SSS arrests el-Rufai over incitement

Former Minister of Federal Capital Territory, FCT, and chieftain of Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, has been arrested by the State Security Service, SSS over alleged “inciting, inflammatory and grossly misleading” claims.

el-Rufai was arrested in the early hours of yesterday at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on arrival from the United Kingdom, UK.

He was said to have returned from a trip undertaken with the CPC presidential candidate in the April polls, Maj. General Muhammad Buhari, and his running mate, Pastor Tunde Bakare, who were at the Chattam House in London, to make a formal presentation about the polls which result they have rejected and are contesting at the presidential election tribunal.

el-Rufai has, of recent, become very critical of the Federal Government.

In a statement, the SSS linked the arrest to “recent articles in the cyber and print media which have been considered by well-meaning Nigerians to be inciting, inflammatory and grossly misleading”. El-Rufai’s media aide corroborated the claim when he hinted that his principal may have been held over his allegation in the media that the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) was allocated N208 billion in the 2011 budget.

Sunday Vanguard security sources, however, punctured the former minister’s allegation on the N208 billion budgetary allocation to the NSA office, saying it was a lie. The sources said el-Rufai had explanations to make on the matter. It was gathered that the former minister may be charged to court tomorrow. It was not clear what he may be charged with, although a source said he may face incitement charge.

Buhari was swift in his condemnation of the arrest which he described as a flagrant violation of the former minister’s right and demanded his release.

Former Minister of Aviation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, also described el-Rufai’s arrest as “a disgrace and monumental error” on the part of the Federal Government.

Why he was arrested – SSS

In a statement by the SSS, signed by Marilyn Ogar, Assistant Director, Public Relations, it was discovered that the operatives who arrested el-Rufai were acting on instructions.

The statement read:

“At 0500 hours of 2nd July, 2011, Mallam Nasiru el-Rufai, the former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), was intercepted on arrival at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

“This became necessary following Mallam el-Rufai’s recent articles in the cyber and print media which have been considered by well meaning Nigerians to be inciting, inflammatory and grossly misleading. For instance, his column on the back page of 1st July, 2011 edition of Thisday newspaper titled “What Nigeria Pays FG” clearly attests to this.

“It is pertinent to note that the Freedom of Information Bill (FOI Bill has been passed into law, yet he refused to cross check his facts before publishing. He rather chose to misinform the public with mischievously orchestrated data with the intent of causing disaffection among the populace thereby subverting Government.

“It is expected that the Former Minister should have been more circumspect against the backdrop of current security challenges in the country.

“Nigeria belongs to all of us and no one should take laws into their hands as no one is above the law”.

How they held el-Rufai – aide

Detailing how the former minister was arrested, his media aide, Muyiwa Adekeye, in a statement, said el-Rufai was, yesterday morning, arrested at Abuja airport as he arrived from London aboard a British Airways flight. SSS operatives later whisked him to their headquarters where he was hauled before their Director-General, the statement.

According to the statement, ‘’feelers indicate that the immediate trigger for his arrest is his disclosure in his Thisday column of Friday, 01 July 2011 that the National Security Adviser (NSA) was allocated N208 billion in the 2011 budget. This figure is in the 2011 Appropriation Act which is a public document.

“Bringing an information in the public domain to the people cannot by any stretch of the imagination be a crime even if it embarrasses security chiefs who, on the evidence of insecurity in the land, are not delivering value despite securing tidy budgetary allocations!

“If the facts in el Rufai’s article, ‘What Nigerians pay FG’, are wrong in fact or context, that cannot be remedied by a denial of liberty. The government should simply publish its alternative narrative, and let the public decide. All efforts to establish contact with him have since proved abortive and the SSS has given no word to his family and lawyers who have kept vigil.

“el Rufai was returning from a week-long trip to the UK where he attended the Chatham House presentation by General Muhammadu Buhari, the presidential candidate of the CPC, who discussed recent events in Nigeria. He also visited his kids schooling there.

“Mallam el Rufai has not done anything illegal by encouraging discourse about what our government costs us. He has been outspoken about his concerns regarding the direction the current government is taking this country, and he has written critical pieces on this matter on Nigerian and international media platforms. Free speech is a constitutional right, and it implies the obligation by the state to defend even those whose views are not congruent with the powers that be.

“el Rufai’s views have been opposed by commentators more sympathetic to the Jonathan government. That is the way civilized discourse ought to go in a democratic country, not an illegal resort to arm-twisting and harassment.”

el-Rufai’s SMS message made available to our correspondent immediately he was picked read, “good morning. I have been detained at the airport on arrival by the SSS. Thanks.’’

Case to answer

But giving some insight into the reason el-Rufai was arrested, a top placed security source told Sunday Vanguard: “We picked him up because he wrote (alleged) lies”. He went on: “In the Appropriation (Amendment) Bill 2011 passed by both the Senate and the House of Representatives on May 25 and signed into law by President Goodluck Jonathan on May 26, 2011, the intelligence community got a total allocation of N109,855,099,466 (approximated to N109.855bilion) which splits as follows: the Office of the National Security Adviser – N40,846,937,023; Directorate of State Security (that is the SSS) – N23,452,705,993; National Intelligence Agency – N27,720,580,338; and the Presidential Air Fleet –N17,834,876,113. So where did El-Rufai get his N208billion? Even then, all the funds due to intelligence community are controlled by the Permanent Secretary (Social Services) in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF)”.

The source further said: “When did Amnesty Programme become part of intelligence community whose votes are being managed by the National Security Adviser? It is very wrong and inciting to manufacture figures and present them as truth because you lost out somewhere and suddenly realised you should become relevant by writing a column in a newspaper. He is certainly appearing in court on Monday.”

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12 ministers retain portfolios

Twelve ministers in the last federal cabinet are returning to their former ministry to resume work on Monday after being sworn in yesterday by President Goodluck Jonathan.

Two new ministers cleared along with the old ones by the Senate last week are to await their posting by the Secretary to the Federal Government, Senator Pius Anyim.

The ministers were sworn-in in three batches of fives and four. 

The 14 ministers comprise 10 male and four female.

The ministers sworn in are Emeka Nwogu (Labour); Bala Mohammed (Federal Capital Territory); Diezani Allison-Madueke (Petroleum); Godsday Orubebe (Niger Delta); Prof. Chukwu Onyebuchi (Health); Caleb Olubolade (Minister of state FCT) and Prof. Rukqayat Rufai (Education).

Others are Dr. Shamusideen Usman (National Planning Commission); Mohammed Sada (Solid Mineral Development); Suleiman Yusuf (Transport); Bello Adoke (Justice) and  Labaran Maku (Information and Communications).

The two new ministers who are awaiting their postings are Stella Ogiewonyi and Zainab Maina.  

The ceremony which commenced at 11am lasted about one hour. Suleiman Yusuf, Minister of Transport was the first to arrive the presidential villa at 9.34am.

The president’s pronouncement to returnee ministers to go back to their office which they vacated on May 29 was in line with his stand for continuity. He had said that constant changes do not help development especially, when they performed above average.

Apart from directing the ministers to go back to their last posting, the president said he was going to reserve his comment until the whole ministers are sworn-in.

He also assured that henceforth, any nominee cleared would immediately be sworn in.

“Customarily I’m supposed to give a comprehensive speech but because we are taking the ministers in batches, you know we have stayed for quiet some time and the Senate is still screening, any group that is cleared even if it is one, that person will take the oath of office so that the ministers will go and hit the ground running and that is why we are doing it now.

“So, I will wait till the day we will take the last oath that will give the speech where I will comment on the cabinet and inform Nigerians about the focus of our administration in the next six months or so to end this year and then till 2015. For those of you who have taken your oath of office, most of you are returnee ministers. I have to congratulate you because there is always a big battle to come back and so for you to have gone through the Senate and security screening, I hope you will continue to do the work Nigerians expect you to do.

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British PM, Cameron warned of Nigerian terror threat as al-Qaeda chooses its next HQ

Spy chiefs have warned David Cameron that al-Qaeda is determined to make Nigeria a base for plotting terror attacks on the West.

Radical Islamic groups in the West African nation are dramatically stepping up their campaign, security sources said.

Boko Haram – whose name means “Western education is sinful” – wants Sharia law in the mostly Muslim, oil-rich country, where half of people live in poverty.

One British official said: “There are dozens of flights every day from Lagos to London. We either help stop the terrorists here, or we will be dealing with them on the streets of Britain.”

The group boasts its jihadists are ready to make the country ungovernable and bombings by “the Nigerian Taliban” have already killed hundreds.

The UK has said it will increase aid but Catholic agency CAFOD said: “What they need is sustained commitment to peace, democracy and good government. They need foreign companies to create jobs, not take resources.”

Read more: http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2011/07/03/cameron-warned-of-nigerian-terror-threat-as-al-qaeda-chooses-its-next-hq-115875-23243365/#ixzz1QzoajdOg
Go Camping for 95p! Vouchers collectable in the Daily and Sunday Mirror until 11th August . Click here for more information

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Reps query Jonathan over SAs

THE House of Representatives, on Thursday, expressed disappointment over the failure of President Goodluck Jonathan to inform it of his request for the appointment of special advisers, as contained in Section 151 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

The president had written to the Senate to notify it of his intention to appoint his special advisers with no correspondence to the House of Representatives.

Section 151 of the constitution reads: “The president may appoint any person as a Special Adviser to assist him in the performance of his functions. The number of such Advisers and their remuneration and allowances shall be as prescribed by law or by resolution of the National Assembly.”

The immediate past Minority Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila (ACN, Lagos State),drew the attention of the House to the alleged constitutional breach, shouting: “Point of Constitutional Order! Point of Constitutional Order!!”

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CAN kicks against Islamic banking

 The Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Delta State Chapter, yesterday, objected to  the proposed establishment of Islamic banking by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, even as the Council of Imams and Ulamas in Kaduna State described the objection as, “insulting, insensitive and provocative,” saying it was a clear exhibition of ignorance on what the banking system was all about.

Delta State Chapter of CAN, which staged a peaceful protest along major roads in Warri, yesterday, said that Islamic banking was another way of Islamizing all Nigerians.

The placard-carrying protesters, who protested peacefully to Word of Life Bible Church in Warri, where the CAN’s President, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, was the presiding pastor, lamented that the ploy by the CBN Governor to introduce Islamic banking in Nigeria was an affront on the other religious groups.

Addressing newsmen, Chairman, CAN, Delta State Chapter, Archbishop God-do-well Avwomakpa,  called on President Godluck Jonathan to intervene in the matter.

“The church is aware of the dangers that this issue is going to cause and we are not going to compromise our faith as Christians. Nigeria belongs to all of us and we are saying ‘No’ to Islamization of Nigeria,” he said.

In its reaction however, the Council of Imans and Ulamas in Kaduna in a statement said “we condemn in the strongest terms the insensitive call by some pastors and bishops on the CBN to stop Islamic banking in the country, as according to them, such move amounted to Islamizing Nigeria.

“We find the reaction of these Christian  clergy insulting, provocative and insensitive.
“It is also a clear exhibition of ignorance bred by blind hatred, which is obviously demeaning to their pious calling and ministry.

“It is indeed amazing that Christian clerics who know better, but chocked by fear of Islam, are always preaching fear and hatred against Muslims and the principles of Sharia.

“This is clearly a shameless disobedience to their Biblical injunction on the prohibition of Usury.”

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S-West varsity protests posting of its graduates to North

AUTHORITIES of the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko in Ondo State yesterday protested the posting of its graduates to states in the North for the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC.

It will be recalled that a graduate of the institution, Mr. Kehinde Jehleel Adeniji, who was serving in Bauchi State, was killed during the April 16 Presidential election violence that erupted in some states.

A statement by the Institution’s Public Relations Officer, PRO, Mr. Sola Imoru, said the “institution is still traumatised by the death of one of its alumni. The University notices with dismay, that some of its graduates were still posted to those violence-prone states, including Bauchi, where Adeniji was mercilessly hacked to death, without sufficient guarantee of their safety by the NYSC.

This smacks of outright insensitivity and total disregard for the sensibility of the AAUA community and stakeholders.”

“The University has received various calls from the parents and guardians of these graduating students, and some of them too, about their apprehension in being posted to those states. Consequently, the university is requesting that its graduates should not be posted to the afore-mentioned states in order to guarantee their safety and assuage the anxiety of these students and their parents and guardians.

While the university believes in the principles underlying the establishment of the NYSC, it is of the opinion that, at least, in the interim, graduating students should serve in their geo-political zones until the NYSC is in a position to guarantee their safety and the Federal Government is able to effectively address the huge security challenges in the country.”

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BRT violence: Lawmakers commend army for dismissing errant soldier

 Lawmakers in the Lagos State House of Assembly have  commended the Nigerian Army for dismissing one of its members for contravening civil rule.

They also called on the army authority to speed up investigations into the killing of the Divisional Police Officer, Badagry and other policemen in the town, allegedly by soldiers.

The News Agency of Nigeria, NAN,  recollects that a soldier, Cpl Sunday Ayodeji on Thursday, June 23 flouted a Lagos State Traffic Law by driving his car on a dedicated Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) lane at Ikorodu road.

The army authority on Monday announced his dismissal and subsequent handing over to the police for trial.

His trial started Wednesday at an Ikeja magistrates’ court.

Commenting on the issue, Mr Suuru Avoseh (Badagry II) said the dismissal of the errant soldier came as a relief and would serve as deterrent to others.

“I commend the army’s step on the officer that caused mayhem at Ikorodu road. We all watched and heard how the soldier flouted the BRT law and when accosted, started fighting BRT people.

“We thank God, Nigeria Army, Ikeja and the police for averting the crisis that would have claimed lives. I learnt that he had been handed over for further action,“ he said.

Avoseh expressed the hope that with the dismissal of the officer, the days of  “unknown soldier” are over and any errant soldier would henceforth be brought to book promptly.

“This time around, it was not the issue of unknown soldier. It is a known soldier. We look forward to a better relationship between military and civilian,” he said.

Mr Ipoola Omisore (Ifako /Ijaye II) noted that there would be fewer problems in Nigeria if army subjects itself to civil rule.

He decried the impunity by which military men flout civil laws, saying that with the corporal’s dismissal, a strong signal has been sent to others.

“The army’s statement that its men should submit to civil rules is commendable. Army should reorient its members to submit more to civil rules,” he advised.

Mrs Funmilayo Tejuoso (Mushin I) also commended the army, saying: “Whoever breaks the law should be ready to face the consequences. It is good for the military to respect their uniform and civil laws.

“The misdeeds of military men are happening often. Lives and property have been wasted during some of the faceoff. The punishment is a good example,” she noted.(NAN)

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33m Nigerians defecate in open places – UNICEF

 The UNICEF says an estimated 33 million Nigerians still practice open defecation in different parts of the country.

Dr Suomi Sakai, UNICEF’s Country Representative and Chief Ambassador, said this at the commemoration of the World Sanitation Day on Tuesday in Abuja.

A man defecates in a canal at Oshodi. Photo by Akinbuli Oluwatobiloba

“The most worrisome of all the unsanitary practices is the high rate of open defecation practice in the country.

“It is estimated that about 33 million Nigerians defecate in the open, depositing about 1.7m tonnes of faeces into the environment annually,’’ she said.

Sakai said that the development had resulted in a high level of contamination of the environment in which garbage and faeces often find their way into water resources.

She stressed the need for awareness creation among the populace and the imperative of imbibing sanitary practices for improved health and socio-economic well-being of the citizenry.

The Chief Ambassador, however, commended the Federal Ministry of Environment for providing a viable platform for discussing and analysing environmental sanitation issues for sustainable development.

According to her, the occasion provides an opportunity for the review of commitment and support to improve the status of environmental sanitation in the country.

She said that the theme of the celebration which is “Cleanliness: Gateway to Healthy Living,’’ was timely and appropriate, considering the present poor environmental sanitation practices and its consequences on the life of the people.

She maintained that high morbidity and mortality rates in the country, prompted by cholera, diarrhoea, dysentery and typhoid, all sanitation-related diseases, were consequences of poor sanitation and hygiene practice.

“Children under five are the most vulnerable to the effects of poor sanitation and hygiene in the country.

“ It is estimated that that nearly 200,000 children under five years die annually due to diarrhoea while respiratory infections kill another 240,000 young children every year,’’ she added.

Sakai explained that improving the disposal of human excreta and stopping open defecation could reduce illnesses by 34 per cent, stressing that when combined with hand washing, the impact could be doubled.

The Country Representative recalled that the UN General Assembly had passed a resolution urging member countries to redouble efforts to close the sanitation gap.

She said that the resolution tagged, “Sustainable Sanitation: The Five-Year-Drive to 2015’’, would focus on mobilising political will as well as financial and technical resources for achieving the MDG sanitation target.

She said the resolution had also called for an end to open defecation.

Sakai called on the Federal Government to invest in the sanitation sector to improve the economic development of the country. (NAN)

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Rejection of Clark’s nominee brews rift with Jonathan

Fears of a possible rift between President Goodluck Jonathan and elder-statesman, Chief Edwin Clark, were being expressed yesterday, following the seeming rejection of Clark’s nominee to represent the South-South geopolitical zone in the federal cabinet.

As at yesterday, no nomination had been made but there were indications that Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State may have an upper hand on the issue. Clark, it was learnt, was meanwhile, being appeased by presidential aides with the offer of ambassadorial and other appointments in the new government.

Governor Amaechi, it was learnt, was favoured because of his new position as Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, NGF. As chairman of the NGF, the governor is expected to be the link between the President and the nation’s powerful group of governors and is being favoured to produce the candidate for the zone.

The seeming inclination of the President is, however, raising apprehension among associates of Chief Clark and in the presidency over fears that some aides of the President may deliberately be aiming to cause a division between the Ijaw elder-statesman and the President.

Until now, the relationship between Clark and the President has been uneventful. That was despite the friction between Clark and the mainstream of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Delta State.

Associates of both men are, however, anxious of a possible deterioration in the once cordial relations if presidential minders are able to put a wedge between both men.

Pointers were also being made yesterday to the fact that former President Olusegun Obasanjo successfully positioned the two nominees from Ogun State and influenced the nomination of other nominees from some other states.

The desire between Clark and Amaechi to appoint the South-South nominee is believed to be a thorny issue for the President. Not only is Amaechi chairman of the Governors” Forum, he was also helpful in turning out some of the biggest votes for the President from the South-South.

Clark on his part was also instrumental behind the scene in mobilizing support for the President especially with his allies in the North in paving way for the President”s acceptance by the mainstream of the north before the election.

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Govt announces 10pm curfew for Abuja leisure joints

Beer parlours, drinking joints and pool centres in Abuja are now to close at 10pm every day including weekends, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) announced yesterday.

The decision of the FCTA, which was contained in a statement signed by Muhammad Hazat Sule, spokesperson of the ministry, also affects parks and gardens. Mr Sule said the administration of parks and gardens, cinema/film centre, disco/night clubs and other recreational centres in the Federal Capital Territory has also been reviewed.

"Henceforth, all operators of the above mentioned venues of recreation have been directed to adhere to the following time limit for their operations. Parks and gardens that admit children are to close at 6pm daily, including weekends. cinema/film centres and disco/night clubs are to close at 10pm daily including weekends," he said.

The FCTA government also called on the operators of all the above mentioned centres to, apart from complying with the directive, also put in place adequate security within their premises.

"The entrance and exit points into such premises must be properly manned," the directive states.

Its officials said monitoring teams will be going round to ensure strict compliance.

This measure, according to the statement is necessitated by the need to ensure adequate security of lives and property in the Federal Capital Territory sequel to series of bombings in the city and threats by Boko Haram elements to carry out further attacks.

The group, at the weekend in Borno, killed 25 people at a drinking spot when its members threw explosives into the gathering.

An FCTA official said the directive is not unconnected to the recent tense security situation in the city. There has been four different bomb explosions that claimed several lives and property in Abuja, the most recent being the bombing of the Louis Edet House where the Police headquarters is located.

Other security measures also including stop and search exercise being conducted by the military and police officials in FCT.

Recently, the FCTA also directed security agencies to beef up security in and around Abuja. Security agencies, including the FCT Command of the Nigeria Police Force, the Sector Command of the Federal Road Safety Commission as well as the FCT Directorate of Road Traffic Services were asked to henceforth conduct stop and search operations on any vehicle in and around FCT.

Security has also been beefed up at several hotels in the city, including at high profile ones such as Transcorp Hilton.

The FCT spokesperson, Moshood Jimoh, tells NEXT in a telephone chat that he was aware of the FCTA order.

"I can assure that the police would enforce it," he said, adding that he cannot explain any reason why such order was issued.

"It is not from police," he said. "Why not contact FCTA for reasons behind it? Ours is to enforce," he said.

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Police ask Tokyo to prove 200 casualties claim

OYO State Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Baba Adisa Bolanta, has dismissed claims by a wanted Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, Alhaji Lateef Akinsola a.k.a Tokyo that over 200 people died as a result of bloody clashes between the factions of the union in the last two years.

He said at the headquarters of the police command, Eleyele that if the union leader was sure of his claims, he should prove it.

The CP said, “may be they were the ones who killed those people. So, they should give us the statistics of the people killed so far. The police station where those incidences were reported and then the medical or autopsy reports of those people killed, so that will greatly assist us”.

Tokyo, through his loyalists had claimed, while, submitting a memorandum to the Judicial Commission of Enquiry set up by Governor Ajimobi that over 200 people died in the heat of the crises.

He reiterated his determination to bring both Alhaji Lamidi Mukail aka Auxiliary and Tokyo to book for alleged atrocities and sleepless nights caused the people of the state.

He said “it is not just making noise on the pages of newspapers or on television and radio stations blackmailing themselves”.
He attributed the perceived frosty relationship between him and the governor to the handiwork of his enemies.

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