FG probes banks over ex-PHCN workers’ benefits

THE Federal Government has ordered that some banking institutions handling the payments of benefits to the last batch of disengaged Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, workers be investigated over their alleged culpability in delaying processing of the payments.

The government, which described the development as embarrassing, recalled that a payment instruction given on December 10 to a particular commercial bank had not been transferred to the account of the Accountant-Generation of the Federation, 13 days after.

Minister of Power, Professor Chinedu Nebo, who said this while speaking during a meeting with the Minister of Labour, new owners of PHCN successor compa-nies and other power sec-tor stakeholders, said the situation was intolerable.

He added that the delay in paying monies already released by government, which was causing frustra-tion among the workers, was meant to embarrass the Federal Government.

The Power Minister said the meeting was called to resolve issues of labour relations between the new owners and the workers, to prevent disharmony that could hinder speedy delivery of power to Nigerians, as envisioned by President Goodluck Jonathan’s transformation agenda.

He stressed the need for the new owners to have in place a good human resource department that will regularly engage labour, rather than discou-raging union activities.
Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu drew the attention of the new headship of the generation and distribution companies to the need to comply with the provisions of Nigeria’s labour laws and International Labour Organisation 1949 Convention, both supporting the existence and operation of workers’ unions.

Victims of police demolition spend Christmas under trees

Sitting on a mattress, under a mango tree on the land that used to accommodate their house, Sunday Solomon, a teenager, watched over what the family could salvage. Clutching  the remote control to their television set, he gazed at the rubbles of their demolished house with the hope that the hand of the clock could be turned back.

Sunday and his only sibling were obviously yet to come to terms with the reality  that their house, which was demolished on December 16 for allegedly trespassing on police  975 plots (65 hectares) of land in Atinporome, Mowo Phase 11, Olohunda Local Council Development Area, LCDA, no longer exist.

The sibling while waiting for their parents who had gone out to look for money that will help them to either relocate to their home town or rent an apartment in a nearby community, ensured that their scattered property under the tree was safe.

“My name is Solomon Sunday and my parents aren’t at home. This is our demolished house.
“And please Sir you are not welcome here. Please leave and come back when my parent returns,” Sunday told Vanguard.

The Police, in its two- day demolition exercise removed over 1, 000 structures erected on the 65 hectares of land, displacing over a thousand residents of the community.
As if they had premonition of what would befall them in future, many residents planted different trees in their compounds.

The  trees, spared by the bulldozers, today provide shelter for many of the residents while others have turned their cars to temporary shelter..
The Sundays were not the only family using the trees in their old compound as their new shelter. Lying on his back, also on a mattress placed under a tree in his demolished home, 73- year- old George Egosoku, gazed at the mango tree probably brooding over what would have happened without it. After the demolition, George, a professional driver before age caught with  him, now sit helplessly and closely with his son under the mango tree where they’ve being  spending the night since last Monday.

He was short of words to describe what happened on that fateful day, which will forever remain in his memory, the day he lost his house, built at the twilight of his active driving career which spanned over 35 years.
Struggling to narrate  his experience, George, who now engages in petty trading to sustain his family said; “I watched helplessly as the officers of the Nigeria Police, Area K command, pulled down my house and bulldozed my belongings.”

On Wednesday, after the police had completed the demolition, George said he borrowed a hammer, plough and other implements  to remove some of the broken woods and irons from the rubbles with the hope to sell them to raise money for feeding and to rent a new apartment.

“But the price they are willing to pay for these items is far too low compared to the cost price. For instance, I bought this quality iron door for over N10, 000 few years ago. But to my surprise, the Aboki’s (scavengers) decided to pay N1, 000 for it,” George said.

Speaking with gloomy eyes he lamented; “My problem now is how to raise substantial amount of money to relocate to my home town.
“This is my house. This is where I have been living for the past 15 years.
“My years of hard labour were demolished that Monday and since then, I have been sleeping under this mango tree despite the harsh harmattan. Also, mosquitoes don’t allow us have good sleep. I am not appealing to your emotion. But I believe you can see things yourself. At my age, I am dirty, no shelter but a mango tree.

“I am not blaming anyone for my plight but the government especially the Nigerian Police and the Lagos State Government whom we pay our land use charge to. The government cannot provide housing to the downtrodden rather they demolish what the citizens had built.”

The plight of this septuagenarian, Egosoku, and the teenager, Solomon are two out of the several pathetic stories of the displaced residents of Atinporome, Mowo Phase 11 community.
Elder David Hundenu, 80- year- old residents of the community, lamented; “At my age, where do I start? I cannot run around the way I was doing 40 years ago. This is where I have called home. This is where I hope to finally rest but with this, I am confused.”

Hundenu, who had lived in the community for 19 years said; “Since 1994, when I bought my land from the late Baale Hoodonu, there had never been any issue concerning the ownership of the land. The tussle over the land started in 2008 after the demise of Hoodonu. While he was alive, he told me that the entire land belonged to his family.”

Another resident, Mr. Ahmed Alade who lost his home two years ago to the expansion of the Lagos- Badagry expressway phase one at Orile- Iganmu, struggled to compose himself.
And when the 73- year- old finally did, he said; “My house was demolished in Orile two years ago for the expansion of the Lagos- Badagry expressway to 10- lanes. I didn’t get any compensation for it. I ran here for shelter with my family. But the shelter has been demolished again. Where do they (government and police) want me to go?”

Chief Korede Mayegun, who lost a hotel, house and a parcel of land worth over N160 million to the demolition, said; “when I heard the news, I went into coma. In fact I have been shuttling between hospital and home since last Monday. But my happiness is that I am alive again. I was unable to remove anything from my hotel.

“I believe that my property will not go like that. Our case is still in court and the date for another hearing is January 15th, 2014. We are ready to challenge them in court.”

Navy destroyed 1,556 illegal oil refineries, nabbed 1,646 suspects in 2013 —CNS

Chief of Naval Staff, CNS, Vice-Admiral Dele Ezeoba, yesterday said the Nigerian Navy destroyed 1,556 illegal oil refineries and arrested 1,646 suspects in 2013.
Ezeoba disclosed this at the launch of the Chief of Naval Staff Strategic Guidance, SG, 02 in Abuja, yesterday.

File photo: Illegal refineries being destroyed.

He said: ’’The Nigerian Navy destroyed 1,556 illegal oil refineries, 103 barges, 69,606 auxiliary equipment and 1,443 large wooden boats.’Between October 2012 and September 2013, more than 1,646 suspects were arrested and handed over to either the Nigeria Police Force, EFCC or the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps for trial.”

He said the incidence of piracy had been reduced considerably.“For instance, between January and September 2013, the Nigerian Navy received 91 alerts of
suspected sea robbery and piracy within Nigeria’s maritime space,” he added.

According to Ezeoba, the Nigerian Navy responded to 64 cases of sea robbery and is currently investigating 22 of the remaining cases.The chief of naval staff also said the two hijacked vessels, MV Crow and MT Norte, with 17,000 metric tonnes of gasoline, were successfully rescued by the Navy.

“Currently, two offshore patrol vessels are under construction, one to be fully built in China and the other to be completed in the Naval Shipyard Limited, Port Harcourt,” he added.
Ezeoba also said the Navy had acquired a U.S. Coast Guard Ship, USCGC Gallatin which is expected to sail into the country by the second quarter of 2014.
“Following the achievement of the aforementioned milestone, which was the essence of my SG 01, it has now become necessary to issue my SG 02,” he said.

Accordingly, the Chief of Naval Staff, SG 02 was duly promulgated on Nov. 1, 2013, to ensure that the directives contained therein are carried out.

Delta monarch calls for creation of Urhobo state

Gov. Uduaghan

Okumagba, who made the call at UPU Hall, Uvwiamuge-Aghabrho, during the 2nd inauguration/swearing-in ceremony of Urhobo Monitoring and Development Group, UMDG, said the Urhobo, being the fifth largest ethnic group in Nigeria, deserved a state of their own.

He said: “I want the creation of a new Delta State to embrace the 24 Urhobo kingdoms and those who care to join us.”
He said that the call for the creation for Urhobo state became imperative because the Urhobo were the fifth largest Ethnic group in Nigeria and had population more than many states could boast of.

He noted that the Urhobo nation played host to Delta State University, Abraka; Western Delta University and the Federal University of Petroleum University in Delta State, stressing they were enough for the Urhobo to have their own state.

Chief Okumagba was quick to state that his people were a microscopic minority in Delta South senatorial district, alleging that the Ijaw, Itsekiri and Isoko had swallowed the Okere-Urhobo of Warri in the political equation.

”The various ethnic groups must learn to live together. If we don’t want to live together, we can part ways and ask for whatever we want for ourselves.
”The Ijaw, Itsekiri and Isoko have always swallowed us and I cannot go the House of Representatives. Who is more marginalised than the Urhobo of Warri?” he added.
In his address,  Prince Kingsley Oberuruaria, National President, UMDG, said his administration would vigorously pursue the Urhobo cause and preach peace across board to ensure unity in Urhoboland.

He stressed that UMDG would secure the economic and political development of Urhoboland through the engagement of government and relevant agencies operating in the area.

Gunmen attack APC chieftain in Abeokuta

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Ogun State, Chief  Kushimo Lukmon, was  yesterday, attacked by unknown gunmen who broke into his house at Ita-Eko, Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.

The chieftain was reportedly escaped death following prompt intervention of men of Vigilance Service of Ogun State.Speaking on hospital bed, Lukmon said a gang of six men invaded his residence at 5,Famuyiwa close, Surulere, Ita-Eko, Abeokuta, around 1:am  and threatened to kill him if he did not drop his ambition for Ogun State House of Assembly.

He said he was hit on the head and arm with a sharp objects which made him lost consciousness before he was rushed to the hospital.Narrating his ordeal, the victim said the assailants were wearing masks and came with dangerous weapons such as guns, rods, acid and matches.

“They did not steal anything but almost raped my wife and threatened to kidnap my children before they were chased away by men of vigilante.“I was also warned not to contest for Ogun State House of Assembly from Abeokuta South constituency II in 2015.

They said what I saw is a tip of an ice bag.“My life is in danger  and because I could recall that I escaped a gun shot  last week from unknown gunmen”, he said.

When asked whether if he had reported the case to a police station, the victim said  men of vigilante have done that.

Attempt to contact the Police Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi was unsuccessful as he could not be reached.

Army accepts responsibility for Apo Killings

ABUJA— Three months after gunmen besieged an uncompleted building at Apo district of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, and killed eight squatters on allegation that they were members of the Boko Haram sect, the Nigerian Army, yesterday, claimed responsibility.

Testifying before an investigative panel set up by the Governing Council of the National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, yesterday, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika, said the soldiers acted in self-defence after they were shot at.

Ihejrika, who was represented at the hearing by the Commander, Brigade of Guards Nigeria Army, Major-Gen. Emmanuel Atewe, said the incident, which occurred on September 20, was an isolated case, saying the Army had acted with a view to averting mayhem in Abuja.

He said the Apo incident was part of ongoing military operation to rid the FCT of Boko Haram elements.He said the Military acted on a report from the Department of State Services, DSS, which indicated plots by members of the sect to launch attacks in Abuja.

He said: “Between September 18 and 19, two persons were arrested in Abuja and they made useful confessions that there were arms hidden at Apo Cemetery to be used in a planned attack.”
He said the military went to the cemetery to uncover the weapons, but that the suspects could not locate the spot as it was night.

The suspect then told the team that their leaders, one Suleiman, could tell were the arms were and that he lived at the Apo uncompleted building.
He said: “It was on that premise that the team cautiously moved to the uncompleted building to arrest Suleiman.

“As troops were deploying to cordon the building, the fire came; first it was a single shot, then rapid fire followed. The troops returned fire in self-defence.”
The Army, yesterday, insisted before the investigative panel, presided over by the Chairman of NHRC, Professor Chidi Odinkalu, that the DSS got cogent information on a planned attack, saying the September 20 raid on the uncompleted building was necessary to avert the plan.

Ihejirika said: “The military operating in FCT are well trained in handling arms and have exercised restraint in the discharge of their duties.“Apo is an isolated case and very unfortunate. The security agents acted pro-actively to prevent collateral damage that may have taken place in Abuja if the planned attack had taken place.”
The Army further decried that Suleiman was still at large and that the said cache of arms at the Apo cemetery was still undiscovered.

APGA asks court to declare Okorocha’s seat vacant

ABUJA— Following his defection to the All Progressives Congress, APC, the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, yesterday, approached  Abuja Division of the Federal High Court, asking it to declare the seat of Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State vacant.

The party, through its lawyer, Mr Victor Odjemu, further prayed the court to order that the deputy governor of Imo State be sworn -in to take over from Governor Okorocha who  decamped to a party which policies were different from APGA’s.

*Okorocha

APGA told the court that its decision to seek the immediate removal of the governor culminated in a meeting held by its National Executive Committee, NEC, in Abuja on August 3, 2013.

Consequently, it urged the court to, in the alternative, either okay the deputy governor as a viable replacement for Okorocha or direct that the speaker of Imo State House of Assembly or any officer next in line to the position of the governor, who is a member of the plaintiff, APGA, be sworn-in to pilot the affairs of the state.

I was released after N30m ransom —GUO Motors boss

ONITSHA  — The Chairman of G.U.O. Motors Limited, Chief G. U. Okeke, yesterday, said he ate lunch with his kidnappers at their den before he was released on the payment of over N30 million ransom.

He was testifying before an Onitsha High Court presided over by Justice Chudi Nwankwo, in conclusion of his cross-examination by counsel to Alexander Onyinanya, the third defendant.
According to him, “in spite of distress and trauma I was going through, I relaxed and stayed with the kidnappers, reading my Bible.

“Although I was bleeding profusely and in serious pains due to machete cut, gun shot, human bite and beating by my the kidnappers, I was courageous enough to discuss with them and to control them for the period I was with them.

“I was still bleeding as the kidnappers held me hostage and only one of them covered his face as I stayed with them.“I was able to identify the third accused person even though he covered his face because be served in my house in the village for about one year before I was kidnapped.

“The third defendant was living a flamboyant life and was wandering around in Adazi-Ani, my home town before he was eventually arrested after being in hiding for about two years.
“Alexander Onyinanya, the third defendant, was not doing any job in Adazi-Ani and did not go to his home town Ufuma after the kidnap incident but was staying in Adazi-Ani without any job and without living in any known place.

“He was on the run for about two years before he was eventually arrested by men of vigilante group and he was limping when he was arrested.“The kidnappers were carried away by the large sum of money I promised to give them as ransom and therefore did not bother to cover their faces anymore.

“I was reading Psalms 23 and 121 and the words in those verses kept encouraging me and raising my hopes of survival.”

Why kidnapping thrives in S-East

According to him, kidnapping is thriving in the South-East geo-political zone because most of the kidnapped victims are usually afraid to report their suspected kidnappers to the police and follow the case up to the law courts.

He said the numerous threats he had so far received from his kidnappers and their god-fathers were enough to scare him from following the matter up to the level it is now.
Yet he had to muster the courage to go ahead and prosecute them to the letter as he is already doing in the law court, even at the risk of his life, as a part of efforts to fight the ugly trend to a stand still.

On how he identified the third defendant as one of his kidnappers, the prosecution counsel, Chris Ajugwe, who appeared with Mrs. Margaret Wilcox, raised an objection to the question on the ground that most of the questions already asked Okeke, by the defence counsel are being repeated, thereby putting him into confusion since he had already answered them in the past cross-examinations.
Ruling on Ajugwe’s objection, Justice Nwankwo agreed with the prosecution counsel.

The judge, therefore, directed the third defence counsel to ask fresh questions that would be relevant to the matter. The presiding judge, Justice Nwankwo adjourned the matter to February 6, 7 and 27; March 3, 20, 24 and 25; April 1 and 3, 2014 for cross-examinations by the prosecution counsel.

Driver charged with woman’s death, reckless driving

A driver, Wahab Idiagbon, who allegedly killed a housewife through reckless driving, was yesterday brought before an Apapa Chief Magistrates’ Court, Lagos.
The 32-year-old driver, who lives in Ajegunle area of Apapa, is facing a two-count offence of manslaughter and dangerous driving.
The accused, however, denied the charges.

But the prosecutor, ASP Soji Ojaokomo, insisted that the accused committed the offences on January18 at 9.40 p.m. on Ojukwu Street, Apapa.
According to him, the accused hit one Mrs Florence Williams with his car who was later confirmed dead.

Ojaokomo also alleged that Idiagbon drove an SUV with number plate FP 804 EKY recklessly without respect for other road users.
The offences, he noted, contravened Sections 19 (1) and 20 of the Road Traffic Act, Laws of Lagos State.

The Chief Magistrate, Oluyemisi Adelaja, admitted the accused to a bail of N200,000 in addition to one surety in like sum.
She said the surety should show evidence of tax payment to the Lagos State Government as part of the bail conditions.
The case was adjourned to January15 for mention.

Emenike named among top 100 world footballers

British newspaper Guardian has published on its electronic edition a list of the top 100 footballers in the world for the year ended 2013.

Ranked in the 97th position is Super Eagles and Fenerbahce striker Emmanuel Emenike, who  scored  four goals for the Nigeria  at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations.

“Emenike staked an early claim as one of Africa’s most influential players when his exploits propelled Nigeria towards a long overdue success in the Cup of Nations.

IMPERIAL … Emenike is congratulated by team mates after scoring.

“Emenike was prolific, consistent and finished as the competition’s top scorer.

“It is the determination and pace of his runs that make the difference to Nigeria’s counter-attacking strength – Emenike’s team-mates figure that if the pass is half decent, he should find it.

“Brazil 2014 could be a useful shop window for the Fenerbahce striker,”said the editors of Guardian.

This season, Emmanuel Emenike has netted 6 goals in 14 Super Lig matches for his Fernerbahce side.

APC leaders, source of Nigeria’s problems – PRESIDENCY

The Presidency said, Sunday, that the opposition party, All Progressives Congress, APC, is destined to sink in 2015 as it parades all those who constitute Nigeria’s problems.

Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, who addressed a press conference, Sunday, in Lagos on the achievements of President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, said the government was not bothered about the chances of the opposition in 2015.

He said: “We are unperturbed by the parade of so-called political giants by the opposition. I have said it before that APC cannot stand unless they fish in PDP waters.

From left; Gov. Rochas Okorocha of Imo State; APC leader, Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu; Gen. Muhammadu Buhari; Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo, Interim National President, Chief Bisi Akande, Gov. Nyako of Adamwa state and other chieftains of the APC during their visit to Obasanjo at Abeoukuta, yesterday.

“But the APC boat is bound to sink because it is a collection of the problems of Nigeria.

“How else do you want God to save Nigeria if all those who are the problems of the country are not packed in one boat and the boat sink under their weight?

“When we went to Israel, we prayed that all those who are the problems of Nigeria should all perish and this is how our prayer will be answered.”

Okupe said though critics have continued to lampoon the President, his administration is keeping faith with the transformation pact he had with Nigerians.

He said the Federal Government has been able to, among other things, “bridge infrastructural gap for economic growth and wealth creation, optimise sources of growth to increase productivity and competitiveness; build a productive, competitive and functional human resource base for economic growth and social advancement and develop a knowledge-based economy.”

He said President Jonathan “is conscious of his pact with the people and will not deviate from the spirit and letters of his social contract as encapsulated in the transformation agenda as he is determined to continue to serve the Nigeria people conscientiously, diligently and accountably.”

He added that the President Jonathan-led administration has “improved governance, security, law and order and also engendering more efficient and effective use of resources and promoting social harmony as well as providing a conducive environment for growing the economy.”

Lists achievements

He reeled out the Federal Government’s achievements in various sectors to include roads infrastructural restoration, rail transportation, aviation reforms and upgrade, power sector reforms, education, agriculture, medical and health services, economic growth and stability, sports development and security.

According to him, “the President and his team have worked assiduously to implement reforms in key sectors of the Nigerian economy.

“These are reforms which had hitherto been neglected or abandoned and which had unfortunately led to our retarded growth as a nation.”

He added that the transformation agenda “is not a slogan but a well articulated vision of a Nigeria where policies and programmes are designed, implemented and followed through for the greater good of the greater number of citizens.”

Stating the government’s efforts on roads infrastructural restoration, Okupe said the Federal Government “generally and consistently made significance progress in the construction, rehabilitation, expansion and maintenance of key arterial roads across the six geo-political zones of the country.”

Rail, aviation

The presidential aide said as part of efforts to “revamping the Nigerian rail transportation system, which has been comatose and decrepit for almost two decades, the various projects and programmes initiated in 2012 were carried through in 2013.

“The initiative has provided alternate and cheaper mode of transportation for persons, good and services in various parts of the country. It has improved economic activities in communities and created jobs for a good number of young Nigerians.”

On the aviation sector, Okupe noted that the sector in 2013 broke new grounds, adding that “the radical transformation of the sector under the Jonathan administration has impacted positively on Nigeria’s global image, guaranteed greater safety and enhanced investors’ confidence in the sector.”

Besides, he said the on-going remodelling of “our airports achieved tremendous success with phase one of the exercise fully completed.

“Generally speaking, the aviation sector under the Jonathan administration has witnessed tremendous turn around with major strides.”

Health, economy, security

Stating that new initiatives and programmes to deliver goals have been witnessed in the agricultural sector, Okupe said the sector, since independence, is “attracting unprecedented foreign direct investment.”

Aside this, he said that the administration has “kept faith with interventions in all tiers of health care, but with major focus on tertiary health care in line with best global practices.

“Major surgeries, which had not been done in most of our federal tertiary hospitals for quite a while, were revitalised in 2013.”

On the state of the nation’s economy, he said: “The Nigerian economy remains robust and very promising as the GDP growth rate is sustained at 6.7 per cent, making it the fastest growing economy in Africa.”

To ensure security of lives and property, he said the government has left no stone unturned “in ensuring that cases of violent crimes and insurgency, especially in the Northern part of the country are nipped in the bud.”

15,000 Muslim brotherhood in 90 km trek to Zaria

Dozens of members of Muslim Brotherhood Movement from Zamfara, Kebbi, Sokoto and parts of Katsina State on Saturday began a 90-kilometre trek to Zaria, Kaduna State.

Malam Qassim Sanda, the leader of the group, told newsmen at take-off point in Funtua, Katsina State that the exercise was to commemorate the martyrdom of the grand child of Prophet Muhammad.

The grandchild, Imam Hussaini ibn Asayyid-Ali, was killed in Karbala in the present day Iraq.

Sanda explained that the exercise was a symbolic representation of unity of Muslim faithful to further draw the attention to Islamic history.

According to him, no fewer than 15,000 people are participating in the exercise.

He said members from the neighbouring communities in Niger Republic were also participating.

Sanda said adequate arrangements had been made for feeding, health care and relaxation.

He said similar trekking commenced in the last two days from other parts of the country.

The leader said their destination was Zaria where lectures and other activities, to be led by their General Leader, Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, would be conducted.

Another group from Katsina metropolis and neighbouring Niger Republic communities also commenced the journey on Saturday from Malumfashi town, in the same Katsina State.