39 policemen promoted, 61 redeployed

Juliana Francis

Following the recommendations of the IGP, the Police Service Commission (PSC) on 27^th September, 2013, approved the promotion of 39 Senior Police Officers to their next ranks.

Force spokesman, Frank Mba, said this was in line with the vision and mission of the present Police Administration to motivate and inspire personnel of the Force for greater efficiency and better service delivery, through the pursuit of a robust and a comprehensive welfare regime.

A breakdown of the list of the newly promoted officers showed that four (4) Commissioners of Police were promoted to the rank of Assistant Inspectors-General of Police (AIGs).

Among the newly promoted AIGs are AIG Balla M. Nasarawa, who until his promotion, was the CP Anambra State Police Command.

Others are AIG Edgar Tam Nanakumo, who is presently acting as the AIG in-charge Zone 12 with Headquarters in Bauchi; and AIG Mohammed J. Gana, who was the CP Federal Special Anti- Robbery Squad (SARS).

Also promoted to AIG is AIG Sabo Ringim Ibrahim, who was acting as the AIG in-charge Border Patrol.

Mba said: “In addition to the newly promoted AIGs are eight (8) Deputy Commissioners of Police promoted to the rank of substantive Commissioners of Police. Seven (7) Assistant Commissioners of Police are now Deputy Commissioners of Police; twenty (20) Chief Superintendents of Police are promoted to Assistant Commissioners of Police.” 

 Meanwhile, the IGP has congratulated all affected officers, commending the commitment and unique sacrifice with which they have been discharging their duties. He stated that the elevation of the officers was based on merit and they are therefore, expected to be more dutiful in carrying out the responsibilities of their new ranks. He further enjoined them to blaze the trail of providing quality leadership to their subordinate officers, in consonance with the on-going reformation agenda of the Force.    

“In a similar development, the IGP has ordered the immediate redeployment sixty (61) Senior Officers to various Police Commands and Formations, among whom are some of the newly promoted officers.

This, according to the IGP, is part of measures to ensure effectiveness and efficiency in the fight against crimes and criminalities. 

“Affected in the redeployment exercise are six (6) Commissioners of Police (CPs), Twenty-six (26) Deputy Commissioners of Police (DCPs) and Twenty-nine (29) Assistant Commissioners of Police (ACPs). The affected CPs are CP Sherifat Disu Olajoku who is moved from Western Ports Authority Police Command to CP Administration ‘C’ Dept.

“Force Headquarters; CP Ambrose O. Aisabor, redeployed from CP Administration ‘A’ Dept — FHQ, Abuja to CP Western Ports Authority Police Command, Lagos; CP Irimiya Yerima is moved from Eastern Ports Authority Police Command, Port Harcourt, to CP Admin ‘A’ Dept, FHQ, Abuja; CP Tijani Baba who was the Deputy Commandant, Police College, Kaduna, is redeployed as CP Eastern Ports Authority Police Command, Port Harcourt; CP John Opadokun is moved from CP PMF, FHQ, Abuja, to CP Marine, FHQ, Lagos; while DCP Karma H. Hassan becomes the new CP Police Mobile Force (PMF), FHQ, Abuja. All postings take immediate effect,” said Mba.         

A reporter’s diary: My encounter with armed robbers

Dotun Oladipo(CEO theeagleonline.com.ng)

I am really grateful to all those who called, sent text messages, email and Facebook messages to wish me, my wife and kids over the traumatic experience of the armed robbery incident of September 25, 2013.
I will remain eternally grateful as this provided the needed boost to get over the incident.
But I must quickly add that the experience has further eroded my confidence in the Nigeria Police despite the fact that my own Dad died in active service as a Commissioner of Police.
At the Oko Oba Police Station, when my wife first reported the robbery case, appealing to the policemen on duty that night to act fast as the armed robbers took me along with them when the car was taken.

She was told by the policeman she met on duty, who was more interest in preparing his tea for the night, that she should drop some money, that they would search for me in the morning.
This was at about 10pm.
Not even the information that my wife saw the car speeding off close to the police station, moved this so-called officer.
And when I eventually showed up at the police station to incident the case the following day, the response was no better: I should bring money to enable them send the required signal.
I have not gone back there since.
This was in sharp contrast to the offer rendered by the Oodua People’s Congress, whose President, is Otunba Gani Adams.  I reached out to them at about midnight when I eventually had access to the house.
By 2:30am, the message had reached all the cells of OPC in Lagos and Ogun States.
Since my phones were also taken, let me appeal that you should please send me your numbers and Blackberry Pin again so we can connect.
My numbers remain: 08023145962 and 08094000057.
The Blackberry PIN is now: 2AFE173B.
Once again, I say a big thank you to all concerned as the search for the car, with registration number MUS 729 BD, continues.

'You will be next': Hate preacher who recruited Nairobi mall massacre killers warns of attack on British soil

 

A hate preacher wanted for recruiting killers to the group that massacred civilians at a mall in Nairobi warned yesterday that Britain was the next target.
Abubaker Shariff Ahmed, who is known to his followers by the nickname Makaburi, meaning graveyard, said terrorists are planning to murder innocent Britons on their mission to impose Sharia law across the world.
Speaking exclusively to the Daily Mail, he named David Cameron as a specific target for the Al-Shabaab  terrorist group, which attacked the Westgate Mall in Nairobi, Kenya, last Saturday.
Asked if terror would be brought to Britain, Makaburi said: ‘Yes. The British will be targeted personally. That means tourists on the streets will be killed. You will all die.
‘The British should be taken out. Your presidents and your cabinets, they are guilty. Obama is a mass murderer. I would give my life to get his.
‘Same thing with David Cameron. Yes, they should be killed.’
Makaburi’s claims came as Mr Cameron revealed he had ordered security and intelligence chiefs to draw up plans to deal with a terrorist attack on British shopping centres.
The Prime Minister, who chaired meetings of the Cobra crisis committee last week, said he had no intelligence of plans for an ‘imminent’ attack in Britain.
But asked whether he was concerned that British-based Somalis might export terror to the UK, Mr Cameron said: ‘There is always a worry of  that and there is a hotbed of terrorism in Somalia that spills over into  other countries.’

Incredibly, Makaburi has not yet been questioned by officials in Kenya over the Westgate attack, despite being accused by the UN of being ‘a leading facilitator and recruiter’ of young terrorists in the region.
While he is said to have recruited ‘White Widow’ Samantha Lewthwaite to the group, he insisted yesterday that he does not know where she is or whether she was involved in the latest outrage.

Makaburi is accused of recruiting Samantha Lewthwaite, the most wanted woman in the world, to the group though claims he does not know her whereabouts or whether she was involved in the Nairobi mall massacre

Describing Lewthwaite, 29, from Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, Makaburi said: ‘I call her Samantha Fox. She is the fox. We know nothing about her. She does not exist. If it’s true then she is a superwoman.’
Lewthwaite, a mother of four, is the widow of London bomber Jermaine Lindsay and is on the run in East Africa.
She is the world’s most wanted woman after Interpol issued a worldwide arrest warrant last week.
Yesterday, Makaburi, 50, was in hiding in a slum on the Kenyan island of Mombasa. He is staying on private property, refusing to leave even for prayers in case he would be killed.

He is accused of being part of a network that directed up to 100 British terrorists to East African training camps.
He warned that the Westgate siege was just the beginning of a series of attacks in revenge for Western intervention in Muslim countries.
‘It is justified,’ he said. ‘If I cannot live with my family, why should the British live with their families?’
Asked what he had been doing to pass the time in hiding, he flippantly replied: ‘I am preparing a bomb.’
dailymail.co.uk

Stupid colleague caused our arrest –Suspect

Olusanya, Balogun and Oluwatosin

Some robbery suspects engaged in a war of words on Thursday at the Lagos State Police Command headquarters.

The suspects, who were recently arrested by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, traded blames over who caused their arrest.

PUNCH Metro learnt that the suspects, Fatai Balogun, Wale Oluwatosin and Gbenga Olusanya, were arrested shortly after robbing a family in the Iju, Ishaga area of the state.

Police authorities said after the robbery, the suspects shared the loot and went their separate ways.

Oluwatosin was, however, spotted while hiding his gun at the backyard of his house.

An eyewitness was said to have reported to the police and Oluwatosin was arrested. It was learnt that through his confessional statement, the police apprehended his colleagues.

One of the suspects, Balogun, who claimed to be a barber, said he regretted following Oluwatosin for the robbery.

He said, “He (Oluwatosin) is a very stupid boy. He is just 20-years-old and I see him like a younger brother because we grew up in the same area. Some days ago, he told me that there was a man in the area drove a nice car and he had studied the man’s movements.

“We got guns and when it was midnight, we stormed the house. We stole about N500,000 and I felt this was enough, but Oluwatosin was not satisfied. He stole CDs, laptops, seven mobile phones, video games and other items that we did not need.

“Carrying such things around at night could draw suspicion to us and I told him this but he was too stubborn. As I predicted, he was the one that caused our arrest. He is stupid.”

Another suspect, Olusanya, said he was not an armed robber but a smuggler. He said he knew the gang but had only followed them for one operation.

He said, “I followed them for a robbery some months ago but we did not succeed. On that particular operation, we met policemen on the road and decided to turn back. However, the driver was drunk and we had an accident.

“We had to snatch another car which we used to escape. After the unsuccessful robbery, I went back to my smuggling business because I felt those guys were not serious armed robbers. They were too clumsy.”

Oluwatosin, who is the youngest among the suspects, said he went into robbery so he could impress the suspects.

He said the suspects usually gave him N7, 000 as an informant but he wanted to make more money which made him to lead the operation.

He said, “I knew Balogun was an armed robber and I looked up to him. He used to give me N7,000 as an informant, but I felt I could do more. I did not know I would get caught after my first robbery.”

Deputy Police Public Rleations Officer, Damasus Ozoani, said the suspects would soon be charged to court.
PUNCH

Robbery kingpins, other beg for amnesty

September 30, 2013 by Eniola Akinkuotu 7

Godogodo, Sunday and Uche
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There was a mild drama at the office of the Lagos State Police Commissioner in Ikeja on Friday as three suspects, who were arrested by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, were paraded before the House Committee on Police Affairs.

The suspects, Abiodun Ogunjobi, aka Godogodo; Felix Sunday, aka K Money; and Nwanyim Uche; pleaded for amnesty.

Godogodo had been described by the police as the most wanted criminal in the South West for the past 10 years.

He told the lawmakers that he had built six houses from his loot and never kept money in the bank in order not to be traced by security agents.

He said, “I never drank, womanised or attended social events. Such vices made one vulnerable and made it easy for the police to find and arrest you. I had no friends. I never kept money; I used all of it to build the houses.

“We don’t kill policemen except on one occasion when we went to rob in Ajah area of Lagos State. On that particular day, we had ended the robbery operation and were on our way back when my friend, Odun spotted a police patrol van. Odun opened fire and killed all of them because he needed their AK 47 rifles.

“The unfortunate thing about crime is that you never have peace of mind. The police were always after me and I never lived in one particular house for more than a year. I regret my action now and I would be happy if I am given amnesty.”

The other robbery suspect, K Money, who was among the robbers that attacked bureau de change operators at the Murtala Mohammed Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, and killed two policemen, said the gang made $4m (N600m) in the operation.

He said he got N45m and became a car dealer.

He said, “I set up a showroom and registered my company. I bought many Tokunbo (foreign used vehicles) from Cotonou  (Benin Republic)and started selling them.

“When policemen started chasing me and my boys, I was completely disorganised and the business suffered. I plead for mercy sir.”

Uche was said to be a member of the gang that kidnapped the Chairman, Ejigbo Local Council Development Area, Mr. Kehinde Bamgbetan; and a High Court judge.

The Officer in Charge of SARS, Abba Kyari, told the lawmakers that Uche’s cohorts were killed during a shootout with his men a few months ago.

Kyari explained that the modus operandi of Uche’s gang was to kidnap their victim, keep him in a house in the Agbara area of Ogun State while Uche would watch over him. The rest of the gang would then relocate to a hotel and negotiate a ransom with the victim’s family.

After collecting the ransom, the suspects would flee to Ghana for some months before returning for another operation.

Uche, while weeping profusely, said, “I never knew I would be involved in such a thing, I never knew I could stoop so low in life. I plead for mercy.”

The lawmakers, who commended the police for the remarkable achievements, berated the suspects for their dastardly acts.

A member of the committee, Udo Ibeji, said, “Now, you people (suspects) are pleading for mercy. You are all able-bodied men, why didn’t you work like other members of society? If you are set free, what of the innocent civilians and policemen you have killed?”
PUNCH

Another policeman caught on video demanding N10,000 bribe

The policeman

For the third time in the past two months, another policeman has been caught on video demanding a bribe of N10,000 from a motorist.

The footage, secretly filmed by a passenger at the back seat of a vehicle in Onitsha, Anambra State, has so far received thousands of hits on YouTube. The three-minute 18-second video which first appeared on the YouTube channel of one Tola Tim, has since become an Internet sensation.

In the video, a policeman apprehended the driver of a vehicle that was coming from Akure, Ondo State to Umuahia, Abia State. The policeman sat in the front seat with the driver, and after checking the vehicle particulars, declared that he had discovered some discrepancies between the documents and the chassis number.

In the video, the policeman explained that the number ‘0’ was the last number on the chassis number inscribed on the vehicle, while number ‘3’was the last number on the documents presented to him for perusal.

The driver was seen arguing with the policeman that he had asked him to veer off the road in order to enable him (policeman) do proper checking of the vehicle. Once the alleged discrepancies were discovered, the policeman insisted that he would collect N10,000 before he would release him.

The driver’s appeal that there was an unintended mix-up somewhere and that the vehicle was not a stolen one fell on deaf ears.  A nursing mother who sat at the back also appealed to the policeman.

The man in uniform bellows, “Settle us. Just give us N10,000 make I waka comot. Or is it too much? If I knew you stole the vehicle, I won’t collect money from you.”

But the driver, on noticing the adamance of the policeman, said he won’t give in to his demands.

“It is three much! I want you to take me to your station. I’m not afraid of anything. I can go back to Akure. At worst, I will miss my appointment in Umuahia. Why will I part with N10,000 on the vehicle I didn’t steal? No sir! I can’t do that.

“I will rather go back to Akure, get the registration officer and other supporting documents, come back with another vehicle and clear myself. And that is to tell you that I have not done something wrong,” the driver said.

The unidentified driver also calmed the nerves of the apprehensive nursing mother who clutched a baby girl to herself. “My sister, don’t worry! At worst, you will sleep in a hotel with your baby when I go back to Akure,” the driver added.

The policeman replied, “Eh eh. It is three much. Wetin make am too much?” After ruminating over the issue for some seconds, the policeman, who was armed with a gun, ordered, “Driver, come down.” And the video went dead.

Meanwhile, outrage has trailed the incident on various social media platforms. Those who have watched the video online describe the encounter as a pointer to the depth of rot and decay in the Nigeria Police Force.

They urged the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar, to conduct an orderly room trial to ascertain the policeman’s culpability in the alleged crime and place appropriate sanctions on him if found guilty.

An anonymous reader on lindaikeji.blogspot.com says apart from condemning the act of corruption and sacking the culprit, more needs to be done to cater for the welfare of the rank and file of the police.

The reader said, “If you have a police officer as your relative, you will understand better. The income they get can’t even feed them alone not to talk of their families. The country doesn’t cater adequately for their needs. Many police barracks look like refuse dumps and they are expected to live there with their children.”

But a YouTube user, Paul Saint, argued that there is no excuse for being corrupt, attributing the behaviour to greed.

Saint stated, “This has nothing to do with the service welfare of the police. Corruption in Nigeria has nothing to do with low or high salary pay. If you are corrupt, no matter what you earn, you will still find ways to illegally enrich yourself. Most cases of corruption recorded in this country are perpetrated by persons who are otherwise fairlycomfortable with bribes.

“Corruption is as a result of greed only. Not poverty or low pay. We must condemn corruption at all times and not make excuses for it. But even if they are not well paid, there is no excuse for corruption. The most corrupt persons in Nigeria started off with collecting less than N10,000 and because we excuse them or celebrate them, they step up their demands to millions and billions. Well paid or not, do not demand or collect bribe.”

It will be recalled that three cops have so far been dismissed by the police authorities after being filmed demanding bribes from motorists.

A police sergeant, Chris Omeleze, who was caught on video camera extorting N25,000 from a motorist in Lagos in August was the first casuality of the social media whistle-blowing.

Two traffic policewomen, corporals Elizabeth Itolor and Jennifer Azingbe, who were also videotaped receiving N100 bribe from a commercial bus driver at the Oshodi/Apapa Expressway were dismissed earlier this month.

PUNCH

JTF arrests 29 oil thieves, destroys 127 illegal refineries

The Joint Military Task Force (JTF) in the Niger Delta, has nabbed 29 oil thieves and destroyed 127 illegal oil refineries in various locations in the area.
The Media Coordinator of the JTF, Lieutenant- Colonel Onyema Nwachukwu, who made the disclosure in a statement on Sunday, in Yenagoa, said that the anti-oil theft operations were carried out between September 16 and September 28.
“Between 16th and 28th of Sept., we carried out multiple anti-oil-theft operations in which a total of 29 suspects were arrested for oil theft related offences.
“Anti-oil theft troops of the Joint Task Force `Operation Pulo Shield’ also crushed 127 illegal crude oil distillation sites in the Niger Delta.’’
The JTF spokesman explained that troops of the 19 and 3 Battalions of the JTF, covering Edo and Delta also scuttled 24 illegal oil distillation camps and 73 wooden boats.
“Thirty-one of the 73 boats were intercepted at an illegal crude oil loading point close to an abandoned oil well-head in Okpoghare in Warri North.’’
He said that another 27 arrested boats were intercepted in Egara Creek in the Warri South Local Government Area of Delta.
Nwachukwu said that the operation also swept through Ajide in Lagos; Makara, Egwu Aghara Waterside in Warri North; West, Warri South West and Ethiope West Local Government Areas of Delta.
“JTF operatives also intercepted 61 pieces of 75 HP speed boats and a truck laden with 33,000 litres of automated gas oil in the aforementioned areas which are notorious for oil theft.”
TRIBUNE

Robbers attack police outpost, bank in Ibadan •Kill 2 police officers

A gang of armed robbers, numbering about 17, invaded the Kara police out-post along old Oyo road, in the early hours of Sunday, killing the officer in charge, one Ademola Adekusile, an Assistant Superintendent of Police.
The armed robbers also reportedly went away with about four AK 47 rifles and the uniforms of all the police officers and men on duty.
Another casualty was an Hausa man, whose identity was yet to be known and who was shot dead in a shop he slept in beside the police post.
After disarming the policemen, the armed robbers invaded a new generation bank, beside the police post and attempted to break into the vault. The bank was said to have been their target.
Nigerian Tribune gathered that two of the armed robbers entered the police post at about 1.30a.m., and met the station guard and one constable at the counter.
They were said to have told the policemen that they should come and help them arrest some people who were fighting with them.
The station guard had replied them that they should wait till day break as the time they came was early hours of the day.
As they made to go, the armed robbers suddenly halted the policeman and ordered him to freeze or else he would be a dead man.
They were said to have shouted ‘Mopol’, after which 15 other gang members emerged from where they hid, all armed with rifles with three loaded magazines each.
One of them, who spoke to others in Hausa, was reportedly hushed by others when they noticed that one of the policemen looked like an Hausa man. Others were said to have conversed in Calabar language while some others also spoke in impeccable English.
It was further learnt that they tied the two policemen while some of them went to the quarters of the officer in charge right at the back of the station.
They broke into the room opposite the officer’s room and met another sergeant, who was said to be ill, there, and whom they tied with a laird. One of the armed robbers reportedly cautioned his gang member who asked whether he should ‘waste’ the sergeant.
Meanwhile, the deceased officer, who heard all the noise, had reportedly corked his rifle to confront the armed robbers but one of the hoodlums was said to have heard the sound and asked about the person who corked the rifle.
As he crouched in the room, one of the hoodlums kicked his door opened while another one started firing shots inside the room. The officer was said to have also shot one of the armed robbers before he was hit. He reportedly died instantly.
The armed robbers gained entrance into his room after killing him, ransacking everywhere, after which they made away with his rifle and police uniforms.
They also loosened the sergeant and took him to the charge room to keep him where other policemen were tied.
They reportedly collected the station guard’s rifle and the uniforms of the policemen, after which they went to the armoury and took two other rifles they found there.
The armed robbers were said to have thought that the shop beside the police station was part of it, which reportedly made them shoot at it, killing a Hausa man who owned the shop which doubled as his residence.
The man had struggled out of the shop, only to slump outside and die.
When the Nigerian Tribune visited the scene, the doors of the shop were seen perforated with four bullet holes, while there were blood stains on the grass where the Hausa man fell.
After disarming the police, 12 of the armed robbers reportedly gained entrance into the bank which was next door, armed with two huge cylinders and other implements put in a ‘Ghana-must-go’ bags, while others kept watch outside to counter any resistance.
On hearing about the incident, the Deputy Commissioner of Police in Oyo State, Mr Clement Adoda, visited the scene of crime very early before day break.
Nigerian Tribune learnt that the corpses of the deceased officer and the Hausa man had been deposited in the mortuary for autopsy.
As policemen and detectives gathered at the front of the police post discussing about the incident, a charm which was buried in the ground in front of the station was noticed and pulled out.
It was said that such charms were meant to hold people down during robbery operation so that they would not be able to make contact while it would also keep people away from the environment while the operation would last.
Reacting to the development, the Police Public Relations Officer in Oyo State, Olabisi Okuwobi-Ilobanafor, described the killing of the officer as unfortunate, saying that he died as a gallant officer who resisted at the armed robbers before he was overpowered.
The PPRO said that the police command was already making efforts towards catching up with the criminals, stating that a manhunt for them had already commenced.
She appealed to members of the public who come across anyone with bullet wounds to alert the police, adding that all police commands across the nation had been alerted about the incident and the police uniforms and rifles that were carted away.
TRIBUNE

Pension fund probe: I’ve never been on the run - Maina

FORMER chairman of the now-rested Pension Reform Task Team, Mr Abdulrasheed Maina, has denied speculations that he has been on the run since his probe began and accused those spreading the false information as ones that have cases to answer.
Maina was alleged to have misappropriated pension funds worth billions of naira believed to have been recovered from pension thieves by his team.
A Senate committee probing the pension funds management had accused him of mopping up pension funds from banks and depositing same in his private accounts, a situation it alleged made it impossible to pay thousands of pensioners across the country for months.
But reacting to the speculations that he had fled the country, Maina said he had no reason to flee as he was no criminal but a citizen that had served the country well, especially in realising the pension reform agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan.
Maina spoke with journalists in Abuja, at the weekend, during a wedding ceremony of a relation.
According to him, Nigerians would soon get to know the truth about his travails in the hands of the Senate and what led to the dissolution of the pension task team.
“Those spreading the false information in the media that I have relocated from Nigeria are the very people who have cases to answer and you the media know them.
“Some have been convicted, others have had their assets seized by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on the orders of the court.
“I laugh when people say I am on the run. I ask ‘why should I be on the run?’ I have served this country well and have continued to receive commendations from those I worked to give hope to pensioners,” he said.
It will be recalled that the Maina-led task team was dissolved by President Jonathan on the insistence by the Senate early in the year and after he failed to appear before its committee to offer explanation on the allegation that some senators demanded and received the sum of N3 billion of the pension fund, among others.
TRIBUNE

Power: FG hands over to new investors today •Targets 20,000 megawatts by 2016

Federal Government has set a target of 20,000 megawatts of electricity in the next three years as it hands over 15 privatised assets of the unbundled Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) to their new owners today.
The utilities  to  be handed over to the core investors  comprised five electricity generation companies (GENCOs) and 10 electricity distribution companies (DISCOs).
Speaking at  a forum on “Financing the Power Sector Reforms for Economic Development”  at the weekend in Abuja, the Vice President, Architect Namadi Sambo, said that  the 15 privatised assets of the PHCN would be handed over  to their preferred bidders, having fulfilled all  mecessary payment obligations.
According to the vice president,  “at the inception of the privatisation programme, a total of 25 GENCOs and 54 DISCOs sent in bids, and after a rigorous bidding process, five bidders for the GENCOs and 10 bidders for DISCOs were successful“.
He stated that the relevant government agencies had since, February 2013, signed the transaction document while the successful  bidders had also paid their bid sums in two installments of 25 per cent and 75 per cent by the end of August, 2013.
The vice president said with the full payment of their 75 per cent amount, the stage was now set for the formal handing over of the GENCOs and DISCOs   today ( Monday).
He said the Federal Government was emboldened to perform the handover ceremony today because of the fact that all labour related issues were concluded on Friday.
Sambo said: “The Federal Government reached an agreement with labour unions on December 12, 2012. The agreement reached is being implemented and payment of severance pensions and gratuities of all the 47,913 workers of the PHCH were planned to be completed  Friday.
The vice president also disclosed that the Federal Government , through NNPC, Nigeria Gas Company and private sector, were implementing a robust programme for the realisation of the Nigeria Gas Masterplan, with a specific interest in meeting the gas to power demand in the country  at an estimated  cost of about $8 billion.
Already, $500 million, out of the $1 billion Euro Bond, was utilised as counterpart funding for the implementation of the project. This is another opportunity for our bankers to participate” he said.
With the planned handover, the vice president said the Federal Government was also presently implementing an extensive programme for the upgrading and expansion of the country’s power transmission capacity, with a forecast transmission of up to 10,000 MW before the end of 2014 and 20,000MW by 2016.
“The total funding for this project is estimated by TCN to cost about $3.7 billion, and I am pleased to inform you that funding for this project has already been arranged. $1.6 billion is coming from seed proceed of the 10 new power plants of NIPP and NDPHC; $500 million from a bank and the balance from the African Development Bank, Islamic Development Bank as well as the local banks. “ he stressed.
TRIBUNE

Boko Haram kills 40 students •Were the students killed because the gunmen didn’t like my face? - Jonathan •Gunmen kill 13 in Benue

AS of the time of filing this reports, 40 students of College of Agriculture, Gujba, Yobe State, were reportedly killed by Boko Haram in the early hours of Sunday.
The Medical Director, Damaturu Specialist Hospital, Dr Garba Fika, confirmed that 40 students of the college had been killed by gunmen in the early hours of Sunday.
Garba disclosed this when the Yobe State governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Gaidam, visited the hospital to inspect the wounded and the corpses of students deposited at the mortuary.
He said five students, including three with fractures, one with bullet wound and other with abdominal injury, were receiving treatment at the hospital.
The governor, who spoke in tears, urged security operatives to intensify aerial surveillance of the area.
The state deputy governor, Abubakar Aliyu; provost of the college, Mulima Mato and other dignitaries also shed tears at the mortuary when they saw the corpses of the students.
Meanwhile, as preparations were being made for the burial, parents were seen in groups, discussing the fate of their children in view of the serial attacks on schools in the state.
Speaking in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), a parent, who requested anonymity, said “we are shocked, saddened and scared of sending our wards back to school with these ugly incidents of attack on schools in Damaturu, Mamudo and now Gujba.”
NAN recalled that schools in Yobe re-opened 13 days ago, after 10 weeks of forced closure, following attacks targeted on schools, which had resulted in the death of 29 students and three teachers.

I’m depressed —Jonathan
President Goodluck Jonathan, on Sunday, said he was depressed by the continuing attacks of Boko Haram on innocent people, the latest being the killing of students in Yobe State.
The president said he was short of what to tell the families of the victims.
“Today, you will agree with me that if you were in my shoes, you will lack words to say. We had this programme in mind, we all went to bed last night so that by this time as we are here today, we would all gather here to thank God for what he has done for this great country.
“But then, only few minutes after 12 midnight last night, about 21 students were murdered in Yobe State by a group that described themselves as Boko Haram.
“If you are wearing my shoes, what courage would you have to stand here before Nigerians? What message will you send to Nigerians, to the parents of these young people, our future leaders, students in College of Agriculture? Do you say that the killing of these students is political? I ask, why did they kill them? Did they kill students in Yobe because they do not like my face?
“Those students belong to which of the political parties? People killed them, they don’t even know them. Do you see it as ethnic cleansing? These students belong to which ethnic group in Nigeria? Do you say it is religious belief or what? These student, are they Christians or Muslims or what?
“This is the situation we face almost on a daily basis. It is quite depressing. But having listened to the CAN president, you will agree with me that all of us have hopes.
“By God’s grace, we will get to where we want to go as a nation. The journey of a nation is just like the journey of individuals. You must have obstacles. Sometimes, they say, it is even darker when you are getting to the dawn period of the day. The challenges we are seeing now are very transient. We will surely get over it.
“No Boko Haram or any group can frustrate this country. We may suffer pains just like our Lord Jesus Christ said at the critical moment, though the spirit is willing but the body is weak,” he said.
Citing the success in the telecommunications sector and the ongoing privatisation of the power sector, he assured that Nigeria had reached a turning point where it would soon join the modern society.
“So, the forces of evil will continue to push us backwards but our commitment and the will of God for us to move forward will surely suppress them,” he declared.
The president of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, who presided over the service, noted that “Nigeria is in the hand of God,” adding that “no one has power over it, not even the Boko Haram.”
Among prominent personalities present at the service were Senate President, David Mark; Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha; former president, General Yakubu Gowon; head of Interim National Government, Chief Ernest Shonekan; chairman, Board of Trustees (BoT), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief  Tony Anenih; Senator Hope Uzodinma, factional chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), Jonah Jang; Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Pius Anyim; Chief of Staff to the President, Mike Ogiadomhe; service chiefs, led by the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-General Azubuike Ihejirika, ministers and a former Plateau State governor, Joshua Dariye.

It casts horrible image on Independence Day celebration —Atiku
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar described as “senseless and tragic,” the murder of students in Gujba, saying “it casts a horrible image on the events making the 53rd Independence Day anniversary.
“As a father, I am deeply saddened by these senseless murders. These were young Nigerians studying agriculture with a goal of helping to feed our nation,” Atiku said.
“We must urgently review our strategy for confronting these cowards. The murder at the Gujba College of Agriculture are further proof that we need to rethink how we provide security for our nation,” he added.
Turning his attention to the Independence Day, Atiku said “grand intentions without vision meant nothing,” adding that “leaders must work with greater zeal and focus if democracy is expected to produce the envisaged impact on the lives of the people.”
Reviewing the state of affairs in the country under democratic order, he stated that leaders should not seek elective offices simply for the sake of power if they lacked the vision to push economic growth which, in turn, “creates employment and greater prosperity for the citizens.”
Killings meaningless —ACF
The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) said reports of cruel killing of students by gunmen in Yobe was dastardly and aimless, because the students had not done anything that could possibly attract such gruesome acts.
ACF, in a statement on Sunday, signed by its national publicity secretary, Anthony Sani, therefore, called on the intelligence community and the security agents to brace up their operations.
“As to those who relish in violence, it bears repeating that there can be no way killing of innocent people and students can address their concerns, more so that all religions preach peace and love of neighbour.That is why it is often said few things are less pleasing to God than killing of innocent people in His name.
“ACF, therefore, believes time to lay down the arms and embrace peaceful means of resolving any perceived grievances and the ensuing conflict in the interest of core values of humanity is long overdue.
“Our hearts go to those who lost their wards to the dastardly acts, in the hope that God will provide them with the fortitude to bear the irreparable losses. May their souls rest in peace,” ACF said.

Northern govs seek end to attacks
The Northern States Governors’ Forum, on Sunday, urged security agencies to “take urgent steps to halt the senseless killing of defenceless citizens.”
Speaking through its chairman and governor of Niger State, Dr Mua’zu Babangida Aliyu, the forum, in a statement signed by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr Danladi Ndayebo, also called for an end to “attacks on places of worship and educational facilities.”
The forum was reacting to the murder of students of Gujba and the killing of 15 persons in Zangang, a community in Kaura Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
While commiserating with the families of the victims, the forum prayed God to grant eternal rest to the deceased, as well as quick recovery to those who sustained injuries.
It called on security agencies to intensify efforts at protecting the lives and property of citizens, and also ensure that those behind the violence in the region were apprehended and brought to justice.

Gaidam weeps, calls for steps to end killings
Governor Gaidam, on Sunday, appealed to the Federal Government and security chiefs to take urgent steps towards ending the frequent attacks and killings of innocent people in Borno and Yobe states.
He made the appeal while inspecting the remains of 40 students of the College of Agriculture, Gujba, deposited at the mortuary of Specialists Hospital, Damaturu.
The governor, who was in tears, described as highly alarming, the number of lives being lost to insurgents in the two states.
He said the activities of insurgents had become alarming and a challenge to governance in the region.
“We call on the president and all the security chiefs to intensify security operations through aerial surveillance, to contain the situation before it consumes the region and country.
“On our way from Maiduguri to Damaturu this afternoon (Sunday), we saw a trailer and bus that were burnt, with the occupants slaughtered and their corpses littering the highway.
“Government should rise up to its responsibilities to save the lives and properties of its citizens,” he pleaded.
The governor said anyone travelling on the Damaturu to Maiduguri highway was taking a huge risk, while he urged the newly established Seven Division of the Nigerian Army to intensify surveillance of all flash points in the two states and flush out the insurgents.
MEANWHILE, thirteen people were reportedly killed by gunmen in Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State, with nine of them said to have been burnt beyond recognition.
According to sources, gunmen suspected to be Fulani herdsmen ambushed some communities in the council early Sunday morning and unleashed terror on the people.
Another version disclosed to the Nigerian Tribune that some people from Agatu, who were going to neighbouring villages in Apa Local Government Area of the state were ambushed by gunmen suspected to be Fulanis.
As of the time of filing this report, villagers living at the border of both Apa and Agatu councils were said to have fled for fear of more attacks.
Confirming the report, the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Dan Ezeala, said 13 people were confirmed dead in the crisis, with nine of them burnt.
While stating that security operatives had been drafted to the scene to beef up security, the police spokesman said the police were on top of the situation.
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I NEVER SIGNED SINGLE TERM AGREEMENT - JONATHAN •Says: Varsities should pay ASUU’s allowances from IGR; I don’t know if Shekau is dead or alive; I am not God, I can’t say terrorism won’t happen again but...

PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan yesterday night denied signing any pact or  single term agreement with anybody, saying “I didn’t sign agreement with anybody, if I have signed  agreement with anybody he would have shown you”.
Answering questions during the Presidential Media Chat last night as part of the programmes, marking the 53rd Independence Anniversary of Nigeria, Jonathan said he would concentrate on how to deliver on his mandate to Nigerians.
However, Jonathan hinted that if Nigerians had agreed with the single tenure he suggested previously, “I wouldn’t have been involved in the process”. 
He declared  that his declaration of presidential  ambition for 2015 general election will create crisis within the political system, even as he stated that it is too early for him to declare his intention to contest.
Jonathan, who noted that there are electoral laws governing the conduct of elections and regulating the political activities, added that declaration of his ambition now or by any other aspiring candidate would definitely create crisis in the polity.
He said “we have laws in this country and I appreciate the fact that our electoral laws tend to regulate the political activities. The electoral law gives the INEC the timetable to follow. If you do it earlier you will distablise government, whether it is Jonathan or any other person that has right to contest.
“You don’t declare intention now because it will distablise political process. Electoral law has the timetable for political parties and individuals to declare his intention. It is not yet time to declare intention.
“My declaration or not does not stop anybody from declaring intention. You don’t need to wait for me to say I am contesting or not before you declare your intention if you are interested. So, if you want to contest, you don’t need to wait for Jonathan”.
President Jonathan described the strike by university lecturers as unfortunate, declaring that the action has serious political undertone.
“Why should a state university lecturer go on strike for a federal problem?, the president queried.
The president noted that the strike had political colouration giving the commitment of the current administration to address the challenges of university education and the refusal of ASUU to call off the strike despite the fact that government has conceded to many of their demands in the 2009 agreement.
Jonathan, however, stressed that there are some items in the agreement that are implementable such as the demand for transfer of government landed property to universities.
The earned allowances, the President explained are supposed to be paid from the internally generated revenues of the universities.
He added that as part of government commitment to transform the nation’s universities, he set up Needs Assessment Committee who visited all public universities in Nigeria to take inventory of the institutions.
He regretted that ASUU has failed to recognize government in this direction, insisting that there have been many strikes in this country and those strikes were without such commitment as demonstrated his government.
Even though, he stated that his commitment is total to make changes, but he hinted at the need to revisit our labour laws because of the excesses of the trade unions.
“We will begin to look at the labour laws because of the excesses of labour unions,” he said.
President Jonathan used the occasion to call on the Academic Staff Union of Universities to call off the strike in the interest of Nigeria and the children.
President Jonathan  who stated that the security situation has improved significantly as the government has put in place measures to effectively check the Boko Haram insurgencies, especially after the bombing of UN building and the Police Headquarters in Abuja, however said “ I dont know if Shekau is dead or alive”.
Against what people were saying, the President said that Boko Haram is not the creation of his government but started when he was the Vice President and the leader of the sect was killed.
On when terrorism will come to an end, the president said, I am not God, i can”t say terrorism wont happen again.
“The excesses of Boko Haram, started with the bombing of Mammy market in Abuja, the UN building and Police Headquarters. We quickly built up capacity after that to stem the insurgence.
He assured that within the limit of human competence, his government will see that such attacks did not occur especially in Abuja.
On the recent Apo killings, President Jonathan stated that from the security briefing he received, there were Boko Haram elements in the place who had confrontation with security agents.
On the sacking of the Ministers, the President said it has nothing to do with the G7 Governors, saying that it was a normal and common process in
governance to reshuffle cabinet from time to time and wondered why his own move should generate such public interest.
The president also said he has no need for a Minister of Defence, saying the service chiefs are primarily responsible for the defence of the nation.
He explained that the low-key celebration of the 53rd Independence anniversary has nothing to do with the security challenges in the country, even as he stated that until 2014, his government will not do any elaborate ceremony.
On the economic front, the President said that Nigeria is not broke, as he noted the World outside has a favourable report of the Nigeria’s economy.
How can anybody wake up from a dream and say the country is bankrupt? Nigeria is not bankrupt.
Corruption is not Nigerias number one problem, corruption is as old as the human race, he added.
The President admitted that the stealing of crude oil is done by the power and mighty in the society, who are very rich and have cartel in the countries where the stolen oil are being sold. 
Jonathan, who expressed hope for the future of the country, noted that the standard of life has improved significantly, even though he stated Nigeria still has its challenges.
But he added that the current challenges confronting Nigeria were peculiar to developing nations.
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Father beats daughter to death for bedwetting

Juliana Francis

Fwanmun Habaku, 20, who hails from Mangu Local Government Area of the state, has been arrested. Habaku was arrested for brutally beating his two-year-old daughter
to death for bed-wetting.
Habaku claimed that it was not his intention to kill the child. He explained that he was just trying to punish her when she suddenly died in the process.

He said that if he was allowed to go, he promised never to commit such a crime again.