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Tag: GOVT

We’re going after corrupt governors, says Fed Govt

The Federal Government has stated its resolve to go after corrupt governors.

Speaking at the launch of the book “Reforming the unreformable, lessons from Nigeria” written by Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala in Abuja yesterday, President Goodluck Jonathan said the administration was going after governors “who committed various economic crimes and corrupt practices with impunity”.

He said: “Government is taking legal measures to ensure that those who defraud the government under the petroleum subsidy scheme are made to return the money and punished.”

Jonathan, who was represented by Vice-President Namadi Sambo, said: “We will continue to diversify the economy to create jobs and wealth.

“This administration is not only committed to reform but is also building on some of the reform measures initiated by its predecessors, specifically by consolidating the micro-economic reforms and going further on structural reforms to create jobs.”

Former Commonwealth Secretary-General Emeka Anyaoku called for a major restructuring of Nigeria’s governance architecture.

He said: “The present structure we have will arrest the destructive competition for the control of power at the centre, while we sustain the largely non-viable states which has become the custom and share the national cake from the centre.

“I don’t believe that we can succeed in reducing significantly the level of recurrent expenditure, which at the moment is averaging 74 per cent.

“When you look around the world and particularly, you look around developing countries that started at the same stage as we did, you will find that their recurrent expenditure is less than what we have been spending.

“ Because what we have been spending on recurrent budget has left us and continues to leave us with too little for capital development, which we need.”

“Given the required political space and the backing of the president and National Assembly, we will reap the benefit of reform and the lessons learnt from Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala’s book.”

Anambra State Governor Peter Obi cautioned his colleagues against sharing the proceeds of the Excess Crude Account.

“The book is a must read for all , especially for governors who want to share all; it will help us to understand the issues,’’ he said.

The author said the book was an avenue to commend the effort of the past economic team during the administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo.

The book reviewer, Prof. Paul Collier, lamented a situation where revenue didn’t cover the payroll, let alone investment agenda.

He described it as “truly alarming and truly irresponsible”of the Nigerian government.

He said: “In her first stint as Finance Minister, good fortune was on her side as oil prices were rising.

“In this second term as Coordinating Minister for the Economy, fortune definitely is noton her side.

“The world is much more a more dangerous economic arena than it was a few years ago. I have never known it so dangerous.”

He called for prudence and logic, “which demand a high rate of investment from your oil revenues.

“Without that, what will your children say about you? So, an integrity agenda, a structural agenda and a macroeconomic agenda are the options to pursue.”

Collier warned Nigerians that “it is your struggle, not mine, and I am very conscious of that but let me urge you to be the next Germany, to make past failure the foundation for future success.

“Just like Germany is the best run economy in Europe, you can be the best run economy in Africa.”

October 31, 2012
Fed Govt to boost cancer prevention

The rising cases of cancer in Nigeria have been linked to changes in life styles and consumption of ‘bad’ food.

The Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, represented by the ministry’s Director of Procurement, Samson Opaluwah, said this yesterday at the opening of the international cancer week held in Lagos.

He said most cancers can be prevented by healthy lifestyles, increased physical exercise (at least 15 minutes daily), reduced fatty food, sugar and alcohol consumption as well as avoidance of tobacco products (cigars, cigarettes, snuff and tobacco leaf chewing).

October 31, 2012
I was not chased out of Govt House, says Taraba Deputy Gov

Taraba State Deputy Governor, Alhaji Garba Umar said yesterday that he was not chased out of Government House, Jalingo by thugs. Umar, who was reacting to yesterday’s lead story of The Nation, said he left Jalingo for Yola immediately he heard about the involvement of Governor Danbaba Suntai in a plane crash. “I had to go and assist him (Suntai) to survive”, he said.

The Nation had reported that the thugs who were not disposed to Umar succeeding Suntai in the event that he did not survive invaded the Government House to harass him. The Editor stands by the story.

Umar who was sworn in only on October 5 in succession to the impeached Alhaji Sani Abubakar said he remains deputy governor, in spite of the governor’s condition.

“I am not in acting capacity. I am still the deputy governor despite the air mishap involving my boss. And I can’t be sworn in as acting governor of Taraba State because my boss is still alive. I don’t even wish that to happen. It has been my prayers that he recovers speedily”.

“I was not attacked by thugs on the evening my boss was involved in the accident. There was no attack on me on the day my boss was involved in the plane crash. And there has been no attack at all on me in Jalingo or elsewhere. I want to reiterate here categorically that on the said night I was in Yola where my boss was in the hospital.

Umar said: “You know very well that I can’t receive such news on my boss and I will sit here in Jalingo …doing what? I was in Yola to assist him, and for your information there are no thugs in Taraba to do such act”.

October 28, 2012
Fed Govt owes Ekiti N6b for road repairs

•’We’ve restored hope to the people’

Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi yesterday said the Federal Government is owing the state N6 billion for the repair of federal roads.

Fayemi spoke at the Oluyemi Kayode Stadium in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, during the grand finale of activities marking his administration’s second anniversary.

He said his administration has sustained the peace in the state and reduced the child/maternal mortality rate.

The governor said 20 ongoing road projects across the state would be inaugurated in December.

He praised the House of Assembly for passing 32 bills into law, which he said has aided the state’s development.

Fayemi said it would have been impossible to record the level of progress in the state without support from the legislature.

He said the laws include the Bond Law, Fiscal Responsibility Law, Social Security Benefit Law and Gender-based Violence Prohibition Law, among others.

Fayemi said: “Today, the state has successfully risen to address the critical questions of development and the restoration of hope. Even though we cannot claim to have reached our destination, we have nonetheless moved away from the spot of stagnation in our recent history.

“Our administration recognises the power of trust as the necessary variable to implement our vision of unparalleled progress for our state within a short period of time.

“We are living witnesses to the parlous state of affairs in our dear state when we assumed office in October, 2010. Over N40 billion was hanging precariously on the state along with many uncompleted and abandoned projects in all sectors.

“At that time, the state was collecting N2.8 billion monthly from the Federation Account. At the time, there was a palpable loss of hope in the state among residents. Violence and all forms of criminal activities reigned supreme. Also pathetic was the state to which governance was reduced.

“Everybody was helping himself to the slices that could be taken, while acts of governance became thoroughly politicised in areas of resources allocation and location of social amenities and public facilities.

“We have to recreate the parameters to make people trust the intentions of government, especially those who have the legitimate mandate to represent the people and superintend over their commonwealth.

“This is not an easy task, but I thank you, the good people of Ekiti State, for believing in us and showing us tremendous support everywhere we turn since we assumed office.”

Various trade groups, including the Market Women Association and the Commercial Motorcyclists’ Association said they were impressed with the governor’s performance and urged him to contest for a second term.

October 17, 2012
Fed Govt, NUT differ on mission schools

The Federal Government and the National Union of Teachers (NUT) differed yesterday on government’s decision to return mission schools to their owners.

Although the Federal Government insisted that its decision to return the schools to their owners was the right one, the NUT flayed the government ‘s action.

The NUT said states that are returning schools to their owners are also sabotaging government’s efforts to provide free and qualitative education to children across the country.

The government’s position was made known by the Minister of State for Education, Nyesom Wike, yesterday when he appeared at a House of Representatives’ public hearing on two bills on the amendment of Universal Basic Education Commission (2004) Act.

Wike made case for the Federal Government’s intervention in secondary school development through the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC).

The union, in a presentation by its General Secretary, Ikpe Obong, accused the Federal Government of contravening the constitution by returning the schools to their former owners.

Stakeholders, including Non-Government Organisations and educational groups , however,disagreed on how to strengthen secondary education.

Obong said the government is acting contrary to the constitution by not making education at primary and secondary level free in the affected schools.

Wike, however, said government has not violated the constitution, “because the children in those schools would not be denied the rights and privileges enjoyed by other children in public schools.

“Government has made provisions for a certain moratorium to be given to the affected schools so that they will not charge school fees for a certain period”.

October 16, 2012
Govt to punish truant teachers at unity colleges

The Minister of State for Education, Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, has declared strict disciplinary measures will be taken against teachers and administrators of Federal unity colleges who play truancy.

The Minister spoke in Owerri while paying an unscheduled visit to Federal Government Girls College, Owerri. He noted that the ministry was committed to curbing indiscipline amongst staff of the schools.

Wike was visibly disturbed by the absence of teachers in most classes that he visited in the school. He randomly visited five classes cutting across the different arms of the school, without finding classroom teachers in four classes, even though they had scheduled classes on their time-table.

He said: “We will not allow a situation where teachers and administrators are not at their duty posts. These teachers are paid as at when due and the Nigerian child must get value for the investment of government.

“More heads will roll. We will not tolerate any form of truancy and lack of commitment to duty on the part of teachers and administrators of Federal Unity Colleges”.

He directed the director, basic and secondary education, to issue query letters to the absentee teachers.

He also summoned the principal to Abuja to explain why she was not in the school at the time of the visit.

Wike inspected the library project being constructed for the Junior Secondary School of the school. He charged the contractor to maintain the tempo and work in line with approved specifications.

October 14, 2012
How Ondo govt ‘bought seven tractors at N594m’

•Unsupplied 100 tractors insured

Ondo State Government has been accused of acting in a questionable manner in the execution of a project conceived in 2010 with the aim of enhancing the state’s agricultural capacity.

The government is accused of acquiring seven out of the 100 units of 72HP Massey Ferguson Tractors initially intended and at the same cost of N594, 819,915.60.

It was also said to have insured the 100 tractors with an insurance company at N25 million when only seven were supplied.

These allegations are contained in an article titled: “Ondo 2012: Before the voters decide”, written by the Special Adviser to the Lagos State Government on Information, Lateef Raji.

Raji, who observed that the Ondo State governorship campaign has not been issue-based, said the Olusegun Mimiko administration needed to be made to address some strange decisions it took and explain why it so acted.

He noted that at one of the exco meetings held sometime in early 2010, the executive council agreed to enhance agricultural produce by purchasing 100 units of 72HP Massey Ferguson Tractors.

He said the then Commissioner for Agriculture, Chief J.A. Akinnigbagbe, Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Rotimi Adelola and Commissioner for Finance, Yele Ogundipe, were, at the meeting, mandated to source for viable banks that could purchase the items on lease finance loan for a good period of time before the expiration of the government’s first term in office.

“Also at the meeting, Dynamic Agrosol Limited was consulted to supply the tractors. The negotiation with Dynamic Agrosol Limited for the 100 units and the implements of the 72HP Massey Ferguson Tractors was negotiated and reported to cost N594,819,915.60.

“However, at another meeting, the bank and the government officials agreed to reduce the 100 unit of Massey Ferguson Tractors to 62 units at the same cost of N594,819,915.60 kobo. Furtherance to actualising the deal and the willingness of First Bank to formalize financing of the 62 units of tractors, the bank sent a Product of Offer letter to the government through the office of Dr. Adelola. The letter dated April 12, 2012 with reference number Aku 121395/L/ was sent from the bank’s Alagbaka branch office. The bank agreed to provide finance lease with payment tenor spread across 33 months. It was billed to commence in April 2010 and expire this month, October.

“Surprisingly, while negotiation with the First Bank was ongoing, another was initiated by the governor’s kitchen cabinet with another bank. The deal, with the same proposal of 100 units of same 72HP Massey Ferguson Tractors with the same implements, was being negotiated.

“The kitchen cabinet at a meeting in July 2010, mandated Akinnigbagbe and Ogundipe, the state Commissioners for Agriculture and Finance, to reach out to Fidelity Bank Plc and discuss the financing through the same process like the one Adelola had successfully struck with First Bank,” he said.

He said owing to the delay in the execution of the project and upon a directive by the governor, the Agriculture Ministry, on November 19, 2010, wrote another letter to Dynamic Agrosol Limited, giving the approval to supply Ondo State Government the 100 of Massey Ferguson tractors with reference number AEH11851259.

“Having equipped themselves with information from Adelola, an erstwhile banker, Akingbagbe and Ogundipe subsequently wrote to Fidelity Bank’s Managing Director through the Ondo State Ministry of Finance letter head, requesting the bank to finance purchase of 100 units of 72HP Massey Ferguson Tractors with the following set of implements; Ton Hydraulic Tipping Trailer, Disc Ridger, Disc Harrow and Disc plough.

The response from Fidelity Bank Plc on the request was not, however, encouraging as evident in a letter the bank sent on November 25, 2010.

Left with that situation, Akingbagbe and Ogundipe jointly wrote and signed another letter to Fidelity Bank on December 2, 2010 with reference number SCF 29/28, requesting the bank to now finance the same tractors and implements for N954,819,915.60 Kobo, however, for 62 units of the same 72HP Massey Ferguson Tractors with same sets of implements attached. The attention of one Dr. Musa was drawn in the reconfirmation letter, while the supplier, Dynamic Agrosol Limited, was copied that a full Advance Payment Guarantee (APG) was still required in the transaction.

“With the fresh negotiation still ongoing, it is worthy of note that only seven units of tractors and equipment sets were supplied to the state government at the cost of N594,819,915.60 kobo, as against the 100 units proposed at inception with First Bank. Since April 2010,

“First Bank has been collecting repayment for the entire transaction from the government. Unfortunately for government, Fidelity Bank has discovered the trick being played on the banks.

“I can reliably inform that even the seven tractors supplied to government in 2011 were manufactured in 2009. The seven tractors were supplied with implements’ set that included Alico-Disc plough 3 Discs, Alico-Disc Harrow-16Discs (Disc 2411) and Alico Rigger-3 Furrow through Mac Tonnel Nigeria Limited, Apapa, in Lagos State. All these were at the cost of N594,819,915.60kobo.

“This somewhat shoddy transaction soon took another turn, when the state government allegedly went ahead to insure the 100 units of the tractors with an insurance company (name withheld) at the cost of N25 million and yet, under-paid for the insurance.

“Coming from the analysis above, much as it appears more like a fraud being perpetrated by government, it is imperative to accord government some degree of response before conclusions are drawn.

“But the questions are: Why would government agree to buy 62 tractors for the initial negotiation of 100 at the same amount? Why does it have just seven since supplied despite the fact that repayment for full purchase is still ongoing? Of what basis was the need to involve Fidelity Bank when the deal had been signed, sealed and delivered with the First Bank arrangement? These and more, the Ondo State Government must answer as we engage it further in the ensuing debate,” Raji said.

October 10, 2012
Bakassi: Why Nigeria won’t appeal ICJ verdict, by govt

Failed case will be diplomatically damaging, says Attorney-General

Advocates of a fresh legal action over Bakassi lost the battle last night.

The Federal Government last night declared that it will not appeal the judgment of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on the ceding of the oil-rich Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroon.

The decision was communicated in a statement by Attorney General of the Federation Mohammed Adoke.

The nation’s number one law officer said after consultations locally and with an international firm, he decided not to explore the window of appeal because “an application for a review is virtually bound to fail.”

Besides, a failed application for review by Nigeria “will be diplomatically damaging to Nigeria”.

The government’s position reflects The Nation’s exclusive story last Friday that the government had decided not to appeal the ruling. It was a day that many newspapers reported that government had decided to appeal the judgement.

Government said yesterday that it did not have any new evidence to enable it successfully challenge the judgment.

The full text of the Attorney general’s statement is as follows:

“It will be recalled that on 10th October 2002, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) delivered judgment in Land and Maritime Boundary between Cameroon and Nigeria, which covers about 2000 kilometres extending from Lake Chad to the Sea. It will also be recalled that before the judgment was delivered, President Olusegun Obasanjo, GCFR of Nigeria and President Paul Biya of the Republic of Cameroon gave their respective undertaking to the international community to abide by the judgment of the Court.

“The commitment and undertakings given by both Heads of Government were confirmed by the establishment of the Cameroon-Nigeria Mixed Commission (CNMC) pursuant to the Joint Communiqué adopted at a Summit Meeting on 15 November 2002 in Geneva. The CNMC is composed of the representatives of Cameroon, Nigeria and the United Nations and is chaired by the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary General for West Africa.

“The CNMC has held 29 Sessions since its inception and has peacefully, amicably and successfully:

(a) brought Cameroon and Nigeria back to negotiation table;

(b) supervised the handing over of 33 ceded villages to Cameroon and 1 to Nigeria in December, 2003 and received 3 settlements and territory in Adamawa and Borno States Sectors from Cameroon in 2004;

(c) initiated the Enugu-Abakiliki-Mamfe-Mutengene Road project as part of the confidence building measures between the two countries;

(d) supervised peaceful withdrawal of Civil Administration, Military and Police Forces and transfer of authority in the Bakassi Peninsula by Nigeria to Cameroon in 2008 in line with the modalities contained in the Greentree Agreement signed by Cameroon and Nigeria in 2006 which the United Nations, Germany, USA, France, UK and Northern Ireland witnessed; and

(e) commenced the emplacement of boundary beacons/pillars along the land boundary and initiated final mapping of the whole stretch of the boundary. It is instructive to note that about 1800 kilometres of the boundary have so far been assessed for Pillar Emplacement leaving only about 220 km to complete the assessment of the entire boundary.

“The Greentree Agreement was also signed by H. E. Paul Biya, and President President Olusegun Obasanjo GCFR, on 12 June, 2006, in Long Island, Greentree, New York, USA; reaffirming their willingness to peacefully implement the judgment of the ICJ. The Agreement contains the modalities for withdrawal and transfer of authority in the Bakassi Peninsula by Nigeria to Cameroon in pursuance of the ICJ Judgment.The Follow-Up Committee comprising representatives of Nigeria and Cameroon wasestablished to monitor the implementation of the Agreement and settle any dispute regarding the interpretation and implementation of the Agreement. Nigeria handed over the Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroon in 2008.

“The Statute of the International Court of Justice provides that the Judgment of the Court is final and without appeal. However, following the resolutions of both Houses of the National Assembly calling on the Executive to take steps to apply for a review of the judgment, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan called a Stakeholders meeting comprising the leadership of the National Assembly, the Governors of Akwa Ibom and Cross River States, the Members of the National Assembly from both States, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Director General, National Boundary Commission to review the situation.

“The Stakeholders Meeting after due deliberations constituted a Committee comprising the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the Attorney General of the Federation, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Director General, National Boundary Commission and Members of the National Assembly namely: Senator Victor Ndoma Egba, Dr. Ali Ahmed and Nnena Ukaje to examine the issues in contention and available options for Nigeria including, but not limited to the application for review of the ICJ Judgment, appropriate political and diplomatic solutions.

“Although the judgment of the ICJ is final and not subject to appeal, the ICJ Statute provides for circumstances under which its judgment can be reviewed. The relevant provisions are:

(a) Article 61 (1) which provides that the Court can review its judgment upon the discovery of some fact of such a nature as to be a decisive factor, which fact was, when the judgment was given, unknown to the court and also to the party claiming revision, always provided that such ignorance was due not to negligence;

(b) Article 61 (4) which stipulates that application for revision must be made at least within six months of the discovery of the new fact, and

(c) Article 61(5), which provide that no application for revision may be made after the lapse of 10 years from the date of the judgment.

“The implication of the above provisions of the ICJ Statute is that a case for revision of the judgment of the court can only be successful if:

(a) the application for revision is based on the discovery of a new fact;

(b) the fact must have existed prior to the delivery of the judgment;

(c) the newly discovered fact must be of a decisive nature; and

(d) the party seeking revision (Nigeria) and the Court, must not have known of the fact at the time of the delivery of the judgment.

“The Committee proceeded to examine the case for revision against the requirements of Article 61 of the ICJ Statute and was constrained to observe from the oral presentations made to it by the proponents of the revision that the strict requirements of Article 61 could not be satisfied. This is because theirpresentation was unable to show that Nigeria has discovereda decisive fact that was unknown to her before the ICJ judgment, which is capable of swaying the Court to decide in its favour.This is more so as most of the issues canvassed in support of the case for a revision of the ICJ judgment had been canvassed and pronounced upon by the ICJ in its 2002 judgment.

“The Federal Government also retained a firm of international legal practitioners to advise on the merits and demerits of the case for revision. The firm after considering all the materials that were placed at its disposal against the requirements of Article 61 of the ICJ Statute came to the reasoned conclusion that “an application for a review is virtually bound to fail” and that “a failed application will be diplomatically damaging to Nigeria”.

11. In view of the foregoing, the Federal Government is of the informed view that with less than two days to the period when the revision will be statute barred (October 9, 2012), it would be impossible for Nigeria to satisfy the requirements of Articles 61(1) -(5) of the ICJ Statute.Government has therefore decided that it will not be in the national interest to apply for revision of the 2002 ICJ Judgment in respect of the Land and Maritime Boundary between Cameroon and Nigeria.

“Government is however concerned about the plight of Nigerians living in the Bakassi Peninsula and the allegations of human rights abuses being perpetrated against Nigerians in the Peninsula and is determined to engage Cameroon within the framework of the existing implementation mechanisms agreed to by Nigeria and Cameroon in order to protect the rights and livelihoods of Nigerians living in the Peninsula. Nigeria will also not relent in seeking appropriate remedies provided by international law such as the invocation of the compulsory jurisdiction of the ICJ; Petitioning the United Nations Human Rights Council and good offices of the United Nations Secretary General which has played pivotal role in ensuring the peaceful demarcation and delimitation of the boundary between the two countries and other confidence building measures and calls on the United Nations to continue to provide assistance to the affected populations.

“Finally the Federal Government wishes to assure all Nigerians especially the people living in the Bakassi Peninsula of its determination to explore all avenues necessary to protect their interests including but not limited to negotiations aimed at buying back the territory, if feasible, the convening of bilateral meeting of the Heads of State and Government to ensure protection and development of the affected population.In the meantime, we call on all well meaning Nigerians in the Bakassi peninsula to be law abiding and to allow the various initiatives being undertaken by the Federal Government to bear fruitful results.”

October 9, 2012
Why we opted for bond, ADB loan, by Oyo Govt

The Oyo State Government yesterday gave reasons for seeking N50 billion Bond from the capital market.

It said the bond was meant for the execution of capital projects.

According to a statement by Commissioner for Finance Zachaeus Adelabu, the projects include the Urban Mass Transit Scheme; the building of 10,000MT agricultural silos, ultra-modern markets and agricultural processing plants in each of the three senatorial districts; the building of the Ibadan Circular Road, a five-star hotel, a canning/agro-processing factory, housing estates and logistics centres/industrial parks across the state.

Adelabu said the bond had been approved by the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) and guaranteed by the Federal Government.

He said in the long run, the bond would be cheaper for the state government than commercial loans granted by financial institutions.

The commissioner said bonds are better suited to fund projects with long-term impacts and benefits, when compared to short-term funds.

He said: “The regulatory requirements for bond financing will force the state to utilise the proceeds for developmental/commercial projects specifically identified during the bond issue planning phase and strengthen our resolve for improved transparency and accountability.”

Adelabu said the bond would be in two tranches.

The first tranche of N30 billion would be finalised this year and the second next year.

Adelabu said: “There is really nothing strange about a state taking bond, as long as short term loans are not taken to finance long term projects. We would not do that. The bond we are taking is meant for capital projects.”

The commissioner said the $56.24 million African Development Bank (ADB) loan is meant to fund the Urban Water Supply and Sanitation Improvement Project in Ibadan.

He said previous water intervention programmes in Ibadan were limited to the rehabilitation or expansion of water treatment facilities, without corresponding attention to the reticulation system.

Adedibu said the chaotic water situation in the state capital necessitated the government’s partnership with the Continental Financial Institution.

He said: “Many of the pipelines, which were laid over 50 years ago, are now leaking, thus resulting into unaccounted-for water in the city of Ibadan, which stands at about 50 per cent. This is apart from the fact that the existing pipeline covers less than 50 per cent of the city.

“The project will increase water supply from the current 25 per cent to 80 per cent by 2017, through the extension of the distribution network to new areas in Ibadan and the replacement of old and unserviceable pipes in the existing network.”

October 9, 2012
Edo traders mob govt official

A member of the Edo State Environmental Protection and Regulatory Unit, Mr. Henry Isibor, has died at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) after he was beaten up by traders at the Oba Market Road in Benin.

Isibor was said to be on an official assignment to get rid of traders selling on the walk-ways when he was mobbed.

Executive Director of the Environmental Protection and Regulatory Unit Maj. Lawrence Loye (rtd.) confirmed the incident.

Loye said his men were working on his instructions not to fight the traders, but they will henceforth defend themselves, if attacked.

He said the traders injured his men, some critically, leading to Henry’s death.

Loye presented some cash to Henry’s widow, Joy, and their four children.

October 9, 2012