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  • ISWAP: Launch global coalition against terrorism in West Africa now, Amnesty Watch tells United Nations, US

    London-based group, Global Amnesty Watch, has called on the United Nations as well as United States of America to join forces with Nigeria to confront terrorism in West Africa.
    According to the group, terrorism is a global threat that needs proactive measures and the best available way is by launching a global coalition.
    The Global Amnesty Watch gave this charge in a press statement signed by  John Tom Lever, head African Regional Affairs.
    While commending the tremendous exploits of the Nigerian Army, leading the way in the sub-region, the group believes more can be done to totally shut out activities of the Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP).
    “The Global Amnesty Watch wishes to acknowledge the efforts of the Nigerian Government in the fight against terrorism in North East Nigeria and the numerous sacrifices of the Nigerian military since 2015.
    “ The terrorism threat in Nigeria and the West African sub-region is increasing because of links between ISWAP and terrorist groups around the world who have continued to provide the backbone for ISWAP’s operations in Nigeria and indeed the West African sub-region to thrive.
    “ The resurgence of ISWAP around Lake Chad means continuing conflict for Nigeria and neighboring states, as well as ongoing peril for civilians caught in the crossfire.
    “ The Global Amnesty Watch believes that the situation is the Lake Chad basin requires urgent intervention from organizations such as the United Nations to join forces with Nigeria to confront the challenge that activities of ISWAP present.
    “ The Global Amnesty Watch is, therefore of the opinion that the necessary authorities have not given the nefarious activities of ISWAP in Nigeria and the West African sub-region the needed attention in the world.
    “ This is on the heels of the fact that the United Nations General Assembly had adopted the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy on 8 September 2006 as a unique global instrument to enhance national, regional and international efforts to counter terrorism by addressing the conditions conducive to the spread of terrorism, putting in measures to prevent and combat terrorism and to build states’ capacity to prevent and combat terrorism.
    “ The Global Amnesty Watch consequently wonders why such measures have not been extended to the Nigerian authorities in combating the activities of ISWAP in Nigeria and the West African Sub-region.
    “ The Global Amnesty Watch thinks that the United Nations will be failing in its obligations if it fails to curtail ISWAP which operates mostly around Chad, Niger and Cameroonian borders to threaten the life of the civilian population.
    “ ISWAP is gaining ground, and influence, around the Lake Chad Basin area, spreading out from Nigeria into Chad and Niger, using the same approach that has strengthened organizations aligned with the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.
    “ The Global Amnesty Watch wishes to consequently bring to the notice of the world the urgent need for support to Nigeria in the fight against terrorism with the threat posed by ISWAP in Nigeria and around its neighboring countries.
    “ The world must treat the ISWAP threat as a matter of great importance due to the strategic role of Nigeria in the West African sub-region.
    “ The United Nations as a matter of urgency must assemble a Coalition of Forces from member countries of the United Nations to join forces with the Nigerian military in curtailing the activities of ISWAP that is threating the relative peace and tranquility in Nigeria and the West African sub region.
    “ The Multinational Joint Task Force in the region needs to be strengthened as recent events have shown that ISWAP is still very much around the Lake Chad Basin and without a UN Coalition of Forces, the countries are unlikely to curtail ISWAP fighters at the borders of these countries.
    “ The Global Amnesty Watch, therefore, emphasizes the need for a Global Coalition against acts of terrorism in the Lake Chad Basin to put an end to the nefarious activities of Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists.”

  • Inside Kaduna’s forest of blood

    A large stretch of land thought to be rich in gold deposits, Birnin-Gwari, Kaduna State, has since become a killing field. ABDULGAFAR ALABELEWE, who visited the area after the latest killings, reports

    More than 200 indigenous people of Birnin Gwari in Kaduna State last week took to the streets with placards, protesting the killing of their kinsmen which they say has lingered for more than a decade.

    While the killings remain an unsolved puzzle, some have established links between the attacks and the quest for gold deposits in the area.

    The state governor, Malam Nasir el-Rufai had in 2016 said that the gold deposits in Birnin-Gwari were larger than the gold reserves in South Africa.

    Last week’s protest was informed by another round of killings at Kakangi community penultimate Saturday, during which two policemen were killed in a gun duel with the dreaded armed bandits

    The protesters stormed the streets ahead of the acting Inspector-General of Police Abubakar Adamu and Governor el-Rufai’s visit, chanting that killings and kidnapping in the area must be brought to an end. Led by the Coalition of Birnin-Gwari Association, angry protesters also laid siege on the Emir’s palace, where they also demanded for deployment of more troops to the town which had over the years been ravaged by the activities of kidnappers, armed robbers.

    The major challenge with Birnin Gwari is the existence of the expansive Kamuku, Kuyanbana and Falgore forests. The forests which border Kaduna, Kebbi, Katsina, Sokoto, Niger and Zamfara states, are so large that the bandits are said to have established so many camps inside.

    A security source said the gunmen hide there and only come into town to buy foodstuff in disguise and go back.

    They come out of the forest when they want to kill people. The difficult terrain of the area also makes it impossible for security personnel to respond promptly to any emergency situation.

    The hoodlums who had settled in the forest for years are also believed to be serving an unknown interest, which seeks to prevent government from mining the large solid mineral deposits beneath the forest.

    However, local miners and their customers have been making brisk business at different mining sites at the local government area, despite having their own fair share of the killings.

    Nobody has been able to identify the attackers or their sponsors. Yet, they have moved from one village to another, namely Nabango, Janruwa, and Gwaska, among others, leaving tales of woes behind. While some believe they are cattle rustlers, others think they are just armed bandits, depending on the type of crime committed in a particular area.

    The road from Kaduna to Birnin Gwari town is in a terrible state of dilapidation. In 2015, governors of the six states bordering the forest sponsored military operations that lasted six months as part of efforts to flush out the hoodlums. But as soon as the operation was over, the bandits returned to the forest.

    At one of the meetings of the Northern States Governors Forum (NSGF) sometime in 2016 in Kaduna, El-Rufai advocated that governors of the Northwest region should approach the federal government with a proposal for the handing over of the Kamuku, Kuyambana and Falgore forests for them to manage.

    El-Rufai said in view of the high level of crime across the forests, it may be prudent for the states to manage them rather than leaving them in the hands of the federal government. He said: For such efforts to be credible and sustainable, the state must vigorously reclaim its prerogatives as the guarantor of security.

    “Robust actions in the security sector must be undertaken quickly to implant a visible, reassuring and effective presence of the protective hand of the state across our region,” he said.

    According to El-Rufai, the forests constitute sources of perils to ordinary people, the states and the country. Adding that, after the bitter experience with Boko Haram, it will be a mistake to allow the emergence of a new Sambisa in the forests, which he said provide safe refuge for outlaws and have become the headquarters for robberies, kidnappings and cattle rustling.

    “What is proposed is that we continue to jointly fund special security operations to sanitise these spaces, which must now be accompanied with a development agenda to convert them from areas of insecurity to places that are properly integrated into the economy,” El-Rufai said.

    But after the governors’ joint security programme came to a close, the criminals staged a comeback, and they came back more dreaded than before. This informed the full involvement of the federal government.

    In its efforts to tame the bandits’ acts of terrorism, in Birnin Gwari general area, the Federal Government launched several military and joint security operations, with the peak being the launch of a Forward Operation Base (FOB) in the area by the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Tukur Buratai. This only subdued the crime rate in the area, the killings have since resumed in grand style, while the Kaduna-Birnin road according to remains a dangerous terrain to operate in.

    Motorists, especially commercial drivers plying the road, especially Kaduna-Birnin Gwari axis still go through ‘hell’. They claim that, security and criminals operate like they run shifts on the road.

    Our correspondent who was on an assessment tour of the road recently reports that though there were more than 20 security checkpoints on Birnin-Gwari Road manned by men of the police and local vigilante groups. Motorists said that the checkpoints are only mounted for a few hours daily.

    A commercial motorist, Aliyu Isha whose vehicle our correspondent boarded from Kontagora in Niger State to Kaduna, through Birnin Gwari said, “The only time we enjoy this road is in the afternoon like this. If you follow the road in the morning before 10am, it is almost certain that you will be attacked.

    “I ply this road everyday like other drivers around, but we are safe because we know when to move and when not to. Like now, there is nothing you can give me that will make me go back to Kontagora today except I get passengers to take back before 3pm. Anything after 3pm, I will just sleep in Kaduna.

    “Experience has shown us that, security resumes at their checkpoints around 10am and they close around 4pm. And once the security leaves the road, the criminals take over; it is as if they run shifts with the police. So, anyone who passes Birnin Gwari Road before 10am and after 4pm is doing do at his own risk.”

    Another commercial motorist, who simply identified himself as Shehu, corroborated Isha’s claims, saying, “The armed robbers have suffered these days in the hands of the security agents. So, I will say we have enjoyed the roads to a large extent, but that is not to say that the criminals have disappeared.

    “What the armed robbers do is, they climb trees and rocks to watch security operatives’ movements. Once they see the police leaving the road in the evening, they take over the road. So, for us, we already know their system, so we only work within the hours police are on the road.

    But, if you are so unlucky that your vehicle spoils on the road, you just have to fix your passengers in other vehicles and leave your vehicle there and bring a mechanic to repair during the safe hours.

    “We appreciate the presence of the security personnel and even vigilante on the roads, but if they can stay there throughout the day, it will permanently keep the criminals away. Again the government too should repair the Birnin Gwari road, it is long overdue. If the road is smooth, it will become very difficult for armed robbers and kidnappers to operate.

    “For example, the criminals on Kaduna-Abuja road cannot operate freely like the ones on Birnin-Gwari Road do. Some of our colleagues that have been survivors of the robbers and kidnappers have narrated to us how they operate without fear. They block the road in such a way that that you cannot escape them and rob your passengers, if they don’t get enough money, they march you people into the bush and contact your family for ransom,” Shehu narrated.

    The community leaders have always raised concern of the security situation. The Emir of Birnin Gwari, Malam Jibril Zubairu Mai Gwari in the heat of the armed bandits’ atrocities last year cried out that his people are being killed on a daily basis, stressing that the federal government should intensify efforts at ridding the area of bandits.

    Emir’s lamentation came few days after 11 soldiers on Operation Ayem Akpatuma were killed in the area last year, saying that, armed bandits terrorising his domain hibernate in Zamfara state and come to attack in Birnin Gwari and hibernate in Birnin Gwari and go to Zamfara to carry out attacks.

    He said, he had to cry out about their predicament because until the coming of the minister, they felt they were no longer part of Nigeria. According to the Emir then, “just day before yesterday, two people were killed and nine others, including a newly wedded bride were kidnapped.

    He however asked the interior minister who was on an assessment tour of situation in Birnin Gwari to tell President Muhammadu Buhari to rehabilitate Kaduna-Birnin Gwari-Jebba Road, which has been in a deplorable state for long, arguing that, doing so will help in addressing the security challenges in the area.

  • Onnoghen: I didn’t confess to hiding my bank accounts

    The Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) has scheduled judgment for Thursday in the trial of the suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Walter Onnoghen.

    Onnoghen is being tried on a six-count charge in which he is accused of breaching the Code of Conduct for public officers by allegedly making false declaration of assets and also failing to declare some.

    He denied confessing to hiding his bank accounts. The prosecution insisted that his guilt had been proven.

    CCT’s Chairman Danladi Umar announced the judgment date yesterday after lawyers to the prosecution and defence adopted their final written addresses.

    Umar said the court will also, on April 18, deliver two rulings earlier reserved on two applications filed by the defendant, one of which is challenging the tribunal’s jurisdiction; the other is querying his competence as the tribunal chairman to preside over the case.

    Proceedings began yesterday on a dramatic note when the second most senior member of the prosecution team, Prof Zainab Duke, disagreed with the team’s leader, Aliyu Umar (SAN).

    Shortly after the announcement of appearances by both the prosecution and defence teams, Umar stood up to address the tribunal.

    But, before Umar could say anything, Prof. Duke also indicated her intention to speak, raising her hand – a move the lead prosecution lawyer objected to.

    Duke, who was bent on addressing the tribunal, rose to her feet and reached for the microphone, but Umar, who moved the microphone from her reach.

    Umar, who told Prof Duke that it was improper for her to speak while she was being led by a senior colleague, later applied to the tribunal to delete her name from the prosecution team’s list of lawyers.

    In a brief ruling, the tribunal’s chairman acceded to Umar’s request and deleted Prof. Duke’s name from his record.

    The CCT chairman noted that it was not permitted for two lawyers to speak for a party during proceedings. He said Prof. Duke, could only communicate through Umar, except with approval of her lead counsel, after obtaining the permission of the tribunal.

    Following the pronouncement by the CCT chairman, Prof. Duke sat back a little while, gathered her belongings, including a bag and some books, and left.

    Outside the court, Prof Duke told reporters, who sought to know what the problem was, that her intention was to make some contributions to the prosecution’s opening remarks by citing an example of a similar trial conducted in England some years ago.

    Shortly after Prof. Duke’s exit, the tribunal’s chairman called on the lead defence lawyer, Okon Nkanu Efut (SAN) to adopt the defendant’s final written address.

    Efut, urged the tribunal to dismiss the charge, acquit and discharge the defendant.

    He argued that not only was the charge incompetent, the prosecution failed to establish the defendant’s guilt.

    Efut faulted the competence of the charge and the procedure adopted by the prosecution, which, he argued, were unlawful.

    He faulted the prosecution’s claim that the defendant confessed to the offence when, in his written statement, he said he forgot to declare some of his assets, particularly some bank accounts.

    Efut said: “It is true in ordinary parlance that once a person says he did something, that is admittance. But, confession in law is different from confession in general parlance.

    “When the defendant said he forgot, he did not mean he confessed. We are submitting that there has been no confession at all. There is no admission of guilt. Confession, in law, means admission of guilt.”

    Efut argued that the charge was incompetent because it was brought under Section 15 of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal (CCB/T) Act, which, he said, has been found to be in conflict with Paragraph 11 of the 5th Schedule to the Constitution.

    He added: “The charge ought to have been brought under Parapgraph 11 to the 5th Schedule to the 1999 Constitution. The section under which the charge is prepared is unconstitutional and null and void.

    “The elements of the offence, which the prosecution attempted to prove are as it relate to the Act (CCB/T Act). They failed to prove the elements or ingredients as contained in the 5th Schedule of the 1999 Constitution.

    “If they do not know the ingredients of the offence, they could not have proved it. They acted in ignorance.

    “We urge that the charge be dismissed, because the prosecution has not proved beyond reasonable doubt the ingredients or elements of the offence.”

    Efut also faulted the prosecution’s claim that the defendant made false declaration of assets, insisting that Onnoghen fully complied with the law by declaring his assets as required.

    He referred to page 13, paragraph 27 of the prosecution’s final written address, where he said the prosecution argued that “the failure or refusal of the defendant to give information on the accounts is partially false”.

    Efut argued that for the prosecution to have said the defendant’s action was partially false “means that it is partially true and, therefore, cannot be false”.

    He went on: “If it is partially false, it raises some doubt as to the falsity. If there is any iota of doubt, the law says it must be resolved in favour of the defendant.

    “On the whole, we urge that this six-charge be dismissed, because the prosecution has failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt the essential elements or ingredients of the offences.”

    Countering Efut while adopting his address, Umar, urged the tribunal to hold that the prosecution has proved its case against the defendant beyond reasonable doubt.

    Umar equally urged the tribunal to hold that the defendant is guilty on all the six counts.

    On the defence’s attack of the charge’s competence, Umar contended: “In coming to the decision whether or not a defendant is guilty, it is the hard fact that the court should look at.

    “It is a misconception by the defence to think the first set of charge is null and void simply because it is not elegantly drafted the way the defendant would have wanted it drafted.

    “They have not shown that the defendant was misled by the way the charge was drafted. It is not the statute that creates an offence.”

    Umar argued that there was no conflict between the provision of the CCB/T Act and the Constitution as claimed by the defence.

    He submitted that the prosecution had effectively discharged its responsibility under the law by establishing the guilt of the defendant.

    Umar argued that by evidence led, the prosecution showed that the defendant did not declare his assets as required either by the Act or the Constitution.

    He faulted the defence’s contention that the defendant did not confess and argued that “it is neither the provision of the Evidence Act or case law for the suspect to tell the police that I am guilty of the offence”.

    “It is the action or omission that the court will consider to determine the guilt or otherwise of the defendant.

    “In Exhibit 6 (the defendant’s statement), if the defendant said I did not declare, because I forgot, it is for the court to decide whether or not forgetting is a defence envisaged by the Act.

    “In 2016, he went before a High Court judge and declared his assets, without referring to the bank accounts.

    “By the evidence of PW3, the accounts had been in existence from 2009 and 2010 and ought to have been declared when the defendant declared his assets in 2016.

    “We urge the tribunal to hold that the prosecution has proved its case beyond reasonable doubt and enter a verdict of conviction.”

  • Omeruo returns as Leganes hold Real Madrid

    Nigeria defender, Kenneth Omeruo returned to Leganes starting line up on Monday in their 1-1 draw at home to Real Madrid in a La Liga clash.

    Omeruo who had missed Leganes’ last three games against Getafe, Real Valladolid and Alaves starred in a five-man defence which paraded Allan Nyom, Unai Bustinza, Dimitrios Siovas and Jonathan Silva.

    Jonathan Silva scored for Leganes in the waning seconds of the first half when the defender curled a shot past Madrid goalkeeper Keylor Navas inside the box.

    Karim Benzema drew Real Madrid level six minutes into the second-half from a tight-angle rebound after Ivan Cuellar blocked the Frenchman’s initial shot.

    The draw strengthened Los Blancos’ third-place spot in the table but remain four points behind second-place Atletico Madrid.

    While for Leganes the draw extends their unbeaten streak to four league games, but have not defeated Madrid in league play in the last six matchups.

    Omeruo who is currently on loan from Chelsea has made 22 La Liga appearances this season.

  • Court frees Ozubulu massacre suspects

    A High court sitting in Awka has discharged and acquitted two remaining suspects standing trial for alleged involvement in the killing of worshipers in a church in Ozubulu, Anambra state.

    In a ruling that lasted for over three hours, Justice Fidelis Aniukwu ruled that the prosecution counsel was unable to prove beyond reasonable doubt the allegations leveled against the defendants, Chinedu Akpunonu and Onyebuchi Mbanefo.

    Unknown gunmen had on August 6, 2017, invaded St Philips Catholic Church, Ozubulu in Ekwusigo local government area of the state and killed no fewer than thirteen persons.

    The Judge had in December 2018 discharged two out of the four persons arraigned before a high court in November 2017 following the church attack.

    Justice Aniukwu argued that the prosecution witnesses could not provide any evidence linking the defendants with the murder as alleged.

    Reacting to the judgement, the defence counsel, Mr. Festus Kayemo SAN, described it as landmark in view of the accelerated hearing granted by the presiding Judge.

    Kayemo, represented in court by another counsel, Mr Samuel Echeakputa, however said he would not be surprised if the judgement would be appealed.

    “It’s the prosecution’s right to appeal the judgement. But from what I witnessed in the court today, it will be very difficult for the appeal court to upturn the judgement,” he said.

    Read Also: Ozubulu killings: ‘killers threaten to attack four more families’

    One of the defendants, Mr Chinedu Akpunonu, was full of gratitude to God for vindicating him from what he described as attempt by some persons to smear his reputation.

    He however said he had forgiven his accusers, urging them to join hands to ensure peace reined in the community.

    He said, “From the beginning, I told my people that I was not involved in the killing. But the Lord gave me victory as a proof that I’m very innocent.

    “I didn’t know I was very important to my people until I saw excitement in the faces of crowd that came to court. I’ve already forgiven all that put hands to put me in prison.

    “I thank those that stood by me throughout my travail. I also thank my lawyer and the Judge for delivering a fair and sound judgement.”

    Meanwhile, the prosecution counsel, Mr Jay Jay Ezeuko SAN, said he would determine the next step after receiving a copy of the judgement.

  • Beware of car thieves’ new tricks, EFCC warns Nigerians

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has alerted the public to the new tricks used by car thieves to dispossess unsuspecting Nigerians of their vehicles.

    The alert, the commission said, was borne out of investigations into alleged crime levelled against a suspected car thief, Babatunde Oluwatope Oni (aka Olu Daniel, Oni Daniel Oluwatope).

    Babatunde, who hails from Odo Eri in Yagba West Local Government Area of Kogi State, was arrested by the Ibadan zonal office of the commission for alleged conspiracy, stealing and issuance of a dud cheque.

    This followed a petition the EFCC said it received from a car dealer, Mr. Kamoru Yekini, on November 21, last year.

    The petitioner alleged that on October 16, last year, two men approached him at his shop in Iwo town of Osun State, indicating interest to buy a 2006 Toyota Matrix car he displayed for sale.

    After negotiation on the price, the two parties reportedly agreed on N1,580,000.00, and a post-dated First Bank cheque was said to have been issued to cover the cost.

    The cheque bore the name of Rabiu Bamidele Lateef as the account owner.

    It was learnt that Babatunde allegedly acted as a driver to the other (fleeing) suspect with whom he negotiated to buy the car.

    The other man was said to have falsely introduced himself as the account owner and a doctor at Bowen University, Iwo.

    After agreeing on the price, Bamidele reportedly left the scene to “deposit” the money and later returned with a copy of the deposit slip as evidence of payment.

    Though not comfortable with the payment arrangement, the car dealer was said to have reluctantly released the vehicle and the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) duty papers, hoping that he would contact the “buyer” through his phone number, should any issue arise.

    It was learnt that the car dealer got a call from his bank the following day that the cheque had been returned unpaid due to insufficient funds.

    Yekini’s efforts to get the suspects proved abortive as the information they provided was said to be false.

    This propelled him to petition the EFCC for assistance.

    Read also: EFCC arrests businessman for raking N7b from 20,700 investors

    The commission reportedly recovered the car in Abuja, the nation’s capital, where it had been sold to a lady for N1,800,000.00.

    Further investigations, the EFCC said, tracked the car back to Babatunde, who was arrested in his hideout in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

    While Babatunde was in the EFCC’s custody, another complainant was said to have surfaced with a similar issue.

    According to the complainant, on September 7, last year, two men were at his filling station at Mokola, Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, to negotiate for a 2007 Toyota Avensis car he displayed.

    He alleged that after the negotiation, the “intending buyers” agreed to pay N2,000,000.00. Again, Bamidele reportedly issued a cheque to pay for the car.

    Just as he did in the other case, Babatunde also acted as the driver to the “big man” he accompanied.

    The suspect took the cheque to the seller’s bank to “deposit” the money and came back with a deposit slip.

    While they were testing the car, the car dealer told the suspects to hold on for him to confirm the status of the deposit from his account officer.

    But before he could do so, Bamidele and his partner zoomed off with the car, since its keys and papers had been handed over to them.

    The cheque with which he made the “payment” was returned unpaid and efforts to contact the men were abortive.

    EFCC said its investigation revealed that Babatunde’s modus operandi was to issue dud cheques to car dealers and abscond with the vehicles.

    Such cheques were said to have either been stolen from unsuspecting persons or were linked to phoney accounts.

    The EFCC said the cheque bearing the name of Rabiu Bamidele Lateef was stolen, adding that the owner, a pastor, had made statement to the commission to deny knowledge of issuance of his cheque for the transaction.

    Apart from stealing people’s cheques and issuing dud cheques to commit fraud, the commission said its investigations also revealed that Bamidele often used fictitious names in some of his transactions.

    When asked about the identities of his accomplices, Bamidele reportedly gave the name of Santar Ademola, said to have died.

    The suspect was said to have committed a similar offence in 2017, when he was prosecuted by a sister agency for car theft.

    But he was reportedly released from prison custody when the complainant stopped showing interest.

    “Members of the public are, by this report, advised to be wary when transacting business with people they do not know.

    “The commission is making frantic efforts to get other culprits arrested. They will be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded,” EFCC said.

  • UTME: 50 exam contractors held

    FIFTY professional examination writers have been arrested in the ongoing Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) said yesterday.

    The board said the impostors were arrested nationwide following its intelligence gathering mechanism.

    JAMB’s spokesperson Fabian Benjamin made the revelation in the agency’s weekly bulletin.

    Fabian identified some of the professional examination writers as Masters’ degree holders, postgraduate and undergraduate students of various tertiary institutions in the country.

    He said the professional writers connived with owners and operators of Computer Based Test Centres (CBTs) to carry out the crime by engaging in multiple registrations where the fingerprints of the main candidates are captured side by side with that of the impostors.

    The bulletin reads: “The board has uncovered a group of professional examination writers who take the exams for prospective candidates for a fee.

    “As a result of intelligence gathering, over 50 of such writers have been arrested across the country.

    “Some of the fraudsters are Masters’ Degree holders, postgraduate and undergraduate students of tertiary institutions.

    “The modus operandi of these UTME syndicates was confirmed when one of the kingpins was apprehended recently.”

    Dr. Fabian said the culprit confessed to have done multiple registrations of his biometric along with several other candidates with the intention of sitting for them and collecting huge sums of money from the candidates.

    The bulletin further said: “This Development is the fundamental reason for the decision of the board to revalidate all biometrics of candidates that have taken the board’s examination in recent times.

    “This timely action would enable the board to not only fish out and dismantle these registration cartels and racketeers but also bring them to book along with their collaborators.”

    Also, Fabian said 1, 236, 316 candidates out of the 1.8 million registered has so far taken the examination.

    “A total of 1,886,238 UTME candidates are expected to sit nationwide. And, 1,236,316 candidates have so far taken their examination,” it added.

  • Induction and battle for ninth National Assembly’s leadership

    The venue of the induction of senators-elect and House of Representatives members-elect offered those seeking the leadership of the National Assembly to sell their candidature, reports Onyedi Ojiabor, Abuja.

    The curtain was dropped on Friday on the induction of senators-elect and House of Representatives members-elect of the ninth National Assembly.

    With the conclusion of the orientation for new members, the stage is set for the dissolution of the Eight National Assembly after the expiration of a period of four years which commenced from the date of the first sitting of the Assembly on June 9th, 2015.

    President Muhammadu Buhari is scheduled to issue a proclamation for the inauguration of the Ninth National Assembly to hold on June 11, 2019.

    The induction programme, no doubt, formed part of the preparation of the federal legislators-designate as they gear up to take the vital national assignment of lawmaking for the good and welfare of the country.

    Beyond the induction of members, the orientation, which featured talk-shops on legislative procedures and nuances, was turned to a battleground by National Assembly office seekers.

    It appears nobody wanted to be left out of the game. Sparks of what some of the incoming lawmakers have to offer emerged through questions.

    The vexed issue of the struggle for the leadership of the National Assembly featured prominently at the Transcorp Hilton, Abuja venue of the orientation.

    It was a game of wits. While some contenders for the exalted positions of National Assembly leadership were discreet and exemplarily subtle in their approach to sell their candidature, others threw caution to the winds. To the latter group, “all is well that ends”.

    Billboards of aspirants, especially those gunning for the speaker of the House of Representatives, dotted the nooks and crannies of the orientation venue. This was apparently to the distaste of other visitors to the high brow hospitality industry.

    The venue was not spared of flyers of various sizes and colours. Front runners busied themselves moving from seat to seat distributing flyers and collecting telephone numbers. Nothing was left to chance as every second mattered to the office seekers.

    “The battle is on” one of the newcomers who watched the high level of horse trading and scheming gleefully declared. “Which battle,” another pretentiously asked.

    The selection of the Senate President, Speaker, House Representatives, deputy Senate President, and deputy Speaker House Representatives that should have ordinarily been a done deal for the All Progressives Congress (APC) with its clear majority in the two chambers, has been turned into an unsettled business.

    To say that the end game of the selection process even with the clear position of the APC in the case of the Senate is dangerously tilting and leaning to unpredictability, maybe to put it mildly.

    Interestingly, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with its minority rank in the Senate and House of Representatives has effectively positioned its members to determine who emerges what in the two chambers.

    That may be the nature of politics especially in this clime where the unexpected happens.

    Money is exchanging hands, they say. Whether the positions of the leadership of the National Assembly will go to the highest bidders, is unclear.

    It may be right to say that the expectation of Nigerians to get it right is high to avoid the hiccup of the event of June 9th, 2015 when Senator Abubakar Bukola Saraki emerged Senate President against his party’s position.

    It is also not in doubt that most Nigerians are looking up to the APC to learn from history and put its house in order to avoid a second fall in the leadership selection process of the National Assembly.

    What may be in doubt is whether the APC has stimulated enough interest and compliance by its members to support the party’s candidates for the National Assembly leadership positions.

    It is equally doubtful whether APC National Assembly members-elect has the strength of character to obey the party.

    The Clerk to the National Assembly, Mohammed Sani-Omolori, kicked off the orientation ceremony by giving an overview of the National Assembly and what the parliament represents in the country.

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    Sani-Omolori detailed the history of the National Assembly and the formations of the National Assembly bureaucracy.

    Saraki took over from Sani-Omolori at the opening dinner for the new members by informing them that the legislature is the bedrock of democracy and the closest arm of government to the people.

    Legislators, he said, are held in a position of trust by the people, and the responsibility is a great one.

    For Saraki, senators-elect and House of Representatives members-elect, should at all times, ensure that the independence of the legislature is non-negotiable.

    National Assembly members, he added, should lead the way in asserting the principle of separation of powers to ensure accountability and due diligence in governance.

    On the leadership question, Saraki was of the view that National Assembly members should be left to elect who leads them without outside interference.

    Saraki talked about how lawmakers should work to overcome any negative perception of the legislature by the public.

    He recognised that the National Assembly is far from unique on the problem of perception.

    All over the world, he said, studies have shown that the legislature is often the most misunderstood arm of government.

    “In Nigeria, the misapprehension as to the role of the legislature is compounded by its being the youngest arm of government in our developing democracy, in a country that is not long out of military rule. The legislature also often appears to be the weakest arm of government. It is, therefore, necessary to focus on strengthening this important institution. The legislative arm of government must be strong because when the legislative arm is strong, democracy will be strong, he said.

    Speaker, House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, re-echoed Saraki’s sentiment on how the leadership of the National Assembly should emerge.

    For Dogara, Nigeria should “learn from history” because “the leadership imposed on the National Assembly has never worked.”

    “Some of us that have been a bit old in the field, we know how that is done. My advice is that we stay calm to understand the people going in for these positions of leadership in the National Assembly.

    “I will advise members to actually look out for those who have thrown themselves into the race to see who is it that will aggregate their aspirations better and then will be able to surpass the record of this Assembly.”

    On the role of party in the emergence of leadership at the National Assembly, he said “Well, I’m not here to dictate to parties, the parties have their manifestoes, the way to do their businesses but one thing I have said and if you followed the business during this induction, it is always better to allow the leadership to emerge from the people.

    “Where leadership has been forced upon the people, the history in the National Assembly, and in fact, the history of Nigeria, it has never endured.

    “The least we could afford in the National Assembly is a crisis on account of the leadership selection process.

    “So whoever a party is sponsoring and supporting, they should make sure they have the backing of the legislature so that they (legislators) accept it because they own the process and they own the leadership.

    “That way, it will be good but in a situation, it is forced, literally driven down the throat, in most cases, it doesn’t augur well. Even in the Senate, it doesn’t augur well. In the House of Representatives too, it doesn’t augur well too,” Dogara warned.

    The orientation was also an opportunity for the military to explain its role during the just concluded 2019 elections.

    Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Abayomi Olonisakin defended the military actions during profusely.

    For Gen. Olanisakin if such actions were taken and deployment of the military personnel made, the security situation of the country would have been jeopardised.

    The military chief insisted that the deployment of the military personnel during the election was constitutional especially when he said deployment helped to save the country from being thrown into a war zone.

    Talking on “Issues on Security and governance” Gen. Olonisakin said:

    “The armed forces of Nigeria derived its authority from p1 s3, 217 of the 1999 constitution which provides for the armed forces of Nigeria comprising of the Nigerian Army, the Nigeria Navy and the Nigeria Air Force.

    “During the just concluded 2019 general elections, the success of the electoral process was almost hampered by the security in some parts of the country. Many crises prone areas were properly manned by security services to ensure that the voters were secured enough to carry out their civic duties of electing candidates of their choices.

    “There have been various arguments by different positions of political parties and other stakeholders of the legality and otherwise of the military in support of the civic authority in the election process.

    “A critical area of support that was provided and perhaps not very visible to the public is the deployment of military logistics capabilities. Especially naval and air access to support the movement of materials across the country.

    “I need to reiterate that this deployment is in line with the constitutional role of the armed forces of Nigeria as earlier stated. Even in the last general election 2019, the security situation in the country during the election process is better imagined if the military had not been deployed to perform their secondary responsibility thus the effect of security on governance is an important aspect that lawmakers, military personnel and the civil public need to understand in other to make the right decisions.

    “A good understanding of these dynamics would enable political leaders and public officials to make realistic decisions and enact laws to achieve national security objectives. Over the years, the armed forces of Nigeria have built various capacities to enable it to perform our various goals. This capacity development is dependent on a number of factors including training and the availability of adequate platforms which has a direct impact in improving the capability of the armed forces of Nigeria in the field and the subsequent effect on national security.”

    “These two fundamentals can hardly be achieved in the midst of both internal and external threats in the nation, most government across the globe always strive to ensure that the state is secure and free from crises that could compromise good governance. There is a crucial link between good governance, national security and economic development. If security is not maintained, governance cannot be delivered and therefore it would be a great threat to the unity and integrity of the country. Hence, there would be no meaningful, sustainable development and similarly, security cannot be safeguarded if governance is delivered by an inefficient and disorganized administration.”

    On his own Chairman, Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Offences Commission (ICPC), Professor Bolaji Owasanoye, dwelt on how some members of the National Assembly compromise their major constitutional functions of oversight and investigation.

    The ICPC boss was of the view that as a result of the comprise, especially through commercialisation of their activities, the members lack the will to carry out their constitutional role of oversight and investigation.

    Professor Owasanoye spoke on “The role of the legislature in the war against corruption and graft.’

    “We should avoid a situation where because people are being investigated, they come to say they want to change the laws to forestall that. I want to urge the lawmakers not to support that.

    “Oversight function has been commercialised, which is why the mechanism hasn’t been effective. The legislature is accused of passing the costs to MDAs and of accepting other forms of gratification-foreign trips, phoney seminars, to look the other way.

    “The Legislature has powers of investigation: this was very well utilised in the past. But many other times, the power is commercialised. You find out that the investigators become compromised in the process. There’s lacuna on what the legislature should do with the findings,” Professor Owasanoye said.

    The Auditor-General for the Federation (AGF), Anthony Ayine, underscored the need for members of the National Assembly to take steps to clear mounting backlogs of audit reports submitted them.

    For the AGF, there is no doubt that corruption has stifled economic growth and development in the country.

    Speaking on “The role of National Assembly in promoting public accountability” Ayine lamented no Auditor-General’s report submitted to the National Assembly that has been comprehensively considered by the National Assembly since 1999.

    He explained that for audit report to be seen to have been fully considered after submission, a resolution of the National Assembly must be transmitted to the Executive arm for necessary action.

    Good governance, the AGF said, will remain a mirage in the country, without transparency (openness) and accountability.

    “Corruption has stifled economic growth and development in our country. I am therefore optimistic that synergistic effects of efforts of the three arms of government in ensuring openness and accountability can put Nigeria on a good pedestal and enable her to attain her place in the comity of nations where corruption is despised.

    “The two Public Accounts Committees (PACs) should draw up a time table for clearing backlogs of audit reports,” he said.

    The AGF did not stress that accountability has to do with stewardship while openness is important because nothing is hidden, a situation that makes corruption impossible.

    The induction of new members of the National Assembly over, attention has shifted to the inauguration to birth a new parliament.

    There are issues, however; issues of adaptability by the newcomers; issues of the high number of freshers who may still have to go through the ropes to understand the art of lawmaking; issues of high expectations that may not be met.

    There is also the issue of whether it will be business as usual in the National Assembly; whether the ninth National Assembly will toe a new line in its relationship with the executive arm of government; whether the dog eats dog and cat and mouse relationship will be consigned to the dustbin of history.

    It may be difficult to decipher the true colour of the ninth National Assembly through the faces of people at the induction ceremony.

    What may help to decode the character of the ninth Assembly will be the kind of leadership that will emerge on June 11, at the inauguration of the New Parliament.

  • NPA may convert Lilypond Terminal to truck park

    The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) may convert Lilypond Terminal at Ijora to a trailer park in a bid to ease the gridlock  on Apapa Ports roads.

    The roads lead to the Tin Can Island and Apapa Ports, the nation’s busiest terminals.

    In a chat with The Nation during a facility tour by the NPA board, its General Manager, Public Affairs, Adams Jatto, said the idea was mooted to address the Apapa traffic crises.

    It may, however, spark controversy because the NPA last September 1 awarded a fresh five-year development concession of the Lilypond Terminal to APM Terminal after the expiration of its 2006 concession.

    Details of the new arrangement remain unknown.

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    Jatto said: “Lilypond Container Terminal was erroneously concessioned ab initio because the said terminal does not have a water front for loading and offloading of cargo. Consequently, after the expiration of the lease, the terminal was however reclassified and granted a five-year development lease.”

    The authority, he said, would soon begin work at the terminal to ascertain the number of trucks it can take. NPA, Jatto added, would adopt an orderly electronic call up system for the parking of trucks at the terminal before they go to the ports for loading.

    The NPA generated N565,142,063.36 and N560,734,047 from the leasing of the facility in 2017 and 2018 when it was not concessioned.

    Clearing agents at the terminal had complained of about 300 job loss due to the idle state of the facility and accused APMT of doing nothing about the influx of containers.

  • Notre Dame Cathedral ‘saved from total destruction’

    THE 850-year-old Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris, was last night saved from “total destruction,” a French fire official said after a massive fire ripped through the structure and caused the roof to collapse.

    Residents living close to the historical monument were evacuated in case the building would collapse, said Paris Mayor Anne Hildago.

    One fireman was “seriously injured,” according to the official.

    Firefighters at the scene said all efforts were being directed towards saving the artwork stored at the back of the cathedral, which had been undergoing renovations and preventing the collapse of its northern tower.

    Flames that began at 5.50pm burst rapidly through the roof of the 850-year-old cathedral and engulfed the spire, which collapsed, quickly followed by the entire roof.

    A huge plume of smoke wafted across the city and ash fell over a large area. Parisians watching from the other side of the River Seine gasped as the spire folded over onto itself and fell into the inferno.

    President Emmanuel Macron said the whole nation was moved. “Like all our compatriots, I am sad this evening to see this part of all of us burn,” he tweeted.

    At around 1930 GMT, nearly three hours after the fire started, a Fire Department spokesman said the next 90 minutes would be crucial in seeing if the blaze could be contained.

    “Basically the whole rooftop is gone. I see no hope for the building,” said witness Jacek Poltorak, watching the fire from a fifth-floor balcony two blocks from the southern facade of the cathedral, one of France’s most visited sites.

    As of yesterday, the spire of the cathedral had fallen, and the fire had spread to one of its iconic rectangular towers. A French Interior Ministry official had previously said firefighters may not be able to save the cathedral.

    The Paris prosecutor’s office said it had launched an inquiry into the fire. France 2 television reported that police were treating it as an accident.

    “Everything is collapsing,” a police officer near the scene said as the cathedral continued to burn.

    Macron, who cancelled an address to the nation that he had been due to give yesterday evening, went to the scene of the blaze and talked to officials trying to contain it.

    The French Civil Security service, possibly responding to U.S. President Donald Trump’s suggestion that firefighters “act quickly” and employ flying water tankers, said that was not an option as it might destroy the entire building.

    “Helicopter or plane, the weight of the water and the intensity of dropping it at low altitude could weaken the structure of Notre-Dame and cause collateral damage to surrounding buildings,” it tweeted.

    World leaders sent messages of support yesterday.

    German Chancellor Angela Merkel and British Prime Minister Theresa May said their thoughts were with the French people. Merkel called the cathedral a “symbol of France and our European culture”.

    The Vatican said the blaze had caused “shock and sadness” and said it was praying for the firefighters.

    The cathedral, which dates back to the 12th century, features in Victor Hugo’s classic novel “The Hunchback of Notre-Dame”. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site that attracts millions of tourists every year.

    It is a focal point for French Roman Catholics who like Christians around the world are celebrating Holy Week, marking the death and resurrection of Jesus.

    The archbishop of Paris called on all priests in Paris to ring church bells as a gesture of solidarity for Notre-Dame.

    “I have a lot of friends who live abroad and every time they come I tell them to go to Notre-Dame,” said witness Samantha Silva, with tears in her eyes.

    “I’ve visited it so many times, but it will never be the same. It’s a real symbol of Paris.”

    The cathedral was in the midst of renovations, with some sections under scaffolding, and bronze statues were removed last week for works.

    Built over a century starting in 1163, Notre-Dame is considered to be among the finest examples of French Gothic cathedral architecture.

    It is renowned for its rib vaulting, flying buttresses and stunning stained glass windows, as well as its many carved stone gargoyles.

    Its 100-metre-long (330-foot) roof, of which a large section was consumed in the first hour of the blaze, was one of the oldest such structures in Paris, according to the cathedral’s website.

    “There are a lot of art works inside … it’s a real tragedy,” Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo told reporters at the scene.

    A centre of Roman Catholic faith, over the centuries Notre-Dame has also been a target of political upheaval.

    It was ransacked by rioting Protestant Huguenots in the 16th century, pillaged again during the French Revolution of the 1790s and left in a state of semi-neglect. Hugo’s 1831 work led to revived interest in the cathedral and a major – partly botched – restoration that began in 1844.

    The wood-and-lead spire was built during that restoration, according to the cathedral’s website.

    UNESCO said in a tweet it was “closely monitoring the situation and is standing by France’s side to safeguard and restore this invaluable heritage”.