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  • Navy, others search for answer to piracy

    As maritime crimes assume transnational and frightening dimensions in the Gulf of Guinea (GoG), regional navies and other stakeholders have converged on Lagos to work out how to set aside territorial boundaries for the common good, reports Precious Igbonwelundu.

    This year’s OBANGAME Express was not the first multinational sea exercise in the Gulf of Guinea. It was, in fact, the ninth edition, a brainchild of the United States Naval Forces Africa (US NAVAF) commenced in 2010. But the 2019 edition of the exercise that had 20 African navies and 11 allied nations in attendance was one of many firsts.

    It was indeed, the first time member states agreed to uninterrupted hot pursuit of suspect vessels across territorial space in about 85 mock exercises executed within 12 days. Also, this year’s OBANGAME Express was the first time a fully equipped Regional Maritime Domain Awareness Training School, a counterpart funding initiative between Nigeria and U.S. situated at the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) BEECROFT, was put to use. Participating navies enacted their scenarios at sea. It was also a first for the deployment of sniffer dogs to the high seas for counter drug trafficking simulations.

    Hosted by the Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, the exercise aimed at assessing and improving the GoG law enforcement capacity, promote national and regional security, improve knowledge of African Maritime Law Enforcement Partnership (AMLEP), planning and operations, as well as shape security forces’ assistance efforts.

    A multi-phased exercise, which promotes the importance of regional cooperation between all the navies in the GoG, OBANGAME Express, a Fang, Southern Cameroonian word for togetherness, is designed to improve regional cooperation, maritime domain awareness, information sharing and enhance the collective capabilities of member states to counter illegalities in the maritime domain.

    It also served to demonstrate and evaluate operational capability to respond to maritime events, prevent and counter maritime threats; demonstrate power projection and the ability to effectively operate as a multinational force under a regional control authority; demonstrate and evaluate maritime operations centre operability with tactical units and evaluate and access Africa Partnership Station (APS) training effects.

    For this year, the Nigerian Navy (NN) deployed eight warships, including two Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs)- NNS CENTENARY and NNS UNITY; two maritime patrol helicopters to complement a warship each deployed by the US, Togolese and Portuguese navies for the Nigerian phase of the sea exercise.

    At the opening ceremony which held at the Naval Dockyard Limited (NDL) Victoria Island, Lagos, the need for regional navies to eschew suspicion, allow seamless patrol and uninterrupted hot pursuit of rogue vessels from one country’s territorial to the other was brought to the fore giving the ease with which pirates, sea robbers and other maritime offenders navigated the general area.

    Acknowledging the security challenges plaguing the region, Vice Admiral Ibas told participants at the opening ceremony in Lagos that these multifaceted and evolving threats were leading to deepening conditions inimical to peace and security. Of particular concern, he said, was the realisation that many of the threats posed a great danger to effective exploitation of the maritime environment and increasingly manifest as transnational and cross-border crimes, hence, the need for a united response by regional navies and coastguards.

    “This esteemed assembly is no doubt fully abreast of the gains of the African Integrated Maritime Strategy (AIMS) 2050 and the Yaoundé Code of Conduct of 2013, which have facilitated capacity building within a defined architecture for regional maritime security Operations.

    “These instruments have also emplaced standards for inter-regional co-operation based on law enforcement at sea, information sharing and training, further enhancing multilateral collaboration in the GoG.

    “This is the spirit that birthed the OBANGAME EXPRESS as a tool for enhancing the collective capabilities of GoG countries to counter sea-based illicit activities by improving regional cooperation,” said Ibas.

    For Vice Admiral Ibas, one of the gains of collaboration was the agreement by members of the Economic Community of West African State (ECOWAS) Zone E to allow navies of member state chase suspect vessels into another territory without the usual bureaucratic and diplomatic bottlenecks. The development, he noted, was giving the criminals a hard time which has ultimately led to reducing maritime crime in recent times.

    While participants for the sea exercise sailed safely to the Atlantic Ocean from western waters, heads of navies and coastguards of the region, academics, European and American partners, among others converged on the Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island for a three-day Senior Leadership Symposium to seek lasting solution to sea robbery, piracy, crude oil theft, Illegal, Unregulated and Unreported (IUU) fishing, human and illicit trafficking of weapons and drugs to name a few.

    At sea, the participating platforms conducted exercises, such as tactical manoeuvring, counter illicit trafficking, search and rescue, anti-piracy, energy security, ship boarding and queries, air operations, communication drills, regional information sharing, anti-illegal fishing, advanced medical training, Vessel Boarding Search and Seizure (VBSS), vertical assault simulations and Gun Exercises (Gunnex).

    “The anti-arms and narcotics smuggling began at exactly 10 am of day-two. The simulation saw the Portuguese ship interrogate NNS Centenary which acted as a suspect vessel. What played out was that the suspect vessel had declared that it was only carrying spare parts, just for the security forces to find drugs (cocaine) onboard, which led to arrest of the captain and five crew members.

    “The second exercise started at exactly 14:35 pm and involved six ships including two vessels from NN, and one respectively from Portugal, Cameroon, Morrocco and U.S. The contingent carried out battle formations before the exercise proper.

    “On day three, the simulation of illegal drugs and fishing happened. After the illegal vessel was arrested, they were interrogated, arrested then handed over to the immigration for further investigation and persecution. Afterwards, a search and rescue operation was carried out during the simulation of a hijacked vessel.  Day four saw the repetition of search and rescue operation. However, helicopter landing and medical evacuation also took place,” narrated a journalist who was onboard NNS CENTENARY for the five-day sea exercise

    Reviewing the exercise at the closing ceremony in Lagos, the U.S. NAVAF described this edition as the most difficult since the commencement of OBANGAME Express.

    The difficulties notwithstanding, US Navy Admiral James Foggo scored this year’s excellent, noting that exercise scenarios were specifically drafted to suit maritime threats in the region.

    He said: “I have served in the headquarters of the African Partnership Station since 2010 and when we started, we did not have maritime operational centres; we did not have the Yaounde Code of Conduct in the maritime domain of the Gulf of Guinea.

    “Now, countries collaborate better than they did in 2010 because of relationships built as a result of OBANGAME Express held every year. We have made incredible progress.

    “This year was even more difficult. We had sniffer dogs for anti-drug trafficking simulations. We had Special Boats Services (SBS) from the Nigerian Navy. For the first time, we had the Maritime Domain Awareness Centre as part of the exercise.

    “We are enthusiastic about successes recorded in the past nine years as we look forward to the 10th year. I give this year’s exercise an A+. “Firstly, we had 33 countries, 2500 participants from navies and coastguards from GoG nations, Europe, Cape Verde and North America all coming to participate in maritime domain security.

    ‘In the last couple of weeks, we have had 85 series of exercises, 95 ships some big as NNS THUNDER and others as small as patrol crafts. We had 12 aircraft participating and providing Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR).

    “We did so many exercises, some started off slow and easy till it got very hard like a vertical assault at sea: that is training with risk. We will take the lessons learnt and implement in the next one.”

    Forggo said he was enthusiastic about success recorded in the past nine years and looked forward to the 10th year.

    Read also: Indian government seeks closer ties with Nigerian Navy

    Acknowledging that maritime crimes in the GoG had evolved beyond the scope and capabilities of each nation, Defence Minister Mansur Dan-Ali called for collaborative commitment for a common approach.

    Dan-Ali, who was represented by Director Navy, Patrick Ekawu, said the scourge of various forms of illegalities constituted serious challenges to the development of the countries in the region.

    “One commonality amongst these maritime threats is that they have become transnational and have evolved beyond the scope and capability of one nation to combat. For most of the Gulf of Guinea Navies and Coast Guards therefore, one of the major implications of the emerging security equation is the increasing demand for maritime policing functions. Regrettably, in the past decade, a huge capability gap has emerged amongst Gulf of Guinea Navies and Coast Guards, in the efficient discharge of these roles.

    “The situation increasingly gave rise to the need for greater international collaboration as well as interagency cooperation across various national capabilities and policy levels. It is against this background that Exercise OBANGAME EXPRESS has remained relevant in developing the capabilities of the various navies and coast guards in the Gulf of Guinea to combat maritime security challenges within their maritime domain, collaboration with international partners, relevant maritime security agencies and organisations…

    “Permit me to reiterate that the magnitude of most maritime threats and their inter-connectedness, coupled with the fact that they provide such a diversity of impact demand that we keep coming together to fashion collaborative framed responses. I make bold to state that no single Navy or Coast Guard can do it alone. It is therefore hoped that the lessons from this exercise would be developed into collaborative action plans to support strategic-level initiatives to enhance our collective preparedness to meet emerging future maritime challenges in the ever-changing strategic security environment.”

    To Vice Admiral Ibas, the exercise achieved its objectives as it showcased the use and importance of communication among the nations in the respective maritime zones, especially in areas of maritime interdiction operations. “It also created a platform for the NN to practice the operationalisation of the Harmonised Standard Operation Procedures for arrest, detention and prosecution of a criminal vessel in our waters.

    “The exercise of the task elements in anti-piracy, hostage rescue operations and tactical fleet manoeuvres, in particular, is most rewarding. Furthermore, I recognise among the several other highpoints the valuable practice of the Special Forces in VBSS operations, and insertion/extraction of troops, evidence collected from crime scenes in conjunction with the MDAs in furtherance of law enforcement and the staging of mock MEDEVAC.

    “The prospects of greater integration of the established maritime security mechanism covering ECCAS 4 zones (A-D) and ECOWAS zones E, F and G as a structure to support security in the GoG has pleasantly been raised both from the understanding secured from the complimentary Senior Leadership Symposium and in the combined exercise. We can by this achievement, look forward to greatly enhanced mutual support operations at sea.”

    Speaking at a pre-event briefing, Flag Officer Commanding (FOC), Western Naval Command, Rear Adm. Obed Ngalabak, said about 31 countries, including 20 African nations and 11 allied countries, were participating in the exercise.

    Ngalabak said: “The Obangame Express is aimed at assessing and improving GOG law enforcement capacity, promoting national and regional security, improving knowledge of African Maritime Law Enforcement Partnership (AMLEP) planning and operations and shaping security force assistance efforts.

    “The overall objectives are to assess each of the participating countries’ capabilities in Maritime Domain Awareness and Maritime Interdiction Operations.’’

  • Assets decalaration: Onnoghen opens defence with driver as 1st witness

    THE suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Justice Walter Onnoghen opened his defence yesterday by calling his driver, Lawal Busari, as his first defence witness.

    Justice Onnoghen is being tried on a six count charge in which he is accused of breaching the code of conduct for public officers for allegedly failing to declare his assets.

    Led in evidence by lead defence lawyer Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), Busari gave details of how he drove his boss, the defendant, to the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) Office on July 28, 2010, to obtain the assets declaration form and how he paid N200 for the defendants’ assets declaration on November 3, 2010.

    Busari, who said he is 60 years old, described himself as the Chief Driver/Mechanic at the Supreme Court.

    When Awomolo moved to tender the receipt issued Busari for the N200, lead prosecution lawyer, Aliyu Umar (SAN), objected to it, being admitted by the tribunal.

    Umar doubted the authenticity of the receipt on the grounds that the “revenue number did not appear on it.”

    He added that since the witnesses was not the maker of the document, he was not the proper person to tender it.

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    Tribunal Chairman Danladi Umar overruled Umar’s objection by admitting the document in evidence, promising that his court would determine the weight to be attached to it.

    The defence said by the witness’ testimony, it sought to puncture the prosecution’s charge that the defendant did not declare his assets from 2005 and 2016.

    Busari added that while with Onnoghen at the CCB office on July 28, 2010, the suspended CJN also asked him to obtain his own assets declaration form, which he did.

    The witness said he submitted his completed form and that of his boss at the CCB office in Asokoro, Abuja on November 4, 2010.

    Busari added: “I don’t know the name of the person who collected the forms from me, but I know she was a woman, who was light in complexion.

    “She received my form and that of my lordship. I was not given any acknowledgment copy that day. I was asked to come for it when it is ready.”

    Busari said he later went back and received the acknowledgment slip for his own submitted form.

    Awomolo sought to tender the acknowledgment slip issued to the witness by the CCB, a move the prosecution lawyer objected on the grounds that the document was not relevant to the proceedings.

    The tribunal Chairman agreed to Umar’s objection and rejected the document.

    While being cross-examined by the prosecution lawyer, Busari admitted being the defendant’s driver since 1999 while he was still a Justice of the Court of Appeal.

    Buhari said he drove him to obtain his asset declaration form in 2010, but that he did not go with the defendant to the CCB office when he obtained the form for the assets declaration which the judge did after his appointed to the Supreme Court bench.

    About his educational qualification, Busari said he obtained his West African Examination Council’s certificate in 2004.

    At a point, the lead prosecution lawyer asked Busari if he was reading from a piece of paper.

    The witness admitted the he has a piece of paper in his hand, following which the tribunal chairman directed that the paper be retrieved from the witness for the tribunal’s examination.

    An official of the tribunal took the paper from the witness and handed it to the tribunal chairman. After he read through the paper, the prosecution lawyer applied that it be returned to the witness.

    When asked who wrote what was contained in the paper, the witness said: “My Lord, I wrote it myself. It is my hand writing and it contained facts about me”.

    The defence did not object to the application by the prosecution to tender the paper in evidence, following which the tribunal admitted it in evidence and marked it as Exhibit 7.

    Busari told the tribunal that he also has Trade Test Certificates, Grade 1, 2, and 3. He described the defendant as a good man, saying he was attached to the defendant as a driver when he was still a Justice of the Court of Appeal.

    The witness added: “He has done so many things I can’t forget. When we went to Jos for tribunal, I wanted to go to the mosque and I told him, he asked me to take his official car, I was shocked.

    “Some of the policemen standing by him said your driver? He said yes, let him go, he is going to pray for me and everybody. I took the car and went to mosque and came back.

    “The second thing, anytime I am praying and he needs me. If he is informed that I am praying, he will say please don’t disturb him”.

    Earlier, upon an application by Awomolo, the tribunal summoned a director at the CCB, Mrs. Theresa Nwafor in relation to the ongoing trial

    The CCT chairman issued a subpoena on Mrs. Nwafor to appear before the tribunal tomorrow by 10am.

    The tribunal had, on March 29, 2019 rejected Onnoghen’s no-case submission and adjourned till yesterday for him to open his defence.

    At the resumption of proceedings yesterday, Awomolo informed the tribunal that the defence intends to call between two and three witnesses.

    He said one of the proposed witnesses is Mrs. Nwafor. He proceeded that an order be made for the issuance and service of a subpoena on Mrs. Nwafor, summoning her to appear before the tribunal to testify in the case of the defence.

    The lead prosecution lawyer did not object to Awomolo’s application, following which the tribunal chairman granted it and ordered that Mrs. Nwafor appear before the tribunal at its sitting tomorrow.

  • Senate uncovers ‘illegal’ firm under Industry ministry

    The Senate Committee on Trade and Investment claimed yesterday it has uncovered a Special Economic Zone firm allegedly floated illegally by the Ministry of Industry, Trade & Investment.

    According to the committee, the ministry proposed to draw over N42 billion for the firm from its vote in this year’s budget.

    Following the discovery of the alleged illegal firm, the committee rejected the ministry’s N15. 633 billion 2019 budget proposals presented to it for approval.

    Trouble started when Industry, Trade & Investment the Minister Okechukwu Enelamah appeared before the committee to defend his ministry’s 2019 Budget.

    Enelamah had in the course of presenting his ministry’s scorecard for last year and this year ’s proposals to the committee, tabled a booklet containing 2019 budget proposals for all agencies under his ministry.

    At the end of the presentation, Committee Chairman Senator Sabo Mohammed, referred him to item 2 on page 7 of the booklet which has N42.091 billion budgetary allocation for Nigeria Special Economic Zone Company not known to be one of the 17 agencies under the ministry.

    The minister explained that the company was established through the Presidential initiative and approval given for it at a cabinet meeting in May 2018.

    He said: “One of the areas that this government has focused on is infrastructure. The second area is industrialization and the two have something in common.

    “If the government tries to do it alone, it would be extremely tasking. So, the President directed that we should bring other partners that can combine with whatever monies we have to build world class infrastructure which led to the establishment of the company in partnership with other investors.”

    Asked to explain the owners of the company, the minister listed the Federal Government and other shareholders.

  • Dog eats dog

    The gory tale of how Ogah Jumbo, an Assistant Superintendent of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), was allegedly murdered by two policemen is chilling. Ada, the wife of the deceased, said the husband was beaten and dragged on the ground for alleged traffic offence, and he died from the injuries. In her words: “They (traffic wardens) dragged my husband on the ground to their station. If you see his body in the mortuary, you will notice that his fingernails were chopped off and he bled to death.”

    We condemn the bestiality of the police officers and demand for justice for the deceased. If the incident as reported is correct, then the police officers might as well be psychopaths, instead of law enforcement agents. While disobedience of traffic regulation is condemnable, the punishment can never be wilful murder by those entrusted with keeping public order. As the enforcer of civic discipline, a police officer should be the epitome of discipline and decorum. But what do we get from the police?

    According to the 2016 World Internal Security and Police Index, a global rating coordinated by International Police Science Association and the Institute for Economics and Peace, the Nigerian Police is rated worst globally. Even by what amounts to internal public rating, an arm of the police, the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad, became so notorious that many Nigerians marched on the streets last year asking that it should be scrapped.

    On a regular basis, the Nigerian police exhibit terrible tendencies. Either they are mounting illegal checkpoints or they are engaged in unlawful duties. Most police stations are like market places (apology to Fela) where the officials trade in liberty of citizens. On the highway, rogue policemen mount illegal checkpoints extorting money from motorists. Indeed, specialized police agencies earmarked for serious crimes, turn their station to debt recovery agencies. Driven by personal gains they torture parties to enter into undertakings.

    The attack on Mr Jumbo is even more appalling considering that he is part of the national security apparatus. While his colleagues in NSCDC have also occasionally misbehaved in dealing with the public, the fact that he is a security personnel should have availed him some better treatment. The tragedy that befell Mr Jumbo should be a pointer to security personnel that the resort to molestation of civilians is bad. Security uniforms must never be a licence to abuse privileges.

    For the police service commission and the Inspector General of Police, there is urgency for training and retraining of service personnel. They must ingrain in their members the need to respect basic human rights, as operational standard. No personnel who engages in any form of abuse should be allowed a minute more in the organisation. What we say of the police is also applicable to other law enforcement agencies in the country. Many of them misbehave once they are in uniform and bearing arms.

    We note that the police have already interdicted the officers. They should face disciplinary action, if applicable orderly room trial for their reprehensible conduct. After the administrative process, the duo should be tried for homicide. The police must not do anything to cover up the alleged crime, and the NSCDC should diligently pursue the matter. While the incident should not lead to a brawl between the service personnel of the sister organisations, there should be no compromise in seeking justice for Mr Jumbo.

    Perhaps it is time for the federal government to establish an interagency organ to deal with relationships between security agencies of government. Such an agency could operate from the office of the Ministry of Defence.

  • Buhari in Senegal for Sall’s inauguration

    President Muhammadu Buhari departed Abuja yesterday for Dakar, Senegal, to attend the inauguration of Senegalese President, Macky Sall, following his re-election for a second term.

    On the invitation of his host, Buhari, who chairs ECOWAS, will be the Special Guest of Honour at the ceremonies attended by African leaders at the Diamniadio Exhibition Centre today.

    The Nigerian leader, according to a statement by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, was accompanied by Governors Mohammed Abubakar, Nasir El-Rufai and Tanko Al-Makura of Bauchi, Kaduna and Nasarawa states.

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    Others on the entourage include the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Geoffrey Onyeama; National Security Adviser Maj-Gen Babagana Monguno (rtd); Director-General, National Intelligence Agency, Ahmed Rufai, and other top officials.

     

  • Corruption behind building collapse in Nigeria

    A lecturer at the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) Dr. Yusuf Shuaib-Babaita has attributed incessant building collapse in the country to corruption.

    Dr. Shuaib-Babaita, who is the acting head of the Department of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering of the university lamented the repeated collapse of buildings in the country with the resultant loss of lives and properties, stated that “many buildings were constructed in wrong places with substandard materials and unfortunately without adequate supervision by trained experts”.

    Dr. Shuaib-Babaita, who was a Member of the Failures Analysis, Prevention and Control Committee of the Ilorin Branch of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), opined that building regulatory bodies are not discharging their supervisory responsibilities as expected because of what he described as “the Nigerian factor”.

    He pointed out that the negligence of duties by the officials of those agencies is deeply rooted in the pervasive acts of corruption and nepotism the nation has been battling with over the years, which had often prevented those bodies from functioning effectively.

    The don explained that poor maintenance culture, design error and excessive loading of structures, which are responsible for the frequent collapse of buildings across the country, could be promptly checked and effectively controlled when and if those regulatory bodies are discharging their responsibilities as expected.

    Dr. Shuaib-Babaita, who is also the National Public Relations Officer of the Materials Science and Technology Society of Nigeria (MSN), stated that the consistent use of substandard materials for buildings is also a contributory factor to building failures and collapse across the country, which he regarded as an embarrassment to the nation, considering the overwhelming presence of well-trained professionals in building and construction.

    He added that most olden day buildings are standing the test of time because of the high quality of materials used as well as the close supervision given to their construction by experts engaged as well as from the regulatory authorities, which insisted on nothing but the best in terms of materials and strict adherence to the rules and regulations.

    Dr. Shuaib-Babaita acknowledged the fact that modern-day professionals are not only more qualified and competent but are also more sophisticated than their predecessors.

  • JAMB: we have de-registered 14 CBT centres

    Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) Registrar  Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, yesterday said the board has de-listed 14 Computer Based Test centres out of the 712 accredited for the conduct of unified tertiary examination because they committed infractions during the conduct of its mock examination on Monday.

    Some of the infractions cited by the board included deceit and borrowing computer systems without informing the board.  The registrar said that the 698 centres left in operation were ready for the conduct of the UTME scheduled to begin on April 11.

    Prof. Oloyede disclosed this during the monitoring of this year’s mock examination with the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, in some CBT centres in Abuja.

    He said: “So far, so good; all the centres are doing very well. Of the 712, we have had to dis-accredit 14 this morning for one infraction or the other.

    “Some had technical problems and some due to deceit whereby some of them will go and borrow some computers, thinking that we will not know.

    “Those centres we discovered went ahead to borrow computer systems for the exams have been dis-accredited.

    “Now, we have about 698 centres left in the operation, but we have distributed the students across board.”

    Oloyede, also revealed that two JAMB officials were attacked during the mock exercise which took place on Monday in some select CBT centres nationwide.

    The registrar said the attack took place at a centre in the Lagos State Polytechnic.

    He said the two officials would also have been set ablaze but for the quick intervention of the security agencies which saved them from the attempted jungle justice.

    He said the reason for the dastardly attack was yet to be ascertained, even as the two officials have been taken to the hospital after they were rescued.

    The registrar said the board has launched an investigation to ascertain the cause of the attempted murder of its officials on legitimate duty.

    The registrar said: “The very first sad thing that we noticed was that two of our staff were almost murdered in Lagos.

    “There was an attempt on their lives at the Lagos State Polytechnic. For whatever reason, they were wet with petrol and they were to be set ablaze.

    “We have sent a rescue team and they took them to the hospital. We are still looking into what happened, but we have evacuated our staff from the place.

    “We hope that whoever attempted that, the law enforcement agencies will not allow such an assault on innocent officials of government who went about their normal business.”

    The minister, at the end of the monitoring, expressed confidence in the successful conduct of the examination on April 11.

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    He appealed to centres bent on perpetrating infractions to desist from such act.

    The minister said: “Everything is going on fine. The assessment of the exam is that everything is in order and from the report I am receiving from all over the country, everything is fine.

    “I will advise those centres perpetrating some kind of malpractices to stop and adhere to whatever guidelines they have been given by JAMB; otherwise, the same fate will befall them.

    “From what I have seen today, JAMB is ready for the examinations.”

    157,000 candidates who indicated interest for the mock examination at the point of registration, sat for the preparatory examination nationwide.

  • Police arrest 21 robbery suspects

    Oyo State Police Command said it arrested 21 suspected robbers terrorising the residents of Ibadan and its environs between January and March.

    It said the suspects would be arraigned after investigation.

    Items recovered from them included exotic vehicles, phones, motorcycles, tricycles, locally made pistols, live cartridges, cutlasses, charms, axes, Automated Teller Machine (ATM) cards, driver’s licence and N12,550 cash.

    Addressing reporters at the Eleyele, Ibadan headquarters of the command yesterday during the parade of the suspects, Police Commissioner Shina Olukolu said the command was poised to nip in the bud activities of criminals, adding that the arrest of the suspects was part of the efforts to stamp out crimes.

    Among the achievements of the command in the attempt to flush out criminals was the recovery of hijacked truck loaded with 22 new tricycles intercepted at gunpoint from the driver, one Mohammed, male, and two motor boys, around Akinyele trailer park, Ibadan, along Ibadan/Oyo Expressway by gunmen.

    “Sequel to this, the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) operatives led by CSP Olusola Aremu swung into action and this led to the recovery of the truck with 18 out of the 22 tricycles at Sagamu in Ogun state,” the Commissioner of Police said.

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    Some of the robbery suspects arrested by the police included a prime suspect, Gabriel Olatunji male, and four criminal receivers, Lekan Ajayi, male, Ismail Ogunsola, male, Akin Alonso, male, and Tope Ezekiel, male.

    Items recovered from them are five exotic cars, including a Honda Accord car with registration number MUS 481, Toyota Camry car with number plate LSR 514 EH, Toyota Camry car marked FE 379 LND, Toyota Camry car registered as KJA 747 BH and Honda Bull Dog car with registration number KEY 827 ET.

    According to the Commissioner of Police, on March 17, around 9:30 pm, one Saidi Eniola was attacked and dispossessed of his Toyota Camry car at Iyana Church area of Ibadan by hoodlums armed with guns and other weapons. Consequent upon this, a distress call was put across to the police, who later arrested the prime suspect and four criminal receivers.

    Speaking further on the arrest of two prime suspects, Adeleke Fatai, male, Opoola Muritala, male, and others at Oyo town , the police commissioner narrated how some notorious hoodlums, who specialised in attacking motorcyclists and dispossessing them of their motorcycles in different part of Oyo State were arrested by his men.

    “Sequel to a distress call, a team of SARS operatives led by CSP Sola Aremu swung into action and in the process, two of the hoodlums, who later identified themselves as Adeleke Fatai and Opoola Garuba, were arrested in their hideout.

    “Upon interrogation, they confessed to have masterminded series of such criminal activities in various parts of Oyo State. The confessional statement later led to the arrest of four of their criminal receivers. Five Bajaj motorcycles, which they confessed to have snatched from their owners, were recovered from the hoodlums and the criminal receivers,” he said.

  • Wema Bank’s PAT rises by 36% to N3.08b

    Wema Bank Plc has released its audited financial results for the full year ended December 31, 2018 which showed that its Profit After Tax (PAT) rose 36.28 per cent to N3.08 billion in 2018 from N2.26 billion in 2017.

    The bank’s Profit Before Tax (PBT) also grew by 59 per cent to N4.8 billion. The PBT figure was an improvement compared with N3.01 billion recorded in 2017 even as the lender has recommended dividend payment to its shareholders.

    The bank’s gross earnings grew year-on-year from  N65.27 billion in 2017 to N71.53 billion in 2018 representing 9.6 per cent increase.

    The bank’s interest expenses dropped by eight per cent, causing Net Interest income to increase by 36.52 per cent, this was majorly driven by a reduction in deposits held for other banks.

    According to the bank’s financial results, net loans and advances stood at N252 billion, compared to N216 billion in 2017 representing 16.84 per cent year-on-year growth.

    The bank is also pleased to be recommending to its shareholders a dividend payment for the first time in 14 years. The bank recommends a dividend of three kobo per share in line with the board approved dividend policy.

    Speaking on the result, the bank’s Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Ademola Adebise said that despite the challenging macro-environment, Wema Bank delivered modest improvement at the end of the 2018 financial year.

    “The group recorded a gross earning of N71.53 billion which was a 9.6 per cent increase over the 2017 figure and Profit before tax (PBT) of N4.8 billion which represents a 59 per cent growth over the N3.01 billion reported in 2017 and profit after tax (PAT) of N3.33 billion  as against N2.26 billion in 2017. This growth resulted from an 8.59 per cent increase in Interest income and a 13.95 per cent increase in non-interest income,” he said

    He said the bank continues to improve on its Deposit mobilization while at the same time working down its cost of funds. ALAT, Nigeria’s first fully digital Bank, launched in May 2017 has improved the banks retail liabilities and customer base. The bank records over 1,000 new customers daily on the digital platform and continues to grow its partnership profiles.

    The Digital Bank continued to receive several accolades in 2018, including the World Finance Awards for Most innovative Bank Africa and the Asian Banker Awards for Best Digital Bank Africa.  “Our vision is to get ALAT to become the premier digital platform in Nigeria. This will be driven by our expertise in the Digital space and our retail partnerships,” Adebise said.

    The bank also recorded other notable achievements during the year as it successfully raised Tier-2 capital of N17 billion and retained its Investment grade ratings from Fitch, GCR and Agusto.

     

  • You can’t escape His judgment, unless….

    Few years ago, I was invited to a program at the capital of a state in one of the western region of the county. As I was driving to the church, I observed a convoy of vehicles driving dangerously from the rear, blaring their sirens and inside the vehicles were gun-totting officers and an ‘elected Governor’.

    All the citizens that he presumably had their votes to get into that office ran helter-skelter at the sight of the seemingly blood-thirsty convoy. I didn’t have a choice but to join others to flee as I had to quickly make a detour to the pedestrian path to give them a right of way.

    As we hid from this known but menacing ‘herdsmen’, the officers in the convoy came to our hiding places and started breaking the windshields and side mirrors of our vehicles. I alighted from my vehicle very perturbed and helpless. Passersby and residents came from the street, homes and shops to symphatize with us for our unfortunate losses which was obviously unwarranted.

    That is an example of the terrible attitude of a number of people in our world today. They traverse the land with the fallacious opinion that they are not answerable to anyone – they fire arrows to the sky and hide their heads under a mortar thinking that their deeds are not visible to human eyes. I have news for such people, that nothing is hid from the eyes of the Almighty God ( 2 Chronicles 16:9; Genesis 17:1). He knows and sees all the deeds of man and He is a rewarder and will surely reward every deed. In Jeremiah 17:10 (NLT version) God confirmed this: “I the Lord search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve”. (Revelations 22:11-12; Ecclesiastes 12:13-14; Revelations 2:23b; Hebrews 11:6b).

    It is regrettable that this type of irresponsible behavior pervades the land from ‘ghost youth service’ corp members  to ‘ghost workers’ at government controlled organizations to ‘ghost parliamentarians’ who avoid public sittings and yet receive  humongous pay packets, to fraudulent judicial officers who right the societal wrongs by apportioning judgments based on ‘cash and carry’, to shameless political power holders that were voted for public interests but running after personal benefits and to our spiritual power wielders that have mortgaged their consciences on the altar of pecuniary benefits.

    It is becoming a norm in our clime for people to get paid for work undone, for the ‘side pays’ of some highly placed officers in public and private places to be more important to them than their gazetted salaries hence their lives of opulence and influence. Wickedness is now the order of the day in our homes and public spaces. Many privileged individuals live wickedly and selfishly but ignorantly about the day of death when all shall end (Ecclesiastes 11:8). It is worrisome how people subject family members and house-helps at their commands to terrible maltreatment and staff working under them are not spared of their “caustic” tongues and wickedness.

    Paul, in our text expressed the mind of God concerning those set of people. It is possible to deceive man but God can neither be mocked nor deceived. He said that no one should opine that his works are not known because every overt and covert work shall be rewarded in due course. Jesus Christ gave due credence to Paul’s letter when He told the church in Laodecia as recorded in Revelation 3:15-17 that ” I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked” – what a frightening verdict of rejection by God for such people at the twilight of their ages!

    During this time of Lent brethren, God is calling on you to carry out a personal, detailed and honest analysis of your life, how wicked and dishonest you have been to yourself, to hapless and helpless people within the precincts of your home, place of work, ministry and the state. It is for this purpose that Jesus Christ came. He came to save the lost sheep of the house of Israel (Matthew 15:24). He is calling you today to consider your ways very fast and repent before it is too late and He comes down with His judgment (Acts 3:19; Revelations 2:5). His fiery judgment in Jeremiah 17:11 is that  “like a partridge that hatches eggs she has not laid, so are those who get their wealth by unjust means. At midlife they will lose their riches; In the end, they will become poor old fools.” May this never be your end in the name of Jesus.

    From this moment, please confess your sins to God, surrender your life to Jesus Christ and be committed to a life of righteousness, integrity, kindness, empathy, love and holiness. Ask for pardon from the people you have wronged and restitute your ways. By so doing, God will forgive your past deeds, give you a new life, prosper your way, bless the fruits of your loins, elongate your years and when your end shall come, you will be blessed with eternal life as opposed to eternal damnation in the name of Jesus.

    Prayer: Lord, I am sorry for my evil deeds. Give me a clean heart and new spirit. Give me grace to live a fulfilled life and end well. Help me to make it home at last to reign with you in Jesus’ name