The Promise of Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari is working. Nothing best demonstrates the promise of PMB to rise up to Nigeria's myriad challenges than his prompt response to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Report on the environmental restoration of Ogoniland. It is a show of good faith, a promise kept and a hope restored.
At the instance of the Federal Government of Nigeria, the UNEP began an investigation into the environmental pollution of Ogoni, part of the oil-producing Niger Delta of Nigeria, in 2008. The investigation followed over 50 years of environmental devastation engendered by oil exploration and exploitation, on the one hand, and 20 years of community protests over environmental human rights abuses by Shell Petroleum Development Company (Nigeria) Limited which led to a halt in oil-drilling in 1993, on the other. The invitation to UNEP was part of reconciliatory moves with the Ogoni in order to ensure the resumption of oil production in the area. UNEP completed its assignment, and submitted a report to the Nigerian government on 4 August 2011.

"The Environmental Assessment of Ogoniland is the most comprehensive and complex assessment ever undertaken by UNEP," UNEP's Director, Division for Environmental Policy Implementation, Mr Ibrahim Thiaw, noted during the formal presentation of the assessment results to President Goodluck Jonathan.
Thiaw stated, "This assessment encompasses contaminated land, water, sediment, vegetation, air quality, public health, industry practices and institutional issues. And, it represents the best available understanding of what has happened to the environment of Ogoniland following 50 years of oil industry operations. It also provides operational recommendations on how that legacy can be addressed, including priorities for action such as clean-up and remediation."
UNEP concluded, "The clean-up efforts undertaken to date are inadequate and have not resulted in environmental restoration," stressing, "Full environmental restoration of Ogoniland will take an estimated 25 to 30 years. This will be possible through a combination of modern technology to clean up contaminated land and waterways, backed up by practical action at the regulatory, operational and monitoring levels.
"The happy news is that with a more focused approach it will be possible to attain major improvements in just five years."
It said the situation required, "The swift commencement of clean-up before the pollution footprint spreads any further."

Unfortunately, four full years after, no concrete action was undertaken by the federal government to implement the crucial report. This is despite the fact that Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, a son of the Niger Delta, superintended over the affairs of the country at the time of the submission of the report of UNEP's Environmental Assessment of Ogoniland and, in fact, received it on behalf of the Nigerian government.

In a report published in October 2014 titled, "Still Polluted: Monitoring Government and Shell's Response to UNEP's Environmental Assessment of Ogoniland," the Social Development Integrated Centre (Social Action), a non-governmental organisation, accused the Nigerian government under President Jonathan of nonchalance. The organisation condemned government's failure to respect its responsibility for environmental protection as contained in Section 20 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) that stipulates as follows: "The State shall protect and improve the environment and safeguard the water, air and land, forest and wildlife of Nigeria." Social Action observed that the response of the Jonathan administration to the UNEP report was the establishment of the Hydrocarbon Pollution Restoration Project (HYPREP) under the Ministry of Petroleum Resources in July 2012.

With respect to Shell, Social Action quoted the company as saying that its counterpart funding to the USD 1 billion Ogoni Restoration Fund had been reserved in an offshore account. In the absence of a legal framework and technical work-plan to be worked out by the Nigerian government, the clean-up exercise could not commence.
Praises are due to President Buhari for the bold and clear commitment of the new administration to implement the UNEP report. The wide-ranging measures meant to accelerate the implementation of the UNEP report approved last Wednesday, 5 August 2015, by PMB included the amendment of the Official Gazette establishing the Hydrocarbon Pollution Restoration Project (HYPREP) to reflect a new governance framework comprising a Governing Council, a Board of Trustees, and Project Management.

The measures were based on the recommendations of the Executive Director of UNEP, the UNEP Special Representative for Ogoniland, Permanent Secretaries of the Federal Ministries of Environment and Petroleum Resources, and other stakeholders.
The president appointed a HYPREP Governing Council and a Board of Trustees for the HYPREP Trust Fund to collect and manage funds from contributors and donors towards the clean-up effort. He also approved an initial contribution of $10 million to the fund.

Though, government is a continuum, it is instructive that a Nigerian president of non-Niger Delta origin is now the one who has taken the focused approach required to pull the region back from the brink of oil-instigated ecological disaster. Buhari's decision to prioritise implementation of the UNEP report on Ogoniland speaks volumes for his determination to make the lives of people in the Niger Delta better. It is a strong statement that those who have tried to impute anti-Niger Delta sentiments to the coming of Buhari have gotten hold of the wrong end of the stick. It is appropriate to also thank Timipre Sylva, Rotimi Amaechi and others from the Niger Delta for standing solidly with Buhari, against all odds, in the 2015 Presidential Election.

In responding to the UNEP report on the Ogoni, PMB has just taken a step in a long journey towards resolving the Niger Delta question. As a matter of fact, there are a few issues yet to be sorted out before the commencement of the clean-up exercise. These include issues of representation in the proposed structures; appropriate name of the agency to drive the process, and the scope of the project.
My take is that with the acceptance of the demand to set up a public trust to manage project funds, every other grey matter can be sorted out through dialogue and engagement. Significantly, the ecological think-tank, Home of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), has drawn attention to the misnaming of the body to undertake the clean-up. "Certainly, government does not wish to 'restore pollution' as the name Hydrocarbons Pollution Restoration Project (HYPREP) suggests. The object is to remediate the environment, not to restore pollution," HOMEF noted. My suggestion is that government should retain Ogoniland Environmental Restoration Authority as recommended by UNEP, to start with.

Similarly, I fully endorse calls for the Nigerian government to commission an assessment of the whole Niger Delta environment.
The Ogoni environmental problem mirrors the global ecological crisis faced by the peoples of the Niger Delta. It echoes the vast economic catastrophe wreaked in the Niger Delta by the destruction of livelihoods in the service of the oil and gas industry.
Central to the Niger Delta question is the destruction of the people's environment and means of livelihood by oil and gas activities, expropriation of the region's mineral resources, unemployment, and shortage of infrastructure.
Answers to the Niger Delta question have been captured in various reports on the region. But common to the reports are a clean-up of the Niger Delta environment by government and the oil companies that do business there; a firm resolve by the authorities to ensure that the extractive sector in the region conducts its activities in line with international best standards; employment creation through integration of the local economy with the oil economy and a conscious effort to change the culture of enclave development whereby lavish facilities that house and service the oil economy exist side-by-side run down communities; and establishment of institutions primarily dedicated to facilitating development in the region.

SOURCE: TheCable

Fashola’s probe

A civil society organisation, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to investigate former Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN), and other past officials, who have been accused of mismanagement, while in office.

The Executive Director of SERAP, Mr. Adetokunbo Mumuni, in a telephone interview with SUNDAY PUNCH, noted that past public office holders no longer have immunity, while urging Buhari to probe Fashola and others who are rumoured to be on the President's ministerial list.

He said, "Fashola must give account for his administration. But I am not limiting this to Fashola alone. I am extending this to any person that Buhari may want to appoint to any position. Anybody that has any question to answer must be made by Buhari to, first of all, do that before he can be eligible for appointment into Buhari's administration.

"If Buhari must make headway, whether the person is from PDP or APC, or he is an ordinary Nigerian who is affiliated with any political party, if he is considering such a person for an appointment, and there are allegations of crime against him, that person must be disqualified first and then investigated and prosecuted."

Boko Haram will be defeated by end of this year – Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari may have set a deadline for the end of Boko Haram deadly activities as he expressed hopes that the blood-lust sect will be defeated by end of this year.

The President made this known in
Cotonou on Saturday during a gala lunch held in his honour by the President of Benin Republic, Boni Yayi, where he equally expressed optimism that the dividends of the Multi-national Joint Task Force, MNJTF launched in Cameroon on Thursday would soon become obvious.

This was as President Yayi described his
country as the 37th State of Nigeria and assured President Buhari that 800 troops would be contributed to the Joint Task Force by his country in the all-out-assault on insurgents.

While commending Yayi for the gesture,
Buhari said, "and I assure you that we will defeat Boko Haram by the end of this year".

The Nigerian president who was on a
one-day official visit to Cotonou as special guest of honour at the 55th independence anniversary of Benin Republic was bestowed with the national honor of the Republic of Benin.

While recalling that both countries have
maintained peace over the years even when he was a military Head of
State, Buhari said, : "I am impressed by your concern and critical approaches by increasing your contributions to the multinational task force of the Lake Chad Commission. This is a great sacrifice
on the part of the Benin Republic.

"Even in my first coming into office under a different arrangement, we have learnt to live in peace with our
neighbours. Within the week I was sworn in, I went to Niger, Chad. I was supposed to go to Cameroon but I was summoned by the G7 leaders to brief them about the security situation in Nigeria
concerning Boko Haram which declared allegiance to ISIS which gives it international dimension."

SOURCE: Daily post

Ile-Ife: Anxiety mounts, women remain indoors as Oro festival enters Day 2

Many women in the ancient town of Ile-Ife in Osun State remained indoors on Saturday as the annual Oro festival entered its second day.

Although a palace source told the News Agency of Nigeria on condition of anonymity that the festival had nothing to do with the rumoured death of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade, the women believed otherwise.

NAN reports that some national dailies last Wednesday were agog with the news of the death of the Ooni, but this was vehemently denied by the traditional council of the ancient town.

The commencement of Oro festival on Friday night, which is to last for seven days, further fueled speculations and anxiety about the monarch's demise.
Oro is a deity worshipped across Yorubaland, which forbids women from going out at night during the period of the festival.

Although women were only forbidden to go out at night during the traditional festival, some women told NAN that it was better to be on the safe side by staying indoors during the period than to be caught and probably used as sacrifice.

Rebecca Olaide, a market woman, said she would remain indoors to avoid any unexpected circumstance.

Olaide said she had asked her eldest son to help her to manage her business until the festival was over.

Another woman, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said she had restricted her movement because of the Oro festival.
She said the Oro festival might not be unconnected with the reported demise of the monarch.

Another lfe resident who simply identified herself as Sade, said she had decided to remain within her vicinity to avoid any unexpected happening.

She said: "Although women were asked not to go out only at night, I decided not go out during the day too until the festival is over."

However, palace source said the Oro was an annual festival in the town to appease the gods to ward off evil and usher in an era of prosperity.

The source said the people in Ile-Ife usually celebrate Oro festival and other traditional festivals like Olojo, Orunmila, Edi, Oranmiyan, Esu, Obatala among others annually.

He said the celebration of Oro festival had nothing to do with the controversial news about the demise of the Ooni.

He said: "The Oro festival does not have anything to do with the reported death of the royal father.

"It is a annual festival in the town, which normally holds for seven days, and it is taboo for young and old females to go out during the period.

"During this period, traditionalists will perform necessary rituals that will make the town more peaceful."

The source, who maintained that the monarch was still alive, said the closure of markets for businesses and ringing of special bell were the two major significant signs to indicate an Ooni had joined his ancestors.

Meanwhile, NAN learnt that the traditional festival coincided with the funeral of the head of hunters in the ancient town called Balogun in the cradle of Yoruba race.


SOURCE: eagle online

Police alert ATM users on new tactics by robbers

The Police on Friday advised members of the public using Automated Teller Machines (ATM) at various banks to be security conscious as some criminals now disguised as customers queuing to withdraw money.

This is contained in a statement on the Nigeria Police Force website exposing the antics of criminals.

The statement noted that on July 30, at about 12.10 a.m., a male bank customer went to withdraw money from one of the ATMs at the Central Business District (CBD), Abuja.

It stated that three young men who pretended to have come to withdraw money also were on queue with the plan to attack the man.

"The victim raised an alarm which attracted nearby police patrol team to the scene. The hoodlums took to their heels upon sighting the advancing policemen.

"One automatic pistol fell from one of the suspects and was recovered by the police and the victim was rescued.
"However, another male victim was unlucky as hoodlums attacked him and snatched the N50,000 he withdrew from ATMs on July 28.

"Police responded to his distress call and one of the suspects was arrested. Efforts are on to apprehend other gang members," the statement said.

SOURCE: Tribune

Buhari has deep hatred for Igbo – Ohanaeze

Pan-Igbo cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has accused President Muhammadu Buhari of having deep hatred for the Igbo nation.

Speaking on 'Face the Press', a programme an Anambra Broadcasting Service (ABS), the President of Anambra State chapter of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Dr. Chris Eluemuno said all the actions and utterances of President Buhari pointed to the fact that he did not like the Igbo.
Eluemuno, who is also the chairman of all chairmen of Igbo-speaking states, said Buhari had no reason to discriminate against the Igbo.

He frowned on the President's appointment of five service chiefs in the country without an Igbo representation.
Eluemuno called on the Igbo to brace up to the challenge posed to them by the All Progressives Congress (APC) led Federal Government which he said, was not justified.

He condemned the President's promise to compensate those who gave him more votes saying: "There is no way the President should expect all Nigerians to vote for him in the last presidential election."

He said the statement contradicted Buhari's earlier stand that he belonged to everybody and belonged to nobody.
Dr. Eluemuno said Buhari's current actions justified the decision of the Igbo not to vote for him in the election.
He said that Igbo played prominent roles in the development of the country and should not be discriminated against in the scheme of things.

On the President's decision to probe only former President Goodluck Jonathan's administration, the Ohanaeze leader said it would amount to witchunt if the President did so.

He advised that the probe should start from former President Olusegun Obasanjo's administration.

He also urged the President not to jettison the report of the last Constitutional Conference, but study it critically and make use of it.

The report of the conference, he insisted, was key to fighting corruption in Nigeria. He said it contained recommendations that could help the President succeed in his fight against corruption in the country.

The Ohanaeze leader condemned the decision of the President to travel with All Progress Congress(APC) governors during his recent trip to the United States.


SOURCE: Sunonline

PDP broke, plans to reduce staff by 50%

Two months after losing power at the national level and in majority of the states, the national leadership of the former ruling party, the Peoples Democratic Party, has concluded plans to sack half of its workforce.

Towards this end, the National Secretary of the party, Prof. Wale Oladipo, has communicated the decision of the National Working Committee of the party to all its directors.

Oladipo made the party's decision known via a memo dated July 29, 2015, which was directed to "all directors and PS/DD/HOD/SAs/PAs and Establishment Staff" of the party in Abuja.

It was titled "Re-organisation and restructuring of staff at the national secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party."

Oladipo said the decision to cut down on the number of staff and other measures were taken at the 406 meeting of the NWC, where he said the report "on the reorganisation and restructuring of staff at the national secretariat" and decisions was approved.

Apart from the reduction in the number of the staff on the payroll at the party's headquarters, he said the salaries and allowances of those to be left behind would also be cut by as much as 50 per cent.

He listed the decisions to include "reduction of the allowance of all NWC members by 50 per cent and reduction in the number of security personnel attached to the national officers by 50 per cent."

Other measures included "reduction of the salaries and allowances of all staff (Establishment and Staff of NWC members) by 50 per cent, effective August, 2015.

"Abolition of Research Directorate and transfer of its functions to the Peoples Democratic Institute."

Oladipo added that "Establishment staff who would remain are required to obtain individual letter of revalidation from their state chapters within one month of this circular as to their suitability for service at the national secretariat."

Before the defeat of President Goodluck Jonathan, who was the presidential candidate of the party, by President Muhammadu Buhari, who was the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, the PDP was usually being funded by the Presidency.

Apart from this, it also got money from the state governors, majority of whom were unable to deliver their states to the party during the last elections.

The party also got money from selling of forms to aspirants. But a source within the party said the "party lacks transparency and proper accountability."

Investigations by our correspondent indicated that the decision to reduce the staff strength of the party was taken about a month ago by its NWC.

The NWC was said to have been angered by the decision of the workers of the party to collect furniture allowance.

Besides, the members of staff of the party were said to be privy to several withdrawal of money by the NWC members.

A senior staff of the party, who spoke on condition of anonymity said, "We are in trouble in this party. The NWC members are lords unto themselves.

"There is no one to control them and the finances of the party. They have paid themselves several allowances. Even during the last Sallah break, they took money.

"But because we demanded for our furniture allowance, see the memo they gave us. The idea behind this is to sack us and then they will bring in their cronies."


SOURCE: The Punch

US Exposé: Jonathan’s Minister Stole N1.2tr

Edo State governor Adams Oshiomhole yesterday revealed that officials of the United States department told him and other members of President Muhammadu Buhari's delegation that a former minister who served under former President Goodluck Jonathan stole $6billion all alone.

Oshiomhole, who was among those that accompanied President Buhari America on his four-day visit to that country, accused the immediate past Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of succeeding in supervising Nigeria's liquidation.

The comrade governor who disclosed this to journalists in Aso Villa after he and Kebbi State governor, Atiku Bagudu, met with the president behind closed doors, said they were at the Villa to meet President Buhari over the National Assembly crisis.

"The PDP destroyed the country. I mean from the lips of American officials; senior officials of the State Department said one minister under PDP cornered as much as $6billion. The man said that, even by Washington standard, that is earth-quaking.


"So, PDP is a party that presided over the liquidation of our nation, destroyed all our institutions, converted the Armed Forces commanders to use them as if they were political thugs, converted NTA to a party megaphone, destroyed the SSS, went after opposition as if we were rabbits to be pursued into our holes, compromised even student unions and destroyed everything that you can think of, and elevated religion to a state affair.

"Under the party, Israel became a place you visit every week; they placed pastors against mallams, placed North against South, East against West just to retain power; elevated Obas and Obis with dollars. You guys were reporting dollars that were changing hands, when NNPC was spending much more money than is available to the Federation Account.

"We are a very patient people. If we were not a patient people, anybody wearing the tag of PDP ought to feel very unsafe because you are all victims – all of us here":

Oshiomhole urged Nigerians to always pity the PDP whenever they hear the party criticizing the current administration because the country now boasts of a president who exudes confidence.

Asked to comment on the latest criticism by the opposition against Buhari's trip to U.S., he said, "No no, no, you have to pity them! We have a president who talks with confidence; not a president that is blabbing and is not sure of what the issues are.

"He (Buhari) is one that can tell the U.S. Senate that 'look, Nigeria is governed by the rule of law. We are not going to do any of those things that is offensive to the culture and tradition of our people. We have moved away from a president that doesn't seem to know his powers, to one that understands that he is a president of the biggest country on the continent.

"Mr. Carson, who was the Assistant Secretary of State when we visited him in company of Senator Saraki, then as chairman of the Governors' Forum – that was at the eve of President Obama's first visit to Africa – and we went to complain, 'why is Nigeria not on the list?' What he said for me was quite instructive compared to what he said last week.

"Then I was present when he said, 'You know, we see ourselves not just as friends of Nigeria, but each time we think there is light at the end of the tunnel and it is time to encourage Nigeria to build on it, you would wake up the following day under President Jonathan to find out that even the tunnel had been removed'.

"Those were the words of Mr. Carson. Now last week, this same Carson chaired the president's address at the Institute of Peace and he said, 'We now have a man of enormous integrity; one that has shown so much faith in the democratic process; one that refused to be frustrated even in the face of massively rigged elections; he submitted to the judicial process and even when that was compromised he never gave up. America has done its check and we are convinced that this president is the one that Nigeria needs at this time to regain its leadership of the African continent.

"America now has a partner worthy of relations because they believe that every dollar that America provides to support Nigeria, whether in the area of security, in the area of education, or encouraging American investors to invest in Nigeria, there is an enabling environment because what had been destroying the country is corruption," the Edo State governor said.

SOURCE: Leadership

PDP to APC: Explain why Patience Jonathan was humiliated at Port Harcourt airport

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has asked the All Progressives Congress, APC, to stop dodging issues but make haste to provide answers to burning national issues that border on the government's lack of transparency, abuse of power, dwindling economy, escalating insecurity and apparent failure of governance since it assumed power at the center.

The PDP said while it understands the lack of experience and direction that have made the APC jittery, descending to insults and abuse cannot be a solution because it would never be cowed or distracted from providing robust and credible alternative views which it owes Nigerians.

The PDP National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, in a statement on Monday said the resort to insults by the APC spokesman, Lai Mohammed, ostensibly to divert attention from issues, further confirms the insincerity and emptiness of the APC even as a party in power.
"Whilst we understand the desperation of Alhaji Lai Mohammed to remain relevant even without any influence of electoral success in his political career, at any level whatsoever, he and the APC must understand that being in government comes with demands of accountability, civility and decency.

"We appreciate the elementary knowledge of the APC spokesman in his new role especially against the backdrop of his struggling to impress two masters at a time, Bourdellion and the President, who distributes the largesse at the moment, but Nigerians expect that in his search for job, he should be decorous, mature and on the side of truth and accountability.

"However, going through the hurried response by the APC, it is clearly noted that the party did not address any of the issues raised by the PDP in its widely reported press conference on Sunday.
"The APC failed to address the issue of the recent organized public harassment and humiliation against the immediate-past First Lady and wife of the former President, Dame Patience Jonathan, at the Port Harcourt airport obviously organized and orchestrated by the Director of Protocol in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Husseini, who cited 'order from above' in his direct threats and insults to the former First Lady on phone.

"Furthermore, the nation is still waiting for the APC and the Presidency to address the issue of the divisive and tendentious statement by President Buhari who declared to the world that he would run a discriminatory government based on voting pattern in the last general elections, in clear violation of his oath of office and the provisions of the constitution.

"Nigerians are still waiting for explanations on the embarrassments that characterized the President's US visit, which instead of bringing gains, yielded only disagreements, accusations and exchanges between the Presidency and their American hosts.

"The Presidency and the APC are yet to address the issue of the disgraceful treatment meted out on some Nigerian bankers and captains of industries by the President during the visit as well as the absence of an economic team in an important meeting with US officials thereby robbing the nation of the benefits of the discussions.

"Nigerians are still waiting for answers on the issue of resort to sole administratorship by the President in managing of the affairs of the nation without proper recourse to statutory arms and organs of government as stipulated by the constitution. They are still waiting for explanations for the lack of policy direction that has left the nation's economy in tatters with continued fall of the naira and agonizing loss in the capital market which has lost over N1.1 trillion in the last two months.

"The citizens are still awaiting clarifications on the important issue of the $2.1 billion loan the Presidency is taking from the World Bank for purposes yet unknown to the public and relevant arms of government. They want explanations on what the loan is for, what the terms are and who decides on how the money will be spent.

"The APC has failed to address our question on the handling of the nation's resources in the last two month, where whereas the Presidency is unliterary depleting national resources in the name of bailout for states, state governors are on air announcing that they have not received any form of bailout whatsoever from the center.

"We restate our call for this government to come out clear on this loan as well as publicize details of its expenditure in the last two months. Instead of addressing the matter, the APC resorted to insults, which will never sway Nigerians from demanding for explanations.

"We had also raised the issue of intimidations and harassments of members of election tribunals in Rivers and some other states by the Director of DSS, ostensibly to secure judgments against the PDP. We expect answers from the APC on the fact of nepotism in the appointment of the Director of DSS and that of Mrs. Amina Zakari as Acting Chairman of INEC. Does it mean that appointments under the APC administration are now based on a nexus with the President or APC leaders either by consanguinity or affinity?"

"We demand for direct answers on issues. In this regard, we charge the APC and especially its spokesman, Alhaji Mohammed to settle down and strive to partner with us in elevating the national political discourse from the domain of insults to that of issues, so that the public, especially the younger generation of Nigerians would be adequately informed on national issues.


SOURCE: premium times

'DON'T BUY BREAST MILK ONLINE, IT'S UNHEALTHY ' - RESEARCHERS

UK researchers have warned that human breast milk being bought online by fetishists, bodybuilders and cancer patients is a danger to health.

The Queen Mary University of London team claimed the milk, which is sold through specialist websites and social media groups, was unpasteurised and could carry dangerous germs.

They said claims that the milk boosted the immune system were misleading and could be dangerous to cancer patients.

Popularly referred to as liquid gold, it is unclear how much of the product is being traded.

Dr Sarah Steele, from Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry speaking with BBC said the market had "shown consistent growth around the world".

According to the report, 93% of breast milk sold online contains detectable levels of bacteria, as non-sterile equipment is used to express or store the milk posing threats like hepatitis B and C, HIV and syphilis.

The trade reportedly started to help women who were not producing enough breast milk themselves.

However, it is also bought for its supposed health benefits such as building muscle, by fetishists and even some "foodies".

Dr Steele particularly expressed worry over the milk being sold to cancer patients owing to the fact that the immune system is not functioning the same as in a healthy adult, thus posing great risk.

SOURCE: codewit

US senator calls Nigerian soldiers ‘rapists’

Patrick Leahy – sponsor of the Leahy Law (or Leahy amendment) that prohibits the US Department of State and Department of Defence from providing military assistance to foreign military units that violate human rights with impunity – believes that President Muhammadu Buhari's opinion of the effect of the law on the war against Boko Haram is "misdirected".

Leaahy said neither he nor the law could be blamed for the atrocities committed by the "murderers and rapists in the Nigerian military".

"It is well-documented by the State Department and by respected human rights organisations that Nigerian army personnel have, for many years, engaged in a pattern and practice of gross violations of human rights against the Nigerian people and others, including summary executions of prisoners, indiscriminate attacks against civilians, torture, forced disappearances and rape. Rarely have the perpetrators been prosecuted or punished," he said

"This abusive conduct not only violates the laws of war, it creates fear and loathing among the Nigerian people whose support is necessary to defeat a terrorist group like Boko Haram.

"President Buhari ignores the undisputed fact that most Nigerian army units have been approved, under the Leahy Law, for U.S. training and equipment. Only those particular units against which there is credible evidence of the most heinous crimes are ineligible for U.S. aid. And even those units can again become eligible if the Nigerian Government takes effective steps to bring the responsible individuals to justice.

"I strongly agree with President Buhari about the need to defeat Boko Haram, and I have supported tens of millions of dollars in U.S. aid to Nigeria for that purpose. But rather than suggest that the United States is at fault for not funding murderers and rapists in the Nigerian military, he should face up to his own responsibility to effectively counter Boko Haram. He should direct his attention to the Nigerian military, and the Nigerian courts, and clean up the units implicated in such atrocities."

Speaking at the United States Institute for Peace (USIP) on Wednesday, Buhari had lamented that the law "aided and abetted" the campaign of bloodletting of Boko Haram, urging the US government to review it so that it could provide the needed assistance to Nigeria to crush Boko Haram.

"In our efforts at combating the activities of Boko Haram, the new government has sought and obtained the support of not only our neighbours other international friends and partners. Regrettably, the blanket application of the Leahy Law by the United States on the grounds of unproven allegations of human rights violations levelled against our forces has denied us access to appropriate strategic weapons to prosecute the war against the insurgents," he had said.
"In the face of abduction of innocent school girls from their hostels, indiscriminate bombings of civilians in markets and places of worship, our forces have remained largely impotent because they do not possess the appropriate weapons and technology which they could have had, had the so-called human rights violations not been an obstacle.

"Unwittingly, and I dare say, unintentionally, the application of the Leahy law amendment by the U. S. Government has aided and abetted the Boko Haram terrorist group in the prosecution of its extremist ideology and hate, the indiscriminate killings and maiming of civilians, in raping of women and girls, and in their other heinous crimes. I believe this is not the spirit of the Leahy Laws. I know the American people cannot support any group engaged in these crimes."

Buhari's spokesman, Femi Adesina, subsequently attempted to harp on the innocence of the president's comment.

SOURCE:**the cable**

I have found love –Pasuma

To all the ladies eying ace fuji musician, Pasuma, this might be an unpalatable news as he is no longer up for grabs. In an exclusive chat with Saturday Beats, the fuji singer said that he has found love and might tie the knot anytime soon.

"I am in a relationship right now but we have not tied the knot. I am in a very serious relationship and I have found love. I met my girlfriend in a mall in Dubai. She was with a friend who knew me and greeted me, so she followed suit. She did not really know who I was then but her friend was a huge fan. Because she did not know who Pasuma was, I was curious to know more about her. God has already blessed our union and I pray that people would also give us their blessings and not destroy it. I am not planning marriage this year, all I am concerned about is my career. When my career has the stability that I want, then I would get married to her," he said.

He told Saturday Beats that his woman understands the nature of his job and that he also makes out time to explain certain things to her to avoid jealousy or any misunderstanding.

He said, "Anybody that wants to marry a musician has to be a part of the musician's career. The person has to understand the business. On my part, I think my woman knows and understands my job. I also take time to explain to her the intricacies of the job. She comes from a good home and she is very humble."


SOURCE: The Punch

Nairobi on lockdown as Obama arrives for Kenya visit

NAIROBI — Residents in this capital city were on lockdown as President Obama arrived Friday evening for a three-day visit, leaving many already chafing under tight security measures meant to reduce crime and minimize terrorist threats.
While his arrival was heavily anticipated because of his Kenyan roots, the streets were unusually quiet in this normally bustling, chaotic metropolis. No groups of young men were hanging on corners, pedestrians were absent, beggars moved elsewhere.

Because of security measures, vendors can't sell trinkets, families can't buy vegetables and residents can't withdraw cash from banks. The government has told non-essential businesses in Nairobi to close and residents to stay home until Obama leaves Sunday for Ethiopia.

"Our leaders need to be conscious and let us live a normal life. We don't need to change anything because a visitor has come," said Lewis Asambe, 42.
Armed U.S. Secret Service agents and more than 10,000 Kenyan security officers, including snipers, were in place near the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport as Obama's plane touched down Friday evening.

Kenya President Uhuru Kenyatta and other senior government officials greeted Obama at the airport before he was whisked away in his armed motorcade toward the U.S. embassy. Obama spent the evening reuniting with his Kenyan family, including Mama Sarah Obama, 95, his step-grandmother.

Kenyatta spokesman Manoah Esipisu said the show of force demonstrates the nation is serious about battling terrorists who have pulled off daring attacks in recent years.

"This kind of high-profile visit is likely to attract cases of insecurity," he said. "But, in stating this, I would also want to note that we are gaining ground in the war against terror."

Tight security is always present during U.S. presidential visits. But Kenya is taking additional steps to guard against attempts by al-Shabab terrorists to disrupt the trip. The group stormed a northeastern Kenyan university in April, killing 148 people, mostly students. Two years ago, the militant group attacked Nairobi's upscale Westgate Mall, killing 67 in a four-day siege. The mall reopened only last Saturday.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph Ole Nkaissery said anyone violating the security measures risks arrest. "Any person found loitering and without identity card will be arrested and prosecuted," he said.

Beggars who depend on food from business owners in the capital were forcibly evicted from city streets while vendors and hawkers were shooed away from main roads.

Tight security is always present during U.S. presidential visits. But Kenya is taking additional steps to guard against attempts by al-Shabab terrorists to disrupt the trip. The group stormed a northeastern Kenyan university in April, killing 148 people, mostly students. Two years ago, the militant group attacked Nairobi's upscale Westgate Mall, killing 67 in a four-day siege. The mall reopened only last Saturday.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph Ole Nkaissery said anyone violating the security measures risks arrest. "Any person found loitering and without identity card will be arrested and prosecuted," he said.

Beggars who depend on food from business owners in the capital were forcibly evicted from city streets while vendors and hawkers were shooed away from main roads.

"I want to assure every person that Kenya is safe enough to host President Barrack Obama during his visit here," said Nairobi County Governor Evans Kidero. "The county government has taken every measure to ensure all visitors are safe and threats of a terrorist attacks dealt with."

The security crackdown has disappointed entrepreneurs who had hoped to cash in on all the tourists flocking here to buy Obama souvenirs and other gifts. "We thought that it was about time to reap the harvest from the visit," said John Oduor, a vendor who sells bangles.

Obama, whose father was born in Kenya, is scheduled to hold talks with President Uhuru Kenyatta to discuss the terror threat plaguing the country. He will also address a Global Entrepreneurship Summit. Sarah Obama has said she wants Obama to visit the grave of his father in the western village of Kogelo. However, the president has no plans to visit that area on this trip.

Residents and business owners said the razing of make-shift kiosks and stalls by security personnel goes too far. "They should know that we need to eat even if Obama is coming," said Pauline Nyongesa, whose vegetable stall was destroyed by law enforcement. "President Obama will not give us aid to pay rent and feed our children."

President Obama was expected to use the main artery Uhuru highway for his motorcade to access the U.S. embassy. Even so, major arteries that connect the commercial capital are shut down, preventing commuters from carrying on with their daily routine.

Some locals were forced to return to their homes and wait until Obama leaves instead of going to work, school or running errands.

"I was heading to the capital to purchase some fruit and tomatoes but all roads are closed," said Joan Wairimu, who lives in the Eastleigh district. "I have been forced to return home and wait for President Obama to leave the country."


SOURCE: USA today

Cowhide (Ponmo) Causes Kidney Failure, Cancer – Expert

Cowhide (Ponmo) Processed With Tyres Causes Kidney Failure, Cancer.

Our consumption of cowhide, popularly known as "ponmo'', processed with tyres, can lead to kidney failure and cancer, an expert, Dr. Kehinde Bello, has disclosed.

Bello, a medical officer with Adamawa German Medical Centre, Yola, told our correspondent , in Jos , that consuming the delicacy could also affect consumers' livers and the central nervous system.

"Most butchers try to cut cost; instead of using fire wood to burn the hairs off the cow skin, they use tyres which they see as faster and cheaper.

"This attitude is dangerous because the health implications are very massive since these tyres contain heavy metals such as lead, mercury, carbon monoxide and conium.

"These combined chemicals are toxic and hides processed with them absorb them; consumers of such hides ingest them and this is extremely dangerous to humans,'' she said.

She said that with constant consumption of the hide processed by such means, the heavy metals accumulate in the system, become excess and could lead to kidney failure when the foreign toxic exceeds the body's toxic level.
"It does not happen suddenly; it takes a little while and could also lead affect the liver, the central nervous system and the Intelligence quotient of a child,'' she explained.

Bello said that aside the direct consumption of hides, individuals could suffer similar effect of burnt tyres if it rains as the residues are washed into the soil and into various water sources.

"When such waters are consumed by humans, the effect will be the same as if the individual consumed the cowhide processed by the use of tyre," she explained.

Bello further disclosed that the burning process also leads to air pollution which could trigger asthma attacks in asthmatic patients.

"It could also lead to serious respiratory infections, especially in children, due to the thick smoke and smell it produces,'' she said.

The expert urged concerned authorities and stakeholders to take a special interest in the manner cow hide was being processed in view of the large number of persons consuming it.

"I will suggest that a special team be set up to visit the abattoirs to halt the trend of processing edibles with tyres since the health effects are enormous,'' she said

SOURCE: universal reporters

Nigerian Arunma Oteh Appointed Vice President and Treasurer of World Bank

Arunma Oteh, former Director-general of the Security Exchange Commission (SEC), has been appointed Vice-President and Treasurer of the World Bank.

Mrs. Oteh holds a Masters Degree in Business Administration (MBA), from Harvard Business School, Boston, U.S.A. and a First Class Hons. Degree in Computer Science, from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria.

In 2011 she was awarded the "Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON)" a national honour. She also received the "Distinction In Public Service" Commonwealth Business Council/African Business Award in 2011 and the Eminent African Business Leader Award from the China Foundation for Global Partnership in 2013 while the SEC received the Africa Investor(AI)'s "Most Innovative Capital Markets Regulator" award in 2011, 2013 and 2014. She was also named the 2014 AI Capital Market Personality of the Year and the 2014 AABLA West African Business Woman of the Year.

Arunma Oteh became the Director General of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Nigeria, in January 2010 and was elected Chairperson, Africa Middle East Regional Committee (AMERC) of the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) in June 2010. She was re-elected Chairperson in June 2012 and in September 2014.

Her appointment as Vice-president and Treasurer of the World Bank has been confirmed by the President of the World Bank, Jim Yong Kim, in a press statement.

The statement reads:
"I am pleased to announce the appointment of Arunma Oteh as VP and Treasurer of the World Bank.

Arunma, a Nigerian national, was most recently the Director-General of the Securities and Exchange Commission of Nigeria. Appointed to a five-year term by the President of Nigeria in 2010, she led the transformation of the country's capital markets industry into a major global presence.

She was a member of the Board of the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) and the Chairperson of the Africa Middle East Regional Committee of IOSCO. "Prior to joining the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) of Nigeria, Arunma was Group Vice President, Corporate Services, at the African Development Bank Group (AfDB).

In this role, she oversaw a number of departments, including human resources, information and communications technology, and institutional procurement. From 2001 to 2006 she held the role of AfDB Group Treasurer, where she led AfDB's fundraising and capital market activities across the world.

Earlier roles at the AfDB, which she joined in 1992, included trading room management, investment portfolio coverage, and public sector lending. She also held other positions in capital markets and lending during the course of her career at the AfDB. Arunma began her career in 1985 at Centre Point, where she executed debt and equity offerings in the Nigerian capital markets.

She earned her Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from the University of Nigeria and her Masters of Business Administration from Harvard University. As VP and Treasurer, Arunma will manage and lead a large and diverse team responsible for managing more than $150 billion in assets.

Her top priorities will be to: (i) maintain the World Bank's global reputation as a prudent and innovative borrower, investor and risk manager; (ii) manage an extensive client advisory, transaction and asset management business for the Bank; (iii) engage, in her capacity as one of the World Bank's key representatives, with outside stakeholders including global private sector financial institutions, the financial media and the sovereign debt and reserve managers in client countries, as well as ratings agencies; and (iv) collaborate extensively with the Finance Partners throughout the WBG, including with IFC and MIGA, expanding shared approaches, in particular around innovative financing for development and for key new projects.

Ms. Oteh was selected to this position through an international competitive search. Her appointment is effective on September 28, 2015."

SOURCE: ck-Africa

NYSC BARS PREGNANT WOMEN FROM YOUTH SERVICE

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has barred pregnant women, nursing mothers and students engaged in postgraduate studies from enlisting in the national service across the country, until they are free to participate effectively.

Rising from a two-day pre-mobilisation workshop for the 2015 Batch "B" NYSC programme, held in Kaduna, Director-General of the NYSC, Brig-Gen. Johnson Olawumi, stated that the exemption of pregnant women and nursing mothers, as well as post-graduate students from national service was because they would not be able to undergo the four cardinal programmes of the NYSC.

The four cardinal programmes include mobilisation, orientation, primary assignment and winding-up passing out parade.

In a communique, the NYSC also resolved that henceforth, pregnant women and children would no longer be allowed into orientation camps across the country for service under the scheme established by the Gen. Yakubu Gowon administration in 1973.

Arguing that prospective corps members must go through the four stages of national service to qualify to receive certificate of national service, Olawumi faulted a situation whereby prospective corps members, especially pregnant women and nursing mothers, would be absent from the stages of the national service, only to resurface for posting to their various places of primary assignments.
Meanwhile, the resolution workshop tagged: "ICT and NYSC Mobilization Process: Towards Eliminating Identified Challenges," added that henceforth, documents for concessional posting request on marital or health grounds would be forwarded on-line as against the old practice of "bringing such to the NYSC headquarters in Abuja."

It noted that prospective corps members would henceforth be given the opportunity to choose their choice outside their socio-cultural and linguistic areas, using ICT solution.

This, according to the NYSC, is in a bid to tackle the problems of deluge of concessional request with which the scheme is inundated with regularly.

SOURCE: ckn Nigeria

GOODLUCK JONATHAN'S MINISTERS STOLE 1 MILLION BARRELS OF OIL DAILY ..BUHARI

President Muhammadu Buhari Tuesday in the United States vowed that his administration would trace the accounts of individuals who stashed away ill-gotten oil money, freeze and recover the loot and prosecute the culprits.

Reacting to questions from members of Nigerians In Diaspora Organisation (NIDO) in the United States and Canada at the Nigerian Embassy in Washington DC on the third day of his visit, the President lamented that "Corruption in Nigeria has virtually developed into a culture where honest people are abused."

According to him, "250,000 barrels per day of Nigerian crude are being stolen and people sell and put the money into individual accounts," adding that the United States and other developed countries "are helping us to trace such accounts now. We will ask that such accounts be frozen and prosecute the persons. The amount involved is mind-boggling. Some former ministers were selling about one million barrels per day. I assure you that we will trace and repatriate such money and use the documents to prosecute them. A lot of damage has been done to the integrity of Nigeria with individuals and institutions already compromised."

Citing the example of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), President Buhari said unlike what obtained during his tenure as Federal Commissioner for Petroleum under military regime when the NNPC had only two traceable accounts before paying oil proceeds into the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), "now everybody is doing anyhow."

The President, who expressed skepticism on the existence of oil subsidy, said if subsidy was removed, transport, housing and food prices would go out of control and the average worker would suffer untold hardship.
While agreeing that the "economy is in an extremely bad shape," following 16 years of bad government by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) which ran down the oil refineries and had the "treasury in their pockets," he said the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led administration would fulfill its three-pronged campaign manifesto of providing security, turning around the economy with a major focus on youth employment and fighting corruption. According to him, agriculture and mining would receive priority attention as faster job-creation avenues for the teeming unemployed youth, adding that some foreign investors had agreed to take advantage of the immense business opportunities in Nigeria.
President Buhari when asked if the Federal Government (FG) would agree to negotiate with the Boko Haram insurgent and terrorist organization to pave way for the release of the abducted Chibok schoolgirls, replied that the FG would only negotiate if genuine and confirmed leaders of the militant sect came forward and convinced the FG of the current conditions of the girls, their location and the sect's willingness to negotiate. "Our objective is that we want the girls back, alive and returned to their families and rehabilitated. We are working with neighbouring countries if they will help," he said.

On when he would form his cabinet, the President, who observed jokingly that the question was chasing him around the world even to the point that at home he had been nicknamed, "Baba Go Slow!", noted that not even the PDP during all the years it ruled the country ever never formed a cabinet within the first four months. "I am going to go slow and steady," he assured, as he called for patience to allow the new administration "put some sense into governance and deal with corruption."

President Buhari promised that his administration would at the right time tap into the enormous talents available amongst members of NIDO especially as consultants while their requests for voting right in 2019, a Diaspora Commission and opening of new consulates in parts of the United States and Canada would be looked into.
The President had earlier met at the same venue with a group of young professionals in the United States and assured them of his government's resolve to fight corruption, remain steadfast and invest heavily in education which he said was the answer to taking the youth out of poverty and ignorance. The youth in their huge numbers took turns to express their best wishes for the President and the country.

SOURCE: ckn Nigeria

Grieving Ogun Varsity Students Vent Anger, Attack Company of Truck Which Killed Eleven of Their Colleagues

Hundreds of grieving Olabisi Onabanjo University, (OOU), Ago-Iwoye, students on Monday took out their frustration in an attack on the premises of a plastic manufacturing company (name withheld), the suspected owners of the raw materials being conveyed by the truck, which caused Friday's accident in which eleven of their colleagues died.
The protesting students
The aggrieved students dressed in black with placards bearing various inscriptions vandalized a number trucks already loaded with finished products, awaiting transportation to the market, a protest said to be in response to the deaths of their colleagues.

They had earlier converged at Sagamu-Benin Expressway scene of last Friday's fatal auto crash and barricaded the road for over three hours, a development which forced many motorists to make a detour, to other routes in a bid to avoid confrontation with the irate students.

Earlier at the scene of the crash, the students forming a ring, as they held hands, held a prayer session and observed a minute silence for the repose of the souls of their dead colleagues. The prayer session was conducted in boththe Christian and Muslim modes of worship.

Our correspondent reports further that, some of the placards read, "We Demand Justice for the Lost Souls," OOU Mourns, OOU Weeps, OOU Cries," "A Future Lawyer is Gone!," "Fresh Graduate Gone!," "We've Lost Our Scientists," "OOUITES Are Not Chickens. Stop Giving us Phobia," "Police, FRSC, TRACE Must Be Probed."

AfricanOutlookonline reporter also learnt at the scene that, the protesters forced open the fallen container, which they discovered contained drums of chemicals, while at the company premises they, also vandalized some of the offices and buildings, breaking window glasses and panes, while many of the workers scampered into hiding to escape the students' wrath.

On arrival at the gate to the company's premises, the protesters over-powered the gate men and forced their way into the premises and vandalized some of its buildings, while many of the workers scampered into hiding to escape the students' wrath.

Speaking to newsmen President of the Students' Union Government, Adenola Adegbesan called on government to compensate families of the deceased but why noting that no amount of money could compensate for the lives of the victims, he said it would give succour to their depressed relatives and also called on the state government to assist the victims' families in the burial of their dead colleagues.

The protesting students however issued a seven-day ultimatum to the police and the owners of the truck involved in the accident to produce the driver who fled the scene after the tragedy.

His words "As I am speaking with you, I have not received any correspondence from the truck owners not even to commiserate with us for the lives lost. Such acts of recklessness cannot be condoned on our roads and we demand that the fleeing driver be remanded and prosecuted.

It will serve as a deterrent to other motorists who fail to obey traffic rules, especially drivers of heavy duty vehicles who drive without regard for other road users"
The Students Union President also advised government to regulate the movement of trucks on the highways by restricting their operations to the night times only.

"I would like government to look into how they can reduce the number of heavy duty vehicles on the highways. The sheer number of trucks on the roads these days is alarming and they are always a disaster waiting to happen due to the drivers' recklessness," Adegbesan said.

In his own reaction, the University Corporate Affairs Manager, Mr Niyi Oduwole has described the accident as unfortunate and sad, disclosing that in order to commiserate with the students mourning their deceased colleagues, the institution has declared Monday and Tuesday lecture-free.

"We at OOU deeply sympathize with the parents and relatives of the deceased over the untimely deaths of their wards. The management has decided to postpone exams today and tomorrow to honour their souls while we have concluded arrangements to visit the families involved.

"We admonish all road users to always obey traffic rules and follow road signs so that such occurrences like these would be averted," he said.

SOURCE: african outlook

Delta Police Declare Manhunt For Suspected Cultists, Nab 12

Police operatives in Delta State have declared total manhunt for suspected fleeing members of a cult group who allegedly burnt two vehicles belonging to some senior members of Ovwian community, near Warri, after the suspects allegedly destroyed glass windows of the Owvian Town Hall.

Our correspondent learnt that police later stormed the scene and arrested 12 of the suspected members of the cult group, including a lady among them.

It was learnt that the cultists clashed with another cult group in the area over quest for supremacy.

Our reporter gathered from residents of the area that activities of cultists in the town had forced many to relocate as cultists engage in regular clashes, leading to the death of some innocent citizens.

When contacted, Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Celestina Kalu, confirmed the arrest of the suspects, adding that manhunt for other suspects at large was in progress.
DSP Kalu said the police had information about a bloody clash between suspected members of Vikings and Dominion Secret cults and immediately officers were dispatched to the scene and effected the arrest of about 12 of them including a lady.

She said before police arrived the scene, the suspects had burnt two cars and destroyed the glass windows of the community town hall.

Items recovered from the suspected cultists include one cut-to-size locally made single barrel gun, one live bullet, one battle axe and one cutlass.



SOURCE : 247ureports

Electricity tariff can’t be increased, court insists

A federal high court in Lagos on Thursday reaffirmed its order restraining the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) from increasing electricity tariff.

Justice Mohammed Idris, who gave the ruling, also struck out the preliminary objection and application to nullify the order brought by NERC.

Toluwani Adebiyi, a Lagos-based lawyer, had instituted the suit, seeking a perpetual injunction to restrain NERC from implementing any upward review of electricity tariff without significant improvement in power supply.
Idris struck out NERC's preliminary objection on the basis that it did not comply with Order 29, Rule 4 of the Federal High Court Civil Procedure Rules.

The order provides that such objection must be filed within 21 days after the suit was served.

"By my records, the NERC's objection was filed outside the 21 days prescribed by the rules," Idris said.

"In the circumstances, I hold that the preliminary objection was filed in breach of the rules of court. The objection filed is, therefore, in my view, incompetent and is hereby struck out."

NERC had also argued that the motion ex parte was incompetent, and that the court lacked jurisdiction to grant it. But the judge said the application challenging the motion ex parte also failed to comply with Order 26, Rule 11 of the court, which states that where a court makes an order based on a motion ex parte, any person affected by it may apply to vary or discharge it within seven days.

The judge held that the order was made on May 28 and served on NERC on June 3, but "the application to discharge the order was only filed on July 6 outside the seven days period prescribed by the rules".

However, Idris said the relief for extension of time was not sought.
"It is clear that this second application was also filed in breach of the rules of court and is also incompetent," he said.
"Both applications – the preliminary objection and motion to set aside – are all hereby declared incompetent and are hereby struck out. The order of court maintaining status quo remains until further order is made."

Idris adjourned the case to September 23 for hearing of the plaintiff's substantive motion.

The court had earlier restrained NERC from implementing the new tariff, barring the respondents, including electricity distribution companies, from effecting any increment in electricity tariff until the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.

NERC objected to the suit and urged the court to discharge the restraining order, with George Uwechue (SAN), its counsel, arguing that the motion ex parte on which basis the restraining order was granted was an abuse of court process.
Adebiyi, the plaintiff, is asking among others, an order restraining the NERC from foisting compulsory service charge on prepaid meters because consumers should not be paying a flat rate of service not rendered or power not used.
He wants the service charge on prepaid meters not to be enforced "until there is visible, efficient and reliable power supply'" as applicable in foreign countries where the idea of service charge was borrowed.

Adebiyi is further asking for an order of court mandating NERC to generate more power to meet the country's power needs, and to develop a multiple long-term financing approach sourced from the banks, capital market, insurance and other sectors to finance the power sector.

The lawyer also wants the court to mandate NERC to make available to all Nigerians within two years, prepaid meters as a way of stopping "estimated or crazy bills".

NERC has had the tariff implement on the cards since 2014. In November, Muhammad Lawal bello, its vice chairman, said tariffs would rise from December 1 as a result of increase in gas prices. He maintained that the upward review of electricity tariff was inevitable despite the continued poor electricity supply in the country.

The take-off was delayed, but in May 2015, Sam Amadi, the NERC chairman, told a news conference in Abuja that the new tariff would take effect from June 1 as provided for in the Multi-Year Tariff Order (MYTO).

However, nine days before the presidential election, the federal government announced a 50-percent slash in electricity tariffs.

SOURCE: the cable

Prosecute our members if found corrupt, PDP tells Buhari

The Peoples Democratic Party has called on President Muhammadu Buhari not to hesitate to investigate and prosecute any of its members found to have corruptly enriched himself.

The party said because of its integrity, it would neither condone nor albeit corrupt persons.

The call followed the statement made by the President in which he said he had started receiving some documents which indicted some former ministers and other top government officials of massive fraud, including oil theft.

The affected ministers and presidential aides were said to have served under former President Goodluck Jonathan.

The Bayelsa State-born politician is a member of the now opposition party, the PDP, and was also its presidential candidate during the last election.

But in prosecuting the affected members, the PDP however said that the Federal Government must adhere to the rule of law.

National Publicity Secretary of the main opposition party, the PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh, stated the party's position in an interview with our correspondent in Abuja.

Metuh said that as a policy, the party would not hesitate to condemn anyone found to have flouted the law of the land.

He said, "They (any PDP members found to be corrupt) should be investigated and prosecuted according to the law of the land. All we want is that the law of the land must be followed.

"We will, however, insist that there must be respect for the human rights and that the rights of the individuals must not be violated.

"The law assumes everyone to be innocent until proven otherwise. With this, the government must not see anyone to be corrupt first. They are innocent until found guilty by court of law."

He also added that it would be wrong for the government or anyone to see members of the PDP as criminals, even when there was nothing incriminating found with them.

Metuh said everyone, including suspects, must be seen to even be innocent until proven guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction.

Metuh called on the government to also beam its searchlights on members of the ruling APC, adding that the fight against corruption must be holistic.

"We as a party will support the fight against corruption. However, the fight must be holistic and there mustn't be any sacred cow," he added.

Meanwhile, governors of the PDP under the aegis of the PDP Governors' Forum on Wednesday night in Abuja, expressed concern over the current spate of Boko Haram attacks in the North-East and asked the military to wake up.

The governors, after their meeting, expressed concern that in spite of the security measures by the Armed Forces, "the sect seems to be intensifying its attacks."

The Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Udom Emmanuel, who spoke on behalf of his colleagues, said even as they met, the Governor of Gombe State, Ibrahim Dankwambo, received a call over another attack in his state.

Emmanuel, while calling on the Armed Forces to step up their operations, also lamented the state of the Internally Displaced Persons.

He said, "We actually call on the Armed Forces to step up their security measures to see how they can stem the tide of this menace.

"It is really a thing of concern to the PDP government that in spite of all the efforts in the Armed Forces, these guys are still proving to be more formidable.

"So, we are sure if the Armed Forces step up a little bit, they should be able to curtail it."

Referring to the situation in Gombe State, he said, "We received another report of another attack. These are things we believe we should rise up as a country and curtail it."

SOURCE: daily times

Britain must remain in the EU, says Obama: President warns UK will 'lose influence' if it votes to leave the European Union

US president Barack Obama has issued a warning about the prospect of the UK losing its global influence if it votes to leave the European Union.

Mr Obama said the UK's membership of the EU gives the US 'much greater confidence' in the transatlantic relationship between the United States and Europe.

A referendum on whether to remain in the EU will be held by the end of 2017 under David Cameron's plans to renegotiate the terms of the UK's membership.

In a BBC interview the president said he wanted to make sure the UK continued to have the 'influence' that came with membership of the EU.

He said: 'Having the United Kingdom in the European Union gives us much greater confidence about the state of the transatlantic union and is part of the cornerstone of the institutions built after World War Two that has made the world safer and more prosperous.

We want to make sure that the United Kingdom continues to have that influence.'

It is the latest sign of the importance Washington places on the UK remaining in the EU, after comments made by Mr Obama at the G7 summit of world leaders in Germany in June.

As he met Mr Cameron for talks at that summit, the president said that 'one of the great values of having the United Kingdom in the European Union is its leadership and strength on a whole host of global challenges, so we very much are looking forward to the United Kingdom staying part of the European Union because we think its influence is positive not just for Europe, but also for the world'.

The US president also welcomed Mr Cameron's commitment to continue meeting the Nato target of spending two per cent on defence.

He said: 'We don't have a more important partner than Great Britain. For him to make that commitment when he has a budget agenda that is confined, a budget envelope that is confined, is significant.'

The US administration has previously expressed concerns about the UK's commitment to military spending and had pressed for Mr Cameron to commit to the target.

In June US defence secretary Ashton Carter said the UK had always 'punched above its weight' militarily and it would be 'a great loss to the world' if it cut defence spending in a way that suggested it was 'disengaged'.

With 18 months left in office, Mr Obama expressed his 'greatest frustration' at his inability to take action on gun control in the wake of a series of shootings in the USA.

'If you look at the number of Americans killed since 9/11 by terrorism, it's less than 100. If you look at the number that have been killed by gun violence, it's in the tens of thousands,' Mr Obama said.

'And for us not to be able to resolve that issue is distressing.'

Mr Cameron has promised to hold a referendum on EU membership by the end of 2017.

The vote is scheduled to take place sometime before 2017 but could come as early as next year.

He is currently negotiating with European Union leaders to try to change the terms of Britain's membership of the bloc before holding the referendum.

Last month, Cameron told reporters at the G7 summit in Germany his goal was to 'renegotiate, get a deal that's in Britain's interest and then recommend Britain stays in it'.

SOURCE: daily mail

Spain raises the legal age to marry from 14 to 16 after pressure from child protection groups

**New legislation recommended by experts at the United Nations in 2010

**365 marriages of under-16s took place in Spain between 2000 and 2014

**Country's law is now in line with most other European Union members.

Spain has today raised the minimum age for marriage from 14 to 16.

The legislation follows continued pressure from child protection groups and United Nations experts, who asked the country to address the matter in 2010.

It brings Spanish law in line with most other members of the European Union and comes after the country raised the minimum age for consent for sexual relations from 13 to 16.

Officials from Unicef and Save the Children encouraged the move in the hope it would boost protection for the country's teenagers.

A spokesman for Unicef in Spain said: 'This change has been requested by Unicef and other childhood organizations, and was included among the Concluding Observations of the Children's Rights Committee to Spain in 2010.

'Until this change of the law, children aged 14 and 15 were able to get married if they were authorized by a judge.

The current law restricts this possibility to children over 16 and also with judicial authorization until they are 18.'

Ana Sastre, speaking on behalf of Save the Children from Spain, previously said: 'Fundamentally it's a measure of protection to avert possible forced marriages, sexual exploitation or offenses against children, especially girls.'

National statistics show only a handful of 14-year-olds, who needed permission from a judge to complete the ceremony, have got married in Spain in the last decade.
Six 14-year-olds, two boys and four girls, got married in the first six months of 2014, while just one girl of 14 got married the previous year.

In the 1990s, however, there were 2,678 marriages involving at least one under-16 - and 12,867 in the 1980s.

One study by the Statistical Institute of Catalonia showed that, in 2013, men in the region married at an average age of 33.6 years, compared to 32.6 years for women.

Ten years earlier, men married at an average age of 30.7 years and women at 28.7 years.

SOURCE: daily mail

Boko Haram planning to bomb my residence – Osinbajo

Nigeria Vice-President, Yemi Osinbajo who has been visiting camps of Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs in the North east as well as paying sympathy visits to victims and survivors of Boko Haram insurgency raised alarm on Thursday that the insurgent group is planning to bomb his residence.
Osinbajo disclosed on Thursday that security reports have uncovered plot by insurgents to bomb his house in an address at themeeting of the National Economic Council (NEC) which he chaired. at the State House, Abuja, Osinbajo said the insurgents plot includes use of scavengers to plant the bombs.

A resolution of the meeting made available to journalists however was not specific on which of the residence of the VP is being targeted by the terrorists.
The resolution was circulated by the council secretariat after the Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, has briefed journalists.

Ambode was joined in the briefing by three other states' governors namely — Solomon Lalong (Plateau), Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi) and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu).
The VP official residence in Abuja is highly secured by security agencies and off limits to scavengers.
The resolution of the meeting, however, did not detail the exact house of the Vice-President being targeted by the terrorists as his official residence at the Aso Rock Villa.

"The Vice-President regretted that the insurgency has affected the economic life of the north east and the country as a whole.

"He called for the Council to speak as a teem to put pressure on the Service Chiefs to increase their effort in fighting insurgency.

"There should be increase in sensitization and education channels like radio, television.

"The Vice President also disclosed that security reports has it that scavengers are now being prepared by insurgents to dump refuse laden with bombs in the house of the Vice-President," it was stated in the resolution.

It was also stated in the resolution that deliberations on insecurity in parts of the Northeast and updates were presented to NEC by governors from that region.
"Governors from the northeast and north west presented updates on the issue of insurgency in the north east and other criminal activities like cattle rustling and banditry in the north west.

"Governors of Yobe, Borno, Taraba, Kaduna, Gombe, Plateau and Bauchi took turns to inform the Council of security concerns in those regions.
"On Boko Haram issues, Governors of Yobe and Borno raised alarm that five local government areas of the two States still being in possession of the insurgents.

"The Vice President also disclosed that security reports has it that scavengers are now being prepared by insurgents to dump refuse laden with bombs in the house of the Vice-President," it was stated in the resolution.

It was also stated in the resolution that deliberations on insecurity in parts of the Northeast and updates were presented to NEC by governors from that region.
"Governors from the northeast and north west presented updates on the issue of insurgency in the north east and other criminal activities like cattle rustling and banditry in the north west.

"Governors of Yobe, Borno, Taraba, Kaduna, Gombe, Plateau and Bauchi took turns to inform the Council of security concerns in those regions.
"On Boko Haram issues, Governors of Yobe and Borno raised alarm that five local government areas of the two States still being in possession of the insurgents.

"They called for increase in military deployment and provision of sophisticated military equipment in those areas."

The meeting also heard that Boko Haram insurgents are still hiding in the Sambisa forest, where the military had previously tried to flush out using aerial bombardments.

Kaduna State governor, Nasir el-Rufai also informed the NEC that most of the cattle rustlers were in Kumuku national park, which "if not properly handled could result to another Sambisa forest."
The meeting was told that security effort is being set up to deal with this situation. Osun State governor, Rauf Aregbesola, suggested that special economic angle should be introduced in addition to military intervention to deal with the Boko Haram problem.

SOURCE: pm news

Obama returns to father's homeland with history

President Barack Obama will land in Kenya on Friday with a mission to strengthen U.S. security and economic ties, but his personal connection to his father's birthplace will dominate a trip that Kenyans view as a native son returning home.

Kenya is a critical Western ally in the battle against the Somali Islamist group al Shabaab, which massacred 148 people in April at a Kenyan university near the Somali border. Obama is likely to focus talks in Nairobi on security cooperation.

He will also spend private time with family members but will not travel to the village that is most closely associated with the family name, White House officials said.

"Just as anybody is curious about their heritage, visiting Kenya provides him an opportunity to make that personal connection," Valerie Jarrett, a senior aide and family friend of Obama, said in an interview.

Obama, who made a trip to Kenya while serving as a U.S. senator in 2006, has voiced some disappointment that he will have less freedom to see the country during this trip, but said he was looking forward to it nonetheless.

"My hope is ...that we can deliver a message that the U.S. is a strong partner not just for Kenya, but for Sub-Saharan Africa generally," he said.

In Nairobi he will preside over the Global Entrepreneurship Summit, pay tribute to the victims and survivors of the 1998 U.S. embassy bombing, and dine with President Uhuru Kenyatta, whose indictment by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity largely prevented Obama from going earlier in his presidency. The charges were dropped in March.

U.S. officials have not given details of what new security cooperation could be discussed, but Kenyatta has said the fight against terrorism would be "central to discussions."

Critics of Obama have compared his record in Africa unfavorably to that of his predecessor, George W. Bush, whose President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) program has made him a hero on the continent.

Obama's advisers point to his own initiatives on electricity, agriculture, and trade as solidifying his legacy.

He is the first sitting U.S. president to go to Kenya or Ethiopia, his second stop on the two-country tour.

In Nairobi Obama will give a speech to the Kenyan people, which is likely to highlight his personal connection to the country. In Addis Ababa he will meet with regional leaders to discuss the crisis in South Sudan and speak to the African Union, the first U.S. president to do so.

Rights activists have raised concerns about Obama's trip to both Kenya and Ethiopia because of alleged human rights violations.

"Both countries face real security threats but we are concerned by the way in which each government has responded, often with abusive security measures and increased efforts to stifle civil society and independent media," several rights' groups said in a letter to Obama on Wednesday.

Five detained Ethiopian journalists were released earlier this month. U.S. National Security Adviser Susan Rice said Obama would not hesitate to raise human rights concerns during the trip and that the White House wanted to see lasting change, not simply a gesture tied to Obama's trip.

Obama has chided African countries over their policies on gay rights, which Kenyatta has dismissed as a "non-issue" that was not on the agenda for the U.S. leader's visit.

SOURCE: Yahoo! News