The Nation Newspaper

Tag: CAT

  • Woman accused of changing to cat escapes mob attack

    Woman accused of changing to cat escapes mob attack

    There was pandemonium in Ifako Ijaiye Local Government Area of Lagos State on Wednesday when a mysterious cat was said to have turned into an old woman.

    The incident occurred at No 9, Kogberegbe Street in the Elliot area of Iju Ishaga.

    Residents pushed and shoved themselves to catch a glimpse of the woman.

    Our correspondent who was at the scene reported that the woman would have been lynched but for the timely arrival of men of Red House Police Division, Iju Ishaga, who rescued her from the mob.

    Policemen, however, had a hectic time containing the angry mob who insisted on beating the woman to death on allegation of witchcraft.

    It was learnt that a mysterious cat had been sneaking into a passage in the building at night lately.

    The cry of the mysterious cat, it was learnt, has created fear as the occupants made fruitless search for its whereabouts in the building.

    Our correspondent gathered from some of the occupants of the building that the cat allegedly turned into a woman at about 2 am when one of the tenants noticed its strange movement behind his windows.

    One of the occupants, who asked not to be named, said: “A mysterious cat has been disturbing our peace in this building for some weeks now. It would sneak into the building in the night and shatter our peaceful rest until the wee hours of today when God finally exposed it.

    “I was inside my apartment at about 2 am when I noticed the movement of the cat behind my window. “I summoned courage to flash a torch at it and it suddenly turned into an old woman. She confronted me and asked me to leave her alone in my own interest. “She said she was returning from a trip to London and had come for a naming ceremony in a nearby church. I raised the alarm that attracted neighbours.”

    Another resident, who identified herself simply as Olajumoke, described the woman’s presence in the building as suspicious.

    She said: ”The woman’s presence in the building leaves room for suspicion because she ought not have been able to find her way into the particular place she was found inside the because it was locked.”

    The suspect was said to have been transferred to the Area G Command, Ogba, Ikeja.

  •  Okada : Will Ambode bell the cat?

    It was sometime in 1989 and the defunct Directorate of Food, Roads and Rural Infrastructure (DFRRI) was having a workshop in Bauchi State. Participants were expected from all parts of the country. Those of us coming from Lagos gathered at the Murtala Mohammed Airport in Ikeja, as directed, for our flight to Jos enroute Bauchi. Getting to board our flight was a fight as it was in the days of the almighty Nigeria Airways, the nation’s  sole carrier then. At intervals, following announcements, we rushed to board flights going our way as we used to rush for that contraption calledmolue, the once-upon-a-time popular commercial bus in Lagos

    There was chaos at the airport that day because hundreds of us – university teachers, members of the diplomatic corps, military personnel, captains of commerce and media men, among others – were going to Bauchi, but there were no flights. We eventually left the airport around 5pm. On arrival in Jos, the Plateau State capital, we were conveyed by buses to Bauchi, which is about 40 minutes drive from the Tin City.  In Bauchi, Gbenga Ayeni, then of West Africa Magazine, Kudo Eresia-Eke, then of Sunray, and I struck a bond as we explored the town together. Since Jos, Bauchi and Gombe are coterminous, we moved from one town to the other. And our means of transportation was motorcycle.

    It was in Bauchi that I first saw motorcycle being used as means of transportation. And as young reporters then, Gbenga, Kudo and I had fun riding on achaba, as motorcycle is called in the North, to our destinations. Whether going to Zaranda Hotel, where the workshop was held, or to Awalah Hotel, where we lodged, we enjoyed taking the achaba as the operators were stationed in strategic corners of the town, waiting for passengers. To us, it was strange seeing motorcycles being used as commercial buses, so to say, because in Lagos we were used to danfo and molue.

    Years later, the achaba landed in Lagos, but under a different name,  okada. The coming of okada changed the face of transportation in Lagos. From the remote and innermost parts of the metropolis, where commercial motorcyclists started their operation, they found their way into the heart of the city, competing with motorists on the highway. Since okada became means of transportation in Lagos, though illegally, things have not been the same in the megacity. With it came a steep rise in crime, fatal accidents and frequent clashes between okada riders and other road users. Okada riders see themselves as lords of the road. They fight for the right of way with motorists; take one way; jump traffic light and ride without helmet.

    Okada is not recognised as means of transportation in any part of the world because it is not safe to use. Yet, we have people who take okada from Ikotun, one end of the city to Lekki, another end of the metropolis,  because, according to them, ‘’we are in a hurry’’. In a hurry, on a machine without any safety measure with the passenger exposed to the element! Though okada business may be  thriving , that should not be the reason for retaining what has become the major cause of crises in the state? Moreover, it adds no value to the economy. To check the excesses of okada riders, former Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola restricted their operation to 492 of the 9200 roads in the state.

    They are complying with the restriction in the breach. Up till today, there is no part of the road where you do not find okada despite the restrictions contained in the Lagos Road Traffic Law 2012.  For how long will we tolerate the crudity and lawlessness of okada riders?  It is high time the traffic law 2012 was reviewed to ban okada operation in the state.

    The buck stops on Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s desk to decide the fate of okada. It has become urgent for his administration to do something about okada operators before they turn the state upside down with their violent streak. Okada riders operate on short fuse. Whenever there is trouble on the road or in a market, look well, an okada rider will be at the centre of it. No administration will watch and allow a bunch of people to throw its state into anarchy. This is what okada riders are trying to do in Lagos, if they are not stopped now. It is where there is no law that offences are not committed.

    Lagos State has laws; so why should okada riders break them at will and go scot-free? Their operations have been restricted, yet they keep operating as if they have the freedom to run around in every part of the state. If restriction cannot stop them, a ban will surely do the magic so that we do not witness again the kind of incident that happened at Agiliti near Mile 12 about two weeks ago.  What happened in Mile 12 on March 3 was uncalled for and that was not the first time okada men would behave like that.

    An okada man hit a woman and his refusal to take her to hospital led to a riot. The okadaman is Hausa and the woman, a Yoruba. In the twinkling of an eye, the story had changed to Hausa fighting Yoruba. Injustice is injustice anywhere; it has no colour, religion or region. What the okada man will not accept was what he wanted to do to his victim. Some of us would have been witnesses to how they block the road over minor accidents involving their colleagues, harassing the ‘offending’ motorist and other road users. We have also seen how okada is used to rob in traffic, banks and other places.

     

    What good does okada serve? None; whatsoever.  Its patrons may say it eases their movement, but should that be at the expense of the larger society, which is at risk of its operation? There is nothing good about okada.  Many of the riders use their okada to rob, kill and kidnap and they want the government to look the other way. No serious government, which has the public interest at heart, will do that. What is more, many orthopaedic hospitals are full of victims of okada accidents. It is not a business to invest in.

    Thank God, Ambode has created Office of Job and Wealth Creation. Okada operators can approach the agency and see how they can fit into its programmes because whether they like it or not, the days of okada riding are numbered. It may be a hard decision for the governor to take but history will remember him if he takes it because it will be in the overall interest of this megacity. Heavens will not fall if okada is banned and the public will surely find alternative means of movement after its abolition.

    To ban okada is a task that must be done and the House of Assembly must be prepared to play its role in amending the traffic law 2012 to make commercial motorcycling illegal in the state. By so doing, it will be helping Ambode in pushing forth his mantra : itesiwaju ipinle ilu  Eko lo jewa logun. Yes, the progress of Lagos should be the desire of its true residents, no matter where they come from.

  • EFCC vs Tompolo A cat and mouse game?

    EFCC vs Tompolo A cat and mouse game?

    Following the order by the Federal High Court in Lagos that former militant Government Ekpemupolo (aka Tompolo) be arrested and produced in court, Nigerians are eagerly watching to see how the situation is resolved. Will he surrender for trial? JOSEPH JIBUEZE asks.

    Though he is he named Government, he does not preside over a republic. Government Ekpemupolo, a repentant militant and member of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), needs no introduction. The 45-year-old refers to himself as a high chief.

    Before he “laid down his arms”, MEND and other militants held the country by the jugular, bombing oil installations and taking oil workers hostage. That was until the Federal Government declared an amnesty for the militants.

    Under former President Goodluck Jonathan, the former militants lived like kings. But the table seems to have turned. The no-nonsense President Muhammadu Buhari is now in charge. Tompolo is now a wanted man.

    The man Tompolo

    Born on April 12, 1971, Tompolo was for years a commander in various guerrilla groups in the Niger Delta agitating against alleged insensitivity of the Federal Government and the international oil companies in the exploitation and degradation of the region.

    He played a major role in founding MEND and funding his fighters. He embraced amnesty on October 4, 2009 to allow for peace in the area and for the government and the oil companies to carry out development projects in the region as promised.

    Amid tears, he and other militants handed over their weapons in exchange for the promised amnesty and guarantee of jobs and training by the government.

    He was born to a royal Okerenoko family in the traditional Gbaramatu Kingdom in Delta State. Ekpemupolo had his basic education at Okepopo Primary School in Warri. Growing up, he began to notice the unethical marginalization of his people from the benefits accruing from the production of oil which was drilled from his own community.

    In 1993, Tompolo was said to have dropped out of college and joined a resistance group. In 1998, he teamed up with the newly formed Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) and became a well respected member.

    He later joined MEND and quickly rose to a high commander. With his vast wealth he soon became a major back bone of the group.

    Charges against him

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said it invited Tompolo over allegations that he was involved in a fraudulent multi-billion naira contract, but he did not turn up to make a statement.

    In a pending 40-count charge, Tompolo and others were accused of laundering billions of  naira, being proceeds of stealing and official corruption. They are yet to take their pleas.

    Charged along with him are a former Director-General of the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Patrick Akpobolokemi (who is already facing trial before two judges); Global West Vessel Specialist Limited, Odimiri Electricals Limited, Kemi Engozu, Boloboere Property and Estate Limited, Rex Elem, Destre Consult Limited, Gregory Mbonu and Captain Warredi Enisuoh.

    EFCC said alleged that they  diverted N34 billion for personal use. The money, it said, accrued from a public private partnership agreement between NIMASA and Global West Vessel Specialist, owned by Tompolo.

    The alleged offence contravenes Section 15 (1) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act 2012 and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act, the agency said.

    Count one reads: “That you, Government Ekpemupolo (alias Tompolo), Patrick Akpobolokemi, Global West Vessel Specialist Ltd, in 2012, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did conspire amongst yourselves to commit an offence, to wit: Conversion of the sums of N601,516.13 (Six Hundred and One Thousand, Five Hundred and Sixteen Naira, Thirteen Kobo),  and $1,766,428.62 (One Million, Seven Hundred and Sixty-Six Thousand, Four Hundred and Twenty-Eight Dollars, Sixty-Two Cents), property of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, knowing that the said sums were proceeds of stealing, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act, 2012 and punishable  under Section 15(3) of the same Act.”

    Tompolo’s explanation for not honouring the invitation is that he had sued the EFCC before it invited him. He maintains that he would not honour the invitation until his suit against the commission was determined. Besides, he said EFCC repeatedly refused to attend court when the case came up for hearing but only came once to seek an adjournment.

    EFCC approaches court

    To compel Tompo’s appearance in court, EFCC, last Tuesday, filed a motion ex-parte, urging the court to issue a summons for him. The court obliged. The following day, Justice Ibrahim Buba ordered Tompolo to appear before it last Thursday day to face the criminal charges.

    His ruling: “An order is granted to the applicant issuing a summons to compel the appearance of Government Ekpemupolo (aka Tompolo) before this court, having been alleged to have committed the offences as contained in the body of the charge.”

    The judge also granted EFCC leave to serve the summons and the charge on Tompolo through substituted means by affixing them on his 1, Chief Agbanu DDPA Extension, Warri, Delta State.

    Court orders Tompolo’s arrest

    On Thursday, Tompolo failed to attend court. His co-accused were present, all represented by counsel, except him.

    EFCC’s lawyer Festus Keyamo informed the court that the summons and charge were duly affixed on a conspicuous part of Tompolo’s home as ordered by the court.

    He tendered photograph exhibits showing the documents pasted on a wall, believed to be Tompolo’s home. He said Tompolo ignored previous invitations by EFCC during investigation and failed to report to make a statement.

    “We were able to go to Warri on Wednesday and pasted the processes on his building. We took photographs of them as ordered by this court. In view of the absence of the first accused (Tompolo) despite being served, may we come under Section 131 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015 to apply for a warrant of arrest.

    “Even at the the point of investigation, the accused person spurned all invitations to him. Now he has also disobeyed the court. We, therefore, apply under Section 131 so that we can compel his attendance,” Keyamo said.

    The section says: “?Where the court is satisfied that the suspect has been served with a summons and the suspect does not appear at the time and place appointed in and by the summons and his personal attendance has not been dispensed with under Section 135 of this Act, the court may issue a warrant for his arrest and production before the court.”

    Section 135 says a court may ignore the non-appearance ?of a suspect and may not order arrest if the offence is one that attracts a fine and the suspect pays in absentia.

    Akpolokemi’s lawyer, Dr Joseph Nwobike (SAN), who made it clear that he was not yet representing Tompolo, said it would be in the interest of justice if the former militant leader was given more time to attend court having only been served with the summons a day earlier.

    “A person served in Warri may need some time to come to court, moreso when he is outside jurisdiction,” he said.

    But Keyamo said before the summons was issued that  Tompolo had acted like an “outlaw”.

    “He took an advert and said nobody should push him to war. Let us see whether he’s an outlaw or whether he’s withing the law,” he said.

    Justice Buba held there was evidence that Tompolo spurned EFCC’s invitations.

    “The process is to serve him with summons to appear. Where he appears, that is the end of the matter. He will answer the charges. Where he fails to appear in obedience to the summons, the other process is to compel his attendance by way of arrest.

    “There’s an affidavit showing the first defendant was served as ordered by the court. In the circumstance, the court is in a position to exercise his discretion to order for the arrest of Government Ekpemupolo (aka Tompolo) to compel his attendance to answer the allegations before the court.

    “It is so hereby ordered that the warrant of arrest of Government Oweize Ekpemupolo (aka Tompolo) shall be issued forthwith.”

    ‘Tompolo not above the law’

    Keyamo told newsmen that Tompolo was not above the law, and that no individual is bigger than the country. He expressed optimism that security agencies would do their job.

    “It is left for the law enforcement agencies to effect his arrest. One person cannot be bigger than the country. It’s for security agencies to prove that they are in charge of law enforcement in the country,” Keyamo said.

    Tompolo’s explanation

    Reacting to EFCC’s reported plan to declare him wanted, Tompolo, in a statement, said the commission merely resorted to “self-help” after failing to appear in court in the case he filed against the anti-graft agency. He said he sued after the commission froze his company’s accounts since last August.

    “The impression being conveyed is that I was invited by the EFCC and I failed to honour the invitation or even respond by letter to the invitation. On the contrary, nothing could be further from the truth.

    “On the 24th of November 2015, I was informed at about 4pm that a letter of invitation had been dropped at my home in Warri, inviting me to EFCC’s office in Lagos by 10am on the 25th of November 2015.

    “I responded by a letter from my solicitors. The letter dated 25th of November 2015 was received by one Uduak Ouot, a staff of EFCC on the 3rd of December 2015, after several attempts to deliver.

    “I have proof of delivery from the courier company. I was, therefore, not a little surprised that the EFCC – an otherwise reputable institution – would stoop so low as to lie to Nigerians,” he said.

    Tompolo insisted he was already in court with EFCC, adding that the agency was served with the court processes since last October 20, but allegedly refused to attend court on several occasions, or to file any court papers, only to appear for the first time last November 30 without filing a defence. He said EFCC asked for the matter to be adjourned to December 17, the day it asked him to report.

    “In fact, EFCC only invited me two months after I sued them. In my solicitor’s letter I informed them that as soon as the court decides one way or another, I would honour their invitation.

    “So, the attempt to harass me by their reminder of 9th December 2015, which was leaked to the media on the 10th of December 2015, the same day as it was delivered to my house in Warri is an unnecessary and face saving effort at brinksmanship,” he said.

    According to him, he remained a law-abiding citizen, adding that since the amnesty was declared in 2009, he has ensured that Nigerians live in peace.

    He, however, warned: “Those who think they can push us to war must rethink the necessity of such a war.”

    Tompolo wondered how a law-abiding government could declare a man wanted who is in the law courts against it.

    “They froze our business accounts since August 4th 2015, but we have not quarrelled with anybody. We sued them, they refused to come to court. Now they are threatening to declare me wanted,” he said.

    ‘Why they are after me’

    Tompolo said his being wanted by the EFCC has nothing to do with the alleged multi-billion naira transaction, which he said went through due process and was approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC).

    Besides, he said if there were any questions to answer, they should be put to FEC, Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), Federal Ministry of Lands and Survey, Federal Ministry of Transport, NIMASA and others who approved the transaction.

    “The real reason this All Progressive Congress (APC)-led Government is after me is that I bluntly refused to join APC and to support their governorship candidate in Bayelsa State. We cannot all be in APC.

    “Our people have always believed in the Nigerian project and had always hoped to join hands with this administration to move this project forward, but the conditions being attached are not acceptable. I insist on believing in the Nigerian project unconditionally!

    “We will continue to pursue our court case. The threat to declare me wanted is an unnecessary attempt to heat up the polity. I will go about my daily business, usual…

    “We have kept faith with our promise to Nigeria, we expect no less from this country. So if anyone tells you that Tompolo is on the run, tell him Tompolo is not going anywhere.”

    Security fears

    Could Tempolo’s impending arrest and prosecution lead to a return to militancy in the Niger Delta? Two days ago, suspected militants blew up strategic pipelines in Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta state.

    Multiple explosions also rocked several oil installations between Ikpokpo and Odidi flow stations, mostly in Gbaramatu kingdom. This came 24 hours after the court ordered Tompolo’a arrest. Could there be a link? The attacks were said to have started shortly before midnight and lasted till the early hours of Friday.

    Tompolo, however, dissociated himself from the attacks. Through a spokesman, he told our reporter on phone: “I am not responsible for the attack and I condemn it as a dastardly act. I am aware that some persons might want to destroy oil installations and link it with me, that was why I said before time that I have nothing to do with it.

    “I could not have gone ahead to carry out such action knowing that every finger will be pointed at me because of my case with the Federal Government,” he added.

    ‘Leave Tompolo alone’

    A Warri-based group, the Ijaw People Development Initiative (IPDI), said EFCC’s

    “hyperactive attempt” to arraign Tompolo was to serve private interests.

    Its President, Austin Ozobo, said: “In the first instance, he did not receive the summons in question even as at Wednesday and could not have appeared in court on Thursday. The people who orchestrated the affair know he would not appear in court on Thursday. They have a hidden agenda.

    “This is simply an attempt to witch-hunt him politically. We condemn the flagrant threats to declare Tompolo wanted, which is the next plan.

    “It is a fact that the judiciary is no longer independent. President Buhari now controls the judiciary, they should go ahead and make any order that suits him.

    “The government in our opinion should harmonise Tompolo’s many contributions as regards the sustainable peace in the Niger Delta and not upset him with flimsy accusations.

    “Oil supply in this country was cut down to 500 barrels from 2.5 million barrels per day and Tompolo yielded to former Presidents Yar’Adua and Jonathan’s call and accepted amnesty and today, the daily crude supply has increased to 2.8 million barrels.

    “From when he accepted amnesty till now, he has been helpful to government at various levels in maintaining law and order.

    “So, it is left for the current government to decide what it wants to do, to continue to witch-hunt him for political reasons or act otherwise.”

    EFCC, however, thinks otherwise. Tompolo much answer to the charges. The case has been adjourned to February 8. Will Tompolo show up?

     

  • CAT commends Nigeria over Ebola virus

    CAT commends Nigeria over Ebola virus

    THE Confederation of Africa Tennis (CAT) has praised Nigeria for getting rid of the Ebola Virus Disease(EVD). CAT noted that it was indeed courageous of the country to have gone ahead with the hosting of the biggest tennis tournament in Africa despite the challenges of the epidemic.

    However, the tournament’s ITF status could not be retained due to the fact that it is restricted to players invited from African countries; part of the consequence of the EVD reported in Lagos some few months ago which almost caused the outright cancellation of the tournament which has one of the biggest prize-money in Africa.

    In the same vein, the prize-money was slightly reviewed upward  this year while there won’t be points awarded by the ITF  due to the fact that only African tennis players were invited for the championship. In a chat with the SportingLife,  the 1st Vice -President of the Nigeria Tennis Federation (NTF), Yemi Owoseni,  noted that the championship is still as important to the NTF, Confederation of African Tennis and ITF.“There would  only be a slight difference from what we are going to have this year but I can assure you that the glamour will still be felt because the tournament provides an avenue for our players to get a reasonable amount of money which would help in developing their careers,” he said.

    Owoseni, who is also the vice-president of the CAT Zone 2, predominantly West African countries, pointed that the fact that the organisers made arrangements for the players to get a high-class hospitality facility also shows that the tournament still holds its pedigree  a’valuable one’

    “The invited will also have the luxury of getting lodged at the prestigious Eko Hotel, which is one of the top-class hospitality facilities across the country. This goes to show that the championship has not depreciated regarding its pedigree,” he said.

    Owoseni said the Lagos State government has demonstrated its unrelenting commitment to develop Nigerian tennis by its decision to host the event.

    Meanwhile, the Lagos Lawn Tennis Courts is presently undergoing renovation  ahead of the tournament slated for November 17 to 22 at the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club, Onikan.

  • U.S. stocks rise as Congress works to reach budget deal

    UNITED States stocks rose, after the big gest weekly drop for the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index in about two months, amid budget talks to head off more than $600 billion in spending cuts and tax increases slated to start tomorrow.

    Hewlett-Packard Co. and Caterpillar Inc. (CAT) jumped more than 2.3 per cent. Investors bought shares of companies most tied to economic growth, sending technology and material stocks at least 1.2 per cent higher. Facebook Inc. climbed 2.7 per cent after Bank of Montreal raised its rating on the company to outperform from underperform.

    U.S. Representative Chris Van Hollen, a Democrat from Maryland, talks about the negotiations to avoid the year-end fiscal cliff of automatic budget cuts and tax increases. He speaks with Peter Cook on Bloomberg Television’s “In The Loop.”

    The S&P 500 gained 0.8 per cent to 1,414.02 in New York. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 52.85 points, or 0.4 per cent, to 12,990.96 on Monday. Trading in S&P 500 companies was 11 per cent below the 30-day average at this time of day. U.S. exchanges are closed yesterday for the New Year’s holiday.

    “The fiscal cliff is the worse-case scenario, and if we have something better than that, then that’s a positive,” said Walter “Bucky” Hellwig, who helps manage $17 billion of assets at BB&T Wealth Management in Birmingham, Alabama. “I think we will get a deal. How do we sort that out and the tightening effect on the economy, that will be what the market responds to after the deal.”

    Stocks briefly pared gains as President Barack Obama said today that while a deal to avert the fiscal is “within sight,”the agreement was not yet complete. He said he was “hopeful”that Congress would reach a smaller agreement that prevents tax hikes and that the deficit can be tackled in stages.

    The White House and congressional negotiators have so far agreed to contours of a deal including tax cut extensions, with the remaining sticking point being how to handle automatic military and domestic cuts, according to an official familiar with the talks who spoke before Obama’s comments. Income tax cuts would be extended on families earning up to $450,000, the official said, with rates rising to 39.6 per cent on incomes above that.

    Progress picked up after a weekend of private talks and public sniping as lawmakers sought to avert more than $600 billion in tax increases and spending cuts that make up the so-called fiscal cliff.

    The S&P 500 (SPX) slipped 1.9 per cent last week, the most since November 9, amid concerns lawmakers weren’t making progress on a budget deal. The benchmark index has fallen 3.6 per cent after reaching the highest level since 2007 in September as Obama’s re-election set up a budget showdown with the Republican-controlled House of Representatives.

    The gauge has advanced 12 per cent for the year, extending the bull market rally to 109 per cent since March 2009, as financial stocks and consumer discretionary companies advanced more than 20 per cent. Gains in 2012 have been curbed this month, with the S&P 500 dropping 0.3 per cent. The loss is the worst December performance since 2007, when it fell 0.9 per cent, data compiled by Bloomberg show.