Security Boss Restores Punch Reporter To Aso Villa Few Hours After He Was Expelled

April 24, 2017

The Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Lawal Daura, has endorsed the return of the correspondent of The Punch newspapers, Olalekan Adetayo, to the Aso Presidential Villa.
Adetayo had earlier been expelled from the nation’s seat of power by the Chief Security Officer (CSO),to President Muhammadu Buhari, Bashir Abubakar, himself a deputy director of DSS.
In a memo to the Chairman of the Correspondents Chapel in the Villa by the Senior Special Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, said that Lawal Daura had asked that Adetayo be allowed back to his beat.
“We just got a clearance from Malam Lawal Daura, the DG SSS, to recall Lekan to the Villa.
“Please come along with him tomorrow.
“The Special Adviser on Media, Femi Adesina, and I will resolve the issues.
“Please advice the Correspondents and the rest of your members to handle this with maturity.
“It will not help anyone to start daring the security. Lekan should be assured that he is safe.
“We will straighten out everything.” [myad]

Forex: CBN Offers $246.2 Million For Wholesale, SMEs, Invisibles

Greenbarge Reporters

April 24, 2017

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has offered the sum of $246.2 million to authorized dealers at the forex auction in the interbank wholesale window, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and invisibles segments.

A breakdown of the total offer indicates that the sum of $150 million was auctioned at the wholesale window while SMEs and invisibles got $52 million and $44.2 million respectively.

The apex bank’s spokesman, Isaac Okorafor, confirmed the offer and sales today, Monday, saying that the forwards sales would be concluded in the days to come. He, however, added that the CBN will continue its weekly sale to dealers in the Bureau de Change (BDC) segment this week in order to guarantee onward sale to end users.

According to him, the Bank’s continued interventions in the different segments had guaranteed availability to individuals and business concerns. He disclosed that the Bank was satisfied with the feedback it received concerning the response of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to access forex from the new CBN window.

He said that the CBN was particularly determined to ease the challenges hitherto encountered by small manufacturers hence the move to provide them with easy access to forex.

“SME operators no longer have to patronize or source foreign through unofficial windows and no more pressure on either the BDCs or any other unofficial source with the opening of the special window.”

The CBN, had last week, created a Forex window for investors and exporters, which it named: “Investors’ & Exporters’ FX Window.”

The apex bank’s circular, which announced the creation of the new window, disclosed that the purpose of the window was to boost liquidity in the forex market and ensure timely execution and settlement for eligible transactions. [myad]

Expulsion Of PUNCH Reporter: Presidency Disowns Chief Security Officer

Greenbarge Reporters

April 24, 2017

The Presidency has dissociated itself from the expulsion of The PUNCH correspondent, Olalekan Adetayo from the Presidential Villa, Abuja today, Monday by the Chief Security Officer (CSO) to the President, Bashir Abubakar.

Reacting swiftly to the expulsion, Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina said that the CSO took such action without consultation with his office.

In a tweet, Adesina assured the nation that the President is still committed to press freedom in Nigeria.

“We weren’t consulted in the media office by the CSO before he expelled The Punch reporter. President Buhari is committed to press freedom.

“An amicable solution would be found to The Punch reporter matter. President Buhari does not intend to muzzle the media in any way”, he twitted.

The CSO had earlier summoned Adetayo to his office and questioned him on two reports he considered uncomplimentary of Buhari and his administration.

according to the reporter, the CSO referred to the lead story of SUNDAY PUNCH of April 23, 2017, titled: “Fresh anxiety in Aso Rock over Buhari’s health” and queried the motive behind it.

He said that the security chief also referred to his column, Aso Rock Lens, published on Saturday, April 22, 2017, and titled: “Seat of power’s event centres going into extinction.”

According to Adetayo, the CSO asked one of his men to go and take Adetayo’s statement and revert to him and thereafter, he directed the Officer in Charge, Department of State Services, Victor Nwafor, to withdraw his accreditation tag and led him out of the premises after retrieving his personal belongings from the Press Gallery of the Council Chambers.

Nwafor left an instruction at the Admin Reception that Adetayo should no longer be allowed into the premises after which he handed him over to another security operative who led him to where his car was parked to ensure he left the premises as instructed.

It is on record that President Buhari had, upon assumption of office in May 2015, restored the accreditation of Ubale Musa, a DeutchWalle correspondent after it was withdrawn by the government of Goodluck Jonathan.

[myad]

We’ll Blow Off US Aircraft Carrier, North Korea Threatens

Greenbarge Reporters

April 24, 2017

North Korea has threatened to sink an American aircraft carrier engaged in joint drills with two Japanese destroyers in the western Pacific Ocean.

The USS Carl Vinson will be joined by the Ashigara and Samidare destroyers in “tactical training” drills near the Philippines, the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force said.

North Korea’s state-run newspaper Rodong Sinmun said in an editorial that the country is ready to illustrate its “military force” by sinking a “nuclear-powered aircraft carrier with a single strike.”

The state newspaper claimed to have weaponry which “can reach continental US and Asia Pacific region” and the “absolute weapon,” hydrogen bomb.

The country turned its sights on Australia, after Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said North Korea would be subject to further sanctions.

Meanwhile, US President, Donald Trump had said that the Vinson carrier group was being deployed to waters off the Korean Peninsula.

Trump said he was sending “an armada” to Korean waters potentially to deal with threats from North Korea.

The statement came after Pyongyang said it had successfully launched a new ballistic missile.

“We are sending an armada. Very powerful,” Trump told Fox Business Network’s Maria Bartiromo.

“We have submarines. Very powerful. Far more powerful than the aircraft carrier. That I can tell you.” [myad]

Osinbajo’s Panel Invites CBN Gov, Others Over Recovered Cash In Lagos

Greenbarge Reporters

April 24, 2017

The Presidential investigative panel, headed by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has invited the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in connection with the $43 million, N23 million and £27,000 recovered by the anti graft agency from a flat at Osborne Towers in Ikoyi, Lagos.

The CBN governor, Godwin Emefiele, together with top officials of the National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS), are expected to explain the circumstances of the funds for which the Director General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ayodele Oke was recently suspended by President Muhammadu Buhari.

NAPIMS, a subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), was said to have released $289,202,382 to NIA for “covert” operations. The NNPC will also face the panel to explain its role in the money transfer.

Similarly, NIA officials have been asked to appear to shed light of what the money was needed for, how part of it was used, why the choice of Ikoyi Towers as safe house, among others.

It was learnt also that Osinbajo panel has summoned all the contractors and consultants who handled different jobs under the Presidential Initiative on the North-East (PINE).

The controversy surrounding the PINE contracts also led to the suspension of Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Engineer Babachir David Lawal,

President Buhari had immediately set up a committee, headed by Vice President Osinbajo, with the Attorney-General and Justice Minister, Abubakar Malami and National Security Adviser, retired Major General Babagana Monguno as members to probe the activities of the two suspended top government officials.

The panel was given 14 days within which to submit its findings. [myad]

Sheriff’s Alleged Misdemeanor: Northeast PDP Leaders Apologize To Ex President Jonathan

Greenbarge Reporters

April 24, 2017

The leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the North-East, has apologized to immediate past Nigerian President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan the misbehavior of the National Chairman of the party, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff.

Sheriff had, during the reconciliatory meeting chaired by ex President Jonathan, walked out on him for not recognizing him as the Chairman of the part.

In a statement signed by the Zonal Chairman of the party, Ambassador Emmanuel Q Njiwah and secretary, Hon. kabiru Bappah Jauro, the northeast leaders disassociated “the zone from the unfortunate and lamentable actions of one of our prominent member who walked out of the reconciliatory meeting held at the Yar’adua Center on Thursday the 6th of April 2017.

“As members and executives of the PDP in the North East we strongly stand by the moves initiated by the former President and encourage him not to relent in his effort and quest to find a lasting solution to the current Challenges confronting our party.”

The statement said that the zonal stakeholders’ meeting, earlier scheduled to hold at Gombe state has been postponed, saying that due “to security reports from the security agencies, we were compelled to postpone the meeting indefinitely.

“A new date and venue will be communicated to parties concerned as soon as the decision is arrived at.” [myad]

American Professor Arrested, Detained In North Korea

Greenbarge Reporters

April 24, 2017

An American professor, Kim Dong Chul has been arrested and detained by the North Korean government.

Kim Dong Chul, a naturalized US citizen of Korean origin, was arrested at the Pyongyang International airport as he was about to leave the Asian country.

The development comes hours after Japan announced that two of its Naval destroyers have began conducting joint naval drills with America’s USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier strike group in the western Pacific Ocean.

The U.S doesn’t have any diplomatic relations with North Korea and uses Sweden to negotiate it’s interests in North Korea, hence the Swedish embassy on Sunday confirmed the arrest and detention of Kim.

Martina Aberg, a Deputy Chief of Mission at the Sweden embassy in Pyongyang told CNN, “He was prevented from getting on the flight out of Pyongyang,”

“We don’t comment further than this.”

This is not the first time the North Korean government is detaining American citizens.

Within the last 5 years, over two other US citizens and a British journalist have been detained by Kim Jong-Un’s led secretive government.

On January 2 last year, a 21-year-old Otto Warmbier, a student at the University of Virginia, was detained at Pyongyang airport after visiting the country with a tour group.

Warmbier has since been sentenced to 15 years of hard labor for allegedly removing a political sign from a hotel wall.

Chul was arrested on October 2015. Last year, North Korea sentenced him to 10 years with hard labor on espionage charges. [myad]

Police Declare Man Who Allegedly Killed 67 People Wanted

Greenbarge Reporters

April 24, 2017

Nigerian police have declared wanted, a man, Terwase Akwaza, described as one of the country’s most notorious lawbreakers, in connection with a crime that that led to the death of 67 people.

Terwase Akwaza, who is also known as Ghana, is wanted for the March killings of 17 people and destruction of properties worth millions of naira by arson at Zaki Biam market in the central Benue state.

He is also accused of killing about 50 people in other locations in Benue, including the security aide to Governor Samuel Ortom.

A statement by the police spokesman, Jimoh Mshood said: “he is wanted for other capital offences such as kidnapping, armed robbery, culpable homicide, mischief by fire and criminal conspiracy.”

Moshood said that Benue state government has offered a “handsome” reward of N10 million to anybody with useful information that could lead to the arrest of Akwaza. [myad]

US Won’t Extradite Gulen Over Failed Military Coup In Turkey – Lawmaker

Greenbarge Reporters

April 24, 2017

Head of the powerful intelligence Committee of the United States Congress, Devin Nunes has ruled out the possibility of extraditing a US based Turkey Islamic Religious scholar, Sheikh Fethullah Gulen over the July 15, 2016 botched military coup in Turkey.

This was even as the Foreign Affairs Committee of the United Kingdom Parliament also debunked accusation by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Turkish government that Sheikh Gulen had anything to do with the coup attempt.

Devin Nunes, who is a member of the Republican Party and close ally of President Donald Trump said: “I haven’t seen evidence that Gulen was involved in the failed coup.”

The Republican lawmaker accused President Edorgan government of being authoritarian.

“Our relationship with Turkey is strained and going to become even more complicated as we begin to try to get ISIS out of Iraq and Syria.”

Devin Nunes accused President Edorgan of being the architect of the attempted coup.

In a statement also, the Foreign Affairs Committee of the UK Parliament said: “given the brutality of the events of 15 July, the severity of the charges made against the Gulenists, and the scale of the purges of perceived Gulenists that has been justified on this basis, there is a relative lack of hard, publicly-available evidence to prove that the Gulenists as an organization were responsible for the coup attempt in Turkey.

“While there is evidence to indicate that some individual Gulenists were involved, it is mostly anecdotal or circumstantial, sometimes premised on information from confessions or informants, and is – so far – inconclusive in relation to the organization as a whole or its leadership.” [myad]

Dino Melaye Lied, I Have No Hand In Assassination Attempt On Him – Kogi Governor

Greenbarge Reporters

April 23, 2017

The Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, has described as a lie, allegation by Senator Dino Melaye that the alleged assassination attempt on him was masterminded by him (the governor).

Governor Yahaya Bello, who spoke through his media aide, Kingsley Fanwo, described such allegation as baseless, saying that he would not be distracted by anyone in his attempt to re-position and resuscitate Kogi state.

“Senator Melaye and his group should not see Kogi as their fishing point. Their allegation against me is reckless, unsustainable, uncharitable and indefensible.”

Dino Melaye, representing Kogi west in the Senate, had last week, cried out over an alleged assassination attempt on his life by unknown gunmen at his residence in Aiyetoro-Gbede Ijumu Local Government Area of the state.

According to him, the assailants invaded the residence at about 12:00 am on Saturday, shooting sporadically in the building, adding that two of his vehicles parked within the premises were damaged while part of his building was destroyed. [myad]

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