Nigeria’s former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, has accused ex-US Ambassador to Nigeria, Thomas Pickering and former President Barack Obama’s National Security Advisor, Susan Rice, as being responsible for the death of Aare Onakakanfo of Yoruba land and business mogul, Chief MKO Abiola in 1998.
Fani-Kayode, writing on his Twitter page, also accused the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) of being behind the death of former Head of State, General Sani Abacha.
He wrote: “I watched America’s former Amb. to Nigeria, Thomas Pickering, on @BBCWorld_Tv. He spoke about the poisoning of the Russian exile in the UK and said he believes that Putin was behind it.
“He and Obama’s former Nat. Security Advisor, Susan Rice, who at that time was Bill Clinton’s Ass. Sec. of State for Africa, were the duo that MADE and GAVE Chief MKO Abiola (the winner of Nigeria’s June 12th 1993 pres. election) a cup of tea in 1998 when they went to see him in detention. 20 minutes later, right in front of them, Abiola dropped dead!
“I believe that Pickering and Rice,both of whom work for the CIA, poisoned Abiola just as I believe that the 2 Indian girls that spent the night in the Villa with Gen. Sani Abacha and fed him the poisoned apple that killed him one month earlier to the day were also CIA.
“Can Pickering tell us why he and Susan Rice poisoned our President-elect? Does he still work and kill for the CIA? We will NEVER forget what they did! And we will NEVER forget our hero and leader MKO Abiola who refused to give up his mandate and who was martyred for democracy!”
Chief MKO Abiola slumped and died on July 7, 1998, almost a month after Abacha passed away inside the Aso Presidential Villa. [myad]
I met my husband when I was a Corper. I was serving in Abuja at the time. It was a beautiful time in my life and I quickly fell in love with the tall handsome charming stranger I met at Dunes Centre. His name was Hamisu Mohammed. It was love at first sight. For me, it was love at first and Hamisu was the one.
I was at the restaurant when he walked towards the aisles. Our eyes met for a moment and that was it. It felt like electricity and my heart was almost beating out of my chest when he smiled and started walking towards me.
I tried to look away but his pull was too magnetic and I found myself smiling back at him.
‘Hello lady, you look like you are having a good time’ he said and my heart stopped for a minute as all my senses concentrated on listening to him
I just kept smiling like a fool as he kept smiling back. I don’t even remember what my reply was. We ended up sitting down and talking for like 3 hours that day. The rest, as they say, is history. A year after that fateful meeting we got married. It was a most beautiful day that I will cherish forever. I was so in love with him, he was everything.
As any typical northern girl, I excitedly prepared for my wedding night with a lot of gyaran jiki and Kayan Mata. The weeks before my wedding were filled with all sorts of skin treatments, consumption of aphrodisiacs and vaginal steaming all in anticipation of the big night. I looked forward to consummating our love on that special night.
On that special night, when all the glitz and glam of the wedding was done, it was just the two of us. I was so nervous and excited but Hamisu did not look interested. We talked for a while and then he fell asleep.Yes! My husband fell asleep on our first night. I did not know what do, whether to wake him up or to allow him sleep. I couldn’t hold myself I had to wake him up.
‘Honey, I don’t think we should be sleeping tonight. It is our first night, it is the Sunnah.. He cut me off with a kiss and we made out for a while; then he told me he couldn’t do anything that night because he was so tired from the activities of the wedding. Fair enough… so we slept off.
Two weeks later we were still sleeping together…that is we were only sleeping. At this point I became fed up. No matter how hard I tried to get him in the mood my husband did not seem interested in making me a woman. He would rather go to sleep.
Three months after my wedding and I was still a virgin. My husband was not interested in that part of our marriage though he was a wonderful husband in other areas. He was very supportive of my career, he took care of me, he cooked and cleaned up after himself, he made me laugh, he was affectionate but that was the end of it… after a while I gave up trying.
There were a lot of rumours swirling around our social circles about my husband and his sexual preferences; but every single time he assured me he was working on being a lover I would cherish… eventually he always said.
The months were followed by a year then 2 years then 3 years and still our marriage remained unconsummated. I did not know what to do next. Friends told me to try and get his attention, to be uninhibited to be sexy blah blah blah.
I was sick and tired of hearing it was up to me to get my own husband to fulfil my marital rights. I was reaching my breaking point. It all became worse with the pressure and questions from our families about why we had not had children yet. How could we have children when we were living like roommates instead of husband and wife?
I confronted him and he told me he had been molested as a boy and he was working on being sexual for me. My heart went out to him and I left it at that, I prayed for him every day, to overcome his experience.
One day I went to work and suddenly my period came so I had to rush back home to clean up; as I lived just fifteen minutes away from my office. I walked into my living room to find my husband being sodomised by another man who was on top of him.
He had sweat beads on his face and his eyes were closed. They did not hear me open the door; neither did they notice me standing directly opposite them. Hamisu opened his eyes. He looked at me and I looked at him.
He pushed the man off him and that is when I recognised who he was. The man that was sodomising my husband was my father.
What the hell was my father doing here? With my husband? I ran to the kitchen and took my largest knife. The rage inside me was like red hot lava in a volcano and it was threatening to erupt and consume all of us. The betrayal! He would not touch me but he could sleep with my father! I was confused about my father, No maybe my mind was playing tricks on me… my father was gone by the time I returned from the kitchen.
Hamisu was Unclad and struggling to wear his trousers when I stabbed him, I missed and a chase ensued. I wanted to send him to hell where he belonged.
Finally, I got his hand; the knife sliced through skin and flesh and came out with blood spraying everywhere staining the white carpet. He groaned in pain: Sadiya!
I raised the knife again; I wanted to stab him in his heart, just like he had done to me. I wanted to damage him with all the rage inside me.
He was begging me and I was charging towards him to finish him off when I tripped and fell; the knife slipped away from my hand and in that moment the powerlessness of my situation hit me.
What could I really do? Who would even believe me? What type of daughter would I be to accuse my father of homosexuality? How could I face my mother with the news that my father and my husband were lovers? Inna Lillahi what could I really do in this situation. I broke down; I just crouched and broke down in tears, the blood from my period further staining my white carpet… I did not care, let the carpet stain I thought- as I watched it turn a dirty red colour…
He crawled towards me, ‘Sadiya I am sorry’ was all he kept saying. I had so many things I wanted to say to him but I just could not open my mouth. It was as if the weight in my heart had pulled my mouth shut. I heard him talk.
He said he had always been a bottom (other men did it to him), since his days in secondary school. He said a senior boy had taught him and somehow it had become his habit. He said he preferred that to being with a woman.
‘I really do love you Sadiya, just not in that way you know! When we met you accepted me, without any questions. I love you but I just could not be a lover to you. And I saw that you liked being married to me. I always assumed you knew… This was a mistake, it will never happen again. Your father is the senior boy who first molested me back in secondary school. I had not seen him since secondary school until the day I went to greet him before we got married. We rekindled our relationship and… .’ I slapped his dirty mouth. How dare he? Three years in a sex less marriage and he had the audacity to tell me he assumed I knew? Why would a woman assume her husband was a perverted homo sexual pig? Why? Why did he marry me? He just used me to kill the rumours ko? Shege tsinnanne!
He continued to talk but I went to the bathroom and cleaned myself up. I walked out and drove straight home to my mother. After narrating what happened, my mother held me in her arms and told me she had caught my father several times with different lovers and she had taken it in her stride. I could not believe what she was saying. So all this time… my father had been a gay man and my mother knew. Not only did she know but she condoned it! Subhanallah. The only part of the story that shocked my mother was that he had seduced his son in law. I was beyond disgusted. What on earth?
All I thought I knew about my parents was a lie. A disgusting lie. I wanted to throw up wallahi. So she had children with him while knowing his true nature? According to my mother all I needed was patience. She told me she coped by telling herself it was just a habit like smoking cigarettes. She warned me against causing any scandal and instructed me to go home and take care of my husband like a good wife should. According to my mother all I needed was patience. She told me she coped by telling herself it was just a habit like smoking cigarettes. She warned me against causing any scandal and instructed me to go home and take care of my husband like a good wife should. No one wanted to be there for me so I drove home, cleaned up my house and waited. He came home late at night with a bandage over his wound. He talked a lot but I did not hear a word. I just looked at him and wondered what else he was hiding. That night I could not sleep. What was I going to do? I had cried gallons of tears and still I was hurting. The tears did not cool the raging fire within me. I was so angry! A week later, I still did not know how I was going to leave my husband. I could not pretend that things were normal between us. I was all cried out.
So I decided to take my life. It was the best possible outcome. If I killed myself then no would ever find out about the shame in my family. At night, I took a knife and started to slit my wrists until I passed out. I thought I had died but I woke up in a hospital with Hamisu and my mother by my side.
He had found me bleeding out on the floor of the kitchen. I was angry I did not succeed in taking my own life. I ended up staying in the hospital for a week and Hamisu was the ever dutiful husband. Everyone called me ungrateful for wanting to end my life despite having such a devoted husband… what more did I want in life; they all asked me. I wish they could know what I had been going through Once I felt better, I told him I wanted him to divorce me. I told him if he refused I would go to court and tell the alkali (judge) everything. I had nothing to lose. I just wanted to be away from him, from my parents, from everyone that said I was an ungrateful wife. I wish could put themselves in my shoes.
He divorced me. It has been a year and I just recently moved into my own house. I do not want anything to do with my parents. I still have suicidal thoughts every now and then.
Hamisu has remarried and I pitied the poor girl when I saw their pictures on Instagram. I wondered if she would ever find out. I wonder
if she will be patient with him. That patience is what landed me in the hell I found myself in.
I should have known that something was not right from our first night together. I should have said something, I should have left him. But no, I wanted to be a good wife. I cannot trust a man again. I do not wish to marry again. For now, what is important to me is making as much money to take care of myself without needing anyone.
People always say that time heals all wounds so I have hope of being normal some day. Thank you for reading my story.
My name is Sadiya Lawal. I am 29 years old. I am from Bauchi State.
A former Chief Judge of Enugu State, Professor I.A Umezulike, has queried Senator Ike Ekweremadu’s 32 choice properties in Nigeria and abroad and wanted the National Security Adviser (NSA), retired Brigadier-General Babagana Monguno, to order the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to probe him. Ekweremadu is the current Senate deputy President, and is in the upper chamber of the national assembly on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
In a letter, dated 16 June 2017, addressed to NSA, Professor Umezulike said that Ekweremadu’s lifestyle and the properties he has acquired are not justified by this source of income and should be probed under Section 7 (1) (b) of the EFCC Act.
According to the retired judge, the EFCC has the power to “cause investigation to be conducted into the properties of any person if appears to the Commission that the person’s lifestyle and extent of the properties are not justified by his source of income.”
He said that Ekweremadu is in his fourth term as senator representing Enugu West Senatorial District, adding that before he was elected as a senator, Ekweremadu spent four years as an aide to former Enugu State governor, Chimaroke Nnamani, first as the Chief of Staff and later, as Secretary to the State Government.
“In sum, from 1999 till date, he has been in the realm of public office without any break to engage in any personal business. Thus, his emoluments in the past 18 years are easily ascertainable from Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission.”
The retired judge said that prior to his entry into public office in 1999, Ekweremadu was a struggling lawyer, who lived in a depressed suburb of Enugu at No. 17 Mike Ejeagha Street, Abakpa-Nike, Enugu.
“He managed to eke out a living as a ‘charge and bail’ legal practitioner,” said Professor Umezulike, who attached photographs of buildings that housed the Deputy Senate President’s law office.
Professor Umezulike said that within a space of 18 years in public office, Ekweremadu has amassed billions of naira and used part of the money to buy high-end properties across four continents. He added that Ekweremadu has money in the vaults of Sterling Bank Plc and United Bank of Africa.
He said that in Enugu alone, the Deputy Senate President own No. 14, Iyienu Street, Independence Layout; 7 O’Connor Street, Asata; 14/16 Charles Street, G. R. A, Enugu; 9B Isuofia Street, Shagari Low Cost Housing in Trans-Ekulu; 28 Owerri Road in Asata, House 2, Local City Garden, G. R. A; an a plot at Republic Layout. He also owns 69.4 hectares of land in Ogbeke-Nike, Enugu.
He said that Ekweremadu’s property portfolio in Abuja includes Plot 1518 Maitama, 11 Evan Enwerem Street, Apo Legislative Quarters, Plot 2633 Kyami, Housing Estate (Plot 1106 CRD, Cadastral Zone 07-07, Lugbe, 2, Jim Nwobodo Street, Apo Legislative Quarters and Plot 2782 Asokoro Extension.
The retired judge said that the deputy Senate President also owns houses at Citi Park Estate, Gwagwalada; Plot 1474 Cadastral Zone BD6, Mabushi; Congress Court, Abuja; Flat 1, Block D25, Athletics Street, (24th Street) Games Village; and Plot 66, 64 Crescents, Gwarimpa Estate.
He said that in the British capital of London, Ekweremadu owns Flat 4 Varsity Court, Hormer Street, WIH 4NW, London; and 52 Ayleston Avenue, NW6 7AB, London, and that in Dubai, Ekweremadu is the owner of Room 1903, The Address Hotel, Downtown Dubai; The Address Boulevard, 3901, Dubai; 2 Flats of Burij Side Boulevard (The Signature), Dubai; Emirate Gardens Apartment No. EGG1/1/114, Dubai; Emirate Gardens Apartment No. EGG1/115, Dubai; Apartment No. DFB/12/B 1204, Park Towers, Dubai; Flat 3604, MAG 214, Dubai; and Villa No 148, Maeen1, The Lakes Emirates Hills, Dubai. In Florida, United States of America, the Deputy Senate President owns 4507 Stella Street, Bellavida Estate; 2747 Club Cortile Circle and 2763 Club Cortile Circle, all in Kissime, Florida.
“Given the foregoing, we urge and beseech you to direct thorough investigation of these properties of Senator Ike Ekweremadu with a view of bringing him to book and edify the fight against economic and financial crimes in Nigeria,” said Professor Umezulike. [myad]
A 16-year-old JAMB candidate from Ethiope East in Delta state, Oghotomo Ogheneruno Goddowell has emerged the best candidate in the ongoing 2018 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), obtaining score of 321 points.
Goddowell sat for the UTME exam at Benchill schools, Warri Delta State.
Another candidate Aliyu Muhammad Sani Kaugama, who finished from the Academic for th Gifted and Talented Bamaina School in Jigawa State, came second with score of 311 points
Goddowell’s, 321 is so far the highest score in the 2018 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
The 2018 UTME ended today, Saturday, March 17. [myad]
Managing Director of FirstNation Airways, Kayode Odukoya, is facing a four-count court charge bordering on forgery, use of false information, perjury and stealing of about N1, 741, 994, 962.04. Kayode Odukoya, who was dragged the by Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Lagos Zonal office, before Justice Mojisola Dada of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja.
The defendant allegedly forged the Memorandum of Loss of Lagos State Certificate of Occupancy in respect of a property located in Lagos, so it could be acted upon as genuine. One of the counts reads: “That you, Kayode Odukoya, on or about the 21st day of March, 2013 in Lagos within the Lagos Judicial Division knowingly forged the Memorandum of Loss of Lagos State Certificate of Occupancy Registered as No. 33 at page 33 in Volume 1011 at the Lagos State Registry, Alausa, Ikeja in respect of property being and situated at No. 29 Oduduwa Street, Ikeja GRA Lagos State with intent that the document may in any way be used or acted on as genuine to the prejudice of another.” Another charge reads: “That you, Kayode Odukoya, FirstNation Airways Limited and Bellview Airlines Limited, on or about the 7th day of October, 2016 in Lagos within the Lagos Judicial Division dishonestly converted for your own use the sum of N1, 742, 994, 962.04 (One Billion, Seven Hundred and Forty-one Million, Nine Hundred and Ninety-four Thousand, Nine Hundred and Sixty-two Naira, Four Kobo) property of Skye Bank Plc.” The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge when it was read to him. In view of this, the prosecution counsel, Zainab Ettu, asked the court for a trial date and to remand the defendant in prison custody so as to compel his appearance in court. “The defendant jumped the administrative bail given to him by the EFCC and refused to show up for his arraignment scheduled for March 9, 2018 before this court. “He was apprehended by the Operatives of the Commission to ensure his arraignment today,” Zainab Ettu said. Counsel to the defendant, however, urged the court to admit his client to bail. The defence counsel further told the court that the defendant was not a flight-risk, adding that “he is well known in the business sector in the country.” After listening to both parties, Justice Dada adjourned the case to March 26, 2018 for hearing of the bail application and April 7, 8 and 9, 2018 for commencement of trial. [myad]
President Muhammadu Buhari has just approved the constitution of the National Food Security Council (NFSC), to be headed by him, even as its inauguration has been slated for March 26.
It will have as members, the Governors of Kebbi, Taraba, Plateau, Lagos, Ebonyi and Delta States. Other members are the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF); the Chief of Staff to the President; the National Security Adviser (NSA); ministers for Agriculture and Rural Development; Finance; Interior; Industry, Trade and Investment; Water Resources; Environment; and Budget and National Planning.
The National Food Security Council will also have as members, the Chief of Defence Staff; the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria; the Directors-General of the Department of State Services and the National Intelligence Agency as well as the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service.
A statement by the senior special assistant to the President on media and publicity, Malam Garba Shehu said that the objectives of the Council will include, developing sustainable solutions to the farmers–herdsmen clashes; Climate Change and Desertification and their impact on farmland; grazing areas and lakes, rivers and other water bodies; oil spillage and its impact on Niger Delta Fishing Communities; piracy and banditry; agricultural research institutions and extension services and the problem of smuggling.
He said that the Council will also take interest in regional and global policies and trends that bear implications for food security in Nigeria. [myad]
The Nigeria Judicial Commission (NJC), has forced the Chief Judge of Abia State, Justice Theresa Uzokwe by recommending her compulsory retirement from service for alleged professional misconducts and other offences. The Commission also recommended the compulsory retirement of a Judge of the Abia High Court, Justice Obisike Oji for similar offences.
The Commission, which handed out the punitive measures on the erring judicial officers, at its 85th Meeting on March 14, similarly issued stern warnings to Justices S. E Aladetoyinbo and Olusola Ajibike Williams of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and Lagos High Courts respectively even as it sets up Committee to investigate a Supreme Court Justice and two State Chief Judges.
The Council under the Chairmanship of Mr. Justice Walter Samuel Nkanu Onnoghen, said that Justice Theresa Uzokwe was recommended for compulsory retirement following the findings of two investigative committees set up by the Council.
The committees, according to the Council, investigated petitions against her by Umeh Kalu, SAN, Attorney-General/Commissioner for Justice of Abia State, alleging illegal constitution and working with a parallel Judicial Service Commission instead of the one constituted by the State Governor and confirmed by the House of Assembly.
It said that Mr Justice Uzokwe was also found to have misconducted himself in Suit No. HU/131/2005, wherein he delivered judgement in the sum of N825, 000 (Eight Hundred and Twenty-five Thousand Naira) only in favour of a Litigant, but subsequently signed a garnishee order of N109, 612, 500 (One Hundred and Nine Million, Six Hundred and Twelve Thousand, Five Hundred Naira) only.
“Hon. Mr Justice Obisike Oji was earlier queried by the Council for allowing himself to be sworn-in as acting Chief Judge, and thereby colluding in, and aiding an unconstitutionalprocess. His reply was unsatisfactory and the Council recommended his compulsory retirement.
“The NJC reprimanded, seriously warned and placed on the Watch List Hon Justice S. E. Aladetoyinbo of the FCT High Court for impropriety in a case between U.L.O. Consultants Ltd v BIL Construction Nigeria Ltd, sequel to a petition by one Uche Luke Okpuno. Council would have sanctioned the Judge more severely but had to take into account the fact that aspects of the case are appealable.
“Council also seriously warned Hon Justice Olusola Ajibike Williams of the Lagos State High Court for grave errors of judgment in her level of involvement in a family business. Council found that the Judge, as a judicial officer, should have been more circumspect and conscious of her office. Council’s sanction was as a result of a petition by Chief Ladi Rotimi-Williams, SAN.
“Council at the meeting also considered various petitions written against thirty-one (31) Judicial Officers and resolved to empanel three (3) Investigative Committees against one Justice of Supreme Court and two (2) State Chief Judges.
“Petitions against various Justices were dismissed either for lack of merit, lack of evidence of misconduct, being subjudice or that the subject of such petitions were matters for appeal. The dismissed petitions were against Hon. Mr. Justices Abdu Aboki, TheresaAbadua and Ahmed Belgore all of the Court of Appeal; Hon. Mr. Justices J. T. Tsoho, Ayo Emmanuel, SabiuYahusa, Zainab B. Abubakar, B. O. Quadri of the Federal High Court; Hon. Mr. Justices A. N. Ubaka and B. B. Kanyip of National Industrial Court; Hon. Mr. Justices Bello Kawu, S. C. Orji, A. N. Talba of the FCT High Court;Hon. Mr. Justice K. C. Nwankpa of High Court Abia State; Hon. Mr. Justice D. A. Onyefulu of High Court Anambra State; Hon. Mr. Justice W. I. A. Effiong High Court Akwa-Ibom State; A. M. Ikpambese, High Court Benue State;Hon. Mr. Justice G. E.Gbemre, High Court Delta State; Hon. Mr. Justice A. O. Onovo, High Court Enugu State; Hon. Mr. Justice Idi Apollos, High Court Gombe State; Hon. Mr. Justice G. O. Ogunsanya, High Court Ogun State; Hon. Mr. Justice A. B. Abdulkarim, High Court Osun State; Hon. Mr. Justice K. A. Ojiako, High Court Imo State andHon. Mr Justices A. M. Lawal, L. A. Okunnu and L. B. Lawal Akapo, High Court Lagos State.
Council decided to advise Hon. Mr. Justice J. E. Ikede of Delta State High Court and Hon. Mr. Justice Yusuf Halilu of FCT High Court to be more careful in the course of their judicial duties.
“Council decided to refer a petition by Prince AdesinaOkuneye against Hon. Mr. Justice MwadaBalamiof the FCT High Court to the Police to investigate the allegation of N5, 000,000 (Five Million Naira) bribe to the Judge for granting bail to an accused person. Council decided that the petition should be put in abeyance until the outcome of the investigation by the Police. Council at the Meeting also recommended sixty (60) Judicial Officers to Governors of twenty-four (24) for appointment as High Court Judges, Sharia Court Kadis and Customary Court of Appeal Judges.” [myad]
The Permanent Secretary, Aso Rock Presidential Villa, Jalal Arabi, presents himself for screening as part of the events marking the 2018 World Kidney Day at the State House Clinic, Abuja.
President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, Thursday, commissioned a N50 billion sugar processing and manufacturing factory in Sunti, Niger State.
The company, Sunti Golden Sugar Estates, which occupies about 17,000 hectres of in Sunti village, about two-hour drive from Bida in Niger state, is the subsidiary of Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc (FMN). It has the capacity of processing and producing 100,000 metric tons very high polarity sugar for local industry and domestic uses.
Commissioning the project, President Buhari said that Sugar has been identified, the over, as a key commodity that is critical to national food security.
Her said that in addition the development of local content, the Sunti project with its value chain will not only help to stem the tide of importation of sugar and save foreign exchange, but also enhance rural industrialization and create wealth amidst rural poverty.
“For this, I must commend the Flour Mills of Nigeria.”
President Buhari emphasized the importance of project against the background of the efforts by Nigeria to wriggle out of recession and to see that economy continues to show considerable progress.
“We are reminded of one of the cardinal objectives of this administration which is to look inwards as we focus on our natural endowments in agriculture, and other non-oil sectors for inclusive growth and development.
“The level of work and magnitude of investment that we are witnessing here today is a clear demonstration that our policies on economic diversification are attracting the right kind of support and engagement. On that note, I must congratulate the entire members of the board, management and staff of Flour Mills for such a major step in expanding the business and creating more jobs for our people.”
The President acknowledged that the Flour Mills had repeatedly shown commitment to Nigeria, through good times and bad since its establishment 1960.
“The Sunti Golden Sugar Estate, as I am told, was built at a cost of over fifty billion naira making it one of the largest Agro-allied investments in Nigeria today, with a capacity to produce 100,000 metric tons of sugar annually.
“I am informed the Estate will engage up to 10,000 people directly including a network of over 3,000 small-scale out growers of Sugar cane. This to my mind is central to our administration’s determination to have an inclusive economy. The socio-economic impact of such a massive investment, in rural area of Nigeria, cannot be quantified.
“Lives will change for thousands in these localities. And the impact on the national economy will be significant.
“The location of the Sunti Sugar Estate on the banks of the River Niger is as notable as it is commendable. The enormous economic possibilities inherent here have perhaps been overlooked for far too long. It is on record that the Niger River Basin has played an essential role in the lives of the people who have had to depend on the basin for their subsistence.
“And when we take into cognizance the tributaries of the river and the proximity to the Kainji dam and the ecosystem, it is time we explore how this massive body of resources can be converted to a hub for industry and commerce. To that end, I call on other investors to take a cue from what we are witnessing today and come and invest heavily in this area.
“Let me reassure Nigerians, that this administration is fully committed to the transformation and diversification of the economy. We will continue to support businesses by creating enabling business environment. I wish to assure Nigerians that this government will continue to focus on the improvement of security and critical infrastructure, like roads, construction of rails and power generation across the country as a vital pre-requisite to economic progress. [myad]
The former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olisa Metuh, has appealed to the Federal High Court in Abuja to order for the release of his international passport to enable him travel abroad for medical attention. The former PDP spokesman, in his application moved by his counsel, Emeka Etiaba, prayed the trial Judge, Justice Okon Abang to grant him leave to travel abroad on health reasons. Metuh, who is facing a seven-count charge before the court, had earlier been granted a N400 million bail by the court. Other bail condition, according to Justice Abang, was for Metuh to provide two sureties with N200 million each. The sureties, the court held, must have properties in Maitama district of Abuja. The court also ordered the former PDP spokesman to submit his international passport to the Registrar of the court as part of the conditions for his bail. Appealing, in an application for the release of Metuh’s travel document today, Wednesday, his counsel told the court that the instant application was different from the two previous ones, which the court had heard and ruled on. He drew the attention of the court to Exhibit three attached to the application, which is a letter dated February 14, 2018 addressed to Dr. Raymond Onwuelo by Mr. Andrean T. H. Kessy, a Neurological and Spinal Surgery Consultant in London, stating detailed health status of Metuh. According to Etiaba, the surgery on Metuh will take about ten days and requires five weeks to heal, and added that, “Even when a defendant, in a trial as this, is due for a routine medical check up, that ordinarily will grant an application such as this, but we have gone beyond that to show why the court should grant the application. “We have asked the prosecution to make available health personnel to evaluate the heath status of the first defendant in this matter, to show our sincerity in our application for him to travel abroad on medical grounds”, he told the court. In his submission, counsel to the second defendant, Destra Investments Limited, allegedly owned by Metuh, Tochukwu Onwugbufor, said that the application deals with the exercise of the court’s discretion. He said the granting of the application by the court will speed up the trial as Metuh will have no reason to be absent from court for his trial. The prosecution counsel, Sylvanus Tahir, while opposing the application submitted that the defence have failed to place sufficient materials before the court to warrant it exercise it’s discretion on the application. He said that all the exhibits the defence attached to support the affidavit are un-convincing and that none qualify as a medical report to warrant a critical look by the court to see the defendant’s complaints of ill-health. Tahir therefore asked the court to dismiss the application for lacking in merit and consider it as an abuse of court’s process. The former PDP spokesman, who is facing trial alongside his firm, Destra Investment Limited was alleged to have received N400 million from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), prior to the 2015 presidential election. EFCC told the court that the N400 million, released to the defendants by the erstwhile NSA, Col. Sambo Dasuki, (rtd), was part of the $2.1 billion earmarked for the purchase of arms to prosecute the war against insurgency in the North Eastern part of the country. The anti-graft agency said the fund was electronically wired from an account ONSA operated with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to Metuh, via account No. 0040437573, which his firm operated with Diamond Bank Plc. [myad]
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