The Nation Newspaper

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  • 2019: Gana expresses fears over 1, 400 illegal entry points

     

    Presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) Professor Jerry Gana on Saturday expressed concerned over the 1, 400 illegal entry points into the country ahead of the 2019 general elections.

    The sad development, he said, should be a major source of worry for government and major stakeholders as it may threaten the polls.

    The former Minister of Information spoke in Abuja at the 2019 presidential stakeholder’s summit of the party.

    He vowed to tackle the issue of insecurity and corruption, if voted into power.

    According Gana: “We have every cause to be worried because there are about 1, 400 illegal entry points in Nigeria.

    “Some people are entering Nigeria any day, anytime, and anyhow. I am worried about this.

    “And some people enter with all kinds of things. Insecurity is the major problem in Nigeria.

    “We have poor leadership. The reason why we are not making progress is that there is too much corruption in the land.

    “I will take Nigeria by storm by winning the 2019 presidential election. On the second issue that Nigerians are worried about is the issue of poverty.

    “It is very alarming that people find it difficult to feed especially for the ordinary Nigerians.”

    Gana went on:  “Nigerians are tired of the lies and deception and will not hesitate to vote SDP which stands for equity, justice and fairness into power in 2019.

    “A party that is youth and women friendly and have zero tolerance for corruption.

    “A party like the SDP, which is committed to the welfare and well- being of the masses is what Nigerians are looking for at this time to end all the impunity, gross abuse of due process and massive corruption ravaging this country  to revamp the economy.”

    The summit drew party supporters from across the country.

  • ‘1,574 inmates await trial in Anambra’

    One thousand five hundred and seventy-four inmates of 1,761 prisoners in Anambra State are awaiting trial for offences, Controller of Prisons, Mr. Emmanuel Nwakaeze, has said.

    Nwakaeze, who gave the figure in an interview with reporters in Onitsha at the weekend, said the inmates spread across four prisons in Aguata, Onitsha, Awka and Nnewi.

    According to him, 48 of the awaiting trial inmates are women.

    “The number of awaiting trial inmates constitutes 78 per cent of tinmates in the state prisons.

    “The Awka Prison houses 374 inmates; Onitsha Prison has 887 inmates; Nnewi 282 and Aguata Prison has 218 inmates. Sixty-five per cent are citizens of the state,” he said.

    The controller said 30 inmates were condemned in the prisons under the command.

    He noted that congestion is a major challenge, as it creates room for unhealthy environment leading to cholera, tuberculosis and other killer diseases.

    Nwakaeze appealed to Governor Willie Obiano, non-government organisations and philanthropists to assist the command with waste disposal tanks and vehicles.

     

     

  • 1,000 benefit from Redeemed medical outreach

    No fewer than 1,000 participants benefitted from medical outreach organised by the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) Overflowing Mega Zone, Fagba, Lagos.

    Many worshippers and non-worshippers numbering 120, were also trained and graduated from skill acquisition programme, which included Fashion Design, Desktop Publishing, Bead Making, Makeup and Gele Artistry, Catering, Photography and Film making, Website Design and Music.

    The Empowerment Programme tagged “Skill Up entrepreneurship Academic Season Two,” according to Pastor-in-Charge Paul Adewunmi, was borne out of the passion to spread the love of Christ and add value to the quality of living of Nigerians.

    The project, he said, was also geared towards developing the skills of participants for the period of three months (two months of intensive training and one month of industrial training.”

    “After the successful completion of the first season which graduated about 100 students, the academy decided to launch the second season and the second season graduates were empowered during the last Let’s Go A Fishing Programme where over 20 outstanding students were empowered with tools that would aid their vocational skills. I believe in mixing spirituality with business because the Bible says Faith without work is dead. Even Jesus Christ said ‘a man who is diligent in his work will stand before Kings and not mere men.’ We are rest assured that we are developing the world-renowned entrepreneurs that would take the world by storm,” he said.

    Adewunmi urged the beneficiaries to make good use of the materials.

    According to him, the project was managed by Datapower-Africa, a human capacity development organisation.

    He thanked Pastor Enoch Adeboye, “who has given us the opportunity to reach out and be a blessing to the world.”

    RCCG National Overseer Pastor Joseph Obayemi hailed the convener of the programme and his team.

    He described the empowerment gesture at Zonal level, first of its kind in the region, urging them to keep the flag flying.

    Beneficiaries include Oluwaji Oseni, who went home with photography equipment, Joshua Adeboye – Photo printer, Esther Adesola – Make-up tool and Modupe Eniojukan – Computer Printers, among others.

  • Lagos takes 1,680 beggars, 162 kids off the streets

    The Lagos State Government has evacuated 1, 680 beggars, destitute and mentally-challenged persons from the streets, Commissioner for Youh and Social Development Agboola Dabiri said yesterday.  He said  162 children were also taken off the streets in the past one year.

    According to him,  1,299 of the beggars were rehabilitated and released to their relations for integration.

    Dabiri explained that the 162 rescued children comprised 62 boys and 100 girls.

    He said 79 abandoned children were found, 15 girls were sexually abused and 28 other girls physically abused. Five children were emotionally abused; 32 others placed on care and shelter and three children in conflict with the law.

    The government, Dabiri said,  carried out reformatory services at the Rehabilitation and Training Centre, Majidun, specifically designed for such cases.

    “The centre, built as a transit home, presently has a population of 1,288 rehabilitated persons undergoing medical treatment, psycho–social therapy, behavioural modification and further social investigation,” he added.

  • 1,200 displaced people back in Bama

    No fewer than  1, 200 of the more than 100 000 people displaced by Boko Haram violence in Nigeria’s northeastern town of Bama have returned, officials and returnees said yesterday.

    Bama, a major trading hub on the road to Cameroon and home to 270 000 people, was captured in September 2014, forcing residents to flee to Maiduguri, the state capital.

    Borno state Information Commissioner Mohammed Bulama told AFP: “We have transported 1, 200 persons to Bama in two batches on Monday and today (Thursday) as part of the phased return of residents that fled after Boko Haram invaded the town in 2014.

    “We intend to gradually return over 100 000 people to Bama in coming months as part of the reconstruction, resettlement and rehabilitation of IDPs (internally displaced persons) by the Borno state government,” he said.

    One of the returnees, Umar Bukar, said they were screened and issued with a badge before being taken in trucks to the town under security escort.

    Each returnee was given a bag of rice, a bag of millet with $27.70 to “start a new life,” said Bukar who spoke to AFP on the phone from the town.

    He added that the male returnees would wait to see if the security situation has improved before bringing their families from Maiduguri.

    The Boko Haram insurgency which broke out in 2009 has led to the death of o fewer than 20 000 and displaced more than 2.6 million, forcing them into camps and host communities.

    By the time Bama was retaken by Nigerian troops in March 2015, 85 per cent of the town had been destroyed by the Islamists.

    State officials said it would require $111m to rebuild the town.

    Bukar said only one-third of the town has since been rebuilt, but displaced residents said they were ready to return to rebuild their homes.

    “We are ever willing to return to Bama and rebuild our homes on our own if the government allows us,” resident Mohammed Kassim told AFP.

    “Given the pace of the reconstruction work it will take years to rebuild every home and we can’t wait that long,” he said.

    The desire to return to their homes may be due to squalid conditions in camps where they rely on insufficient food handouts from donor agencies.

    “Life in the camps is difficult, with little food, water and limited toilets. None of us would stay if we had a choice”, said another Bama displaced person, Kulo Gana.

  • Katsina to employ 1,000 security guards for boarding schools – Masari

    THE Katsina State Government has approved the employment of 1,000 security guards for all boarding secondary schools to secure lives and property of students, Governor Aminu Masari said yesterday.

    Masari, speaking during the Third Convocation of the Umaru Musa Yar’adua University, Katsina said the decision was on the strength of the prevailing security situation in the country.

    “Even though Katsina is considered as one of the most peaceful states in the country, the government is not taking chances to allow students to be vulnerable to attacks by criminals,” he said, pointing out government is committed to protection of lives and property of the state’s citizens as well as the students.

    The governor recalled that when he assumed office in 2015, he made it clear that his mission was to recover the lost glory of the state in education and agriculture.

    He said his administration equipped existing schools, building new ones, increase the number of enrolment, recruiting qualified teachers and retraining of manpower to make the sector attractive.

    “‘We believe that a learned society that is attune to the demand of its time is a more successful one, that is why we continuously commit a huge percentage of the state budget to the education sector,’’ he said.

    Masari said  the state government from January 2018 to date, had awarded contracts for the rehabilitation and upgrading of Government Technical College Mashi at the cost of N277 million.

    He added that the government was spending N27.5 million to upgrade Government Day Secondary School, Yanduna in Baure Local Government Area.

    ‘‘The government also awarded the upgrading of Government Girls Boarding Secondary School, Rogogo in Zango Local Government at N263.1 million and the rehabilitation and upgrading of Government Girls Secondary School, Sandamu at N278.8 million.

    ‘‘The government also awarded the contract for the rehabilitation of Government Day Secondary School, Tama in Bindawa at N90.1 million,’’ he said.

    The governor revealed that the government was doing everything possible to improve the standard of its owned-tertiary institutions.

    Masari stated that his administration recently approved the recruitment of academic and non-academic staff for the Hassan Usman Katsina Polytechnic, Katsina, and Isa Kaita College of Education, Dutsin-ma.

    The governor urged the management of the university to boost its internally-generated revenue through collaboration with the private sector and corporate bodies that support its course.

    ‘‘While this administration implores this institution to take alternative sources of revenue seriously, it is committed to provide the support to enhance its service delivery.’’

    He said the government would continue to release funds to cater for the running cost, such as staff training and development of the university.

    A total of 1, 397 students graduated from the university, out of which 1,290 bagged first degrees while 107 got their post-graduate degrees.

     

  • Elumelu Foundation selects 1,000 entrepreneurs

    More than 150,000 Africans from 114 countries worldwide applied to join the fourth  cycle of The Tony Elumelu Foundation’s (TEF) 10-year, $100 million TEF Entrepreneurship Programme. Today, the Foundation announced the African entrepreneurs with the most innovative, high-potential business ideas.

    The 2018 cohort includes an additional 250 entrepreneurs to the standard selection of 1,000 – thanks to: a $1,000,000 partnership with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to support 200 entrepreneurs in conflict and fragile zones of Nigeria (the North East where the Boko Haram scourge is felt and the Niger Delta region which suffers environmental degradation from oil spillage) a $200,000 agreement with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to support 40 pan-African entrepreneurs; and a $50,000 partnership with Indorama to support 10 Nigerians.

    TEF Founder, Tony O. Elumelu, commented : “The number and quality of applicants, 151,000   in total, was outstanding – it illustrates the strength and depth of entrepreneurial promise and commitment on our continent. Selection is never easy, and we profoundly regret that we cannot help all. Our partnerships with the Red Cross, UNDP and Indorama, alongside ongoing discussions with other international organizations.”

     

     

  • Estate agent jailed 1,230 years for N28m scam

    A Lagos High Court yesterday sentenced a self-style “site engineer” and estate agent, Babatunde Habeeb, to 1,230 years imprisonment for a N28 million housing scam.

    Justice Oluwatoyin Ipaye convicted Habeeb, also known as Babatunde Salaudeen, of 82-counts of conspiracy and obtaining the cash by false pretence from 101 accommodation seekers.

    The judge sentenced Habeeb to 15 years imprisonment for conspiracy and 15 years on each of the 81 counts of obtaining under false pretence.

    The sentences, totalling 1,230 years, will run concurrently, meaning Habeeb will spend 15 years in jail.

    Each sentence, which was without a fine option, will start running from March 12, 2015, when he was arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    The court held that Habeeb conspired with his older brother, Alhaji Ishola Salaudeen, and obtained the cash under the pretext of renting out 13 apartments to the complainants.

    The 13 apartments are in a building at 59, Oriola Street, Alapere-Ketu, Lagos, owned by Alhaji Salaudeen.

    Justice Ipaye also ordered that a one-storey block of flats be forfeited to the Federal Government.

    The judge directed that the building be sold and the proceeds shared among the complainants.

    According to her, this would send a strong signal to would-be property fraudsters.

    The judgment sparked jubilation among the complainants, who danced and sang outside the courtroom.

    The siblings were arraigned and granted bail by an Ebute-Metta Chief Magistrates’ Court in 2013 but Alhaji Salaudeen jumped bail.

    Alhaji Salaudeen is  facing a similar charge before Justice Lateef Lawal-Akapo of an Ikeja High Court.

    Habeeb was  re-arraigned on December 16, 2015 before Justice Ipaye on an 82-count charge.

    He pleaded not guilty and was granted bail.

    But during the trial, he admitted receiving the cash in tranches of N500,000, N450,000, among others.

    The convict, who was arrested at a construction site in Mushin where he was working as a bricklayer after he absconded, testified that he was warned by his elder brother not to tell the victims that the 13 apartments had already been given out.

    Habeeb, however, explained that he was merely working for his brother. He declined knowledge of a ploy to dupe prospective tenants.

    But in her judgment, the judge said his denial of the offences was inconsistent with the weight of evidence tendered by the EFCC.

    On the count of conspiracy, the court observed that the seven prosecution witnesses’ testimonies  identified Habeeb and Alhaji Salaudeen as partners in crime.

    Justice Ipaye held: “The defendant was the point-man in the scam. I am therefore satisfied that the defendant and his brother acted together in the scam.

    The judge noted,  among others,  that Habeeb’s number was the only one displayed on a billboard mounted in front of the house, advertising the then uncompleted building as vacant.

    She observed that although there were only 13 apartments in the building, Habeeb obtained money from more than 101 prospective tenants.

    Justice Ipaye held: “I am persuaded by the overwhelming evidence before the court, which has not been discredited…and which I verily believe persuaded the complainants to part with their hard-earned cash totalling N28m.

    “The prosecution has proved beyond reasonable doubt, counts two to 82 of the charge.

    “I find you Babatunde Habeeb, also known as Babatunde Salaudeen, guilty…of obtaining money by false pretence.”

    Before her judgment, the judge considered an allocutus from the defendant, who pleaded for leniency  as he had, among others,  learnt his lessons in prison custody.

     

  • Nigerians live in huts (1)

    OBJ had no economic blueprint and pursued none-he was simply a lucky beneficiary oil price surge brought about by  the Niger Delta youths’ reaction to long years of pain and suffering.

    Six days ago, former President OlusegunObasanjo, OBJ gave a lecture on leadership at Oxford University. There, OBJ revealed that as President, he travelled to 97 countries on shuttle diplomacy to redeem Nigeria’s image that had been battered by military rule. OBJ told the erudite audience that Nigeria was then a pariah nation but that through his efforts and the shuttle diplomacy, he had brought a lot of economic gain to the country. Incredible stuff! Well, here’s the real deal -economically, OBJ met a mono economy created by the self-same military of which as military head of state, he was chief architect. Later as civilian president, OBJ’s major contribution to the economy was to put his own eye on the pie – he appointed himself Petroleum Minister AND President, and thence set up numerous slush funds with the oil windfall. There were 15 such accounts, dollar denominated, running into billions. Some were discovered not to contain outstanding balances. Economic Benefits ??Fact is, the military decrees which changed Nigeria’s derivation principle from 100% to 0%, with the president/presidency owning all revenues left a totally neglected and environmentally degraded Niger Deltaregion-from where all the oil came! After more than 40years of oil exploration and regional exploitation with endless cries which Nigeria dismissed as noise (killing even the noise makers like KenSaroWiwa) – the restive youths then turned to militancy.

    Their militancy had aninstant effect on world crude prices – they strangulated supply of the black gold and created what economists call artificial scarcity – escalating oil prices to the highest levels ever recorded in the world. The windfall this then created for oil producing nations is what OBJ is now going to Oxford to take credit for!

    Because if indeed his “measures” brought great economic gain to Nigeria, there’s no way we would be in great economic distress, in recession a short 9 years after his 8 years in office. Clearly he laid NO foundation for economic development and predictably our monoeconomy crashed with the global crash in oil prices in 2015/2016. OBJ had no economic blueprint and pursued none-he was simply a lucky beneficiary of the Niger Delta youths reaction to long years of pain and suffering.

    In any case OBJ’s junkets were all at state expense: I posit these as the real reasons for his globetrotting -To solidify HIS OWN international image as a tragic hero of democracy, in the event of the failure of his secret 3rd term bid. Here I pause to cringe; I can hardly believe it of myself that I was one of the greatest proponents of that project then! I remember now, with annoyance at myself; how Chief Samuel Adedoyin OFR, chairman Doyin Group of Companies and othersin oppositon would invite me to ‘lecture’ them on the possible merits of an OBJ 3rd term. Gleefully would I go around with my ‘lectures’ in spite of strict opposition then – people never wanted to hear of it!

    I spent 2009 in Virginia, USA. At this time most of my mates were (are) travelling abroad, emigrating; not minding the legality or otherwise of their stay. I went to spend an honest year abroad. Being the political animal that I am, I got fully involved in Virginia’s former Attorney-General Bob F. McDonnell’s governorship bid.During the Obama presidency, it was fashionable to want the Democratic Party to continue in that state. But I mobilized Nigerian-American residents to vote for the Republican candidate. Inspite of President Obama’s campaigning for the Democratic candidate, McDonnel won decisively, ending 8 years of the Democratic Party regime – and I was roundly congratulated!

    Anyway, interacting with American politicians, I found that the general position on Nigeria was: they really wanted Nigeria to get its act together – they (US) wanted a situation whereby Nigeria would be its sole, or at least, major oil supplier, and they would stylishly stop getting supplies from the Middle East end of the oil supply chain.

    I must point out here that no nation ever treated Nigeria as pariah. Nigeria’s oil was (is) ALWAYS bought and sold on the world market. No economic sanctions have ever been imposed; Nigerian embassies and citizens have never been expelled from anywhere.

    And I stand to be corrected: NIGERIANS ARE ARGUABLY THE MOST UBIQUITOUS PEOPLE IN THE WHOLE WORLD.Even at the height of military dictatorship when the clamour for democracy was loudest, Nigeria was a free country worldwide; unlike say North-Korea, Iraq or Syria. THOSE are pariah nations.

    We all know the OBJ regime never fixed a single refinery of those it met comatose. So our oil production remained precarious, gas production even more so.

    OBJ clamped down hard on indigenous refinery-building and refused to use any cent of the greatwindfall to build one single refinery.

    In any case, if he brought economic benefits to Nigeria, Nigeria would have been enjoying it today. Nope, ONLY HE, and his cronies are enjoying the windfall.

    Bringing me to the other real reason-it’s the concept of being the only cock to crow. That is what HE is benefitting from now, NOT Nigeria. That for instance is the reason why he is invited today to give lectures at theBlavatnik School of Government and not, for instance, me.

    Sir Phil Collier CBE, Professor of Economics at the same institute is an associate of mine.

    OBJ is very deliberate about showing the rest of the world that he is the only good thing, in fact, the best thing to come out of Nigeria.

    To finally put paid to the bogus claim that his love for Nigeria makes him travel to redeem its image- the CONTENT of this very lecture stands all OBJ’s logic on its head. It rather becomes clear that OBJ has little regard for Nigeria and does not even like the President.

    With such a rare privilege to address an audience at Oxford on such a precious topic as leadership in Africa, OBJ’s address was outstanding-for the fact that he enumerated nations and presidents and POINTEDLY FAILED TO MENTION HIS OWN COUNTRY AND PRESIDENT!

    Ironically, it is even President Buhari who hasFINALLY given the enabling environment  for economic diversification and growth.He has led the real Nigerian agriculture revolution we are all undergoing now. But OBJ poo-poos all that; he didn’t even mention Nigeria, not even for the sake of the image boosting he says he is good at.

    Right, these few words (!) bring me to today’s title- Nigerians Live in Mud Hutscredited to Mr Trump by the New York Times but refuted by the White House. Just 3 days ago President Trump held a meeting on immigration with some Senators, and wondered why they should want Africans over there! And this time, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders did not deny the statement. First off, thesetelling statementsareproof positive that OBJ’s globetrotting (according to the late legal luminary, Chief Gani Fawehinmi) did NOTHING whatsoever to paper over Nigeria’s dented image.

    The statements are even from a country that OBJ visited repeatedly!

    In Part 2: Love the message, not the messenger!

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  • NDLEA recovers 1,000kg drugs

    NDLEA recovers 1,000kg drugs

    The Jigawa command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) yesterday said it arrested six suspected drug dealers and recovered 1000.64 kilogrammes of assorted illicit drugs.

    Commander Josephine Obi told reporters in Dutse that the suspects were arrested between December 9 and 11.

    Obi said two suspects were arrested with cannabis on  Kano-Gumel road while four were nabbed with over 900 grams of Tramadol tablets in Guri, Dutse and Hadejia local government areas.

    Obi said all suspects had been charged to court.

    She called on well-meaning individuals and organisations to support the NDLEA in curbing drug abuse and trafficking.