Troops deployed in search of Okonjo-Iwealas mother

OLUSEGUN KOIKI

The management of the Nigerian Air-space Management Agency, NAMA, yesterday

admitted that the radio frequencies being used by air traffic controllers, ATC, have some challeng-es, but are not enough to put the lives of air travel-lers and pilots in danger.

Speaking at a press brief-ing yesterday in Lagos, the agencys Managing Direc-tor, Mr. Nnamdi Udoh, said that the radios had some challenges, which were pe-

P.5

Vol. 1 N0. 115 Tuesday, June 7, 2011 N150 Vol. 2 N0. 510 Tuesday, December 11, 2012 N150

Rot in judiciary, cause of terrorismFG ISE-OLUWA IGE AND EMMANUEL ONANIThe Federal Govern-ment yesterday identified the rot in

the criminal justice sys-tem as the principal rea-son for escalation of the culture of self-help and

terrorism activities in the country.

The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammed Adoke (SAN), who spoke yesterday also disclosed that the police had carried out extra-judi-cial killings of over 7,195

Were combing nooks and crannies of Delta CP

CONTINUED ON PAGE 5>>

Im not on Facebook, says Jimoh Ibrahim

DPO, 13 others killed in Yobe

Festac Towns decay and fear of epidemic outbreak

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2>>

P.9Fire destroys N40m goods in Ibadan market

Money laundering: EFCC intercepts N15.5bn at airports Lamorde

Now

2012

Born

D k Ot b Ib hi ?

Male

About Photos 3Likes Subscriptions

Otunba Ibrahim Jimoh Friend request sent

Message

Searcfor

Ola Wasiu Idowu Find Friends Home

Press Esc to close

Add Friend

Search for people, places and thingsNAMA admits use of faulty radio communication equipment

P.2

P.52

P.8,54

P.4

Bank, police station, telecom masts razed

...says police kill 7,169 in four years

Prof. Okonjo

Oduah

Obasanjo lauds Aregbesola, unveils Iges statue L-R: Osun State Deputy Governor, Mrs. Titi Laoye-Tomori; Governor Rauf Aregbesola and former President Olusegun Obasanjo

during the visit of Owu Development Foundation to the governor in Osogbo, yesterday.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

CONTINUED ON PAGE 52>>

Rot in judiciary, cause of terrorismFGpeople, mostly detainees, in the last four years.

He made the revela-tions while delivering an address yesterday at the national dialogue on Torture, extra-judicial killings and national secu-rity: Human rights impli-cations.

The event was organ-ised by the National Hu-man Rights Commission, NHRC, in Abuja.

Specifically, Adoke said that the Federal Govern-ment had noted that the police had, through the years, relied on Police Force Order 237 to com-mit extra-judicial killings.

He said that the order, which allowed the police to shoot any suspect or detainee trying to escape or avoid arrest, had led to extra-judicial killings of 7,195 people in four years, out of which 2,500 were de-tainees.

Although these figures have been stoutly disput-ed by the police, even the most charitable defenders of the force cannot deny that some dishonourable officers indeed have taken the law into their hands in the most barbaric fashion

by killing suspects and in-nocent citizens, Adoke said.

The AGF, however, said that plans were afoot for his office to take over from the police, the power to prosecute any criminal suspect in the courts.

He noted that the force was peopled by laymen who could not tackle coun-sel of defendants in the court.

The AGF explained that henceforth, the po-lice would concern them-selves with investigations of criminal acts of sus-pects on the grounds that the inability to diligently prosecute offenders and the general state of help-lessness for the victims of crime to get justice had led to cultures of self-help.

Adoke said: According to a school of thought, the spate of wanton killings and gruesome attacks on persons that has increased in recent times and the apparent lack of will or capacity on the part of se-curity agencies to arrest this trend appears to fuel the incentive for self-help measures that often mani-fest as acute and barbaric practices.

There is no doubt that the rule of law has taken flight in the society, which condones a situa-tion where citizens take the law into their hands and summarily try and ex-ecute suspected felons.

The apparent slow pace of the criminal jus-tice system particularly the corruption that perme-ates the system has been identified as the main rea-son why citizens take laws into their hands.

I have on numerous oc-casions listened to or read how disenchanted victims and complainants of an offence speak of corrup-tion in the police, how the police can no longer be trusted to conduct a dis-passionate enquiry into a complaint, how many complainants suddenly find themselves behind bars in a curious travesty, and how prosecution and trials are slowed by tar-diness and ceaseless ad-journments.

There is no doubt that a holistic reform of our criminal justice system is long overdue. In my hum-ble view the issue tran-scends the police, the Min-istry of Justice and the

courts are also complicit. What we are witness-

ing in the form of self-help by victims and sympathis-ers is really collateral damage exerted by the rot in the system.

But the Managing Part-ner of the Legal Resources Consortium, Mr. Olawale Fapohunda, disagreed with the Federal Govern-ment over its comment on the ills in the police sys-tem.

He said the approach of the government to reform had made the police an en-dangered species.

Fapohunda, however, dismissed the idea of state police on the grounds that the solution to the prob-lems of crime, insecurity and terrorism in Nigeria was not federal or state police but creating an ef-ficient, honest and profes-sional police service.

The Legal Resources Consortium, which co-sponsored the event with NHRC and NASS, said rather than the Federal Government implement-ing police reform, it had been setting up reform committees.

The inauguration of the Parry Osayande Com-

mittee with terms of ref-erence similar to previous high level committees on police is a clear indica-tion of lack of interest of the administration on po-lice reform, Fapohunda noted.

He noted that instead of implementing the reports it was promoting culture of committee, adding that the police could not meet the challenge of crimi-nality because of lack of modern tools to carry out its job.

Are we aware that the police officers are today endangered species with more than 100 officers killed in active duty in the past three months? How can we reasonably expect a citizens police, given its poor level of endowment, possibly expect police to protect our rights when the right to dignity of ma-jority of its officers are violated on a daily basis? he said.

Meanwhile, the Nigeri-an Bar Association, NBA, has challenged President Goodluck Jonathan to commence a thorough in-vestigation of allegations of extra-judicial killings levelled against security

agencies in the country. It warned that unless

the killings were dili-gently probed and culprits brought to justice, alleged impunity on the part of the law enforcement agen-cies would continue.

The call was contained in a speech by NBAs Presi-dent, Chief Okey Wali (SAN), to mark this years International Human Rights Day in Abuja, yes-terday.

In an address tagged, Nigerias human rights outlook: Looking back and projecting to the future, Wali also advised the po-lice and the State Security Service, SSS, to ensure that insurgents in their custody were charged to court within the period stipulated by law, as that will offer them the needed opportunity for trial.

He added: There is no doubt that extra-judicial execution by the Nigeria police amounts to a disre-gard of the duty to orga-nise the apparatus of the state in such a manner as to guarantee the rights recognised in the African Charter.

It is also our view that

L-R: Chairman, Peoples Democratic Party, Bayelsa State, Col. Sam Inokoba; President Goodluck Jonathan and Governor Seriake Dickson, during the Bayelsa State PDP expanded caucus meeting in Yenagoa, yesterday.

The Group Managing Director of Energy Group, Barrister Ji-moh Ibrahim, OFR, has dis-sociated himself from Face-book accounts carrying his name and image.

The business mogul said that he had never opened an account on the popular social networking website and does not operate one.

In a statement issued yes-terday in response to the fic-titious accounts, Barrister Ibrahim noted that the ac-counts, which were created on February 28 and July 27 this year by unknown per-sons were meant to deceive members of the public.

A visit to the July 27 ac-count triggered an antivi-rus programme on person-al computers, an indication that it might be linked to a phishing website set up to steal information from computer users.

The account, opened in the name of Otunba Ibra-him Jimoh, is sparsely pop-ulated and only contains a profile picture in the like-ness of Barrister Ibrahim

with a handful of friends. The earlier account con-

tains several pictures of the Energy Group GMD, which were obviously downloaded from the internet.

For the avoidance of doubt, I dont use Face-book, I have never opened an account of Facebook and I dont intend to open an account just yet, Ibra-him said.

He urged family mem-bers, friends, business and political associates as well as employees of his com-panies to disregard the account and postings con-tained therein.

Several other well-known Nigerians have had fake Facebook accounts created with their names and images.

Last month, the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Baba-tunde Fashola, SAN, had condemned the use of his wifes name, Abimbola, by impostors on social net-working sites. .

In a statement by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media, Mr.

Hakeem Bello, the gover-nor had warned that the First Lady did not operate a Facebook, Twitter or any social media account.

Perpetrators of the criminal act should desist henceforth or should be ready to face the music when the long arm of the law catches up with them,

the special adviser had warned.

Describing imperson-ation as a criminal offence punishable by law, Bello warned unsuspecting mem-bers of the public to avoid falling victims of fraud-sters impersonating the First Lady on Facebook or any social media platform.

For the avoidance of doubt, the First Lady of La-gos State does not operate any Facebook, Twitter or indeed any social media ac-count, he stated.

Also in September, the General Overseer of the Re-deemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, had ex-

posed at least 18 fake Face-book profiles cloning his own original profile.

He had warned followers and associates that some criminally-minded people had created several Face-book pages with his name to make the public believe he was directly connected to or associated with them.

Im not on Facebook, says Jimoh IbrahimNational Mirror

www.nationalmirroronline.net2 Tuesday, December 11, 2012News

National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net 3Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Director-General, National Emergency Management Agency, Alhaji Mohammed Sani-Sidi (left) and Director, Research and Rescue, Air Commodore Charles Otegbade, during an emergency response teams training for corps members in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

L-R: Author, A Biography, Deacon Abioye Oyelowo; Chairman of the occasion, Dr. Abayomi Finnih; former Lagos State Deputy Governor, Alhaji Rafiu Jafojo and book reviewer, Senator Olorunnimbe Mamora, during the launch of the book in Lagos, recently.

L-R: Corporate Services Executive, MTN Nigeria, Mr. Akinwale Goodluck; Chief Marketing Officer, Mr. Larry Annetts; Chief Enterprise Solutions Officer, Mr. Babatunde Osho and Chief Information Officer, Mr. Charles Molapisi, with children from the Lekki Childrens Home, Children of Promise Ministries, Ibadan and Arrows of God, during the light up of the companys Christmas Tree in Ikoyi, Lagos, yesterday.

Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade (left) and Akwa Ibom State Governor, Godswill Akpabio, during the Golden Jubilee lecture in honour of Akpabio in Uyo, at the weekend.

dure rather than judiciary should be blamed for the problem of slow pace of trial of corruption cases. Somebody cannot steal from you and expect that the law should protect him against you the victim of his crime. Something has to be done. I pray that the new leader-ship of the judiciary will be able to do something.

The EFCC chairman also reiterated the need for a spe-cial court to take on corrup-tion cases in Nigeria.

He said: Judges are ei-ther transferred or the wit-nesses dead. It is not fair on

KAYODE KETEFE

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, yesterday arraigned Nada-bo Energy Limited and its Managing Director, Abuba-kar Ali Peters, before Jus-tice C. A. Balogun of the Lagos High Court, Igbosere for allegedly fraudulently obtaining over N1.4 billion from the Federal Govern-ment under the petroleum Support Fund.

The commission al-

leged that the accused obtained N1,464,961,978.24 from the government by falsely claiming that the money represented subsi-dy accruing to which they were entitled under the subsidy fund regime.

They were arraigned on a two-count charge comprising the alleged of-fences of fraud and forg-ery in contravention of Section 1 (2) and (3) of the Advanced Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Of-fences Act, 2006.

Count one reads: That

talk and walk the walk.He said there was the

need for a more concerted effort in ensuring synergy in the operations of anti-corruption agencies.

Mitee added that perfor-mance in fighting corrup-tion had been very poor.

He said: However, we cannot continue on this path. We must steer the ship aright. With the estab-lishment of IATT, synergy is being built among the anti-corruption agencies. The era of individual turf is waning, giving room for possible joint investigations

and prosecutions which in turn is expected to result in effective sanctions and pre-vention of corruption.

Mitee added that anoth-er way corruption could be collectively and system-atically addressed is by adopting a holistic national strategy to combat corrup-tion. And I understand that the IATT has developed a draft national strategy document. This document is most encouraging and should be given every push for adoption by the Federal Executive Council, FEC, to translate into policy.

you Nadabo Energy Lim-ited, and Abubakar Ali Peters, between Febru-ary and April 2012 within the jurisdiction of this honourable court with in-tent to defraud conspired to commit an offence to wit: obtaining the sum of N1,464,961,978.24 from Federal Government of Nigeria by falsely claim-ing that the sum repre-sented subsidy accruing to you under the Petro-leum Support Fund for the importation by you of litres of Premium Mo-

tor Spirit, PMS, which Nadabo Energy claimed to have imported into Nige-ria through MT American Express Ex MT St. Venes-sa and financed through Form M No: MF878037 which representation you knew to be false.

The defendant, how-ever, pleaded not guilty to the charge when it was read to him.

Prosecutions counsel, Mr. Ben Ubi, prayed the court to give a trial date, say-ing that the EFCC was ready to proceed with the case.

...Commission arraigns Nadabo Energy, MD for N1.4bn subsidy fraud

Money laundering: EFCC recovers N15.5bn from airports LamordeOLUFEMI ADEOSUNABUJA

The Economic and Financial Crimes C o m m i s s i o n , EFCC, yesterday dis-closed that it intercepted N15.5 billion at the na-tions airports this year.

The EFCC Chairman, Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde, made the disclosure at the 2012 International Anti-Corruption Day cel-ebrations with the theme: ACT. Help Detect Cor-ruption Risks Today, organised by the Inter-Agency Task Team, IATT, comprising anti-corrup-tion agencies.

According to a statement from the commission, Lam-orde said the amount recov-ered represented physical cash and not legitimate cash transfer through the finan-cial institutions, taken out through the nations airports.

He said N14 billion being couriered outside the coun-try was intercepted at the nations airports between January and August while the operation of a Special Task Team which is a joint patrol of the airport by the EFCC operatives and

Nigerian Customs officers which commenced in Sep-tember, led to the arrest of illegal cash couriers with over $9 million dollars.

While linking the illegal transfer and corruption to share greed, callousness and meanness of the people involved, Lamorde gave ex-ample of an individual, who was arrested for laundering $7 million cash in a brief case and flying out of the country through the airport.

He said: Corruption is one of the reasons Nigeria has not been able to make progress, socially, politi-cally and economically and we have all agreed that corruption cannot be sus-tained in Nigeria; all of us must come together to fight corruption.

The EFCC chairman said the funding of the an-ti-corruption agencies and their operating legislations had to be reviewed to en-able it perform optimally.

Lamorde explained that between January and De-cember 2012, the commis-sion filed about 353 cases at various courts across the country and recorded about 53 convictions.

He said: Criminal proce-

the anti-corruption agen-cies to say they are delay-ing cases. Let cases not last forever. If you think there is no case, please discharge the person but where the person has a case to answer, the case should be conclud-ed in good time.

On his part, the IATT Chairman, Mr. Ledum Mi-tee, said the problem of corruption had not been solved because of weak anti-corruption institu-tions in terms of capacity, funding and coordination; failure of leadership at all levels to genuinely talk the

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.netTuesday, December 11, 20124

National News

Photo News

riodically fixed by its engi-neers.

He insisted that the Ni-gerian airspace was safe for flying, saying that if the airspace was not safe, inter-national carriers like Ethi-opian Airlines, British Air-ways and others would not be operating in the country.

He explained that some of the ATCs were sabo-taging the efforts of the management, adding that NAMA had embarked on safety-critical projects, one of which includes the total VHF radio coverage of the Nigerian airspace.

On the petition written by the National Air Traf-fic Controllers Association, NATCA, on the issue, Udoh stated that the letter, which

was written on November 24, 2012 got to his table on the 27th the same month while others copied on the issue received theirs before him.

He said: Its the younger ones (ATCs) that are bas-tardising the system and this is ridiculous.

How can pilots fly blind in the last three months? The radios are working per-fectly. Our radios truly have challenges, yes, but they are fixed and not as bad as not being serviceable.

If the radios will not fail, there will not be a need for a radio engineer. Some ATCs are sabotaging our efforts.

To address some of the challenges we have had in the past, the agency em-

barked on several safety-critical projects, one of which includes the Total VHF Radio Coverage of the Nigerian airspace.

It is worthy to say here that the project has been successfully completed and the deliverables of the project provides VHF radio services on the following frequencies for both Lagos and Kano ACCs: Lagos East 127.3MHz, Lagos West 120.9MHz, Kano West - 128.5 MHz and Kano East 124.1MHz.

He noted that these fre-quencies were performing at optimum, but for opera-tional reasons in the past Lagos ACC was not secto-rised and became congest-ed due to high frequency with attendant challenges

posed to pilots.Udoh added that the

agency had commenced the process of sectorisation of the Lagos ACC and it is expected to be finally secto-rised on the 17th this month.

He noted that ATCs and engineers were working on the technical and op-erational implementation of the sectorisation, which includes drawing of pro-cedures, gap analysis and safety audit of the process.

National Mirror had re-ported exclusively yester-day on the poor radio com-munications between the ATCs and the pilots.

A six-page petition writ-ten by NATCA, an umbrella body of ATC of NAMA, signed by its General Secre-tary, Mr. Banji Olawode and

made available to National Mirror indicated that there were at least 114 reports of unreliable radio communi-cations between Lagos and Kano between September and November 24.

Also, in the same period, there were 72 reports of erratic working condi-tion of 124.1MHZ radio fre-quencies of Kano-East as reported by pilots flying in the route.

Besides, between Octo-ber 17 and November 24, 2012, there were 58 different reports on the frustrations of duty air traffic control-lers and pilots on 128.5 MHz (Kano-West radio) with six reports on its total failure.

Olawode had written to Udoh and copied 13 other persons, including the Min-

ister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah; Chairmen, Senate and House Commit-tees on Aviation; Senior Special Assistant to the President on Aviation; Na-tional Security Adviser; Director-General, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority; Commissioner, Accident Investigation Bureau, AIB, and Director-General, State Security Service, SSS.

Others are the Director of Operations, NAMA; Di-rector of Safety Electronics and Engineering Services, NAMA; Airline Operators of Nigeria, AON, Air Trans-port Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, ATSSSAN and Internation-al Air Transport Associa-tion, IATA, representatives in Nigeria.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

NAMA admits use of faulty radio communication equipment

Uduaghan, yesterday as-sured that the queen would soon be united with her family and urged members of the public to volunteer information to assist the se-curity agencies.

Uduaghan, who visited the community in company with top officials of his ad-ministration, also assured that the hoodlums would be arrested and prosecuted.

He said: I have been in touch with officers of the various law enforcement agencies and I assure you that Prof. Kamene Okonjo will safely return. The per-petrators of such a despi-cable crime will be brought to justice.

Please do not get in-volve in rumour mongering that will not help law en-forcement agents. Only in-formation that will help in her rescue is needed now, Uduaghan added.

The Odafe of Ogwashi-Uku, Chief Olizele Ogo-chukwuka Nkwor, who responded on behalf of the community, thanked the governor for the efforts he had made so far to ensure safe and early return of the octogenarian.

Nkwor assured that his people would collaborate with the law enforcement agencies.

Meanwhile, one of the children of the Okonjo family, Mr. Onyema Okon-jo, yesterday blamed secu-rity lapses for the kidnap of his mother.

Onyema told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ogwashi-Uku, Aniocha

South Local Government Area of Delta that his mother was kidnapped on Sunday at her residence between 12 noon and 1 p.m. by 10 young men.

They came in two green Golf cars and it all hap-pened very quickly. I think there were definitely some lapses in terms of security. It is not what it should have been, the people that were supposed to have been here were not here.

This gave them the op-portunity to do what they wanted to do, but at the end of the day; we really have to be prayerful.

I think it is really a sad reflection of where we are as a society, Onyema, the sixth of the seven children of the Okonjos, said

He wondered why an octogenarian woman, a grandmother and great grandmother should be kidnapped.

When contacted, the Commissioner of Police in Delta, Mr. Ikechukwu Aduba, said that this was not the time to trade blame.

He, however, promised that any officer indicted would be punished.

Aduba said that in every case of kidnapping, there was always an insider, add-ing that investigation was on to unravel the situation and free the victim unhurt.

We have been holding meetings with the governor and we have sent out our men to comb every nook and cranny and I am sure we will get her out unhurt, Aduba said.

Troops deployed in search of Okonjo-Iwealas motherSOLA ADEBAYOWARRI

Troops were yester-day deployed in the nooks and crannies of Delta State in search of Prof. Kamene Okonjo, the mother of the Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, who was abducted on Sun-day.

Also, the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Mo-hammed Abubakar, also deployed a crack team of detectives to complement the efforts of Delta State Po-lice Command.

National Mirror learnt that the IGs team was led by a Deputy Inspector-Gen-eral of police.

It was learnt that Abuba-kar directed the team to ensure early release of the

ministers mother and ap-prehend her abductors.

The ministers mother was abducted at the pal-ace of her husband and the paramount ruler of Ugwashi-Uku, the head-quarters of Aniocha South Local Government Area of Delta State, Obi Chukwuka Okonjo, on Sunday.

The 82-year-old queen of Ugwashi-Uku was abducted by 10 gunmen, who invaded the palace.

Her whereabouts was yet to be ascertained as at the time of filing this report yesterday.

All arms of the security agencies were on red alert in the state, especially in the neighbourhood of the scene of the dastardly ac-tion yesterday.

Dr Okonjo-Iweala, had said in a statement on Sun-day that it was possible that

those behind the kidnap were the same people who have made threats against her in the recent past.

In the statement, signed by her spokesperson, Paul Nwabuikwu, Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala had said it was also possible that other ele-ments with hostile motives were behind the kidnap.

No possibility can be ruled out at this time, the minister said.

Our correspondent, who visited Ogwashi-Uku yes-terday, sighted stern-look-ing security agents, partic-ularly at the palace.

National Mirror learnt that the troops were de-ployed in the state from the 4th Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Benin, Edo State Capital.

The troops were led by the Commanding Officer, Brig.-Gen. Obi Umahie.

Commissioner of Police, Delta State Command, Mr. Ikechukwu Aduba, who visited Ugwashi-Uku, later told our correspondent on the phone that his com-mand was collaborating with the team from Abuja to free the octogenarian un-hurt from captivity.

Aduba said all security agencies were collaborat-ing to achieve results, add-ing that the security agen-cies were working on a clue to apprehend the hoodlums and free the octogenarian.

The Delta State Police Command is working and collaborating with all se-curity agencies to free the queen and apprehend the criminals. There is no cover up and we are on course in our investigation, the CP added.

Meanwhile, Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel

Minister of Works, Mr. Mike Onolememen (left) and Minister of State for Works, Ambassador Bashir Yuguda, at the public hearing on the near collapse of federal roads in the country, as well as a bill for an act to provide for the maintenance of public infrastructure 2011 and other matters connected therewith in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net 5 Tuesday, December 11, 2012 News

Tukur

OBIORA IFOHABUJA

The atrocities, kill-ings and injustices that led to the Nige-rian civil war re-echoed at the National Eucharistic Congress held at the week-end in Abuja, as the Catho-lic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) called on those who played promi-nent roles in the war to publicly apologise for the mayhem.

Though, the war ended 42 years ago, President of the body and Archbishop

of Jos, Ignatius Kaigama, said except the actors made such public apology, there would be no end to anger, hatred and deep-seated ani-mosity among the differ-ent people in the country.

Since the war ended, there have been claims and counter claims by key glad-iators with each player giv-ing account of the issues that led to the war in a man-ner that suited such player and also the vexed issue of abandoned property in Riv-ers State, which never led to reconciliation and total forgiveness by the different

ethnic nationalities. Aside from the war is-

sue, the CBCN said other acts of violence in the coun-try, especially acts of ter-rorism being carried out by Islamic fundamentalists, the Boko Haram, should be brought to a halt and the perpetrators and sponsors make public apology over their mindless killing of in-nocent people.

According to the body; Many people today stress physical healing but there is a very great need for in-ner healing. A significant chapter in our history as a

nation, which calls for heal-ing of memory is the unfor-tunate civil war.

There is need for a sincere public apology by all Nigerians, with politi-cal leaders and leaders of other stakeholder-groups, leading the people in the exercise with sincerity of heart and purpose.

We lost human beings, brothers, sisters, means of livelihood, etc. The war has so wounded our hearts that we continue to hear of ac-cusations and counter ac-cusations.

Stereotypes and barri-

ers have been formed and when consciously or un-consciously they are im-ported into our lives, they can do us and posterity incalculable spiritual and social harm.

After over 40 years, we still need healing and purification of memory. Whether we accept it or not, we bear terrible hid-den grudges against one another: Northerners, Ig-bos, Yoruba, etc, because of perceived injustices. We keep arguing about who the victims or the aggres-sors are.

FG seeks Swiss assistance in $6.8bn fuel subsidy probeUDEME AKPAN WITH AGENCY REPORT

The Federal Govern-ment has sought the assistance of Switzer-land to assist it in probing the multi-billion dollar fuel subsidy scam following the refusal of some Swiss oil trading firms to cooperate with the government.

Chairman of the Eco-nomic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde, presently investing the scam told Re-uters that the request was

sent to Swiss authorities in October after some trading houses declined to provide documents.

Lamorde, who declined to provide names of the firms said; They are not forthcoming and most of the information is not in their Nigerian offices.

He said the commis-sion was making efforts to unmask the details of fuel importers and corrupt offi-cials that has led to the state paying for nearly double the amount of fuel it received.

Asked if trading houses

were themselves complicit in the fraud, he said: We just want information to confirm some of the things the (Nigerian fuel) market-ers have said ... whether they sold such products to the Ni-gerians or not.

A parliamentary probe put the cost of the fraud to the Nigerian state at $6.8 bil-lion between 2009 and 2011, almost a quarter of the na-tional budget.

As a result of the probe some Nigerian fuel import-ers have been charged to court but no one has been

convicted yet and most of the targets have been rela-tively low level, rather than big players.

The judicial authority in Geneva, home to many private trading houses, said Switzerland had requested additional information on the probe from Nigerian au-thorities.

An unnamed spokesper-son of the organisation is also said to have remarked that: This case involves suspected subsidy fraud on imports of refined products by Nigerian companies.

Nigeria budgeted N1.414trn on roads since 1999

Civil war actors must apologise for their roles

ACN too corrupt to comment on corruption PDP

TORDUE SALEMABUJA

A House of Repre-sentatives panel yesterday alleged that the Federal Govern-ment has budgeted and spent N1.414 trillion on a mere 30 per cent of about 350,000 kilometre-roads

since 1999 by the Federal Ministry of Works

According to the House Committee on Works find-ings, out of the 34, 400km of federal roads, only 12, 040 are paved and they are even in varying degrees of distress and potholes.

Chairman of the Works Committee, Hon. Ogbuefi

Ozomgbachi (PDP-Enugu), made the allegation yes-terday at a four-day Pub-lic Hearing on the Urgent Need To Address The Near total collapse of Federal Roads Across the Country, and a Bill for an Act to pro-vide for the maintenance of public infrastructure in 2011.

Between 1999 and 2012, the National Assembly had appropriated about N1.414 trillion for the road sector. And yet out of about 34,400 km of federal roads net-work, only about 35 percent (12, 040) is paved and a sub-stantial percentage of it in varying degree of distress and or pot-holes ridden.

OBIORA IFOHABUJA

The Peoples Democrat-ic Party (PDP) has said that the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) lacks moral justification to attack the administra-tion of President Goodluck Jonathans efforts to check corruption as the party it-self was enmeshed in deep corrupt practices.

The PDP also said that the Federal Government created the Economic and Financial Crimes Commis-sion (EFCC) as well as the Independent Corrupt Prac-tices Commission (ICPC) to fight corruption, agencies which it said had posted de-grees of successes.

A statement by the Na-tional Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh, said the party is optimistic that its battle on corruption would be won with the bold institutional framework the PDP-led Fed-eral Government has put in place and with the collective efforts of all Nigerians.

Metuh wondered what is ACNs contribution to free-ing the society from corrup-tion as a party controlling six out of the 36 states of the federation.

KAYODE KETEFE

A judge of a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos yester-day, Justice Okechukwu Okeke, denied the bid by the prosecution to with-draw the charge against the accused persons stand-ing trial in the criminal case of the alleged manu-facture and distribution of an adulterated teething mixture; My pikin by a company, Barewa Phar-maceutical Company and some of its officials.

The prosecution, rep-resented by Mr. Anthony Ijohor (SAN) had applied to Justice Okeke, to withdraw the charge with a view to substitute it with another charge, but the court ad-journed the case to enable the defence put its house in order.

The need to amend the charge arose as a result of the death of one of the directors of the company, Gbadegeshin Okunola, who had been initially ar-raigned alongside the com-pany and other persons for the crime.

The National Agency for Food and Drug Adminis-tration and Control (NAF-DAC) had arraigned Oku-nola, his company, Barewa Pharmaceutical Company, Adeyemo Abiodun and Eg-bele Eromosele in March, 2009 on a six-count charge.

They were alleged to have manufactured an adulterated mixture with the intention to cause death or grievous bodily harm to members of the public in October, 2008.

The first accused person, Okunola, however, died re-cently, a development that made the court to strike out his name from the suit at the last adjourned date after an application pray-ing the court to strike out his name.

At yesterdays proceed-ings, Ijohor had sought to withdraw a previous amended charge.

He cited the provisions of section 467 (2) and (3) of the Criminal Procedure Act, he informed the court that the prosecution had served a letter on the ac-cused company, requesting it to personally produce a representative to stand in for the deceased accused.

L-R: Managing partner, Legal Resources Consortium, Mr. Oluwole Fapohunda; Executive Secretary, National Human Rights Commission, Prof. Bem Angwe and Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammed Adoke, at the International Human Rights Day celebration in Abuja, yesterday.

My Pikin mixture: Court denies bid to withdraw charge

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net6 Tuesday, December 11, 2012News

IJEOMA EZEIKEABUJA

Eminent scholars and professionals from Nigeria and 14 West African countries will gather today in Abuja for a workshop on curriculum innovation and teacher ca-pacity building.

Addressing journal-ists yesterday in Abuja, the Minister of State for Education, Chief Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, said the workshop would afford the participants the opportu-nity to examine curricu-lum content, structure and challenges across countries with a view to infusing in-

novations to address the is-sues of poverty alienation and inclusiveness.

Wike hinted that the event would also create an avenue in sharing ex-periences in mainstream-ing Child Friendly School (CFS) model for effective teaching and learning.

The minister said: It is expected that at the end of the workshop, the capac-ity of curriculum work-ers and development of teachers will be enhanced. A common framework in curriculum innovation and teacher capacity devel-opment for the sub-region is also expected to be devel-oped.

ROTIMI FADEYIABUJA

President Goodluck Jonathan has con-gratulated President John Mahama of Ghana on his victory in last Satur-days presidential election.

A statement issued yes-terday by Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, said Jonathan welcomed Mahamas success in secur-ing his peoples mandate for a full term in office, fol-lowing his assumption of presidential powers after the death of his predeces-sor in July 2012, as an en-dorsement by the Ghanaian electorate of his leadership and his partys action plan for further socio-economic development and continued consolidation of democracy.

Jonathan noted that the very keenly contested elec-tions had been adjudged as free and fair by observers from the Economic Com-munity of West African States (ECOWAS) and other international observers.

The statement reads: On behalf of himself, the government and people of Nigeria, President Jona-than salutes the people of Ghana for the successful conduct of the polls

Calling on Mahama to extend a hand of partner-ship to the opposition, in the spirit of reconciliation and national progress, Jon-athan urged political lead-ers in Ghana to join hands with the government to col-lectively deepen democracy in the country in the over-riding interest of continued peace, political stability and progress.

IJEOMA EZEIKEABUJA

The Federal Gov-ernment has ex-pressed worry over decline in students per-formance in public ex-aminations.

Minister of Education, Prof. Ruqayyatu Ahmed Rufai, who spoke while opening the 2012 National

Conference on Examina-tions yesterday in Abuja, decried the poor perfor-mance of candidates in public examinations.

According to her, a close look at the results over the years showed that there had been steady decline in the number of candidates who obtained five credits and above.

She said the develop-

ment was more worri-some because it was the basic entry requirement for transition to higher education, adding that while 30.9 per cent of candidates obtained the five credits and above in West African Examina-tion Council (WAEC) in 2011, only 8.06 per cent had it in National Exami-nation Council (NECO).

L-R: Acting Political Counsellor, U.S. Embassy, Diane Kohn; Head, European Delegation to Nigeria, Mr. David Macrae; Executive Secretary, National Human Rights Commission, Prof. Ben Angwe; Chairman, Senate Committee on Judiciary and Human Rights, Senator Umaru Dahiru; member of the committee, Senator Babajide Omoworare; Ambassador Svante Kilander of Sweden and oth-ers cutting the cake to mark the International Human Rights Day in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

Curriculum innovation workshop opens today in Abuja

Ghana: Jonathan congratulates Mahama on victory

FG worried over candidates poor performance in public exams

Former Peoples Dem-ocratic Party (PDP) Board of Trustees (BoT) Chairman, Chief Tony Anenih, said yes-terday that he is not the Chairman of Elders Committee of the Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM).

He reacted through his Personal Assistant, Mr Peter Abulu, to a media report which said that

he had been appointed as chairman of the commit-tee.

Abulu said that not only was he (Anenih) not chairman of the com-mittee, but was also not aware of any such ap-pointment at the meet-ing of the PDM held last weekend at the Shehu YarAdua Centre in Abu-ja as he was not in atten-dance.

According to him, Chief Anenih was not in Abuja when the meet-ing was held. If such de-cision was reached, those who took the decision would have either con-sulted with him prior to the decision or briefed him after the decision was taken.

I can tell you authori-tatively that if any such decision was taken, he

was not consulted on it; and as this official reac-tion is being made, Chief Anenih has already con-tacted those who attended the meeting and they told him that no such decision was reached.

Our attitude to the report is that it is mis-chievous and remains a figment of the reporters imagination. The report-er said in his report that

UDEME AKPAN

The International Oil Companies (IOCs) have concluded plans to sell more oil blocks to indigenous firms operating in the upstream sector, involving explora-tion and production of crude oil and natural gas next year.

The measure, encour-aged by the Federal Gov-ernment and other stake-holders, is targeted at promoting indigenous participation, capacity-building and technological advancement of the indig-enous firms.

Investigations showed that the IOCs that may sell their oil blocks to in-digenous firms would include Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) and Total E&P Ni-geria Limited as part of measures targeted at en-couraging the indigenous operators.

Spokesman of SPDC, Mr. Precious Okolobo, said in a telephone interview that he would not specu-

Im not PDM Elders Committee chairman Anenih

IOCs to sell oil blocks to local fi rms next year

he gathered that Chief Anenih had been appoint-ed chairman of the PDM Elders Committee.

The reporter had all the time in the world to copiously report officials of the PDM who spoke on the occasion, but in order to promote the deliberate mischief into the pages of his newspaper, he could not spare a couple of minutes to confirm

from the officials if they had taken such decision.

Much as Chief An-enih respects the media, he loathes the attitude of some practitioners who lend themselves to us-age by desperate politi-cians and individuals to achieve a devious agenda. He appeals to journalists to always strive to cross check their facts before going to press.

late on the firms policy. He said: The divestment

is ongoing. I would not speculate on that.

But an authoritative source at the Nigerian Na-tional Petroleum Corpo-ration (NNPC), who con-firmed the development in a telephone interview at the weekend, said the Corporation encourages such gesture, particularly as it promised to increase indigenous participation in the industry.

The source said: We at the NNPC encourage the decision because it is a

government policy aimed at gradually building the capacities of the locals, in-cluding NPDC to become more active in exploration and production activi-ties.

The source said this must be done ahead of the post Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) expected to put in place adequate struc-tures as well as completely unbundle NNPC into dif-ferent functional firms like its counterparts in other parts of the world.

Already, many IOCs have sold their blocks to

indigenous companies. For instance, Shell, To-tal and Eni (Agip) have raked in $2.569 billion (N411.04 billion) from the sale of a jointly held stake in seven oil blocks during the past twenty month.

The IOCs have sold a 45 per cent stake in the seven oil concessions in five transactions. The oil blocks, which are now operated by the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company, NPDC, the up-stream subsidiary of the NNPC, included OMLs 3, 38, 41, 26, 42, 30 and 34.

Jonathan

National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net 7Tuesday, December 11, 2012 News

KEMI OLAITANIBADAN

The Ekiti State gov-ernor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has laid the blame for the rot in the nations judiciary on the doorstep of politicians, saying they paid judges and lawyers to protect their interests.

Fayemi, who stated this in Ibadan while speaking with journalists during a condolence visit to the fam-ily of the late Justice Kay-ode Eso, said the judiciary has become the microcosm of the Nigerian society,

whereby one cannot attack the judiciary without at-tacking the politicians.

He said if those at the bench could do a quarter of what the late legal lumi-nary did while in active ser-vice, we will not be com-plaining of the troubles we have in the judiciary today.

His words: Nigeria has missed a colossus of integrity, uprightness and decency. I can never find the right word to describe him, but all I can say is that people should try as much as possible to walk in the path he tread, because that is what has been lacking in

our country. If we all do half of

what he did to bring hon-our and credibility to the judiciary, Nigeria will not be where it is today. We all know what is going on in the judiciary now.

It is saddening to note that the judiciary has be-come the microcosm of the Nigeria society, we cannot attack the judicia-ry without attacking the politicians, because some of them give those in the judiciary incentives to be corrupt, we cannot isolate all these things that have bedeviled our country, but

Politicians responsible for rot in judiciary, says Fayemi

Participants at a protest against the Lagos Traffic Law organised by the Joint Action Forum to mark the International Human Rights Day in Lagos, yesterday. PHOTO: OLUFEMI AJASA

FEMI OYEWESOABEOKUTA

Members of the Ogun State chap-ter of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) yesterday appealed to the state government to pay their 19 months gratuity that had been stopped since May, 2010.

The pensioners also called on Governor Ibi-kunle Amosun, to use his position as the executive governor of the state to en-force the payment of all the outstanding arrears accru-ing from 2007 till date.

Addressing a press con-ference yesterday in Abeo-kuta, to commemorate the 2012 National Pensioners Day, the unions state Chair-man, Chief Kessington Odukoya, called on the au-thorities concerned to make the report of its 2010/2011 verifications exercise open, which he said had been shrouded in secrecy.

Stressing that the union has being in good relation-ship with the state gov-ernment, the chairman further said that it was not unmindful of the huge amount of unpaid gratuity inherited by the present administration.

The pensioners, how-ever, appealed to Governor Amosun to gear up the monthly release in respect of the outstanding gratuity.

We are not unmindful of the huge amount of un-paid gratuity inherited by the present administration, yet we want to seize this op-portunity to appeal to the government to gear up the monthly release in respect of outstanding gratuity. The last payment was in respect of May, 2010.

Pensioners beg Amosun to pay them 19 months gratuities

He said: Yoruba thrive on federalism. What I want the country to know is the fact that as far as our au-tonomy and freedom are recognised, we could be the best any people could have as neighbours.

But every effort to in-fringe on our freedom and autonomy would breed tragedy and disaster. For as long as people do not recog-nise this salient fact to the extent that we even fought ourselves to defend our autonomous existence, Yo-ruba can be best of people.

We defend our rights, be it political, social or economical or cultural. This is the essence of our initiative on regional in-tegration. And I want to believe that in the innate part of Chief Obasanjos mind, he supports our in-tegration agenda.

Aregbesola also extolled the virtues of the former president, saying every Yo-ruba man must be proud of his achievements, which explains why the Osun State Government accord-

ed him honour which he rightly deserved.

He said: It is not for nothing that Chief Obasanjo is a Yoruba per-son. As a Yoruba man, we must be proud of his achievements.

It is in recognition of your feat as individual as a Yoruba person that we have deemed it necessary and important to accord you the respect.

In his remark, Obasanjo said the kingship tussle is an unfinished matter, say-ing his visit was to intimate the governor of the prog-ress report on the matter.

The former President disclosed that his mission in the state is for peaceful resolution of the kingship tussle in Orile-Owu.

He said: I was here to visit and intimate you with the progress we have re-corded over the leadership tussle in Orile-Owu. When I was called to intervene, I discovered that things were drifting and we need-ed to arrest the situation before it degenerates.

Obasanjo lauds Aregbesola, unveils Iges statue FEMI OYEWESOABEOKUTA

The Speaker of the Ogun State House of Assembly, Hon. Suraj Adekunbi, yesterday said that his invitation to appear before the Head of the Investigation team of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Re-lated Offences Commission (ICPC) over the inflation of contract was not a convic-tion, but rather a routine exercise of the commission.

The Speaker, who was re-acting to reports which said he has been indicted in the process that led to the pro-curement of official cars for the 28 lawmakers in the state, also said that he was not wor-ried about the invitation as the procurement of the cars followed due process.

Adekumbi, who spoke yesterday through his Spe-cial Assistant on Media, Akinola Waheed, also de-clared that he was ready to answer to any question bothering on the petition by those he called faceless petitioners.

FRANCIS SUBERU

The planned protest by commercial mo-torcyclists, popular-ly known as Okada rid-ers, yesterday met a brick wall as the protest was halted after an address by the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of op-erations, Tunde Shobulo, who led armed mobile and regular policemen to stop the protest.

The Okada operators had planned to register their grievances by protesting against the new Lagos Traffic Law which prohibited them from operating on 475 routes within the Lagos metropolis.

The riders had con-verged in large numbers at the Labour House, Yaba, around 8.00am and were planning to march to the Lagos State Government House, Alausa, Ikeja; but they had only got to Agege area when the protest was peacefully halted.

The protest was coordi-nated by the Joint Action Forum (JAF) and support-ed by civil society groups, led by Aremu Abiodun and Ayodele Akele.

we must restore hope to our country.

Fayemi said Justice Eso represented the very best in terms of integrity and character and speaks the truth at all times.

He continued: He dem-onstrated what it meant to be a forthright person. He was always on the side of the truth and justice and he inspired many of us. He was a rare commodity in Nigeria of today, he was one of the people you can be re-ferred to as a mentor in the truest sense of the word, who at all times you could count on to say the truth.

As somebody who has gone through the crucible of the courts in Nigeria and in my own struggle as a democrat, papa was our unsolicited consultant, be-cause he took it upon him-self to monitor what was going on with my case, as he believed that I was on the side of the truth, that was why you can see people thronging here to pay hom-age to truth, courage, jus-tice and decency.

I can tell you that Hon. Kayode Eso, in all respect, I knew how revered he was in the circle of the internation-al community of jurists.

N168m scam: My invitation not conviction Ogun Speaker

Police stop Okada riders protest

South-West have always called for true federalism because by their nature, the Yoruba people flourish on federalism.

Obasanjo came in com-pany with delegate of Owu Development Foundation, ODF, in respect of a rift over the Orile-Owu stool.

While unveiling the statue, Obasanjo com-mended Aregbesola for deeming it fit to honour Ige whom he described as a rare Yoruba personality.

He said: Ige was a na-tional leader. Especially in the South-West, his im-pact was highly commend-able. It is a representation of the remembrance of a high calibre Yoruba per-sonality whose efforts for the advancement of his people will always remain in the sands of time.

Aregbesola said that once the powers that be recognises in the Yoruba people a lover of federal-ism and freedom, they would find the Yoruba the best of people to befriend and be with.

WALE FOLARINOSOGBO

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday commend-ed Governor Rauf Are-gebesola for the works he is doing in Osun State just as he showered encomium on his late Minister of Jus-tice, Chief Bola Ige.

The occasion was the visit of the Owu Foun-dation delegation led by Obasanjo to Aregbesola in the state capital where he unveiled the new statue of the late governor of old Oyo State built at the en-trance of the Governors Office in Osogbo.

This was just as Aregbe-sola said that it is not for nothing that people of the

Obasanjo

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.netTuesday, December 11, 20128 South West

Part of the Ifeleye spare part market gutted by fire in Ibadan, yesterday.

ticed by people living be-hind the building around midnight, but with no-body sure how it started since electricity has not been in the area for the past three weeks.

The timely arrival of fire service men from Alesinloye area of Ibadan prevented the fire from spreading to the adjourn-ing buildings and shops.

When the National

Mirror visited the scene, sympathisers were seeing retrieving goods not com-pletely destroyed as the area was cordoned off by security agents to prevent hoodlums from stealing the salvaged goods.

One of the victims, Mr. Olusola Olalere, a motor-cycle spare parts dealer, said that he stocked his shop with goods last Fri-day and lost everything in

the inferno.According to him, he

was called from his house in Olorunsogo area of the city some minutes past mid-night and when he arrived at the scene, he could not salvage anything as all the goods had been consumed.

Olalere, who said he lost goods worth over N25 mil-lion and N1.8 million cash in the inferno, said he was not sure of what could have

Fire destroys N40m goods in Ibadan market

The traffic manage-ment of the police created some traffic hiccups along the Ring Road/Mobil/Ade-Oyo Road.

Justice Adeniji, while welcoming the judges, ex-pressed joy at the choice of the state for the sitting of the ECOWAS Court which she described as

TERH AGBEDEH

Lagos State Gov-ernor Babatunde Fashola will today launch the first ever Af-rican City Edition of Mo-nopoly, the popular board game tagged the Lagos City Edition at City Hall, Lagos.

This was disclosed yes-terday at a press confer-ence held at Wheatbaker Hotel in Ikoyi, Lagos.

Those who addressed the media were Mrs. Nimi Akinkugbe of the Lagos-based Bestman Games and the Managing Director of the United Kingdom-based Moving Moves, which makes the

game, Mr. Thomas Lid-del. Lagos State was rep-resented by the Director General of LASRAB, Mr. Bolaji Uthman.

Akinkugbe said for many years families have played Monopoly together while building better relationships and her company was very excited to bring the La-gos edition to the coun-try.

She said: We hope to enhance the profile of African cities starting with Lagos. There is so much negativity por-trayed about Africa and we hope that through this game , we will pres-ent Lagos to the world in a very positive way.

KEMI OLAITANIBADAN

Cases in Ibadan High Courts located in Ring Road area of the Oyo State capital yes-terday suffered adjourn-ments as judges joined the state Chief Judge, Justice Badejoko Adeniji, to re-ceive the visiting ECOW-AS Court judges.

One of the cases affect-ed was the one between the Celestial Church of Christ (CCC), Onala par-ish in Ibadan, and the state government on the demolition of the church a fortnight ago by the agents of the government.

Security was tightened within the court premises as the Community Court of Justice of ECOWAS member states, otherwise called the ECOWAS Court began a week sitting in the state high court.

An Armoured Person-nel Carrier (APC) and three police pick up vans were placed in the front of the high court while armed policemen restricted move-ment of vehicles except those on official duties into the court premises.

Amosun suspends Ijebu East LG boss, 11 councillors

the principal legal organ of ECOWAS.

The Chief Judge said the court has the main function of resolving dis-putes relating to the inter-pretation and application of the provisions of the revised treaty of ECOW-AS and annexed protocols and conventions.

The president of the ECOWAS Court, Justice Awa Nana Daboya, ex-plained that the resolve to shift the sitting of the court to Ibadan was in pursuant to the provisions of Article 14 (2) of the protocol of the court allowing it to hold one or more sessions out-side its seat of court.

caused the fire since the building was not opened throughout Sunday.

The executive members of Ifeleye Market, how-ever, appealed to the state government to come to the aid of the victims, stress-ing that the loss was too much for them to bear.

Another victim, Mr. Sina Sotunbo, said he lost goods worth over N20 mil-lion in the inferno, stating

FEMI OYEWESOABEOKUTA

Ogun State Gover-nor Ibikunle Amo-sun yesterday sus-pended the executive and the legislative arms of the Ijebu East Local Govern-ment Area for 90 days.

A statement signed in Abeokuta by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mr Taiwo Adeolu-wa, announced the suspen-sion of the council chair-man, Mr. Dare Ogunde, as well as the 11 councillors.

The statement said the governors action was in line with Sections 39 and 43 of the Ogun State Local Government Law.

The Head of the Lo-cal Government Admin-istration (HOLGA) was, therefore, ordered to ad-minister the affairs of the council pending further directives by the governor.

The chairman, his dep-uty, all councillors and political appointees were directed to stay away from

Wednesday, December 19.The Vice-Chancellor

of the university, Prof. Simeon Ayanlaja, who dis-closed this at the weekend at a pre-convocation me-dia conference at Igbesa, noted that 253 students would be formally re-leased and celebrated on the occasion.

Fourteen of these stu-dents, according to him, would bag First Class honour with the overall best among them, a fe-male, from Accounting Department, obtained the GPA of 4.87 out of an ob-tainable 5.0.

He added that a total of 78, 114, and 45 would be graduating with Second Class (Upper Division), Second Class lower and Third Class, respectively,

TUNBOSUN OGUNDARE

Deputy Governor in charge of Opera-tions, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Tunde Lemo, will deliver this years convocation lecture of Crawford Uni-versity, Igbesa, Ogun State.

The immediate past Vice-Chancellor of Cove-nant University, Ota, Prof Obaiyan Aize, delivered the last years edition, which was the third in the series.

Lemo, a renowned econ-omist, will speak on: Na-tional development: Youth and entrepreneur chal-lenge and many manu-facturing companies will also exhibit their products at the forum scheduled for

while the remaining two would leave the school with Pass.

The VC, who said aside the graduating students, every other unemployed youth in the society would benefit immensely from CBNs Lemo lecture at the forum, stressed that all the universitys courses had been accredited by the National Universities Commission (NUC).

that he was still in shock over the disaster.

The motor battery deal-er said he received a call around 1.00 am and on get-ting to the scene, he could not believe his eyes seeing all his goods in flame.

An official of the state fire service, who did not want his name mentioned, said men of the service ar-rived at the scene less than an hour the fire started.

the local government sec-retariat while the suspen-sion lasts.

While the offences com-mitted by the suspend of-ficials were not stated, Na-tional Mirror learnt that it might not be unconnected with the disagreement which had earlier tore members of the legislative arm of the council apart.

Investigation revealed that the councillors had removed their leader in an attempt to install another candidate, but the council chairman intervened in the crisis, which eventu-ally consumed all of them as they were all suspended by the governor.

Meanwhile, the panel of inquiry set up by the governor to look into the wrangling was chaired by Chief Wole Adesiji.

Mr. James Omotosho of the Ministry of Justice is the Secretary, while Mrs Ayoola Afolabi and Mr Bayo Adeyemi are mem-ber.The panel is to submit its reports within 14 days.

Lemo

KEMI OLAITANIBADAN

Sy m p a t h i s e r s groaned yesterday morning in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, as a storey building at the pop-ular Ifeleye market was gutted by fire with proper-ty worth millions of naira destroyed.

National Mirror learnt that the fire was first no-

Cases suffer adjournment as ECOWAS Court sits in Ibadan

Fashola to launch Lagos City Monopoly edition today

Lemo to deliver 4th Crawford varsity convocation lecture

National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net Tuesday, December 11, 2012 9South West

FELIX NWANERI

Leaders of Project Ni-geria, including el-der statesmen, Prof Ben Nwabueze and Alhaji Yusuf Maitama Sule, on Sunday in Lagos rose from their ongoing national consultation on the state of the nation with a re-solve to mobilise leaders of thought for movement against corruption and in-security in the country.

The leaders, who met for two and half hours be-hind closed doors, said the parley followed an initial

Nothern Elders Forum, which he chairs for the initiative to save Nigeria.

He further disclosed that others who attended the meeting were Alhaji Shetimah Yerima, Dr Tun-ji Abayomi and key lead-ers of the Arewa Commu-nity in Lagos.

CHRIS NJOKUOWERRI

The Imo State Police Command yester-day passed out 127 officers and men from an intensive two-weeks re-training course in arms handling and movement.

The training, designed to improve the combat strategy by the police of-ficers, was in line with the vision of the police authority in professional-ising the Force to meet the challenges of modern day policing.

Presenting the gradu-ating officers to the Imo State Commissioner of Police, Baba Adisa Bo-lanta, the Commander of the 18 Squadron of the Po-lice Mobile Force (PMF), Suo Jephthah Nengi, said the officers had been ade-quately trained to combat crime, especially during the Christmas season.

consultation hosted by for-mer Minister of Finance, Mallam Adamu Ciroma, to explore an enduring solution to the worrying state of the country.

According to the Na-tional Secretary of the group, Sir Olawale Okun-niyi, the meeting, which was a prelude to a major national convergence of Project Nigeria in Janu-ary 2013, also resolved to consult further with groups like the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), Are-wa Consultative Forum (ACF), Labour and south-ern leaders, among others,

on how best to bring about national consensus on the stability and harmony of the country.

He said the leaders also restated their faith and support for the Adamu Ciroma-led Committee on National Unity set up in Abuja on November 20 to help fashion understand-ing and consensus between the South and the North on the modus openradi of Project Nigeria and how best to save the country from an imminent collapse.

Okunniyi said: Mai-tama Sule at the parley re-stated the support of the

Nwabueze, Maitama Sule, others mobilise against corruption

L-R: Vice-Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University (Unizik), Awka, Prof. Boniface Egboka; Prof. Anene Muoneke; Anambra State Governor, Mr. Peter Obi and Vice-Chancellor, Anambra State University, Prof. Fidelis Okafor, during the donation of buses to universities, yesterday.

Commending the Com-missioner of Police for the success of the programme, Nengi noted that the ini-tiative was unique and prepared the first batch of officers and men, who had undergone the training pro-gramme to be up and doing in their task of protecting the lives and properties of people living in the state.

Responding shortly

Governor Peter Obi yesterday donated three Coaster buses to Anambra State Univer-sity, Uli; Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka; and Uni-versity of Nigeria, Nsukka.

He said the gesture was part of his administra-tions policies to provide infrastructure for institu-tions of learning.

He noted that apart from Anambra State Uni-versity owned by the state,

after inspecting the pass-ing out parade, the police boss, said the training was a manifestation of the de-termination of the com-mand to improve the per-formance of policemen, adding that all officers and men would undertake the training.

He said the rigorous training was part of measures taken by the

command to prepare the beneficiaries for the task of providing adequate se-curity during the Christ-mas and New Year cel-ebrations.

Bolanta also advised the beneficiaries to go back to their respective divisions and impart the knowledge on their colleagues who were not yet to go through the training.

the other two have Anam-bra as their catchment ar-eas and as such serve the people of Anambra State.

Obi, who lamented the fallen standard of educa-tion, appealed to students to take their studies seri-ously in other to be use-ful to themselves and the larger society.

Condemning the preva-lence of cultism in na-tions tertiary institu-tions, the governor said

anybody planning to achieve success in life must shun all manner of societal vices.

Obi, who is currently touring all secondary schools in Anambra State with grant of N20 million to each of them for their rehabilitation, called on wealthy individuals and corporate organisations to support the govern-ments effort in develop-ing the education sector.

Sule

Police train 127 offi cers on crime control

Obi donates buses to three universities

that the police could not be everywhere and would, therefore, depend on mem-bers of the public to volun-teer information for effec-tive security watch.

He said: We must be prepared to ensure that we save our lives. I urge not only the police, but civil-ians, traditional rulers, vil-lage heads and students on the need to work together to expose those who pose dan-ger to our security within our communities and neighborhoods.

Policemen and other se-curity agents in the country are either magicians or spir-its. So, we need information to carry out our jobs and we can only do well when we are given genuine informa-tion and then you see police-men at their best.

In his welcome address, Chairman of Police Com-munity Relations Com-mittee (PCRC), Ichie Alex Nwaosuagwu, said the workshop was designed to inform, enlighten and edu-cate the public on the need to cooperate with the police to render effective service.

Nwaosuagwu said the workshop was to compli-ment the effort of the Abia State governor, Chief Theo-dore Orji, towards ensuring a crime free society.

women president general prompted her to mobil-ise women to start doing something for the college.

She lamented that for 10 months, she was in court trying to reclaim her mandate from peo-ple who never contested election and did not want the people of Awka North to have quality representation.

Mrs. Udoji-Paragon gave insight in to her achievement so far, say-ing: I have enlisted mo-tions on our road which is the most important thing to us.

We are not happy that we go through five local government areas be-fore getting to Achalla, but thank God Governor Peter Obi said he is go-ing to finish the road from Amansea to Awba Ofemmili and even con-nect Isu Aniocha, Urum through Amanuke to Achalla to make our jour-ney to the local govern-ment shorter.

GEORGE OPARAABIA

The Abia State Police Command has reit-erated the need for community policing as one of the major ways to tackle the raising cases of violent crimes in the country.

The command also called for a robust relation-ship among the nations se-curity agencies to achieve maximum result.

The Abia State Commis-sioner of Police, Mr. Ambrose Aisabor , spoke at a one day workshop on community policing and security aware-ness organised for selected groups of people at the Mi-chael Okpara Auditorium in Umuahia, the state capital.

The workshop was aimed at sensitising members of the public on the need to be security conscious because of the challenges confront-ing the country.

Aisabor, who also chaired the occasion, iden-tified security as an im-portant factor for nation building, adding that no de-velopment would take place in an atmosphere of insecu-rity and chaos.

The police chief de-scribed information as a vital instrument for com-munity policing, stressing

CHARLES OKEKEAWKA

A member of Anam-bra State House of Assembly rep-resenting Awka North Constituency, Mrs. Re-becca Udoji-Paragon, has donated an ultra-modern hall to Community Sec-ondary School, Achalla.

The hall was handed over to the principal of the school, Mr Mathew Aniekwo, at a ceremony held in Achalla, the head-quarters of Awka North Local Government Area.

Mrs. Udoji-Paragon, who is the House Commit-tee Chairman on Women Affairs, also donated two wheel chairs to two physi-cally challenged persons in the local government.

Indigent indigenes of the community and wid-ows were also given cash, foods and clothes.

The lawmaker said the sight of dilapidated struc-tures in the school when she was the communitys

Information necessary for police effectiveness CP

Anambra lawmaker hands over hall to school

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.netTuesday, December 11, 201210 South East

National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net 11Tuesday, December 11, 2012 South-South

TONY ANICHEBEUYO

The Chartered In-stitute of Logistics and Transport has blamed the failure in the transport sector on the draft policy document that was inadequate.

The National President, Chartered Institute of Lo-gistics and Transport, Maj.-General Umar Usman (rtd), stated this at a three-day Round Table discourse on the theme; The Role of Transport Policy on Na-tional Economic Develop-ment, yesterday in Uyo.

He said it was regretta-ble that Nigeria at 52, could not entrench effective legis-lation that guides its trans-port sector.

One of the major rea-sons identified for the

policy document not to have received the required attention and acceptance was that each time it was presented for approval, rel-evant stakeholders whose interests were ignored punch hole on it.

The consequential ef-fects have been that its ei-ther the ministry is making serious adjustments to the document or it goes back to the drawing board to be started all over again.

The negative implica-tion is that it would be dif-ficult to strike a balance between liberty and order in the transport industry.

He said before Nigeria could have a transport pol-icy that is acceptable, there is need for the active inter-action of the stakeholders, which include public, pri-vate and professionals.

ROTIMI FADEYIABUJA

President Goodluck Jonathan has ex-pressed gratitude to Nigerians for the sympa-thy and solidarity shown to him and members of his family during the burial rites of his younger broth-er, Chief Meni Jonathan in Otuoke, Bayelsa State at the weekend.

A statement issued yes-terday by the Special Ad-viser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati said; On be-half of the entire Jonathan family, President Jonathan wishes to convey his im-mense thanks and appre-ciation to all Nigerians and friends of the country, who showed sympathy and soli-darity with him and mem-bers of his family as they

mourned and buried the late Chief Meni Jonathan.

According to the state-ment, The President wish-es to particularly thank former heads of state, state governors, the entire leadership of the National Assembly, foreign heads of state and government, diplomatic representatives, members of professional and non-governmental or-ganisations and ordinary Nigerians who either trav-eled to Otuoke for the burial ceremonies or commiserat-ed with the family in other ways.

He prays that God Al-mighty will bless and re-ward them all for their love, kindness and sympathy which has helped to as-suage the grief and pain of his family over the loss of a beloved brother, the state-ment said.

Delta State Governor, Emmanuel Uduaghan (left) congratulating Mr. Innocent Esewezie, after taking the oath of office as the Chair-man, Caretaker Committee of Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State, at the Government House, Asaba, yesterday.

Oshiomhole

Draft policy, bane of transport sector Institute

President thanks Nigerians for support, sympathy during brothers burial

EMMA GBEMUDUYENAGOA

Stakeholders in the Bayelsa State chapter of the Peoples Demo-cratic Party (PDP) yester-day resolved that Presi-dent Goodluck Jonathan remains the leader of the party in the state, just as the President said that the erstwhile governor of the state, Diepreye Alamieye-seigha, was his benefactor in politics.

President Jonathan, who attended the party caucus meeting in Yena-

goa, yesterday, urged ag-grieved members of the party to put behind them their differences for the collective interest of the state, rather than creating undue tension in the pol-ity.

The decision to adopt Jonathan as the leader of the party was reached fol-lowing a motion by Gov-ernor Seriake Dickson, declaring total support for him as leader of the party in the state at an expanded caucus meeting of mem-bers held in Government House.

The motion was adopted by at least 28 members of the partys caucus after a voice vote initiated by Sen-ator Emmanuel Paulker, representing Bayelsa Cen-tral Senatorial District in the National Assembly.

The President denied al-legations linking him with the selection of candidates for elective positions in the state, noting that he could not condescend to get him-self in the selection of can-didates for elections.

His words: I dont want to be in Abuja and be seen as influencing political

contestants; I will not con-descend to get myself in the selection of candidates, Im not interested, because it wont be fair since leader-ship is all about hierarchy.

He reminded the people that politics ought to be viewed as tools for the de-velopment and service to fatherland, saying that he could not fathom what went wrong during the last expanded caucus meeting of the PDP in the state.

The President stressed the need to respect the hi-erarchy of power in order to build a strong leader-

SEBASTINE EBHUOMHAN BENIN

A member of the Edo State House of Assembly has advised the upper and lower chambers of the Na-tional Assembly (NASS) to give strong and neces-sary consideration to the viability of any new state before it is created.

The Majority Leader of the assembly and rep-resentative of Etsako West II Constituency of Edo State, Hon. Phil-lip Shaibu, who stopped short of telling the fed-eral lawmakers not to cre-ate an unviable state for the mere sake of it, said a state that is not viable enough to meet its consti-tutional challenges, is not fit to exist in the comity

Alamieyeseigha is my benefactor, says Jonathan

Consider viability in state creation, lawmaker urges NASS

ship structure, noting that he would not be in Abuja and dictate what happens in the state.

Earlier, Governor Dick-son said the meeting her-alded a new beginning in the state chapter of the party, putting an end to mindless acrimonious di-vision between state-based politicians and those at the national level.

While describing the schism as unhealthy and projecting the state in a bad light, Dickson said the caucus meeting was con-vened for members of the

party to close ranks and form a formidable bloc of support at the state level.

The most important challenge Bayelsa State has had to contend with is the issue of mobilis-ing support for President Jonathan, which is why we want to convene this meet-ing once every quarter.

On the impending coun-cil poll in the state, Dick-son advised party loyalists to guard against anything that would threaten the peace and tranquility that has brought respect to the state.

of states.Shaibu also spoke on

issues surrounding the passage of the contro-versial Land Use Charge Law 2012 by the Edo State government amidst an unsettled ball of dusts, controversies, protests and threats by some resi-dents of the state, who felt threatened by the new law.

The majority leader, one of the supporters of the executive bill that was passed into law under a very hostile condition created for the House by owners and sympathisers of targeted properties in Benin City, said any state that cannot provide or smoothly pay the salary of its workforce is not viable and, by extension, unfit to be created.

His words: If a state, including Abuja, cannot provide for the salary of its workforce, such a state is not viable and fit to be a state.

If a state cannot on its own generate funds to pay for its workforce, that state is not viable, add-ing that the need to func-tion effectively as a state is what makes Edo State government to tap into the potentiality of taxing rich property owners to provide for the poor.

Shaibu, who denied the rumour making the rounds that lawmakers opposed to the bill were being considered for dis-ciplinary action, further argued; Taxation has been there right from the olden days. In those days, even for our forefathers

to be able to speak in the public, you must be a tax payer.

Then, there was no oil. The different regions were known for differ-ent economic activities. But the situation is not so today. If oil goes today, where are the pyramids etc? Taxing ourselves is a principle that we all must imbibe as citizens.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net12 Tuesday, December 11, 2012 North

AZA MSUEKADUNA

The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) has called on Kadu-na State Governor Patrick Yakowa to sack the Secre-tary to the State Govern-ment (SSG), Alhaji Lawal Samaila Yakawada, over his alleged 2015 governor-ship ambition.

In a letter to the gover-

nor, a copy of which was made available to Nation-al Mirror, Kaduna State Chairman of the party, Mallam Mohammed Musa Soba, accused the SSG of undermining the author-ity of the governor in his quest to establish himself in readiness for the 2015 race.

ACN alleged that the SSG was exploiting eth-nic divide to push his

political ambition at the expense of the unity and development of the state.

It said: It is an open secret that Yakawadas ac-tions and utterances are always at variance with the collective decisions reached by the govern-ment he serves, all in an attempt to garner sup-port and sympathy from the populace pursuant to his political project.

Clandestine meet-ings of trusted govern-ment aides were sum-moned through the office of the SSG without the governors knowl-edge and consent to map out strategies towards achieving his 2015 proj-ect, while money meant for projects and security matters are diverted and the bridge between the SSGs office and the gen-

eral public has since col-lapsed.

Since the SSG cannot be trusted to handle state issues efficiently, due to his personal interest, we urge you to remove him from office with immedi-ate effect to pave the way for the appointment of a competent person that will assist in surmount-ing the barrage of socio-economic, political and

security problems con-fronting Kaduna State.

As members of the opposition, we have a stake in the Kaduna State project and we will not allow a few people in government to person-alise and commercialise the operations of gov-ernment in a manner that is detrimental to the unity, peace and develop-ment of the state

ACN calls for Kaduna SSGs sack over 2015 ambition

The Kaduna State Government yester-day said it has pro-posed a budget of N176. 4 billion for 2013.

The Commissioner for Information, Alhaji Saidu Adamu, said the figure was agreed during the state executive council meeting chaired by Gov-ernor Patrick Yakowa.

Adamu said the pro-posal would be presented to the state House of As-sembly at a later date.

He said budget would have a recurrent expendi-ture of N74.4 billion and N102.3 billion for capital projects.

Adamu explained

that the budget, tagged: Budget of Consolidation and Advancement, was aimed at completing on-going projects.

The Commissioner for Economic Planning, Mr Timothy Gandu said the budget would focus on the completion of ongo-ing road projects, con-version of Barau Dikko Specialist Hospital to medical college, Zaria water project and poverty alleviation.

On his own part, the Commissioner for Fi-nance, Dr John Ayuba said 33 per cent of the budget would be funded from in-ternally generated revenue.

Yakowa proposes N176.4bn budget for 2013

AUGUSTINE MADU-WESTKANO

The conflict between the Kano State Gov-ernment and drug dealers association over the December 31 deadline given to the latter to va-cate the Kano Central Market in Sabon Gari deepened yesterday as members of the union shut their medicine stores in protest against the order.

The issue has been a source of litigation be-tween the government

and the medicine deal-ers.

The governments po-sition followed alleged sales of counterfeit drugs in the market.

It was also learnt that the state is uncomfort-able with its ranking as the highest patron of il-licit drugs, as well as the rising rate of drug addic-tion among youths.

The dealers closed their medicine stores in order to push the govern-ment to rescind its order.

The indefinite closure of the drug stores will,

however, not only affect Kano residents, but oth-er parts of the North.

The patron of the Ni-gerian Association of Patent and Proprietary Medicine Dealers, Da-hiru Abdullahi Matazu, appealed to the state gov-ernor, Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, to investi-gate the alleged sale of counterfeit drugs in the market, instead of forc-ibly evacuating members of the drug dealers asso-ciation.

Matazu said: Gover-nor Kwankwaso is our

father and leader, so we have no doubt in mind that he would ensure that justice is done in this matter as was done in other controversial is-sues.

Drug dealers protest Kanos quit orderL-R: Kaduna State Deputy Governor, Alhaji Mukhtar Yero; Governor Patrick Yakowa and Deputy Speaker, state House of Assembly, Dr. Dogara Mato, at an induction for newly elected local government chairmen in Kaduna, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

JAMES ABRAHAMJOS

The National Associa-tion of Nigerian Stu-dents (NANS) has raised the alarm over what it called injustice being meted on some individuals and groups accused of hav-ing hands in the ongoing in-vestigations in the oil sector of the economy

Addressing a press con-ference yesterday in Jos, the Plateau State capital, NANS President, Mr. Mohammed Dauda, alleged that the probe was being manipulated by certain forces to facilitate the closure of many companies, including Capital Oil and Gas Limited.

He said the situation could render many Nigerians job-less. Dauda said: Innocent Nigerian masses, who are employed at the company, particularly youths who earn their daily bread from the company, will be the vic-tims. This will pose a setback to the national economy.

We have had cause to over the weeks observe the raging scarcity in the availability of petroleum products in the country

and we have come to re-alise that this cannot be easily disconnected from the alarm raised by our as-sociation some weeks ago about the likely implication of the prolonged impasse between some independent petroleum marketers and the Federal Government, which is represented by the Federal Ministry of Finance in the impasse.

He, however, commended the House of Representa-tives effort to resolve the matter, saying: We want to commend the bold step taken by the House of Representa-tives in finding a resolution between Capital Oil and Gas and Access Bank of Nigeria.

There is no doubt that the steps so far taken by the bank against Capital Oil has con-tributed to a huge shortage in the services being rendered to Nigerians by the company and its now being seeing as a desperate attempt to force-fully take over the company from its owners.

We urge the National As-sembly to thoroughly inves-tigate the matter and come out with resolution that will put an end to this long drawn battle.

NANS alleges injustice in oil probe

HENRY IYORKASEMAKURDI

Chairman of the Conference for all Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) in Benue State, Mr. Baba Agan, has condemned the recent deregistration of 28 politi-cal parties by the Indepen-dent National Electoral Commission (INEC), say-

ing the decision was ill-motivated.

Speaking yesterday with National Mirror in Makurdi, the Benue State capital, Agan flayed the INECs decision, describ-ing the action as reckless.

The Peoples Redemp-tion Party (PRP) chieftain believes that Nigerian po-litical system allows mul-tiple political parties so

as to afford the people the opportunity to choose the platform that suits their desire.

He, however, urged INEC to reconsider the decision, saying: Nigeria with her 160 million popu-lation deserves multiple political parties, even the ones at present are not enough let alone slashing them.

INECs action on 28 parties reckless

Kwankwaso

Jega

At the dawn of democracy in 1999, only three political parties existed. They were the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), All Peoples Party (APP) and the Alliance for Democracy (AD). Howev-er, there was a growing dissention among some members of these three parties who felt marginalised and who saw the need to build their nests in a completely different environment where the oxygen of their po-litical relevance would not be contaminat-ed. This development led to the growing de-mand to expand the nations political space to accommodate more political parties.

Hence, the late fiery lawyer and human rights activist, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, fo