Father rapes 12-yr-old daughter in Bayelsa, aborts pregnancy

AT 12, the world of Queen (surname withheld) has literally turned upside down. Her dreams are crumbling as she undergoes medical treatment owing to alleged abuse by her father, Bamekpa.

Her injuries are serious enough to warrant urgent surgery in one of the hospitals in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.

Queen is no doubt in pains. At a point, she bled profusely from her private part. Her father, who hails from Imiringi, Ogbia Local Government Area, Bayelsa State, allegedly started to defile her at the age of 11.

He was alleged to have serially raped and eventually impregnated her. Then he forced her to abort a four-month-old pregnancy through a crude process that currently threatens her life.

Queen told Operation Rescue (OPER), a human rights group, led by Princess Elizabeth Egbe, that she ran away from the house when she could no longer bear her father’s devilish craving.

She said: “There was nobody to help me. He kept doing it despite my efforts to stop him. It was a painful and violent experience. I ran away from home because there was a time I bled so much from my private part.”

Sobbing, she said: “When I became pregnant and he heard about it, he handed me over to a lady who took me through an unsuccessful process of abortion. I have been suffering series of health issues after the abortion.”

Speaking on the travails of his niece, her uncle, David Apigi, expressed shock at the way she was allegedly violated by her father.

He said: “My niece told me the trauma she has been passing through in

father’s house and how her father has been using her, turning her to his second wife.

“She said he had sex with her to the extent that he aborted her four-month-old pregnancy. She ran to me and begged me not to allow her to return to her father’s house because she was tired. I decided to accommodate her. The father started looking for her without knowing she was with me.”

He said he reported the matter to the Kolo Police Station but asked them to hold on to enable him make some investigations. He said after his investigations, he called his cousin, Rex Ogboku, in Abuja who reported the matter to the Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA).

But FIDA was sluggish in the way it handled the matter, Apigi noted. “My cousin, Rex Ogboku, in Abuja called FIDA to inform them about the situation. But the way FIDA was going about the issue was too sluggish for my liking. I decided to contact the Operation Rescue.

“We went back to the police and the Otuasiga Police Station arrested the man. The process through which the Otuasiga Police Station was handling the case was not satisfactory.

“Imagine a situation where somebody was arrested and while in detention he was still having access to his phone, making calls. He even called me. He called my uncle, trying to plead with him for settlement. I moved the case to Kolo Police Station.”

He said his niece’s father was notorious for sexual perversion, alleging also that he had slept with his biological sisters. He said the suspect repeatedly had carnal knowledge of his cousin’s daughter and forced her to commit abortion five times.

He said some of his victims were ready to testify against him.

Egbe also lamented the condition of the girl and called on the society to protect the girl-child.

She said: “Our investigations showed that the little girl had been perpetually raped by her father who impregnated her and forced her through abortion that has left her with so many health problems.

“When the girl was pregnant, she did not know. Her stepmother discovered she was pregnant and informed the father. The father handed her over to a lady who took her to a quack doctor for an abortion.

“After the abortion, the girl came back home and discovered she was bleeding from her private part. The father took her to that same lady who then took her to other places. The girl is still in pains and highly traumatised. She has been going through series of medical treatments.

“We want the police to really investigate this matter and get to the root of the case. We want the doctor to be arrested, and we want everybody that is involved to be arrested and prosecuted to serve as deterrent to other people who are involved in this act of perpetual evil against the girl-child. The girl-child is tender and has a lot to contribute to nation-building.”

20-yr-old communal war gathers fresh cloud in Delta

Suspected guerrillas are daily streaming into Aladja and Ogbe-Ijoh, Urhobo and Ijaw communities in Delta State respectively, as the two towns prepare for full blown war.

The two sides are also said to be stockpiling arms and ammunition to settle their two-decade-old tussle over land.

The protracted land ownership tussle has claimed over 200 lives in the past two decades. Many people have been injured while buildings, cars and other property worth millions of naira have been destroyed since fresh hostilities broke out on Thursday.

Although armed soldiers and mobile policemen have been deployed in the two communities in the aftermath of the invasion and looting of a police station on Thursday, there was palpable tension when our correspondent visited the ‘war zone’ yesterday.

The police said yesterday that they were on top of the situation and had created a buffer zone between the two communities until the state government settled the boundary dispute.

Sources said one of the two warring sides was shipping in weapons in coffins and other unusual means, while the other side was mobilising ex-militants and bringing in weapons used in the Niger Delta crisis

”We learnt that the Aladja people are importing fighters from other clans and are stockpiling weapons which they bring in coffins and also disguised as goods,” a young Ijaw man told The Nation at Ogbe-Ijoh.

He added: “We cannot fold our hands and wait for them to come and kill our people before we do something, so we are making our own arraignments to ensure that we are not caught unawares.”

At Aladja, a source said the people were fleeing because of report that Ijaws were mobilising militants, arms and ammunition from Ijaw riverside communities preparatory to an attack..

“Nobody is sleeping with two eyes close now,” the source said.

At Ogbe-Ijoh, there was power blackout because youths from Aladja had cut off power supply by pulling down three high tension poles which transmit electricity to the town.

“That has been their stock in trade. Whenever there is a disagreement, they would block government road leading to Ogbe-Ijoh.

“This time around, they went further by pulling down the electric poles, thereby cutting us off from the national power grid,” an aggrieved youth in the town said.

Meanwhile, one of the victims of Thursday’s bloody clash, Mr Freeborn Makrigbene, told our reporter that he escaped death by a whisker when he attempted to broker peace with the Aladja youths who barricaded the road leading to Ogbe-Ijoh.

“My sin is that I am an Ogbe-Ijoh man. They used machetes on me, cut my body in several parts and even a soldier who came to assist me was not spared.

“We want peace and we think it is the inaction of the government that is causing all these fights,” Makrigbene added.

Speaking in the same vein, Mr Aaron Aghorigho told our reporter that his business premises located in Aladja, near Ogbe-Ijoh boundary was pillaged by irate youths suspected to be from the Ijaw community.

He said: “I got the information last night that my house and shop were looted. I could only sneak in to get my mother out of the trouble spot.”

Meanwhile, the President of Ijaw Youth Council, Comrade Udengs Eradiri and other stakeholders, have urged the two warring communities to sheathe their swords in the interest of peace and security of the area.

Speaking in the same vein, Jerry Oromoni and Chief Michael Jonny, while suing for peace, advised the state government to take action and not wait for heavy casualties before wading into the conflict.

The Commander of the Warri Area of the Delta Police Command, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Mohammed Muazu, who announced the creation of a buffer zone between the two communities, warned that anyone caught violating the security arrangement would be treated as an offender and an aggressor.

He confirmed that a peace meeting had been held with both communities.

Muazu said::”I can confirm to you authoritatively that all the stolen items that were stolen yesterday were recovered. Everything was brought back because at yesterday’s (Thursday) meeting I read the riot act to them that if they failed to produce the guns, I would raid that community.

“And sincerely speaking, I had the intention to enter the community. It was the CP who said I should not. I already had a unit on standby.

“I told them to go and maintain peace and they should wait for the government to come and give them the proper plan or demarcation or the so-called buffer zone so that we will now know where belongs to who and nobody should encroach on the buffer zone, pending when government decides on what to do with it.

“In the meantime, I have a complete unit of mobile policemen, headed by an ASP. I have gunboats manned by the navy and marine police. The conventional police have been put on high alert that they must make peace and make sure no miscreant comes to constitute any nuisance.

“Anybody, whether on the water or on land, who comes to cause trouble should be picked and be decisively dealt with.

“So there is relative peace, normalcy has been restored now, pending when government will bring out whatever decision on Wednesday, after the security council meeting.

“Five representatives each from the two sides, including the council chairmen, will go to meet the governor on Wednesday so that the government will issue a white paper.”.

It was gathered that all the arms and ammunition looted from the Ogbe-Ijoh police station on Thursday by the youths of the community had been returned to the police.

Group calls on state head to withdraw bill against public preaching

The Human Right Writers’ Association of Nigeria on Sunday called on Gov. Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State to withdraw the bill on prohibiting religious preaching in public places in the state. The National Coordinator of the association, Mr Emmanuel Onwubiko, alleged that the bill violated constitutional provisions for freedom of worship

He said that the bill, if passed into law “is capable of breeding religious crisis in the state. “We recognise the validity and sanctity of section 10 of the constitution which clearly spelt out that government of the federation or state shall not adopt any religion as a state religion’’. He described Kaduna State as a sensitive which should not be allowed to be troubled with issue of religion, advising the stakeholders not to mix religion with politics. The governor recently introduced a bill to substitute the Kaduna State Religious Preaching Law, 1984.

Withdraw job offers now or we’ll sue.(SERAP warns CBN)

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has sent an open letter to Mr Godwin Emefiele,Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), requesting him to “immediately withdraw hundreds of letters of employment issued following a seriously flawed recruitment process and to put in place a system of recruitment and hiring based on the principles of non-discrimination, transparency, participation and objective criteria such as merit, equity and aptitude.” The group warned that “Should Mr Emefiele and the CBN fail and/or neglect to act as requested within 14 days of the receipt and/or publication of this letter, the Registered Trustees of SERAP shall take appropriate legal action to ensure effective remedies for millions of Nigerians that have been denied equal opportunity to participate in the recruitment process. And this may be without further notice to you.” The letter dated 18 March 2016 and signed by SERAP executive director Adetokunbo Mumuni reads in part: “This corrupt process amounts to a fundamental breach of constitutionally and internationally recognized human rights of millions of Nigerians particularly the right to equality and non-discrimination, to work and to human dignity.” “Instead of the CBN promoting equality of opportunity and access to employment for all Nigerians, it has perpetrated discrimination, and therefore denied an opportunity for economic self‑reliance and in many cases a means for millions of Nigerians to escape poverty and live a life of dignity.” “The process also directly breaches article 7 of the UN Convention against Corruption which Nigeria has ratified. Article 7 requires institutions like the CBN to adopt, maintain and strengthen systems for the recruitment and hiring of civil servants that are based on principles of transparency and objective criteria such as merit, equity and aptitude.” “SERAP believes that by the secret recruitment, millions of otherwise qualified Nigerians have been treated less favourably than the children of the politically and economically connected. This differential treatment is arbitrary and cannot be reasonably and objectively justified. It can in fact result in pervasive discrimination, stigmatization and negative stereotyping. The secret recruitment also offends the requirement for Nigeria to make the labour market open to everyone in the country.” “SERAP notes that non-discrimination and equality are essential for the exercise and enjoyment of other constitutionally and internationally recognized human rights, as well as equal and effective protection before and of the law. We also remind you that every Nigerian has the right to be able to work, allowing him/her to live in dignity.” “SERAP is seriously concerned that the secret recruitment unfairly deprives millions of Nigerians the right to work, impermissibly limiting their freedom regarding the choice to work, and undermining their personal development and social and economic inclusion. While the right to work is not an absolute and unconditional right to obtain employment, it implies the right of access to a system of protection guaranteeing every eligible Nigerian access to employment, and the right not to be unfairly deprived of employment.” “The secret recruitment has therefore impaired and nullified the exercise of the rights of Nigerians, especially disadvantaged and marginalized individuals and groups to human dignity, equality and non-discrimination.” “Furthermore, the Nigerian Constitution 1999 (as amended) provides in section 42 that a citizen of Nigeria of a particular group shall not, by reason only that he is such a person: a) be subjected to disabilities or restrictions to which citizens of Nigeria of other groups are not made subject; or be accorded any privilege or advantage that is not accorded to all citizens of Nigeria.” “Section 16(2) provides that the economic system will not be operated in such a manner as to permit the concentration of wealth or means of production and exchange in the hands of few individuals or of a group, such as the politically and economically connected or their children.” “Section 17 provides that the state social order is founded on ideals of freedom, equality and justice. Subsection (3) of the same section provides that the state shall direct its policy towards, ensuring that all citizens without discrimination on any group whatever, have the opportunity for securing adequate means of livelihood as well as adequate opportunity to secure suitable employment.” “According to reports, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) carried out an alleged secret recruitment of over 900 employees on your directive and under your supervision. Many of the beneficiaries are said to be children and relatives of the politically and economically connected. Our information suggests that there were no prior notifications on the recruitment through advertisements to give all Nigerians the opportunity to participate.”

CPC asks unmetered electricity consumers to reject ‘jumbo’ bills

Consumer Protection Council (CPC) has warned electricity Distribution Companies (Discos) against billing or disconnecting consumers who purchase the Credited Advance Payment for Metering Implementation (CAPMI) during the delivery process. CPC Director General, Mrs. Dupe Atoki, bill or disconnect consumers for the period to deliver and install the meter. Atoki, at a stakeholders’ workshop in Abuja, as part of a weeklong activities to mark this year’s consumer rights day, stated that the Council had agreed with the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, to enforce the mandatory 60 days timeline to DISCos to provide meters to consumers who have elected to procure such under the CAPMI scheme. She added that on the expiration of the 60-day timeline, the DISCos would lose the right to bill or disconnect consumers’ electricity source. Apart from that, the CPC boss noted that electricity consumers, who had not been metered, also reserved the right to contest any bill presented to them. Atoki said: “Consumers, who have not been metered, have a right to contest ‘jumbo’ bills and opt to pay the last undisputed bills. “As a result, the Council will stand with consumers who, in line with NERC guidelines, decided not to pay a disputed bill, including consumers under the CAPMI scheme who refuse to be bullied or disconnected after 60 days of not being provided with meters.”

Top military officers in trouble over N5bn polls

Others quizzed over N5billion ‘election operation’ fund

The army segment of the $2.1billion arms slush funds has landed 12 top army officers in trouble with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)

Three serving major generals, a retired major general, three brigadier generals, four colonels, and one lieutenant colonel are being interrogated by the anti-graft agency for their alleged involvement in the deal.

They were referred to the EFCC by the army authorities following an internal probe.

A security source familiar with the development branded it “a monumental fraud” last night.

The source said that from the evidence already gathered, what transpired in the air force with the arms procurement fund might turn out to be a child’s play.

“This is the most crucial aspect of the $2.1billion arms deals because the Nigerian Army was at the centre of the procurement. The case of the Nigerian Air Force might be a child’s play.”

Commodore Salisu Yushau, a retired finance director of the Air Force and prosecution witness in a case of corruption against former Chief of Defence Staff and one time Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshall Alex Badeh told a Federal High Court in Abuja last Wednesday of how air force money was used to buy choice properties for Badeh’s sons and how the former Air Force Chief routinely mopped up salaries in excess of N500m monthly.

Ex-National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki is facing a separate trial for alleged diversion of the $2.1 billion arms procurement fund.

Sources said:”already, we have started interrogating the officers referred to the commission. At the appropriate time, we will release their names to the public.

“Certainly, we will interact with two former Chiefs of Army Staff on the procurement process and inventory of arms and military hardware.”

The Army had said those found guilty of fraud by the EFCC will be tried by a Military Court Martial.

The Acting Director of Army Public Relations, Col. Sani Kukasheka Usman said in a terse statement that “However it should be noted that at the end of the commission’s investigations, those found culpable will be tried by a Military Court Martial.”

Some retired and former military officers are also under investigation for allegedly diverting a N5billion vote earmarked for election operation.

The fund was released by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).

The illegal fund, which was drawn from the Central Bank of Nigeria, was allegedly used for personal service.

Investigation by our correspondent revealed that the N5billion was illegally drawn for the Army from the CBN by ONSA.

It was learnt another vote was budgeted for the Army in the 2015 budget for operations leading to duplication of funds.

Some Army officers were said to have helped themselves to the N5billion cash since “operation funds” were regarded as “mere fluid budget.”

A reliable source said: “Some top Army officers are under probe over N5billion election operation funds from ONSA. The funds were illegally drawn under curious overhead from CBN.

“But preliminary findings have indicated that the cash was diverted to personal use. There is no record of disbursement and utilization.

“Some of the affected officers have been invited to Abuja. If found guilty of mismanagement of funds and political indulgence, they might face severe sanctions including dismissal or retirement.”

About N16.5billion was released to the Nigeria Police, Nigerian Air Force, Nigerian Army and ONSA for “logistic requirement for 2015 elections.”

The breakdown is as follows: IGP General Election OPS Fund Account (N10billion); Nigerian Air Force OPS Account (N1billion); Nigerian Army Operations Account (N5billion) and ONSA (N500million).

Woman died over building collapse

A two-storey building at 9 Alli Close, Mile 12, Lagos, collapsed yesterday morning killing a 47-year-old woman.

Michael Akindele, general manager of the Lagos State Emergency Agency (LASEMA), who confirmed the incident, said rescue operation was ongoing.

He attributed the incident to poor maintenance of the building.

“It was a partial collapse which affected the balcony of the building. One female victim was killed and the building has been condoned off for safety. The agencies on ground include LASEMA, ERT, Lagos State fire service and the Nigerian police force, Alapere division.

“Investigation and assessment conducted revealed that the building had shown sign of distress as some portion of the balcony was caving in.

“The 47-year-old woman sustained bodily injury and died on her way to the hospital. The occupants of the 16-room building have been evacuated and the building condoned off for safety.”

The incident happened two weeks after a building collapsed at Lekki, killing about 34 persons.

RIVERS RERUN 7 killed, SSG, Wike’s aide arrested by soldiers

The National and State legislative re-run elections in Rivers State spiraled out of security control at several hot spots yesterday, leaving at least seven people dead.

The deaths occurred at Abalama in Asari Toru Local Government Area,Eleme in Eleme LGA,Nonwa in Tai LGA and Ogboloko in Abua/Odual LGA.

The police said their records showed that only one person died at Eleme.

They confirmed 12 arrests as Governor Nyesom Wike leading the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Transportation Minister Rotimi Amaechi leading the All Progressives Congress (APC) were locked in a fierce battle for the political soul of the oil producing state.

As the tension boiled over, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) suspended elections in Bonny, Andoni, Gokana, and Khana, Tai and Eleme local government areas.

The identities of the victims could not be immediately verified although sources said that a man killed in Abalama was an immigration officer serving in the state.

He was allegedly killed by unknown gunmen.

Four people were killed at Eleme and one each in Tai and Ogboloko.

Security operatives arrested eight persons in Khana LGA of the state for alleged electoral violence and for parading themselves as policemen.

One of the suspects was alleged to be an aide to a top functionary in the state hierarchy.

But the elections went on peacefully in other parts of the state.

Some voters opted to stay at home to avoid security screening by soldiers and policemen deployed to keep the peace during the elections.

The Public Relations Officer of the State Polce Command, DSP Ahmad Muhammad, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Port Harcourt that it received report about the death of one person in Eleme.

Muhammad said 10 people were arrested in Eleme while two were picked up on their way to Akinima, Ahoada West Local Government Area.

“The suspects committed election-related offences. They are being interrogated while investigation has commenced on the offences committed,” he said.

He also said the police did not know what caused the death of a middle-aged man in Eleme and that the Divisional Police Officer in charge of the area received the report.

He said the command did necessary deployments to ensure credible elections in the state.

INEC’s Deputy Director of Public Affairs, Nick Dazang, who confirmed the suspension of voting in six councils of the state said there was also high voters’ apathy in the areas because of the allegations of fake result sheets.

The PDP had alleged circulation of fake result sheets in Bonny, Andoni and Khana.

INEC dismissed the report as a lie.

Thugs allegedly snatched election materials around 2.30pm at three units in WIiyaakara Ward, Khana Local Government Area.

A 14-seater bus was burnt down in Alode, Eleme Local Government Area, and there were also reports of a shoot-out in Rumuekini, Obio Akpor Local Government Area.

The Army in the state paraded some fake soldiers arrested at Khana.

Early humans and Neanderthals made babies

Neanderthals may not have been as lucky as our human ancestors in the long run, but that doesn't mean the two subspecies didn't get lucky.

Scientists have discovered that Homo sapiens -- that's us -- made more babies with archaic humanlike species than initially thought. That s6xual history has left a mark on the human genome, possibly influencing our immune systems and metabolism, according to a new study published in the journal of Science.

Scientists analyzed the genetic information of more than 1,500 people from all around the world and determined that ancestors of modern humans interbred with Neanderthals and Denisovans.

They learned that some Asians, Europeans and even the Melanesians of Papua New Guinea had Neanderthal and Denisovan ancestry.

Mystery surrounds the Denisovans, which were related to Neanderthals but genetically different, in much the same way Neanderthals were distinct from modern humans. In 2008, fossil remains of Denisovans were discovered in a cave in Siberia.

Hubble finds 'monster stars'

There are monsters in the universe!.

That's the description of stars photographed by the Hubble Space Telescope, which took a shot of the R136 star cluster and revealed nine stars more than 100 times the mass of the sun, according to a statement from spacetelescope.org.

Hubble is operated by the European Space Agency and NASA.

One of the stars is R136a1, the most massive star known in the universe. Even the lesser stars in R136 are huge: "Dozens" of them exceed 50 sun masses, said the release.

They're also incredibly bright, with the nine largest stars together outshining the sun by a factor of 30 million.

R136 is about 170,000 light years away, in the Tarantula Nebula within the Large Magellanic Cloud. To give an idea of this distance, Alpha Centauri -- the closest star system to Earth -- is about 4.3 light years away, or about 25 trillion miles.

The discovery offers more information on star formation -- and, in terms of the cosmic scale, just in time. Massive stars live for only a few million years before going supernova.

Paul Crowther, a University of Sheffield astrophysicist and lead author of the study, praised Hubble for the revelations.

"Once again, our work demonstrates that, despite being in orbit for over 25 years, there are some areas of science for which Hubble is still uniquely capable," he said.

The results will be published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.

Flydubai plane crashes in Russia; 62 aboard reported dead

A passenger jet circled a southern Russian airport in high winds and poor visibility, then crashed on a second landing attempt early Saturday, killing all 62 people aboard.

The flydubai Boeing 737 jet crashed at the Rostov-on-Don airport after traveling from Dubai.

All those on board died, authorities said.Officials believe bad weather, which kept the plane from reattempting landing for more than two hours, likely caused the crash. They ruled out terrorism as a possibility.

Russia's investigation into the crash will take about two months, investigative committee spokeswoman Oksana Kovrizhnaya said, as reported by state-run But [the investigation] could be prolonged because of the inspections' duration," Kovrizhnaya added. He said the three potential causes being considered are technical issues, severe weather and human error.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has condemned allegations of Fake Result sheets being deployed for election in Akuku-Toru, Tai and Bonny Local Government Areas of Rivers State for the ongoing Election rerun.

The commission made this known in a post that appeared on its Social media handle saying: “The Allegations are untrue and they should be discountenanced. Voters are advised to come out and Exercise their franchise peacefully.

“However, Result sheets with BAR CODES and Serial Number are valid. Remember: Voting starts and ends until the last person accredited has voted.”

Job losers resort to pension savings, withdraw N48bn

Over 150,000 sacked workers from both public and private sectors have withdrawn N48bn from their retirement savings accounts with the various Pension Fund Administrators in the last two years.

Figures obtained from the National Pension Commission revealed that the sacked workers, who could not secure another gainful employment, withdrew a quarter of the balance in their pension accounts as of the end of February, 2016.

Records revealed that more job losers are looking up to their pension accounts as their last financial hope, which is making them unable to wait till retirement stage before touching their savings.

The figures obtained from PenCom revealed that at the end of 2013 financial period, only 36,369 sacked workers with N29.8bn as their RSA balance in both the public and private sector withdrew N7.4bn from their various PFAs.

In this period, workers who resigned from their works for various reasons were not allowed to access these funds. Only those who could produce their sack letters from their employers and had waited for at least six months without getting another job were allowed to apply for a quarter of their RSA balance.

After the Pension Reform Act was amended in 2014, the law allowed those who also resigned to access these funds after waiting for four months.

Section 7 (2) of the PRA 2014 allows a worker who voluntarily retires, resigns or was disengaged from employment to access 25 per cent of his RSA if he is unable to get another job after four months.

By the end of 2014, the number of contributors who withdrew from their RSA rose to 96,708. Of these workers, 92,245 were from the private sector while 4,463 were public workers. With a total contribution of N126.4bn in their pension accounts, they withdrew N31.6bn at the end of 2014.

No fewer than 104,161 workers, who contributed about N135.6bn in the CPS, withdrew N33.9bn from the savings in their RSA as of the end of March last year.

The Director-General, PenCom, Mrs. Chinelo Anohu-Amazu, said approval was granted for payment to RSA holders under the age of 50 years that were disengaged from work and were unable to secure another job within four months of disengagement.

Meanwhile, civil servants in most states of the federation have expressed their frustration to meet their basic needs.

Many states of the federation still owe the salaries of their workers for between three and six months.

The workers said they had been finding it difficult to get loans and food items on credit from creditors due to their inability to pay back previous debts.

It was also gathered that cooperative societies that used to rely on deductions from workers’ salaries are either folded up or struggling to survive.

Many of the cooperative societies have also had their funds drawn out by unpaid civil servants.

It is traditional for civil servants to buy food items and other goods on credit pending when their salaries are paid.

Some workers who are still hoping to get food items and other goods on credit are also being denied by traders.

A 55-year-old civil servant in Imo State, who simply identified herself as Mrs. Akambugha, said her relation, who was financially helpful in the past, had told her to seek assistance elsewhere.

A civil servant with the state Ministry of Health, Mrs. Juliet Aneke, said she had been hiding from her creditors to avoid being embarrassed.

Teachers under the Bauchi State Universal Basic Education Board were last paid salaries in December 2015.

A teacher in a Government Junior Secondary School in the state, who spoke on condition of anonymity, also said he and some of his colleagues had been hiding from their creditors.

He said, “I have been borrowing money and it has got to a point that I can no longer continue to borrow,” he said, adding, “A woman has a provision store opposite our school, and anytime she sees any of the school’s teachers in front of her shop now, she shouts ‘I am not selling if you are buying on credit.”

The Ondo State Government owes its workers three months’ salary arrears.

One of the workers, who identified himself as Mr. Akinnuwa, also confirmed that traders had been refusing to sell items to them on credit because of their inability to pay previous debt.

The situation is the same in Delta State as some civil servants told one of our correspondents that they had no idea of where else to seek financial assistance.

A creditor that engages in money lending, Amaka Josephine & Co., said over N700, 000 was loaned out to civil servants in the state and that those who could not keep to the agreements had lost their properties to him.

Civil servants in Osun State are also facing a hard time following their irregular and slashed salaries.

A teacher, Mrs. Temitope Akinola, said the state civil servants had yet to be paid any salary this year and that her landlord was getting more impatient with her over the delay in paying her house rent.

A trader in Ekiti State, who identified herself as Mrs. Aregbesola, said she stopped selling on credit to civil servants because she had yet to be paid previous debts.

Some civil servants in Kwara State told that they were being owed between two and four months’ salary arrears.

Some of them said their creditors had described them as non credit-worthy.

JAMB bows to protesting candidates

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) yesterday said that the board would reschedule examination for candidates who missed the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination because of relocation of centres by the board.

The board said it relocated 59, 000 candidates in 15 states because of problems in some of the centres.

It also said candidates who had system failure during the examination would retake it, if the board finds their complaint to be genuine.

The Registrar of the board, Prof. Dibu Ojerinde, who said this at a press conference in Abuja yesterday, added that the new development does not affect candidates who missed the examination deliberately or failed in the examination.

He said among the 1,546,633 candidates that sat for the 2016 UTME, 145, 704 had issues of multiple results which have been resolved by the board.

Prof. Ojerinde added that 23, 577 candidates were absent on the day of the examination.


“We relocated candidates where the board had challenges. The board is looking at some of the issues raised during the examination, but most of the excuses raised by candidates are flimsy,” he said.

“We relocated about 59, 000 candidates due to the problems in various centres which vary from town to town. There are about 59,000 of them spread across 15 states of the federation.

“Those that were relocated never suffered any setback or inconvenience. For all these two sets of people, I want to apologise sincerely for what happened to them, but we are going to put on a redress for those whose relocation affected them in missing their examination.

“Let me use this opportunity to offer explanation on the issue of the much-publicized two results. The process of our marking involves transformation and other qualitative programming. In the process of these configurations, we had a little challenge which we quickly corrected and ensured that this never happened in subsequent results. This challenge was only associated with the candidates that sat for this examination on Saturday, 27, and some candidates of Monday, 29 February, 2016.”

Prof. Ojerinde said the board found out that some of the over 500 centres used for the CBT was compromised by the operators.

He said that one of its centres in Uromi, Edo State was invaded by mercenaries during the examination.

He blamed the education consultants for mobilizing candidates to protest against the conduct of the examination by the board, adding that the quality of the centres used for UTME would not be compromised.

“In our quest to have adequate and effective centres for the exercise, we approved over 500 centres, but unfortunately, some of the centre operators were not sincere in proving us with the true position of their facilities.

“They hired equipment during the period of accreditation and other necessary apparatus and on the examination day, they were found wanting. This led to relocation or rescheduling of candidates from some of them to more suitable centres.


He said Nigeria was ready to take the CBT examination, adding that reverting to the PPT as directed by the House of Representatives would amount to lack of progress.


According to him, the CBT would be improved upon.


“Even the physically challenged are taking the CBT examination. One of the blind candidates scored 286, so why should others complain?


“Going back to the Paper and Pencil Test will amount to taking one step forward and two steps backwards,” he said.

court sentences 89 Boko Haram men to death

Cameroon court has sentenced 89 Boko Haram men to death.

They were convicted on terror charges by a military court for their roles in several attacks in Cameroon’s northern region which borders Nigeria.

Cameroon passed an anti-terror law in 2014 which introduced the death sentence.

This is the first time the death sentenced has been used since that law was passed.

The 89 are among 850 people arrested in Cameroon on charges of links to Boko Haram.

Following the death sentences, a local human rights group has called for reforms to Cameroon’s justice system.

Hundreds of people have been killed in a spate of attacks in Cameroon since it joined a regional force set up to tackle the militants last year.

Major, soldier killed in Rivers’ shootout

AN army officer simply identified as Major Luke and a soldier were yesterday shot dead on the waterways of Abonnema-Kalabari, the headquarters of Akuku-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State by people described as thugs.

The thugs reportedly opened fire on the soldiers, injuring five others. The attack came ahead of tomorrow’s legislative rerun across the 23 local government areas of the volatile Niger Delta state.

The Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, 2 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Port Harcourt, Capt. Eli Lazarus, who confirmed the “barbaric act”, which heightened tension in the state, revealed that the soldiers were in pursuit of the criminals, who he said would surely be apprehended.

Capt. Lazarus said: “At 11 am on March 17, 2016, troops on patrol along the waterways in the general area of Abonnema had a fierce encounter with a group of unknown gunmen, suspected to be sea pirates.

“Our men displayed extraordinary gallantry during the encounter. Unfortunately, an officer and a soldier, who sustained various degree of injury, lost their lives.We are in pursuit of the criminals and we will surely get them. All law-abiding citizens are urged to go about their lawful activities. The army will continue to make necessary sacrifices to ensure sustainable peace, security of lives and property of all.”

Also yesterday, gunmen stormed Mgbuitanwo in Emohua, Emohua Local Government Area of the state, where the Rivers East senatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Andrew Uchendu, hails from, killing and beheading a 28-year-old man, identified as Ukeoma.

The gunmen, who laid siege to the community, according to sources, abducted another resident.

In a broadcast in Port Harcourt yesterday, the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, declared that the reign of terror across Rivers State, leading to senseless killings, would no longer be tolerated, admonishing the electorate to vote for all the APC’s candidates.

Amaechi, a former Rivers State Governor, noted that the security agencies had been directed to ensure the safety of everybody before, during and after the elections. He urged residents to come out and exercise their rights to vote.

He reiterated that the last time the elections were held, members of the APC were “brazenly, crudely and violently” prevented from exercising their inalienable right to elect the persons they wanted.

The minister said: “The same characters and forces that stole our votes, by violently denying us the right to vote the last time, are at it again. In the months and weeks leading to this Saturday’s elections, they have employed the use of violence and threats to lives as tools of intimidation and harassment, all aimed at preventing us from coming out to vote.

“They have turned our hitherto peaceful state into a haven of brazen criminality, culminating in killings and maiming of innocent citizens.

“It is gratifying to note that the Commander-In-Chief, President Muhammadu Buhari, has assured the security of lives and property in the state before, during and after the elections. Mr. President has graciously provided adequate security through the length and breadth of the state.”

Amaechi, a former Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), described as “illegal”, the public holidays declared by the administration of Governor Nyesom Wike on yesterday and today, which also affected banks and schools, both private and public.

The minister called on all Rivers people not to submit to any form of intimidation and threat, maintaining that coming out to elect candidates of their choice on March 19 is their constitutional right and civic responsibility.

The former governor declared that no one could stop the people from exercising their right to vote, assuring them that their safety would be guaranteed.

The Rivers APC Publicity Secretary Chris Finebone, said Wike, a former Minister of State for Education, declared the work-free/non-banking days for the polls, to deceive members of his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Finebone said: “As part of Wike’s ploy to woo voters across Rivers State, he had repeatedly announced that N2 billion had been set aside for disbursement to beneficiaries of the state’s microfinance loans, in support of PDP candidates in the rerun elections.

“With no fund available for the purpose, the Rivers governor ordered the 23 local government caretaker chairmen to deposit N4.5 million each to the Chairman of Rivers State Microfinance Agency last week.

“Considering the paltry nature of the total amount collected, compared to what is required, the governor and his men instead decided to announce Thursday and Friday as work-free days, going into Saturday rerun elections.

“The idea is that prospective beneficiaries of the loans, who already have been notified, will be persuaded to still vote for PDP candidates, believing that after the elections, they will begin to collect their loans from Monday.



“However, the government of Nyesom Wike has other plans for them. There will be no loan to be disbursed to anyone, as fresh stories will be advanced after Saturday’s elections and that will be the end of the loan arrangement.”

The APC’s spokesman also asked all the PDP members and others, who had been promised the loans to forget the deceit and massively vote for candidates of the APC.

Wike raised the alarm about alleged attempt by the police to arrest the state’s Chairman of the PDP, Chief Felix Obuah, before the rerun, which he described as politically motivated and aimed at giving advantage to the APC. This, he said, would be resisted.

Wike said by declaring wanted the caretaker chairman of Asari-Toru Local Government Area, Sabomabo Jackrich, aka Egberipapa, who is a militant “General” the police might have been influenced by political considerations.

The ex-minister of state for Education claimed that his administration had uncovered plans by some politically-motivated individuals to ensure that card readers fail in parts of the state, especially in his Obio/Akpor Local Government Area.

APC leaders under gun attack in Rivers

National and Rivers State leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC), top politicians and reporters yesterday came under gun attack from suspected thugs of the Peoples Democratic Party in a near ambush in Rivers State.

But the heavy presence of security forced the assailants to take to their heels.

The attack came between Omoku, the headquarters of Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers state and Big Elele, on the way to the Port Harcourt International Airport Road.

Rivers State PDP Chairman Felix Obuah, hails from the local government.

The National leaders of the APC, lead by Deputy National Chairman (South) Chief Segun Oni, who represented National Chairman Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, and state leaders led by the deputy governorship candidate during the April 11 last year’s election, Asita Honourable, were in Omoku to sympathise with the victims of the politically-motivated killings and beheadings. Most of them are members of the APC.

With Oni from Abuja were the National Women Leader Ramatu Tijani and National Youth Leader Ibrahim Jalo, among others.

The sympathy meeting took place at the APC’s local government secretariat in Omoku, a town now deserted for fear of attacks ahead of Saturday’s run off elections.

The trip started from the party’s state secretariat in Port Harcourt, around 8 a.m when party leaders, headed for the Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa, to receive the visitors from where they all moved to Omoku.

Travelling to Omoku in a long convoy, the normal speed of about 100 kilometres per hour was observed, but the return journey witnessed a snail speed of 20 kilometres per hour.

While at Omoku, the APC leaders got information from undisclosed persons that suspected PDP thugs had laid ambush on the route they took to Omoku, to attack them. They were told to consider taking another route to Port Harcourt.

The APC deputy national chairman, however, called the bluff of the rampaging gunmen and insisted that the return journey must be through the same route (Big Elele to Port Harcourt International Airport). Security was immediately beefed up.

Rather than speeding during the return journey, the convoy drivers opted for slow movement, with many fully-armed and battle-ready soldiers, operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) and riot policemen on hand to protect the convoy

But the assailants remained in the bush from where they were shooting sporadically. They could not move to the busy highway, and instead ran into the bush.

The NWC members were received by APC’s National Vice Chairman, Southsouth, Hilliard Eta, and the party’s Assistant National Secretary, Oji Ngofa, who is a former Chairman of Eleme Local Government of Rivers State, among other chieftains of the party.

Speaking in Omoku, the National Chairman of the APC described the situation in Omoku and other parts of Rivers state as genocide and called on President Muhammadu Buhari to take immediate action to halt the madness.

Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike and the Rivers Chairman of the PDP, were directly accused of being behind the politically-motivated killings across the 23 Local Governments of the state, which the PDP leaders described as supremacy battle among cult groups.

The APC leader said: “I am surprised that innocent people are being killed, beheaded, maimed and annihilated on a daily basis, while Wike is describing it as a cult war. The killings are politically-motivated, not cult war. I feel very sad, angry and ashamed that people are being gruesomely murdered and beheaded in Rivers State.

“This is the height of barbarism, wickedness, criminality, debasement and bestiality. I never thought Nigeria would degenerate to this level. We must not allow the killings to go on. We will speak for you (relatives of the victims) and we will not abandon you. Public inquiry must be put in place.”

Asita, who was weeping while speaking at Omoku, stated that the victims were killed for being members of the APC, declaring that heavens would not fall, if President Buhari took drastic action to halt the killings of political opponents and others in Rivers State, to show the presence of government.

The Rivers deputy governorship candidate of the APC wondered for how long the members of the party would be paying with their blood, their loyalty to the APC, declaring that they would prefer to be members of the party and still be alive.

Asita noted that when the Supreme Court, on January 27 pronounced Wike as the duly-elected governor of Rivers, the APC members thought that would be the end of the killings in the state, but said they were wrong.

Welcoming members of the NWC of APC to Omoku, a former Rivers Commissioner for Power, Augustine Wokocha, said killing of APC members had been a daily occurrence in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government and other parts of the state.

Wokocha stated that the Federal Government must rise up to the security challenge in Rivers State, describing the killings as the height of criminality, a deliberate attack on the members of the APC and an attempt by Rivers PDP chairman to deliver Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni LGA to the PDP, in spite of Obuah’s unpopularity in the area.

Addressing the teeming members of the APC at The Arena in Port Harcourt, the deputy national chairman urged them to come out en masse on Saturday and vote for only the candidates of the APC, to restore sanity to Rivers.

Oni noted at the meeting, which was also attended by a member of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the APC, Chief Sam Sam Jaja, that the horrendous bloodletting must stop forthwith.

Former governorship candidate Dr. Dakuku Adol Peterside, the newly-appointed Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), said: “Wike’s government is reckless. When you have a government that is foisted on you, what you (NWC members) saw in Omoku would be what would be experienced. The violence was foisted on Rivers people. We sought redress at the tribunal and in court, but the Supreme Court said the current government was validly elected.

“We accepted the verdict of the Supreme Court. We thought it would bring an end to the madness in Rivers State. Quite unfortunately, Rivers people are now being subjected to a lunatic government. Our people are being slaughtered on a daily basis.

“The irresponsible government that we have in Rivers State cannot defend the people of the state. The Federal Government should rise up and defend Rivers people, who want to cast their votes for their preferred candidates for the first time in five years. In free and fair election, APC candidates will win 80 per cent in Rivers State’s 309 wards.”

No fewer than 100 members of the APC were gruesomely murdered by thugs working for the PDP, before, during and after the 2015 general elections, across the 23 LGAs of the state.

PDP leaders in Rivers also claimed that many members of the party were killed by rampaging gunmen, who they alleged were members of the APC.

Most pathetic among the APC members killed before last year’s general elections was the case of a former Chairman of Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Council of Rivers state, Chief Christopher Adube, who was assassinated in his Obrikom home in the LGA on April 3, 2015.

Chief Adube, who was buried on December 12 last year, was assassinated along with three of his biological children: Lucky, Joy and John, as well as a family friend, Mr. Iyke Ogarabe, and the Adubes’ driver, Samuel Chukwunonye.

Two of the children of Chief Adube: Paul and Ogechi, who survived the gunshots, and their mother, Patience, were among the persons at yeaterday’s meeting in Omoku.

Paul, who was still in a wheel chair yesterday, because of spinal cord injury, caused by the assassins’ bullets, could not defecate by himself, while someone must assist him to pack the faeces, with iron rods used to support the legs of Ogechi.

In the same Omoku on February 12 this year, no fewer than 24 APC members were again killed and mostly beheaded, with their heads taken away by the gunmen.

At 9 p.m. on March 5, masked gunmen shot dead and beheaded a chieftain of the APC, Franklin Obi, and also killed his wife and 18-year-old son, Bestman, at his residence on Rutachi Street, Omoku.

President vows to deal with sponsors of Rivers violence

President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday condemned the political violence in Rivers State, describing it as “primitive, barbaric and unacceptable”.

In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, Buhari said: “We will deal decisively with all sponsors of violence. I have given the security services clear directives in this regard.

“We will show that violence in any form will no longer be tolerated before, during or after elections.”

The President spoke in Malabo at an interactive meeting with Nigerians resident in Equatorial Guinea.

President Buhari said that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will be encouraged to explore the possibility of Nigerians abroad voting in the 2019 general elections.

Noting that some African countries now allow their citizens resident abroad to vote in national elections, the President said he empathised with the desire of Nigerians in the diaspora to vote in national elections.

He promised to do all within his powers to fulfil that desire.

“I want all Nigerians to know that I respect them and their right to choose their leaders,” he said.

President Buhari also said that establishing a new national airline was not on the Federal Government’s list of priorities.

His administration’s main area of focus is reducing poverty, he said.

The President said that developing the infrastructure needed to boost production in all sectors of the economy and creating more jobs for young Nigerians and other actions that will directly improve the living conditions of ordinary Nigerians will continue to be prioritised by his administration.

President Buhari was responding to complaints by members of the Nigerian community about the absence of direct flights between Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea.

He assured them that his administration’s war against corruption will remain “fearless, relentless and merciless”.

“We will be merciless and relentless in pursuing all those who abused public trust. Nigerians will see how some of the elite conspired to run the nation down,” he said.

Rivers APC chiefs have alleged that 32 of their members have so far been shot, clubbed or beheaded in the run up to Saturday’s election.

The killings started before last year’s general election. A report of the Rivers Commission of Inquiry headed by the Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, said a monthly average of 19 killings occurred in the state between November 2014 and April 2015.

The Commission noted that of the 97 allegations of killings it received, 94 of them occurred between November 15, 2014, and April 11, last year.

This report, Odinkalu said, reaffirms that no state or country should allow a repeat of such violence in the name of politics.

Reacting to the recent brutal killings, Governor Wike described those killed as cultists, saying killings were done in the course of clashes by rival cult members.

He slammed the APC for claiming killed cultists as their members.

N12b CBN fake currency fraud suspects back in court

The Federal High Court, Ibadan yesterday resumed hearing of the N12 billion fake currency scam case involving six Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) workers and nine members of some commercial banks.

The fresh commencement followed the dismissal of the appeal of some of the accused, who approached the Court of Appeal to challenge refusal to grant them bail by the Federal High Court.

Five of the accused persons were granted bail while others were remanded in Agodi prison by Justices Nathaniel Ayo-Emmanuel and Olayinka Faji. They also accused the two judges of bias.

The appellate court, however, threw out the appeal. But the cases being handled by Justice Faji were reassigned to Justice Joyce Abdulmali, due to the former’s transfer.

The accused are facing a total of 31-count charge ranging from conspiracy, abuse of office, stealing to false declaration of actual amount and concealing of property.

The CBN staff who worked at various branches of the apex bank are Patience Okoro (Abuja), Afolabi Olufemi (Lagos), Ilori Adekunle (Akure), Kolawole Babalola (Ibadan) , Olaniran Adeola (Ibadan) and Fatai Yusuf (Ibadan).

The nine other accused persons, who work with some commercial banks and were accused of conspiring with the CBN staff include Tope Akintade, Togun Kayode Philip, Salami Ibrahim and Odia Emmanuel.

Seven cases were filed on the fraud totaling N8 billion. They were accused of stealing and re-circulating defaced and mutilated currencies meant for destruction and substituting them with newspapers.

Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) counsel Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) told The Nation that the fraud involved up to N12 billion.

At the resumed hearing before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik yesterday, the 15 accused persons pleased “not guilty” to all the charges against them in the four cases being handled by the judge.

Their lawyers expressed readiness to file fresh bail applications.

Justice Abdulmalik also sustained the bail conditions earlier granted five of the accused with an order that their surgeriesshould renew their commitment within seven days while others should be kept at Agodi prisons.

Trial in the cases before Justice Abdulmalik will begin on May 5 while those being handled by Justice Nathaniel Ayo-Emanuel begins on April 8.

Pro-Biafra newspapers in Aba

A team of soldiers believed to be attached to the 144 Battalion, Asa, Ukwa West local council, Abia State, yesterday invaded a newspaper office along St. Michael’s Road, Aba and seized copies from vendors. Army Vanguard gathered that the confiscated papers were both unsold and new editions of New Republic, Vesym, Freedom Journal and some copies of Authority newspapers. Eyewitnesses told Vanguard that the soldiers that arrived in two Hilux vans in the area which serves as the hub of newspaper business in Aba, at about 7am and confiscated newspapers bearing pro-Biafra stories. According to the eyewitnesses, the soldiers packed the unsold and current editions of the said papers into their vans and left the place and vowed to arrest the publishers of the various newspapers. “At about some minutes past seven, soldiers in two Hilux vans arrived this place (St. Michael’s) with one of the vendors asking to know who publishes or supplies the newspapers. The newspapers they confiscated were New Republic, Vesym, Freedom Journal and some copies of Authority newspapers that carried Biafra stories. They packed all of them into their van and promised to come back,” the eye witnesses said. A publisher, who would not want to be mentioned in an interview with journalists however, condemned the action of the military, and denied that pro Biafra newspapers incite hatred among the people. According to him, the military are overstepping their bounds and vowed that “No amount of efforts by the military to gag the press will work. We are publishing reports about Biafra like other national dailies do. Let the military go and close down all the media houses because they are carrying Biafra stories, after all, we are not the only people publishing stories on Biafra.” Efforts to contact the Public Relations Officer, 14Brigade, Major Sydney Mbaneme, proved abortive but a highly placed source at 144 Battalion who confirmed the seizure of the said newspaper publication said that they carried out such exercise because of the hate and inciting reports allegedly being published by the papers. The source added that the Army was determined to stop the circulation of these newspapers through the arrest of the publishers and vendors, accusing them of inciting hatred among Nigerians.

I’ll be merciless in pursuing looters, says Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday vowed that his administration would not show mercy to any person in its ongoing anti-corruption war.

He said his administration would pursue the anti-graft war relentlessly until Nigerians began to see how the nation’s elite conspired to run the country down.

According to a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, the President spoke during an interactive session he had in Malabo with Nigerians resident in Equatorial Guinea.

Buhari assured the Nigerians that he would not entertain any fear in his quest to rid the nation of corruption by bringing those who compromised their positions to book.

“We will be merciless and relentless in pursuing all those who abused public trust. Nigerians will see how some of the elite conspired to run the nation down,” the President said.

He also condemned recent political violence in Rivers State, saying the killing of people over political differences was primitive, barbaric and unacceptable.

He promised to deal decisively with those responsible for the development.

“We will deal decisively with all sponsors of violence. I have given the security services clear directives in this regard.

“We will show that violence in any form will no longer be tolerated before, during or after elections,” he stated.

Buhari promised that the Independent National Electoral Commission would be encouraged to explore the possibility of Nigerians abroad participating in the 2019 general elections by casting their votes wherever they might reside.

He noted that some African countries had started allowing their citizens, resident abroad, to vote in national elections and Nigeria could not afford not to join them.

He identified with the desire of Nigerians in the Diaspora to vote in national elections, pledging that he would do all within his powers to fulfil that desire.

“I want all Nigerians to know that I respect them and their right to choose their leaders,” he said.

The President disclosed that establishing a new national airline was not currently on the Federal Government’s list of priorities.

He said his administration’s main area of focus was reducing the level of poverty.

Buhari said developing the infrastructure needed to boost production in all sectors of the economy and creating more jobs for young Nigerians, as well as other actions that would directly enhance the living conditions of ordinary Nigerians would continue to be prioritised by his administration.

He was responding to complaints by members of the Nigerian community about the absence of direct flights between Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea.

UTME candidates protest in Lagos

Hundreds of Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination candidates protesting at the Lagos State House of Assembly in Alausa.

The candidates are expressing their displeasure at the conduct of the examination, describing it as a sham.

Watch the video at our YOUTUBE Channel. ...

Senate’ll probe NNPC, others indicted by Auditor General – Spokesperson

The Senate on Tuesday assured Nigerians that the latest report of the Auditor General for the Federation, Mr. Samuel Ukura, which was submitted to the Clerk to the National Assembly, Alhaji Salisu Maikashuwa, in Abuja on Monday, would not be swept under the carpet like similar ones in the past.

Ukura had after presenting the voluminous document to the Clerk lamented that none of the annual audit reports he had been submitting to the National Assembly since 1999 had seen the light of day.

He regretted that the documents were left to gather dust by the public accounts committees of both chambers of the National Assembly whose members refused to consider the document for necessary legislative actions by the lawmakers in plenary.

But the Senate spokesperson assured Nigerians in an interview in his office that all the management of all the relevant agencies indicted in the N3.3tn scam would be investigated by the Public Accounts Committee of the Senate.

He said, “The eighth Senate has chosen to be different as we have stated several times since we came on board and for which we came up with our legislative agenda to make us different from the past because we are in the season and period of change and we want to seriously key in to that.

“Along that line, you can see the courage that we have to make some differences from what has obtained in the past and o this note, we have passed reports of some committees like the Treasury Single Account, which is a classic example.

“Through that exercise, we were able to save the country N7bn. There are similar works that have been done. We want to say that since we have chosen to be different, we urge Nigerians to wait and see what we will make out of the investigation (Auditor General’s report).

FG spent N248bn on travels in three years

Between 2012 and 2014, the Federal Government spent N248bn on foreign travels embarked upon by officials in Ministries, Departments and Agencies of government.

The N248bn spent within the three year period, according to a statement by the Federal Ministry of Finance, represents 18 per cent of the total overhead expenditure for the period.

The statement signed by the Special Adviser to the Finance Minister, Mr. Festus Akanbi, said in a bid to reduce the amount spent on travels, a meeting had been held with local and foreign airline officials to secure discounts for travel expenses.

It said that given the large amount spent on travel, and consequently the significant potential for savings, it was imperative that the Efficiency Unit prioritises travel as a key focus area for cost cutting and generation of savings.

For instance, the statement said with an average of N83bn spent annually on travels, a five per cent discount could generate over N4bn savings on annual travel costs.

It reads in part, “The Federal Ministry of Finance has disclosed that discussions with local and international airlines to secure discounts for travel by government officials are yielding positive results.

“A review of Government overhead expenditure for the period 2012 to 2014 showed that travel was the largest single expenditure item.

“A cumulative total of N248bn, equivalent to about 18 per cent of total overhead expenditure, was spent on travel during the period. This translates to N83bn per annum.

“At a conservative discount of five per cent on ticket prices, the estimated savings per annum is approximately N4bn.”

As part of measures to reduce travel costs, it said the Efficiency Unit has engaged in negotiation with local and international airlines for discounts commensurate with the large number of ticket purchases made by Government annually.

The savings generated, it added, would increase funding available to the government for capital investment.

“In addition to reducing government spend on travel, the Efficiency Unit has made proposals to the appropriate government authorities for the introduction of guidelines that will reduce the need for travel by localising the activities that necessitate travel, where feasible, and encouraging the use of Information and Communications Technology.

“Other overhead expenditure items including insurance, advertising and fuel, where the government’s bargaining power can be leveraged are also being reviewed,” it added.

In the same vein,the statement said administrative controls are being strengthened through the issuance of circulars detailing appropriate guidelines and the implementation of measures to enforce compliance.

Medical students to spend 11 years in varsity − NUC

The National Universities Commission has declared that any student who wants to study medicine will henceforth spend a minimum of 10 years in the university.

The Executive Secretary of the Commission, Prof. Julius Okojie made the declaration in a lecture delivered at the maiden matriculation and inauguration of the University of Medical Science, Ondo, Ondo State.

In a lecture titled ‘Development of Medical Education : Prospects and Challenges‘, Okojie, who was represented by the Deputy Executive Secretary of the commission, Prof. Chiedu Mafiana, said the development was imperative in order to enable the students mature psychologically for the profession.

He said the 2015 document for the training of medical students made provision for students to spend the first four years in studying basic sciences in university after which they would proceed to the medical school to spend another seven years.

Stressing the need for adequate funding of medical training and practice, the NUC Executive Secretary admonished the management of the institution to ensure that the money earmarked for the development of the institution was used for the purpose it was meant.

The Visitor of the school and Ondo a State governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, in his speech said the university was expected to leverage on the benefits of the medical complex around the institution to advance efforts in medical research and training.

He expressed optimism that the institution would be a leading internationally-recognised platform for raising crops of professionally-competent individuals in the various disciplines of the health care industry.

“It is our hope and belief that it will provide sound scientific, technological and professional training to address identified health needs and problems, solve them within the context of community and national needs and sustainable development,” Mimiko said.

In his address, the Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Friday Okonofua, said the that the university would achieve the objectives for which it was established, appealing to all well-meaning Nigerians to render assistance to the varsity by contributing to the ‘Friends of UNIMED Funds’ initiatives which was targeted at raising N1billion for the school .

He lauded the initiative of the Ondo State government for the establishment of the university describing it as the most creative and innovative idea that has taken place in the development of tertiary education in the country

CBN to introduce financial literacy into school curriculum

The Central Bank of Nigeria on Monday said it has commenced discussions with the National Education Resource Centre to introduce financial literacy programs into the education curriculum of secondary schools in Nigeria.

It said once the discussions with NERC are finalised, Financial Literacy would be taught as a subject in all Nigerian secondary schools before the end of this year.

The CBN Director, Consumer Protection Department, Hajiya Umma Dutse stated this when she led a rally to flag-off the global money week in Abuja.

Global money week is an annual event that creates awareness amongst youth and children by teaching them about savings, investments entrepreneurship and employment generation through interactive activities.

Represented by a Deputy Director in the department, Hajiya Khadijat Kazeem, she said the commencement of the financial literacy program would assist in improving the savings culture among secondary school students.

She said, “At the CBN, we are partnering with numerous agencies to teach our children and youths about financial matters and also to create an enabling environment for them to gain access to basic banking and financial products and services through various initiatives, especially the financial inclusion strategy.

“An important aspect of this strategy is the implementation of financial literacy programmes across various target groups of Nigerian population.

“Children and youths are an important target group for the purpose of the financial literacy programme. We believe that financial literacy is better learned at a young age instead of in adulthood.

“The wisdom is that, a habit imparted in the youth at an impressionable age becomes a way of life.”

She explained that where the youth grow without financial education, it would be difficult for them to have financial literacy as well as being capable of managing their own financial matters in a way that will impact their well- being when they become adults.