Strong indications emerged over the weekend that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is set to inject more foreign exchange through intervention segments of the market, thereby heightening expectations that the Naira will appreciate significantly during the week. The expectations became rife following the inability of the authorized dealers to fully subscribe to various amounts offered by the apex Bank on two consecutive times last week. Those two events alone sent jitters to currency speculators perceiving Dollar glut as imminent in the market. Spokesman of the apex Bank, Isaac Okorafor, in a chat with newsmen at the weekend, confirmed the anticipated interventions in most segments of the market during the week, with effect from tomorrow, Monday. According to him, the Bureau D’ Change (BDC) and the Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) along with other major segments will also receive the adequate intervention with a view to providing liquidity in the entire foreign exchange market. Meanwhile, manufacturers have praised the CBN over the foreign exchange management strategy adopted recently. The Director General of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Segun Ajayi-Kadiri, was recently quoted as saying: “the recent pronouncement of the CBN comes as a relief. If the intervention is sustained, there’s no doubt that we will have continued improvement in sourcing raw materials.” Recently, a foremost entrepreneur, Tony Elumelu also lauded the foreign exchange regime noting that “the recent policy initiatives of the central bank under the watch of Emefiele had restored predictability, improved market confidence and significantly added a boost to the value of the national currency, fuelling optimism that the economy would soon rebound from recession.” [myad]
The Kogi State chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has called on its members to disregard threats by the state government to sack doctors over the ongoing strike. The doctors have been on strike over the non-payment of their salaries.
This was even as the State’s Acting Head of Service, Mrs. Kehinde Lawal, directed the Chief Medical Directors of hospitals to open duty registers from Monday, May 8, vowing to sack doctors that fail to report to work.
But Chairman of the Kogi chapter of the NMA, Dr. Tijani Godwin, asked the doctors, in a statement today, Saturday in Lokoja, to continue with the strike until their demands were met.
He encouraged the striking doctors to be resolute and never be intimidated, adding that no doctor should sign any register at any hospital.
“Any member, who disobeys the decision of the congress, will be sanctioned. The congress decision is binding on all members.”
Godwin asked the doctors to disregard threats meant to distract them from pursuing what was legitimately theirs, and stressed the need for the doctors to unite so as to save the profession.
Two passenger buses were said to have collided and caught fire at a quarry site at Km 96, on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway today, Saturday, killing the passengers in the two buses, except a baby who was said to have been thrown out through the window by his father An eyewitness told News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the two 18-seater buses had a head-on collision and the buses caught fire immediately.
“All the passengers in the two buses were burnt beyond recognition. Only a baby escaped death because the father of the child threw him out through the window of the bus,” the witness was quoted as saying.
The Oyo state sector commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Yusuf Salami, confirmed the accident and said that he was yet to be briefed on the casualty figures.
He confirmed that the accident involved two 18-seater buses.
Nigeria’s Nobel laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, has frowned at the numerous people across the country that have constituted themselves into an army of corruption-fighting-back and called on the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) to set up machinery to identify and prosecute them.
Professor Soyinka, who made the call at the opening of his Vision of the Child Art Exhibition, 2017 edition, at Freedom Park, Lagos with the theme: Enhance the Heritage; Advance the Future, in celebrating Lagos at 50, said that most times, the anti-corruption agency was sent on the wrong track or wild goose chase, resulting to no prosecution.
“When we talk about corruption, is it not time we legislate against detractors, who deliberately create distraction. Say for instance, the money just found in Lagos.
“One governor claimed that the money belongs to his state government, claiming a proceed from the sale of some turbines and so on. It is a criminal act of distraction. He knew very well that he was lying, that the money was not his, but belongs to someone else.
“Obviously, acting in the interest of those accused of corruption; that to me is connivance and collaboration with corrupt people. I think such people should be criminalized by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).”
Professor Soyinka commended the art works of the children and expressed the hope that with children exposing the corruption acts of the adults, Nigeria would be in for better days.
The Acting Chairman of EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, said at the occasion that the commission’s operation was not limited to investigation and prosecution of offenders, but also to enlighten the public on the dangers of corruption.
Magu said that the painting exhibition was one way to educate and enlighten people about corruption, stressing that the paintings exposed some ways in which adults were involved in corrupt practices.
“My views of the Nigerian child, from the across the plains, the hills, the forests and the swamps of Nigeria are those of innocence and boundless creativity.
“However, like most of the older generation, many of our youths seem also to be trapped in cocoons of corruption, which have built around them.
“However, Professor Soyinka’s “Vision of the Child” project and the sheer breadth and depth of these paintings by these youngsters, demonstrate very well that our children have an acute awareness of what is going on around them and are breaking free of the shackles of corruption.
“They also show the determination of the younger generation for their voices to be heard.
‘‘The uncomfortable questions they are asking us are; how and why did we allow this beautiful country to be turned into the cesspit of corruption?
“These paintings speak to all strata of our society and to every flank of the war against corruption and the common message I see running through all of them is: we will never give up on the ideals of a just and equitable society.
“The vision I see so eloquently expressed in these wonderful pieces of art is that of the irrepressible Nigerian spirit, refusing to be put down and reaching out for the Nigeria of our collective dreams: the Nigeria where our commonwealth is used for our common good and not looted by a few greedy, self-centred lot.
“I can confirm to you that corruption is already fighting back. But, even though massive resources have been deployed to fight back at EFCC, we draw strength and encouragement to carry on from the likes of these children and Professor Wole Soyinka.
“We draw the courage to soldier on from millions of ordinary Nigerians whose desires are for equity and social justice.”
Magu said that the EFCC is not personal in the discharge of its mandate, stressing that its personnel only fear God, with the guiding principles by the Rule of Law and the overriding interest of the country.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that 38 students selected from different schools, participated in literary and painting works at the exhibition.
A 60 year old grandmother, Adebayo Ebunoluwa Mercy has confessed that she was lured into drug trafficking by an un-named friend she met at a party.
Mercy, who was arrested by officers of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA) Lagos along with another 59 year old grandmother, said: “I am a divorcee selling provision for survival.
“Things became rough and tough for me when I lost my capital due to family problems. It has been my dream to travel to the United States in search of greener pastures.
“My involvement in drug trafficking was an afterthought. My intention when I got my visa last year was to go and work to take care of my needs without being a burden to anyone. Everything changed suddenly when I met an old friend at a party.
“They took care of my travel expenses and gave me three thousand dollars with a promise to assist me secure a job in the United States. It was few hours to my journey that they brought the drugs for me to swallow. They said that it was my contribution for the kindness and money spent on my trip but it turned out to be my biggest mistake.”
Mercy, who hails from Kogi State, was found to have ingested eighty-three (83) wraps of heroin weighing 1.105kg on her way to the United States.
Also arrested was 59 year old Amodu Ayisat Grace, who allegedly ingested twenty-five (25) wraps of cocaine weighing 275 grammes on her way to Saudi Arabia.
Ayisat told investigators that as a Muslim, she was glad to travel to Saudi Arabia but her journey terminated at the NDLEA office, saying: “I was happy when they offered to sponsor my trip to Saudi Arabia but I never knew it will end in my detention. I sell fufu (staple food from cassava) to take care of my four children as a widow and this has been very challenging.
“They enticed me with a visit to Saudi Arabia and a handsome reward and I fell for trick. I only swallowed 25 wraps of the drug. Unfortunately I could not get to Saudi Arabia because of my arrest.” She was born in Lagos.
They were arrested during outward screening of passengers at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA) Lagos.
NDLEA preliminary investigation revealed that this is the first time a grandmother of 60 years will ingest a whopping eighty-three wraps of narcotics. In addition, the second suspect was going to Saudi Arabia where drug trafficking attracts capital punishment.
Mercy was arrested while boarding a Virgin Atlantic flight to New York while Ayisat was caught trying to board an Ethiopian airline flight on her way to Medina, Saudi Arabia. The cases are under investigation.”
NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive, retired Colonel Muhammad Mustapha Abdallah said that it is shocking and shameful for grandmothers to be involved in drug trafficking.
“This move by drug cartels to recruit grandmothers as mules is very disturbing, shocking and shameful. The moral emptiness exhibited by the suspects must be condemned by all.
“A situation where grandmothers have become a bad influence on their children and grandchildren is highly regrettable.” [myad]
President Muhammadu Buhari has introduced a New Vision for the oil-producing communities of Niger Delta in line with the presentation made by the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), directing the increase in the Amnesty programme fund by N35 billion.
A statement today, Saturday by the senior special assistant to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on media and publicity, Laolu Akande said that the N35 billion is in addition to the N20 billion which the President approved in the 2016 budget, adding that N30 billion was recently released.
The statement said that there is also a planned release of another N5 billion soon adding that as at now, the Amnesty Office has paid up all ex-militants backlog of their stipends up to the end of 2016.
“Subsequently, the President asked his deputy, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, to embark on a tour of the region that saw him visiting several oil-producing States in the country.
“Besides the monthly payment of about N65, 000 to N66,000 to the ex-militants, the funds would also go to the provision of reintegration activities under the Amnesty Programme including payment of tuition fees for beneficiaries from Niger Delta who are in post-secondary institutions at home and abroad, payment of in-training & hazard allowances and vocational training costs.
“There are also empowerment schemes and self-help, self-employment support funds, including provision of needed equipments by the Amnesty Office. Equally, the funds would also support the training of pilots, aviation engineers, technicians, and motor vehicles mechanics from the oil-producing communities.
“The Buhari administration reassures the Niger Delta communities of its unalloyed commitment to a faithful implementation of its promises made during the FG interactive engagement visits by the Vice President to different oil-producing communities
“Other promises made during the visits are currently at different stages of effective implementation, including the effective opening of the Maritime University, integration of illegal refiners under the concept of new Modular Refineries, resumption of all abandoned construction projects in the region, the Ogoni Clean-up, and several others.
“For instance, the Maritime University is now on course to be opened before the end of the year as the presidency has already set the process in motion as announced yesterday. Other announcements are to follow as each of the commitments of the FG to the Niger Delta oil-producing communities reach advanced and implementation stages.
“Already there is an inter-ministerial group consisting of all relevant ministries, departments and agencies, MDAs of the FG, with the involvement of relevant State governments led by the Vice President that meets regularly to drive the different initiatives and ensure effective and ongoing implementation.” [myad]
Report just reaching us indicated that Boko Haram insurgents have released 80 out of over 270 they abducted in April 2014 from the Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok, Borno State.
Sources said that the release of the 80 abducted school girls came after further negotiations between the Islamist group and the Muhammadu administration and that those released are currently in Banki town in Borno state awaiting airlift to unknown destination. Only late last week, news filtered in that the Nigerian army had wounded the Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau in an air strike.
One Mathew Abioro and his wife, Precious, have allegedly confessed to Ogun State police command that they have been operating as armed robbers in the state for some time now.
The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Abimbola Oyeyemi, who paraded the couple, said that they also confessed to be serving as receivers of stolen items.
He said: “the couple were arrested when men of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS) received information that some notorious armed robbers who have been terrorizing Abeokuta and Sango axis are planning to carry out another operation consequent upon which their hideout was stormed and the couple was arrested.
“On interrogation, they (the couple) confessed being involved in a series of armed robbery within and outside Abeokuta metropolis. They equally confessed being receivers of stolen motorcycles from other robbery gangs and that they used to sell such motorcycles to Benin Republic and used the proceeds to purchase arms and ammunition which they use for their own operations.”
He the police spokesman said that Officers of (FSARS) were arrested on tip off as they were planning to carry out an operation. He said that a pump action gun, one cut-to-size single-barreled pistol, one cut-to-size double-barreled pistol and four live cartridges were recovered from the suspects. [myad]
There used to be a world class prolific writer, novelist and social reformer through the pen, called James Hadley Chase. Mr. Hadley Chase was so elusive that he bore many names, making it impossible for distance people from him to know which of his names were real and which ones were not.
Indeed, while his birth name was René Lodge Brabazon Raymond, he was well known by his various pseudonyms, including James Hadley Chase, James L. Docherty, Raymond Marshall, R. Raymond, and Ambrose Grant. And so, even his name was a clear reflection of fiction.
So too, was his trade as the world class fiction novelist of his time. As a matter of fact, back in the 60s up to middle 80s, Hadley Chase assailed the reading people of the world, especially students, with loads and loads of fiction novels, as in the same category with James Bond, a world class fiction actor. He started his writing career in 1939 with his first novel: No Orchids for Miss Blandish and another one, The Villain and the Virgin.
Hadley Chase, who died on February 6, 1985, had a way of painting and describing places, people and scenarios with professional fictional gusto, so much that you would not, but loved him. I, in particular, was an avid reader of his novels just when I was at my formative stage (adolescent) and therefore, I naturally developed my mastery of English language through reading his novels which he churned out fortnightly.
And long after Hadley Chase did his part and departed to the great beyond, another of the ilk of Hadley Chase, mainly for ill motive, has emerged. It is, this time, a group or is it a company, going by the name: “Sahara Reporters.”
Sahara Reporters, though leaning on the wall of journalism to practice its trade, has lately came out clearly as fiction writing organization, wrongly parading itself as INVESTIGATIVE news platform!
Apart from melancholically touching and attacking top guys in Nigeria and elsewhere, in the name of courageous journalism, Sahara Reporters has lately turned into a great source of embarrassment to the noble profession and as a noise maker, churning out fictional news about the health status of the Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari, to the ridiculous extent of displaying what an average Igbo man calls “too know.”
As a matter of fact, Sahara Reporters has severally came up with analysis and reports on Buhari’s health status so much as if it is the one whose operatives have been the doctors treating the President, to the point that even his wife, Aisha knows not what they know. They even have the temerity of questioning Aisha’s Tweet that her husband’s health is not as bad as people perceived.
When Buhari was in London for the famous medical vacation, Sahara Reporters was at its best, dishing out all sorts of medical jargon, imaginative analysis and pure fiction novels (I mean, news), most, if not all of which could be classified as not even fiction but junks told by idiots that had developed mental disorder and professional whitlow!
The Sahara Reporters came up with wild story that Buhari was infested with all type of dangerous diseases on this earth that would render him incapacitated for the rest of his life. Many people, including professional medical doctors could not even recognize some of the diseases Sahara Reporters listed, and which it said would make the President to remain in London for six months earliest. However, less than two weeks after the Sahara Reporters irresponsible report, Buhari returned to the country, Nigeria and the idiots did not or was not forced to apologize to their die-hard but gullible visitors (readers) in Nigeria.
The latest one of the numerous falsehood Sahara Reporters dished out to gullible Nigerians, hiding under the democratic ethos: Talk is free but Facts are sacred, was about the arrival in Aso Rock, Abuja, Nigeria, of three medical doctors from Britain to treat the President of the disease the hack writer (s) had even identified.
According to Sahara Reporters, the three doctors (all British: two males ad one female) that arrived in Aso Villa on Thursday, May 4, 2017 would treat President Buhari of the ailment of, according to it, chronic disease: “an intestinal disorder, prostate cancer, age-related disorders, including dementia.”
Unfortunately for Sahara Reporters, President Buhari attended Friday (Jum’at) prayer the following day, Friday, looking a little bit improved, after some rest which his doctors insisted he must observe. The President, on arrival looking better, removed his shoes by himself, entered the Mosque and observed two Rakkah: standing to recite verses from Holy Qur’an, bending down to his knees, standing up, prostrating, sitting down, prostrating again and repeating the same thing twice. He also joined in the main congregational prayer after which he shook hands with some dignitaries, cracked some lively jokes with them, smiled, bended down to put on his shoes, got up, walked to the newsmen, greeted them, waved hands to fellow worshippers that offered open prayer for him and walked as normal as he has always been to his residence, about 800 metres from the Mosque. The thought that immediately came to the minds of those whose sensibility were unfortunate assailed by the cooked up news of Sahara Reporters the previous day was, may be the British were waiting for him in his residence to continue with their treatment. Bullshit!
In fact, one would not be surprised if Sahara Reporters comes up with another jaundiced report that President Buhari was given certain drugs to take, just to enable him to go to Jum’at Mosque on Friday, after which he would return to the imported British doctors to continue with his treatment. After all, the same Sahara Reporters questioned the authenticity of the President’s meeting with the Group Managing Director of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and the Attorney General of the Federation on Thursday, saying that such meeting was not recorded in video or covered by newspapers. It also questioned Aisha Buhari’s Tweet that her husband was not as sick as people were being fed by the like of Sahara Reporters.
In mockery of Sahara Reporters, a television cameraman in Aso Villa, today, Saturday, May 5, sent the following words to his WhatsApp group:
“BREAKING NEWS –
“At Last Muhammadu Buhari Hands Over Power to Osinbajo.
“It has been confirmed some minutes ago that the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Rtd. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari has handed over power to his Vice, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo about 20 minutes ago at home where the President is currently working from. This decision came after a closed door meeting held by the cabals and chieftains of the APC. According to the media adviser to Buhari, Mr. Femi Adesina, President Buhari handed over his 50,000Mah Power Bank to Osinbajo to enable him charge his phone whose battery is down as a result of lack of electricity in his location….”
When the TV cameraman was attacked for taking this type of joke too far, he simply said that he was reporting for Sahara Reporters and dared anybody who felt aggrieved to go to court or to beat him if they could get him, a rude reference to the elusiveness of Sahara Reporters!!!
Of course, if the TV cameraman had sent the same ‘joke’ to Sahara Reporters, it would have posted it as gospel truth, even quoting the usually reliable source, for to it, anything…anything at all, goes.
What a shame that Sahara Reporters has gradually turned itself into a pathological and terrible liar, barefaced nincompoop and a none repentant derelict that makes itself a shameless laughing stock amongst human and humanity, all in the name of making a name or money or fame or whatever.
Not to worry, this is both the beauty and ugliness of democracy where the good, the bad and the ugly mix up in the market of human being. So, Sahara Reporters has mates, of the same feather, mixing up in the market with those of us that are practicing decent journalism.
The society can kindly tolerate them, but with a lot of care.
That is with realization that Sahara Reporters could be a media section of the Association of the Corruption Fighting Back (ACFB). [myad]
President Muhammadu Buhari, exuding self confidence and good health, today, Friday, at the Friday Jum’at Mosque, inside Aso Rock Presidential Villa, Abuja, threw banters, shared some lively jokes and got many people rolling with laughter.
The President, who before today, was said to be so ill that he could not eat and drink and that he was being fed through tube, even asked after his personal photographer when he emerged from the Mosque after the Jum’at prayer.
The prayer session was attended by his top aides, some ministers including that of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, Attorney General of the Federation and minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, some Senators; a Sokoto Prince, Alhaji Shehu Malami; First Republic politician under the National Party of Nigeria (NPN), Ishaku Ibrahim; National Security Adviser (NSA), Major General Babagana Monguno, acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu; chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NACON), Barrister Abdullahi Mukhtar and a host of others.
Editor-In-Chief of Greenbarge Reporters was there in the Mosque and gave the following narration of President Buhari’s appearance after so much dangerous speculations in social media:
The President arrived in the Mosque at exactly 1.20 Pm and went straight to observe two supplementary Rakkah (standing to recite from Holy Qur’an, bowing, prostrating and sitting) while the Chief Imam was already delivering his sermon.
Not quite five minutes after his arrival, the chief Imam finished the sermon, offered special prayer for God to grant the President good health, and commenced the two obligatory Rakkah. After terminating the prayer, the President got to his feet at which time many dignitaries had already lined up along the route to the Mosque’s exit, to have a glimpse of him and possibly for handshake.
Buhari took his time shaking hands with some notable elders, including Alhaji Shehu Malami, who the President jokingly complained to: “they say we are old and therefore to them, it is sickness…are we sick? “
There was a thunderous laughter inside the Mosque.
The President went out of the Mosque, bended down and personally put his shoes on one after another as the NSA and others watched him. He got up from the bended position and walked towards where other dignitaries, including the minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, NAHCON chairman, Barrister Abdullahi Mikhtar and others were waiting to have handshake with him.
Buhari then moved to where journalists, mostly cameramen, were waiting to take shots. As he got to them, he asked after his personal photographer, to which his colleagues answered: “he is not here sir, but Sunday (Aghaeze, the President’s Personal Assistant on photography) is here.”
The cameramen and others around the corridor of the Mosques openly prayed for the President to regain his health fully, to which the President answered: “Amin.”
He stood for a while as the photographers were doing their job and then walked away, heading to his residence (about 800 metres away). [myad]
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