Nigeria Begins Diesel-Fuel Imports From Niger Republic

Nigeria has begun to import refined diesel fuel from Niger, its northern neighbour, oil market traders and truck drivers said on Monday.

Fuel (gas) stations in the northern city of Katsina on the border with Niger stock diesel imported from Niger’s Soraz refinery in Zinder, 80 kilometres (50 miles) from the border with Nigeria.

“We have imported 90 trucks of diesel from Niger in the past four months in three batches of 30 trucks each, Lawal Dahiru Mangal, a fuel market trader in Katsina said.

“We secured import licence from the (Nigerian) government for the importation of diesel from the Soraz refinery in Niger which we supply fuel stations in Katsina and neighbouring towns”, said Mangal of MD Mangal petroleum company.

Nigeria, world’s eighth largest oil producer, relies on fuel imports from some foreign countries to meet domestic demands as its four refineries, with a combined installed capacity of 445,000 barrels per day, are underperforming.

They have been grounded for years due largely to corruption and mismanagement.

It produces about 2.2 million barrels of crude per day which it exports and imports refined fuel.

Niger-refined diesel is cheaper than the one Nigeria imports from other countries, Mangal said.

A litre of Niger-imported diesel sells at 160 naira (one dollar) in Katsina compared to 170 naira it sells in other parts of the country.

“We source diesel from Mangal petroleum which imports its consignment from Niger,” Abddullahi Maikaita, a fuel attendant at a filling station in Katsina said.

In 2000 Nigeria removed its subsidy on diesel.

Last November, Niger opened its first refinery in Zinder following the discovery of oil in Agadem, 700 kilometres east of its capital Niamey with a daily production capacity of 20,000 bpd.

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PHOTONEWS: Nigeria's First-Ever Female Chief Justice Sworn In

Nigeria's first-ever female Supreme Court chief justice was sworn in on Monday by President Goodluck Jonathan, who described the event as "historic".

Aloma Mariam Mukhtar, 68, was nominated to the post on July 4.

More photos after the cut: 

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United Nations Help Evacuate 326 ‘Stranded’ Nigerians From Libya

The International Office for Migration (IOM), a United Nations body has helped in repatriating 326 “stranded” Nigerians, including about a dozen children from Libya.

They were brought back home from Libya this weekend, an official statement said on Sunday.

They arrived in Lagos international airport in two batches. Airport officials said that some of them had been tortured or imprisoned by the new government in Tripoli before they were evacuated.

“At the weekend, 326 stranded Nigerians were evacuated to the country from Libya through the effort of International Office for Migration (IOM), a United Nations body,” the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said.

It is unclear if they were deported.

Libyan authorities have in the past years expelled thousands of Nigerian illegal immigrants and those with criminal records.

These Nigerians must have gone through quite an ordeal during the crisis period and power tussle in Libya. During that period, there were calls for help from Nigerians stranded in Libya

‘Airport officials said that some of them had been tortured or imprisoned by the new government in Tripoli before they were evacuated’

It reminds me of this video I watched some time ago of a terrified group of Nigerian men pleading their innocence in front of anti-Gadhafi forces. The sad thing about their story is that they were trapped in Libya in an attempt to get to Italy for a better life. The evident fear written on their faces, seeing grown men cry for their lives was really chilling. As dangerous as the tales are of what Nigerians go through while passing through Libya in search of these ‘greener pastures’, more and more people still take such dangerous routes.

I guess its welcome back home for them and thanks to the International Office for Migration who helped in evacuating them from Libya.

What do you think about think about the risk Nigerians face while trying to get to European countries by road through Libya? Is it really worth it?

News Source: Vanguard

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I Won’t Congratulate Governor Adams Oshiomhole... General Charles Airhiavbere

After several hours of silence, the Edo State governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Major General Charles Airhiavbere (rtd) on Sunday said he would not congratulate Governor Adams Oshiomhole of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) on his re-election.

Airhiavbere who polled 144,235 votes said Oshiomhole had earlier faulted the electoral process before his declaration by the same body on Sunday.

In a chat with journalists on Sunday night at his Benin residence, Airhiavbere who thanked the people for their support during the election said it could have been easy for him to congratulate Oshiomhole but that Oshiomhole pre-empted the system that brought him.

He said, 

“I won’t fully comment on the election because the acclaimed winner had earlier in the day about 1pm condemned the electoral system. He condemned the chairman of INEC for the process that has not ended".

“That process at the end of the day declared him the winner. I will observe in the next few days before I make my comment.

“The election of yesterday (Saturday) has come and gone. I want to seize this opportunity to thank all the people of Edo State for coming out en masse to make yesterday’s exercise the most peaceful election ever experienced in Edo State. I also want to thank them for keeping faith with me. I want to seize this opportunity to PDP faithful for coming to support me.” Airhiavbere stated

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Syria Conflict Is Now A Full-Blown Civil War... Red Cross

The International Committee of the Red Cross said Sunday it now considers the conflict in Syria to be a full-blown civil war, meaning international humanitarian law applies throughout the country.

Also known as the rules of war, international humanitarian law grants parties to a conflict the right to use appropriate force to achieve their aims, and the Geneva-based group's assessment is an important reference for those parties to determine how much and what type of force they can use. The assessment also can form the basis for war crimes prosecutions, especially if civilians are attacked or detained enemies are abused or killed.

"We are now talking about a non-international armed conflict in the country," ICRC spokesman Hicham Hassan said.

Previously, the ICRC had restricted its assessment of the scope of the conflict to the hotspots of Idlib, Homs and Hama, but Hassan said the organization had determined the violence has spread beyond those areas.

"Hostilities have spread to other areas of the country," Hassan told The Associated Press. "International humanitarian law applies to all areas where hostilities are taking place."

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Nigeria First Lady, Patience Jonathan Responds To Outrage Over Permanent Secretary Appointment

Following the widespread outrage over the appointment of the first lady of Nigeria, Patience Jonathan as a Permanent Secretary in Bayelsa State, Mrs. Jonathan has said she will be performing her duties as a Permanent Secretary but with no salary earnings.

Speaking through her spokesperson, Ayo Osinlu in an interview with Premium Times, Mrs. Jonathan said she will not be relocating to Bayelsa state to perform the duties of a permanent secretary, in line with her new appointment.

“She is on leave of absence,” Mr. Osinlu said. “She is not going to function in the office of the permanent secretary in Bayelsa state.”

Ms. Jonathan however, is apparently delighted at the appointment as her spokesman argued that she had no cause to publicly accept or decline the appointment.

“It is a civil service position,” Mr Osinlu said. “She is a staff of the Bayelsa state civil service.”

Mrs Jonathan will also not collect any pay for the office, Mr Osinlu said insisting that “It will be illegal for her to draw salary from the office.”

The president’s wife, who left the Bayelsa state civil service 13 years ago after her husband became the deputy governor of the state, was elevated to the position, usually reserved for senior civil servants.

However, Governor Seriake Dickson said he made the appointment in line with the constitutional powers conferred on his office because she was on “leave of absence” and not retired from the state’s civil service.

What do you think about her response?

News Source: Premium Times

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Commercial Sex Worker Lands In Prison For Biting Off Lover’s Tongue

An Abuja Magistrates' Court has ordered that a 23-year-old commercial sex worker, Charity Achibong, be remanded in prison for biting off her lovers tongue.

Achibong of Jabi village, Abuja, appeared in court on a one-count charge of causing hurt contrary to section 245 of the Penal code.

The Police Prosecutor, Insp. Clement Egwu, said that one Mr Ephraim Okoronkwo reported the accused on July 9, at the Life Camp Police Station, Abuja.

He said that the complainant and the accused had a misunderstanding and heated argument in his room on the day of the incident.

Egwu said that the accused jumped on the complainant in the midst of the argument and bit off his tongue.

He added that the accused tried to run away but was apprehended by a security man nearby.

The prosecutor said that the bite caused Okoronkwo serious injury, resulting in his being admitted at the Gwarimpa Hospital, where he is still receiving treatment.

The accused pleaded guilty to the charge.

The Magistrate, Mrs Jacinta Okeke, asked that the case be suspended and that the accused be remanded in prison, while the condition of the accused was being monitored.

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National Police Council Confirms Abubakar As Inspector-General of Police

The National Police Council on Thursday in Abuja confirmed Mohammed D. Abubakar as susbstantive Inspector-General of Police.

The council comprises President Good luck Jonathan, the 36 Governors and the chairman of the Police Service Commission.

Addressing a press conference after the confirmation, the Inspector General of Police reassured Nigerians that he will put everything humanly possible to ensure the improvement of safety and security management in the country, and that justice and fair play takes place.

Mr Abubakar was appointed Acting Inspector General of Police on 25 January 2012 by the federal goverment following the terminal leave of former IG, Hafiz Ringim.

Born on May 5, 1958, Mr. Abubakar enlisted in the Nigeria Police Force on July 30, 1979. He was the AIG in charge of Zone 12 Headquarters in Bauchi, before he became the Acting IG.

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Femi Falana, Rotimi Jacobs And 23 Others Are Now Senior Advocates Of Nigeria

                       Femi Falana                                                                    Rotimi Jacobs

Nigeria’s human rights activist and lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana, alongside 24 others has been elevated to the elite lawyers’ rank of Senior Advocates of Nigeria, SAN, by the Legal Practitioners Privileges committee.

The elevation was endorsed at its meeting held today at the Supreme Court complex in Abuja, in accordance with the provisions of the Legal Practitioners’ Act 2004.

The other new entrants are Professor Yemi Akinseye- George, a lecturer at the University of Ibadan, Professor Dakas Clement James Dakas, Joy Okungbowa Adesina, Chief Mrs. Connie – Jeanne Aremu, Mahmud Abubakar Magaji, Ogwu James Onoja, Garuba Usman Tetengi, Henry Oghogho Ogbodu, Selekeowei Larry, Abenny O. Mohammed and Charles Nwanne Obishai.

Others are Luke Chukwudi Illogu, Francis Chuka Agbo, Paul C. Ananaba, Akinlaja Dayo Moses, Ahmed Raji, Adekunle Theophilus Oyesanya, Rotimi Oluseyi Oguneso, Oluseye Samuel Opasanya, Aderoja Claudius Olumiyiwa, Aliyu Umar, Illo Katune Sanusi, Rotimi Jacobs and Ndukwe A. Nnawuchi.

Their swearing in will be announced later.

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Outrage Over Patience Jonathan’s Appointment As Permanent Secretary In Bayelsa State

Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State has appointed the wife of President Goodluck Jonathan, Dame Patience Jonathan, as one of the seventeen new Permanent Secretaries in the state civil service.

Jonathan, according to a statement from the Office of the Head of Service, Mrs. Gloria Izonfo, on Wednesday, was appointed alongside 16 senior civil servants. The statement was read on the state radio.

“By the constitutional power conferred on the state governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson, in section 203 sub-section 2c, Dame Patience Jonathan and seventeen others have been elevated to the position of Permanent Secretary in the state civil service,” Izonfo said.

However, the appointment has stirred a lot of controversies in the country and an outburst on twitter, see some tweets below:

What Do You Think About the Appointment of Nigeria’s First Lady, Patience Jonathan as a Permanent Secretary in Bayelsa State?

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Police Arrest 4 Suspects Over Murder Of Oshiomhole's Aide

Four persons have been arrested by the Edo state Police Command in connection with the murder of Olaitan Oyerinde, Principal Private secretary to the governor of Edo state, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.

Acting Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, disclosed this on Wednesday in Benin while addressing journalists on the level of preparation of the police ahead of the governorship election holding this weekend.

Oyerinde, the Deputy National Secretary of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) was gruesomely murdered in the early hours of Friday, 4 May, 2012, at his Ugbor Road residence in GRA, Benin, southsouth Nigeria. Following his murder, Governor Oshiomhole gave the police 14 days ultimatum to fish out the killers.

“I can confirm to Nigerians that four persons have been arrested over the murder of Olaitan Oyerinde, and investigations are still ongoing,” Abubakar said.

Reacting to Edo state government’s rejection of the police investigation report of the accident involving the convoy of Governor Oshiomhole, Mr. Abubakar said no one was in position to determine the outcome of police investigation. “We were not part of the accident. The police have the constitutional responsibility to conduct investigation. Those who were involved were interrogated, and they made statements to the police. They made the investigation based on the preponderance of evidence. They have given statements to the police, and based on their statement, the police came to the conclusion, and we have said what we said. Whether anybody dismisses it or not, that is not the issue. “The facts available to us as at now inform what we have said. If anybody has anything contrary, he should be able to come forward to defend it. We cannot allow people to sit down and make statement they don’t have fact about. We cannot sit down and take reckless statement. ” We expect Nigerians to be responsible while making statements. If you have evidence to say it was A, B, C or D, you must be ready to prove it. But you cannot make reckless allegation you cannot prove. As far as we are concerned, we stand by that statement until otherwise proven,” he said.

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No Bomb Blast At NYSC Bauchi Camp ... NEMA

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) on Wednesday said there was no bomb blast in the National Youth Service Corps orientation camp in Bauchi.

Punch Newspaper reported that the NEMA spokesman, Yushau Shuaibu, said in an SMS that the reported killing of over 50 corps members in a blast was untrue.

“NEMA wishes to inform the public that there wasn’t any explosion in Bauchi today as has been speculated,” he said.

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Pro-Biafra Group To Declare State Of Biafra On November 5, 2012

A pro-Biafra group, Biafra Zionist Movement, BZM, announced, yesterday, that it had commenced the process to launch the struggle for a State of Biafra with the international community, saying that the formal declaration of the new Biafra Republic had been slated for November 5.

This came as Conference of Igbo Youth Organizations, CIYO, warned that Ndigbo “would no longer watch in silence while our brothers and sisters are slaughtered like animals” in the Northern States.

National President of BZM, Benjamin Onwuka, at a briefing said what prevented the realization of Biafra republic over the years was the inability to get the support of world powers, like the United States of America to back the project.

“As we approach the end of 13 years since the mobilization and struggle for Biafran Independence began under the aegis of MASSOB and other groups, the people of Biafra have not made much effort in realizing our dreams because the struggle has been internalized since 1999,” Onwuka said.

He expressed regrets that the international community did not know the aspirations of the Biafra people, saying “Biafra must therefore be internationalized because the forces preventing the dreams for our independence are vested in the United Kingdom.

Biafra can only be achieved when we secure the support of the United States of America; the day USA comes to our side, that day we shall be free from Nigeria; the story of South Sudan where a bloody civil war was fought for over 24 years is a typical example.”

Meanwhile, the Igbo youths in a statement endorsed by 10 youth leaders, including the National Coordinator, Igbo Youth Grand Alliance, Dr. Uchenna Uchehara, who read it after their emergency meeting in Owerri yesterday said: “Events of the past few months in Nigeria have become very disturbing to stakeholders, especially the Igbo nation that played a major role in the founding of Nigeria and inspite of the tragedies of the Biafran war, resolved to give total support to one united Nigeria”.

They lamented that the ugly experience of Ndigbo in Nigeria had been the persistent and unprovoked killings of Igbo citizens out

Culled from Vanguard

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NANS Issues Edo State Government 7-Day Ultimatum Over The Death Of Their Fellow Student

Remember the Student  that was killed By Adams Oshiomhole’s Security Agent last week? If you missed it, Read the details HERE

The National Association of Nigerian Students on Monday issued a seven-day ultimatum to the Edo State Government to prosecute the security operatives, who allegedly killed Osazuwa Ewemade, a student of the Institute of Management and Technology, Useni.

Ewemade was allegedly shot by the security officials attached to Governor Adams Oshiomhole during his re-election campaign tour.

NANS National Vice-President, Ephraim Morino, handed down the ultimatum when students from the school stormed the NUJ Press Centre, Benin, to protest against Ewemade’s death, three weeks after he was allegedly shot.

Morino said the ultimatum became necessary as the government had failed to acknowledge the student’s death.

He said, “We demand that the governor pay the family of the student a condolence visit, sponsor his burial rites, give him a state burial and erect a statue at the gate of the institute to immortalise him being the first to be so killed in the school since its establishment.”

Oshiomhole’s convoy reportedly ran into a barricade by the IMT students while returning from a political rally in the area.

Edo Police Public Relations Officer, Anthony Airhuoyo, a day after the incident, said the students went on the rampage because the governor was unable to address them as scheduled.

Airhuoyo, said two persons were injured when the governor’s security details attempted to remove barricade.

The Student Union Government of the institute however denied students complicity in the attack.

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DR Congo Warlord Thomas Lubanga Sentenced To 14 Years Imprisonment

Congolese warlord Thomas Lubanga has been sentenced to 14 years in jail for recruiting and using child soldiers in his rebel army in 2002 and 2003.

Taking into account time in custody, he will now serve a further eight years.

In March, he became the first person to be convicted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) since it was set up 10 years ago.

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Federal Government To Spend N5.5 Bn On Teachers In 2012

The Federal Government on Monday said it would spend N5.5 billion to train and develop about 150,000 teachers and education managers nationwide in 2012.

The Minister of State for Education, Mr Nyesom Wike, disclosed this in Bauchi at the launch of the “2012 Capacity Building Workshop’’ for basic education teachers and managers.

Wike said that the programme was aimed at ensuring that teachers and education managers, who were directly involved in education delivery were exposed to current trends in education policies.

They would also be exposed to management systems and teaching methodologies.

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Nigerian Senator, Gyang Dalyop Datong Shot Dead In Plateau Attack

Senator Gyang Dalyop Datong(Plateau North, PDP) has been shot dead by gunmen while attending a mass burial ceremony for victims of an attack by Fulani herdsmen in Riyom and Barikin Ladi local government areas of Plateau state, North Central Nigeria.

A statement from the Plateau state commissioner of Information, Abraham Yiljap confirmed the shooting.Senator Datong won his first election into the Senate in 2007 and was re-elected in 2011. He was previously a member of the Federal House of Representatives representing Barkin Ladi/Riyom federal constituency.

Also shot dead is Hon. Gyang James Fulani, the Chief Whip of the Plateau state House of Assembly. Hon. Fulani was representing Barkin Ladi constituency. Barkin Ladi is about 25 kilometres from the state’s capital, Jos.

Another lawmaker representing Barkin Ladi/Riyom federal constituency in the House of Representatives, Simon Mwatdkon is currently hospitalised after recovering from coma.

Over 37 people were killed in Barkin Ladi at the weekend in a new cycle of violence between Fulani herdsmen and Berom tribesmen who live in the two local government areas.

Over 9 villages were attacked by people believed to be Fulani in the raids on Saturday.

The attack reportedly took place at the venue of the burial of some of the victims of Saturday’s attacks.

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Rioting Student Mistakenly Shot By Adams Oshiomhole’s Security Agents Dies In Hospital

One of the student that was shot at the Institute of Technology and Management, Usen by Edo state's Governor Adams Oshiomhole’s security agents has died. 

Two student were hit by bullets from the security agents attached to the Governor's convoy, who shot into the air to disperse the rioting students that barricaded the expressway on the outskirts of Usen in order to compel the governor to visit their institution.

The young boy died yesterday (Friday) from gun shot wounds sustained at his abdominal region and has been receiving treatment at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital. I heard he was a 400 level student. While the other injured student is currently receiving treatment.  

May his soul rest in peace, Amen.

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N44bn Missing From FG's Intervention Fund

THE Senate Committee on Public Accounts, on Thursday, disclosed that over N44billion was missing from the Federal Government’s Special Intervention Funds on Solid Minerals.

It, however, discovered massive discrepancies and violations in the disbursement and utilisation.

The committee gave example of how the missing money was reportedly spent, with over N4billion disbursed as loan to the Federal Ministry of Water Resources to fund the Gurara Water project, while about N224 billion was disbursed to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the purchase of chancery.

Others include various sums which were disbursed as loans to several other ministries and agencies to fund other projects like payment of monetisation to the federal civil servants, aviation, COJA, OPEC, Conference of Ministers, among other frivolities, including Joint Venture Companies (JVC), that had nothing to do with solid minerals and with no evidence of repayments.

The committee, however, found out that the records of the Federal Ministry Finance and those of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) contradicted each other.

The two records could not account for about N44 billion out of the total figure of N873billion in one year, which is the total record between 2002 and May 31, 2012.

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'Dead' Masquerade Storms Olubadan Palace

Oriperinmo Ojeyemi Oloolu Ibadan (left), and an aide, Wasiu Ganiyu, at the Olubadan Palace, to protest to Oba Samuel Odulana, and show injuries sustained in a fracas between the most-dreaded masquerade, Oloolu, and its entourage by hoodlums

 It was a big shock, yesterday, at the palace of Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Samuel Odulana, when the most- dreaded masquerade, Oloolu, and its entourage besieged the monarch  with injuries allegedly sustained in a fracas between them and men of the state security outfit, Operation Burst.

The melee, which started Tuesday, worsened, yesterday, leading to the arrest of no fewer than 20 followers of the masquerade.

The masquerade which dismissed reports that it had been killed, complained bitterly about ”unprovoked attack” by some Islamic scholars.

How Oloolu was unmasked

Some parts of Ibadan city were embroiled in crisis when some muslims who were observing the eighth day fidau prayer of a colleague, at Popoyemoja, advised the masquerade and its  supporters not to come to the area because there were women there who the masquerade should not see, according to their belief.

But the masquerade and its adherents allegedly ignored the warning.

The trouble, which later spread to Idi-Arere and Beere, among others places on Wednesday night, generated much tension in the affected areas.

The leader of the Oloolu family, Chief Ojetunde  Asoleke, who led the team to the Olubadan Palace, appealed to the monarch to prevail on the police and the personnel of  Operation Burst to release 20 of their men arrested.

He claimed that the mask of Oloolu was seized and later released to them.

He said: “We feel saddened by the report that our man was killed as this was farther from the truth. No doubt, he was badly wounded as you can all see (showing the wounds sustained by the Oloolu on his arm and head), but was not killed.

”The costume seized by the men of Operation Burst has been retrieved and the festival would resume in earnest.”

They threatened to come out today, but were prevailed upon that it negated the normal tradition.

VANGUARD

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