Rivers politicians turn to God after tribunal verdict

The recent ruling on the governorship election by the Rivers State Election Petitions Tribunal has surprisingly drawn the Peoples Democratic Party and the All Progressives Congress in the state closer to God, writes CHUKWUDI AKASIKE

Amaechi (second right) with his supporters at the thanksgiving in Port Harcourt

There is no doubt that people view court rulings from various perspectives. This explains why the people do not react the same way after the delivery of judgements by a court. While some persons would accept a court ruling with glee, others would feel sad over the same decision.

In Rivers State, the situation was different when the state Election Petitions Tribunal delivered judgement in favour of the All Progressives Congress. The tribunal had specifically declared that the election of Governor Nyesom Wike did not substantially comply with the dictates of the Electoral Act, especially in the area of the non-usage of the card reader.

Ordinarily, this particular court verdict should put those at the receiving end off and possibly make them to keep quiet for some time while they re-strategise and look for a way to see that the ruling is upturned. Surprisingly, the victorious and the defeated were in a jubilant mood about 24 hours after the ruling of the court on the governorship election.

Last Saturday, the mammoth crowd that gathered at the Port Harcourt International Airport to receive Wike, who came from Abuja after the ruling on the state governorship election, gave the impression that all was well. It was like a triumphant entry. Some youths in the state danced for several hours while waiting for the governor.

The following day, Sunday, was set aside for thanksgiving and solidarity rally organised by the state Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Felix Obuah. On the same day, the immediate past governor of the state, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, was in Port Harcourt to commemorate the anniversary of his victory at the Supreme Court on October 25, 2015. The programme, which was tagged “Special Thanksgiving,” immediately became a platform to express delight over the victory of the APC at the election tribunal.

In all these, nobody was in doubt that both parties went to different places to simultaneously thank God for the unfolding political development in the state. Wike had implied that the thanksgiving was necessary because he and his supporters were sure that victory would be theirs at last.

“We will win and I will complete my four years tenure as the governor of Rivers State. The thanksgiving service today is very significant because if what enemies planned had work, I wouldn’t have been governor today. The nullification of my election by tribunal sitting in Abuja shows that justice is ours. I am surprised that some people are celebrating over the judgement when they described the judgement against their candidates at the National Assembly as judicial fraud.

“It is now that they have confidence in judiciary. In spite of the judgement, we will still have hope in judiciary. I want to beg you, don’t be provoked; I know what happened at the weekend was provoking. But I know what their plans are; that was why I am begging you to be calm,” Wike had told a very prayerful crowd at the Obi Wali International Conference Centre in Port Harcourt.

Elsewhere in Port Harcourt, Amaechi said, “Those who know me very well know that this (court issue) is not a new path. The only problem is that we must put our knees on the ground because we have no power. The battle is of the Lord. Who can battle with the Lord, I say nobody. If you thought we won by our own strength, then you are not godly. Imagine the kind of money they (PDP politicians) were willing to pay. You can pay all the money you want to pay, if Christ says it is not your turn, it will not be your turn.

“I tell people that my greatest help in every battle I undertake is that it is not man. The greatest help is God. I always say God should not back me; he should face me and tell say my son, I am with you. Once I hear that, I will relax. It is not yet time for celebration. Even if you win at the Supreme Court, it is not yet time for celebration.”

Prof. Steve Okodudu of the Department of Sociology, University of Port Harcourt, explained that though nothing was wrong in organising a thanksgiving, even when one was on the losing side. He pointed out that for very religious person, the belief remained that in every situation, it was necessary to always honour God with praises and thanksgiving.

On the other hand, the university don noted that some Nigerians were very religion, but very ungodly in their attitude. According to him, those making fanfare out of an election victory should realise that some people were killed before and during the last general elections in the state and should not make it a fanfare.

He said, “If you are a very religious person, you also feel that in every situation, you should give thanks to God. But when people lost their lives in an election and pastors open their churches to celebrate election victory, to that extent, it is morally wrong. That also suggests that most Nigerians are very religious, but very ungodly people. If not, there are several ways you can thank God without making it a fanfare. People died before and during the election and it is morally wrong to celebrate without those that lost their lives during the election.”

In his remark, a human right activist and the Chancellor of the International Society for Social Justice and Human Rights, Dr. Omenazu Jackson, described as unfortunate a situation where those who were maimed or killed during the elections in Rivers State had yet to get justice. Omenazu expressed surprise that the Federal Government had not begun investigation to unmask those behind the killings.

While explaining that it was not enough for politicians to celebrate election victories, he said those who were affected by the violence before and during the elections should be compensated by ensuring that they get justice.

Jackson said, “We in the International Society for Social Justice and Human Rights are saying that it is unfortunate that nobody is pushing harder to ensure that those responsible for the violence that caused the death of many people in Rivers State during the last general elections are unmasked for prosecution. Apart from that, we are calling for the total ban from active politics of politicians who sponsored violence in the state.

“I can remember that I took a victim of political violence in Rivers State during the election to the hospital then. The man’s knee was almost cut off by cutlass-wielding political thugs. I am surprised that even President (Muhammadu) Buhari has not done anything to bring those behind the politically-motivated violence to book.

“Those behind the violence are still around and nothing is done to bring them to book. The truth is that when today’s unscrupulous politicians are using guns to win elections and nothing is done to correct the anomaly, the upcoming politicians would buy armoured personnel carriers to kill, maim and win elections with the belief that nothing would be done to investigate and bring them to book. That is not what we want in Rivers State and Nigeria as a whole.”

On the thanksgiving and solidarity rallies organised simultaneously by the APC and the PDP in the state, the human right activist explained that the immediate past governor did not set out to celebrate the election petitions tribunal’s ruling on the governorship election, but was only celebrating his October 25, 2007 Supreme Court judgement that eventually made him the governor of the state for eight years.

Omenazu, however, added that the thanksgiving ceremony organised by the PDP in the state on Sunday October 25, 2015, had been fixed before the court ruling on the governorship election with the belief that the Wike’s election would be upheld by the tribunal.

He said, “You can see what happened on Sunday after the judgement as a gathering for political outing for restitution of both parties. The APC’s meeting in Port Harcourt was already scheduled to mark the Supreme Court ruling anniversary that brought the former governor, Rotimi Amaechi, to power.

“What happened was that the marking of the anniversary coincided with the Saturday’s ruling of the tribunal on the 2015 governorship election in the state. But for the PDP, the party leaders had scheduled the thanksgiving and victory rally for Sunday, believing that the ruling of the tribunal would favour them.”

But a Port Harcourt-based public affairs analyst, Mr. Lekian James, viewed the court victory from a different perspective. He said that the PDP chieftains who decided to organise thanksgiving should not be blamed because they were expectant and believed that they would get victory in the Appeal or Supreme Court. Notwithstanding, James pointed out that the violence sponsored by politicians would one day be addressed.

“People see things from different angles. So, if the PDP decided to organise a thanksgiving rally or service, it should not be misconstrued. They may be thanking God for giving them the grace to appeal for an opportunity to upturn the tribunal’s judgement that is current against them,” James said.

Rivers politicians turn to God after tribunal verdict

Politicians run to CCB to rectify asset declaration form over fear of arrest

There are indications that politicians in the country have begun to lobby the Code of Conduct Bureau in a bid to amend some of the information in the asset declaration forms that they had earlier submitted.

Saturday PUNCH learnt that the development is because of fear of arrest as this is coming in the light of the ongoing trial of Senate President Bukola Saraki at the Code of Conduct Tribunal over alleged false declaration of assets.

Investigation by Saturday PUNCH showed that state CCB offices have become busier following Saraki’s ordeal at the CCT, but sources told our correspondents that it was too late for politicians to change the information they had earlier given to the bureau.

For instance, sources in the CCB office in Delta State disclosed that some politicians, including senators and members of the House of Representatives, have been lobbying officials of the bureau to grant them permission to amend the asset declaration forms they had submitted.

According to the source, politicians in the state had until now taken the exercise for granted, believing that they could never be prosecuted over it.

The source said that President Muhammadu Buhari’s anti-corruption stance and the trial of Saraki at the CCT seemed to have jolted the politicians.

Confirming that politicians have begun lobbying CCB officials, the source, who did not want to be named, added that officials of the bureau have recently had to take their security more seriously as a result of the fresh attention drawn to it by Saraki’s prosecution.

The source said, “The Saraki trial has caused politicians to become jittery. They have been gripped by fear of arrest because of the recent political events and some of them have been secretly visiting our offices to lobby some of us. They include senators and members of the House of Representatives.

“Some of the politicians that have been coming are highly placed. Before now, they took everything for granted, knowing that they are in the same party with the government at the centre. With the recent developments, many of them are now rushing to amend the information given on their asset declaration forms.

“They say there might be errors in their forms and that they are willing to make the necessary adjustments.”

Our correspondents also learnt that politicians in Ondo State have been approaching officials of CCB to assist them in amending the forms they had submitted to the bureau.

One of the officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, informed one of our correspondents that some politicians in the state, who were believed to have lied about their assets in the disclosure forms, have been pleading with officials of the bureau to allow them to review their information.

He said, “Some of them have been coming to us to amend some information on their forms, but there is nothing we can do about their request, because the forms had already been forwarded to Abuja and there is no way we can retrieve them again, at least from our own end here. I don’t know of any other means.”

The source, however, denied that officials of the bureau have been conniving with politicians to cover up for those who declared false assets, saying, “That is criminal, everybody is now very careful. This is an era of change and nobody wants to play with his job again.”

But a source at the CCB office in Enugu admitted to one of our correspondents that politicians sometimes want to review information they submitted in their forms, attributing it to their ignorance.

He said nobody is allowed to review information already put in such asset declaration forms.

He, however, regretted the possibility of some officials of the bureau conniving with politicians to make illegal amendments in the forms.

“Anything is possible,” he said, adding that “It is also possible that some staff of the bureau would conspire with politicians” to rectify completed assets declaration forms.

In the same vein, he revealed that, most times, officials of the CCB assist politicians in filling their asset declaration forms.

He said the CCB usually works with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, disclosing that the bureau recently aided the anti-graft agency by making the asset declaration form of a former governor of the state available for corruption charges.

The official said, “The CCB is usually involved in the investigation of corruption cases, particularly those involving elected public office holders.

“I know for a fact that when the EFCC brought charges against a former governor of this state (Enugu), we made input in the investigation because the assets declared at the beginning of the tenure were taken into consideration before the case was filed.”

In Rivers State, an official of the CCB, who did not want to be named because he was not authorised to speak on the issue, however, described efforts by politicians to lobby the bureau’s officials as a waste of time.

The source also told Saturday PUNCH that once asset declaration forms were filled and submitted by politicians, it would be criminal for any official of the CCB to allow an amendment to the document.

Explaining that the filled forms were always sent to the CCB headquarters in Abuja after submission by politicians, the official insisted that such forms would not be returned even if they were still in the state.

The source said, “We have their (politicians) slips and completed forms, which have already been sent to the CCB in Abuja. Since the politicians had already sworn to oaths that whatever they filled in the forms as their assets is correct, they cannot come for amendments.

“It (amending or altering asset declaration) is not right; it is not possible and it is a criminal offence. It is not possible for any of us here to be involved in anything like that.”

The Ekiti State Director, CCB, Mr. Akinfolarin Feyisola, said there has been no lobbying of officials of the bureau by politicians in the state, adding that any official found wanting would be prosecuted.

He said, “We don’t have such cases here. The state office does not have the power to investigate and verify assets declared by anyone, except with the authorisation of the Federal Commissioner.”

A source at the CCB office in Osogbo told one of our correspondents on Friday that asset declaration forms filled by political office holders in Osun State had since been submitted to Abuja.

He said there was no way any politician could return to the state office to ‘rectify’ any falsehood in the asset declaration forms already submitted to them.

The State Director of the CCB in Akwa Ibom, Mr. Ime Obot, disclosed that when public officials in the state declare their assets, his office lacks the power to work on the contents or even view them.

According to him, as soon as a public official declares his assets in the form, which is enclosed in a sealed envelope, the agency’s duty in Uyo is to forward same to its headquarters in Abuja for further actions.

On politicians lobbying some workers of the agency to manipulate the contents of the documents in their favour, Obot said such situation does not exist in the state since his office does not have power over asset declaration.

Meanwhile, the Chairman, Code of Conduct Bureau, Sam Saba, said he was not aware that politicians had started lobbying officials of the agency to rectify their asset declaration forms.

He said this in a text message in response to inquiries made by our correspondent in Osogbo on Friday.

Saba said, “As a matter of fact, verification of assets and liabilities of governors, lawmakers and others is a shared responsibility between the headquarters and state offices.

“Teams to verify are drawn up at the headquarters including staff from respective states. The teams are headed by Federal Commissioners on a zonal arrangement.

“I am not aware that politicians have been lobbying officials of the CCB to block loopholes in the forms filled that are already in its custody. Such requests have not reached our Abuja office.”

Politicians run to CCB to rectify asset declaration form over fear of arrest

CJN bars politicians from his office, residence

Probably due to the dispute generated from the visit of the Rivers State Governor, the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Mohammed, has banned politicians from visiting his office or residence.

 

CJN Mohammed Muktar

In a swift move to stop politicians, particularly governors and legislators with outstanding petitions against them at the election tribunal, the CNJ has since stopped all requests for courtesy calls.

His security detail from the Department of State Service (DSS) and police orderly will henceforth be part of any interaction with Politically Exposed Lawyers seeking audience with him.

This measure, according to findings, is put in place to deprive politicians from dragging the judiciary into politics.

The CJN and justices of the Supreme Court were reportedly affected by the problem the visit of the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike generated

Although the governor who visited the CJN twice did not meet him at the office, but his visit generated some backlash for the judiciary.

According to a source who prefered not to be named, the CJN has warned his aides and household members not to allow any politicians have access to him.

The source said: “Except for his fellow judicial officers, relations and friends, the CJN has banned politicians from visiting his residence. He has limited all transactions or relationship to his office.

“The CJN has also made it a policy to invite a member of the security operatives or aides in his office to henceforth be part of any interaction with Politically-Exposed Lawyers seeking audience with him.

“Once any lawyer is suspected to have come to solicit favour, security agents will now be called upon to witness such an audience.”

It was learnt that the CJN has decided to limit courtesy visits by public officials.

“The new guidelines take immediate effect. The position of the CJN remains the same that the Judiciary must be insulated from politics.

“As a matter of fact, what the public did not know is that the CJN deliberately avoided meeting with Governor Nyesom Wike to avoid dragging the Judiciary into the murky waters of politics.”

The CJN has also advised judges to stay away from politicians to be able to discharge their duties without fear or favour.

CJN bars politicians from his office, residence

Corrupt politicians will be asked to return money stolen - El-Rufai

Kaduna State Governor-elect and former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nasir el-Rufai, said on Tuesday that the incoming government of Muhammadu Buhari would ask corrupt politicians   to return every kobo stolen by them.

He also said that the Buhari administration would inherit a huge debt from the Goodluck Jonathan government.

The governor-elect told executive members of the National Union of Textile Garments and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria, who visited   him in Kaduna, that such politicians must be ready to return all   ill-gotten funds after May 29.

He however said those (politicians) who were not corrupt had no cause to fear.

According to him, the measure was imperative because the All Progressives Congress-led government would be in a dire financial strait on assumption of office.

El-Rufai said, “We will politely ask those who stole government money to return the funds. This is because the people, who are in government now, are there to work for themselves. But the APC government is made up of people who are ready to work for the masses and the betterment of the country.

“We will work with the textile unions to ensure that the lives of the average Nigerians get better.”

The ex-minister also decried the poor state of the textile industry in Kaduna State and gave assurance that his administration would revamp it.

He lamented the current employment figure of 1,600 people in the textile sector, describing it as unacceptable.

El-Rufai added that the textile industry in Kaduna alone used to employ about 33,000 workers.

According to him , the APC government will revive the industry so that it can   generate employment and impact on the lives of the people.

He said, “We have met at a forum of northern governors-elect and we decided to ensure the revival of the textile industry. It is a shame that the largest economy in Africa imports textile materials from Senegal and other countries.”

The President of the union, Oladele Hunsu, recalled el-Rufai’s feat as minister of the FCT and urged him (el-Rufai) to take steps towards reviving the textile industry.

Corrupt politicians will be asked to return money stolen - El-Rufai

Corruption: The Great Nigerian Robbery: 2011-2015

1. N195 Billion Maina Pension Scam

It is believed that Alhaji Maina misappropriated billions of naira worth of pension funds, which he claimed to have recovered from pension thieves. The senate committee probing pension funds management accused him of mopping up pension funds from banks and depositing the money in his private accounts. According to the committee, this mopping of such funds had made it impossible to pay thousands of pensioners across the country for months. When he was summoned to appear and clear the air on the committee’s findings, Alhaji Maina instituted a N1.5bn case against the senate and the inspector general of police. Things came to a head last week when the senate passed a resolution asking the presidency to sack Alhaji Maina within two days or face its wrath. Although the presidency had initially insisted that only the head of service could sack Maina, it subsequently changed its tone and ordered that disciplinary action should be taken against him for absconding from his duty post without permission. –

Punishment: None, fled Nigeria.

2. Kerosene Subsidy Scam

The Former Governor of the Central bank and Now Emir of Kano Mr Sanusi’s Had shown that the kerosene subsidy was eliminated in 2009 by a directive of the late president Umaru Yar’Adua. Further evidence, in the form of official data from across Nigeria, shows that nowhere in the country is kerosene sold at a subsidised rate. It is bought by the NNPC at N150, sold to marketers at N40-N50, but retails at N170-N250. Mr Sanusi estimates that $100m goes astray this way each month.

“The margin of 300-500 per cent over purchase price is economic rent, which never got to the man on the street. In dollar terms every vessel of kerosene imported by NNPC with federation money cost about $30m and it was sold at $10 or $11m generating rent of $20m per vessel to the syndicate,” he writes.

It was learnt that since the national assembly members concluded their investigations, no officials of the NNPC or the marketers have been sanctioned, thus emboldening them to continue to import kerosene and allocate to themselves and their cronies.

Apparently due to alleged pecuniary benefits, the NNPC has continued to import kerosene and allocate in questionable circumstances to individuals and groups at the ex-depot price of N40.90.

But rather than selling the product at the subsidised price of N50 per litre at filling stations, the beneficiaries of these allocations sell the product to middlemen at N95 or N100 per litre at the gates of the depots.

These middlemen, it was learnt, truck the product to the filling stations and sell between N130 and N150 per litre.

It was alleged that marketers give some of their allocations to some top PPMC officials to ensure that they turn blind eye to the scam.

The failure of the NNPC to implement a presidential directive removing subsidy from kerosene has fueled suspicion among the stakeholders.

Punishment: None

3. $6bn Fuel Subsidy Scam

Nigeria’s parliament has discussed a report said to reveal that $6bn (£4bn) has been defrauded from the fuel subsidy fund in the past two years.

The debate, which was televised live, made official findings that have been widely leaked in recent days.

The fuel sector probe was set up in the wake of angry nationwide protests in January after the government tried to remove a fuel subsidy. Nigeria is a major oil producer but has to import most of its fuel.

Punishment: Ongoing court cases, no convictions. House of reps report tainted by Farouk Lawan bribery setup

4. 123bn Naira Fraud – Stephen Oronsaye

A damning report by the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation has indicted a former Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mr. Stephen Oronsaye, over an alleged N123billion fraud perpetrated during his tenure, between 2009 and 2010.

The 169-page report, entitled “Special Audit of the Accounts of the Civil Pensions,” according to an online news medium, Premium Times, found Oronsaye guilty of allegedly presiding over the looting of the nation’s resources during his tenure.

The audit by the auditor-general arose from the work of a Special Audit Team constituted by the federal government in May 2011 to conduct a comprehensive examination of the accounts of the Civilian Pension Department domiciled in the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.

The audit, which covered the period 2005 to 2010, uncovered monumental financial irregularities, opaque transactions, irregular and abnormal running costs, and outright stealing and kick backs said to have reached its zenith during the 18 months that Oronsaye served as Head of Service.

According to Premium Times, the Auditor General’s office completed its assignment and submitted its report to government in 2012.

But no action has been taken to bring all those indicted to book

Punishment: No action taken

5. Police Pension Fund Fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday re-arraigned the ex-permanent secretary in the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, now a director in the Police Pension Office, Atiku Abubakar Kigo; the chief accountant, Mrs. Uzoma Cyril Attang, and four others before an Abuja high court on an 18-count charge of conspiracy, breach of trust and embezzlement of N32.8 billion police pension funds.

The six accused persons were docked before Justice Hussain Baba to whom the case was reassigned following a controversial judgement of the first trial judge, Justice Abubakar Talba: he gave a light sentence to one of the accused, John Yusuf, who pleaded guilty to a three-count charge.

But Attang, who was arraigned by the EFCC for the first time in connection with the alleged fraud, was granted N10million bail and two sureties in like sum.

Those who were re-arraigned include Esai Dangabar, Atiku Abubakar Kigo, Ahmed Inuwa Wada, Mrs Veronica Ulonma Onyegbula, Sani Habila Zira, Christian Madubuike, and John Yusuf who had been convicted.

Punishment: accused got a two years sentence or 750,000 fine. Paid 750,000

6. Stella Oduah car purchase scandal

The committee set up by President Goodluck Jonathan to probe the N255m bulletproof car scandal in the aviation ministry has indicted the Minister, Ms. Stella Oduah.

It was gathered in Abuja on Sunday that the report of the presidential committee tallied with some findings of the House of Representatives Committee on Aviation on the scandal.

In October, there were reports that with the approval of the minister, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority purchased two bulletproof BMW cars at an allegedly inflated rate of N255m.

The development sparked a countrywide controversy with many Nigerians and groups calling for her sacking.

Punishment: None

7. NNPC missing $20billion naira.

Even in a country where untold oil wealth disappears into the pockets of the elite, the oil corruption scheme he was investigating seemed outsize — and he threatened to lay it bare at a meeting with Nigeria’s top bankers.

The rabble-rouser was none other than the governor of the country’s central bank. Weeks later, however, he was out, fired by Nigeria’s president in an episode that has shaken the Nigerian economy, filled newspapers and airwaves here, and even inspired a rare street demonstration.

The bankers were going to have to open their books, the governor, Lamido Sanusi, warned them at the recent meeting. He wanted to see where the money was going — $20 billion from oil sales that, mysteriously, was not making its way to the treasury, in a country that could soon be declared Africa’s biggest economy and already attracts the most direct foreign investment on the continent, according to the United Nations.

Punishment: Whistle blower was fired. The Audit report later indicts NNPC, corporation to refund $1.48billion

8. $15 million in Private Jet Arm Scandal

A private jet that conveyed $9.3 million cash from Nigeria to South Africa for an arms deal between the two countries, had Nigerian crew members, and passengers from Israel and Austria, new documents obtained by PREMIUM TIMES in Johannesburg have shown.

Punishment: government claims involvement in scandal. No further explanations to individuals on board. Blames US for black market arms deal

9. Abba Moro Immigration recruitment scandal

The dust refuses to settle on the ugly Immigration recruitment Scandal that claimed the lives of about 20 unemployed Nigerians across the nation last

week-end. Though President Jonathan earlier in the week canceled the recruitment exercise, the Minister of Interior, Abba Moro still have unanswered questions.

Per Second News investigations earlier in the week indicted Drexel Nig Ltd, and the minister as culprits in the national tragedy. Many questions are begging for answer by the minister of interior or the Comptroller-General of Immigration Services.

It will be pertinent for answers on who was responsible for the collection of the N1, 000 amount paid by the applicants and to whose account was the money paid to?

Punishment: none, Abba Moro is still a minister after supervising extortion from graduates and death of 20 graduates. On Friday, 13th March 2015, he stood by the President as 33 Recruitment Letters and N75 million was given to the families of slain applicants as compensation.

10. Malabu Oil Scandal

The $1.1billion proceeds paid to Malabu oil company was shared by some private firms owned by people very close to the presidency, a report by an anti-graft agency shows.

The sum of $1.092bn was paid by ENI AGIP and Shell into depository Escrow Account domiciled in JP Morgan Chase Co, London as proceeds for the sale of oil block OPL 245 on 25, March 2011, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) report, which investigated the deal shows.

The report said that by August 16, the Attorney General and Minister of Justice Mohammed Adoke and the State Minister for Finance Dr. Yerima Lawal Ngama “instructed the release of $401, 540, 000″ into Malabu Oil and Gas Ltd accounts domiciled with First Bank of Nigeria and $400 million into another Malabu accounts with Keystone Bank (former Bank PHB).

The EFCC report said “JP Morgan complied with this instruction and made the transfers on 23 August, 2011.” Malabu, controlled by Chief Dan Etete, ex-oil minister, who was convicted of money laundering in France in 2007, further shared these monies to several other accounts belonging to individuals with very close ties to the presidency.

The following day, of the $400 million deposited at the Malabu’s Keystone bank account, $336 million was transferred to Rocky Top Resources Ltd’s account No 1005556552 with Abuja CBD branch of the same bank. The remaining balance of $60 million was transferred to account No 3610042596 (allegedly belonging to Etete) for forex trading, leaving zero balance with Malabu’s Keystone bank account.

Of the $336 million transferred into the Rocky Top Resources account, $165 million was subsequently transferred into various individual accounts, leaving the balance of only $171 million, the anti-graft agency’s report said.

Rocky Top Resources, the report said, was registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) with 100,000 shares capital only and is owned by one Abubakar Aliyu.

The report said that first payment of $401 million to Malabu’s First Bank account was distributed directly to A Group Construction Co. Ltd-also co-owned by Abubakar Aliyu ($157m); Mega Tech Engr. Co. Ltd ($180M); Imperial Union Ltd ($34m); Novel Property and Development Ltd-also co-owned by Abubakar Aliyu ($30m); leaving the balance of $143 million Malabu’s account. And “reasons for this payment is yet to be ascertained,” the EFCC report said.

Attempt to get the reactions of Adoke yesterday was not successful as he neither picked his calls nor replied text messages sent to his mobile phones. Ngama could also not be reached for comment.

When contacted on the matter EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, asked for more time to respond to the questions.

Later, he told our reporter through the phone that he needed more time, explaining that the EFCC official that will brief him on the investigations was unavailable and promised to call back.

Punishment: None

11. Crude Oil Theft Scandal

According to President Goodluck Jonathan, 300,000-400,000 barrels of oil per day, or more than 10% of all Nigeria’s production, is being lost at a cost to the state and oil companies of around £1bn a month – more than is spent on education and the health of the nation’s 168 million people. Not only is Nigerian oil theft helping to keep the world price of oil high, it is causing corruption and social disorder, says the president.

Punishment: None, ex militant given contract worth billions to secure waterways. Rather than a decrease in oil theft, a marked increase is seen.

12. Arms scandal

Corruption in the Nigerian military is gargantuan and so vicious that even money meant for bullets to fight Boko Haram terrorists is stolen by top generals in the Nigerian army, an American official with inside knowledge made the shocking revelation on Wednesday.

Sarah Sewall, the under secretary of state for civilian security, democracy and human rights, said despite Nigeria’s $5.8 billion security budget this year, “corruption prevents supplies as basic as bullets and transport vehicles from reaching the front lines of the struggle against Boko Haram.”

Morale is low, and desertions are common among soldiers in Nigeria’s Seventh Army’s division, the main fighting unit in the northeast, Ms. Sewal said during a hearing of the House Foreign Affairs Committee on Wednesday.

In another shocking revelation, the White House disclosed also on Wednesday that it has deployed 80 troops to Chad in Central Africa in addition to the 30 men already in Nigeria ‎for the rescue of more than 200 schoolgirls kidnapped by Boko Haram on 14 April, but the U.S. Army as the Pentagon said on Monday will not share raw data with Nigerian soldiers as some of them are Boko‎ Haram members.

“On Monday, the Pentagon announced an agreement that would allow the United States to share some intelligence, including aerial imagery, with Nigerian officials, but not raw intelligence data. American officials are wary of sharing too much because they believe that Boko Haram has infiltrated the Nigerian security services,” the New York Times said.

The White House said ‎the American military personnel are not ground troops but mostly Air Force crew, maintenance specialists and security officers for unarmed predator drones that will help search for the girls.

“These personnel will support the operation of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft for missions over northern Nigeria and the surrounding area,” the White House said in a statement formally notifying Congress about the deployment.

The U.S. military has been flying manned and unmanned surveillance aircraft over the Sambisa forest where the girls are believed to be held.

The monumental revelations of corruption in the Nigerian army came the same day the army in Nigeria blamed the media for a negative perception among Nigerians.

Punishment: not a publicly acknowledged problem rather mutinous soldiers are sentenced to death.

13. Ekiti Gate

The audio recordings depict the meeting as being attended by the eventual “winner” of the election, Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti; Senator Iyiola Omisore; a man identified as Honorable Abdulkareem; the Minister for Police Affairs Caleb Olubolade; and Senator Musiliu Obanikoro who was at the time the Minister of State for Defence. Mr. Chris Uba came to Ekiti with huge stash cash and soldiers from the East to carry out the assignment.

The 37-minute recording details the conversation between these men as they bribed Brigadier General Momoh with a promotion for his assistance in carrying out election fraud in Ekiti. In it, Obanikoro is clearly heard informing the group of men, “[I] am not here for a tea party, am on special assignment by the President.”

SaharaReporters further received credible intelligence that President Goodluck Jonathan had instructed the Chief of Defense Staff, Alex Badeh, to use the army in arresting and intimidating opposition politicians before and during the election. The audio recording provides exact details of the plot, with the collaborators almost degenerating into physical combat.

14. Ballot Papers

In another deal, the nation’s equivalent of the U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing took out a $21-million loan at a staggering 22% interest rate to buy equipment supposedly to print ballots for next month’s election. Emefiele is also chairman of the bureau, and the loan came from the bank he used to run. The bureau did not have the contract to print the ballots. An Emefiele spokesman has denied any hanky-panky

According to numerous civil servants I’ve interviewed, public procurement invoices are often grossly inflated. “When it comes to a job that attracts money,” a defense ministry IT worker told me last year, “only the director and the deputy director have knowledge of the real terms of the deal…. If it’s 10 million, the director says, ‘Make it 12 million.” Procurement will say, ‘Make it 15 million.’ And the permanent secretary says, ‘Make it 25.’”

15. $500 Million Dollar defence Contract.

SaharaReporters has obtained documents relating to a scandalously inflated $500 million defense contract that President Goodluck Jonathan awarded to Arthur Eze, a Nigerian businessman with a shady past, a close friend of the president and his wife, and a major financier of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

President Goodluck Jonathan Our security sources said some officers of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) were furious over the jumbo contract described by one source as “a pure waste.” The sources, most of them military personnel, told our correspondent that, in addition to its sheer extravagance, the contract has also saddled the Nigerian military with helicopters that have limited or no combat utility.

The documents obtained by our correspondent reveal that Mr. Eze, the chief executive of Triax, received the gigantic sum of $466.5 million in order to weaponize six Puma helicopters with the aid of an Israeli company named Elbit Systems. This meant that each weaponized helicopter cost close to $78 million. “For the price of each helicopter provided by Engineer Arthur Eze, the Air Force could have acquired seven top grade military helicopters,” said one of our sources.

Our sources also noted that the haste with which the contract was initiated, approved and executed raised serious questions. A memo dated November 20, 2014 and submitted by the Chief of Air Staff, A.N. Amosu, revealed that Mr. Eze had on November 4, 2014 submitted a proposal to the office of the National Security Adviser proposing to supply the upgraded helicopters to the NAF. The tone of Mr. Eze’s letter, obtained by us, indicated that he was deeply involved in sourcing and supplying hardware to the Nigerian military as it is embroiled in a fight against Boko Haram militants.

An Air Force officer said he was alarmed at the alacrity with which Mr. Eze’s overinflated proposal was approved by the NSA’s office. The NAF followed with an equally quick endorsement sixteen days later.

One of our sources accused President Jonathan and Mr. Eze of using the refusal of the US to sell Cobra attack helicopters to Nigeria as an excuse to engage in a large-scale squandering of funds involving the Federal Government and Mr. Eze’s company, the Triax Company Nigeria Limited. “In the US, a brand new AH Cobra attack helicopter costs around $12 million each,” said a source at the NAF. He added: “That means that, with $400 million, Nigeria could have purchased up to 40 brand new helicopters.”

According to the source, the Cobra attack helicopter is one of the best US-made helicopters. “It is highly effective in the battlefield. It would have given us big battlefield advantage over Boko Haram,” he said.

In an additional proposal, Mr. Eze’s company sought to purchase 4,000 57mm S5 rockets, 400 80mm S8 rockets, 500 general-purpose bombs, and 20,000 units of unguided rockets. His company also received a contract to refurbish three C-130 planes that had been sitting at the hanger of the Nigerian Air Force for several years.

A final invoice Mr. Eze submitted to the Nigerian government showed that he would receive $466, 500,000 to supply six upgraded Puma helicopters, four units of single-seater Sukhoi Su-25K (“Frog-foot”) Soviet-made ground attack jets, and two upgraded Su-25UB trainers for $330 million. In addition, he would receive $14 million for the shipping of platforms/ground support/line replacement of the six Puma helicopters; $44 million for some arms and ammunition earlier proposed; $37 million for the maintenance of C-130 engines, and $40 million for unspecified armaments for the NAF.

Our military sources stated that Mr. Eze’s invoice for the supply of the refurbished aircraft was massively inflated by international and Nigerian standards.

Several of the sources said Triax delivered the substandard equipment after Mr. Eze further padded the cost of the refurbished helicopters and the C-130. The sources revealed that, since February 15, 2015, when Chief of Air Staff Amosu showed off the helicopters and C-130 planes, none of the aircraft has been deployed even once to fight Boko Haram militants. “They are not in any combat-ready condition,” one officer fumed. “We are looking at a total waste of money for no good reason.”

16)Pardon of Diepriye Alamieyesegha.

Pioneer Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Malam Nuhu Ribadu, Wednesday, said that the presidential pardon granted disgraced former governor of Bayelsa State, Mr. Dipriye Alamieyeseigha, signifies the ‘final nail in the coffin’ for fighting corruption in the country. Alamieyeseigha and others received presidential pardon from President Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday, years after the Ribadu-led EFCC, prosecuted him for stealing billions of naira while he was governor of the oil rich state.

17) Mohammed Abacha N446 Billion case.

The government had Charged Abacha to court on nine counts of stealing against Mohammed in February 2014.

It had accused him of unlawfully receiving about N446.3bn allegedly stolen from its coffers between 1995 and 1998.

But on Wednesday, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammed Adoke, asked Justice Mamman Kolo of the FCT High Court to strike out the charges on the grounds of “fresh facts” that just emerged concerning the case.

He was silent on whether new charges would be filed against Mohammed or not.

Efforts to arraign Mohammed on two previous occasions were unsuccessful because of his repeated absence from court.

But he was present in court on Wednesday when a private prosecuting counsel, Daniel Enwelum, informed the court of Adoke’s instruction to discontinue the case.

Applying to court for the withdrawal of the case, Enwelum said, “I have been instructed by the AGF and Minister of Justice to withdraw the charges as presently filed before this court, because there are fresh facts and documents available to him.

Punishment: None

18) Farouk Lawan $3m bribery scandal.

Lawan had been recorded on Camera collecting a total of $620,000 from Businessman Femi Otedola who was embroiled in the subsidy scandal. Farouk Lawan had allegedly demanded $3m to look the other way.

Hon. Lawan claimed in his statement to the Special Task Force (STF) that the $620,000 bribery money was handed over to the chairman House Committee on drugs and financial crimes, Adams Jagaba. Jagaba however rubbished the claim and challenged Lawan to prove how the money was given to him.

Thats the Last we heard of that case.

19) Diezanni Allison-Madueke Alleged Links with know front, Kola Aluko

Mr Aluko was reported to have lavished millions of dollars on parties attended by top Models like Naomi Campbell, he is also reported to have purchased a $1.5 million dollar champagne bottle at another party.

The EFCC has since asked The International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol) to arrest oil magnate Kola Aluko after he fled the country to Switzerland with billions of dollars believed to belong to several top politicians.

He is said to have had a dramatic falling out with The Petroleum Minister, Mrs Dezianni Allison-Madueke after which he fled with the proceeds of some of the oil deals she had pushed his way.

Oluwole Isaac writes from Lagos

Corruption: The Great Nigerian Robbery: 2011-2015

We are profiling thugs, people with questionable characters – DSS

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The Department of State Services (DSS) said on Wednesday that it was profiling political thugs and people with questionable characters across the country ahead of the general elections.

Marilyn Ogar, Spokesperson, DSS

Marilyn Ogar, the spokeswoman of the DSS, disclosed this while fielding questions at a news conference organised by the National Information Centre.

Ogar said suspected thugs would be arrested before the general election.

“There is profiling of those whose presence in certain areas cannot be easily and immediately be explained.

“We profile all people with questionable character and before the election, they are taken in,’’ Ogar said.

On the incessant political thuggery in Rivers, the DDS spokeswoman said the service was investigating it.

“We are investigating. So, whatever happened will not go uncovered.

“Once you observed a new face, unexplained movement of people you do not know or sudden business concern cropping up around you, alert the security agencies,’’ she said.

 

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We are profiling thugs, people with questionable characters – DSS

Pastors taking bribes from politicians risk God’s anger – Adeboye

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The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, has warned that pastors collecting bribes from politicians risk the wrath of God.

Pastor Adeboye

The renowned cleric said this on his official Facebook page on Wednesday while reacting to allegations by the Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, that the Peoples Democratic Party had bribed some pastors with N6bn to work against the All Progressives Congress and its presidential candidate, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.)

However, Adeboye, said, “I read in the newspaper this morning that one of the serving governors in Nigeria said that some pastors in Nigeria collected N6bn from politicians for the purpose of influencing their members to vote a certain candidate in the coming elections.

“May I humbly request that if there be any pastor or pastors who collected such money, they should please return such as quickly as possible before the fire of the Almighty consumes you.”

Amaechi, had on Tuesday, told his supporters not to be deceived by pastors, whom he said, were campaigning against Buhari because he was a Muslim

He had said, “Some pastors collected N6bn and they are circulating document and telling you not to vote for an Hausa man; not to vote for a Muslim; that they want to Islamise Nigeria. Tell them to return our N6bn.

“They gave them N6bn; they should return it to the Federal Government coffers. They will tell you that Buhari wants to Islamise Nigeria; tell them we are too educated.

“I am a Catholic, but no Catholic priest has told me that story right now in the Catholic Church because, I will ask him how. If any pastor tells you that, tell him to return the money.

“Nobody can Islamise Nigeria; they have commercialised Jesus Christ. They should stop commercialising the Christian faith.   You know what Jesus Christ did in the temple? He chased them away.”

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Pastors taking bribes from politicians risk God’s anger – Adeboye

IG orders crackdown on political thuggery

The Inspector-General of Police, Mr Suleiman Abba, on Saturday ordered a crackdown on political thuggery by the police following instances of attacks by some party supporters against their opponents.

Abba ordered Zonal Assistant Inspectors-General of Police and Command Commissioners of Police to investigate all political acts that contravened the law.

Mr Emmanuel Ojukwu, the Force Public Relations Officer, spoke on behalf of Abba at a news conference.

He expressed concern that in spite of warnings, politicians and their supporters still engaged in violent acts to further their political interests.

Abba warned that henceforth anyone caught in such acts would not be spared no matter how highly placed they might be in the society.

“There have been reports of untoward activities in political campaigns and meetings.

“It is particularly worrisome that of recent, thugs and miscreants have been employed by some political parties to disrupt political campaigns of their opponents.

“In some instances, stones and missiles have been hauled at the nation’s highly respected citizens and leaders.

“Abusive and demeaning words, and in some instances, offensive vituperations bordering on the macabre have been hauled at opponents.

“We have received disturbing reports of the pulling down and defacing of campaign posters,’’ Abba said.

He said that such conduct did not speak well of those aspiring to lead the nation.

“Such acts contravene Section 227 of the 1999 Constitution as amended and sections 94 and 94 of the Electoral Act.

“Besides, they grossly negate sections 5 to 8 of the Public Order Act and Article 3 of the Political Parties Code of Conduct agreed to and adopted by all political parties,’’ he said.

Abba said that it was counter-productive on the part of politicians to attempt to kill those they wanted to lead, adding that it was wrong for them to use force.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the police will apply the full weight of the law on any political actor, sponsor, associate or foot-soldier who resorts to hate speech or violence.

“The unity, peace and orderly progress of this nation cannot be mortgaged to suite or oil the ambitions of a few.

“Let it be restated that the law is not a respecter of persons,’’ Abba said.

IG orders crackdown on political thuggery

"Northern Politicians Close to Jonathan Not Doing Enough to Sell His Candidacy"

From Mohammed Aminu in Sokoto

Zonal Coordinator of the Peoples Democratic Party Youth Frontier (PDPYF) North-west, Alhaji Yusuf Dingyadi, on Friday accused some Northern politicians close to President Goodluck Jonathan of lacking the political strategy, media management and genuine commitment to  market him to Nigerians.

PDP

Speaking at a one-day sensitization seminar for the PDP Youth Awareness Volunteers on building party support tagged; “Our PDP, Our Chances and Their Supports for 2015″ in Sokoto, Dingyadi described such politicians as a liability rather than asset to Jonathan.

Dingyadi, who was former Deputy Director of Media and Publicity for Obasanjo/Atiku Campaign Organisation in 2003, noted that ministers and politicians from the North-west who benefited immensely from this government, were not making real efforts to explain to the people why they should vote for Jonathan in 2015.

According to him, such politicians were not conversant with Jonathan’s transformation agenda and commitment towards nation building and as such were not doing enough to make his achievement known to the generality of Nigerians.

“The truth of the matter is that, these politicians lack strategies and moral ground to convince people on the need to vote for Jonathan due to the fact that they abandoned the same people when they need them most.

“In fact, some of them while in power keep the people at arms length, yet they want the same people to treat them with dignity and respect. It is a day of reckoning for them and the people they neglected in the past are watching and ready to teach them a lesson,” Dingyadi said.

Details later

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"Northern Politicians Close to Jonathan Not Doing Enough to Sell His Candidacy"

2015: Change your attitude - Oshiomhole warns Politicians

Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo has urged politicians in the country to change their attitude and work for the good of the country ahead of the 2015 general elections.

Addressing All Progressive Congress, APC, supporters at a rally in Fugar, Etsako Central Local Government of the state on Sunday, Mr. Oshiomhole said that it was imperative for the political class to adopt better attitude in their activities.

“We must change the face of our politics and we must rebuild the future by laying good foundation,” he said.

The governor assured aspirants to various elective positions of a level-playing field during the party primaries, and pleaded that those who would emerge as candidates from the process should be supported by others.

“I am happy to see many posters, but remember that there is only person that would contest in each of the various positions.

“It is turn by turn; at the party’s primaries it is only one person that will emerge and we must please, support whoever emerges,” he said.

He promised that his administration would continue to deploy resources for the development of the state, assuring that that in the remaining years of his administration, the government would provide massive infrastructure.

Earlier, Charlton Mogaji, the Deputy Chairman of the party in the state, said that the rally was to sensitise the people and let them to know aspirants who would be involved in the party’s primaries.

(NAN)

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2015: Change your attitude - Oshiomhole warns Politicians

Oritsejafor insults desperate politicians

The president of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, has placed curses on those he called desperate politicians “who are seeking power by all means”.

Ayo oritsejafor

He was speaking on Sunday at the the 54th independence anniversary interdenominational service held at the National Christian Centre, Abuja, and attended by President Goodluck Jonathan.

The senior pastor of Word of Life Bible Church, Warri, was caught in a controversy recently when his private jet was used to fly $9.3 million to South Africa reportedly to buy arms.

He denied involvement in any deal, saying the aircraft had been leased out to a charter company.

But opposition politician, Malam Nasir el-Rufai, and the All Progressives Congress (APC) said the involvement of his jet was an indictment on the clergyman.

Speaking at the interdenominational service, Oritsejafor said “the punishment of God” would come upon “desperate politicians”, whom he did not name them, warning that if they escape God’s wrath, “their children and grandchildren may not be as lucky”.

He declared: “There is a consequence for the actions we are deliberately taken to trouble this nation. Nigeria is being troubled by Nigerians. Even if outsiders do, insiders are accomplices. Repercussion will come.

“God’s judgments are coming for troublers of Nigeria. If they escape, their children or their children’s children may not. There must be a reward.

“Wives, instead of covering up your husbands’ madness, warn them not to start the madness in order not to bring unnecessary judgment on yourself and children. You will not get away with it. The judgment of God will find those troubling Nigeria.”

He also expressed optimism that the country would not sink despite the challenges currently facing it, saying an unseen divine hand created Nigeria, that Jesus is also in the same boat with Nigerians and the fact that Jesus who heals the sick can also calm any storm.

patience and jonathan

President Jonathan and his wife, Patience, at the service

Oritsejafor said the same God who preserved the nation from a 30-month civil war “is more than capable to save it from the hands of Boko Haram”, adding that all financiers of the sect would be exposed soon.

He blamed corruption for Nigeria’s woes, saying it does not fall from heaven but could be traced to greed which had poverty mentality as its foundation.

This, he said, is why corruption is everywhere both in high and low places.

Meanwhile, Jonathan has again reassured Nigerians that the nation would overcome its challenges, adding that God was aware of the problems and would bring Nigeria out from the woods.

He blamed lack of unity among Nigerians to challenge the perpetrators of terrorism.

He has also called on “highly placed politicians” to struggle for political space “with caution”.

He said: “The only thing is I appeal to all of us Nigerians to be united. If we are united, there is nothing we cannot conquer. Take the case of Ebola and this is a good example that all Nigerians must learn.

“When (Patrick) Sawyer brought Ebola to Nigeria, it was in Lagos that this incidence happened and in terms of politics, Lagos is an opposition party but the central government is the ruling party.

“From Lagos, Ebola moved to Rivers State and this is also an opposition party’s state. But because all Nigerians fought Ebola irrespective of political persuasion, irrespective of religion, or ethnicity, we defeated Ebola.

“We appealed to people to stop shaking hands, and as individuals, Nigerians became very hygienic. It was not just one person, or Mr. President or the Governors, or other officials, yes they did their work, but we defeated Ebola because all Nigerians agreed to fought the war against Ebola. That is the strengthen of unity.

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Oritsejafor insults desperate politicians

Chibok: FG warns politicians against jeopardizing rescue mission

FEDERAL Government, weekend, warned politicians in the country against politicising issue of terrorism to avoid jeopardising joint efforts of Nigerian and foreign allied forces to rescue the missing girls.

The Coordinator of the National Briefing Centre, Mike Omeri gave the warning while briefing newsmen on the update on security matter in Abuja.

He said “Efforts are ongoing by the Nigerian Troops and the Foreign Allied Forces to secure the release of our daughters, sisters and future mothers who were abducted in Chibok.

“I wish to advise all politicians, whether advisory or not to be wary of how they play politics with the issue of terrorism as this could hamper efforts on ground to bring them home.”

He explained that there is a positive correlation between Nigerian and Allied troops, as their roles are entirely complementary.

On the extradition of Aminu Sadiq Ogwuche, one of the mastermind of the April 14 Nyanya bombing, Omeri said the processes would soon be completed and the public will be kept abreast of the matter.

He also said that N25 million has been set aside for anyone who can give useful information on how to capture the remaining suspect of April 14 Nyanya bombing, Abubakar Tsiga.

Omeri also debunked the proposed visit of President Goodluck Jonathan to Chibok and enjoined the public to be wary of carriers of false and misleading information.

According to him, “I woke up this morning with the news of Mr. President’s proposed visit to Chibok. That information is misleading and it is not within the purview of NIC to report presidential matters.

FG

Chibok: FG warns politicians against jeopardizing rescue mission