The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

  • Report any fraudulent worker, JAMB tells candidates

    By Frank Ikpefan, Abuja

    The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board(JAMB) has asked candidates for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination to report any of its worker involved in fraudulent financial transactions with them for necessary action.

    The board said that it frowns at any form of financial dealings between candidates and its workers.

    The board stated these in a tweet on its official Twitter handle: @JAMBHQ on Thursday in Abuja.

    A twitter user with the handle; @fluxxyynn had accused some workers of JAMB in its Lagos office of extorting N2000 from students who wanted to do any documentation with them.

    The tweeter user tweeted: “@JAMBHQ office In Lagos keeps extorting money from students who want to do any documentation with them. Taking as much as 2000 naira brine from students to have their data capture after paying 16,000 Naira to Jamb account. Everyone extort you in this country.”

    But in a series of tweets, JAMB advised candidates to pay all fees into the board’s Treasury Single Account.

    “All payments on JAMB services are made directly to the board’s TSA. Please be informed that the board frowns on any form of financial dealings between candidates and workers.

    Read Also: 2020 UTME: JAMB asks candidates to get NIN

    “Therefore, candidates involved in any financial transaction with a staff of the board should notify the board immediately and also provide any useful information about such staff for necessary action,” JAMB tweeted.

    The board also advised candidates who wish to write the 2020 UTME to visit the nearest National Identity Management Commission’s office to have their data captured.

    The board insisted that candidates must register for the National Identification Number as a prerequisite to write the 2020 examination.

    “All candidates wishing to take the 2020 UTME must have the National Identification Number. Prospective candidates are urged to visit the nearest NIMC office for their capturing. The board would only register candidates with NIN,” the tweet reads.

  • Buhari orders forensic audit of NDDC activities

    By Augustine Ehikioya, Abuja

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday ordered a forensic audit of the operations of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) from 2001 to 2019.

    The President was worried by the persistent criticisms of the operations of the NDDC.

    Buhari gave the directive while receiving governors of the states that make up the Commission led by Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State.

    In a statement by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Chief Femi Adesina, Buhari said what is on the ground in the South south region does not justify the huge resources that have been made available to the organisation.

    “I try to follow the Act setting up these institutions especially the NDDC. With the amount of money that the Federal Government has religiously allocated to the NDDC, we will like to see the results on the ground; those that are responsible for that have to explain certain issues.

    “The projects said to have been done must be verifiable. You just cannot say you spent so much billions and when the place is visited, one cannot see the structures that have been done.

    “The consultants must also prove that they are competent, “the President said.
    Buhari admitted that developing the Niger Delta area required enormous resources compared to other parts of the country with firmer lands.

    Read Also: Buhari approves N10bn for Enugu Airport

    “I am acutely aware, with my experience, that projects in your area are very expensive; that is why if any job is given, we must make sure that the company is competent and has the capacity to do it well with experienced consultants,” the President added.

    He however said that he would wait for the report of the audit before deciding on the next line of action regarding the organisation.

    Dickson expressed the disappointment of other governors with the operations of the NDDC, which they said was characterised by poor choice of projects, shoddy handling, uncompleted jobs and lack of the required support for the efforts of the states and local government administration in the region covered by the organisation.

    He called for the repositioning of the NDDC in order to achieve the objectives for which it was set up.

  • Four burnt to death ,14 hospitalised in Ondo road crash

    By Damisi Ojo, Akure

    Four persons have died in a road carnage on Thursday along Blenin/Owo express road in Owo Local Government Area of Ondo State.

    Besides, 14 persons sustained serious injuries in the accident, which involved a Toyota Hiace and another J5 buses coming from opposite directions.

    The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Femi Joseph, who confirmed the accident said the incident happened between 3.00 and 4.00pm.

    He said the auto crash was caused by high speed on the part of the drivers of the two buses.

    Read Also: Three killed in Ondo auto crash

    According to Joseph: “One of the buses with registration number MKD 341 XA carrying 18 passengers was coming from Lagos and heading to Markudi while the other one with registration number BDG 330 AP was coming from Benin and heading to Akure before the accident occured.’

    He said the two vehicles had a head -on collision and got burnt with the passengers on board.

    Ogodo said the victims of the accident were taken to the Federal Medical Centre, Owo for medical treatment, while mangled bodies of the deceased have been deposited at the morgue of the hospital.

    The PPRO warned drivers against high speed, especially during the ember months.

  • FG to unmask Janus-faced companies in Nigeria

    By Mohammed Haruna Adamu

    With the controversy trailing the indigenous status of Lagos Deep Offshore Logistics Base (LADOL), it is heart-warming that the federal government has resolved to enforce the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI’s) guideline on Beneficial Ownership register to reveal the real owners of oil and gas companies operating in Nigeria.

    The implementation of EITI’s guidelines will no doubt unmask all the faces behind the masks as far as indigenous and foreign companies operating in Nigeria’s extractive industries are concerned.

    Indeed, Nigeria has faced the challenges of Illicit Financial Flows (IFFs), due to the scam in contract awards, as well as the opaque nature of the transactions in the country’s oil and gas business.

    Citing the 2014 Global Financial Integrity Report in his address to the high-level national side-event, President Muhammadu Buhari, had at the sidelines of the 74th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York last month disclosed that Nigeria lost an estimated $157.5 billion to illicit financial flows between 2003 and 2012.

    Buhari cited tax avoidance as a major form of illicit financial flow, quoting the Tax Justice Network and the International Monetary Fund report as stating that estimated over $200 billion per year is “being lost by developing countries when multinational enterprises do not pay taxes in the countries where they made the profit.

    With the opaqueness of the oil and gas business in Nigeria, some companies claim indigenous status, to enjoy all the benefits that accrue to indigenous companies under the Nigerian Local Content Law.

    However, when it is time to pay tax, they ascribe ownership of their companies to other entities registered in tax havens to avoid payment of tax, thus validating the claim that their companies are not indigenous after all.

    But with the plan by the federal government to implement EITI initiatives, LADOL and other companies operating in the sector will be forced to disclose all their shareholders, or beneficiaries with effect from December 31, 2019, so as to expose shell companies.

    Requirement 2.5 of the EITI Standard (2016), which Nigeria is yet to implement, stipulates that by January 1, 2020, all signatories to EITI and Open Government Partnership (OGP), must ensure that their companies operating in oil and gas, as well as mining shall publish the names of their real owners.

    Read Also: Disabled athlete denied treatment despite Lagos State law

    With the allegation that a company called LILE (LADOL Integrated Logistics Enterprise), which is a duly registered company in the British Virgin Islands owns the Lagos Deep Offshore Logistics Base (LADOL), it has become necessary for the federal government to implement the EITI initiative to verify the ownership status of LADOL and confirm if indeed, it is a foreign company or a local company.

    Despite flaunting the perception of being a Nigerian company which stands for the Nigeria values and interests, LADOL’s shareholding structure is said to be substantially made up of two foreign companies namely: SABLE OFFSHORE INVESTMENTS and ALSBA Ventures Group.

    Both companies are registered entities in the British Virgin Islands otherwise known as the safe haven for tax dodgers.

    Apart from the federal government’s resolve to implement the EITI guidelines, one of the challenges facing the Minister of State for Petroleum, Mr. Timipre Sylva is this issue of abuse of the local content law.

    The minister has to determine whether LADOL and other companies supposedly owned by Nigerians, but allegedly registered offshore like in the British Virgin Islands, qualified for local contents benefits.

    Having sold this indigenous ownership status to the government and other regulatory agencies, LADOL has enjoyed the full benefits of the local content law.

    However, the Nigerian people and their economy have continued to suffer losses.

    …Adamu, a public policy analyst, writes from Abuja

  • Ekiti Airport project ‘ll stimulate economic growth- Egbeyemi

    By Rasaq Ibrahim, Ado Ekiti

    Deputy Governor of Ekiti State, Otunba Bisi Egbeyemi, has said the proposed cargo airport would boost and improve the economic and investment profile of the state when completed.

    Egbeyemi said the project would create employment opportunities for unemployed youth and ease movement for indigenes of the state as well as change the face of the state.

    The Deputy Governor, who spoke at Ewi’s palace on Thursday, urged Ado Ekiti indigenes to troop out in large numbers to witness the turning of the sod for the project on Friday.

    Egbeyemi, alongside other political office holders and All Progressives Congress (APC) leaders and members who hail from the city, were at the palace to celebrate the first anniversary of the Fayemi administration with the monarch and members of the Ewi-in-Council.

    He stressed that the APC and its government love the monarch and they were at the palace to intimate him and the chiefs on the giant strides of the last one year.

    Egbeyemi disclosed that apart from the airport project, the Federal Government has commenced a rail project that will connect Ado and other Ekiti towns with Osun State while four new secondary schools are under construction in the state capital.

    He said: “When the rain ceases, we will be carrying out many projects for the benefit of our people including the Ekiti airport project.

    “On Friday, we will lay the foundation stone of the airport and I want all of you indigenes of Ado Ekiti to troop out in your numbers and follow our Kabiyesi to the project site.

    “The rail lines are coming from Osun State that will pass through Ado and other communities here and this will boost our economy and generate jobs for our people.

    “The area where the airport will be located is also hosting the knowledge zone and all these will boost our economy and lift our town and state.”

    Oba Adejugbe said he was happy with Governor Kayode Fayemi for the airport project, four new secondary schools established and the large numbers of indigenes appointed into government.

    Read Also: Ekiti State University graduates first set of medical doctors

    The traditional ruler appealed to government to remember the indigenous contractors during the execution of the projects.

    Oba Adejugbe expressed the unalloyed support of Ewi in council for the Fayemi led government and affirmed that the remaining three years will bring more developments to the state.

    The monarch said: “We are happy about this new airport project and the four new schools established by the Fayemi administration, we are very grateful for this.

    “The most reasonable thing to do is to support the government of the day because anybody who fails to support the government of the day will lose many benefits.

    “The Ewi and the Ewi-in-Council must support the government of the day so that we can get what is due to us. We are in full support of this government.

    “In carrying out these projects, our government should remember our local contractors and artisans.”

  • FG promises relief for victims of Onitsha tanker fire

    By Faith Yahaya, Abuja

    The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouq has said her ministry will work with other relevant agencies to provide relief assistance to victims of the fire incident at Upper Iweka and Ochanja market axis in Onitsha, Anambra State.

    The minister described the fire incident as tragic, heartbreaking, very unfortunate and a great loss to the country.

    Two persons dead while 40 buildings and over 500 shops were razed down as a result of the fire.
    The fire was said to have started when a tanker with petrol lost control, fell off and burst into flames while the petrol was pouring.

    The Minister in a statement in Abuja on Thursday said she was saddened by the news of the fire and sympathized with families of those who lost their lives and those who lost their properties.

    Read Also: Hope renewed at IDP camp

    She said: “Our thoughts and prayers goes out to families of those who lost their lives in this unfortunate incident. I am aware that many others have lost so much as their shops and means of livelihood were gutted down by the fire.

    “No doubt, this is a very difficult situation for you. I encourage you to remain steadfast as you hold on to the Almighty God for succour and strength.

    “Rest assured that the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development will work with other relevant Government Agencies and the Government of Anambra State to bring relief and assistance to you.”

  • Fear grips students as killers lay siege in Otuoke varsity

    By Mike Odiegwu, Yenagoa

    Fear has gripped students of the Federal University in Otuoke, Ogbia Local Government Area, Bayelsa State, following the killings of two undergraduates with their remains dumped within the university community.

    It was gathered that one of the victims was a 100-level undergraduate identified as Edwin Tochi Eze popularly known as Tochiba.

    Tochiba, a student of Mathematics Education, who recently won the Mr. Education Contest for Male category was reportedly found dead on Tuesday with multiple machete cuts.

    The other victim, who was identified as Chimzi Ejekwu Lloyd, popularly known as Chimzi was reportedly found dead in a bush with a gunshot wound to his chest.

    A close friend to the deceased Tochiba, Sammy Majestic, said his friend was found dead shortly after he was declared missing.

    Sammy said: “We were together during our normal jokes and play, but he ran out of the house and did not come back. We were very worried and contacted his friends and family. We even called his phone but it was switched off. The corpse was later discovered close to his residence on Tuesday”.

    Some security sources expressed fears that the killings could be connected to a silent cult war going on in the area.

    It was learnt that the case had been transferred to the Criminal Investigation Department of the State Police Command in Yenagoa, the State capital.

    The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Seth Accra Jaja, that he was in Abuja on official duty.

    Employees of the schools and students expressed concern over the insecurity in the school adding that the management had yet to set up anti-cult squad.

    One of the students, who wrote on FUO Campus gist page on facebook, expressed fears over the rising cases of insecurity in the students’ community.

    He said: “I am tired of typing Rest in Peace (RIP). Tired of hearing ‘it didn’t happen in Campus’ and tired of the fact that there are no hostels in FUO. I’m fed up with the fact that 95 per cent of students live off campus yet security system is not present and our management seems not to care.

    “I am angered by the fact that only three properties in the entire Otuoke has top notch security provided by the military because they belong to You Know Who. To the rest of us, On Your Own, is our case.I feel pain, I feel sorrow and sadness, anger and anguish I feel”.

    Read Also: Fuoye crisis: SU seeks justice for slain, injured colleagues

    Another student, who spoke in confidence said: “The only buildings that are secured and the only fortress in Otuoke, home of former President, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, his wife’s hotel directly opposite Federal University, Otuoke and another unoccupied building somewhere along Olumba road.

    “At each of these structures is a fortified military checkpoint. These security apparatus only safeguard these aforementioned places and even if there’s trouble close by, they don’t give a damn.

    “This month alone, we’ve witnessed series of death of students of FUO, no security, not even a police station in the entire community hosting a Federal institution. None is even nearby.

    “From incessant kidnappings of staff and students to the maiming and killing of students in successions, no arrest has been made. I will tell you more later. It is a sad tale.

    “There is pandemonium in Otuoke right now because of the fracas between students and the CSO of former president GEJ during a randy movement by students over the corpse of another student that got missing on Monday and was found dead today”.

    “As usual, after live ammunition was fired by the military, the story was twisted that students, who were harmless and armless and in company of the SUG president, opened fire at the military personnel”.

    It, was however, gathered that Jaja recently convened a meeting to deliberate on the insecurity in the school.

    The meeting, presided over by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Bio Nyananyo, promised that all issues affected security would be resolved in the school.

  • Court passes death sentence on killer of MTN staff

    By Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin

    Kwara state High Court sitting in Ilorin, the state capital has sentenced killer of a staff of telecoms giant MTN, one Ogundele David to death by hanging.

    The victim’s name is Abiola Tosin Ashinwo

    In a judgement, trial judge, Justice Adebayo Yusuf, Ogundele was convicted on two-count charge, after more than three years of legal battle.

    For the first count charge, the convict committed an illegal act by stabbing Ashinwo with the intention of causing her death thereby committed offence of culpable homicide punishable with death under Section 229 of the penal code law, Justice Yusuf said.

    He was also convicted for committing culpable homicide for causing the death of Ashinwo by stabbing her with a knife and thereby committed offence punishable under Section 221 of the penal code law.

    The judge held that the prosecution had been able to prove the case of culpable homicide against Ogundele.

    For the first offence, the convict is to serve 25 years jail term while he was sentenced to death by hanging for the second charge.

    In proving the case before the court, the prosecutor, Abdulmumini Adebimpe Jimoh, called four witnesses; Inspector Yusuf Daudu, CPL Bunmi Adegboye, Abiola Ashinwo and ASP Gbadebo Adeyemi.

    The exhibit tendered by the prosecutor include; Toyota Camry, sharp knife, a pair of rubber slippers, photographs of the deceased, statement of the convict among others.

    Confession of the convict quoted by the prosecutor stated as thus;… “On the 25th April, 2016, I woke up and prepared for work but to my surprise I never knew how I found myself in Ilorin, I can never explain how it happened because I really prepared to go to work.

    Read Also: Court frees 9 Shi’ites members in detention

    “Since I’m now in Ilorin, I called my legal wife on phone that she should get dressed that I will take her to Omu-Aran that morning…. I got to Tosin house, since her mum was around, I felt like saying hello to her.

    “I got there that morning. We exchanged pleasantries. Her mum said she was happy to see me and we discussed for few minutes. Suddenly, the atmosphere changed and an argument began and before I knew it, I have stabbed her (Tosin) and her mum. Then, I came to myself, it was like a scale off my eyes…”

    The prosecutor had posited that the convict, through his confessional statement convicted himself.

  • A’Ibom PDP tackles Appeal panel over delayed judgment

    By Bassey Anthony, Uyo

    The People’s Democratic Party in Akwa Ibom State has slammed the Court of Appeal panel in Calabar for delaying judgment in the National appeal cases brought before it.

    Spokesperson of the PDP, Comrade Ini Ememobong in a press conference Thursday said the party was uncomfortable with the decision of the appellate court to adjourn judgment after conclusion of hearings and adoption of briefs by parties.

    Bassey Etim and Hon Emmanuel Ukoette of the All Progressives Congress had filed appeals challenging the tribunal verdict in favour of Senator Bassey Albert and Unyime Idem of the People’s Democratic Party.

    Judgement on the matters was slated for Tuesday but later adjourned without explanation.

    Ememobong said it was a trite in law adding that it was obligatory for the court to deliver judgment on the matter after adoption of briefs, except for exceptional cases which both parties must be informed.

    He invited the International Community, the National Judicial Council and the Civil Society groups to intervene in the matter

    “As a party and defendant in these matters, we find this situation very awkward and therefore invite the attention of the international community, the National Judicial Council, Chief Justice of Nigeria, civil society groups to the existing anomaly as regards these cases.

    “It is trite in law that after the adoption of briefs by parties and a court adjourns for judgment.

    “On the next adjourned date, it is obligatory for the court to deliver judgment on the matter, except where things arise that make it impossible for the judgment to be delivered.

    “In such exceptional cases, all the parties must be informed of such supervening circumstances. In the instant case, there was no explanation whatsoever and till date, no explanation for the inability of the court to deliver judgment on these cases

    Ememobong said the party was alarmed by the sudden celebration in social media by the APC media chiefs, whom he said have started rejoicing for securing a change in the panel and that the new panel would deliver judgment in their favour

    He said “We are therefore very suspicious of this newfound jubilant mood which as conveyed by the opposition APC, is predicated on their report of a new panel by the court of Appeal whose mandate is to deliver judgment in favour of the APC.

    “We need not emphasise that elections in the affected constituencies were won fair and square by Obong Bassey Albert, and Hon. Unyime Idems with APC candidates trailing miserably far behind.

    Read Also: Akwa Ibom oil communities decry living standards

    “The Court of Appeal being a creation of law to protect and uphold the Democratic governance cannot become a vehicle for the subjugation of popular will freely manifest through the ballot.

    “While our party and our candidates, who have transited into government functionaries are peace loving and law abiding citizens, we advise the various authorities adjudicating on election matters not to mistake our civility and respect for the rule of law, for ignorance or
    cowardice.

    “We therefore demand that the judgement in the cases of Senator Bassey Albert, Hon. Unyime Idem and all other cases due for judgement be delivered without any further delay.

    “We urge the noble Justices of the Court of Appeal to do justice according to law and deliver justice, conscious that it is a sacred duty, which they took an oath to perform. They must do justice though the heavens fall (in our experience, we’ve noticed that the heavens have never fallen when justice is done).

    “They should shun those who threaten them with victimization and lure them with speedy elevation to the apex bench. They should be circumspect of political turncoats and opportunists masquerading as statesmen and federal agents, who promise them favour that can rob
    the judiciary of its nobility.

    “The Justices must remember their sacred roles as ministers in the temple of justice and avoid the shame that their compromise can bring to their name and the noble profession. They must realise that what money cannot do, more money will not do. Integrity cannot be bought
    with money, no matter the amount,” he said.

  • Bayelsa poll: APC, PDP disagree on alleged assassination attempt

    By Mike Odiegwu, Yenagoa

    The Bayelsa State chapters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have disagreed on allegations by the PDP that thugs loyal to the opposition party attempted to assassinate one of its youth leaders, Bobolayefa Owoupele.

    The Senator Douye Diri Campaign Organisation, in a statement by its Director, Media and Publicity, Jonathan Obuebite, claimed that armed APC thugs launched an attack on Owoupele at a car park in Opolo, around 8am in Yenagoa .

    But in a swift reaction, the state Publicity Secretary of the APC, Doifie Buokoribo, asked Obuebite and the party to look inwards insisting that the incident was PDP’s family affair.

    Obuebite said that the thugs inflicted deep bottle injuries in the head, neck and arm of Owoupele, who is a Special Adviser to the governor in Youth Matters, while threatening him with a gun.

    He expressed deep worry over what he described as the penchant of the APC leadership and their supporters in Bayelsa for violence and bloodletting adding that the Governor’s Aide was lying critically ill at the Hospital in Yenagoa.

    He called on the Nigeria Police, the Directorate State Service and other security agencies to investigate those behind the dastardly act with a view to bringing the perpetrators to book.

    He said persons, who witnessed the attack said the thugs were putting on fez caps and tea shirts of the APC, adding that the alleged assassins asked the injured Aide if he was the one the governor asked to mobilise youths against them.

    He said: “The armed thugs numbering five who were wearing branded t-shirts òf the APC, and the party’s face cap, laid an ambush for Owoupele at a car wash at Opolo, Yenagoa, where he was attacked around 8am on Thursday.

    “We wish to condemn in the strongest possible terms, the primitive penchant of the APC in Bayelsa State for needless aggression and violence as their strongest point in the ongoing political contest in the state.

    Read Also: APC’s, PDP’s clash disrupts meeting

    “A political party with a genuine desire for the development of the society would place the requisite emphasis on the sanctity of human life rather than the execution of a barbaric plot to spread paranoia in the society a month to the gubernatorial election”.

    But Buokoribo, who is also the Secretary, Media and Publicity Committee, APC Governorship Campaign Council, described the allegation as reckless, irresponsible and provocative.

    He said: “We have read a statement from the Senator Douye Diri Campaign Organisation falsely accusing our party of involvement in an alleged assassination attempt. We deny the accusation with all the force at our command.

    “We consider the accusation reckless, irresponsible and provocative. It is unthinkable that any true APC with wear APC-branded T-Shirt and cap to embark on such a nefarious act.

    ‘’We insist that if indeed there was an assassination attempt on an aide of Governor Dickson, it is a PDP family affair. Our party should not be dragged into it”.