30 Mar 2017

Igwe Kingsley Skyblings

EFCC Finds Missing $86m Paris Club Refund In Governors forum’s Account



MORE cash believed to be part of the London-Paris Club loan refund has been found by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The US$86,546,526.65 was remitted into the account of the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF).

The account is said to have been depleted to about $17million as at the time the probe started.

The EFCC is probing how the cash got into the account, who remitted it and for what purpose.

“The cash was paid into the forum’s domiciliary account in GTB tagged: 0023577047 with sort code 058083215,” the source said, adding that the payment followed a November 21, 2016 memo on the remittance into the NGF’s account which was titled “Consultants fee”.

The cash was described as consultancy and legal fees as the case with the N19 billion which was allegedly diverted from the refund.

“This development has justified the earlier peg of our investigation that the part of the London-Paris Club loan refunds was paid into two accounts of the NGF” the source said, pleading not to be named because he has no authority to talk to the media.

“Operatives are tracking how the $86.5m was used and for what purpose. We want to know whether the affected financial and legal consultants exist or not.”

The Nation had exclusively reported that the Presidency was uncomfortable with how some governors managed the refund.

The Federal Government released N522.74 billion to 35 states as refund of over-deductions on London-Paris Club loans.

President Muhammadu Buhari directed the release of the refund to enable states to pay salaries and pensions.

But more than N19billion of the refund has been enmeshed in controversy over payment of consultancy fees. Some consultants were yet to be paid as at press time.

Some of the infractions noticeable in the management of the first tranche of the London-Paris Club loan refund are:

• computation of state records done at a private home in Maitama, Abuja;

• accounts initially opened in the names of two lead consultants but the details of who to be paid were later changed;

• N19b remitted into two NGF accounts;
commission to consultants cut from 10% to 2% but 5% was on paper as paid;

• the CBN paid directly to each state without the knowledge of the Accountant-General of the Federation; and

• part of the N19b commission was traced to a governor’s account and some individuals, including some members of the National Assembly.

It was also discovered that besides the central consultants, governors hired other consultants, with some conceding about 10-20% commission to them.

In some states, governors served as consultants through proxies.

Some consultants are yet to be paid because the NGF changed the commission formula as soon as the first tranche was remitted, The Nation learnt.

Besides, some governors deviated from using 25 per cent to 50 per cent for payment of outstanding salaries and pension as agreed with President Buhari.
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Igwe Kingsley Skyblings

Youths, Women Protest Nude In Anambra Over Herdsmen




Hundreds of youths and women in Umuoba Anam community, Anambra East local government area of Anambra State yesterday embarked on nude protest. They were protesting against their traditional ruler, Igwe G.A. Ekwealor, who they accused of allegedly supporting the activities of herdsmen in the area.

The protesters who claimed their action was to appease the gods following what they described as debasement of their land by their traditional ruler who allegedly allowing Fulani herdsmen into their community where they had been terrorising farmers.

The monarch, however, denied the allegation, saying that he had no hand in bringing the herdsmen to Umuoba Anam community. Addressing journalists in Awka, Chairman of Anambra East traditional rulers’ council, Igwe Alex Edozieuno, who is the traditional ruler of Mkpunabo Kingdom said that when the matter was brought to the council, it was deliberated upon with Igwe Ekwealor subsequently absolved of any wrong doing.

Igwe Edozieuno said the council also invited elders of the community who condemned the protesters and urged them to appease the gods for their action. He harped on the importance of peace and stability in all the communities in the local government, bearing in mind that it was Governor Willie Obiano’s local government.
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Igwe Kingsley Skyblings

Senate Issues 5 Conditions For Peace With Pres. Buhari



The Senate has reacted to the setting up of a committee by the Federal Executive Council to settle the rift between it and the National Assembly with five conditions that must be met for peace to reign.

The Senate through a ranking senator (name withheld) who is close to the leadership of the senate identified five conditions for peace to reign between the executive and the legislative arm of government, Daily Trust reports.

He said for peace to prevail between the presidency and the senate, the trial of the senate president, Bukola Saraki should be discontinued forthwith.

“The trial of Saraki is central to the crisis because it is believed that they came up with it because he ‘violated’ the interest of the presidency and the party (APC) to emerge the senate president. If his trial is stopped, there would be peace,’’ he said.

He added that irrespective of the peace moves by the executive, the camps within the presidency must be united, otherwise they will continue to use the senate against each other.



“A camp in the presidency is using the senate against another. This is the second issue that must be addressed for peace to reign. Buhari should dissolve the camp, otherwise no serious progress would be made,” he added.

He also said, the head of government agencies including ministers must be made to respect senate resolutions. “If a resolution is passed, the executive doesn’t respect it, there is general contempt against us. This must stop,” he said.

He said there was urgent need for the president to engage the leadership of the APC for proper coordination of the party’s caucus at the senate.

“The president must be talking to the party for it to be talking to caucus. If the president is bringing anything to the senate, the party should be involved.

“The fifth one is that there is no personal communication between the senators and the president. There is need for this,” he said.



When Daily Trust contacted the spokesperson of the senate, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, he said: “You are just telling me now. I’m not aware of such committee and I don’t know its terms of reference.”

Another source disclosed that there are issues between the presidency and the two chambers of the National Assembly, not only the Senate.

“Frankly speaking, there are issues with both chambers. Yes, that of the Senate may be pronounced, but there are issues with the House as well. How can you increase the budget of the judiciary by N30bn without increasing that of the legislature? The lawmakers are not happy with this.

“Again, the president doesn’t see them as anything. He treats them with disdain, and it’s the fault of his aides. He doesn’t meet lawmakers privately to discuss issues, which wasn’t the case in the past. They’re only managing to work with him.

“There were instances that the president would travel to a place with the Senate President and the Speaker, but he would be distanced from meeting the National Assembly leaders. All these things may be small, but they’re important as far as their relationship is concerned. The House is only managing the relationship, while that of the Senate seems to go out of hand.



“As I speak with you, there are lawmakers that are not principal officers, but they have unfettered access to the Villa, while principal officers don’t. If anything comes up, those lawmakers that are just committee chairmen can’t do anything to defend the president.

“For me, the way out is for the president to open up and make himself accessible to the lawmakers. He should know that it’s not a one-man show. He should respect them the way they respect him,” the source said.

But another lawmaker said there are no serious issues between the House and the presidency but that the attitude of some heads of government agencies toward the lower chamber was unbecoming.

“There are no real issues that one can say are pronounced. The issues we have mostly have to do with heads of agencies. Sometime when we invite them, they don’t want to appear until we now summon them.

“As a parliament, we have powers to invite anybody to appear before us on an issue, but they give flimsy excuses here and there. That notwithstanding, we don’t have issues with the presidency currently.

“The real issues are in the Senate. In fact, at some point, the speaker was trying to mediate between the Senate and the presidency, that’s to tell you we don’t have issues with them. May be the presidency sensed that the suspension of Ndume may lead to other things, that is why they quickly swung into action,” the lawmaker said.

Meanwhile, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo is to head the committee set up by the presidency to resolve the rift with the lawmakers.

Other members of the committee include all ministers who were former senators.

These are Chris Ngige (Labour), Udoma Udoma (Budget and National Planning), Heineken Lokpobiri (State, Agriculture), Hadi Sirika (State for Aviation) and Aisha Alhassan (Women Affairs).

Other members are the Senior Special Assistants to the President on National Assembly Matters, Ita Enang (Senate) and Samaila Kawu (House of Representatives).

Members of the committee met at the vice president’s office after the cabinet meeting.

Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, told reporters that the cabinet expressed concern over the strained relationship between the executive and the Senate in particular.

He said: “The executive is also concerned that the relationship between the two arms of government is not as smooth as it is supposed to be.

“In any democracy, it is a continuous struggle for balancing between the executive and the legislature because each of them is a creature of the law.

“We must strive at all times to ensure that there is that balance, amity and smooth relationship.

“Just today (Wednesday) at the Federal Executive Council meeting, the issue was discussed and a committee is already working on ensuring that we resolve all these outstanding issues,” the minister said.

The Senate Tuesday put off the confirmation of 27 Resident Electoral Commissioners of the Independent National Electoral Commission for two weeks.

It took the decision to protest continued presence in office of the acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibrahim Magu, even though his nomination was rejected twice by the senate.

The upper chamber had also expressed displeasure at the refusal by the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Hameed Ali, to wear uniform.

The Senate had earlier this year called for the removal of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, following allegation of misappropriation of funds meant for the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps in the northeast.

SOURCE
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Igwe Kingsley Skyblings

Ambode Presents RRS With 4 Mobile CCTV Cameras & 4 Back Up Cars (Photos)




Undoubtedly, the use of technology has helped in the effective policing of Lagos State. A case of this was when the car of an editor of the Ovation Magazine was snatched at gun point and RRS drones and GPS tracker were used to recover it.

Lagos state Governor Ambode few days ago presented 4 mobile CCTV Cameras and 4 back up cars to RRS. This is encouraging, and to whom much is given, much is expected.


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Igwe Kingsley Skyblings

Soldiers Ambush Boko Haram Terrorists In Borno, See What They Recovered(Photos)




On Wednesday 29th March 2017, troops of 112 Task Force Battalion, 22 Brigade, Nigerian Army on Operation LAFIYA DOLE, carried out a fighting patrol towards Boskoro, Dikwa Local Government Area of Borno State where it was believed, a sleeper cell of Boko Haram terrorists was hibernating.

While advancing, the troops came in contact with some elements of the terrorists suspected to be in staging area to lay ambush for troops along Ajiri-Dikwa road.

The patrol team engaged the terrorists and neutralized one of them and recovered an AK-47 rifle, 1 Magazine, 47 rounds of 7.62mm (NATO) ammunition and belt links.

Unfortunately one soldier sustained injury during the operation.

The gallant soldier has been evacuated to military hospital and he is responding to treatment.

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Unknown

Forbes Releases Top 10 Richest Men In Nigeria For 2017



Every year, a renowned website named forbes gather relevant information's and come up with the richest men in the world, in Africa and in Nigeria. As 2017, 9 Nigerians make the billionaires club cut with a some, just few million dollars away from reaching the bench mark. Below are the top 10 richest men in Nigeria according to forbes ranking 2017.Counting down from 10.

10. Oba Otudeke:
Image result for Oba Otudeko:Oba Otudeke is the chairman and founder of the honey well group. He is also the chairman of FBN Holdings Plc. His operations spread across oil and gas, flour minning, real estate, and marine transportation.Net Worth: $650 million.




9. Jim Oviah: 
Image result for Jim Ovia:Jim Oviah is the founder of Zenith Bank. He is the chairman and the largest shareholder with a stake of almost 10%. He also manages a mobile telecom Visafone which has over 3 million subscribers. Net Worth: $1 billion.









8. Orji Uzor Kalu: 
Image result for Orji Uzor Kalu:The former governor of Abia State. He is the founder and chairman of Slok Holding. A conglomerate with interest in shipping, banking, oil, trading, manufacturing and the media. He became a real business man at the age of 19 after being expelled from a Nigerian University for allegedly spearheading a series of student riots. Net Worth: $1.1 billion.



7. Tony Elumelu:
Image result for Tony ElumeluA philanthropist and founder of the Transcorp and Heirs Holdings. He was the chairman of United Bank for Africa and was estimated to worth $1.4 billion.








6. Abdusalam Rabiu: 
Image result for Abdusalam Rabiu:
Abdusalam is the founder of the famous BUA Group. A conglomerate active in sugar refining, cement production, real estate and port operations. In September 2015, his Group signed a $600 million deal with a chinease cement equipment service provider Sinoma Internation Engineering to construct a second production line located in Edo State Niger Delta, Nigeria. Net Worth: $1.5 billion.





5. Theophilus Danjuma:
Image result for Theophilus DanjumaFormer Nigerian Chief of Army staff between 1975 to 1979. He is the current chairman of Athlantic Petroleum. Net Worth: $1.7 billion.









4. Folorunsho Alakija: 
Image result for Folorunsho AlakijaFolorunsho is a business tycoon that who has interest in fashion,oil and printing industries. She is the richest Woman in Nigeria and the richest woman of the African descent in the world. Net Worth: $2.1 billion.










3. Femi Otedola: 
Image result for Femi OtedolaHe is the CEO of Zenon Oil and Gas and Forte Oil Plc. He has interest in real estates amongst other sectors. Net Worth: $2.3 billion.



2. Mike Adenuga:
Image result for Mike Adenuga:Mike Adenuga is the second richest man in Nigeria with interest in Oil and Gas and telecoms. He is the owner of Globacom, Nigeria's second biggest telecom operatorsand the chairman of Conoil. Net Worth: $10.5 billion.

1. Aliko Dangote:
Image result for Aliko DangoteAliko Dangote is the richest man in Nigeria, Africa and of course the richest black man in the world. In 2014, he ranked as the 24th richest man in the world but has since then fallen to positions below 100 due to Nigeria's poor Naira. Net Worth: $12.5 billion.
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