Dozens killed in three blasts near shrine in Damascus

Three blasts have killed more than 60 people and wounded at least 40 in Syria's capital Damascus, a monitor said.  

The explosions, one of which was caused by a car bomb, occurred near the Shia Muslim shrine of Sayyida Zeinab on Sunday, the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

The oservatory said several Shia militia fighters were among the dead, adding that the casualty number was expected to rise. 

State television footage showed burning buildings and car wreckage in the neighbourhood where the shrine is located.

The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) claimed responsibility for the attack, according to Amaq, a news agency that supports the group.

It said two operations "hit the most important stronghold of Shia militias in Damascus".

Children stood near damaged vehicles as residents and soldiers loyal to Syria's President Bashar al-Assad inspected the damage after the attack in Sayyida Zeinab [Reuters]

At least 25 Shia fighters were among the dead, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights [Reuters]

The heavily populated area of southern Damascus is a site of pilgrimage for Shias from Iran, Lebanon and other parts of the Muslim world.

The shrine houses the grave of the daughter of Ali ibn Abi Taleb, whom Shias consider the rightful successor to Prophet Mohammad. The dispute over the succession led to the major Sunni-Shia schism in Islam.

The shrine has been targeted before, including in 2012 and in February 2015, when two suicide attacks killed four people and wounded 13 at a checkpoint nearby.

In the same month, a blast ripped through a bus carrying Lebanese Shia Muslim pilgrims headed to Sayyida Zeinab, killing at least nine people in an attack claimed by the armed group al-Nusra Front.

Trading blame

The latest attacks came as the United Nations' plan to hold negotiations on ending the Syrian war was dealt a new blow, as opposition and government delegations traded charges against each other.

Gunmen kidnap Dickson’s aide in Rivers

Gunmen on Sunday kidnapped an aide to Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State, Captain Henry Ungbuku (rtd).

Ungbuku, who is the Special Adviser on Aviation to the Bayelsa State Governor, was abducted as he was about leaving the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Light House Parish, after service.

was gathered that his abductors had laid siege to the church located in Iwofe, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State as early as 8.50am, waiting for their victim to come out at the end of the service before pouncing on him.

An eyewitness told our correspondent that an unsuspecting Ungbuku, who came out of the church some minutes after 10am, was stopped by the hoodlums as he drove out of the premises of the church.

Ungbuku’s abductors were said to have asked him to open the door of his vehicle while one of them pointed a gun at him.

The gunmen, according to the source, drove their victim away to an unknown destination after forcing him into a waiting vehicle.

“They were about four, but we did not know whether there are others hanging around the premises of the church. They forced him out of the car at gun point and took him away.

“There was confusion around the premises of the church when the incident happened. The kidnappers were all armed and many people who saw the scene were all scared,” the eyewitness said.

However, the State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Ahmad Mohammad, said he had not been briefed on the incident.

We will continue to guarantee the economic rights of women

President Muhammadu Buhari has said that his administration will continue to guarantee the economic rights of women in the country.

He made this known in a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina.

Adesina said Buhari made the remark at the 26th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union on
Saturday night in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

He added that the President had assured increased budgetary allocation to projects specifically targeted at improving the lives of women.

According to him, the Federal Government under his watch has demonstrated its commitment to the rights of women by appointing women of proven integrity to key positions within the cabinet.

“We have increased the budgetary allocation of ministries that have direct bearing on the lives of women, particularly health and education, with greater emphasis on girl-child education.

“As you all know, the terrible activities of the Boko Haram sect led to destruction of thousands of lives and property in the North Eastern part of Nigeria, displacing millions from their respective homes, most of who are women and children and are now at various IDP camps across the country.

“In order to fully restore and protect their rights, government is in the process of massive rehabilitation, reconstruction and resettlement of the affected victims in the North Eastern part of the country with the ultimate goal of restoring normalcy in full to that region, as well as improving the wellbeing of the affected persons.”

President Buhari welcomed the AU decision to declare the year 2016 as “The Year of Human Rights in Africa with Special focus on the Rights of Women”.

He said Nigeria had amply demonstrated its commitment to issues relating to rights of women by upholding several human rights treaties and conventions specifically targeted at women.

“In guaranteeing the economic rights of women, the Federal Government of Nigeria is embarking on massive employment programmes that will promote Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs), in order to provide succour to our teeming women and youth populations,’’ he said.

The President also used the occasion of his address to the AU summit to congratulate President Idris Deby of Chad on his election and assumption of office as Chairperson of the Union for 2016.

According to President Buhari, Deby’s appointment is a clear attestation of the confidence reposed in him to steer the ship of the continental organisation.

Africa must silence guns now, stop preventable deaths – Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari has said that the African Union’s (AU) vision to silence the guns and reduce preventable conflict-related deaths in the continent by 2020 must be achieved “now’’.

Buhari

This is contained in a statement issued in Abuja by Mr Femi Adesina, Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to President Buhari.

The statement said that the president was speaking at the 26th AU summit in Addis Ababa on Sunday.

President Buhari decried the use of scarce resources in Africa on armed conflicts rather than economic and social development of the continent.

The President challenged fellow African leaders to engage decisively with the people and government of South Sudan and Burundi to bring the conflicts they faced to a speedy end.

He added that African leaders must also forge a united front to rid the continent of the scourge of terrorism and face together with determination the noble goals of Agenda 2063, as espoused by the AU.

“We have all shed blood for Africa to be free, but the irony is that, today, we are now killing each other.

“Rather than facing the developmental challenges confronting us, we are spending our scarce resources killing our children and inflicting unspeakable horrors and unimaginable hardship on our brothers and sisters.

“That is truly a tragedy and it must stop. Enough is enough!

“Within the framework of the African Union, we have to, as a matter of urgency, reach a consensus on how to silence the guns. Not by 2020 but now.

“Why must we wait? We must say “NO” to wars and conflicts on our continent,’’ the President maintained.

He restated Nigeria’s determination to wholly defeat terrorism and bring the war against Boko Haram to an end.

President Buhari said Nigeria would continue to partner with other member states of the Lake Chad Basin Commission, and Republic of Benin, through the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) to address the menace of Boko Haram insurgency.

He reaffirmed that Nigeria would soon fully redeem its pledge of 100million dollars to enhance the operations of the Task Force, having released the sum of 21million dollars to the task force in June 2016.

The President reiterated Nigeria’s commitment to the unity, peace and prosperity of the continent.

“We in Nigeria have always been attached to the idea of African unity.

“During the struggle to win freedom for our brothers and sisters in Angola, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe, Nigeria was considered a front-line State, although we were not geographically on the frontline.

“This was because we took to heart the words of President Ben Bella of Algeria that we all had to die a little for all our brothers and sisters on the continent,’’ he said.

50 or more killed in Boko Haram attack in Borno

Around 50 people were killed when Boko Haram fighters armed with guns and explosives attacked a village in northeastern Nigeria, the army and local residents said Sunday.

Suicide bombers also carried out deadly  attacks on Sunday in the Lake Chad region, an area frequently targeted by Boko Haram, a local security official said.

Nigeria’s army said Boko Haram fighters struck Dalori, some 12 kilometres (seven miles) from the northern city of Maiduguri late Saturday, burning down the village and sending residents fleeing into the bush.

Dalori is located near camps set up for people displaced by the seven-year Boko Haram insurgency in the northeast of Africa’s most populous country.

“During the incident lives were lost while some people sustained injuries,” army spokesman Colonel Mustapha Anka said in a statement.

Residents and an aid worker said at least 50 people were killed in the assault which took place after evening prayers in the mostly Muslim region.

Anka said the assailants also tried to penetrate the Dalori camp, but they were repelled by the troops.

Boko Haram has kept up a wave of attacks despite President Muhammadu Buhari declaring late last year that Nigeria had “technically” won the war against the group.

In the Lake Chad region, which borders Nigeria as well as Chad, Cameroon and Niger,  suicide bombers struck two Chadian villages killing three people, a local security official said.

In the first attack in Guie, a bomber on a motorcycle blew himself up, killing one person and injuring 32, while the second attack in the village of Miterine left two dead and 24 wounded, the official said.

Nigeria, Chad, Niger, Cameroon have formed a coalition along with Benin to fight Boko Haram and have marshalled a force of 8,700 soldiers, police and civilians.

In retaliation, Boko Haram has launched cross-border attacks from northern Nigeria on the neighbouring countries.

– Entire village razed –

In Nigeria, local residents told AFP they fled into the bush when the Boko Haram fighters descended on Dalori.

“We were seated outside our home shortly after the Isha prayer when we heard gunshots and within a few minutes the invaders had arrived,” Malam Masa Dalori, a community leader, told AFP.

“They came in Golf saloon cars and began to shoot sporadically. Many people ran to the bush including myself,” he said.

“When we came back in the morning the entire community has been razed. At least 50 people were also killed, many others injured,” he said.

Mallam Hassan, another villager, gave a similar account.

“I lost an uncle in the attack. But I thank God I escaped with my children,” he said.

An aid worker who did not want to be named, said the bodies of the victims had been evacuated to the hospital.

“I think they should be more that 50, while several others were injured,” he said.

Boko Haram fighters have made several attempts to retake Maiduguri — the birthplace of the jihadist movement — since they were pushed out three years ago.

The group which seeks a hardline Islamic state in northern Nigeria has killed some 17,000 people and forced more than 2.6 million others to flee their homes since 2009.

Helicopter pilot killed on Tanzania anti-poaching mission

British helicopter pilot was fatally shot by elephant poachers while flying an anti-poaching mission in Tanzania, a member of Parliament and a conservation fund said Saturday.

Roger Gower was working with Tanzanian wildlife authorities when the poachers fired on his helicopter and fatally wounded him Friday, said Dan Friedkin, chairman of the Texas-based non-profit Friedkin Conservation Fund. 

"We are profoundly saddened by the loss of our dear friend," he said.

Gower managed to land the chopper but died before he was able to be rescued, said Lazaro Nyalandu, the country's former tourism minister, who said he flew with Gower many times.

Gower was helping rangers find the killers of an elephant when the poachers fired at the helicopter with an AK-47, Nyalandu wrote on Twitter.

Photos of the crash site, provided by Tanzania National Parks, show the helicopter on its side in dense grass, its tail broken off. A bloody bullet hole can be seen in one of the seats.

"Those poachers who killed Capt Roger are coward, evil, and sad people. A fine hearted individual gone too soon, and our hearts are broken," Nyalandu wrote.

The shooting happened at the Maswa Game Reserve, which borders the Serengeti National Park in northern Tanzania, Nyalandu said. Elephant poaching is prevalent on the reserve, according to the Friedkin Conservation Fund.

It was not immediately clear whether Gower was working for the fund when he was killed.

"This tragic event again highlights the appalling risk and cost of protecting Tanzania's wildlife," Friedkin said.

The killers are still at large, Nyalandu said. Tourism Minister Jumanne Maghembe flew to Maswa with senior government officials to lead the search, he said.

"Capt Roger represented the very best in human spirit," Nyalandu wrote. "He loved people and the wildlife. He died serving both."

Buhari, to improved budgetary allocation for women projects (2016)

President Muhammadu Buhari has promised that his administration will continue to guarantee the economic rights of women.

He said he would achieve this by increasing budgetary allocation to projects by Federal Government ministries, agencies and departments specifically targeted at improving the lives of women.

It will be recalled that the Chairman, Senate Committee on Women Affairs, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, had last week faulted the N4bn allocation to the Ministry of Women Affairs in the 2016 budget.

Tinubu, who made the observation while contributing to the debate on the 2016 Appropriation Bill, asked relevant committees to ensure the vote of the ministry was reconsidered.

She decried a situation where Nigerian women would be used by politicians to campaign and win elections and thereafter be dumped, adding that the change promised by the present administration must be for all strata of the society.

But according to a statement on Sunday by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, the President had while speaking at the 26th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union on Saturday night in Addis Ababa, said the Federal Government under his watch has demonstrated its commitment to the rights of women.

This, he said, was evident in his administration’s appointment of women of proven integrity to key positions within the cabinet.

The President said, “We have increased the budgetary allocation of ministries that have direct bearing on the lives of women particularly health and education, with greater emphasis on girl-child education.

Police to sue estate of black teen, killed

A white police officer plans to sue the estate of a black teenager he shot dead because he was traumatized by the fact that he accidentally killed the teen’s neighbor in the incident, his lawyer said Saturday.

“The damage is my client feels horrible that Bettie Davis is dead because of the actions he was forced to take,” attorney Joe Brodsky told AFP.

“It’s affected him greatly. It’s a burden he’s going to have to carry for the rest of his life.”

The December 26 shooting came as the US city was reeling from a series of incidents in which police were accused of being too ready to pull the trigger on their service weapons.

The family of LeGrier, 19, has repeatedly said there was no reason why police should have opened fire when responding to a domestic disturbance at their home. They have sued both the city and the officer who shot him: Robert Rialmo, 27.

A wrongful death suit filed by LeGrier’s father, Antonio, argues that the teen “never had possession or control of a weapon” and was not a threat to Rialmo or anyone else at any point.

Rialmo was standing outside when he opened fire on LeGrier, who was inside the building, the lawsuit said. Antonio LeGrier is also suing for wrongful arrest after police made him leave his dying son in order to file a statement about the incident.

City officials have apologized for the death of Davis, a 55-year old mother of five, but have said LeGrier’s shooting was justified.

The city has released few details about the incident except to say that LeGrier was brandishing a baseball bat when he was shot after his father called for help in the wee hours of the morning.

LeGrier, an engineering student who was struggling with mental health problems, had called 911 for help several times earlier that evening but the dispatcher did not send an officer to the house until his father called.

Brodsky said that makes the incident a “double tragedy because if my client had advance knowledge he was dealing with a mentally ill person he may have handled this in a different way.”

Fr. Mbaka relocates to new parish

It was an exercise laced with emotions yesterday as fiery catholic priest; Rev Fr Ejike Mbaka was escorted by thousands of catholic faithful in Enugu to his new parish at Emene, an outskirt of Enugu urban.

The faithful gathered at the Christ the King,CKP, GRA, Enugu as early as 7.00 am, preparatory for the movement. Several lorry loads, buses and cars, all line the street in what could be dubbed a triumphal exit that halted economic and other activities along major streets where the long convoy passed.

With several music provided by the various band groups, the over four hours journey began, amid wailing by members, who were apparently unsatisfied with the transfer that has removed Mbaka from the CKP, where he had been since 1996
Mbaka, had while addressing the crowd before the movement, expressed reservations over the transfer, which he said was calculated to make him suffer by certain leader of the church.

He said:“I know we are going to suffer within now and few months to come. I am going to suffer and suffer; I know that.

I’m going to suffer because I have no place to put my head. I am going to suffer because I have no place to keep the Adoration ministry’s assets. I know I’m going to suffer.

Fortunately, it is going to happen in the month of lent. So, I am going to use my exit here as a Lenten observance but Jesus said it all in John 16:20 to his apostles that you will be sorrowful and the world will be rejoicing but very soon I
will turn your sorrow to joy.

But for now I know you are going to suffer. The Adoration Ministry is passing through suffering right now even though I’ve accepted that is the will of God. Is the will of God through suffering? It is a mega suffering

“The quantum of the assets of the Adoration Ministry is the only thing I am bothered at for now. Where am I going to keep them? I am going to stay in one small room that has only one small bed, one small table, little toilet and bathroom.

So where am I going to keep all the adoration assets? My clothing and books I can keep in the car or somebody’s house but where will I keep these assets that I have given to the Catholic church of Enugu? But I say may God take the glory and
whoever that has offended me, I have forgiven.

I won’t fight anybody or even dream of battling anybody. If anybody allows the devil to use him, the same that advised you to make a mistake will laugh at you when you cry over the error. The baby is born, there is no going back.

We are moving out. We have been doing it and we will do it again.

Moses was going out with a rod in his hand, Mbaka is moving out with his bible and this nobody can take away from me”
Decrying what he described as “attempt by some persons to politicize the church”, by feeding the Bishop falsely, he noted: “ I am giving God the glory and I welcome the church’s choice and action with absolute acceptance and obedience. So there is no negation to what God has approved and what the church suggested.

Nobody should see me as a recalcitrant priest. I am not. I have taken an oath of obedience and I stand on it. I pray God to bless all of you who in one way or the other have supported the work of God here and those who have sincerely allowed God to use him or her for the jobs we did here all these years.

God will bless the people of God here and reward you according to your labours. The parish is not going to collapse, it the church that will continue to grow”.

He told the members their journey to Our Lady Parish, Umuchigbo
Njinike, Enugu where he has been posted as Resident Priest serving fewer than two Priests should be seen as the “journey of the Israelites out of Egypt”.

“God has planned a future and hope out of disaster and where I am going, He will go before me to level mountain. The bible says that He will deliver me from all evil; He will keep my going out and coming in both now and forever…

I am praying that God will keep his church and my fellow adorers so that our journey to Umuchigbo will be a journey of Israelites out of Egypt.

Some of them were grumbling leaving Egyptian soil because they were having the phobia for the unknown, but I am telling you people as a courageous leader, do not be afraid. We are moving and in not distant time, you people are going to smile’, he told them.

am the most qualified to succeed Oshiomhole

former Secretary to the Edo State government during the Chief Lucky Igbinedion administration.  He was in the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) before defecting to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) after irreconcilable differences with Governor Adams Oshiomhole. Now a governorship aspirant in  the July 2016 gubernatorial election in Edo State, he speaks, in this interview, on  the state politics.

Excerpt:

Osagie Ize-Iyamu

 What are your expectations as your party settles down to pick its governorship candidate?

As much as possible, we hope that it will be a family affair devoid of rancour and violence. It will also be an opportunity to show that we practice internal democracy, we follow party guidelines and INEC rules. We want to go about it in a manner that will make the public appreciate the reforms in our party and our desire to be the alternative party in our emerging democracy.

What are those things people like you are trying to change in the PDP as opposed to the past?

The mistakes we made at the party level include lack of internal democracy; trying to please certain persons. In that process, impunity became the order of the day and  rules were ignored. The party did not also have a serious mechanism in place to monitor and supervise people that were elected under its platform. There should have been well-defined manifestos like we had during the UPN and NPN days. There should have been a committee in place in every state and area of control. So, there were gaps and these gaps created problems. When people started leaving the party when they felt they were not well accommodated, their genuine cries of marginalization were not addressed. Nobody made any serious effort to call them back because they thought there was no opposition.  Those were some of the mistakes the PDP made. Because they say history has a way of repeating itself, even the APC that ought to have learnt from the mistakes of the PDP is also toeing the same path. They are even doing it in a more brazen manner. I think the Nigerian public is getting more and more enlightened. They are watching the unfolding scenario and every opportunity they have to vote, they will be able to vote with a lot of wisdom and enlightenment. I think it is good for our democracy.

Looking at your preparation for the election, a lot of people have said that the level of your preparedness goes a long time ago and that becoming a governor is something you have always been desirous of. Why are you so keen about becoming a governor?

Sometimes people tend to give the impression that it is a crime to have an ambition and prepare for an office. I think it is desirable that those, who aspire for an office, should not be those who were drafted in, had no plan and were not prepared for the office. It should not be a situation, whereby someone felt he could use them and conscript them into the race. Political offices are very challenging. Anyone aspiring to occupy political office must show proof that he is prepared for it. I have lived in this state all my life. What people call (political) structure is what I call goodwill. There is no part of the state, ward or local government that I do not have personal friends. I’m talking about people I could stay in their houses and eat based on long term relationships.   So, when people talk about political structure, it does not necessarily mean control of political parties but being able to have credible men and women, who are close to you in all parts of the state. That, to me, is a credit. As for my ambition, I have had the opportunity of serving in government and I know the workings of government more than a lot of people. I also thank God for good education. I cannot see my state being misled and mismanaged and be indifferent. It is natural and patriotic to have an ambition under such circumstance.

When people say that I have held the ambition for a long time, I laugh. In 2007, they said I had the ambition but it will interest you to know that nobody can point to a single poster that I printed. Yes, I was in the forefront of the Grace Group and we were very visible talking about internal democracy. Common sense told me that the outgoing governor then came from my senatorial district and there was the need for some form of equilibrium in the political arrangement of the state. I too also was in the forefront of ensuring that someone from another senatorial district became governor. I believe I have paid my dues and my ambition now is propelled by the mismanagement of our commonwealth and the need to redirect the drift in our state.

What do you mean by mismanagement of the state’s commonwealth?

I see the past seven years as years of plenty. In the past seven years, Edo State received unprecedented revenue. This present government has received over a N1 trillion. No government has ever got that. I served in the Lucky Igbinedion government. For the eight years that he was there, if you add all the money that came from the 18 local governments, it was N196 billion. So, for a government that has received over N1 trillion, you will have expected that their investment will guarantee the future of our state. Rather than do that, they embarked on reckless spending as if the good times will never cease. They finished what was available and started to borrow. Not only have they wasted the resources of the present, they have mortgaged the future through reckless borrowing.

In these past seven years, we have a governor who said I never promised industry. Even if you never promised industry, seeing that the finances came, one will have expected that they would have grabbed that opportunity. Indeed, it was an opportunity to create economic legacy and change the perception of Edo State from a civil service state to an industrial state. (Chief Samuel) Ogbemudia laid a solid industrial foundation that was destroyed by the military. The seven years afforded an opportunity to re-enact that legacy, but we only hear of red roofs that the state contributed between 35 and 40 per cent to and roads, whose costs are unknown.

Despite being in opposition, the PDP won the presidential election in Edo State. How did the PDP manage to do that? 

I mentioned that as long as the present governor was campaigning for General Buhari, it was going to be easy for us to win. If he had distanced himself, it could have been a bit more difficult. When he made the mistake of saying “a vote for me is a vote for Buhari” that was the end of it. The moment Edo people heard that, they said they must vote against Buhari. Honestly, Edo people now look up to the PDP. Edo PDP is not rigid to the extent of taking them for granted. When they felt the PDP did not appreciate their votes, they turned against the PDP at a time the whole country was PDP. That is to tell you that Edo is never afraid of being in opposition. One will have expected that the APC will have a sense of history and respond to the opinion of the people. So, our people are now saying if it is like this, then they need to look at the PDP again, especially now that the PDP has also changed in a positive way. In the   governorship election this year, Edo people will turn out enmasse to vote for change, only that this change will not benefit the APC this time around.

How optimistic are you of picking the PDP ticket?

I’m not the only aspirant. At the last count, we were five. I think all the aspirants are all qualified. I will be willing and ready to support anyone that gets the ticket. I also hope that other aspirants will support me if I get the ticket as well. I have gone round the local government areas to see our party members and I can say that many of them see me as a very serious minded person, who knows what it takes to win and has an understanding of government. I want to belief that that confidence and knowledge will help me clinch the party’s ticket. Quite honestly, I’m interested in better governance in our state. If it is not me, then I will support whoever comes in but certainly not the person the present government is proposing because noting will change if they are allowed to continue.

Ex-Minister’s Son In Trouble With Customs For Luxury Vehicle Duty Underpayment

Abdullahi Bala, son of the immediate past Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Senator Bala Mohammed, has landed in trouble with the Nigerian Customs Service after operatives of the Federal Operations Unit, Zone A, Ikeja, Lagos, of the NCS arrested him on Friday for alleged import duty underpayment on his exotic vehicle, a McClaren 650s coupe.

A top Customs source, who confirmed Abdullahi as the former FCT Minister’s son, said ‎investigations are ongoing to unravel whether there were other vehicles in his custody that either underpaid or evaded duty payment.

Confirming the development, the FOU, Zone A, Uche Ejesieme, said the vehicle’s duty ought to be N124 million but upon investigations, it was discovered that a paltry sum of just over N300,000 was paid for the exotic ride, thus shortchanging the Nigerian government of about N123,700,000.

“The man claims to be former minister’s son. He was arrested on Friday. But has been released on bail since it’s a bailable offence. The investigation is ongoing at least to know how he was able to get away with paying just over N300,000. Our Officer in Charge of the Legal department says the duty should be about N124 million”, Mr. Ejesieme stated.

Findings also show the vehicle costs about $280,000 (N83.4 million at current exchange rate of N298/dollar) in the US.

The MaClaren 650S Coupé starts at USD $265,500 and USD $280,225 for the 650S Spider in the US, while in Canada, pricing is CAD $287,000 and CAD $305,500 respectively.

EFCC to grill more VIP suspects this week

Ex-defence chief, Badeh, ex-NAF chief, Obanikoro’s sons, 14 others

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission will this week interrogate at least 16 military officers as part of its investigations into $2.1bn arms scandal.

It was learnt on Saturday that among those to be quizzed were the immediate past Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshal Alex Badeh (retd.) and a former Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal MD Umar (retd.).

It was also gathered that a former Director of Production and the Defence Headquarters, Air Vice Marshal O. T. Oguntoyinbo would be quizzed too.

Another source said that invitations would be sent to those concerned early in the week and they would be required to appear before the commission on or before Friday.

Findings showed that the officers were in the second batch of military officers that would be interrogated by the anti-graft agency.

It was gathered that the EFCC would investigate more military personnel recommended for probe by a presidential panel on arms probe.

A source in the EFCC, who spoke toSUNDAY PUNCH on condition of anonymity, said, “The commission will begin the second batch of interrogation of military officers this week. A former Chief of Defence staff, Badeh, and an-ex Chief of Air Staff, Umar, will appear before the commission this week.”

The source, who did not give the names of the other officers, said the former Chief of Defence Staff and Umar were in the second batch.

He said the commission commenced the first round of the probe with the questioning of the former Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Adesola Amosu (retd.), and another Air Commodore whose house was seized recently by the anti-graft agency in Kaduna last week.

It was gathered that more high profile interrogations would take place in the coming week, even though the source did not give the details of those scheduled to report to the commission on Monday.

Our correspondent could not get the Head of Media and Publicity of the EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, as calls to his mobile telephone line could not connect.

President Muhammadu Buhari, on January 15, had ordered the EFCC to investigate 18 serving and retired military officers, including Amosu, Badeh and Umar.

The EFCC is also investigating 11 serving officers, including Air Marshal A.M. Mamu (Chief of Administration, Nigeria Air Force); AVM Oguntoyinbo (former Director of Production, Defence Headquarters); AVM T. Omenyi (Managing Director, NAF Holdings); and AVM J.B. Adigun (former Chief of Accounts and Budget).

Others are AVM R. A. Ojuawo (Air Force Tactical Air Command, Markudi); AVM J.A. Kayode-Beckley (Director, Armament Research in Air Force Research and Development Centre); Air Cdre. A.O. Ogunjobi; Air Cdre G.M.D. Gwani; Air Cdre A.Y. Lassa; Col. N. Ashinze (Special Assistant to the former NSA, Dasuki;) and Air Cdr. S.O.Makinde.

Also ordered to be probed are 21 firms and their directors, including Messrs Societe D’ Equipments Internationaux; Himma Aboubakar; Aeronautical Engineering and Technical Services Limited; Messrs Syrius Technologies; Dr Theresa A. Ittu; Sky Experts Nig Ltd; Omenyi Ifeanyi Tony; Huzee Nig Ltd; GAT Techno Dynamics Ltd; and Gbujie Peter Obie.

Other firms and individuals are Onuri Samuel Ugochukw; Spacewebs Interservices Ltd; Oguntoyinbo Tayo; Oguntoyinbo Funmi; Delfina Oil Geonel Intergrated Services Ltd, Sachi Felicia; Mudaki Polycarp and Wolfgang Reinl.

Obanikoro’s sons

Meanwhile there are indications the EFCC may, this week, invite two sons of a former Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, for interrogation in connection with the ongoing probe into the $2.1bn arms fund adiversion.

It was gathered on Saturday that the commission would send invitation to Gbolahan and Babajide Obanikoro and that they would be required to appear before the EFCC before the end of the week.

The commission has traced N4.75bn from the Central Bank of Nigeria Imprest Account of the National Security Adviser to Silva Mcnamara, a company linked to the Obanikoros, between June 6, 2014 and December, 12, 2015.

The two sons of the former minister are said to be on the board of the company, while the third person, Mr. Ogunseye, was said to be sole signatory to the company’s account with Diamond Bank.

EFCC sources said the commission is probing Macnamara because there was no evidence of contract award for the release of the money to the company’s account.

The N4.75bn was transferred in several tranches from the CBN to the company’s account between June 6, 2014 and December, 12, 2015.

The source said, “The investigation into the N4.75bn is ongoing. It is only logical that these guys are questioned because of their involvement in the issue.

“They will be invited to appear before the commission to shed light on the company earned the money without contract award. Barring last minute changes, they may be summoned this week.”

Obanikoro’s media aide, Mr. Jonathan Eze, had on Friday denied allegations that the former minister was involved in any fraud.

According to him, the allegations are mere speculations and urged members of the public to treat them as such.

He said, “As far as Senator Obanikoro is concerned, these are mere allegations that have not been proven and can never be proved. The former minister insists that his children were never directors at the company and were never signatories.

“These allegations are the handiwork of Sahara Reporters and I have taken them to court. Very soon, the truth will be made known but I urge members of the public not to believe these allegations. Senator Obanikoro’s children are victims of cheap politics but the truth will be revealed.”

Obanikoro is currently resident in the United States where he has registered as a student of History at Oglethorpe University in Georgia, USA. One of the two sons is said to be resident in Suwanee, Gwinnett County, in the State of Georgia, US.

Our correspondent could not get the Head of Media and Publicity of the EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, as the calls to his mobile telephone line did not connect.

EFCC Arrests Own Operative For Collecting N45m Bribe From Military Officers Under Probe

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Friday announced the arrest of one of its operatives, Abdulrahman  Mohammed Biu, a Deputy Detective Superintendent, for collecting $150,000 (about N45 million) from some military officers currently being investigated.

He was said to have promised to give the unnamed seven military officers soft landing to escape probe for alleged involvement in the $2.1billion arms deal scandal.

A statement by the Head of Media and Publicity of EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, said documents relating to the ongoing arms scandal investigation were recovered from the disgraced operative.

The statement said: “An operative of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Abdulrahman Mohammed Biu, Deputy Detective Superintendent (DDS), has been arrested for offences bordering on extortion, influence peddling and impersonation.

“The officer was arrested on Monday following intelligence report alleging that he extorted a whopping sum of $150,000 from some military officers on the pretext that he would help give them a soft landing in the ongoing investigation into the arms deal scandal.

“Upon his arrest, a search was executed on his residence in Abuja where the following items were recovered: $20,000 cash, N500, 000 cash, two police uniforms bearing his name with the ranks of Deputy Superintendent and Assistant Superintendent; Police warrant card No: 27/2014 with the rank of DSP allegedly obtained from Kano Constabulary office; documents relating to military arms investigation and account information of several senior military officers.

“A search of his car parked in the premises yielded the following items: unbranded pistol with a magazine and ten live ammunitions.

“His modus operandi includes dropping the names of ranking officers of the commission, claiming he was acting on their behalf.

“A paper containing seven of such names was recovered in his house.

“The suspect has made useful statement while investigation continues”.

Soldiers arrest suspected Boko Haram member in Delta

35-year old man, suspected to be a member of the Boko Haram sect has been arrested by officers of the 19 Battalion of the Nigeria Army in Sapele, Delta State.

The suspect, Bukar Abacha from Borno State, was arrested some hours after arrival at Hausa quarters in Sapele, following intelligence report given to the ‘Operation Polo Shield’ by members of the Arewa community in the area.
He was later handed over to the army headquarters in Abuja.

Commenting on the arrest, Col. Samuel Umara senior army officer who spoke to newsmen in Sapele also informed the people about a list of wanted Boko Haram suspects by the Nigerian Army.
The community leaders who notified security agents of Abacha’s arrival said they started suspecting him because he was looking strange and uncomfortable in their midst.

Col. Umar asserted that many of the terrorists migrated from the North-eastern part of the country to the South East, following hot chase given to them by the army in the recent times.
He added that all hands are on deck by the military to arrest them all.

While informing inhabitants of the locality about what the army called, “show of force, confidence building patrol” the army vowed that efforts to stop all criminal activities such as kidnapping, vandalism, illegal oil bunkering and killing of innocent citizens in its area of operation shall be met with zero tolerance, as this is the mandate of operation polo shield.

The military men also pasted names of 100 wanted Boko Haram suspects in some strategic places in Sapele metropolis. They said the aim is to let everyone in the community know that enemies may be hiding among them.

Panic as explosion rocks Agip pipelines

Palpable fear gripped the residents of coastal communities of Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa State following explosion that rocked oil pipelines belonging to the Nigerian Agip Oil Company.

‎The explosion, which was said to have been triggered by dynamite attacks allegedly launched by suspected militants affected pipelines located in Orukari, Golubokiri and Kpongbokiri communities of Brass.

The development, it was learnt had led to many residents of the riverside communities scampering for safety.

It was learnt that the attacks were launched on Thursday night and had led to massive spillage of crude from the Agip pipeline into the sea and fishing camps.

‎Confirming the incident,  member representing Brass Constituency 1 in the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Mr. Israel Sunny-Goli, condemned the attack on Agip pipelines.

Sunny-Goli, in a statement on Saturday, ‎said, “Preliminary investigations indicate that the bombing of the pipeline was an act of sabotage carried out to hurt the economic interests of Bayelsa state and Nigeria.

“The latest explosion coming after bombing of pipelines recently in the same area is worrisome as it is capable of forcing oil companies out of operation which would have adverse effect on Nigeria’s economy.”

Sunny-Goli called on security agencies to beef up security around oil facilities to ensure they prevent future attack by economic saboteurs bent on crippling Nigeria’s economy.

The lawmaker added, “I want to condemn the latest attack on Agip pipeline at Kpongbokiri. This is a clear sabotage by economic saboteurs. Recently, they blasted pipeline at Orukari and Golubokiri.

” I condemn this latest attack on Agip pipeline at Kpongbokiri in its entirety. It is sabotage against Nigeria in a bid to cripple the economy at a time the nation is struggling with decline in revenue due to the fall in oil prices.

“It is common knowledge that because of the low price of oil which is our main source of revenue, many states can hardly pay workers’ salaries. This sabotage is capable of crippling the economy if not urgently curbed. If these attacks are not checked and the perpetrators brought to book and Agip decides to pull out of Bayelsa, it would be disastrous for us as a people.”

He urged Bayelsans, especially those that have oil facilities around them to be be vigilant and report any suspicious movement to security agencies to prevent further attacks.

Turkey summons Russia envoy over 'new airspace breach'

Russian SU-34 jet has violated Turkish airspace despite radar warnings, Turkey's foreign ministry said, and the Russian ambassador was summoned over the incident.

The ministry said in a statement on Saturday that the violation, which occurred on Friday, was a clear sign that Russia wanted issues between the two countries to escalate.

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned Russia of "consequences" if it continued to violate Turkish airspace. 

"The airspace that is violated is not only Turkish airspace but NATO's as well," Erdogan said.

"So NATO is closely watching the situation. NATO even detected this violation before we did. If Russia continues to violate Turkey's sovereignty, has to put up with the consequences. I suggested talking with (Russian President Vladimir) Putin but he didn't come back to me by phone..."

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg urged Russia to "take all necessary measures" to ensure the bloc's airspace was not violated again.

"A Russian combat aircraft violated Turkish airspace yesterday, despite repeated warnings by the Turkish authorities. Previous incidents have shown how dangerous such behaviour is," Stoltenberg said in a statement.

"I call on Russia to act responsibly and to fully respect NATO airspace."

5 dead, 4 injured as CJTF vehicles step on Boko Haram’s landmines in Borno

At least five members of the Civilian Joint Task Force were killed while four others sustained critical injuries when a Toyota Hilux patrol vehicle rammed into landmines/ Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) suspected to have been planted by members of the dreaded boko haram terrorists.

The incident according to source took place in Buma village on Saturday at about 8:30am.

Buma village is 15 kilometres drive from troubled Ngamdu District of Kaga Local Government Area of Borno state.

Kaga is the headquarters of Beneshiekh which is south west and about 85 kilometres drive from Maiduguri, the state capital.

Our Correspondent gathered from reliable source that the occupants of the ill fated vehicle were on patrol before stepping on the planted IEDs which exploded leaving five members of the Civilian JTF including another volunteer dead.

The source further revealed that, already, the dead victims have been buried according to Islamic rite, while two of those who sustained severe injuries have been rushed to University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital.

All effort to get confirmation from the Police Public Relations Officer of the Borno state Command, Mr. Victor Isuku proved abortive as his phone lines were not accessible at press time.