PDP condemns attempted coup in Turkey

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, on Sunday, condemned in strong terms, the attempted Coup in Turkey, describing it as an unpopular channel of ascending to power.

The Party while reacting to the Coup attempt in Turkey said military take-over of government is no longer a popular and acceptable venture and therefore advised those still nurturing the idea to desist from it forthwith.

Prince Dayo Adeyeye, the Chief Spokesman of the Party in a statement on behalf of the Chairman of the PDP National Caretaker Committee, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, and the party, extended condolences to the President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and the entire people of the Country for the loss of lives during the botched Coup d’état.

The statement read: “On behalf of the Chairman of the National Caretaker Committee, H.E. Senator Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi, CON, and all members of our Party, we wish to commiserate with the President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and the entire Turkish people for the ugly incident that led to several losses of lives and properties. It’s very sad and unacceptable. We condemn it and thanked the people of the Country for risen in defense of Democracy”.

The party further declared that there is no alternative to democracy anywhere in the world and prayed the Almighty God for the repose of the souls of those who lost their lives in the event as necessary sacrifice for long term freedom of the people of Turkey and other parts of the world.

Arms scandal: Panel probes Buhari’s minister, ex-service chiefs

Abdulrahman Dambazau

The 13-man Committee on Audit of Defence Equipment Procurement (CADEP) set up to probe arms procurement contracts between 2007 and 2015, is now set to quiz the Minister of Interior, Lt-Gen. Abdurahman Dambazau (rtd), according to reports.

The panel will, today, begin sitting to scrutinise procurement papers in the Nigerian Navy between 2007 and 2015, as well as probe arms purchase in the Nigerian Army and the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) between 2007 and 2010.

There have been strident calls from individuals and groups for the probe of Dambazau, who served as the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) between August 2008 and September 2010.

In fact, it was alleged that the Interior Minister had been working tooth and nail to suppress the arms panel report, before its release last week Thursday.

Also to appear before the Air Vice Marshal Jon Ode (rtd)-led panel, are three former Chiefs of Defence Staff (CDS) – Air Chief Marshal Oluseyi Petinrin (rtd), Admiral Ola S. Ibrahim and Air Chief Marshal Paul Dike (rtd). All the former Chiefs of Naval Staff from 2007 to 2015 – Vice Admirals G.T.A. Adekeye, I.I. Ibrahim, D.J. Ezeoba and U.O. Jibrin – are also to appear before the panel. Dambazau, Petinrin, Ibrahim, Dike, Ezeoba and others will be asked to explain contracts awarded during their respective tenures as COAS and Chief of Naval Staff (CNS).

It was gathered from highly placed military sources that General Owoye Azazi (rtd) and Lt-Gen. Luka Yusuf (rtd), who had served as CDS and COAS, respectively, would have appeared before the panel, were they not late.

“I can confirm to you that the Audit Panel, which had been on a 10-day break, will reconvene this week, to commence work with immediate effect.”

Among those to appear in this final batch are Dambazau, Air Force chiefs between 2007 and 2011, and Naval chiefs from 2007 to 2015.

“They will all be confronted with documents regarding contracts and procurement transactions during their tenures,” the source said.

This is as it was further learnt that an ex-COAS, Lt-Gen. Azubike Ihejirika (rtd) and his predecessor, Lt.-Gen. Kenneth Minimah (rtd), may be interrogated by a special team of operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) this week.

The arms panel had in a report on the procurement of the Nigerian Army released last week Thursday, indicted 54 individuals and companies.

One of the sources, who spoke in confidence, said palpable tension may have gripped senior military officers, who held some strategic positions during the tenures of the former Service Chiefs scheduled to face the panel this week, all things being equal.

Investigation revealed that President Muhammadu Buhari had met with members of the panel, where he extended the period of their assignment, gave them a new terms of reference, and charged them to remain firm and focused in the audit task.

Also to face scrutiny, are former officials in the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), Ministry of Defence (MOD), as well as the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON).

Giving some details, the source disclosed that one of the service chiefs was fingered in the construction of a military hospital in a Northern state. The hospital was said to have served as a conduit through which billions of naira was allegedly syphoned.

The current COAS, Lt-Gen. Tukur Buratai, was quizzed by the panel, though nothing was said to have been established against him.

Speaking against the backdrop of Ihejirika and Minimah’s indictment, another source hinted that: ”Both former Army Chiefs, including 52 others, have had their international passports impounded.

“I also heard that both men are under surveillance, as the EFCC sets out on a further investigation.” Meanwhile, indications have emerged that the 13-man panel may be confronted with challenges of gathering documents and information, owing to the arrest and detention of Air Commodore Muhammed Umar (rtd).

“The arrest of retired Air Commodore Umar, may pose some challenge to information gathering. He was largely responsible for gathering of information, considering his vast networks and connections during the probe of procurements in the Army and Air Force,” the source hinted.

Umar, who is a member of the Ode Committee, was arrested by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) recently.

The newspaper was also told of a businessman, who had offered to return a huge sum of money he received from a former Naval chief, without commensurate execution of contracts.

It was learnt from informed sources that the man, who is said to be a close friend of the former Naval chief, had approached the panel, with a view to returning the said money, which he said he neither worked nor asked for.

One of the sources said that the panel, conscious of its terms of reference, which did not include receiving of funds, directed him to the EFCC.

“You know interesting discoveries were made by the panel. Do you know that in the course of our sittings, a civilian, who is a friend of a former Chief of Naval Staff, walked into the committee that he wanted to refund money the ex- Naval chief paid into his company’s account?

“The man said he did not do any work, but that the money was paid into his account on the instruction of his friend, the Naval chief.

“The committee said there was a procedure to follow, which required him to go and make the refund at the EFCC,” the source said.

A source close to the panel said that the panel is billed to invite the businessman to testify against the former naval chief.

Already, the 13-man panel has released reports on the Nigerian Air Force and Nigerian Army, wherein it indicted top senior serving and retired military officers, politicians, and firms.

We’ll die with Biafra – Uwazuruike

The Leader of the Biafra Independence Movement (BIM), Chief Ralph Uwazuruike, has attributed the successes recorded by the movement to God, saying that when MASSOB started in 1999, nobody gave the Africa’s leading non-violent group any chance of survival as people felt that the clamour for the resuscitation of new Biafra would fizzle out the next day.

He stated this while addressing members of the movement on the preparation for the 17th anniversary of MASSOB, which comes up on September 13, 2016.

In a press statement issued to newsmen, yesterday and signed by the movement’s Director of Information, on his behalf, Mazi Chris Mocha, Uwazuruike lamented the killing of members from May 23, 2000 after the declaration of Biafra by Chief Ralph Uwazuruike, at Aba, Abia State.

The leader of the Biafra Movement recalled that from May 23, 2000 to May 22, 2013 the groups have lost about 3,006 of her members even as unrecorded causality figures may be close to recorded number, yet the struggle has refused to die.

He said they also destroyed his cars in Lagos and confiscated his three SUV jeeps, BMW motorcycle out rider machine and a Yamaha generator, all in a bid for the former Imo State Governor, Chief Achike Udenwa to win the hearts of his Abuja political masters for a second term.

Explaining further, Uwazuruike said that the group’s national headquarters at Okigwe, Imo State, was razed on December 21, 2001 yet the struggle has refused to die.

He recalled that so many attempts on his life were made in order to truncate the struggle, but rather the struggle dying, the movement has continued to wax from strength to strength each day.

The BIM Leader disclosed that because of his refusal to pay the sum of N5million police protection fee to the former Director, Department of State Services (DSS), Imo State, Mr Alex O Amechina (now retired) he was advised to leave the country and go on exile.

When he refused to go in to exile, there were regular invasions of his residence and MASSOB secretariat by security agencies.

Chief Uwazuruike also decried the unprofessional conduct of Nigerian security agencies in managing separatist agitations, claiming that the blood of the dead activists who died in active service have promoted the Biafra struggle.

He likened the struggle for the actualisation of the sovereign state of Biafra to the struggle of the late South African President Nelson Mandela, recalling that Mandela’s mother died while her son, Mandela, was in prison like his (Uwazuruike’s) mother Ezinne Monica, also died while her son, Ralph Lebeanya was in Keffi Prison in Nassarewa State.

The BIM Leader lauded the efforts of his members for their commitment and consistency to the Biafra struggle, pointing out that if they were wrong persons, God would not have used them to achieve these successes recorded so far.

I ‎remain PDP Chairman, no agreement with Makarfi – Sheriff

A factional national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ali Modu Sheriff has stated that he remains the party’s leader.

Sheriff also said he was not perturbed by crossing of his key supporters to the Ahmed Makarfi led Caretaker Committee.

Speaking through his faction’s deputy national chairman, Dr Cairo Ojuogboh, Sheriff said he had not entered into agreement with any one to relinquish his position.

Ojuogboh told newsmen in Abuja Saturday that the battle for the control of PDP leadership was not over.

He said: “I have the express permission of Sheriff to inform our teeming supporters and PDP faithful nationwide that he has not reached agreement with anybody, neither has he permitted anybody to conclude on any processes on his behalf.

”We are continuing with our cases in court, we respect the rule of law. Sheriff will address a press conference on Monday on the state of our party, PDP. Our goal remains to return the party to the people and stamp out impunity.”

“Why I appointed more Northerners” – Buhari finally opens up

President Muhammadu Buhari has broken his silence on his appointments, which many Nigerians have described as “lopsided”.

Buhari in an interview with BBC Hausa on Tuesday said the Constitution allowed him full control over the choice of his closest officials.

The president assured that he was not ignoring some section of his society in his appointments, explaining that those he appointed were some of his most trusted associates.

Responding to the interviewer’s question on the controversy generated by the appointments, Buhari said “This is the nature of Nigerian politics”.

“If they will do justice to me, as an elected Nigerian president, let them look at the Constitution a Nigerian president works with, there are people who will closely work with me that don’t need to be taken to the Senate.

“If I select people whom I know quite well in my political party, whom we came all the way right from the APP, CPC and APC, and have remained together in good or bad situation, the people I have confidence in and I can trust them with any post, will that amount to anything wrong?

“I have been with them throughout our trying times, what then is the reward of such dedication and suffering?

“They did not defect because of positions, they did not involve themselves in the pursuit of personal gains, and they accepted their fate throughout our trying moments.

“What is wrong if I make you the secretary (of the federal government) because I have confidence that things will go normal?”

On the abducted Chibok girls missing since April 2014, Buhari said the Boko Haram sect had “have scattered them, and are being guarded at dispersed locations.

“Most of the girls are Christians and were forced to embrace Islam. And the sect’s cruel leaders have married some of the girls, obviously against their wish. Others have been left to practice their religion but their condition could hardly be ascertained.

“Both ground and air security personnel in the Sambisa forest could spot where the girls are, but since the insurgents have also kidnapped housewives and other women, no one could say whether they mixed them or how they dispersed them.”

I will win again if presidential election holds today – Buhari boasts

President Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari has boasted that he is still as popular as he was during the 2015 presidential election.

Buhari said this in an interview with the magazine, African Leadership.

His words: “Yes, I was elected by an overwhelming majority of Nigerians, and I am ever grateful for the opportunity I have been given to serve.“However, I don’t consider the result of the so-called survey a slip in my public rating and acceptance. I appreciate the high expectations of Nigerians and as an administration we are working assiduously to deliver.

“We came in with a mantra of Change and the zeal to give a new lease of life to governance. Our zeal has remained the same and we are always prepared to make the difference.

“You will recall that when I was being sworn in, I emphasized that as a government, three key areas will be the priorities. The first is the need to rebuild the economy. I also pledged to fight insecurity while the third and equally important area is the fight against corruption.

“Nigeria will soon be back on track. Before now, we have been having sleepless nights in Nigeria with Boko Haram having field days in tormenting people, most especially in the North-Eastern part of the country. So far, we have shown resilience in stopping these people and yet many criticize the approach we are using.

“What I think our people should know is that a process of change is difficult as it requires endurance and patience. China, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and other great Asian countries had at different times passed through processes of change. They are far better off today.

“And some of these countries were at par with Nigeria in terms of development some five decades ago. We are attempting to do the same here to say let us stop building individuals, let us stop making those who serve in government get stupendously wealthy at the expense of ordinary Nigerians they had sworn to serve.

“Rather, we should concentrate on building strong institutions. Let us introduce economic prosperity by bringing in more investors to catalyze a sense of competition to grow our economy. Let there be law and order in our ways.”

He urged Nigerians to “continue to exercise patience and let them know that we will not rest on our oars until we bring succour back to them and to the country. From our efforts so far.

Muslim Youths destroy Catholic Church in Niger

A group of Muslim youths yesterday attacked St. Philip’s Catholic Parish, Baki Iku, close to Zuma Rock in Niger State, destroying properties worth thousands of naira.

The Vicar-General of Parish, Revered-Father Gobep Luka Sylvester, who confirmed the news last night, said about 200 Muslim youths stormed the Church premises yesterday and destroyed properties of the church.

It was gathered that some Catholics had gone to the church to pray and were attacked by the Muslims who claimed that Friday was their day of prayer and that the Church only had right to worship on Sundays.

Revered Father Sylvester said last night that although he was not around when the incident happened, he was told that some Muslim youths numbering about 200 came to the Church and started destroying the church’s properties, saying the security men in the church premises were seriously injured.

According to him, ‘’Sometime around 2pm, some Muslim youths in numbering 200 left their Mosque after their Friday Jumat prayer and rushed to the Church premises, climbed the wall and destroyed everything in the Church: the windows, the alter, musical instruments, the chapel.

’The security man in the church premises was beaten to pulp. Some women who were holding a prayer meeting were chased away. The seminarian who is resident in the premises was also beaten up and chased away.”

He said the incident had been reported to the police and they claimed to have made some arrest and promised to investigate the matter.

In 2012, Alhaji Kabiru Sokoto — suspected member of terrorist group, Boko Haram, on Christmas day, detonated bomb that killed several Catholics and passers-by at St Theresa Catholic Church, Madalla, close to St. Philips that was destroyed yesterday.

The Revered Father added, “Just last week, Mrs. Eunice Olawale, a mobile preacher of the Redeemed Christian Church of God was killed by some fanatical Muslims in Kubwa, FCT. How long are we going to continue like this?”

PSC approves promotion, appointment of 18 new AIGs, 37 CPs

The Police Service Commission has approved the promotion of 18 Commissioners of Police to Assistant Inspectors-General of Police and the appointment of 37 Commissioners of Police including nine Deputy Commissioners of Police.

The commission redeployed four AIGs and deployed 12 others to man Police Zonal Commands while the remaining 10 will head special formations such as Operations, Training, Police Academy, Info-Tech, Investment, Maritime, and so on.

A statement by the PSC spokesman, Ikechukwu Ani on Saturday in Abuja, said the CP, Kaduna State, Ibrahim Adamu, is now AIG, Zone 1; Abdulmajid Ali, CP, Ogun State, AIG, Zone 2 and Usman Tilli, AIG Border is now AIG zone 3.

It further said that AIG Dorathy Gimba retained her Command of the Investment Formation, AIG Mohammed Mohammed, Special Protection Unit while Mohammed Katsina was moved from Maritime to the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Jos.

AIG Katsina will be replaced at the Maritime Desk by Paul Okafor, CP Benue State, the statement noted, adding that 16 CPS were retained their commands.

They include, CP Peace Ibekwe Abdallah, Ebonyi;Emmanuel Ojukwu, Enugu; Frederick Lakanu, Imo; Adeleye Oyebade, Oyo; Basen Gwana, Abia;Yunana Babas, Taraba; Austin Iwar, Gombe; Murtala Mani, Akwa Ibom and Fatai Owoseni, Lagos.

CP Henry Fadairo was also moved from Research and Planning department to Jigawa State.

The statement said the PSC Chairman, Mike Okiro, a retired Inspector General of Police, stated that the promotions and postings were in line with the commission’s resolve to reposition the Nigeria Police Force for better performance.

“Okiro congratulated the officers and demanded from them hard work and dedication to duty; He said the commission will hold any of them personally responsible for any failure in the discharge of their duties,” it stated, adding that they should rededicate themselves to the service of their nation and abide by the rules and regulations guiding police work.

Militants threaten to bomb Nigeria’s largest gas plant

Militancy in the Niger-Delta is spreading like wild fire across most of the oil producing areas in the region. Presently, the media has lost count of the number of militant groups that have threatened to attack oil installations and it’s obvious that more groups are coming up to draw attention to their plight and make their demands known.

An exagitator and former Commander of Zion Gurrab, a Camp under the Niger-Delta Actualisation Force, General Emma Shobor, has tasked the Federal Government to quickly address the demands made by two militant groups that recently threatened to bomb the Utorogun Gas Plan, Africa’s largest gas plant.

He disclosed in an interview that bombing of oil installations have not spread to Urhoboland and other upland oil bearing communities because of the effort made by him and like minds who have been appealing to the youths to maintain the peace even as they continue to engage government to attend to their demands.

General Shobor, who, since he embraced the Federal Government’s amnesty, has been running the Initiative for the Actualisation of Peace and Development, a non-governmental organization, warned that his group would not guarantee the security of the oil and gas assets in Urhobo Kingdom if government fails to attend to the demands of the militants.

He said, “We have ensured that the uplands remain peaceful, though the boys have threatened to commence bombing because of the marginalisation of the host communities by the oil and gas companies and even the government. It is therefore left to the government to return that good gesture by addressing the issues they raised.”

It will be recalled that the two militant groups that called themselves, Utorogun Liberation Movement and Niger-Delta Black Emancipation Force, had in their separate statements, threatened that they will blow up the Otorogun Gas Plant and other oil and gas facilities in the Urhobo Kingdom, unless the Federal Government attends to their demands.

Though the June 25 ultimatum given to the government by the Utorogun Liberation Movement has elapsed without any incident, General Shobor said he believes that it was due to his interface with the youths and the Urhobo youths meeting called by the Delta State Government that might be responsible for the peace the upland oil producing communities are still enjoying now.

Meanwhile, the Niger-Delta Black Emancipation Force which their threat was only reported by an online news medium, did not give any date when it will attack if government fails to attend to their needs.

The two groups, unlike the Niger-Delta Avengers, made no mention of sovereignty or release of Radio Biafra Director, Mr. Nnamdi Kanu, in their statements. But demanded the immediate completion of the Delta Steel Complex, the two service companies at the gas plant (Lee Engineering and Marcon Technical Services Limited), which, according to them, have failed to cater for the host community, to be disengaged immediately and new ones, which will be amenable to the needs of the host communities should be engaged.

Also, they want the Federal Government to extend the Ogoniland cleanup to the entire Niger-Delta region, as well as complete the Ajaokuta-Aladja Standard Gauge Rail line and also provide jobs for the youths.

General Shobor said, “Immediately the militants issued the threat, we swung into action to ensure that such a thing does not take place in the upland. By the special grace of God, nothing like pipeline bombing has taken place in the upland since then.

“I will advise that the Federal Government and the Delta State Government to come up with a blueprint to avert the impending attack on oil facilities in the area.

“If government does not come quickly to attend to the demands of these youths, we will not be able to guarantee the safety of the facilities and the people living in the area will continue to feel unsafe,” he said.

Meanwhile, General Shobor has lamented what he described as the marginalisation of the upland oil communities by the Federal Government and the oil companies, saying even on the amnesty programmes, the ex-agitator leaders from the upland were treated like outcast, while most of their fighters have either not been trained at all or were given poor training without adequate empowerment.

He, therefore, called for a drastic review of the amnesty programme with the view to ensuring that it suceeds at what it set out to achieve.

He said that the Urhoboland, which hosts Africa’s biggest gas plant, a lot more oil assets, is neglected with no infrastructural facility, good water, electricity and human capital.

It is against this backdrop that he said that the threat of the youths is not out of place as it seems to be the only way to attract government attention, warning further that the threat should not be taken as a joke.

Niger Delta Avengers warns ExxonMobil not to repair damaged facility

Niger Delta Avengers (NDA), the militant group claiming responsibility for various pipeline bombings in the Niger Delta, has warned ExxonMobil not to repair its vandalised Qua Iboe terminal blasted by its operatives last Monday.

The group warned in a statement signed by its spokesperson, Mudoch Agbinibo, that if they make any attempt to repair the terminal, something worse will happen.

“We are warning Exxonmobil not to carry out any repair work on the blown pipeline. If they refuse and go ahead with any repair work, something big and worst (sic) will happen”, it warned.

The Niger Delta Avengers had last Monday night claimed that it breached Qua Iboe 48″ crude oil terminal operated by ExxonMobil in Akwa Ibom State.

It claimed in a statement then that the attack was carried out about 7.30 p.m. for alleged refusal to yield to its directive not to effect repairs on any breached facility.