos.
The Army Commandant stressed that investigations
revealed that Agbo had been trafficking children by
discussing with the parents and offering a mere sum
of N4,000 or N5,000 naira under the pretext of
getting them jobs in Lagos as househelps.
The Army Commandant who enjoined parents to be
vigilant so as not to fall prey of the human traffickers,
stressed that the children were most vulnerable to
ritualists.
One of the children, Blessing Jacob, who said she had
just finished her promotional examination to SSS 2
said she was told to follow the suspect to Lagos for
her holiday where she would work for a while.
While still waiting for further details, the suspect
received a text message from the agent in Lagos that
one of the children he earlier brought to Lagos had
absconded from the house.
While speaking with the suspect, he disclosed to
Sunday Tribune that this was not his first time,
adding that parents of the children were given a
token amount of money ranging from N4000 to
N5000 for each of the children.
Bamanga Tukur unfolds 12-point agenda for PDP
THE National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic
Party (PDP), Dr Bamanga Tukur has vowed to turn
around the story of the ruling party through the 12-
point agenda of action which he recently submitted
to the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the
party.
Tukur said the carefully drawn agenda for
transforming the PDP and Nigeria would be operated
religiously with stakeholders of the party playing
major roles, such that the effect of the agenda would
be felt across Nigeria, Africa and the rest of the world
just within a 12-month calendar period.
The Tafidan Adamawa made this known in his Abuja
residence when some leaders of the party paid him a
visit, just as he disclosed that the era of party
supremacy was back in PDP. He stressed that all
elected members of the party would henceforth be
upholding the programmes and manifestoes of the
party in national interest.
The 12-point agenda, according to the PDP chairman,
would rest on a three-prong categorisation, which
included Triple-R, Triple-E and Triple-D. According to
him, it would offer a road map in solving the
problems including terrorism, energy crisis,
insecurity and the problem of corruption.
Tukur told his guests that the Triple-R agenda would
start with a genuine reconciliation process for
members to embrace the party and its programmes
while aggrieved members would be made to have a
sense of belonging. The reformation of the party and
a process of total rebuilding based on equity and
justice would also hold paramount in the overall
agenda, according to him.
The Triple-E agenda, Tukur said centered on Energy,
Environmental Sustainability/Food Security and
Education. He said PDP would launch series of
programmes with laudable inputs from the federal
and state governments under its control.
The PDP, he said, would encourage foreign experts to
assist Nigeria in tackling the climate change
challenges, a reason he said the party would
henceforth send representatives to global events on
climate change in order to be abreast of new ideas
being developed to address the problem.
He emphasised the need to enhance Nigeria's
education system in line with the federal government
policies, stressing that the ruling party would not
rest on its oars in raising ideas towards improving
and advancing on the education system, especially in
all educationally disadvantaged states of the
federation.
He expressed support for the initiative by President
Goodluck Jonathan on the Almajiri system of
education. He said the PDP would be willing to
propagate the system by encouraging the northern
governors to key into it as panacea for ending the
problem of poverty, illiteracy and ignorance in the
northern region.
The PDP, according to the chairman, had been
concerned with the problem of energy supply in
Nigeria and had been exploring all avenues towards
improving on the problem very rapidly before the
end of 2015, noting that food security in the country
would be enhanced with steady supply of electricity.
Tukur said the Triple-D agenda centered on Defence,
Diplomacy and Dialogue, disclosing that the ground
work he had made on the agenda, had convinced him
that the endemic problem of insecurity and scanty
foreign investments in Nigeria would soon become a
thing of the past.
He said the PDP would no longer wait for agencies of
government to fashion out agenda for ending the
problem of terrorism in the country, but would rather
stand on its feet in making strong inputs aimed at
addressing the problem, emphasising also on using
diplomacy and right logistics for that purpose.
Also, the president of the African Business
Roundtable and chairman NEPAD Business Group
said sufficient papers and policy initiatives had been
baked in Nigeria for addressing the myriad of
problems confronting the country, noting that the
PDP would tap from such in its desire to put Nigeria
on the path of sustainable progress and development
like never before.
He called on all members of the party not only to
support the new drive by PDP, to re-launch and take
the lead in addressing the immediate challenges
facing Nigeria, but also to make more suggestions
aimed at making the party achieve its desires.
Party (PDP), Dr Bamanga Tukur has vowed to turn
around the story of the ruling party through the 12-
point agenda of action which he recently submitted
to the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the
party.
Tukur said the carefully drawn agenda for
transforming the PDP and Nigeria would be operated
religiously with stakeholders of the party playing
major roles, such that the effect of the agenda would
be felt across Nigeria, Africa and the rest of the world
just within a 12-month calendar period.
The Tafidan Adamawa made this known in his Abuja
residence when some leaders of the party paid him a
visit, just as he disclosed that the era of party
supremacy was back in PDP. He stressed that all
elected members of the party would henceforth be
upholding the programmes and manifestoes of the
party in national interest.
The 12-point agenda, according to the PDP chairman,
would rest on a three-prong categorisation, which
included Triple-R, Triple-E and Triple-D. According to
him, it would offer a road map in solving the
problems including terrorism, energy crisis,
insecurity and the problem of corruption.
Tukur told his guests that the Triple-R agenda would
start with a genuine reconciliation process for
members to embrace the party and its programmes
while aggrieved members would be made to have a
sense of belonging. The reformation of the party and
a process of total rebuilding based on equity and
justice would also hold paramount in the overall
agenda, according to him.
The Triple-E agenda, Tukur said centered on Energy,
Environmental Sustainability/Food Security and
Education. He said PDP would launch series of
programmes with laudable inputs from the federal
and state governments under its control.
The PDP, he said, would encourage foreign experts to
assist Nigeria in tackling the climate change
challenges, a reason he said the party would
henceforth send representatives to global events on
climate change in order to be abreast of new ideas
being developed to address the problem.
He emphasised the need to enhance Nigeria's
education system in line with the federal government
policies, stressing that the ruling party would not
rest on its oars in raising ideas towards improving
and advancing on the education system, especially in
all educationally disadvantaged states of the
federation.
He expressed support for the initiative by President
Goodluck Jonathan on the Almajiri system of
education. He said the PDP would be willing to
propagate the system by encouraging the northern
governors to key into it as panacea for ending the
problem of poverty, illiteracy and ignorance in the
northern region.
The PDP, according to the chairman, had been
concerned with the problem of energy supply in
Nigeria and had been exploring all avenues towards
improving on the problem very rapidly before the
end of 2015, noting that food security in the country
would be enhanced with steady supply of electricity.
Tukur said the Triple-D agenda centered on Defence,
Diplomacy and Dialogue, disclosing that the ground
work he had made on the agenda, had convinced him
that the endemic problem of insecurity and scanty
foreign investments in Nigeria would soon become a
thing of the past.
He said the PDP would no longer wait for agencies of
government to fashion out agenda for ending the
problem of terrorism in the country, but would rather
stand on its feet in making strong inputs aimed at
addressing the problem, emphasising also on using
diplomacy and right logistics for that purpose.
Also, the president of the African Business
Roundtable and chairman NEPAD Business Group
said sufficient papers and policy initiatives had been
baked in Nigeria for addressing the myriad of
problems confronting the country, noting that the
PDP would tap from such in its desire to put Nigeria
on the path of sustainable progress and development
like never before.
He called on all members of the party not only to
support the new drive by PDP, to re-launch and take
the lead in addressing the immediate challenges
facing Nigeria, but also to make more suggestions
aimed at making the party achieve its desires.
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Sunday, July 29, 2012
Today's Event------->Come Watch A stage Play "Death and The King's HorseMan {Prod. by PAWS}"
Its the Last Showing of the Award Winning Death and the King's Horseman written by Prof Wole Soyinka, Directed by Ken Uphopho.
Venue: Terra Kulture
Time: 3&6pm
Ticket: N3500, VIP:10,000
Date: 29th July 2012.
ABOUT THE PLAY
Death
and the King’s Horseman is based on events that took place
in the Yoruba city of Oyo in 1946. That year, the lives of Elesin (Olori
Elesin), his son (Olunde), and the Colonial District Officer (Simon Pilkings) intertwined
with the disastrous results set out in the play. The play opens on the day the
local African king is to be buried. According to custom, his Horseman, Elesin
Oba, will die on this day as well, following his master in death as he followed
him in life. It is clear from the scene in the marketplace that this ritual death
is, however, a celebration. The region’s colonial administrator “saves” Elesin
and brings about the play’s tragic catastrophe. In Death and the King’s Horseman, the power vested in the colonial
administration signals its ability to destroy the indigenous culture it claims,
ironically, to govern.
ABOUT PAWS
The Performing Arts Workshop & Studio, PAWS, is a theatre Oriented
organization aimed at projecting and preserving the arts through Dance, Drama
and Music.
Established in 2004 by theatre practitioners of repute, the company has gone on to become one of the country's foremost theatre company dedicated to the development of talent in performing arts.
As part of the Live Theatre on the Mainland Campaign, we produced The Wives (2011) and Widow’s Window. The Wives was also performed at the NANTAP organised Festival of Plays (FESTINA). We also produced Rubiewe, an African adaptation of Beauty and the Beast (2012) that premiered at The Knot Centre and Muson Centre respectively. In April and June this year at TerraKulture, we produced and performed great productions of Oh! How Dearly I Detest Thee and Midnight Blackout.
Established in 2004 by theatre practitioners of repute, the company has gone on to become one of the country's foremost theatre company dedicated to the development of talent in performing arts.
As part of the Live Theatre on the Mainland Campaign, we produced The Wives (2011) and Widow’s Window. The Wives was also performed at the NANTAP organised Festival of Plays (FESTINA). We also produced Rubiewe, an African adaptation of Beauty and the Beast (2012) that premiered at The Knot Centre and Muson Centre respectively. In April and June this year at TerraKulture, we produced and performed great productions of Oh! How Dearly I Detest Thee and Midnight Blackout.
Social media users carpet David Mark on call for censorship
| credits:
Nigerian
online social media users have criticised the Senate President, David
Mark, for reportedly seeking a check on the use of social media by
Nigerians.
They said it was an attempt to frustrate public criticism of government.
Mark had last Thursday,
while declaring open a two-day retreat for Senate Press corps in
Umuahia, Abia State, reportedly said the check became necessary as
people used the media to demean their leaders. He added that there was
no opportunity for retraction of information in such media.
He reportedly said, “We
need to change our attitude on how we report things about our country
and we should emulate the foreign reporters who never report negative
things about their countries.”
Facebook and Twitter
users however, took a swipe at Mark, saying he allegedly antagonised the
use of mobile phones by average Nigerians some years ago.
The comments had the senate president trending on social media platforms.
A Facebook post by Agba
Jalingo read, “Attention: Occupy David Mark. The senate president must
be stopped from his moves to restrict the use of social media in
Nigeria, as it has been done in militarised countries of the world. He
has been quoted as saying the social media is being used to insult
leaders. We are not in North Korea, this is a democracy.
“Occupy his telephone
line and help save our only freedom of expression. Call, text and even
flash 080350088**. Please re-broadcast.”
A twitter user, Adenike
Adebayo, also wrote, “People like Mark represent the last vestiges of a
dying paradigm. We must hasten that process to avoid poisoning of the
polity.”
Similarly, Segun Agbede, tweeted,
“Mark says the foreign media don’t say negative things about their
country. He obviously hasn’t been reading British and American
newspapers.”
Another another user, Deejay, tweeted, “Mark should say something more reasonable when next he’s talking to the press.”
Chidi in his tweet said,
“When Mark was a minister, he said telephone wasn’t for poor people.
Today, he says social media should be banned.”
Another twitter user, Ekekeee.com,
wrote, “Let Mark legislate against us using new media. At least, let it
be one achievement he can boast of in his years” involvent in our
renascent democracy.
Likewise, Obi Henry tweeted,
“If Mark had his way, he would have shut down these handles. Mark who
said telephones were not for the poor is now advocating social media
censorship. An apple doesn’t fall far from its tree.”
Third Mainland Bridge: 3.4 million people used ferries in two months
About
3,350,000 passengers were ferried through waterways in Lagos State
between May and July, 2012, statistics from the Lagos State Waterways
Authority have shown.
The Managing Director,
LASWA, Mr. Yinka Marinho, who spoke to our correspondent, said there was
a “tremendous” increase in the number of passengers who used the
alternative system.
He said, “In May, about
1,238,000 passengers were recorded; in June we had over 1,305,000 and in
the first half of July, 807,604 have been ferried. We hope that by the
end of the month, the figure would have been doubled. This means there
will be an increase of between 300,000 to 400,000 passengers.”
Marinho said ferries
moved an increasing number of passengers from Ojo, Oworonshoki and
Ikorodu-ends of the Lagos Mainland to the island, where most of them
work, and took them back to the mainland daily.
Repair works had begun on eight expansion joints of the bridge in July, which forced road users to ply alternative routes.
The General Manager,
Metro Maritime Services Limited (Metro Ferry), Mrs. Freda Adetula,
confirmed that the number of passengers plying waterways had increased.
She said more residents
in the state had resorted to water transport system to get to their
various destinations due the partial closure of the Third Mainland
Bridge.
She said the number had jumped from between 700 to 800 normally recorded to over 1, 500 daily.
Adetula further said
passengers preferred to travel by water since the roads were clogged
with vehicles, while the waterways were “free and extremely economical.”
She said, “To travel with a ferry from Ikorodu to the island takes about 45 minutes, while a speed boat takes 25 minutes.
“We have 27 boats of
different sizes, aside those from other operators, and they are always
filled with passengers, particularly when they are going to work in the
morning and returning in the evening. It is more comfortable travelling
by water, unlike the stress experienced when in traffic on the roads.”
She however decried the
challenges facing ferry operators, stressing that they needed government
intervention because they were man-made.
She said, “The
challenges are enormous. We battle with the wastes disposed in water,
water hyacinth and logs of timber transported from Ondo State through
the waters. We are still waiting for government intervention.”
Marinho however said the
state government had met with wood merchants along the waterways to set
modalities on their operations, adding that it was set to punish erring
loggers.
The maintenance exercise on the bridge was scheduled to last four months.
FG will prosecute more suspects —Jonathan
President
Goodluck Jonathan has talked tough as the Federal Government digs
deeper into the fuel subsidy scam, promising that more suspects will be
prosecuted.
His avowal on Friday,
came even as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission arraigned five
out of the 20 suspects at the Lagos High Court last Thursday.
Among the suspects
arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission was Mahmud
Tukur, son of the National Chairman, Peoples Democratic Party, Bamanga
Tukur. Also, Mamman Ali, son of a former national chairman of the PDP,
Ahmadu Ali, was charged.
The president spoke through his spokesman, Dr. Reuben Abati, in Abuja.
Abati told SUNDAY PUNCH
in an exclusive interview that the president was very serious about the
prosecution of the subsidy scam suspects and that he promised to expose
or prosecute more fraudsters.
When asked about the
feelings of the president on the arraignment of the son of Tukur and
that of Ali, the presidential spokesman said, “What their arraignment
means is that the president is not ready to spare anybody as he has been
promising Nigerians.”
He explained that, “More people other than those who are currently being prosecuted will be arraigned.”
“Since these cases are already getting to the court, we can no longer be talking extensively on them.”
He further said, “The
arraignment is just confirming what the President has been saying that
there will be no sacred cow in the anti-corruption war.
“The president is committed to fighting corruption and he will definitely walk his talk.”
A committee set up by
the president headed by Mr. Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, Managing Director of
Access Bank Plc, had recommended that about N382bn, fraudulently
siphoned from public treasury be recovered.
This came after three FG’s committees had verified fuel subsidy transactions.
But government’s action
was preceded by a House of Representatives probe of fuel subsidy
management in the country, in April, which reported a fraud of N1.07trn
by marketers and those in government.
The House report was submitted to the president for implementation.
While the House, on
Friday, welcomed government’s harmonisation of its report with that of
Aig-Imoukhuede, it however, cautioned against what it described as
“half-hearted” prosecution, influenced by political manipulations.
However, all the committees made far-reaching recomm-endations. In all, about 140 firms may face charges for subsidy fraud.
The Chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Mr. Zakari Mohammed, told SUNDAY PUNCH that government took the right step by commencing the prosecution of suspects.
He said, “It is to the
credit of the House that we investigated the rot called fuel subsidy,
which was a drain on the nation’s economy.
“However, the prosecution must be thorough; it must be pursued to a logical conclusion. It should not be a half-hearted affair.”
Mohammed noted that the
difference in the number of firms and persons recommended for
prosecution by the government’s three committees and the House Ad hoc
Committee on Monitoring of Subsidy Regime was not the point at issue,
but the commitment to prosecute the suspects.
While the House
committee recommended about 45 firms for prosecution, the three
committees set up by government put up about 140 firms for trial.
“What is important is that let people be punished for the crime they committed against the Nigerian people”, Mohammed said.
According to the House
spokesman, the list the office of the Attorney-General of the
Federation, Mr. Mohammed Adoke, is using to prosecute the offenders is a
“harmonised report.”
“There are three reports
now, the Aigboje Imoukhuede report, the House report and one other
administrative report – all on fuel subsidy matter.
“As the AG said, government has harmonised all the reports; they are using a sort of hybrid report now.
“So, the number is expected to be higher than what the House submitted.
“The House is happy that something is happening, that is our aim”, Mohammed added.
However, the House probe
assumed a dramatic twist when oil magnet, Mr. Femi Otedola, in June
disclosed that he paid $620,000 bribe to the chairman of the House Ad
hoc committee panel on the subsidy probe, Mr. Farouk Lawan, and Mr.
Emmanuel Emenalo, who had acted as clerk to the panel.
Farouk admitted
collecting the money, but claimed that he played along to expose
Otedola. But the lawmaker in the House whom he claimed to have given the
cash to keep, had publicly denied him.
The Police in Abuja investigating the
matter are not clear on which way to go on the matter, following
non-recovery of the $620,000.
Nigeria not for PDP alone —Bishops
The Prelate of the
Anglican Church, Archbishop Nicholas Okoh, on Friday in Abuja asked the
Federal Government to focus on “tackling corruption and other social
vices in the country rather than embarking on constitutional amendment
process.”
Also the Bishop of Kubwa
Diocese, Rt. Rev. Duke Akamisoko, warned that politicians should not
take Nigerians for a ride because “Nigeria is not for Peoples Democratic
Party alone.”
Both of them said these
during the first session of the second synod organised by the Diocese of
Kubwa, Abuja, with the theme, “Behold to obey is better than
sacrifice.”
Okoh who condemned the
demolition of low income houses by the Federal Capital Territory
Administration and eviction of residents from the federal capital city
said, “No country is only built for the rich.”
According to him,
Nigerians are innately corrupt and the enforcement of the existing laws
is in the country remains the greatest challenge in Nigeria.
“It is not so much the problem of constitution but people are dedicated to evil,” he added.
In the same vein, Akamisoko warned that politicians should not take Nigerians for granted.
“People need to repent. We need to be righteous,” he said.
“No nation can prosper
with disobedience. No nation can survive when its leaders are known for
disobedience. We are a nation of disobedience. We have leaders who do
not obey the law. Lawlessness is happening every day and everywhere in
this country.
“Our politicians should know that this
country belongs to all of us and not for PDP alone. We are all
stakeholders in this country. Some of us are more Nigerians than them.
How long will the PDP last?”
Ramadan essay competition
The
wife of the governor of Ogun State, Mrs. Olufunso Amosun, through one
of her initiatives, Spouses of State Government Functionaries
Association, has organised an essay writing, quiz competition and
Quranic recitation for school children in all the 20 local government
areas of the state.
According to a statement
by the Coordinator of the Essay Writing/Quiz Competition & Quranic
Recitation, Dr. Rashidat Salisu, the contest aims at providing
opportunities for school children to enhance their knowledge of Islam
and inculcate the virtues of the month of Ramadan.
Salisu said the topics for the essay
writing competition for Junior Secondary Schools category is, ‘The
Social, Moral and Spiritual Benefits of Ramadan’ while that for Senior
Secondary Schools category is ‘Maximising the Gains of Ramadan.’
Nigeria’s quest for medals begins today
The
Nigerian men’s basketball team and canoeist Johny Akinyemi will be
making their Olympic debuts on Sunday, reports ’TANA AIYEJINA
Nigeria’s men’s basketball national
team, D’Tigers, will play their first ever match at the Olympics on
Sunday (today) when they file out against fellow African
representatives, Tunisia, at the Basketball Arena, London.
The match is historic because it is both
African countries first appearance in the event and it is the first
time Africa will be producing two basketball men’s teams in the
Olympics.
D’Tigers are pooled in Group against giants, the United States of America, Argentina, France, Lithuania and Tunisia.
Group B features Australia, Brazil,
China, Great Britain, Russia, and Spain. The top four teams from each
pool advance to the quarterfinals, which take place August 8, followed
by the semi-finals on August 10 and then the finals on August 12.
The Nigerians, ranked No. 21 in the
world, claimed the final Olympic berth for the first time ever with a
win over the Dominican Republic in the third-place game during the
qualifiers in Venezuela after finishing second in the FIBA Qualifying
Tournament.
Before that, Nigeria had erased a
12-point half time deficit and shocked highly-favoured Greece in an
80-79 stunner in the quarterfinals.
Nigeria also defeated Lithuania, the
world’s fifth-best team, in the tournament, on the way to sealing the
historic ticket, which some have described as the ‘ninth wonder of the
world.’
After Nigeria emerged third in FIBA
Africa tournament last year with largely players from the domestic
league, coach Ayo Bakare applied the ‘foreign theory’ for the final
qualifiers in Venezuela and it paid off tremendously.
The team has had recent success
internationally due to Bakare’s inclusion of American college and
professional players of Nigerian descent in the side. There are only
three Nigerian-born players on the 12-man roster; the others have dual
citizenship through their parents.
However, when the Nigerians enter the
court on Sunday (today), they’ll be immediate underdogs. Nigeria is the
third-lowest ranked squad in the basketball event, ahead of only Tunisia
(No. 32) and hosts Britain (No. 43).
New Orleans Hornets’ Al-Farouq Aminu is
the only NBA player in the squad while Ike Diogu, now based in China,
had played in the NBA, for several years.
The others are made up of former college players with playing experience overseas.
But Chamberlain Oguchi believes it will
count in their favour against USA who have all their players in the NBA
and other group opponents France, who have six NBA players. Lithuania
have one player in the NBA while Tunisia doesn’t have any.
“Playing college ball in the States
helped us understand each other a little better from a basketball
chemistry standpoint,” Oguchi told usatoday.com.
“It helps because we had similar styles of coaching. We meshed and it seemed like we just clicked together.
“This is the best team chemistry I’ve
seen on this team and I’ve been playing on (the Nigerian) team since I
was 19 years old. Nobody is out there for individual glory. That’s what
makes this so special. We’re focused on one goal, and that’s winning. I
consider myself a winner and it’s been an honor to play with a group of
guys who want to win.”
Diogu is competing in the Nigerian
national team for the first time and he had to wait for FIBA to clear
him since he played previously for the US.” But he believes he can
achieve success with his fatherland.
“I think we’re capable of beating top-ranked teams, we’ve proven that,” he said.
“We just have to stick to our style of
basketball. We’re athletic and we need to rebound. We play well together
on both ends. Most of all, we’re battle-tested.
“We’re trying to shock the world. We’re trying to put Nigerian basketball on the map.”
Point guard, Anthony Skinn, admits that they are underrated but insists they can cause upsets.
“A lot of people didn’t expect us to be
here (London). But we’re not finished yet. We have a constant chip on
our shoulder,” he said.
The Tunisians, who are also making their
debut at the Olympics, won’t be easy opponents for the Nigerians and
are in high spirits after they defeated Great Britain’s men’s basketball
team 73-69 in Antwerp, Belgium, in a warm-up game before the Olympics.
In fact, the North Africans, ranked 37th
in the world, recorded the biggest upset during the qualification for
the Olympics when they defeated Africa’s foremost side Angola to win the
FIBA Africa tournament and the continent’s only automatic spot.
D’Tigers must watch out for Tunisia’s
best player and the Most Valuable Player of the FIBA Africa tournament,
7’1’ center Salah Mejri.
Mejri scored 21 points, grabbed 15
rebounds and blocked three shots in the 67-56 win over Angola and he is
the only member of the Tunisian squad that plays professionally in
Europe, with Antwerp Giants of Belgium.
Oguchi knows that after the Tunisian
game, he has a greater task guarding the likes of LeBron James, Kobe
Bryant or Kevin Durant, when D’Tigers meet the USA.
“They’ll have to match up with me,” he
said jokingly. “I respect those guys, I admire them. Before and after
the game, I’ll be honoured. But on the court, they’re my enemy. We know
we can take down the power houses of the world. We’re not here to just
compete; we’re here to get a medal.”
CANOEING
Nigeria will also be making her debut in
canoeing in the Olympics courtesy of Johny Akinyemi, who takes to the
waters on Sunday in search of Olympic glory.
The 23-year-old shares a major attribute
with his basketball compatriots. Akinyemi has lived and trained in the
Cheshire town of Warrington in England all his life but will become
Nigeria’s first Olympic slalom canoeist at London 2012, having beaten
the Beijing 2008 bronze medallist, Benjamin Boukpeti of Togo during the
qualifiers in South Africa earlier in the year to secure his place.
Akinyemi’s greatest challenge will come from the Eastern European countries but he is working hard towards winning a medal.
He said, “I have been training so hard
to get within the medal range and win a medal. It will be great to win a
medal for Nigeria,” he said.
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