‘Corruption getting worse in Nigeria’ — Transparency International releases 2017 index

Corruption is getting worse in Nigeria, according to the latest corruption perception index (CPI) released by Transparency International (TI) on Wednesday.

While the country scored 27/100 and was ranked 136th in 2016, the latest CPI scores Nigeria 28/100 but with a rank of No. 148 out of 180 countries surveyed — a significant 12 places below where it was the previous year.

This will come as a blow to the President Muhammadu Buhari administration who came into office on the strength of his anti-corruption credential.

Although the administration has put many suspects on trial and seized assets of politicians and government officials, it has also been accused of condoning corrupt practices by top government officials.

The index, which ranks 180 countries and territories by their perceived levels of public sector corruption in the opinion of experts and business people, uses a scale of 0 to 100, where 0 is highly corrupt and 100 is very clean, according to TI.

NIGERIA NOW MORE CORRUPT THAN KENYA

An analysis by TheCable shows that Kenya, which was rated more corrupt than Nigeria in 2016, has now overtaken the west African country, climbing to 143 from 145.

Other sub Saharan African countries ranked higher than Nigeria are Botswana — whose joint 34 rank is the best in Africa — as well as Rwanda (joint 48) and Nambia (joint 53).

Nigeria is ranked 148 along with Guinea and Comoros.

In 2015, Nigeria scored 26/100 and was ranked 136 — although only 168 countries and territories were surveyed then.

New Zealand maintains the No. 1 rank with a score of 89/100, Denmark No. 2 with 88, while Finland, Norway and Switzerland are joint No. 3 with 85. - Cable Nigeria

SAD ! 3 pupils die after allegedly eating biscuit in school

There was panic in Kubwa, a suburb town in the Federal Capital Territory, on Wednesday, following the death of four pupils of Local Education Authority II primary school.

They were said to have fallen ill and died after allegedly eating biscuits.

The biscuit was allegedly shared to the victims by an unidentifiable classmate on Tuesday.

Two of the deceased who were said to be from the same family were said to have been buried on Wednesday afternoon in Kubwa.

The late students identified as Na’imat Yahaya 14, of primary 4, and Yahaya Garba also 14 of primary four and Moses Sunday of primary one.
Unconfirmed reports said the children who died in the school premises were bleeding from the mouth and ears, before they gave up the ghost.

The incident spread panic in the community as parents and guardians rushed to the school and forcibly took away their children.

Our correspondent who visited the school saw the teachers discussing the incident while the headmaster was giving an account of the tragedy to officials of the FCT Education Secretariat, Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), who were at the school on a fact-finding mission.
Journalists were barred from the briefing and the headmaster whose name could not be immediately ascertained declined to comment on the incident.

Giving her own side of the story, a teacher in the school who didn’t want her name in print said: “When we came this morning, a child from primary four was sick. The HOD noticed it and asked him to go home. The other child in primary five who happen to be from the same parent was sick also and on reaching home, early hours of today, they died.

“Immediately we got the news, our headmaster called us and asked us if there was any celebration in any arm of the school and we said nothing like that happened.

“A while after our headmaster briefed us, another news came that a child in primary one died. This one fought yesterday after closing and on reaching home, he was taken to the hospital and he died there.

“After our headmaster addressed us, we went into our classes and before we knew it, Gbagi and Hausa people came into the school premises with stick, stones and bottle to come and attack teachers.

“God helped us because the Area Council chairman came into the premises after hearing about it. He called the police and then, the situation was arrested. They later said we should allow the children to go home but we suggested that those whose parents might still be at their work place should be allowed to stay but that generated another crisis.

“Some of the pupils ran to meet their elder ones in the secondary arm of the school while some ran out using the windows.”

On whether biscuit was shared or not, the teacher said the school had barred pupils from bringing edible things to school during any celebration.

A primary three pupil, Hasia Haruna, who allegedly partook of the biscuits was on admission at the emergency ward of the Kubwa General Hospital.

Looking pale in her yellow and white checkered school uniform, she was lying in her side with her mother closely watching over her.

The mother who looked troubled said she rushed Hasia, 13, to the Kubwa General Hospital, when she learnt that she partook of the biscuits at school.
She explained that her daughter, a primary three pupil of LEA primary school, informed her that she was given the biscuit by “a Muslim sister.”

The mother who spoke in Hausa, said, “There was a party in the school on Wednesday where my daughter ate biscuit with other pupils. We discovered that some pupils died at night.
“So I asked her if she ate the biscuit and who gave her; She said it was shared to them by a Muslim sister and so I was satisfied with her explanation, but the Bwari Area Council chairman, Musa Dikko informed us that we should take her to the hospital because some pupils died, so I decided to bring her here (Kubwa General Hospital).”
She said she gave Hasia some herbal concoction at home when she complained of stomach pains, adding that she was scared when she heard that Nahimah, a relation and a pupil of LEA primary school, had died.

“When I heard that Naimat had died, I quickly brought my daughter to the hospital, but since we got here, nobody has attended to us,” she complained.

But the Chief Medical Doctor of the Hospital, Dr. Lasisi Akinola, said the hospital had admitted some sick pupils which he described as nothing unusual.

“We receive sick pupils and people all the time, so there is nothing unusual about that. I know we have the corpse of a pupil who died after a fight with another pupil, but I don’t have information on what you are talking about,” he stated.

The FCT police spokesman, Anjuguri Manzah, said the police had opened an investigation into the incident, adding that the case would be transferred to the Command Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department for discreet investigation. - The Nation

My wife is pregnant for another man – Businessman tells court

A 34-year-old Lagos businessman, Ismaila Ola, has urged the Igando Customary Court in Lagos to dissolve his marriage, citing infidelity and his wife’s attempts to kill him.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, Islamia Ola told the court that Aminat was having an affair with another man, who got her pregnant.

“Aminat is cheating on me and she eventually got pregnant for her lover,’’ Ismaila alleged.

“Aminat once brought a liquid substance home and forced me to use it. After drinking and bathing with it, my life became miserable, my business crumbled to the extent that I was begging to feed.”

“She once brought out a knife threatening to kill herself if I stopped her from visiting her mother.”

Ola said that Aminat never cared for him, alleging also that whenever he gave her money to buy ingredients to make food, she would end up not cooking.

“Please, dissolve this marriage. I have never had peace of mind since the day I married her,” Ola pleaded.

Aminat, however, denied the allegations, saying that she had never indulged in adultery.

“I am not pregnant for any man. I have never cheated on my husband since the very day I married him.”

The 24-year-old fashion maker admitted, however, that she had once threatened to kill Ola with a knife.

“I brought out a knife to defend myself when my husband brought out cutlass to machete me,” she said.

“When I was pregnant, I attended a prayer house and I was given an oil to use. I gave some to my husband. My mother also used from the oil and nothing bad happened to any of us.”

She, however, accused Ola of infidelity, disclosing that he started dating another woman, barely two years after their marriage.

“Ismaila brought out a cutlass; made some incantations on it and gave it to me to swear that if I have had sex with his brother I should die within seven days which I did.”

Aminat alleged further that Ola had promised to send her to school when he wanted to marry her but that after their marriage he failed to fulfil his promise but instead enrolled her in dress making.

She begged the court not to grant her husband’s wish for the dissolution of the marriage, saying she was still in love with the man.

The President of the court, Mr Akin Akinniyi, admonished the couple to maintain peace.

The court adjourned the case until March 6 for hearing. - Daily Post

Security guard jailed 10 years for child defilement

An Igbosere high court has sentenced a 27 year old security guard, Daniel Peter to ten years imprisonment for child defilement.

Delivering judgment in the matter, Justice Oluwatoyin Ipaye found Peter guilty of a one count charge of defilement contrary to section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011 preferred against him by the Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP).

The convict who resides at Pleasure Area, Along Abeokuta Road Lagos, was accused of sexual defilement of a five year old girl.

A statement issued Wednesday by Assistant Director, Public Affairs, Kayode Oyekanmi said the DPP had arraigned the convict before the court on July 21, 2016.

During trial, the first prosecution witness, Inspector Enobang Ekareine, serving at the Juvenile Welfare Section, Oke-Odo Police Station, while giving account of investigation of the incident, had told the court that the offence was committed by the defendant when he gained unlawful access to the home of the victim in the absence of her aunt.

He said the convict took advantage of the situation in carrying out the crime.

The defendant had initially pleaded not guilty to the charge brought against him, but later confessed to the crime in the face of overwhelming evidence presented by the prosecution, which included documented statement of a Medical Doctor who also was a state witness.

The final written addresses of the prosecution and defence were adopted on the November 13, 2017 before judgement was pronounced on Tuesday.

Governor Akinwunmi Ambode had during the commissioning of the Special Courts for sexual Offences and Corruption in the State promised to make Lagos State uncomfortable for sexual offenders by bringing perpetrators to justice without delay. - The Nation

Reps accuses Atiku, Tinubu’s Intels of shortchanging Nigerians

The House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee investigating the termination of contract between the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and the Integrated Logistics Services (INTELS) Limited on Wednesday accused INTELS of short changing Nigerians.

Intels, a logistics and facilities services provider in the maritime and oil and gas sectors, was co-founded by Gabriele Volpi, an Italian national, and former vice-president, Atiku Abubakar.

Atiku has since sold down most of his interest in the company to the former Lagos State governor and APC national leader Bola Tinubu.

Chairman of the House ad hoc committee, Rep. Pally Iriase, who made the accusation at a public hearing on the probe, alleged that INTELS had been short changing the government in its remittance of revenue.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the management of INTELS did not turn up for the public hearing, except for its legal supervisor, Mr Irabor Kenneth.

Iriase, who is the Deputy Whip of the House, expressed concern that officials of INTELS failed to attend the hearing.

He described the action of INTELS management as an affront on the National Assembly.

According to him, this is an indication that the company, based on evidence before the House committee has been exploiting loopholes in the existing contract with the NPA to deny the government legitimate revenue.

“With what we are hearing, it is very clear that INTELS is very comfortable with what they are doing by short changing Nigeria.

“By the time we are through, they will know not to treat the National Assembly with levity and disdain,’’ he said.

The lawmaker said that the committee would visit the Onne Port in Port-Harcourt, Rivers State to ensure that INTELS was not flouting the contractual agreement in terms of revenue generation because of the face-off with the NPA.

However, an attempt by Kenneth, INTELS legal supervisor to represent the company’s management was rebuffed.

The committee said that it would rely on the written memorandum submitted by INTELS to make its recommendations to the House.

In her presentation, the Managing Director of NPA, Mrs Hadiza Usman, disclosed that INTELS owed the government 19.9 million dollars as outstanding revenue collected out of an initial amount of 48 million dollars.

The NPA chief executive said that the 48 million dollars was the amount INTELS ought to have remitted to the government between November 2016 to Dec. 2017.

She added that INTELS had paid 28.1million dollars out of the original debt, while another payment of 14.5 million dollars was awaiting official confirmation.

According to Usman, disagreement with INTELS stemmed from the company’s refusal to comply with the Treasury Single Account (TSA) mandate of the Federal Government.

Usman added that after the threat to terminate the contract based on advice from the minister of justice, the company apologised and had since 2017 commenced payment of all monies collected as revenue into government’s coffers. - Daily Post

GTB staff docked over alleged N5.8m theft

A 32-year-old ex-banker, Isaac Ajagbe, who allegedly stole N5.8 million from his employer, Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB), was docked before an Iyaganku Chief Magistrates’ Court sitting in Ibadan.

Ajagbe, who lives in Christopher Street in Ologuneru area of Ibadan, is facing a two-count charge of conspiracy and stealing.

The prosecutor, Sgt. Lekan Adegbite, told the court that Ajagbe, a former employee of  GTB, Bodija Branch, Ibadan, allegedly conspired with one other now at large to commit the offence.

“Ajagbe allegedly stole N5.8 million from his employer, Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB), between September 2016 and Feb.16, 2017 at Bodija Branch, Ibadan’’ he said.

Adegbite said that the offence contravened Sections 390 (9) and 516 of the Criminal Code, Cap 38, Vol. II, Laws of Oyo State.

The accused pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Mr Omolodun Aina, the counsel to the accused, urged the court to grant his client bail in the most liberal term.

The Chief Magistrate, Mrs Kehinde Omotosho, admitted the accused to N2 million bail with two sureties in like sum.

Omotosho said that the sureties should be responsible and reliable.

She said that one of the sureties must be a blood relation to the accused, while the other should be a public officer of not less than Grade Level 10.

The case was adjourned till April 10 for hearing. 

Deschamps : Pogba not struggling at United

France head coach Didier Deschamps has dismissed the notion that Paul Pogba is having a poor season with Manchester United.

The midfielder's recent performances have come in for criticism, with Jose Mourinho substituting him in Premier League defeats at Tottenham and Newcastle United.

Pogba missed Sunday's FA Cup fifth-round win at Huddersfield Town due to illness, but was back in full training on Tuesday as United prepare to visit Sevilla in the opening leg of their Champions League last-16 tie.

After rejoining United from Juventus for a fee close to £90million ahead of last season, Pogba's critics have argued he is not living up to his hefty price tag - a claim dismissed by his national team boss, who will hope to have a fully firing Pogba for the World Cup in Russia later this year.

"I have been watching what he is doing – he is not in difficulty," Deschamps told SFR Sport.

"He had a little injury and he was ill. For now, he is having a very, very good season with Manchester United." - Goal

PL news :Arsene Wenger still gunning for top four spot with Arsenal

 Wenger insists Arsenal's preferred route into the Champions League remains a top-four Premier League finish.

Arsenal host Ostersunds on Thursday, with a 3-0 first-leg lead over their Swedish opponents and a spot in the last 16 of the Europa League virtually assured.

The picture is not so rosy in the Premier League, with the Gunners currently sixth – eight points behind Chelsea in fourth with 11 matches remaining.

Nevertheless, Wenger told a pre-match news conference he is not ready to prioritise the Gunners' European campaign just yet.

"It is one of the priorities that we have but there is a long way to go," he said of a competition that still boasts the likes of Atletico Madrid, Borussia Dortmund and AC Milan as potential future opponents.

"We will focus to do well but ideally we want to go back to the Champions league through the Premier League."

Arsenal claimed a league victory over a weakened Manchester United side towards the end of last season as Jose Mourinho placed most of eggs in the Europa League basket.

However, Wenger feels it is too early in the competition this time around to make a similar call.

"He did that much later in the season, once they were in the semi-final," he said.

"We are not as far as that. We have to focus on the Premier League."

As such, complacency will not be tolerated.

"A big part is done but to be professional is to finish the job," Wenger said.

"We have enough maturity and love for the game we want to play. That's why I think it is important to win the game tomorrow.

"If we go out and think we will have stroll we could have a bad surprise."

Wenger confirmed Danny Welbeck will get another chance to start in his favoured centre-forward role, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang cup-tied and Alexandre Lacazette on the mend following knee surgery.

"He's doing well and I think he will be ahead of his planned recovery," Wenger said regarding Lacazette's progress.

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"It should be four weeks, maybe three-and-a-half weeks, but overall he's doing well." - Goal

Brexit: Britain asks EU to consider longer transition period

The British government has asked the EU to consider granting the UK a longer Brexit transition period than the one proposed by Brussels, documents drawn up by negotiators show.

The European Commission has said the transition, during which the UK would be bound by EU rules despite being outside the bloc, should end on 31 December 2020, but UK negotiators said on Wednesday that they want to discuss the possibility of a different duration – amid concern that there may not be enough time to prepare for Brexit.

“The UK believes the Period’s duration should be determined simply by how long it will take to prepare and implement the new processes and new systems that will underpin the future partnership,” negotiators said in an explanatory note leaked ahead of its planned publication.

“The UK agrees this points to a period of around two years, but wishes to discuss with the EU the assessment that supports its proposed end date.”

In a proposed amendment to the transition agreement – which is currently being pored over by negotiators on both sides – the UK has bracketed out "[31 December 2020]", which was the EU's suggested finish point.

The development confirms reports by The Independent last month that the UK was considering asking for a longer period because it was not sure that the duration proposed by Brussels would give it enough time to prepare.

Depending on the future trade deal struck with Brussels the UK might have to significantly overhaul the physical infrastructure of its ports and airports to cope with a dramatic increase in customs checks, amid other work that has yet to actually begin nearly two years after the referendum.

The transition is highly controversial with Conservative Brexiteers, who say that it amounts to making Britain a "vassal state" of the EU where it would follow EU rules without having any say over what they were.

 Brexit Secretary David Davis has however said the period is a “bridge to the future” and only amounts to a “short period” in the EU’s orbit.

Theresa May said in her Florence speech last year that she wants a transition period of “around two years”.

Though the EU’s suggested date appears to broadly fit with the lower end of the PM’s proposal, UK officials are worried that the UK economy might require a transition that stretched towards the upper end of “around two years” into 2021.

Both Michel Barnier, the European Commission's chief negotiator, and Theresa May have said the want the period to have a definite end-date. The EU's proposed date coincides with the end of its multi-year budget round – simplifying financial matters.

A UK Government spokesperson previously told The Independent that the two-year duration was a "current assessment" of how long was needed.

On Monday a letter signed by 62 eurosceptic Tory MPs demanded tighter restrictions on the conditions of the transition period. The suggestions appear to be absent from the UK's amendments.

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The European Council has previously said there is “flexibility” in the length of the transition period length in the event a trade deal cannot be struck in the agreed timeframe. - The Independent

I almost died giving birth to my daughter - Serena Williams

Serena Williams has written about the complications surrounding the birth of her daughter in an article for CNN.

The former world No1 had already revealed in an interview with Vogue that she was bedridden for six weeks after the birth of Alexis Olympia last year following an emergency caesarean section. Writing on Tuesday, she gave more details of the difficulties she experienced.

“I almost died after giving birth to my daughter, Olympia,” she wrote. 

Williams said the pregnancy had gone smoothly before she encountered problems: “First my C-section wound popped open due to the intense coughing I endured as a result of the embolism. I returned to surgery, where the doctors found a large hematoma, a swelling of clotted blood, in my abdomen. And then I returned to the operating room for a procedure that prevents clots from traveling to my lungs.”

Williams said that she was lucky to have received excellent medical care but others are not so lucky: “According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, black women in the United States are over three times more likely to die from pregnancy or childbirth-related causes. 

But this is not just a challenge in the United States. Around the world, thousands of women struggle to give birth in the poorest countries. When they have complications like mine, there are often no drugs, health facilities or doctors to save them. If they don’t want to give birth at home, they have to travel great distances at the height of pregnancy.”

Williams goes on to urge people to donate to charities that help mothers and newborns around the world.

The 23-time grand slam singles champion made her return to competitive tennis this month after time away during her pregnancy and to recover from the birth of Alexis Olympia. Her last grand slam victory came at the 2017 Australian Open while she was pregnant. _ UK Guardian  

I had sex with 230 Nigerian girls, 1170 others from 5 other countries – French tourist

Forty-year-old French tourist, Jean Michel, has confessed to having sexual intercourse with more than 1,400 girls from six African countries-namely Nigeria, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Togo, Ghana and Guinea, adding that he impregnated over 600 of the women within two years.

His confession which was posted in an online news site “Africa24” was translated from French to English by Simon Ateba in Washington, District of Columbia.

Michel said, “Good morning Africa 24, I have a confession to make about the havoc I have wreaked in six African countries, including Cameroon, Togo, Cote D’Ivoire, Nigeria, Ghana and Guinea. I am not proud of what I have done. These were unfortunate experiences.

“In France where I hail from, I did not have money. I was very poor until one day I played and won lottery. I won 550 thousand euros. It was the largest sum of money I had received in life.

“I did not know what to do, and a friend suggested we travel to Africa. We obtained all the documents, entry visa, and the rest, and our first stop was Ivory Coast.

“In Abidjan (the capital of Ivory Coast), we rented a furnished apartment. We had money to spend and met Ivorian people and we became friends. They introduced young Ivorian girls to us, and that’s when it all started.

“I began having sex with girls every day. Sometimes, I would sleep with three girls at the same time. It was a marvelous experience.

“I worried less about my health. All I wanted was to have fun. My friends and I were in a night club in the town every day looking for girls.

“One time, I met a girl and gave her money, and she told me to be engaged to her. She was ready to get pregnant for me. I don’t know whether it was the money they liked or the fact that I was from France that attracted them.

“I spent three months in Ivory Coast, spent 60, 000 euros and slept with more than 80 girls.

“After leaving Ivory Coast, I went to Togo where I slept with over 100 girls and spent 40, 000 euros.

“I spent three months in Togo and went to Nigeria.

“Nigeria was where I got more girls. I did not speak English, and it seems Nigerian girls love foreigners.

“I rented a furnished apartment in Nigeria and I was in Lagos for six months. I spent 100,000 euros and slept with 230 girls. Nigeria was the place I appreciated the most. Girls were always available and easy to deceive.

“From Nigeria, I went to Ghana, and then Cameroon and ended what I describe as my sex tour in Guinea.

“I was in those three countries for more than a year and spent over 200, 000 euros. If I told you I slept with more than 700 girls in those three countries, you won’t believe me, but it was unbelievable!

“In all, I slept with more than 1,400 girls in six different African countries. I have all their pictures in my photo album, including the dates we met, their names and phone numbers. I opened a Facebook account only for them.

“Since I returned to France, I have had more than 600 of them who told me they got pregnant for me. Some committed abortion, and I do not know exactly how many finally gave birth.

“Africa is a marvelous continent. Girls are beautiful and very sexy. All they want is a man who has money, and the worst is when he’s white.

“I realised that they love having mixed race babies. I do not know why, but many would do anything to get pregnant for you. 100 euros is plenty of money in Africa.

“To summarise, I went on a sex tour in Africa, I slept with 1,400 girls in two years and more than 600 got pregnant.

“I know many of you would judge me, but I do not care about your insults. I know that what I did is not good, but I enjoyed my stay in Africa, and I am planning another trip to Senegal, Mali, Gabon, Benin, Niger and Democratic Republic of Congo.

“The day after I returned to France, I went to the hospital for medical exams, and luckily, I was HIV negative, and I did not have any other infectious disease.

“My friend was also negative and we are planning another trip.

“I did not go to secondary school, so disregard my grammatical errors. Thank you for reading my story”. - Daily Post

Terrorism : 94 girls missing after Boko Haram attack on Yobe school

Ninety-four students have not been seen since Government Girls Secondary School, Dapchi, Yobe was attacked by suspected Boko Haram insurgents.

The insurgents invaded the school Monday night at about 7pm.

A teacher at the school told Daily Trust that 94 students could not be accounted for following a roll call.

The source said they have not been able to establish if the girls were abducted or not.

“After the roll call, 610 out the total number of 704 students have returned. We are still searching for the remaining 94 students,” he was quoted as saying.

“We cannot say [if they have been abducted], because the insurgents went into the students hostel, and many of these students scaled the fence and escaped into the bushes.

“No one can tell if they are abducted or not. We are calling on parents to help the school update its list by reporting immediately their children arrived home safely.”

Abdumaliki Sunmonu, Yobe police commissioner, said the students are being profiled to know who is missing.

He said there is no case of abduction yet.

“The team is profiling the students to know those who are missing? And, how many of them were able to return or ran home to their families,” Sunmonu said.

After the attack, the state government shut down the school for a week to “ease tension”.

Some of the students have vowed not to return to school.

If the schoolgirls are confirmed abducted, it will be a repeat of the brazen kidnap of 276 girls from Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, Borno state, in 2014.

So far, 163 of the Chibok schoolgirls have regained their freedom. - Cable Nigeria