Kerry appeals after Israel cancels prisoner release

US Secretary of State John Kerry has spoken on phone with Israeli and Palestinian leaders in an effort to salvage peace talks.

This has faltered over the release of prisoners and Palestinian moves for international recognition, Israeli media reported on Friday.

Israel’s chief negotiator, Tzipi Livni, said on Thursday that Israel had cancelled the planned release of 26 Palestinian prisoners, the fourth such release.

Livni said the prisoner release could only take place if Palestinians refrained from any unilateral moves.

“New conditions were established, Israel cannot release the fourth batch of prisoners,” Ynet news reported.

The prisoner release was set for the weekend, but did not happen after Israel said it saw no reason to free the prisoners if the Palestinians refused to extend the negotiations beyond their April 29 deadline.

The formal cancellation of the release came a day after the Palestinian Authority submitted requests to join 15 international conventions.

Kerry spoke to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after the Israeli announcement in an attempt to diffuse the crisis, Israeli newspapers reported.

In earlier remarks during a visit to Algeria, Kerry said that he could only encourage talks up to a point.

“You can facilitate, you can push, you can nudge, but the parties themselves have to make fundamental decisions and compromises,” he said.

“The leaders have to lead,” he added.

NAFDAC enlists consumers in fight against substandard products

The National Agency for Foods and Drug Administration and Control said on Friday that it had enlisted consumers as major stakeholders in the fight against fake products in the country.

A deputy director in the agency, Mrs Doris Akalusi, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria at the ongoing Enugu International Trade Fair.

Akalusi said that the introduction of the Mobile Authentication Service on products had made it expedient for consumers to assist the agency to clamp down on substandard products.

“We know that there are lots of underground manufacturing of substandard products in this part of the country and Nigerians faking original products.

“This is one of the battles that we are fighting here as well as curbing the influx of fake products into our markets,” she said.

She said the MAS uses modern technology to detect substandard products.

“All you have to do when you want to buy a product is scratch on the portion that has the product’s identification code and send the code to 38353.

“Immediately you send it you will get a message telling you ‘original, buy’ or ‘fake, don’t buy’ and if the product is fake you report same to NAFDAC,” she said.

She said that the agency had introduced the measure on some drugs.

“We now have the codes on certain products where we feel we have major problems.

“Some anti-malaria drugs and antibiotics now go with the code so we advise consumers to always comply to ensure that the products they are buying are not fake,” she said.

Akalusi further said that the initiative enables customers to instantly identify the originality of any product.

“The code will certainly be on every regulated consumer product in Nigeria as time goes on.

“The full implementation will take time because we have to get the products one after the other. It covers all consumers and the text message is free,” she said.

She appealed to consumers to be vigilant while patronising products in the country, adding that their feedback was also required to ensure the success of the campaign.

Akalusi said: “Consumers should only patronise fortified food items that have vitamin A logo on them. The logo is the sign of the human eye.”

She said one of the challenges facing the agency in ridding Nigeria of substandard products was lack of information by consumers.

“You find your neighbour producing sachet water or other products at his backyard and you will not report such things to NAFDAC.

“If we can get people who can tell us what is happening, then the task will be easier,” Akalusi said.

Adeyeye, Supporters Declare Support For Fayose

In a rare show of sportsmanship, Afenifere chieftain and one of the leading governorship aspirants of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, on Thursday, publicly announced his commitment to the success of the party in the June 21, 2014 governorship election.

The duo of Adeyeye and the governorship candidate of the PDP, Mr Ayodele Fayose, addressed supporters of the Prince Adedayo Adeyeye Movement (PAAM) in Ado-Ekiti yesterday, where they declared their unity in their party’s bid to defeat Governor Kayode Fayemi of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the June 21 election.

Adeyeye, who had before Fayose’s arrival addressed his supporters on the need to remain in the PDP, said; “As loyal party men, we must abide by the decision of our party leaders and work for the success of the party.”

While addressing the crowd of supporters, Fayose, who described Adeyeye as “a formidable figure in the PDP, who cannot be ignored,” while speaking at the reconciliatory meeting, appealed to President Goodluck Jonathan to appoint Adeyeye as a member of the Federal Executive Council to replace Navy Captain Caleb Olubolade, who resigned recently to contest the party’s governorship ticket.

At meeting held at the secretariat of the PAAM in Ado Ekiti, thousands of members of PAAM and those of the Ayo Fayose Campaign Organisation and many other members of the party witnessed the formal reconciliation.

At the meeting, which saw the coming together of the two major groups in Ekiti PDP, they pledged to unite for the sake of the PDP in the election and promised to join forces to “dislodge the APC from power in the state for the sake of Ekiti and the Ekiti people.”

Addressing journalists; Adeyeye who called on other aggrieved aspirants to sheath their sword said; “nobody can be more aggrieved than me among the aspirants on the conduct of the primaries. This is because we had worked very hard to build the most formidable structure in the PDP, and with our structure, we were sure of wining in a free and fair primary election. But as a party man, I have to forget the past and work for the emergence of our candidate at the poll.”

On the agitation for zoning of the governorship ticket to the South, Adeyeye said; “I was one of those who fought vigorously for zoning of the governorship to the South, but the authorities, I mean the powers that be, didn’t see it that way.

“As things are, 2018 is not a long period of time and I am sure the South Agenda will be realised then.

“Therefore, we in PAAM have ressolved that we will not join any other party because we believe if we come together and win the election, everybody will be brought on board. So to us, there is no victor, no vanquished.”

Nigeria rejects World Bank 'extreme poor' classification

Minister faults World Bank’s classification of Nigeria based on large population.

The Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, on Thursday reacted to the pronouncement by the World Bank President, Jim Yong Kim, classifying Nigeria among the world’s “extreme poor countries.”

The World Bank President, Jim Yong Kim, who was addressing participants at the Council on Foreign Relations, CFR, meeting in New York, said two-thirds of the world’s extreme poor are concentrated in just five countries, namely India, China, Nigeria, Bangladesh, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

“If you add another five countries — Indonesia, Pakistan, Tanzania, Ethiopia, and Kenya — the total grows to 80 per cent of the extreme poor,” Mr. Kim said.

But, Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala, who is also the Coordinating Minister for the Economy, faulted the World Bank President’s classification of Nigeria based on the large number of poor people living in the country.

The Minister, also a former World Bank Vice-President, noted that using the number of poor people in a country, irrespective of the country’s level of development, as the parameter to rate Nigeria among nations with high poverty levels, was wrong.

She pointed out that the phenomenon of large number of poor people was peculiar to middle-income countries, which Nigeria belonged.

Citing the example of India, a middle-income country, which is one of the largest economies in the world like Nigeria, Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala said the largest number of poor people in the world reside in India, China and other places.

She said Nigeria was no exception, as the reality today was that most middle-income countries, including Brazil, have large number of poor people.

“When the World Bank President was talking, he also mentioned that India is doing well and it has a large number of poor people. So, we should not try to single Nigeria out. The phenomenon we have in Nigeria is that we are growing, but there are poor people everywhere,’’ she stated.

The focus of Nigerians therefore should be on the answers to the problem raised by the World Bank President and what other countries were doing that Nigeria could learn from so as to improve.

“Nobody is saying that everything is fine, but we are learning, and where we make some progress like other countries, we should also acknowledge it,’’ Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala said.

The Federal Government, she stated, was making efforts in different areas of the country’s economy to reduce poverty and improve living standards of the people, with about five ministers directed by President Goodluck Jonathan to working towards formulating a social safety programme to be implemented for the benefit of the citizens.

Nigerian soldiers invade Fulani village, kill 30, residents allege

At least 30 people believed to be Fulanis have been killed by a team of soldiers in Keana LGA of Nasarawa State, residents tell Premium Times. See full report below...

The soldiers stormed the Fulani settlements about a kilometre away from Keana Town in the early hours of today Thursday April 3rd in a convoy, and allegedly shot at every Fulani in sight.

Most of the deceased were said to be over 70 years old who were not fast enough to flee the rampage. A witness, Ibrahim Jalo, said that about 24 corpses were evacuated from the Fulani settlements on the road to Giza Town.

“I was on my way to the office when I saw people running and later saw soldiers rushing into the town in convoy asking for the Fulani. I saw over 24 dead bodies of Fulani being taken to Lafia in a white Hilux van,” he said.

When contacted, Muhammed Husseini, secretary of Miyetti Allah, a Fulani interest group, said that over 30 Fulani were killed.

Mr. Husseini accused the Federal Government of complicity in the killing of the Fulani. He declared that his organisation would sue the government and demand for the rights of its people.
“I’m presently in the mortuary receiving corpses. They killed over 30 of our men for no reason. This is genocide and we will approach the International Criminal Court, ICC,” he threatened.

The chairman of Keana Local Government Area, Haruna Oshegba, confirmed the incident to Premium Times. He said that eight bodies were deposited at the Specialist Hospital, Lafia.
“There is crisis in my council and it is a military operation but I don’t know the details. I’m trying to piece information together to know exactly what happened,” he said.

When Premium Times visited the hospital at around 2 p.m., a police Hilux van carrying nine bodies, and a pick-up van with a body of a dead Fulani woman were still stationed there.
When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Umar Numan, said he was yet to be briefed on the incident. He said that the command would address the press after getting full details on the matter.

The Nigerian military, which recently announced a heavy deployment of soldiers to Nasarawa, Benue, and Kaduna, is yet to react to Thursday’s incident.

The military announced the deployment following attacks on several communities in the states by suspected Fulani herdsmen leading to the death of scores of people.

Source: Premium Times

Eye witness story: How security men nearly killed James David

Emdee David tells a story of how security men assaulted his brother, James David with a machete in the early hours of Monday March 31st in their neighbourhood in Isolo, Lagos. Find the story below..

The horror and terror that befell me, my brother and the entire Franzaki Street in Bucknor Estate will forever leave us with physical, mental, and emotional indelible marks. The incidence happened on Sunday/Monday, 30^th to 31^st of March 2014. I was helpless as two untrained street security guards machete my brother, James David, with the intent to kill him.

A lot of things happened, but I will rather talk on, or start from where I got involved. That night, that should be around to 12 midnight or so, I was in my bedroom when all of a sudden, someone was scratching the floor with machete and later hitting my window and door with the same machete. Continue...

Then the person spoke….. “Oga, come now now o, if not, your brother will be a dead man.” Then he left immediately. I recognized the voice. It was that of one of the Security guys at the street gate. I was wondering what could have happened. (one of my neigbhours said she heard it, and while he was going out of our house, he said, I know he won’t come out.)

I rushed out but did not see the guy. I went outside our house gate, he wasn’t there, so I decided to go towards the street gate. As I approached, I heard noises. I ran to them and what I saw shocked me. The two security men were brutally assaulting James David with a machete and a cutlass. His nose was already sliced into two and blood was on his face. Then his wrists had been badly cut. I was terrified and I started shouting on them. “What’s the matter….couldn’t you have waited for me? Then one of them, the tall one who I later learnt is called Emmanuel Oliseh, approached me with his cutlass and asked me to go back or he will cut me to pieces. I ran backward, but I now saw the shorter one, Frank Oliseh, still going after my brother with his big machete as James tried to move away.

Then Emmanuel, the tall one who came after me joined his brother again and was shouting “kugbuoya…kugbuoya.” I understand Igbo language and what that meant. He was saying, “’kill him’ (with that machete”). The short security man was now “macheting” James David on the head and on the neck. James was already weak and falling near a car that was packed near there. The car had been there for about three weeks, I guess faulty. I screamed for these guys to stop, but they refused. Then I rushed in-between them and carried my brother and started walking fast away from them. They still came after us, wielding their weapons towards my neck. I managed to dodge and James fell from my hand. I screamed again for the residence to come out, but no one came to  help. Then the two female wards living with me, Binta and Faith, were approaching, the security guys went after them and told them to go back if they don’t want to die. So they ran. 

They left us for a while and were ranting. They were saying, “this street people never know us o…James say we no be security people abi?....” and they said many things about blood flowing. So I knew there was trouble. One house guard, a Mallam, heard our voices and tried to open the gate….I didn’t know what later happened but I later heard they chased him back.

I managed to lift my brother up, carrying him towards a nearby hospital after our own house on the street, then I heard the voices of one of the security guy, Frank. We fell on the ground, and I ran away, ran into our compound and alerted my neighbours. Three men came out, Alhaji Sallami, Mr Ben and Daddy Eni. Then Mr. Ben’s brother joined later. We all went to pick James again to that hospital. Later Binta and Faith came out too and stayed with James while we went to alert the hospital. We knocked very hard but the hospital didn’t open. Then my sisters, Binta and Faith, started screaming and running after us. We now saw the mad security guy, Frank coming after them. The men tried to talk to them but he told them they will kill them too. He started chasing us, everybody with the deadly weapon. Two guys from the house before ours came out too and the wielded the machete at them. As we were running towards our house, Emmanuel, the second security guy blocked us. We were now in their middle. 

They chased everybody, saying they must kill, that we don’t know them. Mr. Felix, who lives nearby came out thinking he could stop them, but they almost cut his neck. He ran, we all scattered, while James was lying down soaked in his blood. He was bleeding seriously. I started screaming…Franzaki People, come out o, your security men want to kill people…. I did that many times and I am sure many residents heard me. Then everybody ran sideways. 

I hid in an uncompleted building and started making calls. I called a former colleague living in Estate, Mr Jacobs. I called a pastor friend, Pastor David Aya of ECWA Church, who called a few people for rescue. I called a Police woman I have her number at Okota police station. She couldn’t remember me but I told her what was going on, but she cut the phone. I called Ibrahim, who is a CSO in one Custom Bonded Terminal and he called another Police officer, Filibus, who said he has alerted the police and they are signaling themselves to get RRS. But we saw no police that night. 

In desperation, and as it was threatening to rain, I started sending text messages. I sent to Ahaoma Kanu, a journalist, Barrister Monday Ubani, Chairman of Ikeja Nigerian Bar Association, YAW of Wazobia FM. then I copied to Zainab, the police woman I earlier called. Pastor David, Mr. Kanu, and Ibrahim were all calling back to know the situation. But there was no police to our rescue. Where I hid I could still hear the wild security guys telling some people to lie down. Then, one man, Mr Bello opened his window from upstairs and noticed me in the uncompleted building close to his building. He asked me who I was, I told him I am James’ brother and that James has been badly wounded, that I need to take check if he is not dead so I can take him to the hospital. Then Mr. Bello rushed out with his car key, took his car out. Then the mad security men came out with their weapons and ordered him to go back or else they will kill him. He told them who he is but they refused to hear or listen. His wife prevailed on him to return to the house. 

When he got back to the house, he asked me to jump the fence and cross over to his house which was more secured. I did, and from then he started making calls to other security men. Not long after then, security men from other places came. They subdued the blood thirsty Frank and Emmanuel Oliseh, who I later learnt are of the same parents. Emmanuel ran away immediately but Frank was held firm.

We later found James in the bush of the plot next to ours, almost lifeless. Mr. Bello offered to take us to the hospital where James received urgent medical attention and he survived. The doctors said he’d lost much blood and would need blood transfusion. Two security guys from the other street were with us and guarded Frank from running away. Later, Emmanuel was found on the street and also driven to Ejigbo police station.

Now, I can’t say what came over these security guys. They know James very well and his house and that he is my brother. He was not an intruder, a thief or a trouble maker. He is a painter and well known in the whole of Bucknor Estate. 

But it was much later I heard a lot of things about them. They had threatened to shed blood because they were been owed two months’ salary.  I learnt the Street Association Chairman told them to stop working if they planned any kind of trouble on the street. But they didn’t. Some residents had complained that Frank and his brother have harassed them. A barber on the street, I learnt later, had complained that these two mad Frank and Emmanuel held him some days ago and beat him with their cutlass. Some women also complained about them. And I started to wonder, why should such bastards be retained? 

I suspect that Frank and Emmanuel must be up to something apart from security work. They attacked James David with the aim of killing, because all the machete cuts are on the neck, his face, and his head. The deep cuts on the wrists and arms are as a result of his trying to defend his head. The car parked where I met them assaulting my brother was stained with blood and I saw it on Monday when I came home briefly from the hospital. My phones’ and camera batteries were down so I couldn’t take pictures, and I really had to focus on keeping James alive in the hospital. I said I would come back to do that but by Tuesday, I learnt the blood had been washed off. By Wednessday, the car was towed away. But thank God, many people saw the blood on the car and learnt it was blood from James’ body when he was been brutally attacked by the security men employed by the street Association.

My sisters also said they heard him saying it is only one person they need, so someone should volunteer and lie down, then others will be free.

Right now, Frank and Emmanuel are locked up at Ejigbo Police Station, and James is still receiving medical attention, very much alive, contrary to the rumour going round in some quarters that he is dead. I will keep you all posted on this matter, as others tell their own side of the story.

MTNCelebdouble toast celebs look-alikes tonight in Lagos, Benin & Enugu

When the #MTNCelebdouble was launched a fortnight ago, the social media via Twitter, Facebook and Instagram was abuzz with pictures and commentaries from those who felt they looked like any of the telecommunications company’s ambassadors. It was certain that Nigerian music fans will be ushered into the long coveted celebrity experience on a platter of gold.  Therefore, it was no surprise to see fans that look almost exactly like Tiwa Savage, Davido, Wizkid, Iyanya, Don Jazzy, D’Prince, iMike, Kcee, Harrysong, Praiz and Chidinma posting their images on MTN Twitter, Facebook and Instagram accounts. Continue...

Having found the celebrities close splitting images, the expectations of the MTN ambassadors’ fans will come true tonight. The ambassadors will be sharing special moments with their ‘doubles’ in different parts of the country live from 8pm in Lagos, Benin and Enugu, where Invasion Parties, at choice clubs, have been specially organised for the look-alikes and fans. 

D’Place on Adeola Odeku, in Lagos, will be a haven of fun and music, asides opportunities to share in the ‘good to better’ and celebrities’ experience. The same goes for Villa Toscana in Enugu and Club Joker, located within GRA, in Benin.

All the celebrities will be fairly distributed across the clubs. Don Jazzy, who will be part of the parties, has said ‘it is more than a party, it is a real night out with fans and my real look-alikes’.  Also Tiwa Savage, who had earlier spoken about her excitement at meeting her real ‘doubles’, said it’s going to be a time to flex and share ‘great moments with Nigerian youth in a boundless and free atmosphere, which clubs are known for.

Meanwhile the look-alikes will spend the better part of the day reeling in an extensive VIP treat. They have already been checked into 5-star hotels where they will spend the weekend. A special tour has been arranged for them to see parks, museums and many exclusive places. They will also be having a group lunch with their celebrity ‘doubles’ before rounding off with a memorable party-time amidst pomp and fun-fair in the company of the ambassadors and other fans.

Nigerian man learned to walk in high heels as part of his plans to kill his mother

21 year old Emmanuel Kalejaiye is accused of learning how to walk in high heels and purchasing an all-pink outfit, pink hoodie, pink jogging bottoms, and a scarf as part of his 'meticulous plans' to kill and then impersonate his own mother, UK Daily Mail reports. Full report below...

A court heard he planned to wear them as he moved his mother’s car so as to deceive any neighbour who saw him into thinking that she was still alive. The court heard he had detailed on a piece of paper how he had to learn to walk in high heels for this part of his plan.

Kalejaiye is accused of killing his 44-year-old mother,Tolu Kalejaiye (pictured above), at their home in Wickford, Essex, on September 26 last year.

A jury at Chelmsford Crown Court heard on Wednesday how his plans involved buying women’s clothing and learning how to walk in high heels so neighbours would think he was his mother.He also bought knives, rubber gloves and turned a beanie hat into a 'frightening mask' as part of his plan, the court heard.

He allegedly covered the floors of the house and garage in cardboard and bin liners to prevent evidence being found.

Kalejaiye wrote his murder plan down on pieces of paper and even made plans to get rid of his brother Femi if he found out or stumbled on the scene, it was said.

The court heard he planned to kill his mother when she came back from church or when she was coming downstairs to go to work.

Prosecutor Andrew Jackson told the court: 'He made meticulous and detailed plans for the slaying of his own mother'.

The car was to be parked around the corner to make it look as if she was at work, the court heard.

It was alleged that Kalejaiye struck on September 26 last year as his mother came downstairs on her way to work.

But the court heard how the plan started to unravel as his mother managed to call her friend Leo Shogunle.

 He did not answer, but the call went to his voicemail and when he picked it up later on, he called police.
The court then heard that when police arrived at the scene they discovered the body of Tolu Kalejaiye on the living room floor, along with a mass of evidence linking her son with the death.
Checks later revealed he had bought clothes, knives, gloves and even lighter fuel to dispose of her body, it was said.

Former Essex University student Kalejaiye denies murder and has admitted a lesser charge of manslaughter, but this plea has not been accepted by the prosecution.

Kalejaiye confessed to police he had killed his mother and claimed she tortured him mentally and quoted the Bible at him, the court heard.

Ebola outbreak: Mali on alert

Mali is on alert over the deadly Ebola virus after three suspected cases were reported near the border with Guinea, where 86 people have died.

A BBC correspondent says there are tight controls on people entering the capital, Bamako, from the border area.

He says thermal-imaging cameras are screening passengers at the airport in case they have a fever.

The virus, which is spread by close contact and kills 25%- 90% of its victims, has already spread to Liberia.

Six people have died in Liberia, out of 12 suspected cases, according to the local health authorities.

Sierra Leone has also reported suspected cases, while Senegal has closed its normally busy border with Guinea.

Saudi Arabia suspended visas for Muslim pilgrims from Guinea and Liberia on Tuesday, in a sign of the growing unease about the outbreak

The tropical virus leads to haemorrhagic fever, causing muscle pain, weakness, vomiting, diarrhoea and, in severe cases, organ failure and unstoppable bleeding.

Passport seizure: Sanusi floors FG, SSS

A Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered the Federal Government, the State Security Service and the police to immediately release the passport of   the suspended Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mallam Lamido Sanusi.

The court, in a judgment it delivered on Thursday, also directed the respondents, including the police, to pay N50m to him as exemplary damages for unlawfully detaining him and seizing his passport.

Justice Ibrahim Buba delivered the judgment in the fundamental rights enforcement suit instituted by Sanusi following his arrest, detention, and seizure of his passport on February 20, 2014.

The court dismissed the allegation of terrorism financing as the basis for arresting him and seizing his passport. It described the allegation as an afterthought.

He therefore ordered the respondents to “jointly and severally” pay N50m to Sanusi and issue a public apology to him for their actions.

The judge, who granted eight out of the nine prayers of the applicant, only refrained from granting an order of perpetual injunction restraining the law enforcement agencies from arresting, harassing or intimidating him without recourse to the law.

He held that such order was not necessary as the applicant could always return to the court if any form of rights infringement arose in the future.

The judge, who earlier in his judgment, dismissed the respondents’ preliminary objection to the suit, held that the respondents, acting through the SSS “do not have power to forcefully withdraw and seize the applicant’s passport for any reason.”

“An order is made restraining the respondents, their agents, privies, representatives or other law enforcement agencies of the government of the federation from further inteference with or violation of the applicant’s right to personal liberty, freedom of movement and right to personal liberty,” he  held.

The judge declared that the respondents, especially the SSS had acted without compliance with Section 5(1) of Passport (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, Cap 343 Laws of Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

This provision, according to him, empowers only the Minister of Interior to seize or cancel a person’s passport on certain conditions.

He stated that the   respondents’ acts constituted an infringement of the applicant’s rights as guaranteed under section 35 and 41 of the 1999 Constitution.

Buba  added that their acts also violated Articles 6 and 12 of the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act, Cap A9 LFN, 2004.

The police, through their counsel, Mr. David Abuo, had during the hearing of the case, said they had no case against Sanusi and were not aware of any allegations against him.

The judge held that his detention “without any allegation of commission of crime or charge” amounted to the restriction of his personal liberty and unlawful violation of his rights to personal liberty.

Buba agreed with Sanusi’s counsel, Mr. Kola Awodein (SAN), that the respondents gave conflicting reasons for the arrest of the applicant and for the seizure of his passport.

“The first (the Attorney-General of the Federation) and the third (the SSS) are not on the same page,” he held.

“The court observes that surely, it either there is no synergy between the respondents or the respondents are only singing discordant tunes as afterthought,” the judge added.

Buba said that the respondents failed to put any material before the court to back their  allegations. He added   that the respondents had “nothing to offer” against Sanusi’s denial.

Affirming that Sanusi had successfully proved his case, the judge said, “the applicant has made out a case of rights infringement.”

The judge had earlier in his judgment dismissed the preliminary objection filed on behalf of the Federal Government by the Attorney-General of the Federation.

Officers of the SSS had on February 20 arrested Sanusi and seized his passport at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos after arriving in the country from the Niger Republic.

His passport was seized shortly after he was suspended by President Goodluck Jonathan as CBN governor.

Counsel for the AGF, Dr. Fabian Ajogwu (SAN), had through the notice of preliminary objection, which was also adopted by the SSS and the police, urged the court to dismiss Sanusi’s suit for want of jurisdiction.

Ajogwu had argued that by the virtue of Section 254 (c)(1) of the 1999 Constitution, only the National Industrial Court had the jurisdiction to hear the suit because it was employment-related.

But Justice Buba affirmed jurisdiction to hear the matter and held that the matter was not labour or labour-related, but simply a case of passport seizure.

The judge said, “This is not a labour or labour-related matter. There is no relief relating to employment. There is no relief inextricably tied to employment other than the seizure of passport.

“This court can only come to the irrestitble conclusion that this preliminary objection is misconceived, lacks merit and it is hereby dismissed.”

When contacted, the  AGF,   in an SMS to one of our correspondents, said, “I will study the judgment before reacting.”

SSS spokesperson, Marilyn Ogar, said the service would appeal the judgment.

But the   All Progressives Congress   welcomed  the verdict, saying it was the triumph of the rule of law.

“The judgment shows that there are sufficient laws in our statue books to protect the rights of individual citizens. It is for our Bench to have the courage to do the right thing,” it said through its Interim National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Lai Mohammed.

The APC added that the verdict should  also “serve  as a lesson to our law enforcement officers to  know that, the fact that one has fallen out of favour, is not an excuse for them to abuse people’s rights with impunity.”

Kaduna to spend N3bn on schools' rehabilitation, construction

The Kaduna State Government is to spend N3bn to rehabilitate 167 Primary and Junior Secondary Schools across the 23 local government areas, an official has disclosed.

Mr Ishaya Akau, who is the Chairman of the state’s Universal Basic Education Board, disclosed this on Thursday, when he led a group of journalists on an inspection tour of projects being rehabilitated in Kaduna, Zaria and Ikara Local Governments.

Akau said that 28 schools had been selected for special projects that included laboratories, examination halls and additional blocks of classrooms.

According to him, the projects, which are from the 2012/2013 intervention into Universal Basic Education, are being co-sponsored by the Federal and State Governments.

The Chairman, however, warned contractors against delays in completion dates, and declared that such would not be tolerated especially since they were sure that their monies would never be delayed.

Akau reaffirmed government’s commitment towards improving the education system, particularly in the formative classes as well as the primary and junior secondary levels.

N'Korean crew missing after capsize off South

A ship carrying North Korean sailors has sunk off South Korea, killing at least two people.

Sixteen sailors were on board the Mongolian-flagged cargo ship that went down off the southern coast of South Korea.

Three of the crew have been rescued, South Korean officials said. A search was under way for the remaining 11 crew members.

The vessel was heading from North Korea to China with a cargo of steel.

South Korea’s coast guard said 13 vessels and six aircraft were involved in the search.

It is not clear what caused the ship, which sent a distress call in the early hours of Friday, to sink.

South Korea generally returns North Korean sailors who encounter trouble in its waters, if they want to return.

2015: APC in fresh dilemma over presidential ticket

An alleged proposal by the All Progressives Congress to present a Muslim/Muslim presidential ticket is believed to have put the party in a fresh dilemma.

There had been speculation that the APC was preparing to present a former Head of State, Maj.Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), and an erstwhile Governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu, as its presidential and vice-presidential candidates.

It was, however, gathered in Abuja on Thursday that the APC strategists and stakeholders had been holding a series of formal and informal consultations over the issue.

Party sources, who spoke on the condition of anonymity with our correspondent on Thursday, agreed that the issue was the party’s “biggest headache as the 2015 polls draw near.”

One of them said, “Some have suggested a Babatunde   Fashola/ Adams Oshiomhole ticket but this was thrown out. Others suggested a Rabiu Kwakwanso/Fashola ticket and it was turned down, yet others suggested Aminu Tambuwual/Fashola ticket and it was also rejected before the Buhari/Tinubu ticket  came up.

“What some of our leaders don’t seem to understand is that this is not 1993.  Neither Buhari nor Tinubu is an Abiola whose generosity transcended ethnic and religious lines on a national scale.”

The source claimed that the issue was threatening to polarise the opposition party along ethno-religious lines.

Another APC member and a former Minister of Aviation, Mr. Femi Fani- Kayade, had asked the party to perish any thought of presenting a Muslim/Muslim ticket because it would hurt the Christian community.

But another former minister, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, who is currently the APC’s Interim Deputy National Secretary, insisted that the party would present acceptable candidates irrespective of ethnic or religious considerations.

El-Rufai, in a statement on his Facebook account, said Nigerians should be looking for competence instead of issues of ethnicity or religious affiliations.

He said, “The APC presidential ticket: Those speculating on this and advising me on all manner of persons and religions should know my views.

“The APC will present an integrity-competence ticket not religion. Politics and governance are not to be mixed or dictated to by any religion.

“The APC will present to Nigerians the best persons with the integrity, capacity and competence to create jobs, fight corruption and rebuild our nation without discrimination.

“How these persons worship God is private to them and does not matter to discerning Nigerians, particularly young people that suffer most from bad governance, unemployment and the ‘Jonathanian’ culture of impunity.”

The Interim National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, however, insisted on Thursday that the race for the party’s presidential ticket was still open to eligible members, in spite of speculation to the contrary.

Mohammed, in an interview with one of our correspondents, said the party would not be distracted by permutations over who would emerge as its candidates for the 2015 presidential election.

He noted that while permutations and speculation were normal in times like these, the APC  was focused on convening transparent congresses to set up structures at all levels.

Stressing that the party’s doors were still open to all Nigerians, he added that it was determined to present Nigerians with a viable alternative to the Goodluck Jonathan-led Peoples Democratic Party government at the centre.

He explained that congresses slated to hold across the nation  on Saturday (tomorrow) were to set up the party’s structures at all levels – to pave the way for conventions where elected officials would  emerge.

Mohammed noted that the new APC leaders would in turn prepare guidelines for the party’s primaries to elect its candidates for state and federal elections.

The APC spokesman said  it was only when a new executive had been put in place that “the APC will formulate guidelines for the primaries of those who would vie for elective offices be it House of Assembly, Governors, National Assembly, President and things like that.”

Mohammed added, “It is part of the process to get a president that would represent one, it’s a process, we are gradually getting there from not being a party, to being a party; from not having membership; to membership, to having congresses and conventions.

“The next step will be the primaries. There will be speculation but one must remain focused and not be distracted.”

While commenting on the decision by Mr. Sam Nda-Isaiah to join the race for the APC presidential ticket, Mohammed said it was a welcome development.

According to him, it is evident that the party’s platform is healthy, strong and viable.

“We should not constrict the space to old generation politicians let new blood come. In politics like I always say, one day is too long not to talk of one week, one month and a whole year,” he said.

Scores killed as soldiers attack Fulani herdsmen in Nasarawa

Scores of people were on Thursday killed in a Fulani settlement near Keana, in Keana Local Government Area of Nasarawa State in a gun duel between soldiers and suspected Fulani cattle breeders.

Many were also said to have been wounded during the incident which occurred barely 24 hours after the military deployed troops in Benue and Nasarawa states to curtail the rising attacks on communities by cattle rustlers.

It was learnt that the soldiers allegedly attacked the herdsmen at a funeral.

Although the military,   said   it had no details of the killings as of 5pm on Thursday, Channels Televison put the toll at 20.

The Defence spokesman, Maj.-Gen. Chris Olukolade, according to Channels, promised an investigation of the incident to ascertain if those who carried out the attack were indeed soldiers.

Other unconfirmed reports however said the number of the dead who were mostly residents of the area was above 30. An unofficial source said that some bodies   were taken to the Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital, Lafia,  in  a police van   while about 20 others were deposited at the mortuary of the General Hospital in Keana.

He added that the soldiers attacked the herdsmen following a tip-off about their hideouts in Tse-Azer and Maraba Giza area of the state.

The herdsmen were said to have forcibly occupied the communities on the grounds that they were their ancestral homes.

It was also learnt that the troops seized some sophisticated weapons from the cattle breeders who were caught unaware.

A resident of Keana, who said the soldiers arrived in Armored Personnel Carriers, added,   “The military killed the cattle  rustlers   and were able to recover many weapons  from them.

“This part of the state has received and seen strange Fulani faces more than any time in the history of our existence in Keana and its environs. We wonder where they came from because they are not the normal Fulani that we know.

“Most of them don’t even have cows and one continues to wonder what their work is in this state.”

National Conference and the elusive search for civic conscience

Akatakata lan sise oba  Aki sise oba lagun

(You don’t put all your  energy into government work. There is no need to go the extra mile while doing government work)

 – Yoruba Proverb

After a bumpy start and a sensational threat by the Lamido of Adamawa, Alhaji Muhammadu Barkindo Mustapha, to secede from Nigeria if his views were ignored, the National Conference appears to be settling down to business. One issue that continues to resonate however is that of the allowances put at between N10m and N12m paid to each delegate.  The allowance is expected to take care of accommodation in Abuja, two meals a day among other conveniences.

Focus was given to the matter by two contrasting responses from the delegates, namely, the sacrificial forfeiture of the allowance by Pastor Tunde Bakare, Olisa Agbakoba (SAN)  and Kabir Yusuf on the one hand; and the demand for extra allowances for their aides by some other delegates on the other hand.

There was another group of civil society activists including Femi Falana and Mike Ozekhome who said that they would take the allowances and donate them to charity; since in their judgment, they could not be sure that even if they did not take the allowances that they would be returned to the Federation Account.

Typical of the widespread lament and biting diatribe concerning the size of the allowance, bordering on jumbo pay in the opinion of some, is the view expressed by the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Kukah.   Kukah raised the alarm that the allowances are “scandalous” observing that as Secretary of the National Political Reform Conference during the Olusegun Obasanjo years, he could confirm that every member received N20, 000 a month.     In Kukah’s words, “I am not talking about whether it was enough or not, that is not the issue, but I know the sacrifice people have to make because this is about our country.”

Another strand of the criticism against the beefy allowance has it that many more delegates, especially the ranks of former governors and captains of industry, some of who have houses in Abuja could do without the pay with some critics maintaining that the conference may have lost the moral right to take on the National Assembly for its sundry and unrealistically high emoluments or even the Executive for its famed footloose spending habits.  In order not to cast an undeserved slur on the body, it should be clarified that it did not fix delegates allowances and that there are several of them who cannot afford to do what Bakare and others did.    Having said that, the question can be raised why there are not many more turning down the allowances and why some even agitated for their aides to be paid.

The Yoruba proverb cited in the opening portion of this essay offers a clue to the sociology of official prodigality and why government work is seen as an opportunity to relax and yet be paid handsomely. Let me clarify that there are other proverbs in Yoruba and other Nigerian cultures which admonish hard work.  A ready example is Ise logun ise (hard work is the remedy for poverty). It is true, nonetheless, that either because of the bonanza culture introduced by the petroleum-driven economy or because of the disconnect between state and society, government continues to be viewed as an arena of windfall gains or stupendous largesse.

In this context, praise must be given to those Nigerians who publicly parted with the prevailing mindset of viewing the public space as one from which to draw fast gains or indulge one’s appetite.  We have talked long about corruption and official squandermania, but we have said little about those men and women who stand up against them, not rhetorically, but by practical examples.

In the 1990s, to give an instance of such moral valour, the late Mr Tunji Oseni, Managing Director of the Daily Times, used his own personal car to run errands for the company and promptly returned unspent money to the company’s coffers, when he made official trips. More recently, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN) not only denied himself the perquisites of the office of the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council of the University of Ibadan, but donated a law auditorium to the university to remedy some of its infrastructural deficits.

In the judgment of this writer, Bakare and others belong to this hall of inspiring fame for taking the struggle against official extravagance a notch higher than the familiar denunciation of the syndrome. To them and their tribe belong the possibilities of reforming Nigeria. Is it not of interest that the politicians have been rather silent on this aspect of the debate? Is it because they have taken for granted that such high rise remuneration is a part of the political order in Nigeria?

Perhaps, another reason why many do not make those kinds of sacrifices has to do with the interesting argument of Falana that on one occasion when he returned a gift of rice and other items sent to him to celebrate Christmas by one of the state governors, the gifts were diverted along the line and never reached their destination. On the lighter side, one can ask the activist-lawyer whether he expected that those items would be sold and the money refunded to the treasury or whether the state governor to whom he presumably sent them would have himself consumed them? The underlying point made by Falana is well taken however, that in a monumentally corrupt system such as ours, it might sometimes make more sense for individuals to take charge and ensure that such amenities actually reach the poor who need them.

By the same analogy and while not doubting the integrity of Falana and Ozekhome, it is suggested that they should make public their donations of the allowances to charity since obviously they are comfortable enough to forfeit them. The other point that arises from Falana and Ozekhome’s gestures pertains to the debate whether principled rejection of such gifts has any point since usually what is forfeited by the right hand is sure to be stolen by the left hand of those who make it their business to turn such loopholes into an industry of pilfering. This of course is an open-ended debate that does not admit of easy answers; however, conscientious objection to official prodigality by individual crusaders goes to build up a civic conscience which can eventually form the basis for reforming a thoroughly rotten system.

The dearth of such edifying gestures and posturing point to a fundamental problem in the way we have hitherto combated corruption and ostentation in public life.  Had more delegates who have the wherewithal committed themselves in the same manner as Agbakoba and others, the conference would have demonstrated the kind of gravitas and moral purpose that is appropriate to the urgent business of national reform.

In choosing, however, to do business as usual, they have committed no offence but nonetheless have passed up an opportunity to flash the redemptive possibilities of individual and systemic heroism as well as self-denial in the bid to reform and to re-order Nigeria

Court jails four for vandalising NITEL cables

Justice Babs Kuewumi of Federal High Court in Osogbo has sentenced four persons arrested for vandalising cables of the Nigeria Telecommunications to three years imprisonment.

This was contained in a statement by the Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Mr. Ayo Olowe, on Thursday.

The convicts were identified as Opeyemi Mustapha, Madasiru Wasiu, Adam Ojediran and Rabiu Mohammed.

They were arrested by the officials of the NSCDC in Osun State in February at Ode Omu town.

The four men were charged to court after investigation by the NSCDC.

After about a year of standing trial, the court pronounced them guilty of the four charge proffered against them.

Justice  Kuewumi sentenced them to three years imprisonment.

The Commandant of NSCDC in Osun State, Mr. Felix Gbolade, said the judgment would serve as a deterrent to other criminals engaged in vandalising public property.

He urged members of the public to always supply useful information to security agencies concerning suspicious persons around them, saying everybody must be vigilant to make the country safer.

Truck rams into market, kills five

Five persons have lost their lives after they were crushed by a heavy duty truck loaded with granites at Ikare-Akoko, Akoko North West Area of Ondo State.

Eyewitnesses said the  accident occurred on Thursday when the truck loaded with granites lost control after experiencing brake failure on the ‘Oke Alabojuto Hill  in Ikare.

The truck was said to have rammed into a Mini Suzuki bus before crashing into the popular Abiola Shopping Complex in the market, where the victims were carrying out their business activities.

It was gathered that five of those affected died on the spot, while several others sustained injury.

The scene of the accident is a meter away from the palace of the Olukare of Ikare Akoko land.

Traders at the market also reported the destruction of their wares and other properties worth millions of naira.

Some of the injured were rushed to the state specialist hospital in Ikare, while two others are currently receiving treatment at the Federal Medical Centre, Owo.

The state Commissioner of Police, Isaac Eke, and the Commissioner for Works, Mr. Gboye Adegbenro, who were in the area,  visited the scene and sympathised with the people of Ikare-Akoko over the tragic incident.

Speaking at the scene, Adegbenro said the state government sympathised with the people of Ikare Akoko and revealed that government had being pleading with the people to move their trade to Caring Heart Market built by the government.

He stressed that this would also avoid multiple and repeated accident which always occurred by the road.

Proprietor collects N26.6m, fails to register pupils for WASSCE

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arraigned a school proprietor, Oshi Luke, before Justice A. O. Onovo of the Enugu State High Court, Nsukka, Enugu State, on 10 counts of stealing.

EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, said the accused allegedly connived with three employees of his school, OBFO International Academy, and collected N46, 000 each from 580 candidates as the registration fee for the West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examination, May/June 2012 examination, but failed to register the pupils for the said examination.

The commission said the action was contrary to Section 342 of the revised Criminal Code of Enugu State and punishable under Section 353(g) of the same Act.

One of the charges reads, “That you, Oshi Joel Luke and OBFO international Academy sometime between the months of September and November, 2012, with intent to defraud, stole N30,000, property of one Agba Susan, by fraudulently converting the said sum which was paid to you through Ajah Ndidiamaka into OBFO International Academy First Bank account No:2008346092 as registration fees for the 2012 May/June West African Examination Council/National Examination Council examination to your use and thereby committed an offence.”

The accused pleaded not guilty to the charge and was granted bail in the sum of N500, 000 with a surety in like sum.

Onovo said the surety must show evidence of tax clearance for the past three years and must submit two passport photographs for verification.

The case was adjourned to April 29, 2014 for trial.

In a related development, the accused was also arraigned before Justice N. Ageshi of the Federal High Court, Enugu, Enugu State.

He was arraigned on11counts that bordered on obtaining money under false pretences.

The accused pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Attempt by the defence counsel, J. O. Mba, to request bail for his client was opposed by prosecuting counsel, A. Moses.

Ageshi adjourned the case till April 4, 2014 for hearing on the bail application and ordered that the accused be remanded in EFCC custody.

Two feared dead in Cross River road accident

Two people were feared dead on Thursday following an accident along the Calabar-Ugep Highway after a Mercedes Benz 911 truck conveying cattle from the northern part of the country skidded and fell off the road.

A resident of the area, who witnessed the accident, said it occurred around 10am at Ehom Central in Biase local government in Cross River State.

The deceased persons, it was gathered, were two men who were in the truck – the driver and his assistant.

Some people who were in an oncoming vehicle were injured when they ran into the fallen truck it was gathered.

Several cows were also killed in the accident and others injured. They littered the road, causing traffic snarl for hours.

Those injured were rushed to the Ugep General Hospital.

It was suspected that the truck driver who was killed in the accident fell asleep while driving.

Meanwhile, two persons on Tuesday escaped death after a trailer loaded with bags of cement crushed their car, a Toyota Camry, as a result of overtaking from the right side.

The accident, which occurred opposite the Margaret Ekpo International Airport on IBB Way in Calabar, the Cross River State capital, involved a trailer with number plate, Delta XA 890 GWK, and a Toyota Camry (Edo BEN 444 AW).

The trailer was said to be coming from the United Cement Company of Nigeria factory at Mfamosing in Akamkpa Local Government Area, and heading for Eket in Akwa Ibom State, when the incident occurred.

The two occupants of the Toyota Camry were lucky as they did not also sustain injury.

Boat accident: Pregnant women, engaged couple among victims

No fewer than eight people have been confirmed dead, while 12 others were rescued in the boat accident involving a boat belonging to Bell Marine Services.

Among the dead were two pregnant women, a couple said to be preparing for their wedding next weekend and a 13-year-old girl.

The boat was said to have taken the passengers from their places of work at 5.34pm around Ebute Ero on the Lagos Island, en route the Majidun, Ikorodu area of Lagos State on Wednesday.

The boat was said to have capsized at the Oworonsoki area, due to overloading and speeding.

Our correspondent, who visited the Majidun jetty of the Bell Marine Services, saw relatives of the late intending couple.

An uncle of the groom, Isaac Akere, who identified himself as Mr. Ajibola Akere, said, “He and his fiancée were preparing for their wedding next weekend. I just sent him N40, 000 only few days ago as my contribution to the wedding.

“We have been to the mortuary where we saw the corpse of his fiancee, but we have not seen his own body. We need to recover his corpse, so we will know what next to do.”

Our correspondent saw a white Toyota Corolla, with registration number, Lagos APP 259 CN, at the jetty. The late Isaac was said to have parked it there before taking the boat in the morning.

A survivor, who identified herself as Mrs. Abimbola Bunmi, a shop keeper, said she was in the waters for over 30 minutes before she was rescued by a fisherman.

She said although she may have survived the accident, she had lost all her livelihood and had nowhere to go.

She said, “There were 25 of us in that boat. We took off around 5.34pm. The boat was overloaded and I complained to the boat captain but he would not listen.

“Again, he started speeding and we all raised the alarm that he should reduce his speed. He didn’t listen. What happened later was that the boat broke in the middle and capsized.

“After 30 minutes in the water, a fisherman came and helped me out. But where will I go? I had N350, 000 on me. Though I am alive, I am ruined.”

It was learnt that some of the passengers had life jackets on, but they reportedly sank into the water and drowned.

Our correspondent gathered that the Bell Marine Services could not provide the list of passengers on board because there was no manifest.

It was learnt that passengers usually pay a fare of N500 to travel on the water from Ikorodu to the Lagos Island, and find it convenient doing so due to the heavy traffic on the Ikorodu Road.

At the Ikorodu General Hospital where the bodies of the eight victims were said to have been deposited, our correspondent met the Managing Director of the hospital, Dr. Mobolaji Olukoya.

He said, “The victims were brought in two batches. First was a pregnant woman who was brought in around 6am. Her husband was in shock. He didn’t believe that she was dead and he was praying. It was around 10am that he finally received the news that she was dead. In actual fact, she was brought in dead.”

He said seven other victims, comprising six women and a man, were also brought in dead on arrival.

Our correspondent learnt from one of the security men at the morgue that there was another pregnant woman in the morgue apart from the first woman the managing director identified.

Many family members of victims were at the Ikorodu General Hospital morgue to collect the remains of their relatives.

One of them, Babatunde Ogunsiji, said his brother, Adewale, was also on the boat. Thirty five-year Adewale, who was married with a child, was said to be coming from work when he joined the boat.

The Lagos State Waterways Authority said immediately the incident happened, its men responded to a distress call from one of the witnesses.

A statement by the Managing Director, LASWA, Mr. Olayinka Marinho reads in part, “Investigations revealed that the boat, which departed from the Ebute-Ero jetty of the Lagos Island at about 5:30pm for the Majidun Jetty in Ikorodu hit a large object under the water in the course of the voyage. The impact damaged the hull of the boat and resulted into a high inflow of water, causing the boat to sink.

“The swift response of the LASWA rescue team to the scene of the mishap made it possible to rescue 13 passengers alive. The team also recovered six bodies trapped in the sunken vessel from the depth of the lagoon and immediately rushed them to the Ikorodu General Hospital where they were confirmed dead. A pregnant woman who was one of the 13 passengers rescued on board the boat eventually died at the General Hospital on arrival increasing the total number of deaths recorded to seven. The Search and Rescue mission also recovered some items belonging to the victims.”

The spokesperson of the National Emergency Management Agency, South West Zone, Mr. Ibrahim Farinloye, said rescue operation was ongoing to recover the bodies of other missing passengers.

Farinloye said, “As of last night, we learnt that eight died, 12 were alive and six were missing. Unfortunately, the operator of the boat, Mr. Ben Kalejaiye, said nobody was missing. But as we were about to close down the search, somebody turned up that his relative was missing, meaning that the search continues.”

The Managing Director of the Lagos State Emergency Management Authority, Femi Oke-Osanyintolu, said, “From investigations, we learnt that those who had their life jackets on were afraid. Instead of jumping into the water, they didn’t and that was how they sank.”

Huge security as Afghan presidential election looms

There is a huge security operation in Afghanistan as presidential candidates prepare for Saturday’s vote.

 

The new president will succeed Hamid Karzai, who has been in power since the 2001 fall of the Taliban but is constitutionally barred from seeking a third consecutive term.

 

It should be the first time that power is democratically transferred.

 

But pitfalls lie ahead, especially the threat of Taliban violence as Nato prepares to withdraw later this year.

 

Security has been tightened across the country with nearly 200,000 troops deployed to prevent attacks by the Taliban, who have threatened to disrupt the poll.

 

The BBC’s Afghanistan correspondent David Loyn says the election is being protected by the biggest military operation since the fall of the Taliban.

 

Rings of security have been set up around each polling centre, with the police at the centre and hundreds of troops on the outside.

 

Reporting restrictions are in place, limiting what can be broadcast about the candidates.

 

If nobody wins more than 50% of the vote in this round, a run-off election will be necessary.

 

The BBC’s Lyse Doucet in Kabul says that the third presidential race since the fall of the Taliban is certain to be marred by rigging, recrimination and violence.

 

Our correspondent says that the run-up to this historic poll has already been the bloodiest, and fears of electoral fraud are pronounced.

 

But a new political culture is slowly emerging, our correspondent says.

 

There are eight candidates for president, including former foreign ministers Abdullah Abdullah and Zalmai Rassoul, and former finance minister Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai.

 

Correspondents say the election may give the US a new chance to repair relations with Kabul, which are moribund after more than 12 years of war and repeated rows between the White House and President Karzai.

 

A stable and acceptable political transition is “critical to sustaining international support for Afghanistan”, White House press secretary Jay Carney said on Monday.

 

Relations between the president and Washington plunged to new lows late last year when the Afghan leader refused to sign a bilateral security agreement that would allow up to 10,000 troops to stay in his country after the Nato combat mission ends.

 

The troops staying on would train, advise and assist Afghan security forces and conduct counter-terrorism missions.

Flash floods hit Solomon Islands

Flash floods have killed several people and left some 10,000 homeless in the Solomon Islands capital, reports say.

The Matanikau and Lungga rivers burst their banks late on Thursday, washing away homes and bridges, and submerging large areas of Honiara.

The national disaster body said six people had died, but a government spokesman told ABC News that 16 bodies had been recovered.

Pictures showed debris washed on to the shore and houses washed into the river.

More people were reported missing and the death toll was expected to rise, aid workers said.

Disaster officials said several evacuation centres had been set up.

Some roads leading into the city, located on the main island of Guadalcanal, were reportedly closed.

The UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs said the floods had followed days of heavy rain, which was still falling.

“The depression is threatening to turn into a category one cyclone in the coming hours and days,” regional director Sune Gudnitz told the AFP news agency.

“The water has not subsided and flood waters are continuing to build.”

Solomons Prime Minister Gordon Darcy Lilo said the government would declare a state of emergency, local media report.

Director of the National Disaster Management Office Loti Yates told the Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation that the flash floods were the worst he had seen.

“There is so much heavy rain around the area that creates massive flash foods,” Yates said, adding that malfunctioning drainage systems were contributing to the floods.

The NDMO has warned residents to go to higher grounds or stay indoors, the Solomon Times reports.

Two journalists shot in Afghanistan

Two foreign journalists have been shot by a man dressed as a policeman in eastern Afghanistan, reports say.

One of the journalists has died, and the other has been critically wounded, Reuters reports quoting police sources.

The incident reportedly took place in a small town on Afghanistan’s border with Pakistan.

It comes as Afghanistan intensifies security ahead of presidential elections on Saturday, in response to threats of violence by the Taliban.

The former Governor of Ekiti said his desire to rule the state again was aimed at improving the lot of the people and not to stand on the way of any body. Vote Ayo Fayose for Gov!

The former Governor of Ekiti said his desire to rule the state again was aimed at improving the lot of the people and not to stand on the way of any body. Vote Ayo Fayose for Gov!

“There is no way we can work in this world without stepping on toes, but they should appreciate that I am only human, to err is human and to forgive is divine.

“They should please give me a chance so that I will turn around the fortunes of the less privileged in the state. I want them to know that I am Ayo Fayose, 12 years older, more responsible, more experienced and I will listen to them and work with them

FAYEMI LOYALIST IN EKITI FAINTED BECAUSE OF FAYOSE'S ARRIVAL AT EKITI IN GRAND STYLE.. APC ETI JETAN LEKITI

I'll address unemployment, says Fayose

Ekiti State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for the June 21 governorship election former Governor Ayodele Fayose has said he will address unemployment, if elected.

Fayose arrived in Ekiti yesterday from Abuja, where he had gone to collect his Certificate of Return from the party’s national leadership.

The helicopter that brought him landed at Amoye Grammar School in Ikere-Ekiti, where Fayose addressed his supporters, who turned out in their numbers.

Fayose said: “Youth unemployment has been alarming. We have to do something fast.”

He said there was need to reconcile aggrieved PDP aspirants to ensure the party’s victory at the poll and hailed “the unusual courage of one of the aspirants, Prince Dayo Adeyeye”.

Fayose said: “I am humbled by Adeyeye’s readiness to join me in the race to reclaim the governance of the state from the All Progressives Congress (APC).”

He said PDP members must unite, if the party is to progress.

Fayose said the APC had failed the people, pledging that his party would meet the people’s aspirations.

On his purported row with traditional rulers, Fayose said he could not be in disagreement with any monarch, adding: “I accord royal fathers the respect due to them. Let not the opposition deceive us into believing what we did not and cannot do. We have never rubbished any traditional ruler. Our royal fathers are fathers of all of us. Very soon, we will begin our visit to palaces across the state.

“Today’s Fayose is different from the Fayose of over 10 years ago. I am more mature, responsible, responsive, experienced and focused. My immediate task is to ensure that the PDP becomes one big family in the state to provide the people with a formidable alternative.”

Rainstorm destroys 100 electricity poles in Benue

The Makurdi Business Unit of Jos Electricity Distribution Company, on Thursday said rainstorm had destroyed more than 100 electricity poles on Wednesday night in parts of Benue State.

The rainstorm had also destroyed houses and pushed down many trees in Makurdi, the state capital.

The business manager of the unit, Mr John Emeruwa, told the News Agency of Nigeria in Makurdi that the company had sustained “colossal damage” in the incident.

He said, “The storm had caused colossal damage to our facilities in three towns, Otupko, Ugbokolo and Makurdi.

“More than 100 electrical poles were destroyed in Makurdi alone. The damage is immense; we have already informed our head office in Jos.

“Otukpo and Ugbokolo also had similar incidents but it was not like that of Makurdi. This is going to cost a lot to fix.”

Emeruwa however assured the company’s customers that full electricity supply to Makurdi and its environs would be restored soon.

“The process of power restoration is on. It is not a day’s job,” he said.

He commended security agencies, especially the Nigerian Civil Defence Corps for protecting public and private facilities in the state.

Rivers CJ sues NJC over suspension

The suspended Chief Judge of Rivers State, Justice P.H.C. Agumagu, has dragged the National Judicial Council before an Abuja Federal High Court to challenge his suspension.

He is also challenging the Council’s threat to sack him for accepting the appointment as the state Chief Judge.

Justice Agumagu asked the court to restrain members of an investigation panel set up to investigate the allegations against him from taking any further steps in respect of his case until the determination of the suit.

Besides the NJC, others listed as defendants in the suit numbered FHC/ABJ/CS/253/2014 are Justices Babatunde Adejumo, Jubril Idris and Comwell Idahosa, who are chairman and members of the panel set up by the NJC to investigate allegations against him.

The suspended CJ wants the court to grant him “an order of certiorari (judicial review) removing to this court for the purpose of being quashed the query and letter of suspension from office of the applicant as a judicial officer, Ref. No. NJC /S.32/RV.CCA/1/1/36 dated March 26, 2014 written by the 1st respondent to the applicant.”

In the same vein, he also asked for “an order of certiorari, removing to this court for the purpose of being quashed, the minutes of the decisions reached by the 1st respondent at its emergency meeting of March 26, 2014 concerning the applicant.”

Justice Adeniyi Ademola had, after hearing the ex parte motion filed by Justice Agumagu, granted him leave to serve processes on the respondents.

The suit will come up for hearing on April 10.

The NJC had in a statement on March 27 announced Justice Agumagu’s suspension, noting that his appointment was illegal, as it did not comply with the provisions of section 271 of the 1999 Constitution, which stipulated that a state governor must appoint a Chief Judge on the recommendation of the NJC.

The NJC stressed that it did not recommend Justice Agumagu for appointment as the state’s Chief Judge.

Besides the suspension, Justice Agumagu is also facing dismissal as the NJC has queried him, asking him to explain why he should not be dismissed as a judicial officer for failing to abide by his Oath of Office.

However, despite the position of the apex judicial body, the Rivers State Government has insisted that Justice Agumagu remains the CJ of the state.

The state’s Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Worgu Boms, said the suspension was illegal and unconstitutional.

“The Rivers State Government rejects the NJC’s unconstitutional and contemptuous stance on this matter and states categorically that only a court of competent jurisdiction can declare its actions and activities unconstitutional and certainly not a council, committee or commission, however so described, when such bodies, no matter their nomenclature and the eminence of their membership, are subject to the law of the land,” Boms said.

Confab: Delegate complain about food, reject monetisation

Some delegates participating in the ongoing National Conference were on Thursday in Abuja angry about the feeding arrangement by the leadership of the summit.

It was during the morning session. While some of them expressed disappointment about the poor quality of food, others said they wanted the food to be monetised to enable them to source for food outside the conference venue.

This led to a heated argument. Tempers flew when a delegate from the South South, Mr. J.I Ebinum, moved a motion to stop the secretariat from the provision of lunch for the delegates.

His motion, which came shortly before the delegates took their break for lunch, was rejected by other delegates who shouted “No” to the request.

Ebinum had argued that the feeding should be stopped as the caterer, handling the feeding services, had failed to make enough food available despite all complaints to that effect.

However when the Chairman of conference, Justice Idris Kutigi, put the matter to vote, the delegates shut down the motion and trooped out to the restaurant to eat.

When Kutigi tried to bring up the matter again towards the close of the sitting, another commotion ensued as delegates expressed reservations over the request.

A former Minister of Women Affairs and delegate representing elder etatesmen, Mrs. Josephine Anenih, stood up to explain that the  delegates were not asking for the stoppage of food supply because things had improved.

She said, “For the past two days, we have been eating Chinese food. That was why they are all very happy. Delegates are complaining that the food has not been enough because other workers of the National Judicial Institute, venue of the confab, have been joining in sharing the food meant for only 492 delegates.”

But another delegate from the South West, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, also supported Anenih, saying the conference should continue to provide the food but should try and improve on the quality.

He said, “We don’t want monetisation of the food, but what we are saying is that they should improve on the quality of food being served.”

Rivers CJ sues NJC over suspension

The suspended Chief Judge of Rivers State, Justice P.H.C. Agumagu, has dragged the National Judicial Council before an Abuja Federal High Court to challenge his suspension.

He is also challenging the Council’s threat to sack him for accepting the appointment as the state Chief Judge.

Justice Agumagu asked the court to restrain members of an investigation panel set up to investigate the allegations against him from taking any further steps in respect of his case until the determination of the suit.

Besides the NJC, others listed as defendants in the suit numbered FHC/ABJ/CS/253/2014 are Justices Babatunde Adejumo, Jubril Idris and Comwell Idahosa, who are chairman and members of the panel set up by the NJC to investigate allegations against him.

The suspended CJ wants the court to grant him “an order of certiorari (judicial review) removing to this court for the purpose of being quashed the query and letter of suspension from office of the applicant as a judicial officer, Ref. No. NJC /S.32/RV.CCA/1/1/36 dated March 26, 2014 written by the 1st respondent to the applicant.”

In the same vein, he also asked for “an order of certiorari, removing to this court for the purpose of being quashed, the minutes of the decisions reached by the 1st respondent at its emergency meeting of March 26, 2014 concerning the applicant.”

Justice Adeniyi Ademola had, after hearing the ex parte motion filed by Justice Agumagu, granted him leave to serve processes on the respondents.

The suit will come up for hearing on April 10.

The NJC had in a statement on March 27 announced Justice Agumagu’s suspension, noting that his appointment was illegal, as it did not comply with the provisions of section 271 of the 1999 Constitution, which stipulated that a state governor must appoint a Chief Judge on the recommendation of the NJC.

The NJC stressed that it did not recommend Justice Agumagu for appointment as the state’s Chief Judge.

Besides the suspension, Justice Agumagu is also facing dismissal as the NJC has queried him, asking him to explain why he should not be dismissed as a judicial officer for failing to abide by his Oath of Office.

However, despite the position of the apex judicial body, the Rivers State Government has insisted that Justice Agumagu remains the CJ of the state.

The state’s Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Worgu Boms, said the suspension was illegal and unconstitutional.

“The Rivers State Government rejects the NJC’s unconstitutional and contemptuous stance on this matter and states categorically that only a court of competent jurisdiction can declare its actions and activities unconstitutional and certainly not a council, committee or commission, however so described, when such bodies, no matter their nomenclature and the eminence of their membership, are subject to the law of the land,” Boms said.

Military not Nigeria's problems -Bode George

A former Deputy National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party, Chief Olabode George, on Thursday said the problems with Nigeria did not begin with the overthrow of civilian governments by the military.

Speaking at the ongoing National Conference 2014 in Abuja, George said claims that the military was responsible for Nigeria’s downfall were far from the truth.

He said, “Military incursion into Nigerian politics is not the problem that we are facing today. Those facts have been half truth. Let us tell the younger generation what happened. The problem that we had in the South West that was not controlled, expanded beyond our control and engulfed this country.

“It was the deputy chairman at the senate at that time that invited the military at that time. The military did not just wake up from their barracks and headed to take over the power. Let us tell ourselves the truth and prevent occurrence in the future.”

According to him, the problem with Nigeria is intolerance, urging delegates to discuss with justice, fairness and equity.

The former Chairman, Board of Nigerian Ports Authority, said Nigeria must rise above ethnic pettiness and narrow partisan vision to overcome its challenges.

“In a land that there is no fairness and justice, there can never be peace. Let us love one another and be our brothers keeper.”

A former National Secretary of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change, Buba Galadima, in his own speech, criticised President Goodlcuk Jonathan’s inaugural speech, saying it fell below standard.

Galadima, who said his name was initially removed from the list of delegates by the Federal Government, said the President did not make any commitment in his speech.

Falana demands refund of N700m NIS recruitment fees

Human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), has asked the Minister of Interior, Mr. Abba Moro, to refund the fees collected from applicants for the jobs in the National Immigration Services.

 

Falana alleged in a letter dated April 2, 2014, and addressed to the minister, that the money, totaling about N700m was “extorted” from the applicants “as there was no plan to employ the majority of them.”

 

The letter was entitled, ‘Demand for the refund of recruitment fee of N700m’.

 

The lawyer threatened to sue the minister “for extorting N700m from the job seekers on behalf of the Federal Government” if the demand for the refund of the money was not acceded to.

 

“It is hoped that you will not compel us to resort to litigation in the circumstance as it will expose the Federal Government to untold embarrassment,” Falana stated in his letter.

 

The recruitment tests conducted across the country on March 15 left about 20 applicants dead and many others injured in the stampede which charaterised the exercise.

 

 The Lagos lawyer rejected the minister’s excuse for not refunding the money because the Federal Government had not ordered his ministry to do so.

 

The lawyer argued that since there was no bill by the National Assembly to impose the fee on the job applicants, the minister’s action amounted to a violation of Section 59 (1) (b) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999.

 

He said, “In spite of your official negligence which led to the tragic death of 20 of the applicants, you stated that the Federal Government had not ordered you to refund the said sum of N700, 000,000.00k. You have therefore decided not to refund the money or forfeit it to the Federal Government.

 

“However, since the National Assembly did not pass any money bill authorising the collection of the recruitment fee or levy of one thousand Naira per applicant, your action is a violation of Section 59 (1) (b) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) which provides that there shall be a bill ‘for the imposition of or increase in any tax, duty or fee or any reduction, withdrawal or cancellation thereof’.”