Okada riders protest paralyse Ughelli

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COMMERCIAL motorcyclists, popularly known as ‘Okada riders’, yesterday, thronged the streets of Ughelli, Ughelli North Local Government Area, Delta State, in protest against the levy of N20 daily ticket allegedly imposed on them by an agency of the state government.

The protest, which lasted for over four hours, paralyzed economic activities in Ughelli and environs, took the Okada riders through the major streets of the town.

The protesters, while chanting songs of grievances, rode dangerously in acrobatic manner to express their displeasure at the re-introduction of the daily ticket, which, according to them, was abolished by the last local government administration in the area.

Workers, traders and students trekked to their various destinations, following the early hour protest of the commercial cyclists in the metropolis. This was as a result of the absence of intra-city taxis in the town.

The Divisional Police Officer in charge of the Ughelli ‘A’ Division, Mr. Chris Sorgbara, who waded into the protest, appealed to the protesters to go about their normal businesses.

Saying that he would hold a peace meeting with the protesters with a view to addressing their grievances, he stressed the need for peace and security in the area.

Speaking to newsmen, one of the protesters, Mr. Frank Idogun, said some persons came out in the early hours of yesterday, asking them to purchase a daily ticket of #20.

He said: “They insisted that we must pay for the daily ticket. The ticket was abolished over two years ago by the immediate past Chairman of Ughelli North Local Government Council, Mr. Kenneth Ibru.”

Pointing out that majority of them were university graduates who ventured into the ‘Okada, business, in the absence of “white collar jobs”, he held that the re-introduction of the ticket was unacceptable to them.

Delta PDP suspends district chairman, scribe

ONE-TIME commissioner for lands, survey and urban development and chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Delta Central Senatorial District, Mr. Terry Noah, and state assistant secretary of the party in Delta Central, Mr. Felix Anirah, were, Saturday, slammed with one month suspension for their alleged anti party activities.

The party, in a communiqué issued at the end of its meeting, alleged that the duo had “fragrantly breached Article 21 (1) paragraphs a, b, c, e, f, h and i of the PDP constitution as amended” and urged the state executive committee of the party to “act expediously on the issue of anti party activities in the Central Senatorial District so as to put the party in a strong footing.”

The communiqué, signed by Chief J.J Scott, Chief Taro Joseph, Dr David Oghenekevwe, Chief Captain Omovie, and Mr. Stephen Aghelegin, chairmen of the party in Okpe, Uvwie, Sapele, Ethiope East, and Ethiope West Local Government Areas respectively, referred the officials to the state disciplinary committee for ratification of the suspension or expulsion “as the state executive committee may deem fit as appropriate.”

According to the communiqué, the meeting was held in “accordance with the extant provisions of the PDP constitution 2009 as amended to x-ray the performance of the party and deliberate on the actions and inaction of party leaders and members that resulted to the abysmal performance of the party in the senatorial district.

The communiqué warned the suspended officials to cease to parade themselves as officials of the party pending their clearance or otherwise by the state disciplinary committee set up by the state working committee of the PDP.

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GNU: ACN Denies Making U-Turn

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The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) has denied a report published in some national dailies that it had made a U-turn and decided to join the Government of National Unity (GNU) being planned by President Goodluck Jonathan.

The party, in a release signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, stated: ‘’We hereby state, for the umpteenth time, that we will not participate in any GNU.

‘’Reports that we have embraced the GNU and adopted a ‘guarded participation policy’ amount to sheer fallacy, and should be treated as such by all our members and supporters,’’ it said.

The party said it was curious to conclude that by participating in a meeting convened by President Jonathan in Abuja, the ACN has automatically reneged on its earlier decision not to join the GNU.

‘’Indeed, we were represented at that meeting by a powerful delegation led by our chairman, Chief Bisi Akande, simply because it will amount to sheer arrogance to shun a meeting convened by the president to discuss nothing more than the issue of Nigeria, in which we are all stakeholders.

‘’However, when we received the letter of invitation, we immediately wrote back to the presidency, asking to be intimated with the agenda of the meeting.

When no response was forthcoming, we went to the meeting with a letter in which we reiterated our decision not to participate in any GNU, for the simple reason that a unity government in peace time can only stifle democracy and facilitate the emergence of a one-party state, which will in turn breed unbridled corruption.”

Police Foil Attempt By DCP To Kill IG, Gov’s ADC

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The police have foiled an attempt by a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) to kill the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Hafiz Ringim, through planting charms in his cars or bombing him.

The DSP, Musa Agbu, of the Federal Special Anti Robbery Squad, Lagos and formerly an orderly to CP James Dambaba, now in detention and facing trial, is being interrogated by the IGP Monitoring Unit on how he planned to carry out the dastardly act.

According to informed police sources, the DSP had contacted a marabout on how to prepare charms for him to paralyse and kill the IGP for denying him to be the ADC to the newly-elected Nasarawa State governor, Alhaji Tanko Al-Makura.

The source disclosed that the officer was angered by the refusal of IGP to appoint him the governor’s ADC, instead, he chose his former security officer, ASP Jamilu Ringim, to be the ADC to Al-Makura.

Events started unfolding when DSP Musa contracted the marabout to pray and make charms so that Al-Makura will win the election and become the next governor of Nasarawa State.

The source revealed that after the election and Al-Makura was declared winner, DSP Musa started preparing on how to move to Nasarawa State as the ADC.

The source said that to his utter surprise and dismay, the IGP picked ASP Ringim to become the ADC and subsequently started to hatch his evil plans.

He was alleged to have consulted another marabout to prepare a charm to kill the IGP through motor accident with his car or be paralysed.

However, he was not lucky as the marabout contacted a police undercover agent, who subsequently reported to the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, who then ordered them to play along with DSP Musa.

The plan was to be hatched by planting one charm in the governor’s route so that he will be involved in an accident and the ADC will die and the governor will survive.

Nigerians blasts FIFA site over Eagles, Argentina match report

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Nigerians and other nationals from around the world have reacted to FIFA’s description of the Argentine team that lost 1-4 to the Super Eagles in an international friendly played at the Abuja National Stadium Wednesday as Team B.

With the headline, Nigerians hammer depleted Argentina, FIFA posted a story on its website Wednesday with an introduction that went thus “Nigeria thrashed an Argentina B team in a friendly in Abuja tonight.”

However, in sharp reactions, some Nigerian football fans who visited the FIFA site criticised the write up, stressing that the Super Eagles deserved some respect, adding that the victory should not be downplayed by creating the impression that they played Argentina’s Team B.

Writing from his base in South Africa, one Abayomi wrote that in all previous matches where both sides fielded their complete squad, the Argentines have never humiliated Nigeria but always won by slim margins like 1-0 or 2-1.

He added that “Even with the so-called Messi in the World Cup in South Africa, they managed to score a single goal. Argentina has always found it difficult humiliating Nigeria. Even with Nigeria’s team C in South Africa, Messi could not get a goal. What difference would he have made with a better organised and more determined Nigeria team?”

Sizwem also writing from South Africa called for respect for the Eagles, adding “Nigeria deserves our respect. They beat Argentina 4-1 period. Nigeria did not play Argentina B team. Because if that was the case the advert for the game would have been Nigeria A vs Argentina B. The complacency of these so called big teams is what cost Argentina a before final exit in South Africa 2010. Viva African teams.”

Another South African, Ngcobo.Scelo wrote “Well done to the Super Eagles. Some teams would not have even managed to win yesterday (Wednesday) even against a B team”, while another visitor by the name Marabennie from Nigeria said, “the Nigerian side cannot also be called a full team A side. Batista underrated Nigeria by opting to field the so-called team B when he knows that even the team A finds it difficult to defeat Nigeria. Thumbs up to the Super Eagles.”

From England came Toluwase who reminded all that “This same Argentina team just walloped Paraguay 4-2,” adding that they met a more organised and disciplined team handled by Samson Siasia that is still under rehabilitation process.

“Siasia is a disciplinarian that doesn’t take any nonsense and that is not the best he can offer yet. With Messi or no Messi, there will be a little difference. I think is high time they give more respect to African teams, “ Toluwase wrote.

I-G didn’t stop Bankole’s arrest – Police

The Inspector-General of Police, Mr Hafiz Ringim, did not stop the EFCC from arresting the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, police authorities said on Saturday in Abuja.

In a statement signed by the Force Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr Olusola Amore, the police said Ringim “did not direct, instruct or intervene’’ in the matter.

“The IGP is not aware of the presence of EFCC operatives at the former Speaker’s residence, nor did he speak or interact with the EFCC operatives,” Amore, a Deputy Commissioner of Police, said in the statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

The police spokesman explained that the EFCC was not under the command of the Inspector- General of the Police and would not have involved him in its activity.

He added that the anti-corruption organisation was even at liberty to invite the former Speaker or anybody, without any recourse to the IGP.

“It was a mere coincidence that it was when EFCC operatives went to the house of the former Speaker that the IGP paid him a social visit.

“His visit was to apologise for not attending a social event which the former Speaker had invited the IGP to,” Amore said.(NAN)

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Nigeria's Jonathan to visit White House

US President Barack Obama will welcome Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan to the White House on June 8, officials said Saturday.

Obama "looks forward to consulting with President Jonathan on the latest regional and global developments, and deepening our strong bilateral partnership," his spokesman said in a statement.

The Nigerian presidency said Jonathan, who will leave Nigeria on Monday, would also take part in the United Nations high-level meeting on HIV/AIDS and the launch of a project aimed at eliminating HIV mother-to-child transmission with former US president Bill Clinton. He would return to Nigeria on Friday.

Nigeria is currently one of the nine non-permanent members of the UN Security Council and Jonathan was also expected to take part in one of the Security Council sessions that may decide on a second term for the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, the statement said.

It said 12 foreign leaders, mostly from Africa, had confirmed their participation at the HIV/AIDS summit.

Jonathan was sworn in last weekend for a four-your term as leader of Africa's most populous country and a major supplier of crude to the US.

The Nigerian leader's visit comes amid renewed tension in his country, after a series of blasts rocked Nigeria following his swearing-in, killing 18 people.

A southern Christian, Jonathan defeated ex-military ruler Muhammadu Buhari, a Muslim from the north, in a April 16 poll that led to an explosion of rioting in Nigeria which killed more than 800 people.

In early May Obama commended Nigeria's elections, where he said the majority of ballots were cast free from intimidation, signalling a strong future for democracy, but he slammed the post-poll unrest as "deplorable."

Violence, he said, "has no place in a democratic society, and it is the responsibility of all Nigerians to reject it."

Jonathan's visit this week comes a day before Obama welcomes another west African leader, Gabon's Ali Bongo, to the White House to discuss strategic regional and bilateral topics.

The administration meanwhile this week announced an initiative to engage Africa with a visit by First Lady Michelle Obama and daughters Malia and Sasha to South Africa and Botswana later in the month.

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EFCC storms Bankole’s residence

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Former speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Dimeji Bankole, may have unwittingly placed himself under house arrest by his refusal to yield to operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, who stormed his residence at Apo Legislative Quarters, Abuja, yesterday morning.

Operatives of the anti-corruption agency reportedly stormed the residence of the former speaker yesterday after they got wind that he planned to flee the country to London, at the wee hours of today, following the end of the legislative session the previous day.

It was learnt that fierce looking policemen and other security operatives attached to Mr. Bankole blocked his arrest and almost engaged the EFCC operatives in what was described as“bloody confrontation” but for the intervention of some superior officers.

It was learnt that senior officers who sensed trouble among the security operatives and the police alerted, the EFCC boss, Mrs. Farida Waziri and the Inspector-General of Police, IGP, Alh. Hafiz Ringim, who raced to the former Speaker’s House to save the situation.

The IG, it was gathered, had a short discussion with Mr. Bankole on the need to hand himself over to the EFCC and save himself further embarrassment. This Bankole accepted before the IG left his house in the afternoon.

According to a statement signed by the former speaker’s Media Assistant on Communications, Mr. Kayode Odunaro, said Bankole would make himself available to the EFCC to answer question regarding allegations of financial misappropriation during his tenure in the House.

It stated that Bankole was ready to submit himself for interrogation and would report to the EFCC offices in Abuja by 2 pm on Monday.

The statement reads in part “contrary to widespread speculations that the outgoing Speaker of House of Representatives, Hon. Dimeji Bankole has been arrested or resisted EFCC arrest, the Speaker has informed official of EFCC of his intention to honour their invitation on Monday June, 2011 at 2pm.

“Following Bankole’s letters to the EFCC Chairman of some procedural defects in his invitation by EFCC over ‘investigation activities, the anti-corruption agency has sent its men to Bankole to renew the invitation and Bankole has given a Monday date for his appearance.”

The statement insisted that Mr. Bankole was not running away from the EFCC, adding that any speculation that the former speaker had wanted to leave the county was false

Again, Bombs Rock Maiduguri

Two bombs exploded at the main store of the Disease Control Unit (epidemiological) of the Borno State Ministry of Health on Wednesday. Drugs, vaccines and other property worth millions of naira were destroyed. The bombs were suspected to have been planted by members of the Boko Haram sect.

The explosions occurred at about 7:30pm, setting the place on fire. The bombs were also said to have destroyed vaccines, drugs and property belonging to private business men in a nearby warehouse.

An eyewitness said he was sitting at about 7:30pm when he heard an explosion, saying that the stores went up in flames after the explosion.

When our correspondent visited the scene of the explosion yesterday morning, the stores were still burning while fire fighters were busy trying to put out the fire.

A trader whose store was also affected, Mohammed Mustapha, told our correspondent that he lost over N25 million worth of goods to the inferno.

He said: "The fire destroyed Chinese carpet, blanket, wrappers and other materials I kept in the store. It also destroyed the store of my neighbor who sells food stuff."

Our correspondent further learnt that another bomb also exploded in the Saint Patrick Catholic Church, opposite Borno State secretariat. The bomb uprooted electric poles and cables and destroyed the bishop's office.

It was gathered that the explosion occurred at about 3:05pm.

When our correspondent contacted the state police public relations officer, ASP Lawal Abdulahi, for confirmation, he said he was waiting for the DPO in charge of the area to brief him. He added that he would get back to newsmen in due course.

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Kaduna disburses money to victims of election crisis

The Kaduna State government has commenced the disbursement of money to the families who were displaced as a result of the April post-election crisis. The victims are currently staying at various refugee camps across the state.

Speaking at the refugee camp located at the Army depot in Zaria where the displaced persons received money from the state government on Wednesday, the chairman of the Committee on Rehabilitation and Settlement, Saidu Adamu, said the government would do its best to provide basic essentials so that the displaced could be able to reintegrate into the larger society, adding that the gesture was to enable them find houses to rent and not compensation.

The assistance came as a reaction to the passionate appeal to the government by the internally displaced persons through their representatives who indicated willingness to leave the camps once they had money to pay rent. Representatives of the various ethnic groups at the camps expressed their appreciation to the state government and assured that the money would be judiciously utilised.

According to Mr Adamu, who is the immediate past commissioner of information in the state, the monetary assistance was to enable the victims who were staying in the camps and had no any other place to live, use the little money to start life again.

"The governor has already inaugurated the Judicial Commission of Inquiry and is saddled with the responsibilities of trying to know the causes of the problems; how many people lost their life, property and houses," he said. "After the submission of their report, government would take another decision on what ought to be done for those of you who lost everything. Our mission is to give you a minor assistance to enable you be in other houses before the main committee comes up with a comprehensive report."

He expressed appreciation to the Depot Commandant who together with his officers and men, took very good care of the displaced persons and ensured that they were protected and fed.

He said there were so many displaced persons across the state and government would ensure that every affected household received the assistance.

Earlier at the Mando camp near Kaduna, the chairman of the committee in company of other members, Red Cross officials and clergies, appealed to the victims in their hundreds to ensure that they compiled a good record of the authentic victims staying within the camp before the actual disbursement of money would commence.

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N10bn loan: Bankole resists EFCC arrest

Dimeji Bankole, outgoing Speaker of the House of Representatives, on Friday resisted efforts made for his arrest by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Hafiz Ringim, Inspector-General of Police’s intervention was said to averted what would have resulted in a bloodbath between the security personnel attached to Bankole who resisted the arrest of their boss and the ones dispatched by the EFCC to effect the arrest.

The EFCC source said the commission, which has been on the trail of the embattled speaker since the news of the alleged sleaze broke out about two weeks ago, had stationed its men at his private and official residences to monitor his activities.

The source stressed that when the commission got wind of Bankole’s alleged plan to run out of the country immediately after the expiration of his tenure as the speaker, said that the commission had since placed him on its watch-list.

According to the source, the EFCC operatives, on the order of Farida Waziri, the commission’s chairman swooped down on his private residence in Asokoro as early as 8: am Friday morning, with a view to arresting him.

The embattled speaker has before now consistently shunned several invitations extended to him by the commission over his involvement in the N10bn loan scandal that has shattered the peace of the lower House.

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House clears former speaker Etteh of wrongdoing

After four turbulent years that featured some of the most brazen scandals in Nigeria's legislative history, the House of Representatives ended its sixth session on a farcical note yesterday by overturning a 2007 corruption charge that ousted former speaker, Patricia Olubunmi Etteh. Ms Etteh, who was forced to resign after three months on an allegation of spending N648million to upgrade her official residence and her deputy's, did no wrong and had no case to answer, the House ruled in its final resolution for the session.

"There is no record or proceedings of the House where Patricia Olubunmi Etteh was ever indicted," read a motion hastily put up at the request of Ms Etteh. The motion was unanimously approved by the House.

Ms Etteh was the Speaker of the House of Representatives between June 6 and October 30, 2007 when she was forced to resign with her deputy, Babangida Nguroje. She was first elected to represent Ayedaade/Isokan/Irewole Federal Constituency of Osun State in 1999 under the platform of Alliance for Democracy (AD) and then crossed to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2003 and got elected again in 2007.

The declaration was the highpoint of a dramatic, and at some point, emotional valedictory session, in which members delivered speeches framed by the reality that while more than 260 of them will not return, a few have left for the Senate, and one is now a governor in Zamfara State.

John Agoda, a three-term lawmaker from Delta state who lost re-election, wept as he addressed his colleagues, speaking of how his life had been shaped by an uninterrupted 12 years in the lower chamber.

"I wake up and carry my constitution"

"I have been here since 1999, and my life has been used to that for 12 years. Every morning I wake up and carry my constitution," Mr Agoda said before sobbing.

Ms Etteh, one of the earliest to speak, sang and recounted the allegations that led to her removal as Speaker in 2007. She urged her colleagues to proclaim her innocence since she had never been indicted after four years.

"I am saying this before this House and Almighty God that a kobo of this House or the government is not in my account," she said, ironically drawing applause from the same colleagues who moved against her.

"I came here in 1999; I have never stolen one kobo that belongs either to this House or the government. What happened happened, (and) the rest is now history."

Ms Etteh said any decision taken while she was in charge, was a joint decision, repeatedly challenging her colleagues to provide evidence to the contrary.

"A committee was set and till date, I have not heard anything. I have not been indicted. I want this House to pass a resolution before closing; if I am guilty, they should not hide it," she added.

The House subsequently passed the resolution clearing her of wrongdoing, but offered no apology for her loss of the speakership, or the allegations.

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Interparty clash claims two in Oyo

A violent clash between members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and those of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in Oyo State has led to the death of two people in Igboho, Orelope Local Government Council.

The deceased, identified as Yekini Atunwa and Tajudeen Popoola, were said to be members of the PDP and ACN, respectively.

An eyewitness explained that the clash broke late Tuesday when some PDP supporters allegedly attacked supporters of the state deputy governor, Moses Adeyemo and the Oyo North senatorial candidate of the party, Wale Okediran who were gathered to welcome Mr. Adeyemo.

The attack led to bloodbath, which left no fewer than 20 persons seriously injured while several others barely escaped with gunshot wounds.

A source said the ACN members, who were going to receive the deputy governor, sang anti-PDP songs and rained abuses on the former ruling party in the state, which was said to have infuriated their attackers.

A free-for-all followed in which the PDP members allegedly attacked a convoy of the ACN leaders. Guns boomed and the people around had to run for dear lives.

The killed members were not so lucky as they were mowed down in the crossfire.

Despite the presence of heavily armed policemen, drafted to quell the fight and maintain law and order in the town, the situation was said to be tense still.

Baba Adisa Bolanta, Commissioner of Police in the state, confirmed the incident and the death, but said the command was yet to make an arrest.

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New revenue sharing formula coming Q1, 2012

Agitations over the current revenue sharing formula which is perceived as inequitable may end early next year when the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) plans to roll out a better and consistent disbursement plan.

The plan, which was disclosed Thursday by the Commission, follows intense pressure on the commission by the state governors and local government chairmen for a new revenue formula. In recent years, states had persistently requested for higher resources than what the federal government gets, having consistently argued that they perform more responsibilities than the federal government .

Eliam Mbam, RMAFC Chairman in Abuja, on Thursday explained that the much awaited formula is being delayed due to the intense process involved in looking into series of documents, making consultations and going to the field to verify some of the indices.

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U.S Offers to patner jonathan on Nigerias growth

THE United States (U.S.) government has expressed its readiness to work with President Goodluck Jonathan just as the Africans and Americans prepare for the African Growth Opportunity Act (AGOA) summit next week in Lusaka, Zambia.

Recalling his participation last Sunday at the inauguration of President Jonathan, which he personally attended, the U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Johnnie Carson, disclosed on Wednesday afternoon: “I returned Monday from Nigeria, where I had the honour to lead the presidential delegation to the inauguration of President Goodluck Jonathan, Nigeria’s new president.”

According to Carson, “that event signified substantial progress in Nigeria’s democratic development and a new beginning for the Nigerian people. We in Washington look forward to working with President Jonathan and the people of Nigeria to help them build on the 2011 elections to create a just, strong, and more prosperous future for all Nigerians.”

Speaking to the press in Washington DC, as many Nigerians and their friends around the world await the composition of a new cabinet, Carson commended the progress of Nigeria’s electoral and democratic transition.

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Bankole weeps, apologises at valedictory session

Outgoing Speaker of the House of Representatives Dimeji Bankole yesterday shed tears while speaking at the valedictory session of the sixth House. Wearing his usual white caftan with white cap to fit, Bankole could not hold his tears as he addressed the House for the last time as Speaker.

“It’s been a hell of a ride in the past three and half years but there is no circumstance a man or woman may find themselves which God cannot test you. They will come but it’s how you handle it and overcome it that matters,” Bankole said while wiping tears away from his eyes.

While apologising to his colleagues for any wrong he might have done them, Bankole said he meant well in the decisions he took given the exigencies of the time.

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Libya: Fleeing Nigerian, Ghanaian migrants flood Niger

Nigerian and Ghanaian migrants fleeing form violence in Libya have reportedly arrived in Agadez, Niger Republic, on a truck.
R

eports had it that Niger’s city of Agadez had been transformed from a bustling trade hub in the middle of the Sahara desert into a refugee centre for the thousands of African migrants fleeing the violence in Libya.

According to reports monitored on British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), for the last two months, a large convoy of trucks had been driving into town each week, with the flow now eased to about 10 vehicles packed with between 1,500 and 3,000 people.

Figures from the beginning of May put the number of migrant arrivals over the Sahara from Libya at 65,000.

The figure said to be more than six times the number of migrants had landed on the Italian island of Lampedusa from Libya in the same period.

The atmospheric heat in Niger already risen to 48-degree was said to have caused exhaustion of fleeing migrants consequent upon their gruelling trip.

Many of them were said to be thirsty and hungry as they unloaded the luggage they managed to bring with them on the journey which took them more than a week.

A Ghana refugee, Ibrahim Harun Hafiz, recounting his experience said: “On our way, we saw a truck that caught fire, all of its occupants got burned.

“On our way, we saw a truck that caught fire, all of its occupants got burned. Next, we found another truck which had had an accident in which 40 people died straight away, while many got severe injuries.”

Another, Abdulaziz Abdullah, a Ghanaian mechanic who worked for four years in the Libyan capital, Tripoli, said: “The journey is between life and death. Many people did not make it to Niger because of hunger.

“If I showed you a [recent] photo of myself, you wouldn’t recognise me. But I thank God I’m alive, though I’ve lost everything.”

He said he decided to join the convoys heading south after his home, near a military camp in Tripoli, but was bombed on March 28 and he lost all his workshop equipment.

The trucks transporting the migrants was organised by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) in Tripoli and various West African embassies who liaised with the Libyan authorities to guarantee their safety for the trip.

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Again, JAMB shifts 2011 UTME date to June 18

THE Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced Saturday, June 18, 2011 as the new date for the conduct of the 2011 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

JAMB Registrar and Chief Executive, Professor ‘Dibu Ojerinde, who announced the shift in date in Abuja, on Wednesday, said the new date, as approved by the Federal Government, was to avoid a clash in date with the ongoing National Examinations Council (NECO)’s Senior Secondary School Examinations (SSCE).

The board had earlier set Saturday, 11th June, 2011 for the conduct of the 2011 UTME.

It will be recalled that JAMB had first shifted the date of the conduct of the examination from April, 2011 to allow for the conduct of the 2011 general election.

But new change in date, the Nigerian Tribune learnt, was as a result of pressure from parents of some of the candidates who were currently sitting for the NECO examinations and had registered to participate in the forthcoming UTME.

A statement by the JAMB Public Relations Officer, Mr Timothy Oyedeji, quoted the JAMB boss as saying that “the change has become inevitable as a result of the clash in date (i.e. 11th June, 2011) earlier fixed with the ongoing NECO examinations.”

He said: “For instance, sizeable students who have applied to write UTME would also be sitting for the National Examinations Council’s Biology (Practicals) on Friday, 10th June, 2011, and as such, may not be able to travel after their NECO examinations to sit for the scheduled 2011 UTME on Saturday, 11th June, 2011.”

Ojerinde said the government was mindful of the fact that the board had been inundated with requests from parents of children who chose towns outside their present’s locations to reconsider and shift the date to June 18, 2011 as against the earlier fixed date for the 2011 UTME.

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Reps to buy cars for N800,000 each

OUTGOING members of the House of Representatives are to go each with the Peugeot 407 cars earlier bought by the House leadership at N2.3 billion, the Nigerian Tribune has learnt.

Interested lawmakers are expected to pay between N800,000 and N850,000 for each of the cars, which were bought brand new.

It will be recalled that the purchase of the vehicles generated furore between the House leadership and the members who threatened to impeach the speaker on allegation of underhand dealing in the transaction.

Anti-corruption bodies were also drafted to investigate the alleged fraud in the purchase of the automobiles and office equipment for the representatives.

However, the House will today hold a valedictory session, which was earlier slated for Wednesday. The House will officially close for its sixth session on Saturday.

The speaker, who announced the outcome of a closed-door meeting earlier, said members at the executive session deliberated on the audit of the House official vehicles and office equipment and that the deliberation was satisfactory.

At a plenary session on Wednesday, the House passed the anti-terrorism bill, after adopting the harmonised version of the bill which deals with offences relating to conduct carried out or purposes connected with terrorism.

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Jonathan urges support from party leaders

President Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday, called on leaders of all major political parties in the country to join hands with his government for the transformation of Nigeria.

In an opening remark at the meeting between him and leaders of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), the All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP), the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) and the Labour Party (LP) at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa in Abuja, Jonathan said despite their political differences, the major political leaders must work with the government to ensure that Nigerians get the dividends of democracy.

“No matter who is the president, no matter who is the governor, what Nigerians are interested in is to have food on the table. There should be infrastructure, there should be security and there should be good governance. And I know that not only the ruling party can make this possible. For me to succeed, to give Nigerians what they want, we must run a stable government. It needs the cooperation of all the political parties; all the leaders”.

He said: “I want to plead with you that I will not want to run a government of opposition party or main party, I want us to collectively run a Nigerian government; a government that will take the interest of the country to heart and work towards solving our problems; the problems that are dear to our people”.

The president told the political leaders: “Our interests are the interests of Nigeria. I am not going to play politics of discrimination. I want to assure you that I do not intend to run an opposition government. Let’s cooperate for the interests of our people,” stressing that whatever the points of differences are among the different political groups, they should be able to resolve them without rancour.

“That is why I called you to assure you that I will run a Nigerian government. I want to assure you that our interest is Nigeria’s interest and I know that the interest of every politician, irrespective of political party, is the interest of the country. I am not going to play politics of discrimination,” he stated further.

The meeting, which is part of the president’s consultation platform, was however shunned by the leadership of Muhammadu Buhari’s Congress for Progress Change (CPC). Not a single member of the party attended the meeting.

While recounting the nation’s democratic journey, the president said he was hopeful that Nigeria was beginning to stabilise politically; noting that it was through their collective effort that the present leadership of the country emerged.

While emphasising the importance of the meeting with the different political parties, President Jonathan said: “If it is possible and not at variance with your parties, I suggest we meet periodically so that things that are dear to our country will be discussed”.

The president said the successful conduct of the April polls had placed a greater responsibility on Nigeria on the continental and international level, especially regarding the quest of Africa to occupy a permanent seat on United Nations Security Council (UN-SC) and noted that “if we have a stable polity, our leadership role will increase and our citizens’ status will increase. The party of Mr. President cannot do it alone”

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