SSANU : Nigeria is at war

The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU, on Thursday came hard on security chiefs in the country, declaring that the nation is at war.

It chided the security chiefs for failing in their responsibilities in protecting lives and properties.

The National President of SSANU, Comrade Samson Chijioke Ugwoke, stated this at the 33rd National Executive Council, NEC, meeting of the union at the Bayero University Kano, BUK, Kano State.

He said that though the federal government would say that the country was not at war, for the union, with the incessant killings of innocent people, Nigeria was at war.

He said, “Nigerian government sees itself not being at war, but to us Nigeria is at war. The way people are being killed everyday is worse than anywhere there is war.

“SSANU is appealing to the Federal Government for the Service Chiefs to sit up. SSANU believes that the Service Chiefs have failed to maintain peace and security.”

He also lamented that it was only when the merchants of death had finished their heinous act that security will appear to only carry dead bodies to hospitals

“It is commendable that government has acted this way, SSANU commends the Federal Government for the abolition of tuition fees but they should go further than this, there are other fees that are being paid up to N100,000.”

On the political scene, the SSANU National President cautioned politicians to be mindful of their actions in order not to set the country on fire.

He said, “The leadership of various political parties should be very cautious. They should warn their members to desist from using thuggery to achieve their aims. We believe democracy has come to stay in Nigeria and people should play the game according to the rules.”

“A situation where the mace will be snatched in the chamber during plenary does not tell good about the democracy. The National Assembly should be allowed to do there job and the executive should also be allowed to do its job.” - Daily Post

Face of corruption !!! Ladoja, family, friends blew N1.9b shares proceeds – EFCC

The Federal High Court in Lagos on Thursday heard that a former Oyo State, Rashidi Ladoja, allegedly failed to remit N1.9billion realised from the sale of the state’s shares.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) told the court that the money allegedly went to Ladoja, his family and friends and was not refunded.

An EFCC investigator, Abubakar Madaki, testifying in Ladoja’s trial, alleged that the former governor unilaterally gave instructions in 2007 that the shares be sold.

He said the shares, worth N6.6billion, were sold without the state executive council’s resolution.

The investigator said Ladoja engaged Fountain Securities as a portfolio manager to sell the shares at a discounted rate, adding that the shares were acquired by McLace Securities.

“In the course of our investigation, about N500million was recovered from McLace Security, Fountain Securities and other stockbrokers.

“The balance could not be recovered because some of those who purchased the shares were not even stockbrokers as highlighted by the report of the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

“Part of the proceeds was used to offset the four cars given to the first accused (Ladoja), which he confirmed. That too, the first accused has not refunded the value of the cars neither did his family members and associates refund what was given to them. All these were part of the proceeds.

“I can name the cars for clarity. There is a jeep; there is a bus and two cars out of the cars supplied to members of the House of Assembly loyal to the first accused when he was governor.

“All these were paid for with the proceeds of the shares. The first accused confirmed this in his statement; he promised to make a refund then but as at today, he has not done so,” Madaki said.

Ladoja is standing trial for alleged N4.7billion fraud involving state funds. EFCC arraigned him alongside his Commissioner for Finance, Waheed Akanbi. - The Nation

INFOGRAPHIC: Projected 2018 revenue of states grossly inadequate to fund budgets

The Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), says states in the federation will be unable to execute their budgets or may have to increase borrowing because projected revenue is less than planned spending.

In its quarterly review released on Thursday, NEITI said projected revenue for the 36 states was derived by summing up total projected internally generated revenue (IGR) with projected net federation account allocation committee (FAAC) disbursement.

The percentage growth rates of projected IGR and FAAC disbursement between 2016 and 2017 were also added to actual figures for IGR and disbursements in 2017 based on the assumption that growth rate in 2018 would remain constant.

“The budget of all states completely outstrips their projected total revenues. The gap between projected total revenue and budgets is small in some states such as Kano, Enugu, Delta and Bayelsa. In these states, projected revenue is at least 60% of the budgets,” the NEITI report read.

“However, in 18 states, projected revenue is less than 40% of budgets (Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Ebonyi, Imo, Katsina, Kebbi, Kwara, Ogun, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Sokoto and Zamfara).

In the case of Cross River, the projected revenue (N53.8 billion) is four percent of the projected spending (N1.3 trillion), the highest ever budgeted by a state in Nigeria’s history — a situation the report described as chronic.

“These conditions will ultimately result in a situation where the states will either not be able to execute their budgets or they will have to increase their borrowing.”

Kwara, Enugu, Benue, Ondo, Kano and 21 other states received between N10 billion and 20 billion.

Five other states, including Lagos, Akwa Ibom and Delta, received over N20 billion as allocation.

A breakdown of the figures showed that five states received less than N10 billion as FAAC disbursement in the first quarter of 2018. Cross River received N8.41 billion.

Speaking at the conference of the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN) on Wednesday, Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo said most states cannot survive without federal allocation. - Cable Nigeria

CBN to bank customers: Reject dirty naira notes

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) says customers should demand new naira notes from their respective banks and reject dirty ones.

Speaking in an interview with NAN in Lagos on Thursday, Isaac Okorafor, CBN spokesman, said commercial banks are sabotaging its effort in replacing mutilated notes with new ones.

The bank made similar claims in February.

Okorafor said the apex bank is aware of the development and has taken several measures in addressing the issue of mutilated notes in the circulation.

According to him, one of the steps taken to mop up the mutilated notes from the system was reduction in the amount CBN charges banks for sorting the dirty notes for clean ones from N12,000 to N1,000 per box.

Okorafor said the reduction in charges for the commercial banks which lasted for three months from January 2 to March 28 was to encourage them to bring back more dirty notes.

He said the charges were raised to N2,000 per box after the March 28 deadline.

The director said the opportunity was limited to lower denomination naira notes comprising N50, N20 N10 notes.

He said the bank has adopted another option of withdrawing the unfit notes from circulations rather than depending on the commercial banks.

The bank is now engaging various market associations to encourage traders change genuine dirty notes for new ones at no cost to the trader.

“The bank has already taken the new measure to Kano, Kaduna and Abuja and also intends to bring it to the south,” he said.

He appealed to Nigerians to handle the national currency with care as it was a symbol of identity and value. - NAN

60-year-old RCCG pastor jailed over N9m fraud

Pastor Jamiu Ishola Kolawole of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, has been sentenced to 18 months imprisonment for stealing the sum of N9m from his tenant, Dr. Emeka Ugwunze, in Lagos

The 60-year-old pastor was sentenced on Tuesday by Magistrate O.A. Adedayo of the Ogba Magistrates court.

The convict was the resident pastor of the RCCG, Ikosi Paris, Ketu District, before he committed the fraud.

His trial started sometime in 2016 after he approached the victim, Dr. Ugwunze who was his tenant and defrauded him of the said amount of money under false pretence.

The parties negotiated for the house for N20m and the victim paid him N9m to effect the balance at an agreed period. He convinced the victim that he wanted to sell the house to him because he had assisted him in the past.

To prove authenticity of the deal, the pastor handed him all the house documents except for the deed of agreement which he promised to process upon receipt of the full payment.

However, he disappeared after he obtained the initial payment. The matter was reported to the police and he was arrested, then dragged to court.

Magistrate O.A. Adedayo. the presiding judge found Pastor Kolawole guilty and sentenced him to 18 months imprisonment.

Meanwhile, it was gathered that Pastor Kolawole is still facing another criminal charge before another court in Lagos for forgery. He was said to have forged the medical report of the Gbagada General Hospital to mislead the court that he was sick. - Daily Post

Transfer update : Morata 'agrees' Juventus switch

Chelsea striker Alvaro Morata has reportedly reached an agreement with Juventus over a summer deal.

According to claims from Rai Sport in Italy, as cited by Calciomercato, the Spanish international has already agreed to a deal in principle with his former club.

Morata has endured a difficult first season in England. After an impressive start to the season, he has seen his form tail off, with his place in Antonio Conte’s starting line-up certainly not guaranteed.

The ex-Real Madrid star has been linked with a move to Juventus for some time now and if Rai Sport are to be believed, negotiations between the two parties have accelerated and concluded in recent times.

However, the report indicates that a move for the Blues’ club-record signing is still far from complete, with Juventus and Chelsea yet to agree on terms.

The Serie A champions are understood to be in favour of re-signing Morata on a two-year loan deal with an eventual obligation to buy. Although, whether this is an acceptable compromise for Chelsea remains to be seen. - Read Sport

Transfer news : Rooney to wait on key Everton decision before securing DC United move

Everton’s Wayne Rooney is waiting to see what happens with the club’s managerial situation before deciding what he does with his future, according to the Guardian.

Rooney has a summer offer from the MLS ahead of the summer transfer window, with DC United understood to be closing in on a deal for the former England international.

The player is contracted to the club until next summer but it remains to be seen whether or not he will see out his current deal.

Under the current boss, Sam Allardyce, Rooney has fallen out of favour, finding it tough to gain regular minutes on the pitch in the first-team.

The Toffees boss’ future at the club is far from confirmed and Rooney is claimed by the Guardian to be waiting for clarification before his decision is made.

His first season back at the club hasn’t quite gone as well as expected, but he has still made a strong impact following his move. - Read Sport

Jailed for 12 years: Uber driver who raped drunk passenger and then took selfie with his victim

An Uber driver who raped a drunken passenger in the back of his car before taking a selfie with her has been jailed for 12 years.

Muhammad Durrani, 38, attacked the 27-year-old after driving her home alone from a night out with friends in London.

Judge David Tomlinson described the damage Durrani had inflicted on his victim as he sentenced the married man at Southwark Crown Court on Thursday

"It comes as no surprise to learn, and it's no exaggeration to say, you have ruined her life," the judge said. "The harm you did that night is incalculable."

He added he had no doubt Durrani was aware his victim was "almost paralytically drunk" when he picked her up.

Durrani "lost all sense of self-control" after taking pictures of the woman as she slept in the back of his car, the judge said.

His victim had, aided by a friend, ordered an Uber believing it to be a "reputable company" and fell asleep during the ride, according to the prosecution.

Disorientated at her doorstep, she struggled to find her keys before Durrani carried her back to his car where he committed the rape in July last year.

He then took selfie images with the woman as at least one of her breasts was exposed.

Durrani, wearing a brown cardigan, remained solemn as he was sentenced but his wife struggled to hold back tears in the public gallery.

Durrani, of Streatham, south west London, claimed the sex was consensual and denied one count of rape and one of assault by penetration, but a jury found him guilty of both.

Defence lawyer Marie Spenwyn told the judge it was a "one off" and that his relatives in the UK and his native Pakistan had written letters supporting his character.

He was sentenced to 12 years imprisonment for the rape and eight years for the assault, to run concurrently.

Durrani, of Oakdale Road, was also banned from ever working in the taxi trade, subjected to a restraining order and will be subject to a sexual harm prevention order.

Transport for London announced last year that it would not be renewing Uber's licence to operate in the capital, citing the firm's approach to reporting serious criminal offences and background checks on drivers.

Uber is appealing against that decision. - ES

Monkey dey work ! baboon dey chop !! Kogi: Man attempts suicide over unpaid salaries

Kogi Governor : Yahaya bello

A man who identified himself as Agada Okpanachi on Thursday, attempted suicide by hanging himself on a tree in Idah.

Okpanchi, a staff of the Ministry of Agriculture, Kogi State was rescued by the patrol team of FRSC who were informed by an okada rider that saw him when he was trying to take his life.

Acting on this report, the team immediately dashed to the location where they found Okpanachi in an unconscious state.

The FRSC patrol team through the administering of Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) on the culprit was able to regain his consciousness.

Our reporter further confirmed that during the CPR, the police were contacted and they met the FRSC team at the scene while administering the CPR.

Also, in an exclusive interview with the Nation, Okpanachi made known his thought as regards the attempted suicide case.

In his words, he said, “The hardship is too much for me and I can’t cope than to hang myself.

“For the past two years, I have not taken a kobo after wasting all my money going to Lokoja for screening,” he said. - The Nation

MTN: Trump’s Iran decision may affect business

MTN Group, South African telecommunications company, says US President Donald Trump’s decision to pull out of the nuclear accord with Iran may make it difficult to repatriate funds from the country.

In a statement released on Wednesday, the company said this may cause its share price to plummet.

Trump had announced on Tuesday that the US would reintroduce economic sanctions on Iran, which were lifted under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) agreement.

“We cannot prevent an Iranian nuclear bomb under the decaying and rotten structure of the current agreement,” Trump said.

“We will not allow American cities to be threatened with destruction and we will not allow a regime that chants ‘Death to America’ to gain access to the most deadly weapons on earth.”

The company said this decision will “limit the ability of MTN Group to repatriate cash, both dividends and loans, from MTN Irancell”.

“We will continue to monitor the situation including the response of the Iranian authorities and the other JCPOA members.”

In 2018, MTN Group has repatriated €88 million from MTN Irancell including the €61 million relating to the full 2017 dividend due to MTN and another €27 million of historic dividends.

The remaining balance due to MTN is approximately €200 million.

MTN said it remains committed to its investment in Irancell and to repatriating the balance of legacy cash in Iran whilst remaining compliant with appropriate legislation.

In its recently released first quarter financial results, the company reported increased subscription to its services. - Cable Nigeria

Face of a fraudster !! Former IGP Ehindero arraigned for alleged fraud

Erstwhile Inspector-General of Police, Sunday Ehindero, was on Thursday arraigned alongside a former police commissioner, John Obaniyi, at an Apo District High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, on a six-count charge of alleged fraud.

They were accused of misusing N578 million (N557,995,065) donated by the Bayelsa State Government for the purchase of arms. According to the charge, the fund was diverted into separate accounts owned by the defendants, where it generated an interest of N16,412,315. The generated interest was allegedly used for the defendant’s personal objectives.

It was earlier in the news that the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, is set to resume the prosecution of former Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Sunday Ehindero, at a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja.

The development followed a ruling of the Supreme Court which dismissed the appeal filed by the former Police Chief challenging the jurisdiction of the Commission and that of the FCT High Court to try him.

Meanwhile, the charge read out during Thursday’s sitting of the court also alleged that the defendants lied to officials of ICPC when they told two of the commission’s staff upon enquiry about the diverted funds, that the generated interest was used for official purposes.

The defendants however pleaded not guilty to the charge. - Daily Post

Falana to senate: Accept my sympathy, you lack power to summon IGP

Femi Falana, human rights lawyer, says the senate “did not get it right” by tagging Ibrahim Idris, inspector-general of police (IGP), “an enemy of democracy”.

Following Idris’ failure to appear before the senate on three different occasions, the upper legislative chamber said he is unfit to hold any public office.

The IGP had been summoned over the growing insecurity in the country and also for the case of Dino Melaye, senator representing Kogi west, who is currently in police custody.

Idris sent a representative in his place on two of those occasions but the senate turned back the proxy.

Speaking on a Channels TV programme on Thursday, Falana said the senate made a mistake by bringing Melaye’s case into the picture.

He said even with the killings, IGP is not the right person to summon, rather, the minister of interior and the attorney-general of the federation.

He said: “By virtue of section 67 (2) of the constitution, either chamber can summon a minister when the affairs of his or her ministry are under consideration. The only other occasion a public officer can be summoned by the national assembly is when proceedings are ongoing to expose corruption and when a law is being debated either with a view to amending it or to have a new law entirely.

“But there is no such powers given to the national assembly by the constitution to summon everybody.”

Asked by the programme’s anchor if the senate has the power to summon the president, Falana replied: “No. Section 67 (1) has given the president the discretion to address the national assembly either jointly or separately, on any matter of national importance. The president or the governor of a state cannot be summoned; that is the constitution.

“The national assembly has my sympathy, but what can be done? The constitutional review is ongoing. You can deal with this lacuna, or the gaps you have identified.

“But don’t go outside the limit of your powers. When you do that, you ridicule the constitution. And that is what is going on.”

He added that even though he condemned the arraignment of Melaye while on a stretcher, he had told the lawmakers to not “individualise problems of police brutality”.

“When you do that, you lose public support. It is the height of hypocrisy to say because the police has brutalised our member, the IG must come. What of thousands of Nigerians that are brutalised daily?” he asked.

“Don’t single out the harassment of your member to summon the IG, that is where they lost it. They shouldn’t have mixed Melaye’s case with the killings.

“As far as the constitution is concerned, the person to summon is the minister of interior and the attorney-general, and they have the powers to do that. The minister can be summoned but there is no provision for summoning the IG or the customs boss to appear in one uniform or the other, it is not there.” - Cable Nigeria

Tell Nigerians how you became rich overnight – Kalu tells Obasanjo

Orji Kalu, former Abia State Governor, has launched an attack on former President, Olusegun Obasanjo over the former’s alleged corrupt “nature.”

Kalu challenged the former President to tell Nigerians how he “suddenly” transformed from a farmer in 1998 to a billionaire, “in the following years.”

Speaking in Lagos, yesterday, the former governor dared Obasanjo to disclose to the world how he made money he used in building his mansion in Ota farm.

He also declared that the United Nations, UN, United Kingdom, UK, have rejected Obasanjo due to his corrupt “nature.”

The All Progressives Congress, APC, chieftain noted that Obasanjo has been considered irrelevant in the international community and Nigeria due to the damage he has done to the country.

He said, “For Obasanjo, no President can do anything that will satisfy him. Nothing done by any other President is good; nobody can do anything that is good in his eyes, except that which is done by him, which is the nature of Obasanjo.

“But I can assure you that the international community has rejected him, nobody recognises Obasanjo anymore because of the damage he has done to the country. The problem we are going through in this country is caused by Obasanjo.

“Obasanjo is no more relevant in the United Nations, in the United Kingdom , in the United States, they have all rejected him, he is only a superstar in the African Union.

“Many Nigerians know this truth about Obasanjo, but they are afraid to say it because they are afraid of being punished by somebody. That is not right, that is why he continues to write those letters. But In APC we do not consider his letters seriously, and that explains why nobody is taking his letters seriously.

“I personally wrote Obasanjo a letter on the alleged corruption during his eight years rule and he has not replied me. I am going to publish that letter very soon for young Nigerians to read. He is busy labelling everybody as corrupt; let him tell Nigerians how he suddenly transformed from a farmer in 1998 to a billionaire in the years that followed.

“How did he come by the mansions in Abeokuta? When I visited him in 1998 in his Ota Farm with President Babangida to convince him to run for president in 1999, Ota Farm was dead. So, where did he get the billions of naira he put in Ota Farm from? Nigeria is a country where people don’t ask questions; otherwise people like Obasanjo should be resting in jail.” - Daily Post

Shocking !!! Landlord’s children beat up couple over unpaid rent

Two siblings, Isiaka Olaleye and Olaide Olaleye were on Thursday in Lagos hauled up before an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court for allegedly beating up a couple over house rent.

The accused were arraigned before the Magistrate, Mrs F.F. George, on a three-count charge of breach of peace, conspiracy and assault.

Isiaka, 43, a businessman, and Olaide, 35, female fashion designer, however, pleaded not guilty and were admitted to a bail of N50,000 each with one surety each in like sum.

George said the sureties should be gainfully employed with an evidence of two years tax payment to the Lagos State Government.

Police Prosecutor Godwin Awase had told the court that the accused committed the offences on May 6 at Onipanu area of Lagos.

He said the accused and others still at large conspired to assault Mr Sheu Adeniran and his wife, Asiatu, by beating them for owing rent.

“The accused, who are landlord’s children, conducted themselves in a manner likely to cause a breach of peace by hiring thugs to beat up the complainants.”

According to Awase, the accused unlawfully entered the complainants’ apartment with the thugs and started throwing out their property.

`The accused were parking out the complainants’ property from the apartment and the complainants were trying to stop them which resulted into serious beating.

“The complainants reported the case at the police station and the accused were arrested while others escaped,” the prosecutor said.

The offences contravened Sections 168, 171 and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015 (Revised).

The media source reports that Section 172 stipulates one year imprisonment for assault, while Section 411 prescribes two years for conspiracy.

The case was adjourned until May 23 for mention.