Damilola Oyedele in Abuja

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Yusuf Buratai, the Commandant General, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Mr. Abdullahi Gana Muhammadu and other stakeholders have expressed support for the recognition of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN) as a security arm of the federal government.

The VGN with strong presence at the grassroots levels, would complement the efforts of security agencies in securing lives and property, they said.

Buratai, speaking at a public hearing on a bill for an Act to Establish the Vigilante Group of Nigeria to Provide Community Policing, Maintain Law and Order and Community Service for Nigerians and for Related Matters yesterday, said legislation for the group is necessary.

Represented by the Col. S. Nicodemus from the Nigerian Army Headquarters, Buratai said security cannot be left to security agencies alone to handle.
He, however, noted that there would be need for additional training for the personnel of the VGN, to be more effective in community policing.

Mohammed, on his part, said the bill being considered by the National Assembly, was due to the determination and doggedness of the initiations of the VGN.
Represented by acting Commandant General of the corps, Obiekwe Austine, Muhammed however, urged that the provisions be thoroughly vetted to ensure its functions override cultural and ethnic biases.

The National Commandant, War Against Indiscipline (WAI), Mr. Mohammed Mustapha, said the VGN is already present in almost every community in Nigeria and has been discharging voluntary activities.

The Commander General of VGN, Mr. Usman Muhammad Jahun, appealed for speedy passage of the bill into law, to ensure the supervision of the outfit by the federal government.

The Speaker of the House, Yabuku Dogara, in his opening address, was however, cautious on the bill, and urged the Committee on Police Affairs, who conducted the hearing to make relevant findings of fact, to guide the House in taking an appropriate decision as to whether to recommend the passage of the bill into law.

“The pertinent question to ask is whether this is a branch of the police force, or yet another security service being established by law? It is also pertinent for the Committee to find out whether the legal framework sought to be established merely gives authority to an existing organisation by sort of licensing them or whether a general legal framework is being legislated upon for government to operationalise at its discretion,“ Dogara said.

He added that if community policing is the main reason for the bill, is it not within the operational purview of the Nigerian Police Force?
“Is vigilante services not part of social activities by various towns and communities in Nigeria as to make it a residual matter within the authority of state governments? In view of the existence of new quasi security organisations such as Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and even the Peace Corps of Nigeria that is being proposed, do we still need another at the national level? Do we have the resources to set up yet another security organisation instead of properly funding the existing ones and increasing their mandate where necessary,” the Speaker said.

Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti

Following a Federal High Court judgment ordering the Economic and Financial Crimes Ekiti State Commission (EFCC) to unfreeze Governor, Ayodele Fayose’s account, the governor yesterday stormed the a new generation bank to make withdrawals.

The governor, who arrived the bank at about 1.21p.m. in company of his Chief of Staff, Mr. Dipo Anisulowo; the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Owoseeni Ajayi, and his security aides, withdrew a sum of N5 million via counter-cheque.

Justice Taiwo Taiwo had last Tuesday handed down the directive which expressly compelled the unfreezing of these accounts on the strength that the governor, according to Section 308 of the 1999 Constitution, enjoys immunity.
Fayose didn’t give the management of the bank any notice before the surprise visit, but it was reliably gathered that he had on Wednesday given them a copy of the court judgment.

Many of the customers who were at the bank for business transactions, were stopped for two hours the governor was in the bank.

There was a wild drama in the bank between a bank’s security and the governor’s Chief Security Officer (CSO) over the former’s stand that the CSO would not be allowed entry, which nearly degenerated into an exchange of fisticuffs.

When he emerged from the banking hall, Fayose praised the bank for complying with the court’s directive. Fayose disclosed that he has two accounts with the bank with one containing N82 million and the other with a staggering sum of N300 million.

He, however, upbraided the EFCC and the federal government for what he called impunity, saying his travail in the hands of the anti-graft agency confirmed that the reign of impunity was gradually creeping into the country’s body polity.
Fayose said: “I came to the bank to collect money after serving them with the court order. I have said I won’t leave the bank until I am paid, because this is my money and nobody can deprive me access to it.

“I want to thank Nigerians and the bank and those who believed in my cause for standing by me. This court victory goes to show that
this impunity must stop. It shows that Nigerians must not be oppressed.”
At exactly 3:20p.m. after two hours, the governor left the bank with cash of N5 million, saying: “I came to the bank after serving them with the court order and I made up my mind that I won’t leave the bank until my money is given to me.

“And the bank has done the needful by giving me part of the money confirming that they have obeyed the court order. I want to thank Nigerians and my supporters for believing in our cause that Nigerians should not be oppressed. The rascality of EFCC must stop.

“And I want to thank the EFCC for obeying the court order. They placed order on two accounts, one has N82 million, the other has N300

million. I have collected N5 million now. I’m not closing the accounts but if they attack my accounts again, I will make trouble with them, big trouble. If EFCC is appealing the court jugdment that is their funeral. As a sitting governor, my immunity is absolute just like that of the president.

“They should tell the EFCC to shut up. There is no authority other than the authority of the constitution of this country, which I enjoy.

“Rubbishing the office of the governor is as the same as rubbishing that of the president because after the president, governors are the next.
“It is their time now, another people’s time will come tomorrow. There is no place for dictatorship in Nigeria.”

Fayose’s two accounts with the bank were on June 20 frozen on the orders of the EFCC through an ex-parte order received from Justice Mohammed Idris of the Federal High Court, Lagos, on the allegation that the money therein were ‘proceeds of crime.’
Fayose had on June 28 challenged the seizure of the accounts in court through an affidavit sworn to by his lawyer, Bimpe Olatemiju, who prayed the court to order an unfreezing of the governor’s accounts as the EFCC’s action negates the provisions of section 308 of the 1999 Constitution amended.

Affected workers to get special benefits, says company
Ejiofor Alike

Aggrieved oil workers of the United States’ oil giant, ExxonMobil Corporation, yesterday shut down the company’s corporate head office in Lagos indefinitely to protest an alleged attempts by the company to sack over 100 workers.

But in a swift reaction, the company has stated that the affected workers would be paid special benefits that were specifically designed for that purpose in line with existing labour agreements.

The protesting workers under the aegis of Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) also accused the company of flagrant violation of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act of 2010, by deploying expatriates to take over jobs for which there is local capacity.
The workers have also insisted that the Managing Director of the company, Mr. Nolan O’Neal, must be relieved of his duties.

PENGASSAN said in a statement issued on Wednesday, which was distributed by the protesters yesterday that “the plan is to withdraw our services totally from all our operating locations by midday tomorrow (December 15). The secretariat will keep you informed and updated as we arrive at that threshold. Injury to one is an injury to all!”

Some of the inscriptions on the placards read: ‘Restore Dignity of Labour Now,’ Flagrant Abuse of NCD Act,’ ‘No to indiscriminate sack of Nigerians,’ Nolan O’Neal must go now,’ ‘No to Racism in Nigeria,’ and ‘Expats taking over Nigerian jobs.’

The placard-carrying protesters blocked the entrance gate of the company and disrupted official activities.
The head office houses the two ExxonMobil affiliates in Nigeria – Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited (MPN) and Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria Limited.

When contacted by THISDAY, the company’s Manager in charge of Media and Communications, Mr. Oge Udeagha, said the sack was a limited programme that would impact only a relatively small fraction of the employees.

According to him, special benefits that were specifically introduced for this purpose would be paid to the affected employees consistent with existing labour agreements.

“The company also arranging special programmes to support the transition from the company for those affected. We respect the rights of our workforce and will continue to engage with them to resolve this situation,” Udeagha said.

He added that the company invests for the long term and are focused on maintaining a stable, well-developed workforce that are committed to treating its employees with respect and in accordance with applicable rules and regulations.

“ExxonMobil regularly evaluates its operations as part of a disciplined management process and continually strives to operate its business in as safe and efficient a manner as possible,” he added.

The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and Petroleum and PENGASSAN had on October 26, threatened to go on strike over alleged plans by the international oil companies (IOCs) to sack 3,000 of their members.
The unions had also issued a 21-day ultimatum to the federal government calling for a halt to the sacking of their members by the IOCs.

The national President of NUPENG, Igwe Achese, who addressed the media at the end of the Central Working Committee (CWC) meeting of the union in Effurun, Delta State, had alleged that Chevron Nigeria Ltd, ExxonMobil, Pan Ocean, Sapiem, and Hercules Oil and Gas Ltd, among others – had terminated the appointment of over 3,000 of their workers apparently over the current economic recession in the country.

“More than 3,000 of our members are affected. Chevron alone is about 1,500; Mobil is about 1,000; the entire workers of Hercules Oil & Gas are being asked to go home; Pan Ocean have since closed shop and are gone. Industry-wide, everybody is being asked to go. We are now asking ourselves where we are heading with the industry. We have lost so much of Nigerian personnel working in the oil and gas industry. What is happening in Nigeria cannot be compared to what is happening in other African countries. We want government to wake up and address some of these issues,” Achese had said.

Justice Ibrahim Buba of the Federal High Court in Lagos has awarded N10billion against Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited over a 1998 oil spillage.

The sum is in favour of fishing communities and cooperatives of Lagos. The suit was filed on their behalf by Chief M. A. Ajanaku and others.

They sought a declaration that the defendant’s continued failure, neglect and refusal to undertake post impact remediation measures to restore the ecosystem of the lands and waters of life inhabited by the plaintiffs and where they carry on their occupation of fishing and fish farming, was unlawful, unconstitutional and a violation of the plaintiffs’ right to life, and right to live in an environment favourable to their socio-economic development as guaranteed under Section 33 of the Nigerian Constitution, 1999, Articles 22 and 24 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights (Ratification and Enforcement Act Cap 10, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 1990.

They also prayed for a declaration that the plaintiffs whose representatives signed the release forms in favour of the defendant signed same by the undue influence of the Defendant and that the document is therefore null and void.

The plaintiffs’ also prayed the court to hold that the document purporting to release the defendant from paying due compensation to the plaintiffs who signed the documents and or from effecting post-impact remediation programmes to restore the plaintiffs’ environment is null and void on grounds that the document relates to an unconscionable bargain which was signed under economic duress and in breach of statutory provisions.

The sought an order for the delivery and cancellation of all release documents signed by representatives of some of the Plaintiffs on the grounds that the signatures of some of the representatives of the Plaintiffs thereon was obtained by economic duress, undue influence and fraud.

They also sought order that the defendant should commence post impact remediation programmes in respect of the plaintiffs’ lands and waters polluted by the defendant’s Idoho oil spill and do all such acts and things to clean up the environment of the Plaintiffs and to restore same to its original state.

The plaintiffs sought special damages of the sum of N8,400,000,000, interest at the rate of 10 per cent per annum from 26th January 1998 until judgment and interest on the same rate until full payment thereof by the defendant.

The plaintiffs further claimed N1,400,000,000 being general damages for the infraction of their constitutional and statutory rights and interest on the judgment sum at the rate of 10 per cent from the date of judgment until full payment.
Justice Buba, in a judgment on December 14, granted all of the Plaintiffs claims save the claim of interest.
The action lasted for 14 years before judgment as Mobil appeal the dismissal of its preliminary objection.

Welcome to the new age. Where everybody wakes up and decides to set up a church. They all have funny names too. Well, if you think we are joking, then take a ride with us.

1. Run For Your Life Ministry:
It seems this church is trying to tell you to run for your life when you see it but people are obviously blind and do not really think much of the meaning. As the saying goes, “he who runs, lives to fight another day.”

2. The Atomic Bomb Bible Brigade Ministry:
We don’t know whether this is actually the name of a church or a military base, only God knows.

3. Tithe and Offering Bible Church of God:
This one is direct, no wahala!! You should know what to do when you get there, it’s right in your face.
4. Satan in Trouble Ministries:
Obviously!

5. Guided Missile Church:
Now this is a war zone and you must prepare for war whenever you’re going to church.

7. Healing Tsunami Ministries:
We’re wondering how this church intends using a Tsunami to heal? Do they even know what that is?

8. The Ministry of Unclad Wire:
We swear, the pastor of this church is an Electrician…
9. High Tension Church:
And this one probably works at the hospital

10. Target Church:
You should know you’re the target if you’re a member of this church and your pocket is the bull’s eye.
• Culled from mobile.ghanaweb.com

State govt denies allegations against Wike Bear your cross, APC tells governor
Ernest Chinwo in Port Harcourt

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, yesterday led thousands of people of the state to protest against what he described as the mass killings by the police and other security agencies during the December 10 rerun elections.

The peaceful protest march took off from Government House, Port Harcourt at 8a.m, moved through Azikiwe Street and Bank Road before terminating at the Rivers State Police Command headquarters on Moscow Road.

Aside Wike, Deputy Governor Ipalibo Harry Banigo, Speaker Dabo Adams, former Minister of Transport, Dr. Abiye Sekibo, former UBA Chairman, Chief Ferdinand Alabrabra, former Deputy Governor Tele Ikuru and the state PDP Chairman, Felix Obuah, joined the march.

Also on the march were commissioners, state legislators, Caretaker Committee Chairmen, women and youths.

As the thousands of protesters approached the gate of the state police command headquarters, the policemen ran into their premises, closed their gates and peeped from the openings of the gate.

Wike and the other leaders waited for close to 30 minutes before the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mr. Cyril Okoro, came out. Even then, he spoke through the gate.

Addressing the police, Wike said the people of state were at the police command to inform the authorities that they were tired of the killings of innocent people in the state by the police and other security operatives.

He noted that the people and government of the state were particularly dissatisfied with the recklessness of two Senior Policemen, the Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations, Steven Hasso, and the Commander of Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Mr. Akin Fakorede, who led the sponsored onslaught against the people of Rivers State and compromised the security architecture of the state.

Wike further stated: “If they don’t leave the state, then we will do all we can to ensure they leave this state. They must leave this state. They have killed innocent people.

He noted that the Police High Command had refused to act despite the overwhelming evidence against the duo, especially the video footage that showed Fakorede and other security operatives trying to snatch results of the Rivers East senatorial district.

The governor said the situation where security officials have transformed into politicians in uniform is quite unfortunate.
In his response, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Cyril Okoro, assured the governor that the Rivers State Police Command would pass the message to the Police High Command for necessary action.

Meanwhile, state government has described an audio report on Saharareporters.com in which Wike, was heard threatening an official of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as a fabrication and outright lie.

In the audio report, Wike was said to be threatening the INEC official with death if they failed to rig the last rerun elections in favour of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) or return the money he had paid them.

Reacting to the report, the state Commissioner for Information and Communication, Dr. Austin Tam-George, accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of conniving with Saharareporters to clone the voice of the governor.
He said: “We categorically deny these latest allegations as a sick fabrication, an outright lie. Wike never made any contact with INEC officials in person or by telephone.

“Saharareporters.com is the online propaganda bullhorn of the APC. Their publications are typically false, and the writers are professional hawkers of fiction.
“No one would have thought that the APC and its cowardly media allies would resort to an audio impersonation of Governor Wike, using a voice changer technology.

However, the APC has countered the state government’s stance, asking Wike to own up and face public opinion.

The state Publicity Secretary of APC, Mr. Chris Finebone, said: “Having been caught in the web of their own machinations, what do you expect Governor Wike and his commissioner to say? Often when anyone is caught pants down, the most convenient and ready response is to blame and blackmail others. The truth remains that Wike in that Saharareporters’ audio tape was caught pants down and he simply cannot find where to hide.

“It is important to state that the APC have severally in the past been brought under scrutiny by Saharareporters to the amusement of Wike and the PDP but today they have found it convenient to associate the APC with Saharareporters. That is absolute falsehood coming from an absolutely cornered man.”

The party said further: Wike should think of a better response which we doubt he has because the audio recording is clear to everyone that it is the voice of the governor threatening to kill people-a threat that doesn’t come to us as a surprise.

Our only surprise is that after nearly two years in office, Wike is still struggling with the indecorum of a street hustler.
“About this audio that has gone viral across the world via the internet, Wike should deal with it and stop rambling about.”

Seeks Obama’s intervention to stop frivolous legal proceedings
Gboyega Akinsanmi

A human rights lawyer,a Mr. Femi Falana, yesterday accused the Governments of the United Kingdom, United States and Switzerland of frustrating Nigeria from recovering and repatriating public funds stolen by the late military Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha.

Falana, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), asked the US President Barack Obama to ensure that all frivolous legal proceedings filed against the recovery of the stolen funds “are withdrawn before January 20, 2017.”

He made the allegation in a statement he issued yesterday, detailing proof evidence that established the opposition of the UK, US and Switzerland to recovering and repatriating funds Abacha looted from Nigeria’s national treasury.

He acknowledged that after the Muhammadu Buhari administration was inaugurated, the Governments of the UK, US, and Switzerland promised “to facilitate the repatriation of the stolen wealth of Nigeria.”

Apart from describing Nigeria as a fantastically corrupt, however, Falana said the immediate past British Prime Minister, Mr. David Cameron, did not accede “to the request of President Buhari to recover and repatriate the looted wealth of Nigeria which has been located in the UK.”

He explained that in spite of several assurances, the US Government “has continued to frustrate the legal proceedings filed by Nigeria in Jersey, UK for the recovery and repatriation of the remaining Abacha loot.

“On its own part the Swiss Government has imposed a conditionality before repatriating the sum of $321 million in its custody to Nigeria. While it cannot be disputed that the government of the US is committed to the recovery of the Abacha loot, it has vigorously opposed the repatriation of the loot to Nigeria.”
He lamented that the federal government had adopted various routes and strategies to freeze, recover and repatriate to Nigeria the proceeds of corruption amassed by Abacha and his associates.

The human right activist explained that legal proceedings “have been filed in many courts including a criminal complaint in Switzerland and requests for mutual legal assistance to various European nations.

“Others include claims in England (both in the Commercial Court and the Chancery Division) directly against inter alia Mohammed Sani Abacha and Abubakar Atiku Bagudu together with companies associated with them, including Doraville Property Corporation,” Falana explained.

He referred to an anti-corruption workshop held at the American Embassy at Abuja on December 8 when he accuse the Governments of the United States and Switzerland of frustrating the legal proceedings initiated by Nigeria to recover and repatriate the remaining Sani Abacha loot.

He cited the case of $300 million Abacha money “held by either of Doraville (company held by the Abacha Family or associates) or the Viscount in Jersey (Channel Island) where frivolous legal proceedings had been initiated to oppose the recovery of the stolen funds.

In response to his allegation, Falana said the Chief of Mission of the US Embassy, Mr. Young replied that the US Government would enter into dialogue with the federal government on the remaining Abacha loot.

He condemned the stance of the US, which he said, was entirely contrary “to the purpose and spirit of the mutual legal assistance request. The request was intended to bring about the recovery of monies for Nigeria which after all is the victim of the fraud and the rightful owner of these monies.”

He lamented that US “has itself already shown a complete disregard of any mutual understanding or co-operation between itself and Nigeria by continuing to pursue forfeiture proceedings against the assets of Blue Holding (1) PTE Limited and Blue Holding (2) PTE Limited.”

Falana, therefore, warned that the idea of fresh dialogue being suggested to by the United States Government “is further going to delay the recovery and repatriation of the $300 million.”

He argued that since the US “has no legal claim to the said sum $300 million, we call on President Obama to ensure that the frivolous objections filed in the recovery proceedings in the High Court in Jersey by the US are withdrawn before the end of his term of office on January 20, 2017.

On the same ground, the human rights activists called on the Government of Switzerland “to repatriate the sum of $321 million of the Abacha loot to Nigeria without any further delay.”

Yahoo, one of the world’s most popular web portals and search engines, has said that it has identified a system breach that occurred in August 2013, involving data associated with more than one billion accounts.

The company said it believed this incident was probably distinct from the breach it disclosed in September, when information associated with at least 500 million user accounts was stolen from its network in 2014.

Yahoo, which is being acquired by Verizon, said an unauthorised third party had stolen the data in the latest breach announced and that it was working closely with law enforcement.

Yahoo said the stolen user account information may have included names, email addresses, telephone numbers, dates of birth, hashed passwords and, in some cases, encrypted or unencrypted security questions and answers.

Payment card data and bank account information were not stored in the system believed to be affected, the company said.

Dele Ogbodo in Abuja

A Honda Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) conveying four students of Federal Government Girls’ College (FGGC), Abaji, on its way to Abuja, ran into a stationary trailer on the outskirts of Abaji, near Nestle water factory, around 9.30a.m. yesterday.
The four girls sporting the uniform of the school, including the driver narrowly escaped death.

The driver of the vehicle, THISDAY learnt, is the owner of the car, sustained injury on his forehead and hands.

His daughter of about 16 years and three of her classmates seated at the back of the vehicle sustained some injuries.

An eyewitness who was at the scene of the accident a few minutes before it occured, said: “This is God’s miracle at work.”

He said it was unfortunate that the driver was overtaking without looking ahead. At the time of filing this report, sympathisers and passers said the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) within a stone throw away, was on its way to the accident scene.

Report on realignment ready in January A’Court suspends further hearing on PDP
leadership tussleTobi Soniyi and Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said it will not go into a political alliance or change its name in the same manner the ruling All Progressives Party (APC) did in order to avoid the problems the APC was currently experiencing in governance.

Leading opposition political parties, including the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) had in their bid to wrest power from the PDP, which had been in power for 14 years, collapsed their structures in 2013 to form the APC.

However, the PDP said yesterday that rather than allow its name to be subsumed under a new party, it would seek to retain its name and absorb willing political parties and groups so that together they can confront the APC in 2019 elections.

Speaking at the end of the meeting of the Strategy and Inter-party Affairs Committee which took place at Ajuji Hotel in Abuja, a former Minister of Information, Prof. Jerry Gana, said significant progress had been made in the areas of mobilising party members nationwide and realignment talks with other friendly political groups and individuals.

He said committee would meet in the middle of January to consider the final report which would be submitted to the party’s leadership by end of January.

On the progress of re-alignment negotiations, Gana said: “I would not like to give details of what is being recommended. But the PDP is desirous of attracting all lovers of democracy across the country as we move forward. But there are details I cannot divulge at the moment because the committee’s recommendation will be pass on to the party leadership. It will not be wise for me to disclose the details before we submit the report.”

Speaking further on the issue of the reported move to form a mega party, Gana said though his committee is not yet aware of plans to form a mega, it was ready to welcome all lovers of democracy for alignment talks.

“All we can say is that the party want to relate with lovers of democracy in all the parties. We have a syndicate committee working on this chaired by former Deputy Senate President, Senator Ibrahim Mantu. They are to give us the guidelines for any re-alignment plan and the number of parties that are willing to join us.

“Our engagement will be based on principle, clear guidelines. But that does not mean that we degenerate to what is happening to the ruling party. PDP wants solid and united party. PDP is the only party that can found in every ward, and it is the only party that has not changed it name, and we are not going to change the name of out party.

“There are 11 syndicates which were assigned different aspects such as mobilisation, congress and national convention committee, internal discipline and party democracy, constitutional review. The committee is making good progress,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Court of Appeal in Abuja has postponed indefinitely further hearing on the appeal on the leadership crisis in the PDP.

Justice Ibrahim Saulawa who presided at the hearing yesterday said that further hearing on the appeal had been suspended to enable the Port Harcourt’s division to conclude hearing on a related appeal.

He said the Court of Appeal would await the outcome of the appeal before the Port Harcourt Division of the court.

The decision followed a motion that was filed by the Ali Modu Sheriff faction of the party. The group had through its counsel, Chief Akin Olujinmi (SAN), urged the appellate court panel to temporarily hands-off the suit filed by the Senator Ahmed Markafi-led faction of the party.

They hinged their request on the fact that the court in Port Harcourt had already heard the matter before it and reserved its judgment.

The three pending appeals that were put on hold by the Justice Saulawa-led panel yesterday were marked CA/A/402/2016; CA/A/402A/2016 and CA/A/402D/M/2016.
The appellants are challenging the judgment of Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court in Abuja delivered on June 30, which recognised Sheriff as National Chairman of the party.

Justice Abang had in the said judgment, maintained that Sheriff has the authority to take decisions for the party, including briefing of lawyers to represent the interest of the PDP in court.

The Sheriff-led faction was in the three appeals, sued as the 1st and 2nd respondents in the appeal by two chieftains of the party in Ondo and Edo states, Chief Benson Akingboye and Ehiozuwa Agbonayinma, respectively.
The Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC), was cited as the third respondent in the three appeals.

James Emejo in Abuja

The country’s unemployment rate rose further to 13.9 per cent in the third quarter of the year (Q3 2016) compared to 13.3 per cent in the previous quarter, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) stated yesterday.

Unemployment rate was recorded at 12.1 per cent in Q1; 10.4 per cent in Q4 2015 and 9.9 per cent in Q3 2015.
It said a total of 27.12 million persons in the Nigerian labour force were either unemployed or underemployed compared to 26.06million in Q2 and 24.5 million in Q1 2016.

According to the statistical agency, economically active population or working age population (persons within ages 15 and 64) increased to 108.03 per cent in Q3 compared to 106.69 million in Q2, representing a 1.26 per cent increase over the previous quarter and a 3.57 per cent increase when compared to Q3 2015.

The labour force population (i.e those within the working age population willing, able and actively looking for work) increased to 80.67 million from 79.9 million in Q2 2016, representing an increase of 0.98 per cent in the labour force during the quarter.

By implication, about 782,886 persons from the economically active population entered the labour force in Q3.
However, the magnitude of increase between Q2 and Q3 2016 was smaller when compared to Q1 and Q2 2016, which was an increase of 1.39 million in the labour force population.

According to the employment/underemployment report for Q3 2016, which was released by the agency yesterday, the country’s underemployment rate or those working but doing menial jobs not commensurate with their qualifications or those not engaged in fulltime work and merely working for few hours, increased to 19.7 per cent from 19.3 per cent in Q2. That brought the underemployment population to 15.9 million.
Essentially, underemployment increased by 501,074 persons or 3.25 per cent in the period in review.

The labour force population was put at 80.67 million, meaning 27.36million persons within the economically active or working age population decided not to work for one reason or the other in Q3 2016, hence were not part of the labour force and cannot be considered unemployed.

The NBS said: “This is a marginal increase of 0.4 percentage points between
quarters 2 and 3 of 2016, and shows a steady rise in the rate since Q3 of 2015. During the reference period, the number of unemployed in the labour force, increased by 554,311 persons…Accordingly, there were a total of 27.12 million persons in the Nigerian labour force in Q3 2016, that were either unemployed or underemployed compared to 26.06million in Q2 and 24.5 million in Q1 2016.”

Meanwhile, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) which measures inflation further rose to 18.48 per cent (year-on-year) in November compared to 18.33 per cent in the previous month, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) stated yesterday.
It attributed the 0.15 per cent rise in headline index to increases in all the divisions which determine inflation.

Notably, the highest increases were recorded in housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels and articles of
clothing, books, liquid fuel, passenger transport by air, motor cycles and shoes and other footwear.
The Food Sub Index increased also by 17.19 per cent (year-on-year) in November, up by 0.10 per cent from 17.09 per cent in October.

According to the CPI figures for the period under review, major food sub-indexes increased with soft drinks recording the slowest pace of increase at 7.76 per cent year on year.

Also, communication and insurance recorded the slowest pace of growth in November, growing at 5.61 per cent and 6.76 per cent year-on-year respectively.
The Urban inflation rose by 20.07 percent (year-on-year) in November from 19.91 per cent recorded in October, while the rural index increased by 17.10 per cent in November from 16.95 per cent in October.

On month-on-month basis, the urban index eased by 0.03 per cent while the rural index was also down by 0.05 per cent.
According to the NBS, the composite food index rose by 17.19 per cent in November 2016, mainly driven by increase in prices of imported foods, meat, bread and cereals and fish.

On a month-on-month basis, the food sub-index increase by 0.88 per cent in November from 0.86 per cent recorded in October.
It stated: “The average annual rate of change of the food sub-index for the twelve- month period ending in November 2016 over the previous 12-month average was 14.39 per cent (0.57 per cent) points from the average annual rate of change recorded in October (13.82 per cent).”

It said: “All Items less Farm Produce’’ or Core sub-index, which excludes the prices of volatile agricultural produce increased by 18.20 per cent during the month, 0.10 percentage points lower from the rate (18.10) recorded in
October as all key divisions which contributes to the index increased.
“On a month-on-month basis, the core sub-index rose by 0.71 per cent in November, down by 0.04 percentage points from the 0.75 per cent recorded in October.”

Tobi Soniyi with agency report

The new UN Secretary-General António Guterres yesterday announced the Minister of Environment, Amina Mohammed as his Deputy Secretary-General.

Guterres made the announcement through the spokesman of the Secretary-General, Mr. Stephane Dujarric.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that Guterres also announced the duo of Ms. Maria Viotti of Brazil and Ms. Kyung-wha Kang of the Republic of Korea into high-profile positions at the UN.

“I am pleased to announce that I will be appointing Mrs. Amina J. Mohammed of Nigeria as my Deputy Secretary-General, and Ms. Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti of Brazil as my Chef De Cabinet.

“I also intend to create the position of Special Advisor on Policy, and to appoint Ms. Kyung-wha Kang of the Republic of Korea to this new role.

“I am happy to count on the efforts of these three highly competent women, whom I have chosen for their strong backgrounds in global affairs, development, diplomacy, human rights and humanitarian action.

“These appointments are the foundations of my team, which I will continue to build, respecting my pledges on gender parity and geographical diversity,” Guterres said.

Prior to her appointment as Minister of Environment a year ago, Mrs. Mohammed had served as the UN Under Secretary-General and Special Adviser to the outgoing Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Post-2015 Development Planning.

She was instrumental in bringing about the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, including the Sustainable Development Goals.

Before joining the UN, Mrs. Mohammed worked for three successive administrations in Nigeria, serving as Special Adviser on the Millennium Development Goals.
She provided advice on issues including poverty alleviation, public sector reforms and sustainable development, and coordinating poverty reduction interventions.

She was also an Adjunct Professor in Development Practice at Columbia University, and served on numerous international advisory boards and panels, including the UN Secretary-General’s High-level Panel on Post-2015 Development Agenda.

Others included the Independent Expert Advisory Group on the Data Revolution for Sustainable Development, and the Global Development Program of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

She was also on the UN Secretary-General’s Global Sustainability Panel, the African Women’s Millennium Initiative, Girl Effect and the ActionAid International Right to Education Project.

Born in 1961, and educated in Nigeria and the UK, Mrs. Mohammed is married and has six children.

Guterres had hinted on Monday, after he took the oath of office, that gender parity would be top of his agenda as the UN scribe.
Guterres is succeeding Ban, who will bow out on December 31, after a decade of two terms.

Reacting to Mrs. Mohammed’s appointment, President Muhammadu Buhari welcomed her elevation to the post of Deputy Secretary-General of the UN.

A statement by his media aide, Mr. Garba Shehu, said the president spoke with Guterres who called to inform him (Buhari) of his decision to name Mrs. Mohammed as the Deputy Secretary-General yesterday evening.

Shehu said Buhari used the opportunity to reiterate his support for Guterres and congratulated him on his upcoming tenure.
He said the president endorsed the excellent selection of Mrs. Mohammed. “By her appointment, Nigeria has been honoured,” said the president.

Shehu said Buhari thanked Mrs. Mohammed for her untiring contributions to transform Nigeria and said he looked forward to sustained collaboration between the UN and Nigeria.
He said he had no doubt that she would continue to make Nigeria proud at the global level.

The statement added: “It is expected that the Minister of Environment will be transitioning to her new role in March 2017. In the meantime, it is expected that she will continue to lay strong foundations with various important ongoing initiatives critical to the government’s success in the environment sector.

“These include, but not limited to implementation of our Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Climate Agreement, the successful launch of the Sovereign Green Bonds in 2017, the ongoing Ogoni clean-up and development of the Great Green Wall.”

• Senate rejects his nomination as substantive head of commission
• Asks Buhari to send fresh nominee, Ethics C’ttee to probe SGF
• Swears in Rivers senators-elect

Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja

A damning report by the Department of State Security (DSS) exposing the alleged double life, sabotage and corruption of the acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr. Ibrahim Magu, has been cited as the reasons by the Senate for its refusal to confirm him as the substantive chairman of the anti-graft agency.

But this was after the Senate had dangled a juicy carrot before Magu for more than a week, before it finally drew the curtain on his fate yesterday, when it rejected his confirmation.

Instead, the Senate asked President Muhammadu Buhari to send the name of a fresh nominee for its confirmation, but gave the nod for the screening of other nominees of the commission by its anti-graft committee.

Magu’s rejection was announced at a press briefing in the National Assembly by the Senate spokesman, Sabi Abdullahi, after a two-hour closed-door meeting.
Abdullahi cited an unfavourable security report as the reason for Magu’s rejection.
“This is an official statement from the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It’s the statement on the confirmation of the nomination of the chairman and members of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

“The Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria wishes to inform the general public that based on the security report available to the Senate, the Senate cannot proceed and confirm the nomination of Ibrahim Magu Mustapha as the Executive Chairman of the EFCC.

“Accordingly, the Senate hereby rejects the said nomination and has returned the said nomination to Mr. President for further action,” Abudullahi said.
Abdullahi, however, tried to avoid questions from journalists on why it had taken the Senate this long to arrive at the decision and why it also took the parliament almost two hours before making its decision public.

But following the insistence by journalists that the Senate must explain its decision, Sabi said: “There’s no confusion here. We have said it was based on a security report. Please, all of us public officers go for security screening, everybody!

“And we are saying that based on a security report, we cannot proceed and confirm him and we are rejecting his nomination and returning it to Mr. President for further action, that’s just the statement. It’s as simple as that.
“That’s exactly what the Senate has said and I don’t have any other explanation more than this.”

The security report, which was sighted thursday and confirmed THISDAY’s exclusive report last June that the acting EFCC chairman was being investigated for his close ties to an indicted retired Nigerian Air Force officer, Commodore Umar Mohammed, was written by the DSS and addressed to the Senate on October 3, 2016.

In the 15-paragraph letter, DSS said its investigation conducted on Magu showed that in August 2008, following a search at his residence during the tenure of Mrs. Farida Waziri as the EFCC chairman, some sensitive documents that were not supposed to be in his possession were found.

The report also said the discovery resulted in his detention and subsequent redeployment from EFCC back to the Nigeria Police Force after which he was suspended from the Force.

The report further said that in December 2010, the Police Service Commission (PSC) found Magu guilty of “acting prejudicially to state security, withholding files, sabotage, unauthorised removal of EFCC files and acts unbecoming of a police officer and awarded him severe reprimand and punishment”.

The report revealed that upon the appointment of the immediate past chairman of EFCC, Ibrahim Lamorde, he made the return of Magu, who had earlier worked with him when he was the EFCC Director of Operations his top priority, a situation it said eventually culminated in his return to EFCC.

It added that Magu’s return to EFCC, at the instance of Lamorde, was an attestation to his culpability in allegations of corrupt practices.

It further disclosed that Magu lives a flamboyant life to the extent of currently occupying a rented apartment of N40 million, at N20 million per annum, which it said was not paid for by the EFCC but by Commodore Umar Mohammed, whom it described as a questionable businessman who was once arrested by the DSS.
Mohammed was said to have lavishly furnished Magu’s residence at the cost of N43 million.
He was also accused of proceeding on official and private trips in a private carrier, Easy Jet owned by Mohammed.

On one of such trips, he was said to have flown to Maiduguri along with Mohammed, and the Managing Director of Fidelity Bank Plc, Mr. Nnamdi Okonkwo, who was being investigated by the EFCC over complicity in funds allegedly lodged with the bank by the former Minister of Petroleum, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke.

As a confirmation of his flamboyant lifestyle, DSS accused Magu of cultivating the habit of flying first class against the directive of the president.
For example, he was said to have once flown first class to Saudi Arabia to perform the lesser hajj at the cost of N2.9 million.

The report also alleged that Magu lived a double life, portraying himself as an anti-graft czar, on the one hand, and living a secret life, on the other hand.
For instance, he was said to have divulged official secrets to Mohammed in view of the benefits he was deriving from him.

The DSS also said it discovered a number of official documents Magu had made available to Mohammed when it searched the latter’s house.

One of such letters was said to have been forged from the Office of the Vice-President containing the report of a fictitious investigation by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo to the president requesting for approval to commence a probe into a matter claimed to have involved the Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu and his brother, Dumebi.

The report further stated that Magu was fond of covering his shortcomings using police cronies to execute operations, coupled with discoveries that such cronies had acquired a lot of landed property for themselves.

In its conclusion, it stated: “In the light of the foregoing, Magu failed the integrity test and will eventually constitute a liability to the anti-corruption drive of the present administration.”

However, THISDAY learnt yesterday that whereas the security report ought to have come from the National Security Adviser (NSA), Maj.-Gen. Babagana Monguno (rtd.), it was written by the DSS on the order of the Director-General of DSS, Mr. Lawal Daura.
Prior to the release of the report by the Senate, legal luminary and civil rights activist, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN) and some lawyers under the auspices of the National Association of Democratic Lawyers (NADL), earlier thursday had demanded that the security report be made public, failing which the Senate must confirm Magu as the EFCC chairman.

After the Senate’s closed-door meeting, Senate President Bukola Saraki announced that the appointments of other nominees of the EFCC sent along with Magu’s name, namely: Nasule Moses, Lawan Maman, Garandaji Imam Naji and Adeleke Adebayo Rafiu, remained intact and consequently referred them to the Committee on Anti-corruption and Financial Crimes for screening.

The beginning of the end of Magu’s aspiration began on December 7, when Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, who presided over the day’s plenary announced that the Senate would screen him the next day along with other nominees for the board of the anti-graft agency.

But when Magu arrived the following day for confirmation, the Senate turned him back, saying some of its members were absent and had requested for a postponement of the screening to enable them participate in the exercise.

Consequently, the Senate asked Magu to return for the screening thursday.
However, indications that the Senate was still not favourably disposed to Magu’s confirmation became glaring yesterday, when immediately after the commencement of the plenary, the senators dissolved into an executive session after Magu had arrived at the National Assembly complex.

While the closed-door session was ongoing, questions arose as to why the Senate had decided to go into a closed-door session over the matter of Magu’s screening and confirmation that had been with it for six months.

It was learnt that the executive session was stormy, as there were altercations between strong opponents of Magu among the senators and the Senate Leader, Ali Ndume, who reportedly made a case for Magu’s screening because they both hail from the same area.

Eventually, towards the end of the session, it was learnt that Magu was invited into the meeting where the bombshell was eventually broken to him.

THISDAY learnt yesterday that the Senate was more or less given a free hand to reject Magu, following a remark made by President Muhammadu Buhari to the Senate leadership, which had asked for his opinion about Magu’s screening and the security report it had received from Department of State Services (DSS).

The president was said to have told the senators to go and do what was right in their eyes, a statement the senators were said to have interpreted to mean that he had no due interest in Magu’s confirmation if it was not well deserved.

Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo had on June 17, 2016, while serving as the acting president, sent Magu’s name to the Senate for confirmation.

But Saraki did not read the letter until July 14. And after reading the letter, the Senate was silent on Magu’s confirmation until December 7, when Ekweremadu announced his screening, which never was.

Meanwhile, the Senate yesterday also expressed anger over the comment credited to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, that the Senate was talking rubbish after it called for his resignation and prosecution over his alleged mismanagement of the funds allocated to internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the North-east.

In response, the Senate, which acknowledged that the Office of the SGF was an important position that should be occupied only by responsible persons, referred the matter to the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions for further investigation.

It also swore-in three the new senators – George Sekibo, Magus Abe and Osinachukwu Ideozu – that had emerged victorious in the Rivers State rerun elections held last weekend.

At the end of thursday’s plenary, the Senate adjourned to January 10, 2017, in observance of the Christmas and New Year holidays.

Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti

The Ahmed Makarfi-led Caretaker Committee faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has lauded the nation’s judiciary for curbing what it described ‘as the impunity of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)’ by unfreezing the accounts of the Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose in Zenith Bank PLC.

Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Federal High Court sitting in Ado Ekiti, had on Tuesday ordered the EFCC to unfreeze Fayose’s accounts, which had earlier been restricted for allegedly containing a lodgement of N2.99 billion being part of the N4.9 billion arms fund received from the office of the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col Bello Dasuki (rtd).

The PDP faction’s National Publicity Secretary, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, who spoke in Ise Ekiti during a scholarship scheme instituted by a former Minister of State for Works, said but for the judiciary, those conferred with constitutional immunity would have allegedly been clamped into jail by the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led federal government, just in a bid to muzzle the opposition.

Details later…

Damilola Oyedele in Abuja

As President Muhammadu Buhari clocks 74 on Saturday, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, on Friday congratulated him and prayed for wisdom, courage and strength for the president as he steers the affairs of Nigeria.

In a statement issued by his spokesperson, Mr. Turaki Hassan, Dogara described the president as being on a divine mission to save Nigeria from the brink of collapse and hopelessness.

He added that Buhari returned to lead Nigeria at a critical time when the country needed
purposeful, credible and dynamic leadership.

Details later…

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has vowed that it will get to the root of incidences of malfeasance involving its staff, politicians and some security agents during the just concluded rerun elections in Rivers State.

To that effect, the leadership of the commission said that it had constituted a probe panel to investigate acts of illegality and violence committed by its officials deployed for the polls with a view to recommending punishments for indicted officers.

It also said that INEC would recommend any security agent found to have aided or participated in any wrongdoing during the elections for prosecution and sanctions by the appropriate authority.

While reading a statement of the commission on the outcome of the Rivers State election on Friday at a workshop for journalists in Abuja, the Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, said that the commission was aware of reports of various infractions by INEC staff and would punish those found wanting.

Details later…

Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

The Minister of Environment, Amina Muhammed, has said there is no going back on the December 31, 2016 suspension of the export of semi-processed wood in the country, adding that there is no alternative to replenish what is going out.

The minister, who was recently appointed as the Deputy Secretary ‎General of the United Nations, on Friday lamented that over one million trees were cut down everyday in Nigeria, stressing that the ministry had given enough notice concerning the suspension.

She added that a policy framework to put an end to deforestation in the country had been put in place.

Details later…

Emmanuel Ugwu, Umuahia

The Abia State Sector Command of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) on Friday launched a campaign in partnership with the state government to minimize the road accidents that usually come with the yuletide season due to increased vehicular movements.

The campaign tagged “Crash the crash, speed kills”, was part of the end of year patrol campaign during which both FRSC and the office of the special adviser to the governor on public orientation educated road users on the factors that cause road crashes and urged them to avoid them.

The Sector Commander, Stella Uchegbu, said that the campaign was aimed at “ensuring the full actualization of our 2016 strategic goals of improving enforcement and public education, reducing road traffic crashes by 15 per cent and fatality by 25 per cent.”

Details later…

Tobi Soniyi in Abuja

The Supreme Court has dismissed an appeal by a former governor of Adamawa State, Murtala Nyako, seeking to be reinstated as the state governor.

Nyako was impeached by the state House of Assembly on July 15, 2014, 10 months before he concluded his tenure.

The Court of Appeal had earlier declared his impeachment unconstitutional but declined to reinstate him.

On Friday, ‎a panel of seven justices of the Supreme Court upheld the Court of Appeal’s decision.

The court said that because of the way the case was handled at the appeal court, it was unable to order that Nyako be reinstated.

Details later…

Tobi Soniyi in Abuja

President Muhammadu Buhari on Saturday marked his 74th birthday with a special birthday parade and inspection of the Guard of Honour mounted by the Nigerian Army.

The event, which took place at the fore-court of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, also witnessed the cutting of a birthday cake and the release of 74 pigeons by the president.

After the birthday celebration, President Buhari proceeded to the International Conference Centre in Abuja for the 50th Ordinary Session of the Authority and Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS, where in his welcome address called on ECOWAS leaders not to allow conflict to wipe out the gains recorded so far in the promotion of peace, security and economic integration in the sub region.

Details later…