Dasukigate: The Sun newspaper returns N9million it got from ex-NSA, Dasuki

 

The management of The Sun newspaper issued the statement below, Sunday, to announce its return of the N9million it received from the office of the National Security Adviser “as compensation for the seizure of its newspapers and stop­page of circulation during the Good­luck Jonathan administration in June 2014.”
It said the the N9million cheque had since been returned to the Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria, NPAN, for onward passage to the office of the National Security Adviser. 

NPAN and N120 million compensation: Our position 1

In deference to public outcry and the need to protect its corporate integrity, the Management of The Sun Publishing Limited has re­turned the N9 million received from the Presidency through the Newspa­per Proprietors Association of Nige­ria (NPAN) as compensation for the seizure of its newspapers and stop­page of circulation during the Good­luck Jonathan administration in June 2014.
In a statement issued yesterday and signed by its Managing Director/Editor-in- Chief, Mr. Eric Osagie, The Sun said it took the decision following the controversies, which the payment of the compensation had generated and the need to come clean on the matter.
The statement reads further: “The Man­agement of The Sun Publishing Limited has considered the public outcry and diverse controversies generated among media hous­es, the Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN) and the public over the N120 million paid by the Goodluck Jonathan administration as compensation to newspa­per companies for the unlawful seizure of their newspapers and stoppage of circulation by armed soldiers in several cities across the country in June 2014.
Having reviewed the situation, we wish to state as follows:

After the unlawful action of the military, to which The Sun lost millions of naira, we had signified the intention to commence liti­gation against the Federal Government along with other affected newspaper companies.
2. However, at the level of the NPAN, which The Sun is a member, a de­cision was collectively taken to accept the Presi­dency’s offer of peace­ful settlement in place of litigation in the interest of peace and national se­curity.
We were later in­formed of the payment of N120 million compensa­tion out of which the sum of N9 million was paid to The Sun Management by the NPAN.
At the time the com­pensation was paid, we had no inkling whatso­ever under which expen­diture sub-head in the Presidency the fund was sourced and that it was al­legedly part of the funds meant for the purchase of arms.
As a very responsible newspaper organization, which places premium on ethics, individual and cor­porate integrity, we are certainly embarrassed by the turn of events and the unfortunate insinuation of involvement in the illegal sharing of the nation’s commonwealth and the feasting on the blood of soldiers fighting the war against insurgency.
We believe strongly in our corporate integrity and principles of fairness and social justice, which have driven our business considerations over the years.
In the light of the foregoing, we have re­turned the cheque of N9 million to the NPAN for onward transmission to the source through which it came.
We have seen that the good intention not to seek redress in court has seem­ingly backfired.
We have also given notice to our lawyers to immediately commence the process in court to redress the huge loss suffered through the actions of the military.
We assure our teem­ing readers of our commitment to serving them faithfully and conscientiously by upholding the time-tested principles of fair business ethics, eq­uity and social justice.
Source: Premium times

POLICE RECOVER 3 VEHICLES, AK-47 RIFLE, AMMUNITION FROM HOODLUMS IN ABA.

 

The Police in Aba, Abia State, has recovered three vehicles and an AK 47 rifle with 59 rounds of live ammunition stolen by hoodlums.

Policemen, while on patrol, recovered an AK-47 rifle with 59 rounds of live ammunition in a green coloured Toyota Camry with number plate MUS 963 DT along Ngwa Road in Aba.
A police source said the four male occupants of the Toyota car abandoned it when they sighted the patrol team. On searching the car, an AK 47 riffle marked; RP 0279 with two magazines containing 59 rounds of live ammunition was recovered.
The recovered vehicles include a Toyota Camry car with registration number; EHM 742 AA, Suzuki Grand Vitara with registration number, LSD 723 DF and a Toyota Avalon car with registration number, KWL 400 BC, respectively.
We gathered that policemen on patrol duty at Pepple Street, Ogbor-Hills, Aba, suspected the occupants of the Toyota Camry car, but the latter abandoned the vehicle and escaped into the bush. When a search was conducted on the car, a Nokia phone, bunch of keys, a Bible, Diamond Bank ATM card, ignition keys of the car and other documents were found.
It was also gathered that a Suzuki Grand Vitara belonging to C & I Leasing Company and its driver, Augustine Nwanna were reported missing in Rivers State, but the Police tracked the car to a mechanic’s workshop in Aba and arrested one Ihechin Nathaniel Wilson of No 4 Agolawa street, off Ngwa road, Aba and Samson Baba, of Oloha in Dekina council area of Kogi State.
The driver, it was gathered , was sent on errand with the vehicle by his employers in Port-Harcourt on December 7, 2015, but never returned.
Source: Abia Breaking News

Another Former PDP Senator Confesses To Collecting N345 Million From Dasuki Out of The $2.1Bn Arms Funds

 

A former Senator from Benue State, Iyorchia Ayu, has said, he collected N345m from the controversial arms deal funds through the office of the former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, as consultation fee on difficult issues. Ayu while speaking with Daily Trust said, "When I served on the National Security Council as Minister of Internal Affairs, I got educated that various aspects of security work could be pushed under different classifications. "Any funds remitted to the company were for consultancies on security related and electoral matters. "When Colonel Sambo Dasuki assumed duty in June 2012, he approached me to assist based on my background as a social scientist and my previous involvement in government. "Understandably, I provided the requisite advice whenever consulted on difficult issues. It is also public knowledge that I have considerable knowledge of Nigerian politics and skills for competitive political organisation," Ayu said

Source: The Summary

YUGUDA SINGS LIKE PARROT: Releases A List Of 6 New Names Involved in The $2.1Bn Arms Scandal - These Names Will Shock You

Bashir Yuguda

Former Minister of State, Bashir Yuguda, has told the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) that he gave a total of N600million cash to six chairmen of the Contact and Mobilisation Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the 2015 general election. The beneficiaries are; Bode George (South-West); Amb. Yerima Abdullahi (North- East); Peter Odili (South-South); Attahiru Bafarawa (North-West); Jim Nwobodo (South - East); and Ahmadu Ali (North-Central).

Yuguda is expected to account for over N3.050billion including N1.1billion being part of the funds in the account of the Office of the National Security Adviser and aggregate sum of N1,950,000 belonging to the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which sum was transferred to Jabbama Ada Global Services. The former minister told the EFCC that he will endeavour to recover the sum of N600million given to the six zonal PDP committee chairmen, while appealing to the commission to use their machineries to trace the remaining balance of the money. 
Source: The Summary

Human Rights Day 2015: What is it and what is the theme for this year?

Human Rights Day is marked annually on 10 December to commemorate the day in 1948 when the United Nations adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. A milestone document in the history of human rights, it sets out, for the first time, fundamental human rights to be universally protected.

What is the theme for 2015?

The theme for Human Rights Day 2015 is "Our Rights. Our Freedoms. Always" – to mark the launch of a one-year campaign commemorating two international treaties adopted 50 years ago: Two Human Rights Covenants are the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, both adopted in 1966.
In 2015, the focus is on "freedoms" – recalling the four freedoms that underpin the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and two major human rights covenants, and first articulated in 1941 by President Franklin D Roosevelt in his "four freedoms speech" to the US Congress. The four freedoms are: freedom from fear, freedom of speech, freedom of worship and freedom from want.
The International Bill of Human Rights consists of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and its two Optional Protocols.

Human rights facts and figures
In 2014, Amnesty International recorded and investigated human rights abuses in 160 countries and territories around the world. Here are some of the most shocking statistics uncovered:

• War crimes or other violations of the "laws of war" were carried out in at least 18 countries.
• Refugees and migrants were - and still are - at particular risk. More than 3,400 people drowned in the Mediterranean Sea in 2014.
• Armed groups committed abuses in 35 countries.
• Nearly three-quarters of governments, around 119 countries out of 160, arbitrarily restricted freedoms.
• 82% (131 out of 160) of countries tortured or otherwise ill-treated people.

Why do we observe Human Rights Day?
Fifty years ago, the United Nations General Assembly adopted two international treaties that would forever shape international human rights – but challenges still remain, and the documents are as relevant today as they were when they were created.
Many countries recognise human rights and the rule of law as the basis for fair and stable societies, but many states still have a lot to do to build political institutions, judicial systems and economics that allow ordinary people to live with dignity. Globally, many people are still unaware of the existence of the International Bill of Human Rights.

Among other problems, there is a growth of hate speech against religious and racial minorities, an ongoing justification of rights violations in the name of combatting terrorism and there is also the reversal of economic and social rights in the name of economic crises or security.

Arase vows to jail trigger-happy police officers within 48 hrs

The Inspector General of Police Mr. Solomon Arase, on Wednesday in Kano declared that any police officer, who shoots innocent civilians would be promptly arrested and arraigned before a court of law within 48 hours.

Arase however warned Divisional Police Officers (DPO) across the country to establish the mental alertness of the officers and men before handing over fire arms to them.
The IG, who was in Kano in familiarization tour of Police formations across the country, also warned police officers from arresting and detaining suspects for more than 24 hours, except in cases of criminal and armed robbery.
He explained that police officers who are armed sometimes shoot innocent people over un-established reasons, which makes it difficult to ascertain the officer’s mental alertness, while discharging their duties, thus discrediting in the image of the force.
He however advised the DPOs in the country to always ascertain the mental alertness of any of the officers to be handed over fire arms, so as to curtail the incidence of ‘accidental discharge’ 

Arase, also cautioned police officers, especially those on patrol to desist from wearing bath room slippers or using horse whips, as well as other indecent conduct on members of the public, adding that a disciplined officer should always uphold ethical standards, which should be their hallmark, while discharging their responsibilities.
However, he expressed dismay on what he described as unprofessional conduct and disrespect by officers and men of the police force for been uncivil and not upholding fundamental human rights when dealing with the public
Arase maintained that the Police Force under his watch must respect the dignity and sanctity of the people, adding that police can only be respected when they exhibit professionalism in their conduct through intelligent evidence before arresting a criminal.
He promised to improve the welfare of Officers and men by granting scholarship scheme to 300 children of inspectors, including rank and file, adding that 36 of such officers have been sent on training.
The IGP approved the immediate promotion of corporal Ibrahim Adamu, who lost his hands during an operation to the rank of sergeant, while he also awarded him the sum of N1 million to defray treatment cost of his hands.
In his remark, the Kano State Commissioner of Police, Muhammad Musa Katsina listed challenges facing the Command to include paucity of funds, inadequate manpower and logistics, as well as the dilapidating nature of the barracks, which is yearning for urgent attention.
The Kano police boss, while outlining his achievements, noted that within three months in office, he recovered over 5,000 cows from cattle rustlers, arrested over 700 suspects, as well as arms and ammunitions in the notorious Falgore forest.
Source: The Nation

9 People Dead, Many Injured, Mosque Burnt, Van Burnt In Onitsha

The peaceful protest embarked upon on Tuesday by the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, against the continued incarceration of Mr. Nnamdi Kalu the Radio Biafra Director, turned bloody at about 1.30 am early hours of Wednesday, after an alleged encounter by the Joint Military Taskforce comprising, Army, Navy, Police and Civil Defense, who clashed at Niger Bridge Head with some members of the IPOB who vowed to continue their blockage of the bridge for three days until Kanu is released.

The encounter left about nine people dead, five at Niger Bridge Head, three at Obodoukwu Road, a Suya meat seller said to have been hit by stray bullet who died instantly.

Miscreants on hearing that some people have been shot dead by the joint Military taskforce went into another protest, marched to the Central mosque at near Onitsha Main Market and set it, a Hilux Pick Up van with federal Government number was also burnt when the Joint Military Taskforce held motorist and commuters hostage at Upper Iweka with sporadic shooting that has never been witnessed before in Onitsha.

 The protesting IPOB members had blocked the Niger Bridge early Tuesday morning there by grounded vehicular movement in and outside Onitsha, and people who knew alternative through the river Niger boarded Flying and Speed boat through Marine Police station to cross in and out of Onitsha to Asaba, but incidentally the protest was aggravated with Wednesday early hours shooting to death of five IPOB members seen at about .30 am observing their three days protest at the Niger Bridge Head agaisng the continued detention of their leader, Mr. Kanu.
As at the time filing this report all the markets in Onitsha have been shut down around 12.30 pm, as millions of traders in all the markets in Onitsha and its environs were seen tscampering for safety and rekking to their homes, looking tired and worried, as gun shut were sporadically shot almost every corner in Onitsha.
The protest had their peaceful protest on Tuesday without any casualty but the situation was aggravated when the Joint Military Taskforce who could not disperse them on Tuesday invaded the Niger Bridge at about 1.30 am and opened fire on the thousands of the IPOB members who refused to leave the Niger Bridge, the entry to South East, killing six people including the Suya seller said to have been hit by stray bullet.
The alleged killing of the IPOB members was said to have sparked off another protest by IPOB members who were joined by MASSOB members who made born fires along Onitsha Owerri Road and Onitsha Enugu Express way, forcing motorists coming in and out of Onitsha from both Enugu, Asaba, Owerri difficult to enter or exit.
One of our reporters who went to Oba for an assignment was trapped at Oba Junction, where had to pay N3,000 from Oba Junction to Tazan junction Onitsha, as over 2000 vehicles coming into Onitsha were seen parked at the Oba junction and refused to come into Onitsha.

Source: Abia Facts Newspapers

WHERE IS DEMOCRACY IN ABIA STATE

        WHERE IS DEMOCRACY IN ABIA STATE -Abia residents in diaspora cries -by N. Ijomah -

On October 17, 2015 a sizeable crowd of Abia residents in diaspora gathered before the Nigerian Embassy in downtown Manhattan despite the relatively short notice of the event to protest the recent tribunal rulings in Abia state. New york City being a city of immigrants , it was not surprising to see a motley crowd of regular New Yorkers who ordinarily cannot tell where Nigeria is, let alone Abia state willingly join in our protest in solidarity with our cause after they were informed of what we were protesting about.
All in all the protest was a success inasmuch as it signals to our folks back home that we in diaspora are in comradeship with their efforts in bringing about change in Abia state and the return of Dr Alex Otti's mandate and that their action so fa has been an intersection between hope, courage and resilience, knowing full well the extent the present Abia government will go in stifling their efforts through the use of a corrupt police force.
The protesters in New York carried such signs as:-
WHERE IS DEMOCRACY IN ABIA STATE, TRIBUNAL MUST RETURN OTTI'S MANDATE, TRIBUNAL JUDGEMENT MUST BE BASED ON THE FACTS NOT TECHNICALITIES,, BUHARI MUST LOOK INTO AFFAIRS IN ABIA , just to mention a few. In their list of demands presented to the press and to embassy officials, the protester demanded amongst others that:-
1.The Abia election tribunal must take into consideration the evidence presented before it and the facts therein before reaching any judgement regarding the petitions before it.
2.Tribunal should for the sake of justice and fair play cancel or invalidate the election results from Obingwa, Ossisioma and Isiala Ngwa North.
3.Nothing other than the return of Dr Otti's mandate will be acceptable to millions of Abians including diasporans.
4. The EFCC and the Buhari administration should immediately investigate affairs in Abia state, including its justice system.
5. A call on the Abia people, not to relent in their effort in bringing pressure on the tribunal in ensuring that justice is done.

PROTESTS GREET ORJI’S TRIBUNAL VICTORY.

 
The National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Umuahia has confirmed the election of Chief Theodore Orji as the senator representing Abia Central Senatorial District.

However, spontaneous protests greeted the tribunal’s decision, which declared Orji, as the senator representing Abia Central Senatorial District.
Protesters, who had gathered at the School Road shortly after the judgment was delivered, expressed disappointed with some saying “this is not acceptable’’ and “something must have gone amiss.”
Ahamdi Nweke, the candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in the March 28, 2015 senatorial election had challenged the declaration of Chief Orji of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as winner of the election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
He argued that it was not in compliance with the electoral law. The petitioner also alleged that the election was characterised by malpractice, alteration, mutilation and inflation of votes in favour of the respondent. He wanted the tribunal to upturn the election and declare him winner or order a re-run.
But affirming the election of Chief Orji, the tribunal struck out Nweke’s petition for lack of competence, saying: “We dismiss the petition because it is vague, unverifiable and unreliable.”

Source: Abia Breaking News

ABIA STATE DESERVE MORE AT 24

Twenty-four years after Abia State was created, many Nigerians say more should be done to match the vision of Abia State’s founding fathers, 
SUNNY NWANKWO reports
 

It has not been 24 wasted years after its creation, but there is this predominant feeling that Abia State deserves more.

Mr. Ofor Ikechukwu, a businessman in Aba, said the commercial city and other towns which give a lot to the state have been neglected for years on end.

Ikechukwu said that kidnapping which blighted the state in 2010, resulted from the inability of government to properly take care of the youth.

“Go to Ukwa East and West,” he said, “and see for yourself what neglect and abandonment of the people can cause. They are the goose that lays the golden egg for the state. The state could not have been among states in Niger Delta Development Commission today if not for the fact that oil was discovered in their land. But go there, the people are really suffering.

“Farmers in those areas including Ugwunagbo have been recording economic wastages because of the nature of their roads; they are impassible. They work hard in their various farms but taking the harvested crops which we know are perishable goods to the market or even people coming from the urban areas to the place, is a story for another day because of the poor road network. Most of the oil companies have failed to gainfully employ the youths and that is why it seems like oil bunkering business is thriving. But I think that the better the government of the day realises the importance of these areas and other areas they need to explore in order to boost the economy of the state, the better for them.

“Presently, government is focusing more in Aba as a place to generate much income for the state. It might be true, but they should also look at other areas of interest such as agriculture and others. Go to Obingwa, they have virgin lands. Government after tackling insecurity should go into negotiation and partnership with the various communities for them to lease their lands to it where the government in turn will subsidise the land and other farm inputs such as fertiliser among others for interested people. By the end of the planting season, if the roads were in good shape, there will be plenty for people to eat in the state and over dependency on imported foods reduced drastically.”

“Apart from the fact that the President Buhari-led government has made all and sundry to be alive in their responsibilities, supply of power has been at its lowest ebb. Look at the way the Geometric Power project which I understand was meant to serve the interest of the Aba business community has been sidelined for some years now. The dream of the founding fathers to make Aba truly the economic hub of the state, southeast and the country at large for me, is still far away to be met.

Hon. Donatus Nwankpa, Abia State chair of All Progressives Congress (APC), said, “The foundation of Abia laid by Navy Capt. Frank Ajobeina, was that the state will be one of the fastest growing new states and at the creation of Abia, she inherited a university. Today in Abia, we have two universities; a federal (Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike) and state (Abia State University, Uturu) universities. Abia has a College of Education (Arochukwu College of Education Technical), a polytechnic (Abia State Polytechnic) in Aba.

“And in terms of infrastructural development,…the past eight years was a period of backwardness; it was characterised by lack of maintenance culture. Besides that, I think that we have really done well.

“In terms of sports, Abia State is the first state that produced the first club (Enyimba) that won an African Cup Championship that eluded Nigeria since the creation of this country as a nation and the state has produced so many sports men and women; Kanu Nwankwo, Chukwumerije Jnr among others.

“If you look at the media aspect of Abia, the Broadcasting Corporation of Abia State (BCA) has one of the best voices east of the Niger. Our cultural segment is also doing well as Abia parades one of the best cultural troupes in this country. But I know that we are lacking basically in the area of infrastructure.

“If you talk about the human personnel, Abia has produced great people in our time like Okonjo-Iweala, Chief Vincent Ogbulafor; former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chairman, Dr. Chinenye Nyerere Anyim and amongst other business gurus that the state has produced so far.

“When you talk about business, industries, it still retains its pride of place among the states that rely on individual and human resources. The state enterprise of an Igbo man is purely epitomised with the Abia character. So, as such we are not doing badly. The only area that we have problems is the governmental negligence in infrastructural development.

“The major area that I want a change in is infrastructure; road network. Power is not a state but a national affair…here and there kidnap doesn’t make any sense.

“The government in Abia should make life better for the people. There are so many taxations in Abia and the double taxation is affecting business, especially the individual enterprise.

“There should be more reliable and responsible and conscientious leaders in Abia; Abia leadership has been characterised by selfishness. Abia leadership has not taken into cognizance, the collective interest of the people.

“We want a leadership that should derive its power from the collective Abia. That collective Abia can include the traditional, religious, the political class, among other interest groups that would rise up to the challenge to say that the right thing must be done.”

On legislation, he said that “the most important thing that we are aspiring is a self-accounting legislation at all levels that will give the legislators some level of independence, some level of integrity, some level of will and the audacity to legislate on certain issues.”

Mr. Ray Njoku, a lecturer in Public Administration at Abia State Polytechnic, Aba, said,

“I cannot say that Abia has come first, second or third when compared with states that were created alongside it, but all I know is that Abia has done well as long as peace has prevailed in Abia. The essence of government is the welfare and wellbeing of the people and in the 24 years of its existence I can tell you that Abia has survived.

“I think I can give Abia and Abians a pass mark. When you talk about infrastructure people tend to look at just the road network and they use it as the only variable to assess the government. But Abia has achieved a lot in the health sector. The immediate past regime achieved a lot in the health care sector”.

“On education, the past administration did marvelously well there too. Go to the Abia State University, Abia Polytechnic, School of Health and some of the secondary schools you can attest to the fact that they did well. Most of the road networks in Abia State are done by the federal government.

“Much of the blame on the deplorable nature of roads especially in Aba and its environs should go to the federal government, not the state government.

“We want to see an improved infrastructure in energy; we expect entrepreneurial-minded Abians and indeed Nigerians to be provided with the necessary infrastructure to enable them to be self sufficient and entrepreneurial as they have always been.

“As the state marks 24 years, we ask Abians to assist the government by rallying round the government to enable the government realise their objectives towards the people.”

Chief Nyerere Ayim, the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate in the general elections, said “On whether our expectations of what we expect Abia to be at 24 is being realised, I will say No. No in the sense that before Abia State was created out of the present day Imo State, there was already laid foundation of a great state by having a cosmopolitan city like Aba being in present-day Abia State which is regarded as the economic hub east of the Niger. But for you to have Aba and a state is created and Aba happens to be one of the major cities in that state and yet still crippling economically, socially amongst others is something not to be too happy about. But the Bible said that in everything we should give God the glory. We equally have to thank God.

“The problem is that various military administrations in the state did nothing in the state. They failed to build on what the civilian government, particularly of the late Sam Mbakwe did in the state; Aba and Umuahia in particular and that is where the problem started.

“In 1999, we inherited a civilian administration and for 16 good years, the story, the success and achievement is what we are seeing today. They said that you can only tell a blind man that there is no oil in the soup, but not that there is no salt in the soup. What we have in the entire Abia State today is not a reflection of the hope and aspiration of a better Abia by the founding fathers and by all of us who are in the present day Abia State.

“When we are talking about Abia State, it is not only Aba. Go to Arochukwu, Ohafia; Nkporo, you will wonder if it is a place where people live. We have some many areas in Arochukwu and Ohafia that are yet to have a feel of government and governance. Go to Ikwuano; Oboro, Ariam etc, you hardly can see any passable or motorable roads and we are talking about democracy where people are supposed to reap the dividend of democracy, but the reverse is the case in our own situation.

“You have a state where people from nowhere are so wealthy while the state is impoverished politically, socially and economically. Go to Umunneochi, Ukwa East and West where God endowed us with both mineral and natural resources that made Abia State to be an oil producing state, they have nothing to show for is.

“As I am talking to you today, there is no commercial bank in Ukwa East and West and these people don’t know anything about ATM (Automated Teller Machine).

Source : The Nation Newspaper

ABIA STATE GUBERNATORIAL TRIBUNAL JUDGE WARNS AGAINST BRIBERY

Chairman of the Abia State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, Justice Usman Bwala, has restated his warning to parties against coming to induce members of the tribunal.

Justice Bwala issued the warning at Monday’s sitting of the three-member tribunal of the last governorship election in the state.

Vanguard could not ascertain the reason the Chairman issued the warning, but there had been rumours in the state that certain persons had been trying to reach the judges.

Justice Bwala also advised the litigants to be wary of anybody that would come to them, posing as an intermediary between them and the tribunal members.

“We said at our inaugural sitting in June that nobody should approach us with the intent to offer us any inducement. If anybody claims that they can reach any of us as go-between, do not mind him. The person is a fraudster,” Justice Bwala noted.

Early last month, the tribunal chairman also said during proceeding that they were aware of a rumour that members had each been offered N100 million bribe and recently, there was another rumour all over the state that the tribunal members had been compromised by a party in the matter.

Vanguard learnt that it was based on these rumours that the tribunal chairman issued the warnings to avoid anybody trying to mess up their names and integrity.

“We are not interested in anybody’s money, so do not bring money to us. What we have come to do is to deliver justice in Abia,” Bwala had warned on his inaugural speech.

Source : Bestnaira

IKPEAZU’S CHIEF PRESS SECRETARY TURNS SELF TO MINI-GOD;BANISHES JOURNALISTS FROM GOVERNMENT HOUSE

Unless there is a change of attitude and modus operandi from the Chief Press Secretary to the Abia State Governor,  Mr.Godwin Adindu, the State Governor Dr.Okezie Ikpeazu’s relationship with Journalists and Media Practitioners in the state is heading for the rocks.
Adindu had last two weeks,  allegedly ordered the police at the government House Umuahia to throw out about 13 Journalists who had been working as Government House Correspondents for more than 16yrs.
Puo Reports gathered that no reason was given by Mr  Adindu for the order which did not follow any stipulated official procedure before it was enforced.
Some of the affected Journalists, who would not want their names to be made public, told this Platform that they had been working as Government House Press Crew for more than 10yrs despite the mandatory constitutional change of Leadership through elections, and wondered why Adindu would want them thrown out of the government house.
It was also gathered that Godwin Adindu, who was hired by the immediate past administration of Chief T A Orji as a columnist, was not even part of the Abia State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Media Team that worked tirelessly for Governor Okezie Ikpeazu during the 2015 campaign period, thus bringing to question Adindu’s capabilities as the CPS to the Governor.
Some Journalists who spoke with our correspondent, complained bitterly about Mr.Godwin Adindu’s high handedness, especially to Journalists whenever they try to speak with him on the Government’s efforts at ensuring quick and effective delivery of its campaign Promises.
A Particular Journalist was practically pushed out of Mr. Adindu’s office last week by Adindu himself for daring to ask a question on the debt profile of the state.
What is most surprising at this moment is why Adindu would choose this path, of confrontation with journalists, which may eventually destroy the Government of Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu.
Source : PUO Reporters

ABIA ASSEMBLY EXTENDS TENURE OF TRANSITION COUNCILS CHAIRMAN

HOPES for local council elections in Abia State have been dashed once more as the House of Assembly, following Governor Okezie Ikpeazu’s request, has extended for another six months the tenure of the appointed 17 transition committees.

The Assembly noted that the extension was in line with the relevant section of the state law, which provided for a maximum of two terms of six months each for council transition officials. Announcing the approval yesterday, the Speaker, Martins Azubuike, said the extension was effect from July 1, 2015.
Meanwhile, the House also chose Solomon Akpulonu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Obingwa East Constituency) and Chijioke Nwachukwu of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA, Umuahia South Constituency) as Deputy Majority Leader and Minority Leader respectively. It also constituted various committees.
In another development, the governor yesterday said his administration would employ qualified engineers just as it did for the ongoing rehabilitation of 24 roads in parts of the state.
Ikpeazu, who spoke during the visit of the representative of the South East Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), Uche Ukpabi, alongside colleagues, stressed the need for the body to assist in strengthening engineering courses at the state university at Uturu.
He also pledged to assist COREN in its professional practice even as he expressed worry at the increasing incidents of building collapse, sub-standard infrastructures and the imperative to check them.
Ukpabi had told Ikpeazu that COREN controls and oversees all engineering practices in the country. Noting that in Abia a good percentage of the government’s capital expenditure is on engineering projects, he solicited the state’s collaboration in checking quackery in the profession.

Source: Abia Facts Newspaper.

26YR-OLD DRUG DEALER ARRESTED WITH 47.8GRMS OF COCAINE, HEROIN IN ABA

A 26-year-old hard drug dealer, Chinonso Onyebuchi, has been arrested by the officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Abia Command.

Bamidele Akingbade, Abia State commander of the agency said that Onyebuchi was caught with 20.3 grams of cocaine, 27.5 grams of heroin and some wraps of cannabis.
Onyebuchi, an indigene of Enugu state, had claimed to be an intra-city bus driver on the Ariaria-Faulks road route.
Akingbade said that the suspect was caught with over 100 small wraps of cocaine and heroin which he sells at N100 and N50, respectively.
The commander said that Onyebuchi will be charged to court this week but would appear before a judge at the end of their vacation.
“For us to process his trial, we have to file a charge now. The courts are open with the other officials but the judges are not there at the Federal High Courts because they are on vacation.
“So they are going to take the charge and we can now hold him in custody until the courts resumes. But as soon as the courts resume, he will be arraigned with 17 other drug suspects in Abia.
“We are going to use the services of the vacation judge in Port Harcourt to start their trial process and to remand them pending the resumption of the Federal High Courts,” Akingbade said.
Onyebuchi said he was forced by hardship to return to selling hard drugs for an Aba-based drug courier named Agbo after quitting the business which took him to prison in 2008.
“I used to sell drugs but I left it since for a long time now. I have been arrested before and the person I was selling for left me to go to prison in 2008.
“When I was freed from prison in 2010, I left the business. I came here because last two months Agbo, a drug courier in Aba, called me to come to his place and sell market for him.
“So he said he will beat me up when he sees me and today he saw me with his henchmen along Ohanku road and they started beating me with machete.
“I ate the money last two months and ran away. He was the one who called me to come and sell drugs for him.
“They came today and beat me and handed me over to the NDLEA. It is Agbo that sells the drugs,” he confessed.
Agbo, who admitted taking the cannabis, had white foam in his mouth while talking with the NDLEA officers.
‪#‎Source‬: Newsmall

BREAK NEWS: PDP PLANS DEMONSTRATION IN ABIA STATE AGAINST APGA

Tension is gradually building up in Abia state concerning the planned demonstration by PDP tomorrow against APGA.

Information reaching us now states that PDP members have concluded plans to stage a massive demonstration tomorrow against the allegation by APGA that they burnt Obingwa INEC office.
Our informant further stated that the secret purpose behind the demonstration is to swerve the public mind away from PDP as been the masterminds of the Obingwa INEC office burning to APGA.
We are informed that the demonstration will hold in Obingwa and then move to Aba, Umuahia and other localities. We also heard that they plan to attack business premises of well known APGA members and Non Ngwa's in Aba.
Security authorities in Abia state and other prominent Abians should Please intervene to avoid escalation of Abia state security issues by miscreants.
Source:  Abia Facts Newspaper

SOLDIERS RESCUE FEMALE KIDNAP VICTIM IN ABA

Soldiers serving in 144, Asa under Ohafia 14 Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Abia State have recorded another success in their quest to tackle rising crime and insecurity in the state.

The soldiers it was gathered rescued a female victim identified as Mrs. Rita Anaekwe, killed a member of the gang and arrested two others.
Nation gathered that Mrs. Anaekwe, a business woman was abducted in her house on Anaekwe Street, Umuleta village, Obinkwu in Ukwa West Local Government after the gang had access into the woman’s compound through the backyard’s fence that they broke.
They were said to have killed the family’s dog that had confronted them before they have full control of the house even as it was gathered that the woman’s husband was not at home when the incident happened.
The hoodlums it was gathered collected the woman’s jewelries, cash and other valuables and later abducted her to their hideout with the family’s Pathfinder SUV
Soldiers at 144 battalion was said to have been alerted over the development by a family source immediately after the incident, causing them to swing into action on how to rescue the woman.
It was gathered that the hoodlums on sighting the army personnel, engaged them in a shootout but was however overpowered by the soldiers, killing a member of the kidnapping gang and arrested two members of the kidnapping gang.
The woman was said to have been rescued unhurt while police from the Aba Area Command having been alerted of the incident also recovered her vehicle which had since been given back to her.
The Commanding officer of 144 battalion, Lt. Col. Kasim Umar Sidi confirmed the incident and added that they were investigating the matter.
Sidi added that his men were after fleeing members of the gang whom he said would soon be tracked down and arrested.
‪#‎Source‬: The Nation Newspaper

OTTI CONDEMNS ABIA GOVT'S REACTION TO ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT ON HIS LIFE

 The Governorship candidate of All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, in Abia State, yesterday, condemned the reaction of the state government over the assassination attempt on his life.

He described the statement by Governor Ikpeazu as unguarded, unfortunate and suspicious.
Abia government while reacting to the attempt on Otti’s life had said Otti was only trying to whip up sentiments to attract the sympathy of the security agencies and the electoral tribunal to his disastrous petition, adding that “his lamentation is the cry of a drowning man.”
But in a statement by Otti’s Media Assistant, Mr. Jennifer Ben-Okereke, he said Ikpeazu’s quick rush to the media barely 24 hours after the attack and ahead of police investigation was a mere attempt to politicize the fatal incident which claimed the life of a policeman on duty at the guest house.
According to the statement: “The attention of the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, in the April general elections in Abia State, Dr. Alex Otti, has been drawn to the unwarranted reaction of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu to the attack on a private guest house in Abuja, where Otti stays by unknown gunmen in the early hours of Friday.
“His unguarded comments on the unfortunate incident become more worrisome and suspicious, considering that the police authorities have already confirmed the incident to newsmen, while they have also commenced investigation in earnest to uncover the perpetrators of the dastardly act.
“The hasty reaction further raises a fundamental question as to whose interest Ikpeazu was desperate to defend, since Otti in his press briefing on the incident, did not point accusing finger at him or his administration, but strongly wished that the police investigation would help to expose the masterminds of the attack.”

CUT YOUR SECURITY VOTE, IF YOU TRULY LOVE ABIANS

CUT YOUR SECURITY VOTE, IF YOU TRULY LOVE ABIANS - Chief Ukasoanya


Former Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Board of Trustees, BoT, member from Abia State, Chief Tony Ukasoanya, has called on his governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu to cut down his monthly security vote, which he put at “close to N1 billion.”

Ukasoanya said it would have made more impact to Abia State economy if Governor Ikpeazu had slashed his security vote instead of slashing his monthly salary which he said is less then N1 million.
In a statement he issued under the aegis of Concerned Abians for Good Governance, Ukasoanya described Governor Okezie’s public announcement of salary cut as “mere window dressing and sheer deceit,” pointing out that the “not touching the security vote amounts to nothing and cannot effect any changes in the economy of the state.
“The governor should come out clean and clear hereby telling Abians how much his salary and allowances are and how cutting them by half will positively affect the state economy and help in paying the state civil servants’ salaries.
“Unless the governor tells the people what his full package is and what he is cutting into two, the people cannot take him seriously and his actions will amount to nothing, other than window-dressing and deceit.
“We expect the governor to start on a clean slate and avoid the mistakes of last leaders of the state, but we are afraid his actions so far smacks of somebody who does not want to chart a new and transparent course. Instead, what ones sees are the old signs that signal nothing but deceit.
“A situation where one comes out to tell the people that he is cutting his salary and allowances by half without the people knowing the full package and also not touching his monthly security vote which is close to N1 billion is laughable.
“Let the governor tell Abians what his salary cut will translate to without a cut in his security vote. For a man who goes home every month with about N1 billion that is unaudited, of what use is less than N1 million salary cut to him? Abians have learnt their lessons and no leader can take them for a ride again”, the statement said.
The Concerned Abians for Good Governance also urged the governor to “as a matter of urgency, tell the people in specific terms and figures, how much the past administration left and the debt profile of the state.

GUNMEN RAID SHOP, KILL 52 YEARS OLD MAN IN UMUAHIA

GUNMEN RAID SHOP, KILL 52 YEARS OLD MAN IN UMUAHIA 
 


UNKNOWN gunmen operating in a tricycle, popularly known as Keke Napep last Saturday at about 7pm shot dead a 52-year old trader, Obiora Ibe, in his shop on Club Road Umuahia.

The gunmen were also said to have collected Ibe’s, undisclosed amount of money, being the sales of the day, his phone and that of his wife, after shooting him.
The victim, Obiorah Ibe was said to have told his wife, Mrs. Azuka Ibe that they should close and go home, shortly before the incident, as there were no more customers for the day.
According to Mrs. Ibe, while they were packing, a young boy that she put his age at less than twenty years entered their shop, pretending to have come to buy something only for him to pull out a steel gun and ordered her to give him the money and phone, which she willing did.
Mrs. Ibe narrated that it was at that point that her husband who was coming out from the shop saw the boy going away with the apron that was containing money and phone and shouted.
She said that while the person with the apron that contained the money quietly walked into the Keke Napep that was waiting in front of the shop, another member of the gang standing by the side shot her husband on the neck and head, before they zoomed off in the Keke Napep.
An eye witness, who is a neighbour to the Ibes, Mr. Peter Chinweokwu said that he was inside his store when he saw somebody pushing his son and wife inside the store, telling them to go inside the store immediately.
“I didn’t know that they were armed robbers, so I asked him, Oga what is it now; he said that I should give him the money I sold for the day. I told him that I didn’t have any money, that I had not sold anything. The next minute, he closed the burglary against us while we were still inside the store and went into my neighbour’s shop.
“We were inside that place when I heard the sound of a gun. I peeped and saw that somebody was entering inside the Keke with one steel gun. When I came out, I saw that they had shot my neighbour and I rushed him to hospital but when we got to the hospital, the doctor confirmed him dead”.
The Abia Police Command confirmed the incident. According to the PPRO, DSP Udeviote Onyeke Ezekiel, “it was a shock and one of the unfortunate incidents in the state”.
The PPRO said the identity of the perpetuators was yet known as no arrest has been made. He however, said that Command has dispatched men from its intelligent unit to unravel those behind the killing.
‪#‎Source‬: Vanguard

Cassius Ukwugbe

IKPEAZU INDICTS T.A.ORJI , SAYS MASSIVE WORKERS FRAUD DURING ORJI'S ADMINISTRATION.

IKPEAZU INDICTS T.A.ORJI , SAYS MASSIVE WORKERS FRAUD DURING ORJI'S ADMINISTRATION.

 Abia State Government says it has saved N160 million from ghost workers following the introduction of biometric staff audit of all public servants in the state.

Special Adviser to Governor Okezie Ikpeazu on Economic Affairs, Mr. Obinna Oriaku, who disclosed this at a press briefing in Umuahia, said there was no going back on the policy.
He lamented the endemic corruption in the state’s civil service during the last administration which he said was characterised with ghost workers and padding of salary.
Oriaku, who regretted that an earlier attempt by the previous administration to register the biometric data of public servants in the state was sabotaged, vowed that the current administration would stop at nothing in its effort to eradicate the cankerworm.
He said biometric registration of public servants was a lasting strategy to eliminate the menace, adding that the policy would also be extended to pensioners.
Oriaku, who said biometric registration of workers had been going on in the state for the past three weeks, regretted that some workers were still reluctant to the directive.
He warned that government would soon declare anyone who failed to comply with the directive “a ghost worker”.
His said, “It is annoying that some people will be in Abuja, Sokoto and London receiving alert ( salary) at the end of the month. This has to stop. We want to cleanse our data.”
Oriaku further said government was making frantic efforts to clear the backlog of workers’ arrears, adding that out of the 65 ministries, departments and agencies, 62 had been paid their May salaries.
He said the state government had introduced a number of cost-saving measures to remain afloat amidst the dwindling revenue following the decline in oil price.

Cassius Ukwugbe

RIVERS STATE: Peterside Wants Election Materials Moved to Abuja for Inspection.

RIVERS STATE: Peterside Wants Election Materials Moved to Abuja for Inspection.
 
 The All Progressives Congress and its governorship candidate in the April 11, 2015 election, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, have asked the state Governorship Election PetitionS Tribunal, sitting in Abuja, to order the Independent National Electoral Commission to move the materials used for the election from Port Harcourt, the state capital, to Abuja, for inspection.
APC and Peterside made this request in an application, which they filed following an alleged continued refusal by INEC to obey the order for inspection made by the tribunal on June 11, 2015.
Peterside and the APC had on May 3, 2015, filed their petition before the tribunal to challenge the victory of the Peoples Democratic Party and its candidate, Nyesom Wike, in the poll.
The petitioners had earlier complained to the Justice Muazu Pindiga-led tribunal that INEC was working with the PDP and Wike to frustrate the inspection of the election materials.
Following the petitioners’ complaint, the tribunal on July 9 re-affirmed the order of inspection, directing INEC to comply with it.
At the Wednesday’s proceedings, the petitioners’ lawyer, Akin Olujinmi (SAN), informed the court that INEC had refused to yield to the tribunal’s order for inspection.
“Your lordship made an order on June 11 for inspection of election materials. The order was restated on July 9. That order has not been obeyed by INEC,” Olujinmi said.
He confirmed after the proceedings that he had filed an application seeking an order, compelling INEC to move the election materials to Abuja for inspection since “they have made inspection impossible in Rivers State”.
Earlier, Olujinmi urged the tribunal to disregard the arguments canvassed by the respondents, challenging among others, competence of his clients’ petition and proceed to hear the case on merit.
The respondents argued through their respective lawyers – Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN) for the PDP, Emmanuel Ukala (SAN) for Wike and Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN) for INEC.
Olujinmi argued that the respondents were only raising technical issues rather than allow the petitioners present their case.
Olanipekun, while arguing his client’s motion challenging, among others, the competence of the petition, urged the court to strike out some portions of it, including part of the petitioners’ prayers on the ground that they did not comply with the provision of the Electoral Act.
Wike is challenging Peterside’s qualification to contest the election, arguing that his (Peterside’s) name was nor sent to INEC within 21 days before his party’s congress as required, a claim Olujinmi denied, insisting that his clients complied with all relevant laws in fielding Peterside for the election.
INEC, in its application, is challenging the territorial jurisdiction of the tribunal to sit in Abuja, a position Olujinmi faulted, insisting that the tribunal possesseD the jurisdiction to hear and determine his clients’ petition.
The tribunal, which rose shortly after 6pm, fixed July 29 for ruling on the applications by INEC and Wike.
It also fixed ruling for July 31 in the application by the PDP.