[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Nigeria Centre for Disease Control says 31 suspected cases of monkey pox have so far been reported in seven states across the country. Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, the National Coordinator/Chief Executive Officer of the NCDC, made this known on Monday in Abuja.
According to Ihekweazu, following the notification of a suspected monkey pox outbreak on September 22, 2017 in Bayelsa State, other suspected cases have been reported from six more states.
He listed the affected states as Bayelsa, Rivers, Ekiti, Akwa Ibom, Lagos, Ogun and Cross Rivers.
Ihekweazu said samples had been collected from each suspected case for laboratory confirmation.
He said: “Results are still being awaited.
“So far, there have been no deaths recorded.
“It is unlikely that many of the suspected cases are actually monkey pox, but all are being investigated.
“All the suspected cases are currently receiving appropriate medical care and the patients are all improving clinically in their various states.”
Ihekweazu said the Federal Ministry of Health, through the NCDC, was supporting the affected states to ensure the outbreak is brought under control and to limit further spread.
He said: “NCDC has activated an Emergency Operation Centre to coordinate the outbreak investigation and response across the affected states.
“The EOC is currently supporting State Ministries of Health in their response to the outbreak through active case finding, epidemiological investigation and contact tracing.
“Measures have been put in place to ensure effective sample collection and testing for laboratory confirmation.
“Risk communication activities have been heightened to advise the public on preventive measures.
“All 36 States and the FCT have been notified for preparedness.”
[dropcap]I[/dropcap]ndigenes of Edo State under an umbrella group, Concerned Citizens of Edo State, have demanded that the State’s Commissioner of Police, Haliru Gwandu, should immediately comply with his redeployment by the Police Service Commission, noting that his continued stay and “gross incompetence” has given criminals freedom to cause mayhem.
The group, which led protests from Edo House to the Police Headquarters at Louis Edet House and the National Assembly complex in Abuja on Monday, decried the insistence of Gwandu to hold on to his office after being posted out of the command about three months ago.
The members of the group called on the Presidency; the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris; and the National Assembly to prevail on tGwandu and see to it that the PSC posting is obeyed to the letter.
In a letter addressed to leaders of the National Assembly and the Presidency, signed by its Coordinator, Hon. Henry Okpamen, the group said: “We, the concerned citizens of Edo State, are gathered here today to share our pains with Mr President, the President of Senate and the Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives and all their members on the worsening security situation in our State. While Mr Governor and his Cabinet, with cooperation from the revered Benin Monarch, Oba Ewuare II, are working round the clock to encourage investments into Edo State, the Inspector General of Police has refused to support the government of Edo State in this effort.”
They said that the centrality of Edo State has made it vulnerable to people from different parts of the country, who come in with sundry interests, noting that Okada, Okpella, Ekenwan, Auchi-Ekpoma-Benin axis of the state are flashpoints of crime, which calls for responsive and intelligent policing.
The group noted that it was surprising that Gwandu was redeployed from the state about three months ago by the PSC, but he has since colluded with the IGP and other elements at the Presidency to frustrate the enforcement of the directive.
It stated that the posting, which was contained in a release by the PSC on July 5, 2017, has left many in Edo State confused because though one Johnson Babatunde Kokumo was announced Edo State Commissioner of Police, Gwandu and his minions still hold sway in the state.
They said while previous Police Commissioners posted to the state worked assiduously to check criminal activities in well-known security flash points, Gwandu applied a “lethargic and a rather nonchalant attitude” to his job.
According to the group: “The incompetence of Mr Gwandu came to the fore in March 2017, when a former Council Chairman of Etsako East, Hon. Suleiman Malik Afegbua and some other persons were kidnapped by suspected herdsmen along the Benin-Ehor road. Hon. Afegbua was later killed by the kidnappers.
“Strangely, while the family was still negotiating the release of the other persons that were kidnapped along with him, Mr Haliru Gwandu announced gleefully to the whole world that the kidnappers had been arrested by his men, which was not true. This breach of trust demonstrates that Mr Gwandu was out of touch with reality and incapable of relying on security reports to manage delicate situations in the State.
“Even after this well-publicized incident involving Hon. Suleiman Afegbua, herdsmen continued to operate freely in that area and this led to the kidnapping and killing of innocent, vulnerable farmers especially women in Ewu, Uromi, Ubiaja and Ebigbere communities of the state.”
The group said the State Police Commissioner has refused to cooperate with other security operatives in the state, which has often jeopardized the lives of innocent citizens.
To buttress this point, they said: “For instance, when Dr. Andy Ehanire, the renowned environmentalist and conservationist, was kidnapped on Sunday 24th of September 2017, which led to three police officers being killed in the process, available information indicates that there was ample and advanced intelligence report showing that criminal elements were planning to invade the area at that period.
“However, Mr. Haliru Gwandu, in his characteristic incompetence, slept away and decided to leave the criminals to operate freely and put the lives of his officers at the mercy of the killers. Without a doubt, this situation has precipitated fear all over the state and low morale among the officers.
“While the family of the slain policemen were still mourning, the family of the kidnapped victim and government were still negotiating with the kidnappers, another incident took place on Tuesday, October 3rd, 2017 with the kidnapping of the renowned musician, Ambassador Osayomore Joseph. Mr. Gwandu, knowing fully well the security situation in the state was sighted on Televison attending a security summit which some of us refer to as a jamboree in Port Harcourt. Mr. Gwandu refused to establish a situation room to update the people of the state on what steps and progress had been made in the effort to apprehend the kidnappers of the two renowned Edo Personalities.”
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Nigeria Customs Service says it has seized 497,279 bags of imported rice between 2015 and August 2017 with a Duty Paid Value of N3.8 billion.
The Comptroller-General of the service, retired Colonel Hameed Ali, disclosed this in a document obtained by the Grassroots Publishers online. Ali said 90,073 bags of rice were seized in 2015 with DPV of N693 million, while 280,109 bags of rice were impounded in 2016 with DPV of N2.156 billion.
He added between January and August 2017, no fewer than 127,097 bags of rice were seized, with DPV of N978 million.
He said: “From January to March this year, about four enterprises registered with Tinapa Free Trade Zone Calabar in Cross River State syndicated the importation of 533 containers of rice.” He said the containers loaded with 299,564 bags of rice were brought into the free zone through Onne Port in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Ali said: “Certainly, this rice cannot be consumed within Tinapa and there is no value added through further processing as to bring it to Nigerian territory.
“It took the Nigeria Customs Service a big battle with the importers and Tinapa authorities to compel them to re-export it out of Nigeria.
“As at September 19, this year, 299 containers were re-exported.
“If this is to be allowed, it has the potential of undermining the food security policy of the Federal Government.
“With the attendant consequence of driving all the industries in the chain of production out of business, primarily the local farmers and rice millers.”
Ali said in the past, the Federal Government had introduced policies like Operation Feed the Nation and Green Revolution to ensure food sufficiency. He added that the major cause of failure of these policies was smuggling.
According to him, it is the realisation of this that made the Federal Government to ban the importation of rice through the land borders.
Ali said: “The ban of rice importation through the land borders has made the task of fighting smuggling by the NCS more challenging.
“Because major rice importers in the country have decided to shun the use of Nigerian ports and now divert their cargo to Cotonou where they bring it into Nigeria in trickles.”
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Tony Elumelu Foundation, Africa’s largest philanthropy focused on supporting entrepreneurship, on Thursday announced that the 3rd annual TEF Entrepreneurship Forum – the most inclusive gathering of African SMEs – will take place on October 13 and 14 in Lagos.
This is the first year the invitation-only Forum is open to non-TEF entrepreneurs and will allow SMEs from across Africa to attend and form networks, share knowledge, connect with investors, link with corporate supply chains and influence policy makers and business leaders in attendance.
“Since launching the TEF Entrepreneurship Programme – and committing $100 million to empowering 10,000 African entrepreneurs in a decade – we have unleashed our continent’s most potent development force – its entrepreneurs,” said TEF Founder, Tony O. Elumelu. “In just three years, our 3,000 entrepreneurs have created tens of thousands of jobs and generated considerable wealth. On October 13 and 14, we invite the global entrepreneurship community to Lagos toward the realization of a New Africa, a thriving, self-reliant continent capable of replicating the results we have seen in our ground-breaking programme.”
The two-day event features plenary panels, masterclasses, and sector specific networking opportunities as well as policy-led talks focused on improving the enabling environment for African businesses.
TEF Chief Executive Officer, Parminder Vir, said: “This is the first year we have opened the Forum up to include not just the 1,000 Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurs from the 2017 cycle of our Programme, but the full pan-African entrepreneurship ecosystem. In doing so, we are allowing disparate SME communities to come together and expand the possibilities for intra-African partnerships. I urge policymakers and investors to join us at the Forum as we empower the next generation of African business titans.”
Speakers at the event include: Wale Ayeni, International Finance Corporation; Stephen Tio Kauma, Afrexim Bank; Andre Hue, African Development Bank; Stephen M. Haykin, USAID Nigeria; Heikke Reugger, European Investment Bank; and Abdoulaye Mar Dieye, United Nations Development Programme.
The Foundation’s long-term investment in empowering African entrepreneurs is emblematic of Tony Elumelu’s philosophy of Africapitalism, which positions Africa’s private sector, and most importantly its entrepreneurs, as the catalysts for the social and economic development of the continent.
The indigenes of Asaba today recall to mind of a long-forgotten experience during the bloody civil war and the massacre of their men and male children.The open wound has refused to go even after 50 years. If we don’t tell the story, the generations unborn will not know the genocidal act Asaba went through in the hand of Federal Troops(Nigeria Army). Asaba wasn’t actively part of Biafra geographically and it was the retreating Biafran soldiers who blew up the Niger Bridge in frustration , the Federal Troops led by Col. Banjo who could not cross to the other side of the River Niger basically rounded up men and male children in Asaba and shot them to death.Four decades after the war, Asaba is now a busy state capital, looking to the future where the stars are made. The Asaba people and indeed, the Igbo people in general do not seek retribution, but only to tell their stories allowing the truth and facts of our experiences to be adopted into Nigerian’s collective memory. The realities today show that these expectations are far from being considered let alone accepted.
Asaba men before Massacre of October 1967
All efforts to share this common historical experience are truncated by the Nigerian government. And we cannot possibly deny the fact that the disunity amongst Nigerians deepens as the days go by. The same injustices of the war reappear today, though more subtly and less physically fierce.We can’t but tell our stories over and over again, for only when we do, we can appreciate the things that made the story and have more grasp of how to deal with the realities of today.
Asaba history will never forget this day called October 5, 1967, during the bloody civil war, federal troops occupied the peaceful town of Asaba, Nigeria, on the west bank of the Niger River. They accused the people of supporting the retreating Biafran army and for two days rampaged the town killing hundreds of innocent, unharmed citizens. At the crux of this genocidal act, on Saturday, October 7, 1967, thousands of the people of Asaba, came together screaming ”One Nigeria, One Nigeria,” believing a show of support for the Nigerian government would pacify the situation. Instead, after the separation of the women and children from men and adolescent boys, the bullet-hungry soldiers gathered the male folks in the centre of the Ogbe-Osowa village and turned their machine guns on them.
More than 700 died with many seriously wounded. Most families could not retrieve the bodies and the dead were buried in mass graves. At the end of that week, more than
1000 civilians were killed, raped, molested, threatened and Asaba laid in ruins. Many fled never to return until the war ended in 1970.
Colonel Murtala Mohammed was the commanding officer of the 2nd division which was responsible for the legendary beating back of the Biafran Army from the Mid-West
Region, as well as crossing the River Niger and linking up with the 1st Division which was marching down from Nnsuka and Enugu.
Whether Murtala ordered the massacre or not, it was his Division and must therefore take full responsibility.The casualties were not soldiers or combatants. They were not caught by friendly fire or accidental discharge. They were gathered together and gunned down in what remains one of the most callous incidents of the Nigerian Civil War. Men who survived the war were those who were sick or too old to come to the square, those who were lucky during the shooting and those who escaped.
Interestingly, the Asaba story was never told as the starving children of Biafra dwarfed the gory event in Asaba.
After the soldiers left, leaving blood and death behind, the stinking unidentified bodies were buried in a mass grave by the lucky survivors.For decades, Asaba has lived with this horrific and traumatic experience in silence. Most Nigerians have never heard of the fate that befell Asaba people on October 7, 1967. Ironically, those who led this massacre rose to become national heroes, with monuments named after them and beautiful stories told about them.
It is therefore pathetic that those who murdered unarmed civilians in Asaba have never been reprimanded in life or in death, neither has the Federal Government of
Nigeria admitted that its troops murdered its citizens, who pledged unflinching loyalty, without provocation is a dent on Nigeria’s image and a shame to a country
”where peace and justice” is supposed to reign.
“We can’t but tell our stories over and over again, for only when we do, we can appreciate the things that made the stories and have more grasp of how to deal with the
realities of today”.
This is the continuation of the articulation of narrations by survivors of the Asaba massacre of October 4-8, 1967 during the Nigeria-Biafra War. We hear them share
with us their direct experiences and of course, reveal the real truth and facts.
If you missed the experience , please read the bitter experience of survivors of Asaba massacre:
SURVIVOR 3, FEMALE, PATIENCE CHUKWURA: My husband and the brother, and all those about 400 people who were following them…they were shot in front of the Police
station at Asaba. I held on to the person I saw, the soldier…I said: “why did you kill my husband?”…(she pauses and continues) I don’t want to remember what
happened. The man with the button of the gun, hit me on the chest and said: “woman, if you are not careful, you’ll get killed as well”. At that point, I went home to
tell them (the people home) that they (my husband and his brother) had been killed.
Papa, (that’s my father-in-law), when he heard that his two sons were killed, he went out and before he could say, “what happened?” they shot him, they killed him.
NARRATOR: On October 6, in an attempt to end the violence, the leaders summoned all the town’s people to a peaceful match, pledging loyalty to Nigeria. On the morning
of October 7, thousands of men, women and children from every quarter of Asaba joined the parade singing and dancing.
SURVIVOR 6, PATRICK OKONKWO: They came, in the normal Asaba way, with a gong announcing that the soldiers were already in Asaba, killing people that if we can come to
welcome them and declare peace with them, we would be spared.
SURVIVOR 7 (MKPAYAH): We started hearing…you know…dancing group, saying “One Nigeira, One Nigeria…” so along the line, we said “let us go,” myself and my cousin.
So, as we were coming out towards the road, that time the group, the dancing group, the soldiers were surrounding them, guiding them…i.e. Nigerian soldiers carrying
guns…
SURVIVOR 6 continues: …and they lined up, said “women here men here…”
SURVIVOR 2 (PETER OKONJO): And women who came with their sons were removing their skirts and blouses to disguise (their sons). So when I saw this scenario going on, I
felt “something is wrong…if these women can disguise their children and my mother is not here, what do I do?” and I looked at the whole place…there is no avenue
for escape.
SURVIVOR 8 (MEDUA URAIH): They took us to a certain quarter and eventually the man who was the captain…he ordered them to start shooting us.
SURVIVOR 2: Gunshots…people were falling. So when people fell, I fell with them.
SURVIVOR 1, IFY URIAH: And they continued shooting, and shooting, and shooting. I lost count of times, I don’t know how long….after sometimes, there was silence. And
surprisingly, other people stood up from the ground and fled into the bush. I stood up also, but, I saw a cousin of mine who was lying not too far from me. He was shot
on the head. My body was covered with blood but I knew that I was safe, nothing had happened (to me).
My cousin said we should wait until it was dark, so we could go together and I agreed. You could hear the sound of the injured, crying…
Massacre of October 1967
NARRATOR: That evening, some women went to retrieve the bodies of their children, husbands and other family members. Joseph Nwajei lost two brothers aged 17 and 12.
SURVIVOR 9, JOSEPH NWAJEI: Mum in the evening, was able to identify their (my two brothers’) corpses, took them in a wheelbarrow, pushed them into the family house (he
pauses for a while amidst heavy tears and continues)…where they were buried. (He pauses again, wipes tears white a handkerchief and continues). I never saw their
corpses, never saw their bodies.
NARRATOR: But most were buried in mass Grave with no opportunity to require ceremony.
SURVIVOR 10, EMEKA OKONKWO: Though I was so small, I remember what I saw-lifeless bodies. My dad was among those people that buried the dead. He left the house with a
shovel, and this scented leaf, he put it in his nostril that would enable them to stand the stench there.
SURVIVOR 11, FRANK IJEH: It was after when they have decayed…you know…smelling all over…that the people there gathered and dug a common grave and they started putting them in. There are so many…I cannot remember…so many, so many.
NARRATOR: Many towns’ people ran into the bush all across to the East. The troops remained in Asaba and threat of rape hung on many women and girls.
SURVIVOR 12, FEMALE, NAKANDELIN MADUEMEZIA: (Speaking of the women) they were forcibly married by soldiers. I have an aunt who was forcible married by a soldier.
Children were raped, adults, even old women were raped too.
SURVIVOR 13, FEMALE, DELICIOUS NWANDU: And even when they saw that you are a young girl, they would forcibly take you as their wife. That is, if you don’t want, they
kill (you).
NARRATOR: As people trekked back, they found the once thriving town deserted, houses burned and everything of value stolen.
Later, Quaker Relief Services reported on the appalling situation in Asaba: “about 900 of the 1,186 houses were completely destroyed. Three hundred more are
uninhabitable because roofs are missing.
Schools are symbols of self-respect. Their present condition is a constant reminder of the humiliating situation in which the town finds itself. The furniture was used
by Nigerian soldiers as firewood.”
SURVIVOR 13 continues: We have no home to enter, no house to enter. Our house was burned down, everything. In fact, where we went, we had to be tying; you know the
bags they put rice and beans…that’s what we tied, because there were no clothes, nothing to hide our nakedness. A lot of children (suffered) Kwashiokor. You know,
people were dying just like that. We ate rats, lizards…in fact, Asaba suffered.
NARRATOR: Exactly how many died on October 7 (only) is not clear. Between 500 and 800 seemed likely. In addition to hundreds killed in the previous day, many families
were designated.
SURVIVOR 11 continues: My immediate elder brother, the one following him, and one of my cousins, three of them were killed (though they were harmless civilians).
NARRATOR: Patience Chukwura was a young mother, pregnant with her fourth child. She lost her husband, Eddie, two brothers-in-law, and her father-in-law.
Hwr.mother lost all five brothers.
SURVIVOR 3, PATIENCE CHUKWURA continues: You need to know who my husband was. Harmless, couldn’t harm anybody. He liked life, he liked himself, and he was a lovely
man.
NARRATOR: Philip Asiodu, an Asaba indigene, was a member of General Gowon’s war cabinet in Lagos. His brother Sydney, was an Olympic athlete, living in Asaba when
troops arrived. His diary, found after the war, ends on October 6. His fate is unknown.
SURVIVOR 15, PHILIP ASIODU: He was my favorite brother and he was outstanding as a student. He was captain of cricket, captain of soccer. He was a sprinter, and was
in the Nigerian 4×100 meter relay team. So it was a great loss to the family. Of course, one tries to forgive.
SURVIVOR 16, FEMALE, MARTINA OSAI: (Martina was 14 years old when soldiers killed her father, Leo Isichei, on October 7, along with almost 40 men in her extended
family). My father’s name is Leo Samuel Isichei. He was a teacher, a darling father. We looked up to him so much, he was everything to us. He wanted to bring his
children up, to make sure they had education. I want people to know, because not many people know what happened, even my own children. God knows why I had to survive.
For me to have a story to tell, and that’s what I’m telling you now (the narrate).
NARRATOR: For decades, the massacre of Asaba remained almost unknown outside the community. In 1967 the Nigerian Press was tightly controlled and few foreign reporters
were not on ground. In the words of Nobel Laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka, the Mid-West Igbo were the most vulnerable Nigerians. The world actually became famous in 1968,
after the federal government imposed the blockade starving Biafrans to death and submission in 1970.
Silence (on the massacre) began to lift in the mid 1990. In 2001, some survivors testified in Nigeria Human Rights Violation Investigation Commission known as the
Okudo panel which set the stage for more people to speak.
Asaba women in pains and starvation after the Massacre of October 1967
SURVIVOR 17, CHUCK NDUKA-EZE: (speaking about the panel) it was for us, the first opportunity. We were going to have to even air the matter. But the aim was really to
begin something by way of a healing process. If you wrong somebody and the person has an opportunity to talk about it, assuming you show some contrition, you
apologise, or you go some way to alleviating their pain and suffering, then the healing process can begin.
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he member representing Delta North in the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Mrs Gbubemi Ikolo, has received an award of recognition for her humanitarian work across the state.
The award is coming on the heels of the board members’ selfless and humanitarian work which include helping to the less privileged in the society, offering of scholarship programmes to several children, including destitute picked from the market.
The award of excellence was presented to Mrs, Ikolo by the National President, Frontline News, even as she was charged to continue in her humanitarian service and double her efforts in promoting integrity and professionalism.
Dr. Dan Awana of the Frontline News, while presenting the SUBEB member with the award, said it was in recognition of her selfless service, integrity and hard work and charged members of the public to emulate her good works in touching the lives of the poor, vulnerable and downtrodden. Mrs. Ikolo who dedicated the award to the state governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, for being her role model and for giving her the opportunity to serve, said she would continue to serve God and humanity with her resources.
On the scholarship she offered to six children including two destitute she picked from the market, the SUBEB member said it was part of her efforts to give back to society, adding that her slogan of “if decide to do it right, we can get it right” has always propelled her to do the right things without expecting commendation from anybody.
She urged public spirited individuals, including those in position of authorities to always stand for the truth in defending the deprived and demoralized in the society by offering them scholarships even to University levels as part of efforts in nation building even as she charged others to be fair, just and compassionate to the less privilege.
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he proactive officers of Seme border command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) invaded Gbaji, a border community in Lagos where it evacuated and seized about two thousand three hundred (2,300) bags of smuggled rice from various houses.T he dare-devil smugglers who intends to test the might of the Nigeria Customs Service despite the closure of the border to the movement of illegitimate goods across the border met their waterloo on the 5th of October, 2017. The information-driven operation exposed the illegal activities of these economic saboteurs who might have connived with faceless and recalcitrant officers that refuse to heed to the clarion call for a reformed and a rejuvenated Nigeria Customs Service.
A statement issued in Lagos on Friday by the command’s Public Relations Officer, Mr. Selechang Taupyen, said that the seized rice has a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of fifty-seven million, one hundred and nineteen thousand, two hundred and fifteen naira (N57,119,215.00). Taupyen observed that the information-driven operation exposed the illegal activities of those economic saboteurs who might have connived with officers that refused to heed to the clarion call for a reformed and a rejuvenated Nigeria Customs Service.
He pointed out that the intention of the smugglers to confront the officers and men of the service was averted following the reinforcement and seamless collaboration with the Nigerian Army 243 Reece Battalion Badagry adding that the practical synergy led to the house to house operation and evacuation of the smuggled products where they were kept.
According to him,”Empowered by the enabling laws that set up the Nigeria Customs Service; Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA) No. 55 OF 1958 (Now Law of Federation of Nigeria LFN CAP C45 2004), Section 46, 47, 48, 57, 64, 68, 147, 149 and 150 provide penalty for improper/illegal importation/exportation of goods, and empowers Customs officers to search premises, vehicles, Aircrafts and persons amongst others;
“The Seme Area Command in demonstration, pursuant and compliance with the above sections of CEMA, has proven that smugglers cannot continue to operate under customs jurisdiction of operations using the community as a cover without facing the full wrath of the law.
“The dare-devil smugglers who intends to test the might of the Nigeria Customs Service despite the closure of the border to the movement of illegitimate goods across the border met their waterloo on the 5th of October, 2017.
“Coincidentally, the operation at Gbaji border community took place on a date scheduled for the Customs Community Consultative Forum in which the Baale of Gbaji border community was in attendance. The Controller reiterated his appeal for cooperation with the host communities in curbing trans-border crimes, some of the community leaders who bore their minds dissociated the involvement of the indigenes of their communities”.
Commenting on the successful operation in conjunction with the Nigeria Army, the Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Aliyu Mohammed commended the effort of the Commanding Officer 243 Reece battalion, Col. UB Garba for his prompt response in partnering with them to actualize the mandate of the Service.
He also appreciated the existing cordial community relationship and called on the leaders of the communities to further sensitize their youth against joining forces with the carriers and smugglers who may not come from their immediate communities to destroy the peaceful co-existence between the Nigeria Customs and the host communities.
The Customs Area Controller stressed and warned that no amount of intimidation by the smugglers to use the Seme border route for smuggling activities would be tolerated nor permitted.
He said that the command would continue to work with the Nigeria Army and the communities in order to nib the activities of smugglers in the bud while enjoining the host communities to give intelligence report to the Nigeria Customs Service of any smuggler under their domain in order not to portray the community as collaborators, partners or harboring illegalities within their domain.
The Customs Area Controller restated his commitment to work strictly in line with the policy thrust of the Comptroller General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (Rtd) as he strictly upheld the federal government policies at the land borders.
The CAC warned officers and men of the service to desist from conniving with trans-border miscreants who were desperate in their quest for indulging in trans-border crimes at all times.
Meanwhile, the Seme Area Command collected a total sum of six hundred and thirty-eight million, five thousand, one hundred and ninety-four naira and sixty nine kobo (N638,005,194.69) in the month of September, 2017. The anti-smuggling unit of the command also made a total of twenty-one (21) seizures with a duty paid value of thirteen million, five hundred and eight thousand, four hundred and five naira (N13,508,405.00) for the month under review.
[dropcap]S[/dropcap]ubstitute Alex Iwobi propelled Nigeria to the 2018 World Cup with a late strike that earned the Super Eagles a 1-0 victory over Zambia. Iwobi latched onto a cutback just inside the box after good interplay between Victor Moses and Shehu Abdullahi, before drilling home with unerring accuracy in the 74th minute.
The victory means the Super Eagles became the first African country to qualify for the World Cup, but they were made to work for every second of the 90 minutes by a brave and fearless Chipolopolo, who remained in the hunt for a ticket to Russia until the final whistle.
The Zambians frustrated Nigeria in a feisty first half where tackles flew and both sides struggled to create anything more than half chances. Although the Super Eagles marginally edged the few opportunities created in the first half, it was Zambia who hit the post.
With Ogenyi Onazi off injured, Gernot Rohr threw in Mikel Agu, but the gulf in class between the duo was immediately apparent. Without Onazi’s snappy tackling, Nigeria’s control of the midfield loosened, leaving Zambia room to roam free as Agu consistently lost tackles, then resorted to fouling and picked up a yellow card within five minutes of coming on.
It was from one such missed tackle that the chance came, but Ikechukwu Ezenwa was alert to palm it onto the post.
Nigeria also created opportunities of their own; the impressive Abdullahi Shehu bounded down the right channel almost straight from kickoff to deliver a low cross which Kennedy Mweene did well to get his body behind, but it took another 16 minutes before Nigeria’s probing created another opening.
Following an interception and a quick break, John Obi Mikel played a smart give and go with Moses Simon, who raced down right channel to deliver another low cross for Odion Ighalo
However, on this occasion, there was too much weight on the ball and the forward could not reach it on time as it dribbled across the face of goal.
The chances were even fewer in the second half as Nigeria looked to be tiring, especially after the forced substitution of Onazi. With 25 minutes to play, Gernot Rohr threw on Arsenal man Iwobi for Simon, and his impact was almost immediate. First, he charged forward on a breakaway and played in Victor Moses, but the Chelsea man could not get the ball to sit and the chance was cleared.
But Iwobi was not to be denied, and when the impressive duo of Moses and Abdullahi combined to set him up on the edge of the area, he was clinical, just like in the first game between the two teams back in October.
The win takes Nigeria up to 13 points, six ahead of Zambia, and with one match to play, they can begin to look forward to their sixth appearance at the grandest stage of all.
[dropcap]H[/dropcap]on. Prince Ned Nwoko gets massive nominations for Humanitarian Award…HON. PRINCE CHINEDU MUNIR NWOKO B.A (Hons), is the Solicitor of the Supreme Court of England and Wales. Hon. Prince, A Nigerian- UK based Professional Legal Practitioner, Billionaire Business man, Philanthropist, Chairman of The Royal Resort/ Mount Ned Nwoko Resort in Idumuje-Ugboko in Delta State has been nominated for recognition following his undiluted passion for humanity as the organizers reported to have received over 2.5 million nominations from members of the public recommending him for recognition and honour alongside other Top Nigerian Dignitaries as all road leads to Asaba, Delta state cum Friday Oct 20th, 2017 at the United Nations Endorsed PAN Nigeria Humanitarian Ambassador Awards.(Delta 2017).
The Delta State Commissioner of Culture & Tourism Hon. Dan Okenyi & the entire Directors of the Ministry confirms the involvement of the Delta State Government to play host at the 2nd Annual Arise O’ Nigeria empowerment program organized yearly to commemorate the United Nations World Poverty Eradication day. The Hon. Commissioner confirmed this via a press conference held today 27th September, 2017 at the Directorate of Culture & Tourism, Anwai road, Asaba.
He stated: “The Delta State Government has made adequate provisions to welcome guests from other states providing maximum security and enabling environment for the Arise O Nigeria Team in their line up activities which includes Leadership Symposium, Youth ICT skills Empowerment Training, Rural Community borehole projects, Widows empowerment, Excursion by ambassadors to Delta State Tourist centres & Courtesy visits to the humanitarian personalities of the state.
The Commissioner applauded the president of the Arise O Nigeria Empowerment initiative, Amb. Jonathan Emmamuzo Daniel for the laudable initiative most especially choosing Delta state as a benefactor of this wonderful opportunity.
Amb. Jonathan further said that the leadership Symposium provides a platform for top Nigerian Leaders and youths from various fields converging to bridge the knowledge gap on Leadership and Entrepreneurial development.
The PAN Nigeria Humanitarian Ambassador Awards Celebrates and honour Outstanding Humanitarian personalities with strong Commitment to Social Welfare.
The 2017 Awardees includes
His Excellency, Atiku Abubakar – Former, Vice President, Federal Republic of Nigeria
His Excellency, Sen. Ifeanyi Okowa- Executive Governor, Delta State
His Excellency, Samuel Ortom, Executuve Governor, Benue State
Rt. Hon. (Barr) Dave Iorhemba – PDP National Legal Adviser & Former Speaker, Benue State House of Assembly.
Rt. Hon. Onofiok Luke, Hon. Speaker, Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly,
Dr. Paul Orhii.- Immediate Past Director General, NAFDAC,
Rt. Hon. Ossai Friday Osanebi, Deputy Speaker, Delta State House Of Assembly, Asaba, Delta State,
Her Excellency Dcns Mrs Omolewa Ahmed – First lady, Kwara State,
Prof. Chris M. Nwaokobia, Jnr. – 2011 Presidential Candidate & Convener, Country First Movement,
Hon. (Pastor) Aniete Ukpe, Director General, Akwa Ibom Broadcasting Corporation, Uyo, Akwa – Ibom State, Nigeria,
Mr. Uyime Idem, Managing & CEO, Standford Microfinance Bank, Abak Rd Uyo, Akwa Ibom State,
Hon. Godfrey Ishegbe, Group Managing Director, Optig Group, Lagos Nigeria,
Mrs Shimite Bello, Executive Secretary of Delta State Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises Development Agency Asaba, Delta State,
Venue: Nelrose Hotel, Government House Road, Anwai, Asaba, Delta State.
Date: Friday 20th of October 2017
Symposium starts 10am – 2pm Award,
Green carpet : 7pm.
The Night will be spiced with the Miss Ambassador For Humanity pageant organized to encourage young ladies to become humanitarian ambassadors.
Awardees gets a complimentary plot of Land at the Numatville Tourism Megacity Panda Karu, LGA Nassarawa state.
Hon. Prince Ned Nwoko was born on the 21st of December 1960 , Married With lovely Children and From the ROYAL PALACE, IDUMUJE-UGBOKO ANIOCHA NORTH LGA, DELTA STATE.
EDUCATION:
University of Keele (ENGLAND) BA (Hons) Law and History Subsidiary Subjects:
Biology and American Studies, Kings College,
University of London LLM, Maritime Insurance and
Commercial Law.
BL(Barrister at Law of Lincoln’s Inn, London) College of Law – London.
Solicitor of the Supreme Court of England and Wales),
Commonwealth University College, Belize D. LITT (Doctor of Letters).
Arise O Nigeria is supported and Endorsed by the UN women, Delta state Government, cross river Government, Numatville Tourism, Megacity, UBA, Lumiere Multimedia, Brolan communications, Tonto Dikeh foundation, and many more.
…Banks threatens to take over marketers’ assets and tank farms to recover its huge debts
…PENGASSAN, NUPENG members are owed up to 9 months salaries by marketers
…Senate yet to get request to appropriate funds for debts payment from Finance Minister
Total collapse of the petroleum downstream sector is imminent as the leadership of both Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers Senior Staff Association (PENGASAN) and the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) have concluded arrangements to embark on indefinite strike action due to the backlog of salaries owed their members by oil marketers following the inability of Federal Government to settle the lingering accumulated debts of over N800 billion owed downstream oil marketers to date.
The unions said that the strike action has become absolutely necessary following the continuous deteriorating welfare of its members working in petroleum product downstream sector.
According to them, our members working with oil companies had not been paid salaries for up to 9 months by marketers due to inability of government to redeemed its commitment to pay in spite of the intervention of the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo and the directive given to the Minister of Finance to effect payment on or before the end of July 2017.
The notice of the indefinite strike action by the Labour Unions in the Oil and Gas sector has been received by the Marketers who are the employers . This is contained in a joint communique issued by the marketers after their joint National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held in Lagos, signed by the marketers legal adviser, Patrick Etim Esq and made available to journalists.
The marketers under the aegis of Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN) Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association (DAPPMA) and Independent Petroleum Products Importers (IPPIs) Etim said that the unions in their summation stated that in the last six months, they have been in undated by officials of our various Labour units operating in Tank Farms and Depots across the country that most Petroleum Product Importers and marketing companies are owing our members backlog of salaries now up to 9 months.
The union, NUPENG and PENGASAN claimed that the children of their members have been sent packing from school as the parents have not received salaries to be in a position to pay school fees for their wards, while their members are systematically being sacked by their employers.
According to the unions, the most disturbing aspect of this is that many members are now redundant as their employers are not able to operate their bank account for their operations with a potential massive job losses of our members in the oil and gas sector and other workers in the banking sector due to the growing size of this non-performing loan extended to oil marketers with a catastrophic banking system collapse looming in the country.
Etim said that this is will definitely puncture any growth gains made in the economy so far considering that the sector will completely fail in its critical role of driving economic progress resulting in huge job losses directly and indirectly.
He said that it is factual that currently many of the oil marketing companies are owing backlog of salaries up to 9-months in arrears while some marketers have started retrenchment of workers as a result.
He said that the leadership of the both unions said that due to inability of government to pay marketers outstanding debt of over N 800 billion, most of the marketers are planning another round of massive retrenchment of staff which are primarily PENGASSAN and NUPENG members. He noted that the businesses of these marketers are gradually grinding to a halt due to the debts owed them by the federal government and the classification of their operating accounts by the banks crippling the ability of the marketers to trade since the first quarter of the year.
According to marketers, most banks are planning to take over our tank farms and business empires due to inability to pay back money borrowed to import products that were still pending unpaid by government.
The marketers said that petroleum marketers, as a result of these unpaid interest and foreign exchange differentials have gradually become insolvent and financially handicapped to continue operating profitably.
“There is a need for President Muhammadu Buhari’s government to keep improving governance especially by correcting wrongs of previous governments and making government responsible to its contracts and responsibilities.
“For the banks. their action is to see how they can avert another round of banking system failure that could be triggered by this huge outstanding non-performing debt owed the banks by oil marketers who cannot pay because the government is yet to pay them outstanding indebtedness.
“Federal Government in June 2017 concluded reconciliations with the marketers and PPPRA and made a commitment to pay before the end of July 2017. This was following the intervention of the Vice President (who was Acting President at that time).
“The reconciliation team was led by the Chief of Staff to the President and the Honorable Minister of Finance Minister.
“Further to the reconciliation, it was gathered that the Federal Executive council had approved the payment however the payment framework was said to have been sent to the National Assembly for approval and up till now there has been no feedback.
“We gathered from reliable source that the National Assembly claimed that they are yet to receive any of such requests from the Finance Minister,’’ he said.
The marketers said that the first source of the N800 billion debt is the non-payment of the balance of over N300 billion under-recoveries under the PPPRA importation template owed the marketers which has been reconciled and audited since 2015 and was provided for in the 2015 supplementary budget as well as the 2016 budgets.
He said that investigations revealed that only about 20 per cent of the amount provided for in the budget was actually paid the marketers in August 2016 with a promise to pay the balance within 3 months but till date nothing further has been paid despite repeated promises from the government.
They said that the second source of the N800 billion debt is the failure of the government and the central bank of Nigeria to provide foreign exchange to banks in Nigeria that financed the importation of the petroleum product particularly premium motor spirit PMS in 2015 by Marketers on behalf of the Nigerian government.
The marketers said that the banks used their dollar confirmation credit lines with foreign banks to open the Letters of Credit at exchange rates between N168/$ to N198/$ according to the approved PPPRA template as at the date of each impor they said that when the Letters of credits became due, the Nigerian banks defaulted in their obligations because the central bank did not provide the dollars.
The marketers said that these defaults by Nigerian banks on account of the petroleum products imported by the marketers for the government led many foreign banks to withdraw their dollar confirmation lines to the Nigerian banks and started insisting on dollar cash for Letters of credit from Nigeria.
“A practice which represents a major disclaimer on the credibility of LC’s from Nigeria, the only place where this is obtainable.
“It was further revealed that following this development, the Central Bank then did the so-called intervention by providing dollars to local banks for the payment of past due letters of credit to their foreign creditor banks.
“For reasons best known to the Central Bank and the government , they provided the dollars for these letters of credit at rates between N285/$ to N320/$ as against the N168 $ to N198/$ that was the government approved template for the LC’s.
“This resulted into an additional N500 billion in debt, this debit balance the banks quickly passed into the account of the marketers instead of asking the central bank to take responsibility.
“From investigation, the previously unpaid N300 Billion and this outstanding debt of arising from the above stated circumstances has added up to N800 billion and is rising by the day as the banks are charging interest at 29 per cent per annum into the account of the marketers.
“The effect of this is that every day total interest payable is over N635million translating to over N19 billion in monthly interest or over N232 billion annually.
“All this according to the contract between the PPPRA and the marketers, the government will pay all interest and exchange rate differential.
“From our investigation, the increasing debt is a creation of the agencies of government and it will continue to grow like a monster eating up the stability of our financial system if it is not resolved immediately otherwise it will lead to the total collapse of the financial services sector.
Stakeholders viewed that as a matter of urgency, the government should immediately pay all the reconciled outstanding debts to marketers without further delay as the negative impact is growing wider by the day and the petroleum marketing sector and its workers are heading towards a catastrophic collapse.
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