House approves N6b for SIM card registration

Proceedings at the House of Representatives was brought to a halt yesterday when members discovered that the controversial 2010 budget of the Nigerian Communications Commission which allocates N6.1 billion for SIM card registration has been passed clandestinely. The sitting became quite rowdy and a furious Dimeji Bankole, the speaker, was seen walking out of the plenary, followed by other equally angry members.

For many months, most of the lawmakers had opposed the budget, insisting that it was a clear waste of money since the telecommunication companies were already registering their customers. Indeed, last Tuesday, 18 members made such loud protestations against the budget that debate on the matter was again shelved.

Yesterday when calm returned to the House, Mr Bankole came back to the sitting and showed support for the passage of the budget by parrying every comment against it. The budget has been stalled mainly because of the robust opposition to the inclusion of a provision for N6.1 billion for the registration of SIM cards.

This demand by the Commission had received such vehement opposition from members that the speaker had to recommit the conference report on the budget Bill to an ad hoc committee for scrutiny, and recommendation to the House.

Members had always argued that SIM card registration is the responsibility of the service providers who are already doing that free of charge for their respective subscribers.

The committee, led by West Idahosa who was recently recalled from suspension, approved the N6.1 billion for SIM cards registration on the basis that it does not contravene the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Act as charged by some members who opposed the budget.

Sneaky

Rabe Nasir, a member of the ad hoc committee, however said that the budget was surreptitiously passed by only 18 members of the House the previous Thursday.

“I am surprised to read in the votes and proceedings of Thursday November 25, 2010 that the budget has been passed without deleting the item for SIM cards registration,” Mr Nasir said.

He said he was surprised that the budget report was introduced for consideration on a supplementary order paper, and was approved when there were only 18 members left on the floor that day. He added that the approval breached his personal privilege as a member of the House, as well as a member of the ad hoc committee.

Mr Bankole, who was apparently angered by Mr Nasir’s comment, ruled him out of order, and walked out of the plenary leaving the stage for his Deputy. The members also stood, grumbling and threatening to abandon the plenary only for the speaker to reappear, blaming his walk-out on a problem with his caftan.

“This is not the first time I have handed over to the Deputy Speaker to preside,” he said, denying that he had walked out on the members most of whom were on their feet when he returned. When someone noted that he wasn’t smiling when he left, he said, “I will smile all the way as I walk out of the chambers now.”

The issue was not discussed in any detail after his return, thus confirming that the budget has been passed.

The spokesperson of the Commission, Reuben Muoka also expressed delight at the passage of the budget, saying the process was long overdue.

“This is a 2010 budget that we are talking about. We are happy that the budget has been approved so that we can get to work. It is with mixed feelings that we receive this news. Our budget ought to have been approved earlier but it has been delayed due to unnecessary controversy. All the same, we are happy that our promise to Nigerians to do the SIM card registration can now be fulfilled,” he said

Atiku is not a consensus candidate, says group

A non-governmental organisation, Media for Ethnic Equality, has described the labelling of Atiku Abubakar, former Vice President and presidential aspirant, as a consensus candidate as faulty and an act of media manipulation.

In a statement issued in Lagos on Tuesday, the group said that since there was a voting, the process that led to the emergence of the former vice president as the candidate for the Adamu Ciroma led-Northern Political Leaders Forum on November 22, 2010 cannot be described as a “consensus”. “We understand that out of the nine people who constituted the committee, five voted for Atiku while four voted against him. Though he had highest vote, this cannot in any way be described as a consensus because we still have four dissenting votes,” read the statement, which was signed by the group’s Publicity Secretary, Iyiola Johnson. “It is even more dishonest to label him as a consensus candidate going by the fact that the committee could not even reach a consensus over his choice. Besides, consensus system which emanated from United Nations (UN) processes is used to completely avoid voting. Once a process is decided through voting then it is not consensus. We just think it is time we correct this misinformation making the rounds in the Nigerian media.”

Carrying everybody along

According to the group, only five ethic nationalities, representing five states of the North, selected Mr Atiku out of over 200 ethnic nationalities in the Northern part of the country. “Who represented other Northern states like Plateau, Nassarawa, Kaduna and Kogi in the Ciroma-led NPLF?,” said Mr Johnson. “If the Ciroma group is to be taken serious, they ought to have invited other ethnic nationalities to make Mr Atiku a popular choice.”

The group said it is time for Nigerian politicians to respect the rights of ethnic minorities, adding that taking decisions arbitrarily has never helped the country and the advancement of democracy. It also advised politicians to refrain from inflammatory statements capable of heating up the polity, saying that Nigerians at this time more than ever before need ethnic harmony and not divisions.

Galadima defends CAF nomination

FORMER chairman of the Nigeria Football Association (NFA), Ibrahim Galadima, has described his nomination to contest the CAF executive committee seat vacated by Amos Adamu as an act of God.

Adamu has been suspended from all football activity for the next three years by FIFA for his part in the cash-for-vote scandal following a sting operation by a British tabloid.

Adamu has since launched an appeal in a bid to clear his name, but the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) promptly nominated Gala-dima to contest his seat at next year's CAF elections.

“This is the work of God. I am humbled because there are so many Nigerians who are more quali-fied than me for the opportunity,” Galadima told SuperSport.com.

The former chairman of the Kano Pillars said he could have been in the CAF committee much earlier but decided to be patient.

“During my tenure as NFA chairman, our board had the prerogative to select a candidate for the post. If I wanted to be selfish, my name would have been put forward.

"We decided to be prudent about the whole thing and Dr (Amos) Adamu was nominated instead. So my nomination was divine because I see it as something God had destined to happen at some stage in my life,” he said.

Customs intercept tanker load of drugs

A tanker loaded with drugs worth over N10million, vegetables and other essentials was intercepted by men of Nigeria Customs Service in Kaduna and handed over to the National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC).

While receiving the seized fake drugs and products, the NAFDAC deputy director in charge of the North-West, Dr Eric Iful, said that samples of the seized drugs had been sent to the laboratory for analysis, adding that the seized drugs were considered to be fake because they had not been registered by NAFDAC.

The driver of the tanker which was painted in the colour of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation with NNPC inscribed on the body, was said to have run away while investigations were on to arrest the culprits.

Speaking while conducting newsmen round the seized goods at the customs office in Kaduna, the comptroller in charge of the Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone B, Mr Abubakar Gusau said they had also realised about N1.3 billion revenue and made 577 seizure of contraband since January 2010.

Alleged 25% expenditure on NASS: Senate demands apology from CBN gov

THE Senate, on Monday, demanded an apology from the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mallam Lamido Sanusi, over his statement that “25 per cent of total annual overhead cost of the federal budget are allocated to lawmakers”

The upper legislative chamber of the National Assembly described the statement as embarrassing and unfounded, and was set to summon him before the end of the week.

Mallam Sanusi had, at the weekend, at the eighth annual lecture of the Igbinedion University, Okada, in Edo State, said over 25 percent of the Nigeria annual total overhead cost is expended on lawmakers.

The Senate, however, said the CBN governor was misquoted, adding that if not, we expected that he should retract “this very fallacious and very damaging report with an apology.”

Senate spokesman, Senator Ayogu Eze, insisted that what Sanusi said was on the contrary, adding that “ I want to state categorically that it is not true. The total budget figure for the year 2010 as amended is N4,427,184,596, 534.

“The entire budget of the National Assembly for the year 2010 is N158,916,167,627. If you reduce this to mathematics, what the National Assembly get is 3.5 per cent of the entire budget.”

FG to unban vehicle, furniture, textile importation

TIRED of annually losing billions of naira in revenue to a non-effective ban, the Federal Government, it has been reliably gathered, has fine-tuned an amendment to the import prohibition list, with the aim of unbanning the importation of furniture items, textiles and toothpicks.

In a move that may also result in a significant collapse of prices of cars, the government is also set to endorse the importation of cars not more than 15 years old.

The Minister of Finance, Mr Olusegun Aganga, according to impeccable sources, in a signed endorsement on November 19 to port service providers, has also removed cassava, among other items, from the much criticised long list of import ban.

In a dramatic shift from the hitherto age limit on imported vehicles which was pegged at 10 years, the Federal Government has approved that imports should be extended to 15 year-old automobiles, since the ban on vehicles above 10 years had not been effective, but had encouraged the smuggling of cars across the borders, resulting in severe loss of revenue.

The import trade policy reviews were contained in a memo from the Federal Ministry of Finance to the Comptroller-General of Customs and the three Destination Inspection Service providers - Cotecna Inspection limited, Global Scan System and Societe Generale de Surveillance.

Captioned “Revision of Schedule Three-Import Prohibition List (Trade) of the 2008-2012 Common External Tariff (CET),”, the memo which was signed by Aganga on November 19, 2010, however, failed to give any clue as to why government was finally bowing to importers and agents prayers at a time when everyone had seemingly given up hope on the issue.

By implication, this means that textile fabrics and other articles of similar characteristics that fall within the Lace and Embroideries under the various HS Codes, except the African prints, can now be imported with a duty charge of 20 per cent and a levy of 20 per cent.

Similarly, furniture which was under Harmonised System (HS) Code 9401.100.00-9401.9009.00 and 9403.100-9404.9000, would now attract 20 -per cent duty and 20 per cent levy, respectively, while cassava, under HS Code 0714.100, would now attract 20 per cent duty and 15 per cent levy, respectively.

Toothpick importation (HS Code 3926.9090.91) would similarly attract 20 per cent charges both as duty and levy.

The changes on the 2008-2012 Common External Tariff (CET), according to the minister’s memo, would take effect from the date of the memo.

When the Nigerian Tribune called the Customs high command’s deputy spokesman, Joseph Attah for confirmation, he said he was aware that the minister had indicated that the import prohibition list was due for amendment, but he was yet to be acquainted with items that were going or those that would stay.

Meanwhile, the Federal Government is set to phase out chloroquine for treatment of malaria at the end the year.

The Minister of Health, Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu, made the announcement on Monday.

Chukwu, at a programme in Abuja, said “the FG had phased out chloroquine since 2004, so there is the need to effect this policy.”

He called on Nigerians to stop taking the drug, adding that the ministry was working with the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control to stop its importation.

“The use of chloroquine as treatment against malaria is no longer effective, so Nigerians need to get used to using Artemisinin Combination Therapy (ACT).

“The launch is to communicate quality, accessible, affordable and available effective malaria treatment with ACT within 24 hours of onset of symptoms to the populace,” he said.

The minister said ACT was free and available in all government-owned hospitals and at primary health centres across the country.

“The Federal Government has made the provision of the drugs in government hospitals free. So l want to urge private hospitals to ensure that the dosage price should not be more than N75,” he said.

The minister said the intervention strategy was in partnership with the Global Fund, to reduce malaria mortality by expanding access to ACT.

Speaking at the event, the Coordinator of National Malaria Control Programme (NMCP), Dr Babajide Coker, said the organisation had intensified its efforts at eradicating malaria in the country

Petroleum tanker drivers strike

The Petroleum Tanker Drivers wing of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), yesterday, embarked on a nation-wide warning strike to protest what they term the "indiscriminate victimisation" of their workers by soldiers and the "mysterious" disappearance of petroleum products.

NUPENG's Lagos Zone chairman, Tokunbo Korede, said the seven days warning strike is coming after a 21-day ultimatum elapsed on November 26, 2010, following a meeting with the Chief of Army Staff, the Director-General of the State Security Service (SSS), the Minister of Labour, and the management of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). Mr Korede said the failure of the government officials at the meeting to apprehend and prosecute the army officials behind the assassination of a tanker driver in Jos and the disappearance of several tankers, along with their petroleum products, within military installations has necessitated them to push their case.

Litany of intimidation

"It is true," he said. "It started this morning (yesterday) after the 21-day ultimatum we gave elapsed. It is a nationwide action with only PTD on strike now. Our member died instantly at a joint check point of army and police officers at Jos because he refused to be extorted. The culprits ran to Bauchi Garrison Command, where our truck was taken. But up till now the culprits have not being brought out and the tanker and the product are no longer to be found."

The union leader mentioned other incidents, in the month of November, in which tankers and products were seized by army personnel, only for them to vanish "with no trace". "In Ibadan, the army seized our truck," he said. "After a week our truck disappeared with no trace. Also, this November in Port Harcourt, the army and police stopped a luxurious bus on the road and that is how the tanker driver ran over some people. The army immediately took our truck to the barracks. We even paid compensation to the people that died. But after some time the truck and the product were no more to be found."

The NUPENG boss says if the federal government does not take the warning strike serious, it could affect the 2011 general elections. "For how long are they going to take to fish out those criminal uniformed men who are behind all this?," he said. "This is a seven-day warning strike for those saying we are working on it to bring out a solution. They need to take us serious because it will be too disastrous for the coming elections.

Public say no to bill

A resounding ‘no’ from an array of stakeholders has greeted an attempt by federal lawmakers to legislate their way into the leadership councils of their various parties.

Virtually every member of the public who attended a public hearing on the proposed bill Monday, at a meeting room of the House of Representatives in Abuja, opposed the proposal to make almost every lawmaker a member of their party’s National Executive Committee.

From the chairman of the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to women organisations, attendees criticised the legislation as contrary to its stated intent, which is to bring the internal democracy to party leadership structures.

PDP chairman, Okwesili Eze Nwodo, denounced the proposed law as a naked power grab. If lawmakers pass the law, it will give them excessive influence in decision making in the PDP,” he said.

Mr. Nwodo pointed out that 48 lawmakers already are present on his 64-member NEC, and any addition would mean its complete hijack by the legislative caucus.

“We want a balance in NEC that will not swallow the elected members of NEC. If we have a volume that swallows it, it will affect debates in our NEC,” Mr. Nwodo said.

He also urged the lawmakers to drop the bill because currently, it is the party’s convention that is the highest decision making body of the party, instead of the proposed NEC.

Although the 2010 electoral act amendment bill is not all about making the lawmakers members of their party’s NEC, most members of the public focused on this particular provision on the proposed structure and composition of NECs.

Maxi Okwu, leader of the Forum of National Chairmen of Political Parties, which comprises about 14 smaller parties, also opposed the provision. He described it as “untidy” and urged the lawmakers to desist from making such laws.

He argued that even though the lawmakers reserve the right to make laws for the nation, they should discard that aspect of the amendment because it will make the governance of all political parties uniform, bringing back the military regimentation which Nigerians dread.

“This uniformity is a military hangover. We are seeking that you leave parties to run themselves; you cannot regiment it, it won’t work!” ,” Mr. Okwu said.

He argued that widening the scope of political party’s NEC should be an exclusive preserve of the parties and the composition of NECs should also be left to the parties.

Notwithstanding the mounting opposition in the conference room and protests by different groups outside the Assembly complex against the bill, the lawmakers stood their ground, arguing that of all the parties that have representatives in the National Assembly, only two do not currently have their lawmakers as members of their NEC.

Both chambers of the National Assembly are expected to consider the positions of the public and make their final decision within a fortnight.

Labour leaders condemn 25% annual budget spent on lawmakers revenue - Nigerian tribune

Labour leaders on Monday, condemned the high percentage of Nigeria’s annual budget spent on National Assembly members.

The governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Malam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, said on Saturday, in Okada, near Benin, that 25 per cent of government’s annual budget went to the National Assembly.

Sanusi described the trend as unhealthy and called for a cut if the country must develop.

Labour leaders interviewed in Lagos by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) called for a national conference to discuss the salaries and allowances of the federal legislators.

They were unanimous in calling for a reduction of the lawmakers’ pay to avoid chaos in the country.
Mr Peter Esele, President, Trade Union Congress (TUC), said it was regrettable that rather than serve the people, members of the National Assembly were serving themselves.

“It is sad that our lawmakers appropriate salaries to themselves without thinking about the nation. It is a problem that we all need to sit down and discuss.

“It is bad for democracy. It shows there is tyranny in the land and this is sad for the Nigerian people who do not have good infrastructure or adequate means of livelihood,” Esele said.

He advised the legislators to, as a matter of urgency, review their own salaries.

In his reaction, Mr Dele Akinyanju, General Secretary, Railway Workers Union of Nigeria, said that the issue must be discussed by every Nigerian as the money paid to the legislators was tax payers’ money.

“Their annual pay should be reduced. Nigerians from all sectors of the economy should deliberate what should be paid to legislators and the monthly salary should be made public,” Akinyanju said.

Mr Olusoju Salako, President, Association of Senior Staff of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions (ASSBIFI), called on Nigerians to condemn the amount spent on the lawmakers.

“It is sad that the lawmakers are serving themselves and their families and not the people that elected them. People should begin to condemn this now to avoid unrest,” he said.

Salako described as criminal the 25 per cent spent on about 500 lawmakers out of the money that should be spent on 150 million Nigerians.

Obasanjo is ‘comical,’ says Atiku Campaign Organisation

Obasanjo is comical says Atiku Campaign Organisation *Makes new appointments By Festus Owete November 29, 2010 Ben Obi had barely been formally named the campaign chief for former Vice President Atiku Abubakar before he aimed a few salvos in the direction of the man everyone loves to hate, Mr. Abubakar’s estranged former boss, Olusegun Obasanjo. Mr. Obasanjo, who was president when Mr. Abubakar served unhappily as his deputy, is little more than a jester, Mr. Obi said Monday at a news conference in Abuja, in response to Mr. Obasanjo’s stated reaction to news that his former deputy had emerged as the “consensus” candidate for the North. Mr Obasanjo had last Thursday laughed off the selection of Mr. Abubakar while talking to reporters in Abuja. Asked to respond to the news, the former president had simply said, in pidgin, “I dey laugh.” “We look at him and said the man is always comical with his comments,” Mr Obi said. “We don’t need to engage him, we don’t intend to engage him in matters of that nature.” Mr Obi, a former senator, also dismissed suggestions that the former vice president will face challenges to his membership in the PDP, as indicated at the weekend by the governor of Akwa Ibom State, Godswill Akpabio. He described Mr Akpabio as a busybody who should not be taken seriously since he is neither the chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) nor its spokesman. “I am happy you refer to him (Akpabio) as Akwa Ibom State governor and not the chairman of the PDP. He does not double as the spokesman of the PDP. That is a busybody,” Mr Obi said. Mr Obi will run an Atiku campaign that has just absorbed the campaign organisations of his three other rivals, all from the political North, who have agreed to step down for him. These were former military strongman Ibrahim Babangida, the former national security adviser Aliyu Mohammed Gusau, and the governor of Kwara State, Bukola Saraki. Mr. Obi said the Atiku campaign also has appointed several officials from the erswhile rival campaigns. These include Chris Mammah, who will serve as principal spokesman for the campaignand Bashir Yusuf Ibrahim, who will run campaign operations.

Court strikes out criminal suit against Aregbesola - Nigerian Tribune

AN Abuja high court, on Monday struck out a criminal charge filed against Mr Rauf Aregbesola, who was last week declared winner of the 2007 governorship election in Osun State and his lawyer, Olayinka Okedara.
Justice Abubakar Talba gave the ruling after listening to an application by Aregbesola’s counsel, Mr Kunle Adegoke.

In his argument, Adegoke said, “there is a new development requiring the termination of this matter. The first accused person (Rauf Aregbesola) was declared governor of Osun State last Friday by the Court of Appeal sitting in Ibadan. Being one incident of judicial notice, I’m resting on the provision of Section 308 of the 1999 Constitution; I invoke the jurisdiction of this court to strike out the matter. Based on the fact that the provision in issue is the one clothing this matter within the ambit of immunity, hence I apply that the matter be struck out.”

The prosecuting counsel, Mr Bashir Olatunde, while agreeing that Aregbesola could no longer be prosecuted, said the same could not be said of the second accused (Okedara).

Asked by the trial judge if the accused persons could be prosecuted separately since they were charged together, Olatunde replied that he was ready to amend the charge so that the second accused could continue to face trial.

Justice Talba said, “court can’t even take the application because it involves the first accused (Aregbesola),” who is already clothed by immunity, adding that “it will be an exercise in futility. The moment the first accused is not in this matter, that is the end of the charge.” Justice Talba said since the accused “were charged jointly, it is not in doubt that by the declaration of the first accused as governor of Osun State, the charge has become defective.”

“It is not only the charge that is affected, the leave obtained to prefer the charge is also voided. The charge brought against the two accused is hereby struck out.”

FG charges Iranian, three others for arms importation

The federal government yesterday arraigned one Iranian and three Nigerians before a Magistrate Court in Abuja, for allegedly conspiring to import and importing containers loaded with assorted calibers of prohibited fire arms into Nigeria.

The accused persons are Azim Aghajani, an Iranian; Ali Usman Abbas Jega; Aliyu Oroji Wamako; and Muhammed Tukur Umar.

Campaign team slams Atiku on economy

The Goodluck/Sambo Campaign Organisation has condemned the claim by the former vice president, Atiku Abubakar that the economy under President Goodluck Jonathan is declining.

Mr Abubakar had, during a press conference last Tuesday,alleged that the president was mismanaging the economy. He also criticised the depletion of the excess crude account and the poor performance of the budget.

But the director of research and strategy of the organization, Mike Omeri said yesterday that Mr Abubakar merely displayed stark ignorance on the performance of the economy.

Mr Omeri, who described the former vice president as a mischief maker, said that the International Monetary Fund (IMF)has since acknowledged the upward movement of our economy and has rated it buoyant. “We maintained that Nigeria’s external debt at the point of exit in 2005 was $3.5 billion dollars and only rose to $4.5 billion dollars in 2010,” he said. “Only this month, the IMF confirmed that the economy of sub-Saharan African will be among the best performing in the world this year and next, lagging only behind those in emerging Asia. IMF also raised its growth forecast for Nigeria’s economy to 7.4 percent in both 2010 and 2011 from 7 percent and 7.3 percent respectively.” He added that at the moment, the nation’s public debt to Gross Domestic Products(GDP) is 11.8 percent, while that of the United Kingdom(UK) is 68.20 percent, United States of America (USA) 53.50 percent and Brazil59.50 percent.

Mr Omeri said the Jonathan administration’s economic policies are sound, citing international global rating as basis for faulting the position of the former vice president.

“In fact, we are the third fastest growing economy in the world today by IMF and World Bank. Anybody can go the internet and download this information. Our economy rating since Obasanjo administration till date has remained B.B rating,” he said.

“We have not been downgraded. With all the respect, Atiku displayed emptiness and ignorance on our economy, and such a man should not dream or contemplate managing an economy he knows next to nothing about.”

Focus on issues

He also alleged that Mr Atiku mortgaged the Nigerian economy when he held sway as vice president between 1999 to 2007.

“We are all witnesses to the kind of economy Atiku ran as Vice President when he mortgaged our common heritage to himself and his cronies. Atiku is the least person to talk about an economy he ran aground. He lacked the moral standing and should be schooled on basic economics.

Mr Omeri asked Mr Atiku to focus his campaign on issues instead of engaging in mudslinging.

Police arrest 50-year-old over lover’s death

A 50 year old man Wahab Oyesina, has been arrested by the police over the death of one Bilikisu Muideen, At an undisclosed hotel in Ibadan.

The suspect was said to have checked into the hotel with the lady and had fled the hotel room, leaving the victim behind, when he noticed some complications in her condition. With nobody to assist her, the deceased was said to have struggled from the room to the reception while foaming in the mouth and died shortly after. The woman’s death made eye witnesses to run after the fleeing man and eventually arrest him.

The matter was immediately reported to the Yemetu Divisional Police office in Ibadan. The police quickly stormed the area and took the corpse to the Adeoyo State Hospital Mortuary.

Olatunji Ajimuda, state’s Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), said the information available suggested that the suspect, who was still being kept at the Yemetu Police station yesterday, had not made love to the victim before she developed health complications.

He said the woman, according to the information from the IPO, slumped after leaving the room they had both booked “If it is malicious act, the man will be charged accordingly; but all will depend on the on-going police investigation,” he said, while explaining that the autopsy on the corpse will reveal the truth about the incident.

EFCC raids Halliburton office in Lagos

Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission this afternoon conducted a raid on the Victoria Island, Lagos office of Halliburton.

During the raid, backed by a contingent of armed policemen and soldiers, officials of the company said EFCC officials ransacked their offices and pushed the staff around. They later left with documents and some officials of the company.

Speaking to Next about the raid, Femi Babafemi the commissions' spokesperson, said the raid was as a result of new discoveries and latest development on its investigation of American oil services firm's alleged corrupt practices.

"I don't have the details yet, but I know that three MD's of Technip and Halliburton, three of them were arrested," Mr Babafemi said.

Halliburton is implicated in a multi-billion dollar scandal involving the Nigerian Liquified Gas industry. As NEXT reported in past editions, at least three former presidents, Sani Abacha, Abdusalami Abubakar and Olusegun Obasanjo received millions of dollars in bribes from American and European contractors retained to build Africa's first liquefied natural gas plant in Bonny, Rivers State, according to US law enforcement officials.

Today's raid, which started at about 12pm, according to Mr. Babafemi, is related to the ongoing case.

"It is the same Halliburton case. We just go back into the case based on fresh information that we have," he said.

Neglect of Liberia peacekeepers shocks visiting lawmakers

Shocked by the state of the equipment used by the Nigerian soldiers on peacekeeping operations in Liberia, the House of Representatives committee on defence, yesterday, stated its determination to continue with its investigation into how N23 billion was spent by the ministry of defence on equipment for the operation.

The renewed plan to launch the investigation is coming after a tour of the committee to Liberia. The committee was accompanied on the tour by the Speaker, Dimeji Bankole.

Consequently, the defence minister, Adetokunbo Kayode, is billed to appear before the committee to explain how the money was expended.

A source in the committee said that during the visit, the lawmakers discovered to their chagrin that in spite of the huge sum expended on peacekeeping operations in Liberia since the minister assumed duties, the Nigerian contingent is the least equipped among the nations that contribute to the United Nations peacekeeping operations in that West African country.

It reportedly discovered that the paucity of the equipment was the main reason the reimbursement from the UN to Nigeria has greatly reduced. The committee also found out that Nigeria has so far lost about 1000 soldiers, and spent over $40 billion on peacekeeping operation in Liberia since 1990.

The legislators were also said to have demanded the total overhauling of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Nigeria and the United Nations on her involvement in peacekeeping operations.

Next stop, Sudan

The committee chairman, Wole Oke, confirmed the visit of the committee to Liberia during a telephone interview yesterday. He also said Mr. Kayode will appear before the committee to discuss the issue with its members, adding that they will visit Dafur, Sudan, soon to check on Nigerian troops there.

Meanwhile, Mr. Oke has urged the Liberian House of Representatives to legislate to ensure permanent peace and unity in the country, even as he promised to convey the country’s request for further assistance on its 2011 poll to President Goodluck Jonathan.

He stated this when he paid a visit in company of defence committee members to the Speaker of the Liberian parliament.

207 Runners Set For Obudu Mountain Race

An array of international runners from nine countries will take part in the sixth edition of the Obudu International Mountain Race next Saturday.

Reports say that organisers of the annual race in the Cross River State holiday resort say 207 runners comprising 131 Nigerians and 76 foreigners will take part in the race.

William Archibong, the Chairman of the Local Organising Committee (LOC), said in a statement that runners from Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, Tanzania, Colombia, Austria, Israel, Egypt and Cameroon would vie for honours in the 11-km race.

Archibong said all arrangements for a hitch-free race had been completed, adding that Gov. Liyel Imoke was satisfied with the logistics for the race.

He said the experience gained by the organisers since the inaugural race six years ago had been of immense benefit in preparing for Saturday’s race, which would be run uphill to an altitude of 1,575 metres above sea level.

He commended the state government for the opportunity accorded the committee to ensure the success of the annual race.

“Without doubts, the tremendous backing we have received from the governor has galvanised us into organising what the President of World Mountain Running Association, Bruno Gozzelino has called a perfect race so far.

“This is a confirmation that the organisation of the race has been of international standard,” Archibong said.

“We can only get better and want to assure Nigerians that we shall continue to project Nigeria in positive light to the rest of the world through a perfect organisation of the annual Obudu International Mountain Race.

“This is a perfect image laundering tool for Nigeria,” he added.

The LOC chief described the Obudu Mountain Race as the highest paying race in the world with $50,000 on offer each for the men and women winners.

In another development, the Media Officer of the race, Patrick Ugbe, disclosed that the governor had approved the increase of the total prize money from $245,500 to $278,000 for the men’s, women’s and children races.

Ugbe attributed the increase to the number of events, which had been increased.
He said that the women would participate in the championship for the first time in this year edition

Anxiety over new wage as govt mulls options today – The Guardian

Ahead of today’s meeting on the new National Minimum Wage Bill by the National Council of State (NCS), there was apprehension among stakeholders amid speculations that the advisory body to the Federal Government may endorse the proposed law.
The bill, which President Goodluck Jonathan has pledged to promptly transmit to the National Assembly for passage, stipulates N18,000 monthly for the least paid Nigerian worker in both the public and private sectors. There is however a specified number of workers a private outfit must engage before it can be made to pay the new wage.
The alleged favourable disposition of the Council to the new pay is, however, being opposed by some state governors, who claimed that they lack the resources to implement the new salary structure.
And for about three hours yesterday, workers of the National Assembly under the platform of Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN) staged a peaceful protest and barricaded the main entrance to the complex over alleged poor conditions of service in the federal legislature.
The protest, which began at 9.30 a.m. lasted till noon and stalled activities at the National Assembly including a public hearing by the House of Representatives Committee on Capital Market. A meeting scheduled by the Ahmed Aliyu Wadada-led House Committee on Information in the morning was also put off.

Ibori’s wife, Nkoyo, jailed for five years in London

THERESA Nkoyo Ibori, wife of the former Delta State governor, Chief James Ibori, was yesterday convicted by the Southwark Crown Court, London.
Ibori is being detained in Dubai by the United Arab Emirate (UAE) authority, awaiting the outcome of his appeal against a court ruling, which okayed his extradition to the UK.
If Ibori loses his appeal, he will be extradited to the UK to face a set of three trials relating to money laundering and sundry misapplication of state funds between 1999 and 2007.
She was found guilty of the money laundering charges preferred against her.
Nkoyo may spend the next two to five years in prison, it was learnt yesterday.
The London jury gave its verdict after she was found guilty on two counts of money laundering.
Her husband’s United Kingdom (UK) lawyer, Mr. Bhadresh Gohil, who was also on trial with Nkoyo, has been found guilty on all counts of money laundering.
He has been remanded in police custody.
Gohil will be sentenced after the conclusion of another trial involving the laundering of proceeds of V-Mobile shares by James Ibori, Henry Imashekka, David Edevbie and former Akwa Ibom governor, Victor Attah.
The trial will start next Monday.
In a previous trial, the court had also sent to prison Ibori’s sister, Christine Ibori-Ibie; and his mistress, Udoamaka Okoronkwo-Onuigbo.

FBI training for EFCC, SSS, police officers

BARRING any last minute changes, another batch of officials from the United States (U.S.) Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) are due in Nigeria this weekend.

Their mission is to commence a five-day training programme on strategies to combat hostage taking and negotiation for officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and officers of other law enforcement agencies such as the police and State Security Service (SSS).