Buhari orders release of 10,000 tons of grains

Pays outstanding N600 billion owed to fuel marketers in subsidy payments By Levinus Nwabughiogu ABUJA – As a way of cushioning the effect of poverty and hunger in the land, President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday directed the Minister of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbeh to release 10,000 tons of grains from the national strategic grains reserves for national distribution. The directive was also a counter measure to the current astronomic prices of goods and seeming exploitation within the market system. The president also directed the agriculture minister “to ensure that all the able-bodied men and women in IDP camps be assisted to return to farming immediately.” PRESIDENT BUHARI ATTENDS APC NEC MEETING President Buhari’s directive followed a submission by a faction of the opposition Conference of Nigerian Political Parties,CNPP, that Nigerians under the president’s watch were facing unprecedented hardship. President’s charge was contained in a statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the president on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu. Shehu in the statement also stated that the president upon assumption of office paid off accumulated subsidy debts of N600 billion owed to marketers. This was as he stated that there were social programmes captured in the 2016 budgets to Bette the lot of Nigerians. He refuted claims that the presidency would allow Nigerians to suffer. The statement read in part: “The Presidency however asserts that the devastation of the economy was caused by the Boko Haram insurgency, corruption and the lack of planning by the past administrations and one that should not be blamed on the Change Agenda of the Muhammadu Buhari administration. “The Presidency firmly rejects the insinuations that poverty and lack are products of the Change mantra. “This should be dismissed as an erroneous and misplaced opposition criticism. The President understands the pain and the cries of the citizens of this country and he is spending sleepless nights over how he can make life better for everyone. “Contrary to assertions by a faction of the opposition Conference of Nigerian Political Parties,CNPP, the President’s energy and focus are on changing the life of Nigerians, with a view to making it better than he met it. “Change is a process. Change does not happen overnight. Change can be inconvenient. Change sometimes comes with pain. Over the past year, the government has been working night and day to deliver on its promise of change to Nigerians, and the painful process is still ongoing. “This is work in progress. As life gradually returns to normal in much of the country and the northeast in particular, agriculture will resume and traders from neighbouring African countries will once again feel safe to do business with us–yet another boost for our economy. “But it Is only when we appreciate where we are coming that we will grasp the full meaning and essence of what the ongoing journey entails.

Buhari spending sleepless nights on how to make life better for Nigerians- Shehu

To check food price increases and exploitation of common people by traders, President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered for the release of 10,000 tons of grains from the national strategic grains reserves for national distribution.

This decision was contained in a statement issued by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu.

Buhari has also directed the Minister of Agriculture, Audu Ogbeh to ensure that all the able-bodied men and women in IDP camps be assisted to return to farming immediately.

The directives were in reaction to calls for government measures to ease hardship associated with food inflation.


The Presidency however asserted that the devastation of the economy was caused by the Boko Haram insurgency, corruption and the lack of planning by the past administrations and one that should not be blamed on the Change Agenda of the Muhammadu Buhari administration.

The Presidency also rejected the insinuations that poverty and lack are products of the Change mantra.

The statement reads: “This should be dismissed as an erroneous and misplaced opposition criticism. The President understands the pain and the cries of the citizens of this country and he is spending sleepless nights over how he can make life better for everyone.

“Contrary to assertions by a faction of the opposition Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP), the President’s energy and focus are on changing the life of Nigerians, with a view to making it better than he met it.

“Change is a process. Change does not happen overnight. Change can be inconvenient. Change sometimes comes with pain. Over the past year, the government has been working night and day to deliver on its promise of change to Nigerians, and the painful process is still ongoing.

“This is work in progress. As life gradually returns to normal in much of the country and the northeast in particular, agriculture will resume and traders from neighbouring African countries will once again feel safe to do business with us, yet another boost for our economy.”

The Presidency maintained that it is only when Nigerians appreciate where they are coming from that they will grasp the full meaning and essence of what the ongoing journey entails.

Activists ask Buhari to clear Sambisa Forest for herdsmen

A human rights group, Centre for Human Rights and Social Justice has asked President Muhammadu Buhari, to go and clear Sambisa Forest which is the hideout of the Boko Haram sect for Fulani herdsmen to graze their livestock.

The Chairman of CHRSJ, Sulaiman Adeniyi, said this in a statement he made available to our correspondent in Osogbo on Sunday.

The group said instead of acquiring land all over the country for grazing, Buhari should clear the Sambisa Forest for herdsmen to graze their animals.

Adeniyi said herdsmen had constituted themselves a threat to the peace of the nation with their atrocities, saying relocating them to Sambisa Forest would be a better alternative rather than starting another crisis with landowners all over the country

The statement read, “The President Muhammadu Buhari led Federal Government of Nigeria should go and clear the den of Boko Haram sect, popularly called ‘Sambiza Forest’ for its proposed ‘Grazing Reserve Project’ for the Fulani Herdsmen.

“The proposed bill would increase avoidable crisis in the land through the violent resistance across the region of the country. The Fulani herdsmen have become dangerous species across the states of the federation.

“President Buhari should drop the idea of forcing the grazing reserves bill on the states contrary to section 17,18 and 20 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended, in order to save the country from imminent violent problem.

“The proposed grazing reserves idea is ill-conceived, illegal, unconstitutional, self-serving, retrogressive, day-light robbery and time bomb which is capable of igniting monumental crisis across the length and breadth of the nation.”

The group called on politicians and international community to prevail on the President to drop the idea, saying it might spark another crisis which would be difficult to solve.

The group also applauded the Amnesty International for exposing
the high rates of alleged human rights abuses of the nation’s security agents in the war against Boko Haram sect,

Adeniyi stressed that Nigeria had lost thousands of civilians because of the alleged excessiveness of the military in the North-eastern part of Nigeria.

Fayose behind fuel scarcity

The All Progressives Congress in Ekiti State has accused Governor Ayodele Fayose of alleged complicity in the fuel supply crisis in the state.

In a statement by the state Publicity Secretary, Taiwo Olatunbosun, the party said it was in possession of “incontrovertible evidence” that the governor was allegedly contributing to the scarcity of fuel in the state to sabotage the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administrationAccusing Fayose and his aides of mischievously disparaging the President for not doing enough to make fuel available to Nigerians while they were the actual culprits, Olatunbosun said available information confirmed that daily allocations of fuel to the state were allegedly being diverted to other states with the alleged connivance of some National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas officials.

But reacting, Fayose’s Special Assistant on New Media and Public Communication, Lere Olayinka, said the allegation was unfounded, telling the APC to be wise.

“Is it the governor that is also responsible for fuel scarcity in other states? They are only trying to seek relevance. They better face the task of bringing good governance to the people,” he added.

Olatunbosun said available records revealed that 10 trailers of fuel for Ekiti State on Fayose’s request were diverted mostly to stations outside the state.

“The Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Mrs Dupe Alade, had earlier written for same allocation but her letter to NNPC was stepped down when Fayose used his office to request for the allocation of fuel to 10 filling stations, many of which do not exist in Ekiti State.

“The governor’s letter was addressed to the Area Manager at Mosimi and minuted to Ore and was processed by the Ore office of NNPC.

“The trailers were loaded on Wednesday and Thursday the 20th and 21st of April but the real fuel companies and vendors were prevented from loading until the 10 trailers demanded by the governor left the depot but were diverted to other stations outside Ekiti State,” he stated.

Olatunbosun stated that the development reportedly elicited protests and complaints from the real fuel marketers in Ekiti State, adding that this had resulted in acute shortage of fuel in the state with few stations dispensing fuel selling at prohibitive costs to the masses that Fayose claimed to be their friends.

He listed the company names in the letter of the governor to include Amsek Filling Station opposite Omolayo along Ikere road, Ado-Ekiti, that is selling above official price.

“Other stations not in existence in Ekiti State but which appeared in the governor’s letter is Royal Oil, which the letter falsely claimed to exist in Omuo-Ekiti.

“Rova Oil, also on the governor’s letter, no longer exists in Ekiti because it has since been sold and its name changed and it is now operating under NNPC. It is located in Ajilosun area of the state capital and selling above NNPC official price.

“Other non-existent stations in Ekiti but which appeared in the governor’s letter and was allocated fuel is Bisi Jay located in Ile-Oluji in Ondo State.

“The other company that received Ekiti State’s allocation is Ademur located in Osun State. This company has no station in Ekiti and it has no lifting right or permit in Ore, while Eyeowa Fuel that got allocation does not exist in Ekiti,” he explained.

He alleged that Moson Global located in Ifon, Ondo State, also received Ekiti allocation at NNPC official price but selling above official price to the public.

He challenged the governor to deny ever writing to the NNPC for fuel allocation.

“There is need for the security agencies and the Minister for Petroleum to investigate the governor’s activities at the NNPC offices both in Ore and Mosimi and the roles of NUPENG officials in this wicked unleashing of pains on Ekiti people by unpatriotic act to sabotage the Federal Government,” he added.

Man Stabs Girlfriend To Death Over Describing His Small Manhood On WhatsApp Chat

A man who allegedly stabbed his lover to death when he found her chatting on WhatsApp is under police guard in hospital after he also tried to kill himself. It is believed the man got enraged when he checked his girlfriend’s phone and saw that she was telling her best friend about his small p_enis. The message read: ‘Aww shame une pipi elincane’ The 37-year-old man from AA section in Umlazi, who worked in the same building as his dead girlfriend (27), allegedly strangled her first before he pulled out a knife and stabbed her to death on Monday.

suspected that the couple had a heated argument at the girlfriend’s workplace, which is on the fourth floor of a building on Smith Street at the Durban CBD. Witnesses told cops that the man who works at a lawyers’ offce in the building had suspected his girlfriend of cheating on him.

Police spokesman Captain Khephu Ndlovu told reporters that according to what the police were told at the scene, the man had accused his girlfriend of cheating on him. Ndlovu said the suspect reportedly stabbed his girlfriend from Siyanda near KwaMashu to death. “He allegedly first grabbed her by the throat and strangled her before stabbing her once in the chest. She died on the scene.

“After that he tried to kill himself by stabbing himself on the neck. He did not die and was taken to a local hospital, where he is under police guard. Once the suspect has recovered enough, he will make his first court appearance to face a charge of murder,” said Ndlovu.

Soldiers batter female student for late payment of fee

Two soldiers attached to Abraham Adesanya Polytechnic, Ijebu Igbo, Ogun State, have allegedly battered a female student of the school, Miss Oladokun Leshi Folashade, and denied her entry into the school’s premises to sit her exams.

The incident occurred on April 18, 2016.

It was learnt that the school had asked students to pay a mandatory fee of N5, 000 for the repair of one of the buildings that got burnt in the school recently.

Oladokun, 28, a National Diploma 2 student of Mass Communication, was among over 100 students who could not pay the said sum within the stipulated period and decided to pay cash on the day of the incident.

She was however turned back by the soldiers, who insisted that she would not be allowed to do her exams.

It was learnt that the soldiers pounced on Miss Oladokun and mercilessly flogged her while she pleaded to be allowed to pay the fee and do her exams.

A petition by her lawyer, Mr. Habeeb Whyte of R.R.A & Associates,

has since been forwarded to the Ogun State Governor’s Office, the Ministry of Education, Office of the Speaker of Ogun State House of Assembly and National Association of Ogun State Students (NAOSS).

The petition dated April 20, reads in part: ”Our client (Oladokun Leshi Folashade) informed us on April 19, 2016, that in the early hours of April 18, 2016, she and several other students of the polytechnic were barred and denied access to write the Use of English (GND 201) examination because they had not paid the required sum of N5,000, being a fee that was made compulsory for all students to be paid for the maintenance and replacement of the burnt equipment in the school premises before writing their examinations.

“Our client, having paid her school fees for the session, went to the school premises with the hope of paying her own maintenance fee in cash.

“The said N5,000 was rejected at the entry point on the ground that it was too late for her to pay the fees. She stood at the school gate with other (affected) students of the institution, hoping that the management would collect the said N5,000 from her and allow her write her examination.

“She pleaded profusely but that did not attract the mercy of the management of the institution, especially the Rector.” According to the petition, trouble began when the Rector of the school, Prof. Jumoke Awoderu, ordered soldiers attached to the school to use force to disperse the affected students.

“We gathered that the Rector of the school gave an order to the officers of Operation Mesa (a special security outfit of the Nigeria Army) attached to the school to use force to send away her (Oladokun) and other students from the the school’s gate; this was done to spite our client and her colleagues.

“In obedience to the standing order of the Rector by the men in uniform, our client was flogged several times by two men in uniform with wire and the tail end of their guns, making her to sustain injuries.

“She was further dragged on the floor and brutally molested, making her to sustain several injuries on her body.

“This humiliation from the men in uniform attracted other students and members of the community who condemned the arbitrary use of power.

“The men in uniform, having realised the gravity of what they had done, took our client to the office of the Rector and lied that our client was confrontational. The Rector saw this and instead of doing the needful ordered that our client be taken to Tapon Police Station to make statements on what actually transpired between her and the men in uniform despite her bad condition.”

Oladokun, a native of Isara Remo, according to the petition, was said to have been detained at the police station for about 10 hours before she was released, following the intervention of a traditional ruler. The petition added:”It is disheartening that when our client was taken to the police station, she was detained from the hours of 12:30 pm to 10:00 pm until the intervention of His Royal Highness, Oba Beje of Oke Agbo in Ijebu Igbo, who other students of the institution had gone to report the unfortunate incident to.

“The traditional ruler came down to the station and secured the release of our client who at that time had lost a lot of blood.

“Our client informed us that the monarch frowned at the act of the police officers and the school authorities.

“This unfortunate act done to our client is vexatious, callous and a gross abuse of her fundamental human rights and human dignity.

“This is least expected from the top official of an institution and the police. Many a time, acts like these are being swept under the carpet and victims are made to suffer in vain.

“That would not happen in this case. This would be pursued to the highest point of ensuring that justice is done. We implore you to use your good office to investigate this matter and ensure that justice is allowed to prevail.”

The Rector of the Polytechnic, Mrs Bilesanmi Awoderu, told the The Nation that the information it got about what happened to the female student was not correct. Prodded to give what she considered the correct account of what transpired, she declined further comment.

Awoderui, who spoke briefly on the telephone, gave conditions under which she would speak further on the matter. She said she would have to first get clearance from the Ogun State Government to supply information about the issue, asking our correspondent to find a date to come down to the institution’s campus at Ijebu-Igbo once the permission to speak on the issue was granted.

However, further calls and text messages to her mobile phone to knowif she was on campus at the time or

When contacted, the Public Relations Officer of Ogun State Ministry of Education, Mr. Kayode Oduyebo, said that he was not aware of the incident or any petition relating to the incident.

In a text message forwarded to our correspondent, Oduyebo said: “This is yet to be brought to my notice”

Recalling her ordeal in the hands of the soldiers, Miss Oladokun said: ”As I was bleeding from the brutality the soldiers meted out to me, the Rector asked them to take me to Tapon Police Station where I was detained for many hours before I was set free after the intervention of Oba Baje of Oke Agbo in Ijebu Igbo.

“As I speak with you I have not recovered from both the injuries sustained and the trauma of the needless attack on me.”

It was learnt that the polytechnic had initially invited Miss Oladokun to appear before the Students Disciplinary Committee (SDC) yesterday, but the invitation was cancelled on Thursday for no clear reasons.

Meanwhile, the national leadership of NAOSS has issued a seven-day ultimatum to the state government to bring the masterminds of the incident to justice.

A statement signed by the National President of the body, Comrade Michael Adewale, said: ”It is disheartening and barbaric that security operatives who are assigned to maintain law and order in the state are the ones molesting and infringing on the rights of Ogun State students.

“The leadership of NAOSS, which is saddled with the responsibility of agitating for the protection of fundamental human rights of its members, is irrevocably stating that we are urging the authorities to use their offices to find justice to this case, as we won’t hesitate to move our national secretariat to Ijebu Igbo and take to the streets across Ogun State in the next seven days.”

Confirming the incident in a telephone conversation with our correspondent, the spokesman of Ogun Police Command, Mr.Muyiwa Adejobi said: “The lady(Folashade) was brought to the station by soldiers attached to OP MESA on the allegation that she incited students against the school authorities.

We incidented the case and handled the matter professionally because she was bleeding.She was not detained but quickly released to the traditional ruler of Oke Agbo community in Ijebu Igbo on bail.

U.S. to mobilise more aid for Nigeria – Amb. Power

The U.S. on Friday pledged to mobilise more aid and support for Nigeria and other countries affected by the Boko Haram insurgency.

U.S. Ambassador to the UN Samantha Power made the pledge at a Town Hall Meeting with the students and staff of American University of Nigeria (AUN) in Yola.

Power noted that the current assistance to Nigeria and other affected countries was inadequate in meeting the food and medical needs of the Internally Displace Persons (IDPs), among others.

“When I return to United Nations in New York, I plan to deliver an urgent message to other member states that we together need to do much more to support Nigeria and other affected countries in responding to this immense problem,’’ she said.


Power noted that so far, the U.S. support to Nigeria covered only 13 per cent of the UN requirements in meeting the needs of the IDPs in the country.

She commended the efforts of the Nigerian military to contain the Boko Haram insurgents, citing the soldiers’ latest repel of the insurgents’ attack in Kareto as a feat.

She urged the military to continue the campaign within the rules of engagement by respecting the people’s human rights in the fight so as to garner the citizens’ trust and goodwill.

“This (respect for human rights) is something we had discussed in all our meetings with the leaders in Cameroon, Chad, President Buhari and respective regional militaries,’’ she said.

Power noted that Boko Haram had an unparalleled record in the area of human rights abuses, adding that the U.S. was now very active in efforts to strengthen the Nigerian military’s capacity to perform optimally.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that while in Yola, Power visited IDPs camps, addressed a news conference and took time off in the evening to play basketball with the students of AUN.

DPR shuts four petrol stations in Abuja

The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) on Saturday shut four petrol stations in Abuja for hoarding, under dispensing and other sharp practices while selling Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) in the city.

DPR Zonal Operation Controller, North Central, Alhaji Mohammed Usman, told journalists while monitoring some filling stations that the agency would continue to sanction those engaging in sharp practices.

Usman said that most of the filling stations visited had products to sell, adding that there was no need for the long queues witnessed in the city.

The Zonal Controller said the DPR had directed that henceforth, there should be no fuel reserve fuel for the so called “special customers.”


Mr. Ademola Abraham, a motorist, at NNPC Beulah, commended the effort of the DPR in ensuring that the products were dispensed fairly.

“We have been here (petrol filling station) since 6:00am, but they refused to sell to us. Yesterday, we saw them discharging products but they refused to sell,’’ he told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

Student dies after fight at Delaware high school

A 16-year-old girl died Thursday after fighting with other girls in a bathroom at Howard High School of Technology in Wilmington, Delaware, authorities said.
"There was an altercation that initially started between two people, and my understanding is that additional individuals joined in against the one person," said Gary Fullman, chief of staff to the Wilmington mayor.
The student was badly injured and transported by helicopter to A.I. DuPont Hospital for Children, where she died, Fullman said.The fight broke out about 8:15 a.m. as classes started, in a bathroom on the main floor of the school, principal Stanley Spoor said at a news conference. He didn't say what caused the fight. Two students are being questioned by Wilmington police, he said. No charges have been filed yet, authorities said. Wilmington Police Chief Bobby Cummings said it's not believed a weapon was used.
The name of the victim, a sophomore, has not been released. An autopsy will determine the cause of death.
Students at the school were kept in class until 10:15 a.m. and sent home for the day, school officials said. Robocalls were sent to family members, who rushed to pick up their children. Some of them said they didn't know exactly what had happened.
"They said there was a fight," Denise Dinkins told CNN affiliate WPVI. "I don't know. I am just trying to find my grandson."Grief counselors and mental health teams will be available for students "so they have an opportunity to process prior to the weekend break," said Kathy Demerest of the New Castle County Vocational Technical School District.
City officials expressed sorrow at the violence.
"My heart is broken," Wilmington Mayor Dennis Williams said at the news conference. "I am so upset that a young lady lost her life today. Things like this shouldn't happen. My heart bleeds for the family, the kids who go to this school and the administrators, and our city."
"This is not only an unspeakable tragedy for her family, but also for the school, and the entire community," said a statement on the school district website. "We express our prayers and deepest sympathy to her family, who need your support and sensitivity at this time."

Civilians killed as air strikes pound Aleppo

Air strikes launched by the Syrian government have killed several civilians and injured dozens in the northern city of Aleppo as the ceasefire between the government and opposition groups crumbles.

At least 20 people were killed across Aleppo and several dozen injured in the attacks, according to sources on the ground.

The strikes targeted four different, predominantly civilian areas in the city, said Zouhir Al Shimale, a local journalist.
"These are all civilian areas, and people were near or at the mosques when the strikes hit," he told Al Jazeera by telephone, estimating that at least 30 civilians were injured in the Bustan al-Qasr area alone.

"The bombardment happened during the Friday prayers. I was on the way prayers when it happened in the al-Mashhad [neighbourhood]. People started going out of the mosque and running.Shimale said Aleppo's streets mostly emptied following the attacks, with people rushing home to avoid being in open spaces.

"People have gotten used to it. They know that at any moment, the regime could strike again."

According to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, government air strikes also targeted towns across Syria's Idlib province, killing at least three civilians. "