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US Marks 14th Anniversary Of September 11 Terrorist attacks Today……See Photos

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The United States marks 14 years since the September 11 2001 terrorist attacks, with ceremonies on Friday including a memorial service at the newly opened visitor centre at the rural Pennsylvania site where one of four hijacked airliners crashed. Moments of silence will be held nationwide to commemorate the deadliest terrorist attacks ever on US soil, which killed 2 977 people.</div>
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On September 11 2001, extremists on suicide missions hijacked four passenger jets, turning the aircraft into guided missiles against the two World Trade Centre towers in New York and the Pentagon defence headquarters outside Washington. A new memorial, which opened on Thursday, honours the victims of United Airlines flight 93, the fourth plane seized in the plot, which passengers apparently crashed on a field in Pennsylvania to thwart an attack on Washington. The Flight 93 National Memorial Visitor Centre, located just outside Shanksville, Pennsylvania, pays tribute to the 40 passengers and crew who died at the site, which is also the final resting place of the victims.<div class="separator" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #555555; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; orphans: auto; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px;">
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The plane was downed 20 minutes outside Washington, where it is believed that the terrorists wanted to crash the plane into a target of the highest value, suspected to be either the Capitol, where Congress meets, or the White House, where the president lives and works.</div>
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A number of people also laid flowers along the National September 11 Memorial and Museum in New York.</div>

US Marks 14th Anniversary Of September 11 Terrorist attacks Today……See Photos

The United States marks 14 years since the September 11 2001 terrorist attacks, with ceremonies on Friday including a memorial service at...

The Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwase II, dies

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 Olu of Warri, Godwin Edomi, Ogiame Atuwatse II is dead. He was said to have died in Lagos on Friday night of an undisclosed ailment. Atuwatse became the Warri monarch in 1987. According to an online news portal, TheWill, the monarch might have died from a brain injury he suffered after reportedly falling from the stairs of his Warri residence in Delta State. TheWill reported that Atuwatse was due to have a surgery at Reddington Hospital in Victoria Island, Lagos, where he was rushed to, before he passed on. It further said the monarch’s body had been flown back to Warri for burial. A source close to the palace said none of the palace chiefs agreed to comment on the development when our correspondent made enquiries on Saturday. In 2013, the Olu of Warri was embroiled in a controversy when he allegedly planned to relinquish the traditional title of Ogiame but that decision did not go down well with the Itsekiri people. ADVERTISEMENT After four days of protest by the people over his decision to renounce the title he bowed to the wishes of his subjects. The monarch, who claimed the title Ogiame was associated with the ‘Sea goddess,’ had said he had nothing to do with the deity. Twenty-two palace chiefs at the height of the protest criticised the decision of the monarch to renounce the Ogiame title. According to the tradition of the Itsekiri, the transition would not be officially announced until after three months when a new king will be ready to be installed.

The Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwase II, dies

Olu of Warri, Godwin Edomi, Ogiame Atuwatse II is dead. He was said to have died in Lagos on Friday night of an undisclosed ailment. Atuw...

Finally, FG freezes Jonathan’s associates’ accounts

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Anti-corruption campaign of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration appears to have taken a bigger bite as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has secretly frozen the bank accounts of former President Goodluck Jonathan’s associates, SUNDAY PUNCH has learnt. One of our correspondents learnt that the move by the anti-graft agency was aimed at scuttling the tranfer of the alleged looted funds from the accounts for other reasons. A member of a key transition committee of the All Progressives Congress, who spoke to one of our correspondents on condition of anonymity, on Friday, said the need had become necessary in view of the magnitude of the alleged theft of public resources by the affected persons. The APC chieftain spoke on the heels of the condemnation of President Buhari’s ongoing probe of the last administration of the Peoples Democratic Party and recovery of funds looted by public officials. The affected accounts, SUNDAY PUNCH learnt, belonged to Keketobou Foundation, owned by former Special Adviser to Jonathan on Niger Delta and Coordinator of the Amnesty Programme, Mr. Kingsley Kuku, and Mieka Divers Limited as well as Global West Vessels Limited reportedly owned by ex-Niger Delta warlord, Mr. Government Ekpompolo, aka Tompolo. ADVERTISEMENT Further investigations by our correspondents also showed that one of Jonathan’s close allies, Mr. Kime Engozi’s accounts had also been flagged. Engozi is the contractor handling the N30bn Maritime University contract at Okerenkoko in the Gbaramatu area of Delta State. Besides, funds already approved for the commencement of the university are said to have remained frozen in a Yenagoa branch of the United Bank for Africa Plc. The NIMASA Technical College at Okoloba, also in Delta State, is also said to be facing an uncertain future as there are fears that the institution might be scrapped. Accounts linked to the former Director General of NIMASA, Dr. Patrick Akpobolokemi, are also said to have been frozen by the EFCC. The source, who is now in the Presidency, said although he could not confirm if Jonathan’s recent meeting with Buhari discussed the issue, the action to ‘flag’ the said accounts might have been for security reasons. The source also said the opposition Peoples Democratic Party was ignorant of the workings of the Federal Government, especially on security. The source added, “This is not a matter of lobby or any politics that should be shoved aside; what is at stake is the nation’s security and nothing more. “When the PDP says the current anti-corruption drive is selective, we continue to laugh at them because they do not seem to know what is at stake at all. If only they know, all the noise they have been making won’t be made at all. “How many of these PDP elements know that just one individual benefitted from a single NIMASA transaction to the tune of N13bn, not to talk of about $57m he was said to have benefitted from controversial contract deals? “Are these the things they ask us to sweep under the carpet? Certainly, we cannot because apart from the angle of the impunity and financial recklessness, does it make any sense if any responsible government allows such individuals, who had threatened war in the event that Jonathan did not win to have such huge sums in bank vaults? Such accounts must be flagged, of course.” However, the PDP has asked President Buhari to follow the rule of law in his government’s determination to fight corruption. The National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Mr. Olisa Metuh, in an interview with one of our correspondents on Saturday night, asked the President not to spare anyone, including his friends and members of the ruling APC in the crusade. Metuh said, “We are not against the war against corruption, but what we are saying is that the President must follow the rule of law. “The law says every accused person is innocent until proven otherwise. Then, the President must also look at his party; he shouldn’t spare his friends. “If any of our members is found to be corrupt, let them face the law of the land. But no one should be tagged as being corrupt when the court has not said so.” He also asked the President to fund the anti-corruption agencies adequately, while saying that the agencies should also conduct what he described as “water-tight investigations” before rushing to the court. Repeated calls to the mobile telephone set of the National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, were neither picked nor returned. Also he had yet to reply a text message sent to him at 8.52pm, asking for his comments on charges that the APC-led administration was hounding members of the opposition PDP and associates of Jonathan, as of the time of filing this report. Tompolo is not under any investigations by the EFCC, but Kuku has a date to keep with the anti-graft agency in September, having gone for a knee surgery in the United States of America in July, while the former NIMASA boss has been under investigation for over month. However, Akpobolokemi’s interaction with the EFCC has been linked to business deals by him while he held sway at NIMASA and the ex-warlord. SUNDAY PUNCH also learnt that EFCC’s seizure of Akpobolokemi’s international passport and a N38m worth bullet-proof Toyota Landcruiser was already heightening speculations that he might be prosecuted if findings by the investigators indict him. At least three close aides and confidants of the ex-NIMASA boss, including the current Executive Director in charge of Maritime Safety and Shipping Development, Mr. Ezekiel Bala Agaba, have been guests of the EFCC in the last ten days.

Finally, FG freezes Jonathan’s associates’ accounts

Anti-corruption campaign of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration appears to have taken a bigger bite as the Economic and Fina...

SSS OFFICIAL: “We found stockpiles of dollars, not arms in Akwa Ibom Govt. House” — Official

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Top official of the State Security Service who is familiar with the SSS’ raid of the Akwa Ibom Government House has told PREMIUM TIMES the Service found no arms and ammunition in the complex, but stumbled on “shocking stockpiles of U.S. dollars”. The State Security Service (SSS) had on Thursday raided the Hilltop Mansion in a joint operation carried out by operatives from the agency’s headquarters in Abuja and a detachment from the Akwa Ibom State Command of the Service. Some operatives had earlier told this newspaper they found arms and ammunition in one of the rooms in the complex. But another top official of the Service said Friday night the claim by his colleagues was an exaggeration. He requested not to be named because he was not authorised to speak on the matter. “Our men went there expecting weaponry but we didn’t find arms,” he said. “Instead, we stumbled on a room filled with stockpiles of dollars.” The official said the SSS team however left the dollars untouched for fear of the “political backlash that might result if we evacuate it. They had no instruction to evacuate it”. One of our sources had earlier said the operatives initially wanted to evacuate the dollar notes but received instructions from their superiors in Abuja to let the notes be. The secret police was said to have stormed the Hilltop Mansion based on security reports that suggested arms and ammunition were stored in a room there. After ransacking the entire residence of the governor, which is yet to be occupied by the serving Governor, Udom Emmanuel, the operatives moved to guest houses and the presidential lodge, said to be currently in use by ex-Governor Godswill Akpabio. It was in one of the guest houses within the expansive complex, the source said, that the dollars were found locked up in a room. The SSS could not be immediately reached to officially comment on the operation. The agency does not have a known spokesperson that could be reached for comments. And its Director General, Lawal Daura, did not answer or return multiple calls to his telephone. The raid has attracted harsh reactions from the leadership of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. The Acting Chairman of the party, Uche Secondus, while hosting Bayelsa State governor, Seriake Dickson, in his office Friday, described the raid as a civilian coup d’état. Mr. Secondus said the action is part of the strategy of the ruling All Progressives Congress, and the Muhammadu Buhari-led government to forcefully take some states won by the opposition PDP. On his part, the Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose, demanded  immediate sack of the Director General of the SSS, Lawal Daura, who he accused of being behind the operation. 
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Read other reports on this developing story by clicking on links below:</div>
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<a href="http://wp.me/p2LdGt-NiU">EXCLUSIVE: SSS “uncovers arms, stockpiles of dollars in Akwa Ibom Govt. House”</a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://wp.me/p2LdGt-Nj3">Despite confirmation by PDP, Akwa Ibom Governor denies SSS invasion of Govt. House</a></div>

SSS OFFICIAL: “We found stockpiles of dollars, not arms in Akwa Ibom Govt. House” — Official

Top official of the State Security Service who is familiar with the SSS’ raid of the Akwa Ibom Government House has told PREMIUM TIMES the...

Buhari and Osinbajo make assets public

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 President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo have made known their assets, with the President declaring less than N30 million and his deputy a cash balance of N94 million and US$900,000 in his bank accounts. The assets, which were still being verified by the Code of Conduct Bureau, it was learned, also showed the President to have shareholdings in Berger Paints, Union Bank and Skye Bank with a total of seven houses including two mud houses. Buhari and Osinbajo Buhari and Osinbajo The President has two houses in Kaduna and one each in Kano, Daura and in Abuja. The two mud houses are in his native Daura. One was inherited from his late elder sister, another from his late father. He reportedly borrowed money from the old Barclays Bank to build two of his homes. President Buhari, according to the documents, has two undeveloped plots of land, one in Kano and the other in Port Harcourt. He is believed to be still trying to trace the location of the land in Port-Harcourt. The President also has farms, an orchard and a ranch. The total number of his holdings in the farm, according to sources privy to the declaration, include 270 heads of cattle, 25 sheep, five horses, a variety of birds and a number of economic trees. The President is also reported to have a number of cars, two of which he bought from his savings and the others supplied to him by the Federal Government in his capacity as a former Head of State. The rest were donated to him by well-wishers after his SUV was damaged in a Boko Haram bomb attack on his convoy in July 2014. Osinbajo’s assets Vice-President Osinbajo, according to the assets declaration has a 4-bedroom residence at Victoria Garden City, Lagos;  a 3-bedroom flat at  2 Mosley Road, Ikoyi and a 2-bedroom flat in the Redemption Camp of the Redeemed Christian Church of God along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. The Vice-president also has a 2-bedroom mortgaged property in Bedford, England. The Vice-President also has shareholdings in his law firm, SimmonsCooper and in six private companies based in Lagos, including Octogenerium Ltd., Windsor Grant Ltd., Tarapolsa, Vistorion Ltd., Aviva Ltd. and MTN Nigeria. The Vice-President’s bank balance, at inauguration showed him to have about N94 million, US$900,000 and £19,000 in Nigerian banks. The foreign currencies are in domiciliary accounts in Nigerian banks. His vehicles, according to the declared assets include one Infinity 4-Wheel Drive SUV, one Mercedes Benz and a Prado SUV. Sources close to the President said yesterday that the declaration of the President’s assets showed the austere life of General Buhari who before now was a Head of State, Minister of Petroleum, former military governor and member of the Supreme Military Council. “This is entirely unlike what one  might expect from a former head of state of a country like Nigeria,” a source who was given  the document to handle said. The President, according to the declaration, does not have any oil well or foreign assets. “As soon as the CCB is through with the process, the documents will be released to the Nigerian public and people can see for themselves,” the source said. - See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/09/buhari-osinbajo-make-assets-public/#sthash.s1a9Pbol.dpuf

Buhari and Osinbajo make assets public

President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo have made known their assets, with the President declaring less than N30 mill...

DR ALEX OTTI WINS GOV OKEZIE IKPEAZU AT THE COURT OF APPEAL SITTING TODAY 3/9/2015 AT OWERRI

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The Court of Appeal sitting in Owerri, the Imo State capital today struck out an appeal brought by Wole Olanipeku SAN on behalf of Dr. Victor Okezie Ikpeazu against Dr. Alex Otti. The appeal arose from the ruling of the Abia State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Umuahia; Hon. Justice U. B. Bwala (Chairman) Hon. Justice E. A. Ebienyie and Hon. Justice O. I. Ogunyemi, delivered on 24th July, 2015 in which the tribunal held thus; 
 
Okezie Ikpeazu, and PDP had gone on Appeal against the decision of the Tribunal that all preliminary objections shall be taken along with the substantive petition. 
 
There were a total of 3 motions that PDP and Ikpeazu approached the court of appeal sitting in Owerri with. All three appeals bother on the same subject of the order of the Tribunal to hear all preliminary objections along with the petition. 
 
In its ruling today, the appeal court, while upholding the argument of Nwala Oracle Esq for the 1st and 2nd Respondents agreed on the sanctity of Paragraph 12 (5) of the 1st Schedule to the Electoral Act and consequently dismissed the Appeal. It further affirmed that the lower Tribunal is to give ruling on all the motions filed before it including those of the petitioner. Meanwhile, the other two Appeals filed by PDP against the petitioner which were also taken today by Paul Ananaba SAN for the Appellant and Rickey Tarfa SAN for the 1st and 2nd Respondent. The Court of Appeal has reserved the Judgments on the two appeals 
 
The ruling today which is in favour of Otti has rested their case. It’s now left for the lower Tribunal to conclude the hearing as it has just done and then deliver all the rulings together with those motions Ikpeazu and PDP are angling for.

DR ALEX OTTI WINS GOV OKEZIE IKPEAZU AT THE COURT OF APPEAL SITTING TODAY 3/9/2015 AT OWERRI

The Court of Appeal sitting in Owerri, the Imo State capital today struck out an appeal brought by Wole Olanipeku SAN on behalf of Dr. Vic...

EFCC arrests Adamawa University VC, others for selling N13m SUV as scrap

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Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Monday arrested top officials of the Adamawa State University for selling a N13 million government-owned Toyota Land Cruiser as scrap. 
 
The commission’s spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, confirmed the arrest in a telephone interview with PREMIUM TIMES. 
 
Mr. Uwujaren said the vice chancellor of the university, Shall David Joshua, and the bursar, K.E. Anjili, were among those arrested. 
 
“Our operatives in Yola, Adamawa State today arrested top officials of the Adamawa State University for questioning over the sale of a brand new Toyota Land Cruiser jeep as scrap to the former FRSC boss, Haladu Hananiya,” the EFCC spokesperson said. 
 
 
PREMIUM TIMES had on August 6 reported how a former Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC, Haladu Hananiya, paid N150,000 for a new Toyota Land Cruiser SUV worth N13 million. 
 
Mr. Hananiya is alleged to have used his position as former Chairman, Governing Council of the Adamawa State University, ADSU, to convert the vehicle to his personal property. 
 
The university bought the vehicle on January 28, 2015, several months after the former FRSC boss ceased to be chairman of the institution’s board. 
 
Seven days later, the car was passed to Mr. Hananiya who bought it off as scrap, paying a only N150, 000. 
 
Mr. Hananiya was appointed chairman of ADSU governing council on August 16, 2014. 
 
About two months into his four-year tenure; the state government sacked the board on October 8, 2014. 
 
Investigation showed that the vehicle was purchased from AS Galadima Motors, located at Dawaki Junction, opposite Charley Boy Bus Stop, Kubwa Express Way, Abuja, with receipt number 0006 and sales invoice no: 0106. 
 
A petition sent to the EFCC said that prior to Mr. Hananiya’s appointment, the university’s management passed a resolution empowering principal officers to retain official vehicles after paying the scrap value of N150, 000. 
 
“Principal officers are entitled to retain their official vehicles once during their tenures after paying the scrap value of N150, 000; and if for any reason an officer leaves office after spending two years or half of the tenure, he shall pay the scrap value of N150, 000,” part of the resolution reads.

EFCC arrests Adamawa University VC, others for selling N13m SUV as scrap

Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Monday arrested top officials of the Adamawa State University for selling a N13 millio...

Buhari did not appoint us based on ethnicity — new SGF

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President Muhammadu Buhari has sworn in the new Secretary to Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, who was appointed last week. The president also inaugurated the National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno, and the president’s special adviser on media and publicity, Femi Adesina. The event took place at the council chambers of the Presidential Villa, Abuja. Mr. Buhari has come under fire for appointing mostly people from Nigeria’s northern region, to top positions. Criticisms grew last week after the appointment of Mr. Lawal and five others, with only one of the nominees from the south. The appointments followed a pattern that has seen at least 75 per cent of top government officials, from the north. The presidency has denied any sectional agenda, and has assured that no part of the country will be marginalised in subsequent appointments. Mr. Buhari did not comment on the controversy on Monday after swearing in the new officials. He did not give any remarks. But speaking on behalf of his colleagues, the SGF, Mr. Lawal, said they were not appointed because of their places of origin. “We did not have to pass examination to get appointed into these positions,” he said. “(It was) not because of our tribes, or our faiths, or our political groups that we were considered worthy for these positions. “If it is such, I am sure none of us would have been considered worthy of these appointments. We appreciate the president and we appreciate God that he has blessed us with these privileged appointments,” Mr. Lawal said.

Buhari did not appoint us based on ethnicity — new SGF

President Muhammadu Buhari has sworn in the new Secretary to Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, who was appointed last week. Th...

Nigeria's Boko Haram 'spreads to Lagos'

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The Nigerian Boko Haram is trying to expand its activities beyond Nigeria's mainly Muslim north, to include the commercial capital Lagos, as well as other parts of the country, officials say. Nigeria's intelligence agency says 12 members of the Islamist militant group have been arrested in Lagos since July. It is not possible to independently verify details of the statement. Boko Haram has waged a six-year insurgency in Nigeria, mainly in the north-east of the country.     Africa Live: News updates Authorities arrested other self-confessed Boko Haram members in the south-eastern city of Enugu as well as other parts of central and northern Nigeria, the Department of State Services (DSS) said in a statement. 
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The DSS attributes the attempted expansion of Boko Haram into southern areas to the increased pressure the group is under in its north-eastern heartland. However, the BBC's Will Ross in Lagos says the group is still causing havoc in the north-east, with reports that more than 50 people were killed in an attack in Borno State on Friday, about 100km (62 miles) north of the state capital Maiduguri. Will Ross, BBC News, Lagos For many in Lagos it will be alarming to hear that a dozen Boko Haram members have been arrested here in recent weeks. I have often been told by Lagosians that the jihadist group would never dare attack this city, which seems more naive than reassuring, especially as there was an attempt to bomb a fuel depot last year. The announcement from the secret police, known as the DSS, came just a day after another statement told us a teenager had been picked up inside Abuja airport where he was gathering intelligence for Boko Haram - another disturbing bit of news. The DSS says the arrests have helped avert "devastating attacks" and that "notable commanders and frontline members" have been rounded up. We have no way of independently verifying the information in the statements but it is worth noting that all the security departments are under pressure to demonstrate that they are having an impact against Boko Haram, especially as President Muhammadu Buhari has made tackling the jihadist insurgency a priority and is still making senior appointments. A new DSS director general was appointed in early July and the latest statement says the arrests began the very next week.

Nigeria's Boko Haram 'spreads to Lagos'

The Nigerian Boko Haram is trying to expand its activities beyond Nigeria's mainly Muslim north, to include the commercial capital Lag...

3 Things To Keep Private

I totally agree... (he shared it on instagram). And for those who don't know him, Maje Ayida is Toke Makinwa's estranged husband.

Why Nigeria issued wanted Lebanese terrorist, Al-Assir, visa — Official

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The radical Lebanese Islamic cleric, Ahmad Al-Assir, who was arrested last week as he attempted traveling to Nigeria, got an entry visa into Nigeria because the country’s embassies do not capture applicants’ biometric data, an official of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has told PREMIUM TIMES. Biometrics cover a variety of unique identifiable attributes of people including fingerprint, iris print, hand, face, voice, gait or signatures, and are used for identification and authentication. The foreign affairs official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said with the surge of security breaches and religious fundamentalism, biometric capturing has become a norm yet, Nigeria, currently battling Boko Haram insurgency, has failed to utilise the technology. “While the measure tends to pre-empt influx of terrorists instead they (sic) depend on the use of stop list for potential visa applicants,” the official said. He continued, “If we have a bank for storing the number of personal data which should be distributed to all our embassies; the prevailing spate of insecurity in the globe which has gone beyond just the antiquated stop list method would be checkmated.” The official revealed that the antiquated list which Nigerian embassies rely on are not even backed with photographs or fingerprints. He said Nigerian consular officers do not embark on adequate background check on all visa requests as no applicant appears for oral interview with visas even issued in absentia. The official wondered why visa applications go through a third party state passport and why Nigerian embassies rarely verify addresses and telephone number(s) of the person inviting the visa applicant. He suggested that the federal government take steps to abolish the policy of the issuance of visa within 48 hours and make room for efficiency through technology. Some countries currently adopting the biometrics technology include: Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Gambia, Germany, India, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Ukraine, United Kingdom and United States of America. The permanent secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Bulus Lolo, told PREMIUM TIMES that he has personally launched his own investigation into the matter. He said the terrorist might have operated under a pseudo name. Mr. Al-Assir, a radical Muslim cleric, was arrested on August 15, after he was caught trying to find his way into Nigeria through Cairo, Egypt, with a fake Palestinian passport and a valid Nigerian visa at the Beirut’s Rafik Hariri International Airport in Lebanon. President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered an investigation into how the wanted terrorist was able to obtain a valid Nigerian visa.

Why Nigeria issued wanted Lebanese terrorist, Al-Assir, visa — Official

The radical Lebanese Islamic cleric, Ahmad Al-Assir, who was arrested last week as he attempted traveling to Nigeria, got an entry visa i...

SSS charges ex-NSA, Sambo Dasuki, to court for ‘undermining national security’

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State Security Service on Monday announced that it has charged the immediate past National Security Service, Sambo Dasuki, over alleged “acts capable of undermining national security.” A statement Monday by an official of the Service, Tony Opuiyo, said Mr. Dasuki was charged for “possession of fire arms without license punishable under section 27(i)(a)(i) of the Firearms Act Cap F28 LFN 2004″. The statement said, “You may recall that on 16th July, 2015, the Department of State Services (DSS), carried out a search operation on properties belonging to the immediate past National Security Adviser, Mohammed Sambo Dasuki (Col/rtd), in Abuja and Sokoto. “This action was necessitated by credible intelligence which linked him to acts capable of undermining national security. The search operation led to the recovery of large cache of arms and ammunition among other things and for which further investigation was conducted. “Consequently, on Monday 24th August, 2015, he was charged to court based on evidence so far obtained, but which relates to possession of fire arms without license punishable under section 27(i)(a)(i) of the Firearms Act Cap F28 LFN 2004. This is in line with democratic practice and our avowed commitment to the rule of law, in which nobody is deemed to be above the law no matter how highly placed in the society. Accordingly, the general public will be duly informed as the matter progresses. “Meanwhile, the Service recommits itself to the fundamental role of providing adequate security for all Nigerians to enable them pursue their legitimate aspirations and businesses.” More to come…

SSS charges ex-NSA, Sambo Dasuki, to court for ‘undermining national security’

State Security Service on Monday announced that it has charged the immediate past National Security Service, Sambo Dasuki, over alleged “a...

Buhari raises 13-member panel to probe weapon procurement since 2007

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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From Left: Chief Of The Air Staff, Air-Marshal Sadique Abubarkar; 
Chief Of Defence Staff, Gen. Abayomi Gabriel Olonisakin; Vice
President Yemi Osinbajo; President Muhammadu Buhari; Chief Of Army Staff,
Lt-Gen. Tukur Buratai And Chief Of Naval Staff, Vice-Admiral Ibok Ete
Ekwe Ibas, At The Decoration Of Service Chiefs At The Presidential Villa
In Abuja On Thursday (13/8/15). NAN </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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 Buhari has directed the National Security Adviser to convene an investigative committee on the procurement of hardware and munitions in the Armed Forces from 2007 till now, a statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, has said. 
 
According to the statement, the investigative committee’s mandate is to identify irregularities and make recommendations for streamlining the procurement process in the Armed Forces. 
 
Accordingly, the National Security Adviser has constituted the Investigative Committee as follows: 
 
AVM J.O.N. Ode (rtd.) – President 
 
R/Adm J.A. Aikhomu (rtd.) – Member 
 
R/Adm E. Ogbor (rtd.) – Member 
 
Brig Gen L. Adekagun (rtd.) – Member 
 
Brig Gen M. Aminu-Kano (rtd.) – Member 
 
Brig Gen N. Rimtip (rtd.) – Member 
 
Cdre T.D. Ikoli – Member 
 
Air Cdre U. Mohammed (rtd.) – Member 
 
Air Cdre I. Shafi’i – Member 
 
Col A.A. Ariyibi – Member 
 
Gp Capt C.A. Oriaku (rtd.) – Member 
 
Mr. Ibrahim Magu (EFCC) – Member 
 
Brig Gen Y.I. Shalangwa – Secretary 
 
The presidential statement added, “The establishment of the investigative committee is in keeping with President Buhari’s determination to stamp out corruption and irregularities in Nigeria’s public service. 
 
“It comes against the background of the myriad of challenges that the Nigerian Armed Forces have faced in the course of ongoing counter-insurgency operations in the Northeast, including the apparent deficit in military platforms with its attendant negative effects of troops’ morale. 
 
“The committee will specifically investigate allegations of non-adherence to correct equipment procurement procedures and the exclusion of relevant logistics branches from arms procurement under past administrations, which, very often resulted in the acquisition of sub-standard and unserviceable equipment.”

Buhari raises 13-member panel to probe weapon procurement since 2007

From Left: Chief Of The Air Staff, Air-Marshal Sadique Abubarkar; Chief Of Defence Staff, Gen. Abayomi Gabriel Olonisakin; Vice Presid...

Diezani cheated Nigeria over $15b oil sale to India

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 The Indian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Ajjampur R. Ghanashyam, has revealed the dubious practice by former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Allison Madueke in selling crude to India through intermediaries, thus denying Nigeria’s treasury of the full proceed. India is now Nigeria’s number one crude buyer, an importation that grosses $15 billion yearly. But under Diezani Alison-Madueke, commission agents creamed away some of the billions, when Nigeria’s treasury ought to have enjoyed the full benefit. Nigeria is the only oil producing nation selling its oil this way. Other nations make the sale, country-country. “From other countries, when we buy oil, whatever we want to pay, we pay to the Ministry of Finance of that country. In Nigeria, we pay to intermediaries. We would like to be dealing directly with the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). It’s not a good thing. Why should we go through intermediaries? “Secondly, we would also like to have long term agreement, which we have with many countries: Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and other countries from where we buy oil. Nigeria is the only country with whom we don’t have an agreement. .. When we write a letter to NNPC, we don’t get a response,” Ghanashyam told Nigeria’s newspaper, Daily Trust. The newspaper quoting NNPC 2014 Annual Statistical Bulletin reported that India bought 136,419,844 barrels of crude oil from Nigeria. The relationship continues. The Indian High Commissioner added that apart from the lack of long-term agreement between the two countries on crude oil purchases, in 2006, an Indian company, Oil & Natural Gas Commission Videsh Limited (OVL) and Mittal Energy International, which is a joint venture between OVL, an Indian government company, and Mittal Energy a private firm, applied for oil concession. The Signature bonus sum of $25 million was paid, but neither was the oil concession granted nor the money paid returned to the Indian companies. “How many years is it? Nine years. Even to get the concession is not possible, and the money is not refunded to us. For nine years your country has been sitting on this, and they make us go round and round and round. We buy $15 billion worth of crude oil per year and we have the potential of importing $50 billion worth of crude oil from Nigeria. We can buy more because our requirement is going up. But if you continue to make us to pay through agents, and continue to ask us to buy from the swap market, it means you don’t trust us, and if you don’t trust us, we have to look for those who trust us more. We are making concessions to Nigeria by buying your crude oil because you’re our old friends and we’ve been friends for a long time, and your crude oil is better quality. But you must take our interest into account.”

Diezani cheated Nigeria over $15b oil sale to India

The Indian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Ajjampur R. Ghanashyam, has revealed the dubious practice by former Minister of Petroleum Resour...

Let vulnerable Nigerians benefit from its riches - Ban Ki-moon tells governors

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United Nations Secretary-General, Mr Ban Ki-moon, on Sunday urged states and local governments in Nigeria to ensure that available resources were targeted at the vulnerable. 
 
Ban, who made the call during his meeting with the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) in Abuja as he began his two-day visit to Nigeria, said his advice was informed by rising inequality in the world. 
 
He urged the Federal Government to key properly into the Sustainable Development Goals, a successor-programe to Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), as a basis for the country’s development. 
 
He said that local governments had important role to play in implementing the sustainable development goals. 
 
According to him, in a world of rising inequality, sub-national and local governments can help to ensure that limited available funds are targeted at the most vulnerable. 
 
Saying that vulnerable included people who were “often hard to reach”, Ban urged governments at all level to ensure availability of health services, 
educational opportunities and equality for women and girls. 
 
He stressed the need for Nigeria to urgently establish partnership with the UN in the implementing of the sustainable development goals, saying no country or leader could achieve them alone. 
 
“You have to have a strong and inclusive partnership with the Civil Society Organizations and the business community,” he advised. 
 
The UN scribe also advised the country to institute gender mainstreaming across government ministries and bodies that would help in the implementation of the policies. 
 
“The country should invest in the process that will help to acquire credible data that will inform better plans and decision makings. 
 
“Accurate data will also make UN to better respond to due and unforeseen challenges,” he said, assuring that the UN was ready to work with Nigeria in its efforts to make the world a better place. 
 
He pointed out that Nigeria occupied a central place in the comity of nations as it was the only country in Africa continent to be president of UN Security Council for five times since it joined the council in 1961. 
 
“This is yet another reminder of the weight, power and influence of the country in regional and global responsibilities,” he said. 
 
Ban said that although Nigeria was currently facing challenges, including insecurity, “this is the time of hope for the country”. 
 
He noted that the country had already sent signal of hope to other countries with the peaceful conduct of its last general elections. 
 
Earlier, Chairman of the NGF, Alhaji Abdulazizi Yari, had assured the UN of the forum readiness to key into the MDGs successor-programme. 
 
“We are ready to embrace this programme with great zeal as soon as it is unveiled,” he said. 
 
Yari, who is the governor of Zamfara, told the UN scribe that there had been no case of polio in the country for the past one year, and reiterated the governors’ resolve to eradicate polio from the Nigeria. 
 
“In this wise, I am delighted to inform the Secretary-General that since you were last here, Nigeria had made unprecedented strides in the fight against this scourge. 
 
“In fact, this month marks one full year without any report of a new case of polio in any part of the country,” he said. 
 
He said governors and other stakeholders were working through the instrumentality of campaigns, vaccination, and the development of critical resources, to ensure that by 2017, Nigeria would be certified polio-free.

Let vulnerable Nigerians benefit from its riches - Ban Ki-moon tells governors

United Nations Secretary-General, Mr Ban Ki-moon, on Sunday urged states and local governments in Nigeria to ensure that available resourc...