OBLONG MEDIA GLOBAL INTELLIGENCE is where independent minds meet to dissect politics, society, power, and global affairs without fear or filters. This is not mainstream media.
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Billions of pounds of corrupt funds from Nigeria, China, Russia and other countries are pouring into the United Kingdom every year through the purchase of luxury houses, cars, jewellery, watches, art and antiques, a Transparency International report says. Robert Barrington, executive director at Transparency International UK says Britain has little ability to stop this kind of money laundering. He noted that money laundering rules are weak and there is a lack of awareness on how to prevent it. According to Transparency International UK’s ‘Don’t Look, Won’t Find’ report, illegal funds are used to buy anything from homes to jets.…
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The president moves in a motorcade of about 12 vehicles as counted by reporters recently. The senate president and the speaker’s convoys comprise of an average of 10 vehicles each.Former President Goodluck Jonathan maintained not less that 23 cars in his motorcade. The highest number of vehicles in Buhari’s ministers’ convoys is four while the lowest number is two as observed. On the eve of inaugurating his ministers last month, Buhari warned his ministers-designate to avoid large convoys, long protocol and retinue of aides. The president gave this directive at the end of the two-day retreat he organised for…
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The President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki has described his Deputy, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, as a man every Nigerian politician should look forward to working with and the type of leader that Nigerians would want to continue to serve them. Saraki, who stated this at a civic reception in Mpu, the country home of Ekweremadu shortly after a special thanksgiving service where Ekweremadu rededicated himself to service to Nigeria and mankind said the deputy senate president is a man who has the interest of the country at heart. Speaking on behalf of the Senate, Saraki said although he had…
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Mr. President, as one of your most loyal and faithful subjects who has nothing but the utmost respect for your person and your office I am constrained to write you this open letter. This is because there are a number of issues that I believe that it is important for you to clarify and to come clean on. I say this because some of your assertions of late are at best contradictory and at worst patently dishonest. Whichever side of the political divide we are on I believe that we can all agree on one thing: that the prosecution…
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We are people of many different races, tribes and religions, who are knit together by common history, common interests and common ideals. Our diversity may be great but the things that unite us are stronger than the things that divide us. On an occasion like this, I always remind people about our firmly rooted policy on religious tolerance. Families of all creeds and colour can rely on these assurances. We have no intention of favouring one religion at the expense of another. Subject to overriding need to preserve law and order, it is our determination that everyone should have…
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Elder statesman, Tanko Yakassai served as Special Adviser to President Shehu Shagari on National Assembly Matters and before then was commissioner for Finance in the old Kano State. In this interview, he reviews the steps of the Muhammadu Buhari administration among other issues. Excerpts: Q- After seven months in office do you believe President Buhari is finding it difficult to settle and why? A- Buhari has not been in office for seven months but rather for 13 years. Irrespective of the fact that the election was held in March and he was sworn into the office in May, Buhari…
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The news of the government of president Mohammadu Buhari plans to remove the fuel subsidy and peg the price of petrol at N85 per liter met some strong mixed reactions. Under normal circumstances one cannot control what is not in one’s hands or control. That is why it is hard for any government or body or group to control prices of goods that are not directly produced by such group or body or government. But for the fact that such is being promised by this administration is really raising some eyebrows. Some of the questions are 1, how would…
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Carefully planned war-like events going on at the Onitsha Niger Bridgehead have clearly revealed that the Hausa-Fulani segment of the Nigerian Army have declared a Second Civil War against the Igbo Ethnic Nationality of Nigeria and their South-south counterparts; particularly millions of Xmas returnees. Their sacred rights to ancestral homeland and ethnic identity are under intense threat. It is historically unheard of that a people of innocent background and character, returning to their ancestral homes for special seasonal feast like Xmas; are blocked and made to suffer and suffocate few miles to their ancestral homes. In the…
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Former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Ghali Umar Na’Abba has blamed the renewed agitation for the creation of Biafra on the failure of past governors of the South-East region to impact positively on the region. In an exclusive interview with Vanguard in Abuja, Hon. Na’Abba said though majority of the people in the region do not support the renewed agitation for the creation of Biafra, the leadership of the agitating bodies have unfairly targeted some vulnerable class of people to oil their self serving agenda. According to him, bearing in mind the economic milestone the Igbos have…
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Jesus was not born on December 25. That is the date of a pagan festival of the sun god Tammuz merged with Christianity under Constantine. However, the evidence is overwhelming that Jesus was born during the Feast of Tabernacles. Coming of Elijah Zachariah, John the Baptist’s father, was ministering in the Temple when an angel told him he would have a son. He belonged to “the priestly group of Abijah.” (Luke 1:5). Abijah was eighth in line according to the Jewish time-table for priests ministering in the Temple: “The first lot fell to Jehoiarib, the second to Jedaiah, the…
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As a respected Igbo leader and politician, Chief Chekwas Okorie has cut his teeth in national politics. Okorie, a founder of two political parties, presidential candidate and party chairman, spoke with OFFOR ONUKWUWE, and expressed his views on the current-Biafra agitators. He also reveals how he founded the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), United Peoples Party (UPP) and gave the reasons why Ndigbo deserve better than what they are getting in Nigeria. Excerpts: Q- As the founder of APGA, do you think the party would have played key roles in addressing the issues raised by pro-Biafra agitators? A-…
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With the sustained slide in crude oil prices due to glut of oil on international market, experts have warned that Nigeria must prepare for a less than $20 oil price scenario. The warnings are coming on the heels of the new projection contained in the “IMF Executive Board Concludes 2015 Article IV Consultation with Iran” report released last week, which predicted that the price of crude oil could drop between $5 and $15 in 2016 owing to the prospective lifting of economic sanctions on Iran and the capacity of the Middle East oil producing country to roll out one million…
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Works minister, Babatunde Fashola, is a veteran of many battles. As governor of Lagos State for eight years, he was never afraid to take the bull by the horns. Once his mind was made up, he crushed any obstacle, human or material, that stood on the way to development. Oshodi, once dreaded as the den of criminals and another name for gridlock, was turned to a smooth alley that welcomed the best of entrepreneurs and entertainers. President Muhammadu Buhari must have been so impressed that he picked Fashola to head three powerful ministries put together as one in this…
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When you stay in a hotel, how do you know there is no room pinhole camera? When you travel or take a business trip, and stay in a hotel or a guest house or room you could unknowingly be photographed. You can use this method to check your room : When you enter into the room, turn off the lights, and close the curtains, open your phone camera, do not turn the flash light on. Turn around the room with your cell phone. When a red dot is found, that means that a hidden web camera is installed. If no…
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A Nigerian man accused of trying to bomb a US-bound flight on Christmas Day 2009 has been sentenced to life in prison without parole. Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, 25, pleaded guilty to attempting to blow up a commercial plane as a would-be suicide mission for al-Qaeda. His family quickly called on the US government to review the sentence. Abdulmutallab was badly burned when a bomb sewn into his underwear failed to detonate fully, prosecutors said. Almost 300 people were on the flight from Amsterdam to Detroit. Some of the passengers from the flight were in the courtroom as Federal Judge…
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So, the Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, picked up his pen a day after Christians celebrated Christmas and finding nothing worthwhile to report from Aso Rock, decided to write instead about how the anti-corruption war is in actuality a political onslaught against the only party that can keep the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on its toes for now. Pardon me, but I am not impressed. Shehu’s history as a runner of media narrative for one of Nigeria’s former Vice-Presidents is well known – his deployment of his pen in…
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A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, and Senator representing Kaduna Central Senatorial constituency, Shehu Sani has lambasted his party over what he referred to as a complete lack of political ideology. Sani says he wonders if the current crop of leaders in the party understand the ideologies and principles which a political party should be built upon. Sani gave this insight during an interview with Daily Trust Newspaper where he attributed his ongoing feud with the Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir el-Rufai to an obvious ideological disparity which manifested in the formation of the APC, insisting that…
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The National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has revealed that he made a big sacrifice in ensuring that the party did well in the last general elections. Tinubu made this disclosure in Lagos on Monday at the 70th birthday anniversary of National Democratic Coalition, NDC chieftain, Prof. Segun Gbadegesin. The former Lagos State governor observed that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, ruled the country for 16 years because opposition parties failed to unite. He recalled that in 2011, his then party, the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN; Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, and the…
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“Bad leadership is worse than no leadership at all.” – Unknown Despite the killings and massacres of innocent citizens by the army in the nation especially in Southeast and Northeast of the country, tomorrow, most Nigerian Christians will join other Christians around the globe to celebrate Christmas, which is historically and traditionally, a day set apart by Christians worldwide to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year as penned by Eddie Pola and George Wyle in 1963. It is the most holy, gracious and loving season of the year because…
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The celebrations of Nigeria’s 50th Independence Anniversary have come and are almost gone but the fall-out are still topical. From the bomb planted by some faceless, heartless terrorists to the dinners, debates, symposia, workshops and national recognitions and awards by the President. The solidarity visit of African Heads of State and goodwill messages from world leaders added flavor to the frenzy. I join the rest of the world in congratulating our dear President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces on this auspicious occasion and wish him and all Nigerians well. The Nigeria project must get done no matter…
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By Obi Nwakanma The mish-mash of Nigeria’s post-war history has permitted many sad revisions which in turn has made Nigerian historical studies and its statements therefrom to be lopsided, ethnic, and gnarled. We have tended in Nigeria to celebrate the worst of us, and have confined Nigeria’s true national heroes to the dustbin. Today, only in a place like Nigeria, with its twisted ethos, can a man like Ahmadu Bello for instance, have greater pride of place in the National rolls than Akweke Abyssinia Nwafor Orizu, one of the great spirits of the anti-colonial Nationalist movement. While the likes…
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The democratic process relies on the assumption that citizens (the majority of them, at least) can recognize the best political candidate, or best policy idea, when they see it. But a growing body of research has revealed an unfortunate aspect of the human psyche that would seem to disprove this notion, and imply instead that democratic elections produce mediocre leadership and policies. The research, led by David Dunning, a psychologist at Cornell University, shows that incompetent people are inherently unable to judge the competence of other people, or the quality of those people’s ideas. For example, if people…
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I read the press statement of one of our most respected leaders, Senator David Mark, commending president Buhari and urging Nigerians to give him time, and I ask, when did we all become cowards in this nation? Suddenly, the respected David Mark, who has been a senator since the advent of democracy in 1999 and two time Senate President of our great nation, is suddenly afraid that if he does not patronize president Buhari and sing his praises he might not win the re-run election for his Benue South senatorial district. It is disheartening to read some of the…
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Only a fortnight ago, former president of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo, visited Benue state where he spent three days in the state as a guest of the state governor and was amongst other things hosted to a state house dinner. The former president, who was claimed to have come into the state for academic purposes, was welcomed at the airport by the Chief of Staff to the Governor even as the governor had taken off that day for Abuja but the Deputy Governor was in town. Revelations have however emerged that contrary to claims by the crafty former president saying…
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If we must ban ATM card use abroad, why not ban it for politically exposed people like me instead of ordinary Nigerians that depend on it? With BVN, the CBN has theaccount details of all elected and appointed politicians in Nigeria. Don’t punish Nigerians for our wrongs! A lot of the Small and Medium scale enterprises that employ the majority of Nigerians, depend on their ATM cards to do business abroad. What do Nigerians in foreign hospitals for life threatening illness do if they cant access funds via ATM?. What do Nigerian students schooling abroad and who depend on their…
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Fuel retailers are completely in the dark over the planned reduction of petrol price from N87 to N85. Ibe Kachikwu, the minister of state for petroleum resources, announced in Port Harcourt, Rivers state, on Friday that the new pump price will take effect from January 1, 2016. But executives of petroleum marketing companies who spoke off-the-record with TheCable on Saturday said it was news to them. “In the past, the major stakeholders in the industry were consulted about major decisions like this. We held meetings. We were put in the picture, but that is not the case this time around,”…
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Following President Buhari’s order, to investigate the activities of the judges of the Rivers elections and petitions tribunal. The publicity secretary of the PDP, Mr. Olisa Metuh, has described the order by Mr. President as ill-timed, belated and of no consequence. Metuh told newsmen, that various petitions with evidence of telephone conversations between tribunal judges, their aides and APC chieftains were sent to Mr. President over five months ago when the matters were still at the lower courts, but unfortunately nothing was done to address those issues, and the judges and their cronies had their way at the various tribunals. …
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The Ekiti State governor, Ayodele Fayose, has called on Nigerians to pray specially for President Muhammadu Buhari, saying, “the president needs God to give him the necessary wisdom to be able to find solution to the country’s economic and security problems”. The governor also challenged the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, to relocate to Sambisa in Borno State or Yobe and move around there without heavy military security if indeed he was sure that Boko Haram had been defeated. Speaking through his media aide, Lere Olayinka, on Saturday, Mr. Fayose said, “only God’s intervention can save Nigeria…
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Ben Murray-Bruce: “In 50 years, Nigeria paid for a million people to go on pilgrimage. Imagine if we had paid for a million people to start businesses instead.”
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A purported plan by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to halt all foreign (non-Naira) transactions on Naira ATM, Debit and Credit cards from January 1, 2016, has met with opposition from some Nigerian students studying abroad, who said it would put them under unnecessary constraints. A communication by the apex bank to some commercial banks said the decision to halt the transactions was to shore up the nation’s foreign exchange reserve. The students wielding placards took to the streets in protest, calling on the Federal Government to find an alternative solution to the problem. See more photos below …
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Nigeria may be in for harder times than previously envisaged as the International Monetary Fund has predicted that crude oil prices may slump to as low as $20 per barrel in 2016. In the ‘IMF Executive Board Concludes 2015 Article IV Consultation with Iran’ report, the body highlighted that the price of crude oil could drop by between $5 and $15 in 2016, cableng.com reports. As of Thursday, the price of crude oil in the international market averaged $37. On December 17, the price fell to $36 per barrel. The Federal Government 2016 budget had based the 2016 budget…
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There appeared to be a significant respite for Naira as it strengthened against the US Dollar in the unofficial currency market a day to the public holidays after suffering severe depreciation daily for three consecutive weeks. As at close of business yesterday, the local currency gained 3.64 per cent relative to the greenback, USD, to close at N265/USD1.0 from N275/USD.0 in the preceding week at the Bureau De Change, BDC, market segment. Similarly, the local currency appreciated by 3.57 per cent of its value relative to the USD at the parallel market segment to close at N270/USD1.0 up from…
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Most Nigerian states have released the figures of their budgets for 2016. The states with the lowest budgets are: Sokoto State………… N112.5bn Katsina State………… N110bn Kebbi State………… N107bn Bauchi State………… N102bn Anambra State………… N101.4bn Ebonyi State………… N101.1bn Adamawa state………… N100.89bn Zamfara state………… N92.8bn Yobe state………… N80.6bn Ekiti state………… N67bn
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President Muhammadu Buhari says his administrations is determined to persuade the Boko Haram terrorists and those who he said have decided to be bad neighbors among Nigerians to drop their arms and let peace reign in the country. The President was speaking at his residence in the Presidential Villa when Christian and Muslim faithful living in the Federal Capital Territory paid him the traditional Christmas homage. The President also appealed to civil, spiritual leaders and all Nigerians to be patient and support the administration in an effort to pull out from the situation affecting the country. He decried a…
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The Managing Director and Chief Executive of Financial Derivatives Company Limited, Bismarck Rewane has ascribed the present economic downturn bedeviling the nation to inefficiency on the part of President Muhammadu Buhari which he said was worse than corruption. Rewane made this known while analyzing the 2016 Budget on Channels television and faulted Buhari’s lack of urgency in solving Nigeria’s economic challenges. However he described the proposed 2016 appropriation bill as a welcome development but picked holes in its assumptions. The common man on the street is not bordered about the huge N6.08tillion budget, all he is concerned is how…
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Prominent Nigerian Islamic cleric, Ahmad Gumi, said Tuesday he has been threatened for not supporting Muhammadu Buhari, the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC. The Kaduna-based cleric raised the alarm on Tuesday in a Facebook post titled, “PDP v APC: It’s Not about Religion.” He said his children have also been receiving calls from persons who use unknown telephone numbers to threaten them. “People like me who had all along been critical about the government can longer speak or express personal opinion if it is not in support of Gen. Buhari,” said Shiekh Gumi. Complete Message by…
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Minister of State for petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu has announced the reduction of pump price of PMS to 85 – 86 Naira per litre. THE SUMMARY gathered that this is a fall out of new price modulation approach deviced by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC. More details later.
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The trial of former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, over a 3.3 Billion Naira arms scam, will begin on February 2nd 2016. The High Court at Abuja sat today, Monday 21st December 2016 to hear bail arguments on the armsgate scandal involving Dasuki and other accused persons. Justice Peter Afem of the FCT High Court, granted Dasuki and the former Minister of State for Finance, Bashir Yuguda; and four others bail in the sum of N250m each. Dasuki, alongside Yuguda; Shuaibu Salisu, a former Director of Finance and Administration, Office of the National Security Adviser; Attahiru Dalhatu Bafawara, a…
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Do Christians and Muslims worship the same God, as Pope Francis and suspended Wheaton College professor Larycia Hawkins affirm? Or are Allah and the Christian deity two different things, as the Wheaton administration believes? The debate is a throwback to the days when evangelical Protestants and Catholics were deeply at odds on a range of theological questions. It only seems surprising because Roe v. Wade began a process of political rapprochement between American evangelicals and Catholics that makes them appear closer than they really are. But the debate is also a major issue for Jewish-Christian relations. If Christians and…
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Senior advocate of Nigeria Mr Femi Falana today on Channel’s Tv described the Appeal Court Judgement of Akwa Ibom State Governorship Election as a fraud, against the integrity of the Judiciary. The Legal luminary and human rights activist said that the judgement contradicted both the Supreme Court Precedents and the Constitution, he warned the All Progressive Congress to stop the wanton destruction of the Country’s Judiciary over what he termed as greedy political agitation, which is capable of dividing the country. Mr Falana wondered how the same Appeal Court which delivered Judgement on the Lagos Governorship Election , on…
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Before my grandmother died in 2010, she gave each of her 17 grandchildren a crisp one-pound note. It was an unceremonious gift, without lectures or reminiscing. She opened my hands and firmly pressed the bill into my palm. “You must keep this,” she said, before following up in Igbo: “Inugo?” Do you hear me? “Yes, Grandma,” I responded. “Thank you.” Later, in another room, I looked at the note more closely. The bill was beautiful, with its antiquated font and soft, mint-green coloring with brown highlights.One side had a palm tree standing tall in the center, bordered by intricate…
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Chief Victor Umeh of the APGA has been irked by the continued detention of IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu by the Department of State Services (DSS). The immediate-past National Chairman of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), and senatorial candidate of APGA in the forthcoming re-run election in the Anambra Central Senatorial zone, has blamed all the National Assembly members from the South-East geo-political zone for keeping silent. “Our National Assembly members should have advised the Federal Government to release Nnamdi Kanu first and then intervene in the dispute to ensure that frayed nerves are calmed on the issue, instead of…
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GDP growth. 3.5% GDP per head. $2,750 (PPP; $6,120) Inflation. 9.4% Budget balance(% GDP). -1.4 Population. 187.0m Forecast: The new president, Muhammadu Buhari will attempt to use his political capital to try to address entrenched problems of corruption, insecurity, and low living standards, but the patience of an electorate with high expectations will be short. Clashing vested interests within the ruling party will limit the efforts to improve management of the oil sector. Economic growth will be grossly uninspiring.
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The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State has alerted security agencies that the All Progressives Congress (APC) was illegally retrieving permanent voters cards (PVCs) from members of the public in preparation for re-run elections in the state. The state Chairman of PDP, Felix Obuah, through a statement issued by his Media Adviser, Jerry Needam, alleged that the APC had been dispossessing members of the public their PVCs under the guise of conducting the party’s membership registration in the state. It therefore called on the police and other security agencies in the state to take urgent steps to arrest…
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Reno Omokri, former Special Assistant on New Media to President Goodluck Jonathan writes to LAI MOHAMMED… – Before you confuse Nigerians further!!-. Dear Honourable Minister Lai Mohammed, Greetings and congratulations on your recent and well deserved appointment as Nigeria’s Minister of Information. You may recall that we met on the set of ‘Politics Today’ in May of 2011 soon after I was interviewed by Deji Bademosi and just before you were interviewed. The purpose of my letter to you today is in response to your statement made on Monday the 21st of December, 2015 in which you accused former…
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With about $21 billion sent home by Nigerians in diaspora in 2015, the country is the sixth largest receiver of remittances in the world, the Migration of Remittance Factbook 2016 has shown. The country is also by far the largest receiver of remittances in sub-Saharan Africa, receiving a total of $34.8 billion this year. The report, which relied on data gathered from January to December 1, 2015, was compiled by the Global Knowledge Partnership on Migration and Development with support from the World Bank, German, Swedish and Swiss governments. An analysis of the report also shows that the United…
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Analysts at CSL Stockbrokers Limited, have advised the federal government to end the fuel subsidy, which currently makes up a significant proportion of Nigeria’s import bill. They reasoned that removal of the subbing will help reduce demand for dollars and reduce pressure in the foreign exchange market. Besides’ they argued that ending the fuel subsidy regime would save the government about N1.2 trillion in expenditure in 2016, the analysts also revealed. The naira has been under pressure in the past few weeks as low crude oil prices continue to hit Nigeria’s external reserves. Presently, the nation’s currency goes…
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The calculation is based on a production assumption of 2.2 million barrels per day (b/d) and a benchmark price of $38/barrel. This compares to this year’s projected oil earnings of N3.9 trillion ($19 billion) which was predicated on output of 2.28 million b/d and a price assumption of $53/b which was not realised, as global oil prices plummeted to a multi-year low while Nigeria’s production suffered from theft and the lack of new investment. Presenting the 2016 budget proposal of N6.08 trillion ($30.1 billion) to the National Assembly, President Muhammadu Buhari, said the sharp decline in oil earnings meant the…
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A federal High Court judge has excused himself from hearing treason charges brought by the government against Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra. Justice Ahmed Mohammed announced the decision on Wednesday in Abuja after Mr. Kanu objected to the case, saying it was needless, as the federal government has repeatedly disobeyed previous court rulings. The government is accusing Mr. Kanu of plotting to split Nigeria, by creating a Biafra Republic with south east, south south states, and parts of Kogi and Benue states, as component units. Mr. Kanu, who was arraigned before Justice Mohammed Wednesday,…
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The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has said the main focus of his ministry is to reposition mining activities in the country and ensure that the sector contributes immense growth to the economy within a decade. Fayemi, who stated these yesterday during his inaugural press briefing on the activities of the ministry, said opportunities abound in the solid minerals sector to actualise President Muhammadu Buhari’s vision of using the sector to diversify the economy and create jobs. He also declared that the federal government was determined to make the Ajaokuta Steel complex work in spite of the…
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In a bid to eradicate queues at fuel stations across the country, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, has ordered the deployment of personnel of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) in filling stations across the country for effective monitoring of the distribution system. Speaking at an emergency meeting with the senior staff of the corporation at the NNPC headquarters in Abuja yesterday, Kachikwu said though there were a number of challenges in the supply and distribution system that hamper efficient distribution of products across the country, it was time for NNPC to rise above…
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Export of Nigeria’s gas has suffered setback as Italian energy giant, ENI has declared force majeure on loadings from Nigeria’s LNG export plant due to pipeline sabotage, a spokesman said monday. Reuters quoted the company’s spokesman as saying that the declaration was because of an “act of sabotage” on the Ogoda-Brass transport line. Ogoda-Brass and Tebidaba-Brass are the two main onshore pipelines in Bayelsa State operated by ENI’s subsidiary, Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC), which feed the offshore Brass oil export terminal Previous sabotage of Ogoda-Brass and Tebidaba-Brass, had led to shut down of production at its Akri and Oshi…
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The Presidency and the embattled former National Security Adviser (NSA) to former President Goodluck Jonathan, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd), have begun negotiations over a possible out-of-court settlement in the $2 billion arms procurement scandal. It was learnt that the negotiation is at the instance of high level personalities, including retired Generals, with the assurance to get the beneficiaries return the security fund to government’s coffers. A source in the know said the peace initiative was as a result of damning evidence that indicted prominent Nigerians and officials of the Muhammad Buhari administration who were beneficiaries of the security fund. “Discussions…
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FABU” is a Yoruba slang denoting an exaggerated lie. It points to a tall tale; a gross distortion of the truth. “Fabu” is a shortened form of the English word “fabulate,” which refers to the composition of fables or stories featuring a strong element of fantasy and lies. Without a doubt, within the Nigerian political stratosphere, APC is a party that lives in “fabuland.” Art of fabulation: The chief exponent of APC fabulation is Lai Mohammed. He was formerly the party’s National Publicity Secretary, a post in which he distinguished himself. This has now earned him promotion to the post…
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Nigerians have taken to twitter to react to the statement made by Lai Mohammed yesterday where he blamed former President Jonathan’s administration for the current 58 days old fuel scarcity. “One of the reasons for the fuel scarcity was the inability of the last government to make adequate provision for fuel subsidy. We do face some other logistic problems but majorly, we are paying for the sins of the last administration. What I will be telling Nigerians is that what we met on ground is such that we are paying for the sins of the last administration. I am being…
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What happens to society’s as the Muslim population grows in percentage of the total? In the book, Slavery, Terrorism and Islam: The Historical Roots and Contemporary Threat, written by Dr. Peter Hammond, he explores the topic of the impact that an increasing Muslim population has on that society. The lists below illustrate the Muslim population status of countries around the world, and exactly what changes to the societies can be expected according to Hammond. The book as well as the author are controversial, but the topic is definitely something that needs to be explored and understood. From the book: As…
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Minister of culture described Islam as a ‘sect’ which is banned as counter to Angolan customs and culture Nation’s president said: ‘This is the final end of Islamic influence in our country’ Angola has reportedly declared Islam illegal and ordered for all of the country’s mosques to be closed down. Minister of culture Rosa Cruz e Silva said that mosques in the largely Christian country would be closed until further notice. She described Islam as a ‘sect’ that would be banned as counter to Angolan customs and culture. Angola (capital, Luanda, pictured) has reportedly declared Islam illegal and ordered for…
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THE PLAYBOY PLAINTIFF From left, the Sultan of Brunei (No. 1) and his brother Prince Jefri after a polo match in England in 1994; a fleet of Rolls-Royce sedans parked outside the Dorchester, the London hotel owned by the sultan; Prince Jefri at the Peninsula hotel in New York during the trial, last year; leaving the State Supreme Court in Manhattan with some of his lawyers. By Muhammad Basil (sedans), Barry Batchelor/PA Archive/Press Association Images (Sultan). When two British lawyers, Faith Zaman and Thomas Derbyshire, signed on in 2004 to manage the affairs of Prince Jefri Bolkiah, notorious playboy brother…
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Brunei’s (Muda) Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah addresses the 69th United Nations General Assembly at United Nations Headquarters in New York. Brunei has officially declared public celebrations of Christmas illegal in the country. The nation of Brunei in Southeast Asia has officially banned all future public celebrations of Christmas, in accordance with its conservative Islamic law Shariah. The country’s Ministry of Religious Affairs said on Thursday that the ban was instituted for fear of Muslims being led “astray” by Christmas festivities. Last month, when local children and adults were seen wearing Santa outfits, officials reacted by asking businesses to take down…
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President Muhammadu Buhari has sacked Bassey Dan Abia (pictured, middle), managing director and chairman of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and appointed Ibim Seminitari as acting head of the commission. Ibim Seminitari served as commissioner of information and a close lackey in the administration of Rotimi Amaechi, former governor of Rivers state. Abia, an indigene of Akwa Ibom state, was appointed by former President Goodluck Jonathan in 2013. There was strong opposition to the choice of Abia, who was believed to have enjoyed the backing of Godswill Akpabio, former governor of Akwa Ibom state and the then chairman of…
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The ancient divide has become the biggest fault line in the battle for dominance in the Middle East The conflict raging between Sunnis and Shiites across the Muslim world is easy to view as eternal hatred that is destined to keep claiming lives for the foreseeable future. Yet despite its ancient roots, the divide hasn’t been this deep or bloody for centuries. And it is only in recent years that it has emerged as the biggest fault line in the battle for dominance in the Middle East and beyond. People age 40 and over in countries such as…
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The ancient Kingdom of Benin was described in glowing terms by early European visitors. When the British came to Benin kingdom, they were shocked and awed to find a very well planned capital city. Already well described both in writing and in sketches by earlier portuguese and other early European travellers, historians and visitors alike; and acclaimed by all as a world class city. Thus the use of the term BENIN CITY by the Europeans to describe Benin Kingdom’s geo-political headquaters as far back as the 15th century. In preparing this piece, I have chosen to reproduce materials, direct…
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Ibrahim El-Zakzaky started propagating Shiite Islam in 1979, during the Iranian revolution which led to the overthrow of the monarchy and the enthronement of an Islamic Republic under Ayatollah Khomeini in Iran. Also known as Islamic Movement in Nigeria, the sect doubles as both a religious and political organisation believed to be backed by the Iran government. The movement is noted for introducing Shiite ideology to Nigeria in the 1980s. The headquarters of the movement is in Zaria, Kaduna State, where most of its spiritual activities are conducted at its Husainiyya Baqiyatullah Centre. According to historians, the division between…
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A recent post by an online community has stirred panic, as the message suggests that the Iranian military might be planning an assault on Nigeria, in revenge for the Shiites who were killed in Zaria, Kaduna state. An unverified post by Iran Military suggests that Nigeria might soon be a target. According the post by a Facebook community called the “Iran Military”, the Iranian forces are apparently preparing to “pay a visit” to Nigeria, to avenge the souls of Shiite faithfuls killed in clashes between the Nigerian army and Shia Muslims last week. The threatening post dated December…
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Another malicious insinuation of Emir Sanusi is equating Shia Islam with murderous terrorist cults like Maitatsine and Boko Haram that are offshoots of Sunni Islam. These terrorist groups, from day one were hell bent in killing innocent civilians; they are murderous entities that only know how to kill people and they are not offshoots of Shia Islam. There is no where in the world where Shia Muslims are terrorists, terrorism has no place in Shia Islam because the Shia religious references will never approve it. Sheikh Zakzaky started his call more than 37 years ago, and no single innocent person…
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Every team serious about ‘change’ starts with a clear identification of the baseline from which it measures deviations/progress. Nigeria has had 16 uninterrupted years of democracy with the PDP controlling the federal government as well as majority of the states. APC is now in charge at both the centre and majority of the states. A minimum standard for measuring ‘change’ is the extent to which APC government beats the record of the PDP in measurable terms. As the saying goes, if you can’t measure it, you can’t improve/change it! Government must strengthen the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS)…
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A major crack appeared to have hit the All Progressives Congress (APC) government of General Mohamadu Buhari as Professor Itse Sagay (SAN), who is heading the President’s advisory committee on anti-corruption has said the federal government was not sincere with fight against corruption. He also alluded that top officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) are on the payroll of Tinubu, saying; “All the INEC officials in Lagos are on the payroll of someone who will ask you what it takes to win. Someone who is ready to give you more than you ask for.” Prof.-Itse-SagaySagay, an ally…
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Deposit Money Banks have commenced a process to stop all customers from using their payment cards, popularly known as Automated Teller Machine cards, for dollar-denominated transactions when they travel abroad with effect from January 1, 2016. Investigation also revealed the banks would not allow their customers to use naira-denominated ATM cards locally for transactions denominated in forex. This means bank customers will not be able to use their cards to buy products from foreign e-commerce sites like e-bay and amazon.com in which payments are made in forex. The development follows the lingering scarcity of foreign exchange, especially the dollar,…
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One week after the deadly carnage in Zaria, Kaduna State, involving the Nigerian Army and members of the Shi’ite Community, President Muhammadu Buhari remains silent. For a President whose preferred method of public communication has been widely described as “body language”, the message telegraphed by his silence is less than eloquent, unsettling and disquieting. The exact sequence of events leading to the encounter between the Shi’ites and the Army will, hopefully, be unraveled by the judicial commission of inquiry to be established by the government of Kaduna State. Some things are already quite clear however. Many people were killed…
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That the violent confrontation in Zaria last weekend between members of the Sheikh Ibraheem Yaquob El Zakzaky Islamic Movement of Nigeria sect and the military ended with several fatalities is no longer news. But with the propaganda machine of the two parties to the crisis into overdrive, it is difficult to ascertain what is true or false, especially regarding the number of casualties. It is therefore my hope that the authorities at the federal level as well as in Kaduna State will move in quickly not only to investigate what happened and why but also to ensure that there…
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■ Say those denying are lying A new twist to the ongoing investigation of the $2.1bn arms contract scandal may soon unfold as associates of the embattled former National Security Adviser, Col Sambo Dasuki have threatened to make public a proof that those denying to have benefitted from the money actually collected the amounts ticked against their names. They said it was shocking that some politicians would deny ever having anything to do with the ex- NSA and his office when there is a record to show that they received the money. Addressing some newsmen yesterday, three of Dasuki’s…
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*Govt under pressure from labour unions, backtracks on subsidy removal plans *Says over N4trn expended as subsidy in six years The Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, NEITI, has said removal of the subsidy will free over N700 billion annually which can be channeled to provision of infrastructure like roads, education, health service, power, security, creation of jobs and basic benefits for the poor in the society. The Acting Executive Secretary of NEITI, Dr. Orji Ogbonanya Orji, stated this while addressing a Policy Roundtable on Subsidy Removal Debate organized by the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre, in Abuja. He noted that, “From…
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The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers has warned the management of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation against the plan to sack about 1,100 employees of the corporation. The oil workers’ union, in a statement on Friday, said it would resist the impending job losses, which according to it, is contrary to the job creation mantra of the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration. NUPENG expressed surprise that the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, had made a statement regarding the proposed action without any consultation with it and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff…
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The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has announced that it will award new crude for oil products swap agreements to Total , Varo Energy, Cepsa and ENI, the head of its crude marketing unit said on Friday. Despite exporting some 2 million barrels per day (bpd) of crude oil, Nigeria is almost wholly reliant on imported petrol, kerosene and other petroleum products. The deals, which are expected to begin in February, differ from the former “offshore processing” agreements as they are directly with refineries who can use the crude to produce the oil products the country needs. NNPC cancelled…
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The choice for Nigeria is not between removal of fuel subsidy and retention of the subsidy, but between fuel subsidy removal and accelerated economic liquidation, writes Vincent Obia A fuel subsidy debate has broken out in Nigeria for the umpteenth time. What is at issue is whether or not to end a subsidy regime that has been a drag on the country’s economic prospects. The federal government, more than ever before, seems minded to remove the subsidy. And it does seem there are few critical voices at President Muhammadu Buhari’s elbow warning him not to touch it. But the…
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There are indications that the Nigerian anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, may offer a plea bargain to suspects in the ongoing $2.1 Billion Arms Deals scam trial. It was learnt on Friday that if the EFCC succeeded in establishing that the suspects were guilty, it would not oppose a plea bargaining from them. According to the Black’s Law Dictionary, 9th Edition (2009), plea bargaining, is “ a negotiated agreement between a prosecutor and a criminal defendant whereby the defendant pleads guilty to a lesser offence or to one of multiple charges in exchange for some concession…
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A former governor of Lagos State, Bola Tinubu, has urged the Federal Government to immediately remove fuel subsidy. Mr. Tinubu, a senior member of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, said Nigeria should rather commit available resources to social programmes and infrastructure that would impact on the people. Mr. Tinubu made the suggestion on Friday while speaking in Kaduna at the 10th memorial anniversary of Bala Usman, a left-wing politician, scholar and historian. In 2012, Mr. Tinubu was one of the well-known critics of then Jonathan administration’s attempt to remove fuel subsidy. The former governor said subsidy on…
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The Islamic Movement in Nigeria, also known as Shiites, on Saturday blasted the Kaduna state governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, for allegedly making indicting pronouncements against the sect following recent conflicts between the sect members and the Nigerian army in Zaria. They declared that they have no confidence in the judicial panel of inquiry to be set up by the state government to investigate the incident which led to the killing of many people and the arrest of their leader, Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky. El-Rufai had in a radio and television broadcast to the people of the state on Thursday to…
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The Buhari administration is indulging in wickedness and the abuse of power, violating the civil liberties and human rights of its own citizens, murdering its own people, dividing the country, witchunting and intimidating its perceived enemies, making a mockery of justice and the fight against corruption, rejecting peace and all that is wholesome and true and, like the biblical Pharoah, they are provoking the wrath of the Lord and playing with fire. On the night of December 12, 2015 in the city of Zaria, Kaduna state, Sheikh El Zakzaky, the leader of the 10 million-strong Shia muslim community in…
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Rev. Father Ejike Mbaka of the Adoration Ministries based in Enugu on Friday declared that Nigeria will definitely succeed. Speaking with State House correspondents after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, he assured that Nigeria will overcome the challenges presently facing it. He said: “We have come to commit the nation into the hands of God and pray for peace and God should establish His blessings in our country. “We wish to pray for the revamping of the economy. We are committing Aso Rock into the hands of God. We are also here to commit…
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No fewer than three million Nigerians are living illegally in the United Kingdom (UK), the Senate said yesterday through its Committee on Foreign Affairs. Committee Chairman Alhaja Monsurat Sunmonu made the statement after a meeting with officials of the Nigeria Immigration Service at the upper chamber of the National Assembly. She said an Assistant Deputy Comptroller–General, Investigations, Intelligence and Enforcement of the NIS, Mr. T. A Hundeyin, also confirmed that the 48 Nigerians recently deported from the UK committed various types of crimes and had served prison terms. Her words: “The deputy comptroller just confirmed to us that it…
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MAKING COMMON SENSE By BenMurrayBruce. One of the best policies I have ever come across in Nigeria’s electioneering history is the promised policy of the All Progressive Congress (APC) to pay the sum of N5,000 monthly as Job Seekers Allowance for unemployed Nigerian youths. It is a policy with the proverbial human face and whoever suggested it to the APC probably won the election for them and must be commended. The fact that Nigeria has no social security system is one of the reasons why there is so much desperation in our nation with the consequence that crime and…
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The courts are not answerable to the president. However, the president is answerable to the courts. There can be no questions about President Buhari’s military credentials. The president is a retired major-general of the Nigerian army, celebrated for his many successes in the field of battle. One of the first moves he made on his inauguration was to direct that the command-and-control centre for battling Boko Haram be moved nearer to the epicentre of the insurgency in Maiduguri. Although the insurgency has increased rather than abated since then, no right-thinking person can fault that judicious move. However, in civil matters,…
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President Barack Obama has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately probe the clash between the Nigerian Army and the Islamic Movement in Nigeria in Zaria on Saturday. In a statement through its Embassy in Abuja on Wednesday, the United States government said it was deeply concerned about the clash, which resulted in the loss of several civilian lives. The statement reads: “The United States is deeply concerned by reports of violent clashes between members of the Nigerian Army and the Shiite group Islamic Movement of Nigeria in Zaria, Kaduna State over the past several days. “While many details of…
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President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the splitting of NNPC into the following: The upstream company, the downstream company, midstream company which is the gas and power company and then of course, the refining group holding company. All of them would operate autonomously with Managing Directors and remit profits and taxes to the coffers of the government.
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Reports have emerged as to how the controversial judgement of the Court of Appeal on the National Assembly Elections Petitions of Rivers State which nullified all elected National Representatives of the PDP in Rivers State was procured by the Minister of Transport and former Governor of the State, Mr. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi. Based on available evidence, between the 9th and 10th of December, 2015, prior to the delivery of the controversial judgment, the Abuja home of the former Governor repeatedly hosted the Chairman of the Court of Appeal Panel on Rivers State National Assembly Election, Hon. Justice A. B.…
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The National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olisa Metuh, has accused the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of pretending to be tackling corruption while in a essence it is merely engaging in a well-designed media trial. In a statement issued by Metuh’s Special Assistant, Richard Ihediwa, the PDP spokesman chided the anti- graft agency for flouting the principles of rule of law and due process. “Our attention has been drawn to a publication in a national daily wherein the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) reportedly stated that the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Chief…
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Ahead of a widely-anticipated U.S. interest rate increase next week and worries over economic growth, the naira yesterday sank to N260 to a dollar at the black markets, the worst-ever fall in history. The downward trend also affected most stock markets worldwide as they tumbled on Friday, Reuters reported that all three major U.S. indexes sank over 1.5 percent, while crude prices plunged amid global oversupply. The International Energy Agency said it sees the oil glut worsening in 2016 as demand slows and OPEC shows no signs of slowing production. Brent crude was set for its biggest weekly percentage…
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One of the assurances given by President Muhammadu Buhari during the electioneering campaign was that the value of the naira was going to be firmed up as soon as he gets on board. But that promise is far from being achieved as the naira has been on a free fall in recent months, especially in the last few days. Specifically, at the weekend, the naira fell to its lowest, from N245 to N260 to the dollar, the worst since its introduction in 42 years. In December 1980, exactly 35 years ago, the naira went for one dollar and…
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Recently, one of the leading lights of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, took to his Facebook page, alleging that the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan spent N64 billion to celebrate independence anniversaries between 2011 and 2014. According to el-Rufai, Jonathan’s administration spent N13 billion in 2011, N15 billion in 2012, N14 billion in 2013 and N22 billion in 2014. His post followed the announcement that President Muhammadu Buhari earmarked only N70 million for the 2015 Independence Day anniversary. No doubt the motive was to draw attention to Buhari’s much hyped frugality…
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Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (R) meets Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari in Tehran, Iran, November 23, 2015. Africa watchers have been focused of late on Burundi. On December 12, however, their attention was drawn back to Nigeria. The Nigerian army killed a number of Shia Muslims in Zaria, Kaduna state. This has resulted in representations from Tehran, Iran, which regards itself as the protector of the Shia everywhere, including Nigeria. As of now, reports from Shia sources are more credible than the lame denials from the military. Amnesty International is demanding an urgent investigation. Yet again, the Nigerian…
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Former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, yesterday visited Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State and urged the All Progressives Congress (APC) government to fulfill all campaign promises made to the people during the campaigns. The elder statesman however, explained that his visit to Benue State was propelled by the development initiatives of the Ortom administration geared towards ensuring industrialisation of the state. Obasanjo stated this at a dinner organised for him by Governor Ortom at the new Banquet Hall of the Benue Peoples’ House, Makurdi. He further appealed to the people of the state to support the governor to deliver…
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President Muhammadu Buhari has rejected a N750,000 (Seven Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira) package for each player of the Golden Eaglets squad, that won the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Chile. According to reports, the presidency claimed the budget was “too much”. This week, Buhari’s government warned that next year will be rough for the country, as the economy is expected to get worse. In trying to contain that, government spendings will be cut down drastically. “The proposal has been reviewed after the first rejection. We wait for the green light from the presidency on the date for the reception…
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The high rate of illiteracy partly accounts for the low level of development. The National Commission for Mass Literacy, Adult and Non-formal Education (NMEC), said recently that 35 per cent of the nation’s adult population was illiterate, and it has remained high because efforts being made to address the situation has never yielded the expected result. Considering the funds and efforts that the country has devoted to various mass literacy programmes, including the Universal Primary Education (UPE) Scheme that was launched with fanfare about 33 years ago, in 1976, it is indeed worrying that a high number of the nation’s…
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With 65 million Nigerians illiterate, it is time for government, schools and individuals to take action. UNESCO’s National Programme Advisor on Education, Dr Mohammed Alkali recently revealed the results of a UNESCO survey that showed that despite improvements to the country’s education system, 65 million Nigerians remain illiterate. This statistic is alarming for a number of reasons. Illiteracy has adverse impacts at both an individual and societal level. People who are illiterate are far more likely to live in poverty, facing a lifetime marred by poor health and social vulnerability. Economically, the impacts of illiteracy are also sizeable; workplace productivity,…
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Properties running into billions of Naira have cumulatively been consumed by fire, following the reported inability of Imo State Fire Service to promptly deal with such emergencies. Only recently, all the occupants of a building along Royce Road, Owerri, lost their hard-earned properties, including certificates, historical artifacts, jewelries and other precious personal effects, to a raging fire. Only last Tuesday, some inhabitants of Owerri watched with shock, as the Fire Service personnel battled a mysterious fire that engulfed the grassy sections of the premises, which is close to the Owerri Urban Police Division. Not long after this incident, another family…
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Popular Nigerian lawyer, Festus Keyamo has expressed his legal opinion on the admission by the presidency that President Muhammadu Buhari received two bullet proof jeeps from embattled Sambo Dasuki. Shortly after reports that Buhari got two cars and $300,000 cash from Dasuki, went viral. his spokesman, Femi Adesina admitted his boss received only cars but no cash. Some had argued that since Buhari’s official car was not due for replacement after the Boko Haram attack, it was illegal for Dasuki to purchase new ones for him. Replacement for his official vehicle is due in 2016, since he got one in…
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As investigation into the looting of funds meant for the acquisition of arms for the Nigerian armed forces continues, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, has urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), not to hesitate inviting the former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and present Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, to explain how the looted funds escaped his scrutiny; adding that the Commission should not be in a dilemma over what to do with the Emir if eventually found guilty since nobody is above the law. Obasanjo, who said that Sanusi accused the Nigerian National…
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Nigerians are currently worried over the continued nose-diving of the naira. A bureau de change agent, Ibrahim Adamu, said the dollar now exchanged for the naira at N290. He said marketers now buy dollar at N273 and sell at N290. According to him, there is scarcity of the dollar at the parallel market, especially blackmarket. He called on the Central Bank of Nigeria to come up with some measures to curb the ugly financial trend.
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The NSCIA has moved to pacify all sides involved in the fracas between the Islamic Movement of Nigeria and the Nigerian Army. This is contained in a press release. Excerpt.
OBLONG MEDIA GLOBAL INTELLIGENCE 