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Tag: Nigerian news

  • #BBNaija: Khafi Kareem the ‘controversial’ constable and self-acclaimed ‘celibate’

    Prior to Big Brother Naija 2019 ‘Pepper Dem’ edition, ‘Khafi Kareem’, was just a regular UK policewoman with dreams and aspirations to make it big in her own way.

    Interestingly, for the first time in the history of the competition, Khafi Kareem was one of the twenty-one Big Brother Naija 2019 housemates. She however got evicted from the reality show on Sunday, September 15.

    Khafi is a native of Ekiti, Nigeria, but she lives in London. Khafi who is aged 29 years old, is also a Police Officer in London.

    Her exit is coming after spending a total of 77 days and eleven weeks in the house thus bringing an end to her journey in the race for the mouth-watering cash prize of N30 million and other rewards bringing the total prize N60 million.

    Upon her entry into the house, she had Nigerians talking on Twitter especially with her status as a constable with the Metropolitan police UK.

    A quick look at her lifestyle especially during the house sojourn reveals that she’s a lady full of energy and positive vibes. She’s of the opinion that ‘you can reach anything as long as you believe in yourself’. She likes public speaking, dancing and singing.

    Khafi dislikes people who also try to control her or block her self-expression.

    While in the house, Khafi won the Innoson vehicle valued at N3.85 million during a challenge, she also won 220,000 Scanfrost TV during the ‘Scanforst challenge’, Arla cooking challenge, a co-winner of the Indomie N1million challenge, a co-winner of the TravelBeta challenge under team Lagos that won N1million prize.

    Read Also: Inside the ‘risky’ life of Bobrisky

    Recently, she dominated the news, both local and international, for allegedly breaching the rules and regulations at her workplace.

    It was reported that the she might face disciplinary actions from her employers, MET Police for partaking in BBNaija.

    A report published by several UK news outlets noted that she was refused permission to appear on the show by her superiors.

    However, the reality star’s management said the reports were not only derogatory but sensational.

    The management claimed that the UK Sun failed to inquire or get her side of the story before publishing the article.

    One of the highlights of Big Brother Naija 2019 has been the relationship between Khafi and Gedoni.

    Gedoni and Khafi did not only cross the line but they did rub it in the faces of other housemates, night after night.

    Ekpata Gedoni is a fashion entrepreneur from Cross River.

    In the post-eviction interview, Khafi said she bonded with Gedoni in the first week because they were both up for eviction.

    She told Ebuka that she believes he loves her as much she loves him, adding that she was a forlorn lover when he was evicted.

    In what appeared to be a controversy, Gedoni and Khafi were first captured in a sex act in the house on Saturday, July 20, then again on Tuesday, July 23, and again on Monday, July 29.

    Khafi revealed to Gedoni that she abstained from sex for eight years, after she converted from Islam to Christianity.

    Khafi has however maintained that she did not have sex with Gedoni. She reiterated that she is still celibate and did not have sex on the show.

    On his part, Gedoni has repeatedly said that they did not have sex and the rumours were unfounded.

    When asked to address the sex rumours, Gedoni told show host, Ebuka Obi-Uchendu that he was unhappy that the rumour went viral and felt terrible about it.

    He added, “I think I will allow Khafi to ask whether we had sex or not. There were intense moments but sex, no.”

    He detailed the moment he felt sparks for the bubbly Khafi and stated that his feelings for her were real.

    However, Gedoni Ekpata has reassured fans that his relationship with his love interest/co-star, Khafi Kareem is beyond the show.

    Gedoni said that he would be open to date his co-star, Khafi after the ongoing Big Brother Naija season four ends.

    So perhaps, while we might have assumed — whether because of their few on-screen bedtime moments or their romantic displays — that Gedoni and Khafi had sex number of times, they are both responsible for their private affairs or their public display of love.

  • LADOL’s Lack of Commitment to Nigerian Economy

    Despite being the greatest beneficiary of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act of 2010, Lagos Deep Offshore Logistics (LADOL) has not made serious investment to develop local facilities and manpower for the benefit of the Nigerian economy.

    NOGICD Act makes it mandatory for foreign companies that win contracts in the industry to sub-contract  certain scopes of the works to Nigerian companies to boost the country’s economy.

    For instance, Saipem, a subsidiary of Italian oil giant, Eni, secured an engineering, procurement, commissioning and installation (EPCI) contract, worth about $3 billion, from Total Upstream Nigeria for the subsea development of the Egina oilfield.

    Some of the works were sub-contracted to indigenous companies.

    American oil services firm, FMC Technologies also awarded part of the Egina project to local companies.

    Truly Nigerian companies that worked as sub- contractors in these projects used the proceeds to develop their fabrication facilities to world standards so as to attract future projects and create job opportunities for Nigerians.

    Out of the many companies that participated in the Egina project in the name of local companies, LADOL was the greatest beneficiary.

    Apart from hosting the fabrication and integration yard in the LADOL Free Zone where the Egina Floating Production Storage Offloading (FPSO) unit was fabricated and integrated locally, LADOL also hosted the FPSO itself, which is the largest FPSO in the fleet of Total Group worldwide.

    By hosting the fabrication and integration yard in the free zone where the fabrication and integration works were carried out, LADOL also enjoyed significant revenues from the Egina project.

    When the FPSO arrived at the LADOL Free Zone in Lagos from South Korea, LADOL attracted the official visit of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

    The company made promises of future investments in the free zone before the vice president and also enjoyed major headlines in the media.

    Unfortunately, unlike the truly Nigerian companies that invested heavily in the development of their yards for future projects, LADOL cannot boast of employing more Nigerians since the FPSO sailed away.

    Rather, it devoted its resources to fight foreign companies that invested in the free zone, thereby hurting Nigerian economy.

    No wonder recent media reported have questioned its indigenous status.

    While Aveon Offshore, Doman Long Engineering, Nestoil, Niger Dock and other truly Nigerian companies that worked on the Egina project have re-invested their proceeds to create opportunities for the employment of Nigerian youths, LADOL can’t boast of such investments.

    Perhaps, the revenues the company generated from the project were repatriated to its foreign owners as being speculated by the industry stakeholders.

    LADOL was also privileged to be among the companies that used indigenous status to access the federal government’s Nigerian Content Intervention Fund but how the fund was utilised is known to only LADOL and its foreign promoters.

    Sadly, the company has refused to use the privileges it has enjoyed under the Nigerian Content Act to help create job opportunities for Nigerians by partnering foreign companies in a win-win situation.

    Indeed, only a foreign company like LADOL can make huge revenues from its operation in a local environment and refuse to give back to such local environment to boost the country’s economy.

    Instead, LADOL has been taking steps that will throw more Nigerians into the labour market by chasing away foreign companies and damaging Nigeria’s economy.

    While local companies are building alliances with foreign companies and investing heavily to take advantage of future opportunities, LADOL’s hostile attitude is chasing away foreign investors.

    Without foreign companies coming into Nigeria to help transfer technology and develop local capacity, it will be difficult for Nigerians to grow the capacity and skills to execute complex and challenging projects.

    Until the Nigerian government and its agencies take practical steps to identify the real and truly Nigerian companies, the country’s economy will continue to experience challenges.

    • Alabi, a local content advocate, writes from Warri, Delta State

  • Air Force to battle banditry in Niger

    The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) says it will work with other security agencies to tackle insecurity in Niger State.

    Chief of the Air Staff (CAS) Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar gave the assurance yesterday when Governor Abubakar Bello visited him in Abuja.

    He said: “We are interested in adding value to your governance. We are also monitoring what is happening there.

    “I assure you that the Nigerian Air Force will take steps.

    “We already have our quick response unit there in Minna with some of our special forces there.

    “I believe it is something that can be done and will be done very soon. We are gathering the necessary intelligence and information that is required.

    “We will not require anything from the state government in terms of logistics or resources. We have resources given to us by the Federal Government. All that we require from you is intelligence.

    “Give us intelligence and we will use that intelligence with the resources available to us to ensure that we address these problems.”

    Read Also: Air Force strikes Boko Haram Facilities, neutralises occupants

    Bello had told the air chief that the northern part of Niger had been faced with security challenges.

    He said his visit was to solicit further support of the NAF to address the menace of the bandits.

    “We are faced with security challenges in the northern part of Niger State in the last two, three months.

    “These ongoing challenges have been on for a while, but somehow with the support of security agencies, we have maintained calm and peace in those areas.

    “But somehow, in the last months, we have major influx of armed bandits we suspect are coming from Zamfara State due to the amnesty in Zamfara. They see Niger State even because of the vast forest.

    “You may be aware that Niger State on its own covers about 10 per cent of Nigeria’s landmass, it is very difficult to police and to even patrol.

    “More so that we have a lot of rivers and streams, it is difficult for our patrol vehicles or even motorcycles at times to reach some areas in the state.

    “My visit today is to come and see the Chief of Air Staff to request additional support and assistance toward ensuring security within those restricted areas in the forest that our ground troops do not have access to,” the governor said.

    He said based on his interaction with the joint security agencies, “they are of the opinion that the easiest and safest mode of operation to address these challenges will be through air raid.”

    Bello said many communities had been displaced by bandits.

    “The victims have become Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in nearby town of Kagara where I think, if my calculation is correct, we have not fewer than 1,000 IDPs.

    “We are concerned that if we do not make effort for them to go back to their villages, we will start having health hazards in the IDPs camp.

    “We believe that the earlier they go back home, the better. But for them to go back home, we must guarantee security in those areas,” he said.

  • Lagos Estate Home Owner writes EFCC, want CMB Boss, Mbagwu Prosecuted

    A Home Owner in Pearl Nuga Estate in Sangotedo, Ajah, Lagos (name withheld) has called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to expedite action on the petition written by the Leadership of the estate against the Chief Executive Officer of CMB Building Maintenance Investment Limited, Mr. Kelechukwu Mbagwu.
    The Home Owner in a letter sent to EFCC Ag. Chairman, Mr. Ibrahim Magu said the call was necessary so as to ensure that justice is done and his property and that of others in the estate is not taken over by a financial institution over an unpaid loan Mbagwu and his firm, CMB used their property to obtain.
    “I write you this letter on behalf of myself and some home owners in Pearl Nuga and Pearl Garden Estate situated at Sangotedo, Ajah, Lagos over a petition submitted in your head office annex, Ikoyi, Lagos dated June this year against Mr. Kelechuchwu Mbagwu, the Chief Executive Officer of CMB Building Maintenance and Investment Limited for using the title of the properties we had bought and completely paid for from his Company to obtain loan in a financial institution without our knowledge.
    “We reliably gathered that Mbagwu has been grilled by detectives from your organization but as we write, our fate is still not known.
    “I call on you to use your good office to ensure that this case is not swept under the carpet. We want Justice. We want Mbagwu prosecuted.
    “Kindly find attached documents for your necessary information.” the letter reads.
    According to reports, the leadership of Pearl Nuga and Pearl Garden Estates had in a petition sent to EFCC, a alleged that affected home owners namely; Bridget Eko, Osagie, Ainiehnoho Jude, Mr. Akinola Alabi, Mrs Oluwadara Alabi, Nosakhare Igbinobi, Mr and Mrs Micheal Bassey, Mr Oyeleke Jegede, Mr Larry Amaraibi and Amos Gaga had paid Mbagwu and his company 100% for their houses and had taken possession years ago.
    They alleged in their petition that Mbagwu  fraudulently withheld the title deeds of the houses from the affected owners so that he could continuously be using them to carry out illegal bank transactions.
    The House Owners according to the petition said they got a wind of the matter when CMB started having issues with a Financial Institution.

     

     

  • Police arrest ‘fake’ EFCC official in Lagos

    The police in Lagos have arrested a 29-year-old man Emeka Emmanuel alleged to have impersonated the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    Emmanuel was arrested on Saturday morning at Iyana-Iba in Ojo for allegedly defrauding innocent people under the guise of providing jobs for them at the EFCC.

    Police said the suspect was found with a fake EFCC identity card in his possession which he allegedly used to deceive his victims.

    It was gathered that his arrest followed complaint by one Olaposi Semiu at the Ojo Police Station that the suspect collected N51,000 from him over a month ago with a promise to secure his son an employment at the EFCC.

    Police spokesman Bala Elkana, a Deputy Superintendent (DSP), said Emmanuel confessed to the crime, adding that detectives also discovered he was running an illegal medical facility at his premises.

    “Other items recovered include medical equipment and fake certificates. The command is advising the public, especially job seekers, to be mindful of the activities of such scammers to avoid falling prey of their antics,” he said.

  • Significance of Seat or Place of Arbitration: P&ID Ltd v Nigeria

    Following the controversies that trailed the award of $9 billion against Nigeria by a British Court, London-based Nigerian lawyer and arbitrator Mr. Momoh Kadiri examines the  implications of arbitration in the matter and the consequences of the judgment on Nigeria.

    • Continued from last week

    Firstly, the judgment of Mr Justice Butcher seems to be in accord with English law, which is generally pro-arbitration and adopts a minimalist intervention approach in relation to arbitral awards –  there is significant deal of deference given to party autonomy and the arbitral process.

    This explains why percentage of successful appeals against arbitral awards in the English courts are the exception rather than the norm. The FRN’s case was brilliantly presented and put before the Court – a fact that even Mr Justice Butcher expressed admiration as highly commendable. Rather unfortunately, it appears that the potency and force of the FRN’s argument was tempered by the fact that no timely objection or challenge was made by FRN in the course of arbitral proceedings.

    A timely challenge or appeal to the English court by the FRN, following the Liability Award or the Final Award in July 2014 and July 2015 respectively would have carried much force, as only the English Court has the supervisory jurisdiction as far as the seat of the arbitration is concerned. Thus, it seems a missed opportunity to test the full force in which the contentions that the FRN made before Mr Justice Butcher.

    Also, the earlier application to the Nigerian Courts by FRN was misdirected and lacked potency- the application or appeal simply could not impeach the Liability Award as well at the Final Award, given that Nigeria was not the seat of arbitration and Nigerian courts therefore lacked supervisory or curial jurisdiction to review or nullify the awards.

    Secondly, it is noteworthy to mention that Mr Justice Butcher did an extensive analysis of both Nigerian law, as the governing law particularly under the Arbitration and Conciliation Act “ACA”, CAP A18 LFN 2004, as well as the applicable Rules, and English law under the Arbitration Act 1996. However, it bears mentioning in this context that both Nigeria and England & Wales are jurisdictions where the respective arbitration legal frameworks are fashioned after the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (“UNCITRAL”) Model Law. As mentioned above, the spirit and intendment of the Model Law is that of deference – Article 6 provides for each state to designate the court or other authority competent to perform the functions laid down by the Model Law. In light of the above, as the question as to seat had already been determined as England by the arbitral tribunal, the proper approach of the Nigerian court should have been to decline jurisdiction and refer the parties to the English supervisory courts to which any appeal ought to be directed, in recognition of upholding the significance of the Model Law.

    Thirdly, the application that was made by FRN in 2015 to the Commercial Court was made out of time and the court was properly entitled to dismiss the application on this basis alone.  Part of the explanation or reason that was pleaded by FRN via the Ministry of Petroleum Resources at the material time is, plainly non-excusable, which was that the delay in appealing the Liability Award with the benefit of instructing solicitors based in England was due to the general elections and change in government in Nigeria in 2015.  This explanation seems not only unsatisfactory but simply untenable. Afterall, government and governance are not only a continuum but also, the general principles of state responsibility are taken to be fairly well-known by relevant senior government officials. Similarly, adequate provisions exist in English law that give proper recognition to the fact that states do take time to respond. For example, Section 12(2) of the State Immunity Act 1978, which applies to states and state entities, allows states at least two months to respond from the date of service of process on the state’s relevant receiving authority via the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

    Unfortunately, unlike in football – there is no extra-time or “injury time” available to states for failing to take appropriate steps as and when required to properly challenge an arbitral award or ruling. Making a timely challenge in the wrong jurisdiction may not only be seen as forum shopping but could also be perceived as an attempt to circumvent or derail the arbitral process. This behaviour was perhaps exhibited by the FRN, as mentioned above, when the FRN, having failed in their application in the English court on 10 February 2016, then made an application on similar grounds in the Federal High Court of Nigeria on 24 February 2016. Any application needed to be made in a timely fashion to the English Courts.

    Conclusion

    Whereas the primacy of the FRN’s objections were ably and ‘attractively’ argued by its counsel, Harry Matovu QC, on a multiplicity of grounds, it seems safe to state in conclusion  that the most significant issue and objection that proved decisive in the case concerned the issue as to what was the seat of the arbitration -England or Nigeria? The court disagreed with FRN’s objections, finding that the seat of arbitration was England as opposed to FRN’s contention that it was Nigeria. Although the question as to the seat or place of arbitration (especially when the latter is used in a juridical  or curial sense) may somewhat be taken as readily ascertainable or as a given when stipulated the within parties’ arbitration agreement, this case highlights not only the importance of ensuring that the dispute resolution and/or arbitration agreement is carefully and robustly negotiated and drafted, it equally underscores the imperativeness of ensuring that the seat of arbitration is carefully selected and expressed with no room for ambiguity in the parties’ underlying contractual agreement. Also, what is further instructive to note is that any objection or challenge, including an appeal as to the proper interpretation or decision on the question of the seat of arbitration, needs to be raised timeously by the relevant disputing party before the appropriate supervisory or curial courts at the seat of the arbitration.

    A late or mistaken application to the wrong court is not only liable to dismissal but the cost implication for the party concerned can be astronomically significant. The FRN, as expected, was unable to resist P&ID’s application on this occasion because the combined effect of CPR r. 62.18 in conjunction with section 66 of the Arbitration Act 1996 means that the procedure to enforce an arbitration award in the same manner as the judgment of the court is usually a summary procedure that is made usually without notice.

    That judgment was given in favour of P&ID is certainly not the end of the matter. It is stated that the current outstanding sum now due to P&ID is estimated at USD$9.6 billion, which is about a quarter of Nigeria’s foreign reserves, as well as a third of Nigeria’s 2019 total budget. Also, daily interest on the award is about USD$1.2 million, which explains the scale of the final award. Clearly, this raises significant concern for the FRN and it is expected, it will continue to seek to resist execution of the judgment, particularly as a sovereign state. An additional concern for the FRN is this issue was an inherited burden from the previous regime. However, the hope is that this case will provide an incentive for the government to address the underlying issues that have come to the fore as well as take steps to prevent similar occurrences in the future.

    Whereas this award is the largest recorded in the public domain against Nigeria, experienced practitioners know very well that unless a party is able to execute an award or judgment, how much it is really worth is something that may be more fanciful than real.

    The record USD$50 billion that was awarded against the Russian Federation in 2014 by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in Yukos v Russia (Yukos Universal Limited (Isle of Man) v. The Russian Federation (PCA Case No. AA 227)), after ten years of long, drawn-out proceedings, has yet to be enforced. It will therefore be interesting to see, from both sides, how the next steps unfold.

  • Who says it won’t happen again?

    From Lagos to Harare, Lusaka, Accra to Johannesburg, it’s been nearly two weeks of unrestrained rage back and forth. For once, the victims appear to have had enough of the seasonal madness called xenophobia from the rainbow country. In Zambia, scores of bitter and angry students marched on the South African High Commission where they burnt tyres and an embassy sign in apparent frustration. Not done, they went after South African-owned shops such as Pick n Pay, Shoprite and MTN, forcing them to close shop. Accusing South Africa’s government of not doing enough to prevent the attacks against Africans in South Africa, Zambia National Students Union (ZANASU) Vice President Steven Kanyakula warned that “South Africa was not an island and the actions of South Africans pose a serious risk to South African investment and businesses in African countries”.

    By this time, Zambia Radio stations had stopped playing South African music; a friendly football tournament against Bafana Bafana, the South African national team, was swiftly cancelled by its football association.

    The Zambians were not alone. From the African Giant, the response would follow the same pattern. Sufficiently piqued by the madness in South Africa, cultural icon Tiwa Savage would release a volley on her twitter handle September 4: I refuse to watch the barbaric butchering of my people in SA. This is SICK. For this reason I will NOT be performing at the upcoming DSTV delicious Festival in Johannesburg on the 21st of September. My prayers are with all the victims and families affected by this.

    Perhaps even more dramatic however was Nigeria’s Sheila Chukwulozie, who left her booth at the Johannesburg’s FNB Art Fair empty – with a boldly printed message “Thanks, xenophobia,” on her space.

    Meanwhile, in Lagos, the mob simply descended on the Sangotedo and Surulere Shoprite malls carting away everything on sight. Typical of the police, an attempt to minimise the destruction would leave one dead. Similar attacks were reported on Shoprite malls in Abuja and Ibadan with varying degrees of destruction.

    Moments before, the federal government had announced its boycott of the World Economic Forum in Cape Town, to join Rwanda’s Paul Kagame, and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)’s Félix Tshisekedi in the league of boycotters. All of this in addition to other diplomatic shuttles to contain what was already a festering crisis.

    By Wednesday last week, thanks to the local carrier, Air Peace, what would ordinarily have been deemed unthinkable happened: the evacuation of 178 Nigerians (actually the first batch) from the former apartheid enclave.

    Read Also: Xenophobia: 320 Nigerians to return from South Africa on Tuesday – Mission

    None of the above however yet compares with the cold reception accorded the South African leader, Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa, at the burial of former Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe in Harare at the weekend.  As reported by this newspaper, the crowd booed the South African leader as he was introduced by the master of ceremony at the funeral held at the National Sports Stadium.

    Thoroughly embarrassed, the South African leader could not but eat the humble pie: He apologized to the people of Zimbabwe for the acts of violence “directed at our brothers in other African countries”.

    Hear him: “I stand before you, fellow Zimbabweans, fellow Africans to say that we are working very hard to encourage all our people in South Africa to embrace people from all other African countries.

    “We welcome people from other African countries and we are going to work very hard that will encourage and promote social cohesion of all the people of South Africa working side by side with people from other part of our continent. This we shall do, because we want to embrace the spirit of unity that President Mugabe worked for throughout his life.”

    Call it a Pauline conversion coming from a man who, en route to the presidency, read what amounted to a Riot Act to foreigners who he tagged with operating businesses without permit. Of course, the born-again President Ramaphosa couldn’t have been speaking for Goodwill Zwelithini, the Zulu monarch who in 2015 famously declared that ‘foreigners must pack their bags and go home’! (He later blamed the media for grossly misrepresenting him, while nonetheless maintaining that “this country would be reduced to ashes” were he to issue such a directive).

    Or, Bongani Mkongi, the country’s deputy minister of police who while claiming that residents of the Hillbrow neighborhood of Johannesburg are 80% foreign born, insisted that “We cannot surrender South Africa to foreign nationals… We fought for this country, not only for us, but for generations of South Africans.”

    Official denial or not, the fact of the matter is that xenophobia is deeply ingrained in the country’s DNA. According to Xenowatch, more than 500 attacks occurred between 1994 and 2018.  In 2008 alone, more than 100 xenophobic attacks occurred during which more than 60 people died.

    Yet, much as the current outrage is understandable, xenophobia ought to be seen merely as a derivative of the same forces driving Trumpism, Brexit and other nativist sentiments.  In a fundamental sense, the objective conditions as indeed the forces driving them are the same. Both are fearful of the future in which they see themselves as losing out to an army of invaders. However, whereas the champions of ultra-nationalism exploit the fears of the mob while presenting present themselves as champions of a mythical past, the xenophobic mob seizes the initiative while the elites waffle in abdication.

    This is where Ramaphosa deserves pity. Special envoys might help to the calm nerves of the injured party; the question of how a government that was practically missing in action when the violence broke out will suddenly acquire the capacity to put a brood that has tasted blood on the leash is one that only he can answer at this time.  As Ramaphosa and his ANC crew will soon be finding out, statesmanship isn’t exactly the cheapest of commodities.

    Of course, Nigerians will remain Nigerians, warts and all; for sure, the brashness, the swagger and if you like, that tinge of deviance that evokes love/hate is unlikely to change overnight. It is even unlikely that this latest cycle of violence will curb their appetite for greener pastures. As far as I can see, the Rainbow Country will remain a fair destination.

    And the South Africans with their sense of entitlement?  Which is easier to confront between the hapless 3.6 million foreign nationals who make up a mere 7% of the population and the local white priviledged class who although make up a mere 8.9% of the population but hold the bulk of the nation’s wealth?

    Your guess is as good as mine.

  • No plan to arrest Kanu’s father -Police

    The Abia State Police Command has debunked claims by the leadership of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) that its personnel were planning to arrest the father of its leader, Nnamdi Kanu.

    IPOB had at the weekend raised alarm about the presence of policemen and other security personnel around the home of their leader. This is even as they (IPOB) claimed that the target of the security agencies was to arrest Kanu’s father who reportedly arrived his compound almost two years after his compound was invaded by soldiers.

    In a telephone interview with our reporter on Monday, the State Police Commissioner, CP Ene Okon said “What IPOB has given to you people is completely false.

    “As a matter of fact, we received intelligence report that IPOB is going to have a meeting in Nnamdi Kanu’s house.

    “They prepared also for a protest over the alleged killing of their members during the operation Python Dance and as an organization that is charged with maintenance of law and order and to ensure peace, based on the intelligence that we gathered, we have to fortify the already existing police points within the area which has been there for the past two years.

    “All that we did is to put in more number of police in that area to ensure that there is peace in that area. No policeman entered Nnamdi Kanu’s house or his father’s house.

    “IPOB is pushing out propaganda to blackmail the police. The police didn’t even know whether Nnandi Kanu’s father is at home or not. Under what offence will the police go to arrest Nnamdi Kanu’s father; a 90-years-old man?

    Read Also: IPOB alleges plot to attack Kanu’s home

    “If police have anyone to arrest, it is Nnamdi Kanu that the police will arrest because he has been declared wanted and not the father.

    “It is mere propaganda or blackmail to win the sympathy of the Igbos by the IPOB. Remember that IPOB has been proscribed by law and they remain proscribed.

    “Any of their activities and gathering is illegal. If we get intelligence of their gathering which will disrupt the peace of the area, I don’t think that we should sit back and look at them disturbing the peace of the area,” Okon stated

  • 13 states to witness increased flooding, says agency

    The Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency on Monday said that 13 states across the country will witness increased floods following the rise in the water levels of Nigeria’s two major rivers – River Niger and River Benue.

    The agency said that water from six out of the nine countries that make up the Niger Basin Authority (NBA) is pouring into the country and could lead to severe flooding in these states.

    Director- General of the agency, Clement Nze, said this at press conference in Abuja, while giving update on the situation of flooding in the country.

    Nze said that latest information received on September 6, 2019, from the headquarters of the NBA in Niamey, Niger Republic, confirmed steady rise into the Red Alert Zone up to 6.26 metres of the flood level of River Niger monitored in Niamey.

    He listed the states which will experience more flooding from the two major rivers to include: Kebbi, Niger, Kwara, Nasarawa, Kogi, Edo, Anambra, Delta, Rivers and Bayelsa.

    Other states likely to be affected by the river flooding are: Adamawa, Taraba and Benue states.

    NIHSA is the Federal Government’s agency that has the mandate of monitoring all the major rivers in Nigeria including the trans-boundary Rivers Niger and Benue, among other functions.

    The NIHSA DG said: “Information received on 6th September, 2019, from the headquarters of the Niger Basin Authority (NBA) in Niamey, Niger Republic, confirmed steady rise into the Red Alert Zone up to 6.26m of the flood level of River Niger monitored in Niamey.

    Read Also: Adamawa, Taraba, Benue in risk of flood due to rise in water level of River Benue – NIHSA

    “This development was promptly communicated to Mr. President through the Minister of Water Resources. The flood sighted in Niger Republic was expected to arrive the Nigerian border through Kebbi state around 16th of September, 2019, would finally find its way down to Kwara, Niger, Kogi, Edo, Anambra, Rivers and Bayelsa state.

    “This development was equally communicated to relevant states and stakeholders, especially the operators of Kainji and Jebba dams for their necessary actions. Owing to spilling of water from the two dams for nearly two weeks, including Shiroro dam on River Kaduna, there has been steady rise in the flood level of River Niger with the attendant flooding downstream the dams.

    “As at today 16th September, 2019, the Lagdo dam in Cameroon is still impounding water. It is not yet certain if there will be release of water from the dam in 2019. However, River Benue is rising steadily owing to local rainfall with attendant heavy inflows from the tributaries of the river.

    “This is likely to cause river flooding in Adamawa, Taraba and Benue states.”

    Nze explained that localised urban flooding being witnessed in some cities and communities are expected to continue because of high rainfall, rainstorms, blockage of drainage system and poor urban planning.

    He said it was regrettable that flooding incidents were manifesting just as predicted by the agency, adding that relevant stakeholders, especially individuals and state governments have failed to heed the warnings issued by the agency before the onset of flooding season in the country.

    The DG urged states and local governments to remove structures built within the floodplains, clear blocked drainages, culverts and other waterways as the country expect river and coastal flooding from the upper catchment of the Niger Basin to manifest.

  • Ogun tops list of South African returnees

    Ogun State has the highest number of the 187 returnees evacuated from South Africa last week.

    The Federal Government did a profile of the recent victims of xenophobic attacks in South Africa who had willingly accepted to return to the country.

    The profile showed that the first batch of the 187 returnees are from 16 states of the federation.

    Chairman of the Nigerian Diaspora Commission, (NIDCOM) Abike Dabiri-Erewa, appealed to state governments to support then returnees.

    Already, letters of appeal have been sent to the states to solicit for their interventions.

    Bank of Industry (BOI) and some telecommunication companies have also provided some support.

    NIDCOM boss who gave an update on the returnees at a press conference on Tuesday said that among the returnees were over 30 children and a widow who has four children.

    She also revealed that from the profiling, Ogun State has the highest number of 30, followed by Imo State with 28 while Kogi and Benue have the least number of one each.

    The states of returnees are – Abia – 7, Anambra 13, Benue 1, Delta 15, Ebonyi 2, Edo 13, Ekiti 6 and Enugu 7.

    Others are Imo 28, Kogi 1, Kwara 3, Lagos 7, Ogun 30, Osun 6, Ondo 6 and Oyo 23.

    She said that her commission was already communicating with every state listed.

    She added that information had already been sent to the states but they will take the final decision.

    According to her, the widow with four children is from Ondo State.

    Ondo State government, she said. is already trying to ensure the children are back in school.

    The NIDCOM chair said the states are expected to have their representatives on ground to receive their indigenes.

    She said: “We have profiled them according to their states and we expect the governors to take responsibility for their citizens that have returned.

    “I am going to stress one thing, those who returned are not criminals. In fact they are very hardworking Nigerians and have lost everything they have ever worked for in South Africa.

    “So their only crime is being black and being Nigerian. We had father’s separated from their children, we have a widow with four children who just had to come back home. They are already offers for scholarships for her children.”

    The NIDCOM CEO said those that return already for SIM card and air time that will last about two months and some money for transportation.

    According to Dabiri-Erewa , the returnees are already being profiled to get soft loans from the Bank of Industry (BOI).

    “As I speak with you now the bank of industry has their contacts and will be calling them to come for the soft loans. Those are the immediate plans for them. But as they settled in we are going to profile them and do a need assessment because somebody might want to trade and you are saying go and do hairdressing. There is also a number for just the returnees to reach the bank of industry.

    Dabiri-Erewa added that a lot of people have also offered counseling, entrepreneurship training which the commission was compiling and the returnees will also be contacted and link up with these offers.

    She commended President Muhammadu Buhari for giving the instructions that Nigerians should be evacuated from South Africa, the minister of foreign affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama for showing leadership and the chairman of Air Peace, Allen Onyema for immediately offering to evacuate the volunteer returnees, the Nigerian Consul General in South Africa who opened his doors for the returnees to sleep and later got them a hotel and treated them good, Airtel for the phones and airtime, MTN for supporting the returnees with airtime, data among others.

    She called on other Nigerians and corporate bodies to follow suit.”

    Dabiri-Erewa said another set of 319 are expected back Tuesday evening and will be warmly welcome as directed by President Buhari.

    She said the list containing details of the returnees will be forwarded to the various states to ensure proper reintegration.

    She added: “This is the time to show ourselves love and unity, it doesn’t matter what part of Nigeria you come from, we are one united Nigeria and the love and unity, the sense of togetherness was very prominent in this case, where we were being externally attacked.”

    Dabiri-Erewa assured that any Nigerian anywhere in the world, the government under President Buhari is determined that you will be protected.

    “Any Nigerian anywhere in the world be hardworking, be law abiding and whether you are abroad or home be rest assured that government protection and welfare is guaranteed anywhere in the world.”

    On the issue of compensation, she said it was a policy issue that will be decided by the minister of foreign affairs.