Soldiers Arrest Christian Member Of Boko Haram In Maiduguri

November 16, 2015

Troops of the 7 Division Garrison of the Nigerian Army in Operation LAFIYA DOLE, have arrested one John Trankil, said to be one of the leaders of the deadly Boko Haram ravaging the North East in particular. The arrest was made at Kasuwar Shanu in Maiduguri metropolis, capital of Borno state.

The Media Coordinator of Operation LAFIYA DOLE, Colonel Tukur Ismail Gusau, said: “Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect said that nine of them sneaked into Maiduguri, armed with AK 47 assault rifle each and a Hilux vehicle laden with 20 Improvised Explosive Devices meant to be detonated at some selected targets in the city,”

Colonel Gusau said today in a statement issued in Maiduguri said that the Theatre Commander of the operation LAFIYA DOLE, Major General Yusha’u Mahmood Abubakar had commended the efforts of the troops and renewed call for the troops and the public to be more vigilant and security conscious particularly at all check points, markets, worship centres, motor parks and schools.

Boko Haram claims to be fighting to introduce Islamic rule in multi-religious Nigeria,

The arrest of Mr. John Trankil might have debunk the claim by the sect members that they were fighting an Islamic war. Nigerian authorities have consistently said there is nothing Islamic about the group’s terrorist campaign, which has brought monumental suffering to Nigeria and neighbouring countries since 2009.

Meanwhile, Col. Gusau has said that troops of 21 Brigade Nigerian Army have launched offensive operations on Boko Haram terrorists location, with the support from the Nigerian Airforce and have discovered and destroyed the terrorists’ Improvised Explosive Device (IED) and Rocket making factory along Bama-Gonin Kurmi in the outskirts of Bama town, Borno State.

“The items recovered include gas cylinders, welding machine, pipes and poles. Others include locally made rocket shells, large quantity of assorted chemicals, unprimed IEDs and various technical and laboratory equipment suspected to be stolen from schools’ laboratories around Bama before they were dislodged from the area.” [myad]

I Will Regard Corrupt Nigerians As Innocent Until Proved Otherwise – Buhari

Greenbarge Reporters

November 16, 2015

President Muhammadu Buhari has made it clear that he would give full regard to due process and the rule of law in the prosecution of its war against corruption.

“Under military rule, people could be arrested and held on the basis of suspicion, but in a true democracy, anyone accused of an offense must be presumed innocent till pronounced guilty by a court of law.”

President Buhari, who spoke when he granted to a delegation from the Foursquare Gospel Church, restated his commitment to recovering stolen funds, but that his efforts will be fully within the ambit of the law.

He said that his administration is therefore diligently building up its case against those accused of stealing government funds, getting necessary evidence and facts, before formal charges are brought against them.
He congratulated the Foursquare Church in Nigeria on its 60th anniversary convention which was concluded on Sunday.

In his remarks, the General Overseer of the Foursquare Gospel Church, Rev Felix Meduoye lauded the Buhari administration for its positive strides in the war against corruption and insurgency.

He said that the church will continue to pray for the peace and prosperity of Nigeria. [myad]

Disgruntled Politician Funding Biafran Agitators, Abia Alleges

Greenbarge Reporters

November 16, 2015

The Government of Abia State said has alleged that it is a disgruntled politician that has been sponsoring and funding the Movement for the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB).

It therefore warned the agitators not to enter the state and disrupt the peace of Umuahia, the state capital.

It said that while it appreciates the rights of citizens to air their views in a democracy, but that the Government will not condone lawless acts that could impede the progress of the state.

In a statement signed by the Commissioner of Information, Bonnie Iwuoha, the Abia State Government said it has been discovered that a disgruntled politician in the state is funding the said protest march.

“Government therefore calls on parents to prevail on their children not to join misguided elements in acts that could destabilize the progress of our state.

“The Police and other security agencies have been directed to take lawful steps to protect the peace of the state and secure lives and property of law abiding citizens.” [myad]

Nigeria’s Justice Minister To Explain, November 23, Why Soldiers Are Still Occupying Dasuki’s Residence

Greenbarge Reporters

November 16, 2015

The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice of Nigeria, Alhaji Abubakar Malami (SAN) is expected to appear before a Federal High Court in Abuja on November 23 to explain why the security personnel are still laying siege at the Abuja residence of a former National Security Adviser (NSA), Colonel Sambo Mohammed Dasuki (rtd.).

Justice Adeniyi Ademola extended the date because the new Solicitor General of the Federation, Taiwo Abidogun asked for it, having informed the court that Malami was yet to assume office.

The Solicitor General said the Justice minister will assume office on Wednesday and will be briefed on Dasuki’s court action between Thursday and Friday, requesting the court to grant them permission to appear in the court next week Monday.

He told Justice Ademola that the Federal Ministry of Justice has tremendous respect for the court and the rule of law and will not do anything to undermine court powers.

The Minister, who had just been inaugurated by President Muhammadu Buhari, will also explain to the court why an order of the court made on November 3 permitting Dasuki to travel abroad for medical attention was violated.

Justice Ademola had last Friday issued a summon against the AGF following complaints by Daudu that the order of the court made since November 3 had not been allowed to be implemented by operatives of the Department State Services.

Among others, Dasuki’s lawyer protested to the court that several days after the court ordered Dasuki to travel abroad for treatment, the DSS operatives had since November 4 placed him under house arrest.

Counsel to Federal Government, Shuaibu Labaran, who had declined to confirm or deny the presence of the security operatives in the house of Dasuki in breach of the court order, however admitted that the former NSA was being investigated.

Justice Ademola, who was not comfortable with the violation of his order, told the Federal Government counsel to inform his client to learn how to respect and obey a valid court order.

The Judge said he was baffled with the claim of any further investigation of Dasuki by the DSS because the same Agency had filed before the court affidavit evidence that it had completed investigations on Dasuki and ready for his trial.

He said even if the DSS had any cause to conduct any further investigation, the lawful thing was to have allowed Dasuki to go abroad for treatment of his ailment as ordered by his court rather than looking for excuses to justify disobedience to the order.

“I have made an order, which has to be obeyed, and the order is to the effect that the accused be allowed to go abroad as from November 4 to treat his ailment within three weeks and return to the court on November 26 for his trial in the charges brought against him.

“If you have any further issue with him, let him go for his medical checkup and come back.

“It is the duty of all Nigerians to ensure that court orders are obeyed.”

Dasuki had filed an application against the Federal Government seeking enforcement of his fundamental human rights to dignity and security of his life.

He also applied to the court to compel the Federal Government to allow him travel abroad to treat his ailment as ordered by the court since November 3.

Dasuki complained that rather than allow him to seek medical treatment, the Federal Government agents, mainly operatives of the DSS, had laid siege on his house and kept him under house arrest in spite of his deteriorating health condition.

Hearing of the suit has been scheduled for next Monday. [myad]

Communication Commission Postpones ‘Evil-Day’ For MTN

Greenbarge Reporters

November 16, 2015

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has postponed the nightmarish day when the South African telecoms giant, the MTN would be made to face and maybe pay the sum of $5.2 billion (over N1 Trillion) standing against it as fine for failing to deactivate 5.1 million unregistered SIM cards.

The MTN was earlier given up to today, November 16, to pay the fine, but the communication regulatory agency extended the date to allow for negotiations, according to the mobile phone operator.

The new Executive Charmian of the company, Phuthuma Nhleko said the NCC had agreed that the fine will not be payable until the end of negotiations he entered into.

“Shareholders are advised that the executive chairman of the company, Mr. Phuthuma Nhleko, has personally met with the Nigerian authorities to continue the ongoing discussions with them regarding the fine,” a statement from the company said.

“These discussions include matters of non-compliance and the remedial measures that may have to be adopted to address this.

“Shareholders are advised that the Nigerian authorities have, without prejudice, agreed that the imposed fine will not be payable until the negotiations have been concluded.”

Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, is MTN group’s largest market where it had over 62.8 million subscribers by the second quarter of this year.

The Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) has launched an investigation into MTN for “possible insider trading” before the company announced it had been hit by the fine.

The probe could result in South Africa’s bourse operator slapping MTN with another hefty penalty or result in criminal charges. [myad]

Danger: Buyers Dump Nigeria’s Oil In Favour Of Angolan Oil

Greenbarge Reporters

November 16, 2015

Many buyers of the Nigeria’s crude oil are said to be dumping the country’s crude for substitute from Angola.

Information coming in shows that the situation has now forced Nigeria to search for buyers for 80 crude cargoes worth N3.5522billion, with experts saying that if the gloomy outlook continues, government might have to look beyond oil revenue to execute projects under the 2016 budget estimates.

Of 20 crude cargoes, only one was sold in November, even as the country is still struggling to find buyers for N2.679bn worth of the commodity.

The demand for Nigeria’s crude is said to be on the decline since price began a free fall last year. Specifically, about 35 million barrels remained unsold at the international market, last December.

This came at a time when crude production dropped by 17,300 barrel per day, from 1,919m barrel per day recorded in November to 1.902m barrel per day in the same month.

The decline in sales has been attributed to the switch to Angola’s crude grades by Asian countries. It will be recalled also that the United States stopped buying Nigerian crude, in preference for its own huge stock of Shale.

Nigeria’s oil stock for December has already gone on sale. Two weeks after, however, it is still available. According to reports, the total of unsold cargoes, last month, stood at 20, dropping to 15 cargoes, last week, according to trade sources. The little differential was attributed to trend in gasoline refining, which slightly increased demand for Nigeria’s Light Sweet crude.

A peep into the country’s crude performance at the market revealed that Exxon Mobil sold a Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) of Qua Iboe and Zafira oil to international oil companies via a tender, while Total sold one VLCC load of Brass and Pazflor. Trafigura supplied a cargo of Bonny Light to Pertamina through a tender.

The decline in demand for Sweet Crude comes on the heels of downturn in production, as only about 63.34 million barrels of crude and condensate were produced in August, representing an average daily production of 2.04 million barrels.

This, according to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), represented a decline in production by about 6.16 per cent in July. All parties lifted a total of about 65.2 million barrels of crude oil and condensate in the same month, while NNPC lifted 21.5 million barrels on behalf of the federation. [myad]

War Looms In Nigeria If… Ex Minister Anenih

Greenbarge Reporters

November 16, 2015

Former Nigeria Minister of Women Affairs, Iyom Josephine Anenih, has warned of looming war if the on-going agitation for Biafra in parts of the South-East and South-South is not properly handled by the Nigerian Government.

She sounded the warning in an opinion piece entitled ‘The Blood of The Innocent who died in 1967 – 1970 still cry NEVER AGAIN’ released over the weekend.

Iyom Anenih wrote: “The last thing anybody who has experienced a war will like to experience again or wish for anybody is a bloody war. There are no words and there are no images that can be gory enough to adequately describe it.

“The negative psychological, emotional and physical trauma can best be imagined but cannot be sufficiently described.

“I see a looming war in Nigeria. A war that will consume the whole country if allowed to conflagrate.

“What Nigeria is battling with in the North East will fizzle into child’s play if the insidious danger that is brewing in the South East is not nipped in the bud now.

“I have listened keenly to hear the voice of Igbo Leadership but was deafened by the silence that hit me. I have asked where the Igbo Leadership is but none is answering me. Is there no Igbo Leadership?

“Before you jump up to shoot me down with an accusation of being an ethnic jingoist, I beg you to keep your gun powder dry. I pride myself as a very broad minded, detribalised Nigeria. I am Igbo, Hausa and Yoruba. I am from every part of Nigeria, I am a Nigerian.

“I speak of South East Leaders because in our political arrangements and agreements we have six geo-political zones. The extant reality is that every zone, grouping or region has a Leader or Leaders. The North has Leasers, the West has identifiable Leaders. The Leaders in the East remain incommunicado.

“Could it be why Nnamdi Kanu stepped into the space and proclaimed himself a Leader? Nature abhors a vacuum. The ‘Leader’ now has followers. Perchance I am wrong in my assertion or perception that there is no visible Leader in the South East. Maybe there is.

“Why is there a deafening silence on the issue of the agitation for self-determination by a group of individuals from the South East? Why is Nnamdi not told that he is usurping a position that is not his?

“People of Nigeria, we must not let what is happening in this country now spiral into a war. We cannot afford it, and it will be an all-consuming war. Let us not let the prophesy of Doomsday prophets who prophesied that there will be no Nigeria by 2015, come to pass.

“When Boko Haram started rearing its head in the North, people thought it was a local matter which did not merit the attention of the central Government. As it was snowballing and assuming a frightening character, it was called Insurgency by a few misguided miscreants. After many years and many lost and shattered lives it is now called a terrorist attack and a war.

“If we can recollect, they became uncontrollable when their leader, Yusuf, was killed and made a martyr.

“The agitation of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its handling by Nigeria is not looking much different from the initial handling of BH. Nnamdi Kanu who could have been called a rabble rouser is now being made a hero and a martyr.

“Every person has a right to speak and articulate their opinions in a democracy. Nobody should attempt to crush or stifle the voice of secession protagonists. We have robust democratic structures like the National and State Assemblies in place that can engage anybody or group in constructive dialogue. There is a danger in any attempt to stifle any voice or crush peaceful protests. The alleged death of two unarmed protesters in Anambra at the hands of law enforcement agents does not augur well for a peaceful and amicable resolution of the agitation of a few misguided or not well informed protesters.

“One would rather like to know that the law enforcement agencies are carrying out careful and painstaking investigation into the root cause of this present agitation and who/what is fuelling the agitation with a view to proffering solutions and advising the Government appropriately.

“These now peaceful and unarmed protests should be handled delicately so that it does not get out of hand because of the insidious danger it portends.” [myad]

5 Million Nigerians Suffering From Diabetes – Experts

Greenbarge Reporters

November 16, 2015

It has been confirmed by experts that over five million Nigerians are suffering from Diabetes within a period covering the last quarter of 2015, even as the cases of diabetics around the globe has equally spiraled.

As result of the rate of the increase and spread of the diabetic conditions, stakeholders in the health sector have raised the alarm.

The health experts who made this known at the Sheraton Hotel and Towers in Abuja, to commemorate the 2015 World Diabetes Day, put the global figure of those currently having the health condition at 415 million.

They stressed that the global figure was projected to rise to 642 million people by the year 2035, unless drastic measures such as consumer policies and change in lifestyles, especially healthy nutrition were adopted to put a check on the rising figures.

According to the General Manager, Sanofi Nigeria-Ghana, Abderrahmane Chakibi: “Today, only one in two people living with diabetes know they have it. By 2035,,it is estimated that 642 million people will live with the condition, accounting for the majority of death and disability worldwide.

Trancorp Hilton Chief Image-Maker Wins Outstanding Performance Award

Greenbarge Reporters

November 16, 2015

The Public Relations Manager of Transcorp Hilton Abuja, Shola Adeyemo has won an Outstanding Performance Award conferred on him by the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Federal Capital Chapter.
The award is in recognition of his service and contributions to the development of public relations practice in Nigeria and the hospitality industry in particular.
The award was presented to him at the 26th Annual General Meeting/Conference of NIPR, Federal Capital Chapter which was held recently.
In a citation for the award, the NIPR said that Adeyemo was honoured because of his outstanding personal attributes which he has harnessed over the years to lead a robust Public Relations Department in Transcorp Hilton Abuja.
The NIPR added that besides being consistently displaying passion for the Public relations profession, he also possesses exemplary leadership skills, and role as a seasoned administrator and an accomplished public relations practitioner.
Presenting the award to Adeyemo at a well-attended gala dinner, the National Vice President of NIPR thanked him for his high level of professionalism and continuous commitment to the growth of corporate communications in Nigeria.
Responding, Adeyemo thanked the NIPR for the recognition and honour and pledged his commitment to promoting excellence in corporate communications in Nigeria. [myad]

I won’t Tolerate Electoral Manipulations, Buhari Warns INEC, Police

Greenbarge Reporters

November 15, 2015

President Muhammadu Buhari has warned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the police not to engage in electoral manipulation.

He made it clear that he expected nothing short of a free, fair and credible election, adding that having suffered election manipulation in 2003,2007 and 2011, he would not like to have any Nigerian go through the same experience.
He warned against the intimidation of voters in anyway and vowed that he was prepared to move with all the force available to him against anyone who undermines the rights of any citizen.
at a brief meeting today with INEC and the police boss, President Buhari stressed his determination to rebuild the electoral system.

He askedNigerians to be wary of the PDP’s fruitless attempts to destroy national institutions, starting with the courts, then the EFCC,then onto the Police and now they are on the one-week old INEC.

“When will PDP allow our national institutions to do their job?” [myad]

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