Metuh’s Family Cries Foul Over His Continued Detention

January 7, 2016

The family of the national publicity secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Olisa Metuh has cried foul over the continued detention of the garrulous party spokesman by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC).

Metuh is being held over the sum of N1,4 Billion that was allegedly traced to his account which was suspected to be part of the arms deal scandal over which the former National Security (NSA) is being investigated.

A statement today signed by Chief Gilbert Metuh on behalf of the family, pointed out what the family described as grave concern the continued incarceration of “our Diokpa and spokesperson of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chief Olisa Metuh (Ugochidebelu Nnewi) since his arrest Tuesday by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).”

The family said that whereas the charges for which Chief Metuh is being detained for over 48 hours now have not been formally made known to the family and the general public, “we have noted some sensational publications in a section of the media claiming that our son collected the sum of N1.4 billion from the arms deal cash and has been collecting N4 million monthly as from the Office of the former National Security Adviser.

“We have confronted our son with this allegations and he assured us that they are completely false. However, he acknowledged that in the course of his duties as the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, the then leader of the party and President of the country directed him to carry out some urgent national assignment relating to his office, which the former President duly funded and which he duly carried out to the satisfaction of the former President.

“The family therefore views the publications bandying the figure of N1.4 billion and alleged collection of N4 million stipend from the Office of the NSA as deliberate blackmail aimed at inflaming public sentiments against our son.

“Our biggest concern for now is the health and safety of our son, who even before his arrest has alerted the nation about various threats to his life, a stance that is not unconnected to his position as the spokesperson of the opposition. Our position is more so as he has refused to eat following fears of intentions to poison him in detention.

“In view of the above therefore, we DEMAND that the EFCC immediately release our son, Chief Metuh (Ugochidebelu Nnewi) from detention or charge him to court.” [myad]

Kins Men Jubilate As Ojudu Gets Presidential Plum Job

Greenbarge Reporters

January 7, 2016

President Muhammadu Buhari has appointed Senator Babafemi Ojudu as his Special Adviser on Political Matters even as the Action Group caucus of the All Progressives Congress in Ekiti State hailed the appointment.
In a statement, the group’s spokesperson, Segun Dipe, described the appointment as a New Year gift to the senator and the entire progressives in Ekiti State.
He said that the entire people of the state see Ojudu, who represented Ekiti Central Senatorial District in the Senate during the 7th Assembly between 2011 and 2015, as one of their very best.
“We are expressing confidence in him and assuring Mr. President that the Ojudu we know would prove his mettle as a round peg in a round hole.
“The Ojudu we know is a thoroughbred progressive and a conscientised politician to whom service and loyalty mean so much. He is a pro-democracy activist who paid more than his due to achieve democratic governance in Nigeria. Two qualities he keeps displaying everywhere he has worked or served are the passion to excel and selflessness. He sees every appointment as an opportunity to serve fellow human beings, be it as a professional journalist or as a career politician.
“We see Ojudu as a passionate citizen, a team player, an astute personality and a very humane fellow.
“He is accessible and down-to-earth. We are very certain that he will not perform any less in this appointment, rather his impact will be greatly felt by the government and the people of Nigeria.”
Meanwhile, a call has gone to every Ekiti State indigene, particularly the progressive ones, to see the appointment of Ojudu as a collective blessing and another confirmation that quality abounds among them.
Dipe said further in the statement: “It is a recognition of the values that we hold. Such vote of confidence, which is continually passed on us from time to time as a people with pride and integrity, cannot be rubbished by any negative personality that may be holding our people hostage as of today.
“We must hold firm to our beliefs and continually embrace the spirit of one for all and all for one. We must continue to prove to the world that we are well-nurtured and well-natured.” [myad]

Edo State Recruits 5,000 Teachers

Greenbarge Reporters

January 7, 2016

The Edo State Government has commenced the process of recruiting 5,000 teachers for its public primary and secondary schools.

According to the state commissioner of education, Gideon Obakhan, in a chat today with newsmen, 50 science and special teachers have already been recruited for those with special needs.
According to him, induction and orientation programmes have been organized for the teachers.
“They have concluded this and they are being posted out to different schools in the state.
“We are also going to start the process of the employment of 3,000 teachers within a short while.
“We have carried out an analysis to that effect. Our long term plan is to have about 5,000 teachers before the end of 2016. We are still doing an analysis to be sure we are getting efficiency.
“Because of the separation of senior secondary and junior secondary schools, there have been some requests for teachers. We need to do some analysis to know the exact number that we need now, but we know that there have been some complaints about teachers in some schools.”
The commissioner said that the state would get the required number of teachers to run its schools, adding that many of them would be posted to rural areas.
“We are also taking a firm stand on redistribution of teachers across schools in the state.
“We have made it clear that there will be no preference in teachers’ redistribution, including those already in the system, because lot of people lobby to remain in the urban centres.
“We have made it known to them that people in the rural areas are not less important than those in the cities.
“So, if you are ready to take up appointment, you should be ready to go anywhere.” [myad]

Poor Service: Lagos Terminates BRT Contract

Greenbarge Reporters

January 7, 2016

The Lagos State Government has terminated operations of the first BRT cooperative run by the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) from the Mile 12 to CMS BRT corridor with immediate effect.

This is contained in a statement today by the state’s Commissioner for Transportation, Dr. Dayo Mobereola

“The termination of the franchise agreement with the operator is sequel to breaches of the BRT operations Service Level Agreement (SLA) which it signed with the state government, despite years of discussions and engagement to ensure SLA was adhered to.

“Though the SLA requires a one month notice prior to its termination, the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA), custodian of the agreement, had indeed given a three-month notice which the operator failed to honour.”

The commissioner said that the government’s decision had been communicated to the operator, even as he said that the decision was premised on the inability of the operator to offer good public transport services to commuters on the all-important BRT corridor.

According to him, this has led to incessant complaints by members of the public over poor services provided by the operator.

He said that the state government was against the non-operation of stipulated frequency schedules and operation of buses below 50 per cent fleet capacity contrary to the agreement.

Mobereola said that the breaches which the operator had indulged in and failed to remedy despite being notified prompted the government’s decision.

“The state government on Sept.29, 2015 served the operator with a notice of termination of the franchise of the agreement.

“The operator pleaded for time to be able to identify other corridors and remove all its buses from the depot, a commitment it failed to uphold.”

Mobereola said the notice of termination of franchise agreement was followed by series of meetings where government maintained its position on the need for the operator to vacate the corridor. [myad]

Anenih To EFCC: How I Shared N260 Million From Dasuki On Jonathan Campaign

Greenbarge Reporters

January 7, 2016

Former national Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party’s Board Of Trustees, Chief Tony Anenih has explained to the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) how he shared the N260 million he got from embattled former National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki, to some party members for the purpose of Presidential campaign for former President Goodluck Jonathan’s second-term bid.

In a letter he wrote to the Commission, Anenih was said to have told the anti graft body that he gave N63 million to a group coordinated by a former Special Assistant to former President Shehu Shagari, Tanko Yakassai, for the 2015 presidential election.

Anenih was also said to have disbursed the money to various other groups whose identities he did not disclose but which EFCC is currently investigating.

Meanwhile, the Commission has indicated its intention to invite Yakassai to shed more light on why his group was allocated N63million arms funds even as it has already invited Anenih to make a Statement on Oath and for interrogation. [myad]

Buhari’s Political Associate Arrested By EFCC Over Arms Deal Scam

Greenbarge Reporters

January 7, 2016

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested a former military governor of Kaduna State and chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Lawal Jafaru Isa.

Jafaru Isa is the first chieftain of the APC that has so far been arrested since the beginning of a sweeping probe into the alleged diversion of $2.1 billion meant for arms purchase by officials of the immediate-past administration.

Jafaru Isa who was the military Administrator of Kaduna State from December 1993 to August 1996 during the military regime of General Sani Abacha and one-time governorship candidate of the defunct CPC in Kano State. He is a close friend of the embattled former National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki.

Jafaru Isa, also a close political associate of President Muhammadu Buhari, was arrested at his Abuja residence located at Ajayi Crowther Street, Asokoro yesterday.

Operatives of the anti-graft commission were said to have occupied Jafaru Isa’s residence at about 9 pm yesterday, and then whisked away. It was learnt the a retired Brigadier General in the Nigerian Army, was invited last week to appear before the commission yesterday to clear the air on “some questionable receipts” from the former NSA.

Jafaru Isa was suspected to have received over N100million from Dasuki.

It was gathered that instead of honouring the invitation, he wrote a letter to the EFCC through his lawyer, seeking a postponement of his appearance date on the grounds of death of a relative.

Apparently dissatisfied with his excuse, the EFCC however arrested him to clarify the “questionable receipts.”

The spokesperson of the EFCC, Wilson Ujuwaren, could not be reached today morning for‎ comments on the arrest. But a top official of the commission confirmed the development.

”He has been wasting our time, and we just have to pick him up for our investigation to continue,” the official said. [myad]

International Satellite Providers Turn Back On Biafra Television

Greenbarge Reporters

January 7, 2016

International Satellite Providers of Free to Air and Pay TV platforms including HISPASAT, EUTELSAT and Nile SAT worldwide have bounced off the proposed Biafra Television Free to Air scheduled to start transmission on the 15th January 2016.

It was learnt on good authority said that the international Communications Union and High Frequency Coordinating Conference has approved such moves by the providers.

It was learnt that the cancellation of the contracts for which no reason was given has created major problem for Pro Biafra groups, whose media and propaganda structures were severely crippled by an earlier successful takeover of 15560KHz – 19 meter Band Shortwave by the Federal Government barely two months ago.

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) is believed to have been hit by the string of setbacks, with one of them, Austin Ofomah, expressing regret at the action of the satellite providers.

“The spirit of Biafra cannot be defeated” he said in a statement, adding “what the Federal Government is doing is against International Broadcasting Convention on the right of free expression.”

It was also gathered that the success of the Federal Government effort is largely due to the role of the National Security Adviser (NSA), retired General Babagana Monguno, whose discreet contacts and reach has shut the Pro Biafran groups at the international level. [myad]

MTN Swallows Visafone, To Revolutionize Data Services

Greenbarge Reporters

January 7, 2016

African Telecommunication giant, MTN has sealed the deal to acquire Visafone, the leading CDMA operator in Nigeria. The acquisition is expected to provide MTN the robust voice and data platform of Visafone to cater for the booming internet population in Nigeria.

A source who confirmed the transaction said: “It’s certainly a multimillion naira deal because Visafone was the largest CDMA operator in the country”.

“The acquisition is expected to ensure high quality data services and improve mobile broadband experience for subscribers of Visafone and MTN”.

“The merger is also expected to provide the much-needed relief to the booming internet economy by making available quality mobile broadband services adopting the state of the art 4G LTE technologies during the year.”

Nigeria ranks among the fastest growing countries in terms of mobile subscribers and data penetration. The number of subscribers that surf the internet in June was put at 92,816,572 but increased to 93,551,811 in the month of July.

The data shows that of the 93,551,811 internet users in July, 93,403,147 were on GSM networks, while 148,664 users were on the CDMA.

Moreso, of the 93,403,147 internet users on the GSM networks in the month under review, MTN Nigeria had 41,101,886 customers browsing the internet on its network.

It stated that MTN had an increase of 616,216 internet subscribers in July after it recorded 40,485,670 users in the month of June.

According to the report, Globacom had 19,330,549 subscribers surfing the net in July as recorded in June.

Airtel Nigeria, it said, had 17,605,852 internet users in the month of July, as against 17,598,626 customers recorded in June.

Internet users on the Airtel Nigeria network increased by 7,226 in July, while Etisalat had 15,393,860 internet users in July, against the 15,285,079 in June.

Those browsing on Etisalat’s network also rose by 108,781 in the month of July.

The NCC also revealed that the CDMA operators (Multi-Links and Visafone), had a joint total of 148,664 internet users on their networks in July.

It showed that the only surviving two CDMA networks in the country listed an increase of 33,016 internet subscribers in the month under review, from the 115,648 users they recorded in June.

Visafone had an increase of 32,980 customers surfing the internet in July, rising to 148,461, compared to the 115,481 users in June.

Multi-Links had 203 internet users in July, adding 38 customers from the June record of 165 users.

It explained that the increase in the use of the internet in the month of July showed that more Nigerians were embracing ICT.

NCC noted that the country was making progress towards achieving 30 per cent broadband penetration by 2018. [myad]

Man To Die For Blasphemy In Kano

Greenbarge Reporters

January 6, 2016

A Kano Higher Sharia Court has sentenced Abdulaziz Daud to death by hanging for charges of blasphemy against Islam after a secret trial in the state.

Abdulaziz Daud, popularly known as Abdul Inyass was arrested on August, 18 2015, in Abuja and brought to Kano to face a secret trial on a two-count charge of blasphemy and inciting crisis, which led to the razing of a Sharia Court and some vehicles in the state.

The accused person was alleged to have committed the said charges on June 31, 2015, during Maulud festivity, where he allegedly made comments against Islam,

Counsel to the state government, Barrister Lamido Abba Soron Dinki disclosed that five witnesses, including the police, testified before the Court.

It should be recalled that nine other accomplices had previously been sentenced to death by the same court. The convicted has right to appeal the death sentence. [myad]

I Will Clean EFCC Of Corrupt Officers – Chairman

Greenbarge Reporters

January 6, 2016

Acting Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Mustafa Magu has vowed to clean the commission of bad eggs as it set out to wage sustainable war against corruption in the country.
The chairman acknowledged that in any organisation such as EFCC, one could not rule out such bad eggs, who are themselves corrupt, adding that he would look for them and weed them out.
Answering questions today at an interactive meeting with members of the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP) in Abuja, Ibrahim Magu said: “we are looking at corruption within EFCC to have a clean house to be able to face other corrupt Nigerians.”
He expressed his determination to restructure the commission to make it strong and confidence enough to go for any corrupt individuals, no matter how highly place.
The chairman debunked the allegation in some quarters that EFCC has been one sided in the fight against corruption, saying that there is no truth in such allegation.
Ibrahim Magu made it clear that, with the declaration by President Muhammadu Buhari that any of his ministers found to be corrupt would be sacked and prosecuted, the commission too would not engage in any form of favouratism.
According to him, the commission is searching the wardrobe of every Nigerian whether he is in All Progressives Congress (APC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) or in any other party or place.
“But as I’m talking now, the commission has not received any complaint about people serving currently in the Buhari’s government. Any time such information gets to us, we will act on it.” [myad]

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