Super Eagles players training ahead of the second round match with France in Brazil today. INSET: Coach Stephen Keshi with the players.

Vol. 4 N0. 884 Monday, June 30, 2014 N150

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TOLA AKINMUTIMIABUJA

The deadline set for remittance of out-standing Value Add-ed Taxes, VAT, deducted by power sector operators by

the Federal Inland Revenue Service , FIRS, and the Na-tional Electricity Regula-tory Commission, NERC, expires today.

The deadline is part of the collaboration between

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Free inside

FG realises N669bnfrom privatisationRevised standards:SON gives April 2015 deadline to fl our millers

BUSINESSTHE SECTION

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sP.A4,A5

Okonjo-Iweala P.54World Cup disaster: Ghanaian President calls for probe

VAT remittance deadline for power fi rms expires

Newly-launched trains develop faults, disappoint commuters

Air transport workers threaten to strike

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Crisis hits Super Eagles' supporters club

Jonathan fl ays Bauchi attack, mass killing in Kaduna

Terrorists attack churches in Chibok, kill 51

About 250 mem-bers of the Nige-ria Football Sup-porters Club, NFSC, will miss watching the match between Nigeria and France in Brasilia today as they had to leave Bra-zil yesterday for Nigeria

due to paucity of funds.According to some ag-

grieved members, the return ticket for most members of the club was for June 29 and others for July 1, but the leadership did not notify the affected

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Battle of Brasilia: Nigeria, France in do-or-die game

Police alert over plot to cause mayhem in Edo

Activist commends confab for recommending true federalism

OBIORA IFOH, INUSA NDAHI AND ROTIMI FADEYI

No fewer than 51 peo-ple, mostly Chris-tian worshippers, were feared dead in Chibok and Biu communities in Borno State yesterday as suspected Boko Haram in-surgents armed with explo-sives attacked some church-es.

Five churches, including COCIN, EYN and Deeper Life Bible Church in Kwada village, about 10 kilometres from Chibok Local Gov-ernment Area, were razed during that attack, which occurred during Sunday services.

At Chikwarkir village in Biu Local Government Area, a resident Mallam Audu Zira, told our corre-spondent on the phone that some terrorists came in pick- up vehicles and mo-torcycles and opened fire on people, killing one per-son before setting houses, a pick-up van and food stuffs ablaze.

The attackers, accord-ing to report from locals in Chibok, targeted the time that the people were in church for the Sunday wor-ship.

They killed and burned houses after attacking wor-shippers in five churches in Kwada and advanced to Kautikari less than eight kilometres to Chibok town, killing and burning down houses and properties.

As at now, we do not know about the efforts of the security operatives. In fact, even those who fled into the bush are being pursued and killed by the murder-ers, Mallam Amos Bulus told our correspondent.

The attackers went to churches with bombs and guns, Timothy James, a Chibok resident, said.

From what I gathered, dozens of worshippers, in-cluding men, women and children, were killed.

He said that his informa-tion came from people who fled the affected area and through phone calls.

Enoch Mark, an outspo-ken Chibok leader since the April 14 kidnapping, gave a similar account. Presently, as we are talking now, we are under attack. We cannot tell the number of dead bodies. I was told the attackers burnt at least three churches to the

ground.Mark added that the mili-

tary had not responded to distress calls after the attack began.

It was gathered from another source that people had started fleeing Chibok, following the news of the attacks in Kwada and Kauti-kari.

A few weeks ago, there was panic in Chibok fol-lowing a letter purportedly written to the people by the sect members informing them of their plans to attack the local government again.

A police officer, Peter Maina, was called out from church during service in Maiduguri to be informed that his brother was killed at Kwada when the insur-gents attacked the village.

Efforts to reach the spokesman of the Borno State Police Command, Gideon Jibrin, were un-successful as his line was switched off at the time of filling in this report.

Meanwhile, the All Pro-gressives Congress, APC, has said that terrorist at-tacks in Abuja and Bauchi that killed at least 37 people and injured many others have portrayed the action of Boko Haram sect as de-spicable and inhuman in its misguided terror campaign.

In a statement in Lagos yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party repeated its earlier state-ment that nothing could jus-tify the spilling of the blood of innocent citizens. It called on the Federal Government to review its strategy for the fight against terrorism, saying whatever was being done now was definitely not working.

''Whatever strategy being used by this Federal Govern-ment is not yielding enough positive results. Otherwise, these terrorists would not have gone from carrying out their attacks on the out-skirts of a city like Abuja, for example, to exploding a bomb right in the heart of the city as was witnessed in Wuse 2 last week,'' APC said.

The party wondered why Abuja had remained so vulnerable to such attacks, considering the millions of naira reportedly spent on the CCTV project that was supposed to help secure the city.

It said that instead of reaching out across partisan lines as the opposition had

suggested several times, the Federal Government had resorted to chasing shadows while the killing of innocent citizens intensified.

APC also described the treatment meted out to pil-grims travelling to Saudi Arabia for lesser Hajj from the Maiduguri airport as an-other in a series of shadow-

chasing by the government, which would rather misuse national institutions to flex muscles against innocent citizens than tackle the ter-rorists headlong.

The party said forcing the pilgrims to travel by road from Maiduguri to Kano to be airlifted was callous and poorly-thought-out, consid-

ering the dangers they were likely to face on the road.

APC advised the Federal Government to stop wasting public funds on image laun-dering because no good ad-vert could sell a bad product.

Meanwhile, President Goodluck Jonathan has con-demned last Friday's bomb-ing in the Bayan Gari area

of Bauchi State and the re-cent mass killings in South-ern Kaduna.

In a statement yesterday by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, the President also commiserated with the families who lost loved ones in the heinous attacks and

Terrorists attack churches in Chibok, kill 51

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Part of the makeshift bridge at Apete in Ibadan where 10 people were suspected to have drowned, when the bridge collapsed after a downpour, on Saturday. PHOTO: NAN

SEBASTINE EBHUOMHANBENIN

The Nigeria Police Force, Edo State Command, yester-day raised the alarm over plans by some people to unleash violence, destruc-tion and death on citizens of the state following the crisis rocking the State House of Assembly.

A statement signed by the Acting Police Public Relations Officer, Noble Uwoh, and made avail-able to our correspondent

warned those planning mayhem in the state to de-sist or be prepared to face the wrath of the law when caught.

The statement reads in part: It has come to the knowledge of the Edo State Police Command that certain mischievous elements in the state are planning to capitalise on the crisis in the Edo State House of Assembly to car-ry out mayhem and wan-ton destruction of lives and property on Monday, June 30, 2014 (today).

The command wishes to advice members of the Edo State House of As-sembly to abide by the agreement entered into by all the contending parties not to sit separately in the hallowed chambers of the assembly.

The Edo State Police Command is using this medium to warn all poli-ticians, party support-ers, political thugs and miscreants who have no business in the House of Assembly to stay clear from the premises and its

environs as such persons will be arrested and pros-ecuted.

The good people of Edo State are, therefore, encouraged to continue to be law abiding and go about their lawful busi-nesses without fear of any molestation.

There has been a dead-lock at the Assembly for the past two weeks now over the suspension of four of the 24 lawmakers for alleged misconduct, re-sulting to the creation of two lawmaking factions.

A rights activist, Mr Alagoa Mor-ris, has hailed the National Conference for adopting the recommen-dation of its Committee on Politics and Gover-nance for a true federal structure in the country.

Morris, who reacted to the adoption in Yenagoa yesterday, told journal-ists that the recommen-dation of a true federal structure was a welcome development.

He, however, pointed out that the adoption would be an exercise in futility if it precluded fiscal federalism which emphasised resource ownership and payment of tax to the central gov-ernment by the federat-ing units.

If the states are truly going to be the federating units, then let other fea-tures of true federalism be also allowed.

With true federal-

ism, all the states will be entitled to develop their resources and the states will in turn recognise those on whose land and environment the resourc-es are found and exploit-ed, he said.

The activist, who is the immediate past Secretary of the Civil Liberty Or-ganisation in the state, said the recommendation was apt and timely.

He said the country had been held under the

grip of a retrogressive unitary structure under the guise of federalism.

Morris expressed the hope that a true federal structure would also ex-punge all the vestiges of a unitary system, includ-ing the Land Use Act and the Petroleum Act.

Let us do away with the present unitary sys-tem and go for true fed-eralism with all the rami-fications that count, he said.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net2 Monday, June 30, 2014News

3Monday, June 30, 2014National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net4 Monday June 30, 2014Photo News

Olusegun KOiKi

More facts have emerged as to why President Goodluck Jonathan is yet to forward the name of Capt. Muktar Usman as the substantive Director-Gen-eral of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, to the Senate for confirma-tion.

Usman was announced as a replacement for Capt. Fola Akinkuotu in March 2014, following the sweep-ing off of three other chief executive directors in the agencies by the Presidency.

A source, who does not want his name mentioned, told our correspondent that the torrents of petitions against Usman since the announcement was made was one of the major rea-sons Jonathan was dilly-dallying in forwarding his name for confirmation.

Also, the source told our correspondent that most of the petitioners were Us-

tain in Chanchangi Air-lines after the liquidation of the carrier.

When contacted on phone to comment on the delay in confirming his appointment, Usman said that there was a process for appointing the Director-General of NCAA, and that the Civil Aviation Act was very clear on this.

He insisted that the pro-cess was ongoing, main-taining that government was doing what it was sup-posed to do on the matter.

He, however, feigned ignorance on the petition written against him by his former colleagues in the de-funct Nigeria Airways.

He replied, I am not aware of any petition.

Meanwhile, the Aviation Network International, ANI, has castigated the leading union in the Nige-rian aviation industry, Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Ni-geria, ATSSSAN, over its threat to disrupt activities in the sector if a substan-

mans colleagues in the defunct Nigeria Airways, where he spent 18 years as a supernumerary pilot.

Besides, the petitioners queried his competence as a Director-General of NCAA, saying that for him to have spent 18 years as a supernumerary without being in command of an aircraft called to question his capacity to manage a highly rated agency like the NCAA.

The source further in-formed our correspondent that the Ondo State gover-nor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, might have used his close-ness to the Presidency to finally scuttle the approval of Usman as he expressed displeasure with the re-moval of the former DG NCAA, Akinkuotu, by the presidency.

Akinkuotu is an indi-gene of Ondo State and only spent five months as the DG of the regulatory agency out of the expected five years approved tenure.

Jonathan was said

tive Director-General was not confirmed for NCAA, within 21 days.

The President of ANI, Mr. Thompson Obafemi speaking in Lagos over the weekend said such threat by ATSSSAN was not in the interest of the aviation industry in particular and the nation in general.

Rather than threaten the government, ANI chal-lenged the union to contrib-ute meaningfully to the de-velopment of the industry.

Obafemi insisted that the role of the unions in a civil society was not to usurp the responsibility of any elected leaders, by unfairly twisting govern-ments arms to dictate im-plementation of policies or functions, stressing that ev-ery President in a civilised world, has the prerogative of when to nominate and submit the name of any nominee to the legislatures for confirmation.

He declared that even the legislature has the right to delay, deny or approve

to have responded that he approved the sack of Akinkuotu, three other CEOs and the redeploy-ment of the Commissioner of Accident Investigation Bureau, AIB, Usman to NCAA following the recom-mendations from the Avia-tion ministry.

There are indications that the president may eventually be pressurised to drop him as an appoin-tee.

The source said, There are several petitions against Usman even from his own colleagues in the former national carrier, Ni-geria Airways who feel that he doesnt have the capacity to oversee such a demand-ing agency in the Nigerian aviation industry. Even loyalists of Akinkuotu are asking questions about his removal.

From all indications, he might not eventually be named as the substantive DG of NCAA, but lets wait and see.

Usman became a Cap-

confirmation of relevant executive officers, warning that the unions had no busi-ness in such processes.

Obafemi insisted that no vacuum had been created by having an acting Direc-tor-General in the agency, maintaining that the cur-rent acting Director-Gener-al, was a consummate and accomplished professional, with vast multi-jurisdic-tional international experi-ence of the industry.

Obafemi explained that the assertion that several legal and vital documents and activities were being performed that might be-come issues of contention and litigations in future, was a disingenuous and untrue statement, stress-ing that if the union was the protector of the Act, how come they stood silent when Akinkuotus tenure was cut short for no just cause.

Obafemi further noted the need to address impor-tant issues like merger in the industry.

Why NCAA is yet to get new DG

L-R: Managing Director, Asset and Resource Management Company Ltd, Mrs Chioma Okigbo; Chief Executive Officer Mr Deji AIIi and Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Mr Sadiq Mohammed during a Customers Forum in Abuja, at the weekend. PHOTO: ROTIMI OSASONA

L-R: The Chairman, Childville Schools, Sir Kehinde Smith; Guest Preacher, Bishop Okwudili Ossai; a parent and principal, Mr. Warren Townsend; Proprietress, Mrs. Olugbeminiyi Smith and the Guest Speaker, Dr. Ayo Teriba, at the 2014 graduation of the school in Lagos, yesterday.

L-R; Chairman, Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc, Mallam Suleiman Yahyah; Managing Director, Mr Kayode Oluwasegun-Ojo and Vice Chairman Mr Denis Hasdenteufel, during the 33rd Annual General Meeting of the Company in Abuja at the weekend. PHOTO: ROTIMI OSASONA

L-R: C.E.O, Quantum Business School, Port Harcourt, Mr. Victor Itanyo; MTN Eastern Operation Champion, Mr. Obinna Nweje; C.E.O Swanu Creation, Mrs. Chinwe Eudora, and,M.D, Jumia Nigeria, Dr. Jonathan Doerr, at the MTN Link Forum, Port Harcourt, at the weekend.

National News

National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net 5Monday, June 30, 2014 News

the organisations to ensure prompt remittance of taxes by power sector operators in the wake of the take off of the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry, NESI.

At a joint workshop for stakeholders in the power

sector last week, both in-stitutions had agreed that while discussions were on-going between stakeholders, the outstanding VAT deduct-ed by the operators should be remitted to the Service not later than today.

A statement by the Head,

Communications and Li-aison Department of the FIRS, Wahab Gbadamosi, indicated that part of the ongoing discussions were that capital items would be defined according to the standards of the Interna-tional Financial Reporting

Standards, IFRS.Similarly, it was also

agreed that gas purchases would need to be treated under some form of special dispensation such as input VAT suffered by power Gen-erating Companies (GEN-COs) would be considered

under this dispensation.The Coordinating Min-

ister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, told participants at the work-shop that VAT provided an instant opportunity to mea-sure progress for the ongo-ing transformation in the power sector.

Represented by the Per-manent Secretary in the Ministry, Mrs. Anastasia Daniel-Nwaobia, the min-ister noted that the work-shop would ensure there is a synergy between the two sectors in a manner that enables FIRS plug into existing platforms in the in-dustry with a view to build or deploying effecting tech-nology base system that will enhance tax compliance and overall transactional ef-ficiency in the sector.

The Acting Executive Chairman of FIRS, Alhaji Kabir Mashi, remarked that the collaborative efforts were part of the anebcys resolve to focus more on the need to grow non-oil rev-enue in order to meet the developmental needs of the country.

He disclosed that the FIRS had earlier embarked on a similar initiatives in the aviation industry, bank-ing sector, government`s ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs); the

states through the Joint Tax Board ,JTB, and in the lo-cal governments.

Mashi said there were ongoing arrangements with the Office of the Accoun-tant General of the Federa-tion through the GIFMIS platform and E-Tax Pay to source-deduct VAT from MDAs and remit to the ap-propriate account.

The Ag. FIRS Chairman spoke about FIRS latest IT collection platforms (the VAT Collect, the E-Tax Pay, and the Tax Calculator and so on) and drew on specif-ics in the VAT Code with respect to the power and en-ergy sector, adding that "on the other hand, we want to get a good grasp of your pro-cess flows, your billing sys-tem, the handling of your payments among others".

Prof. Chidi Onyia, the Chief of Staff, to the Minis-ter of Power, Professor Chin-edu Nebo, who represented the Minister as well as the Chairman of NERC, Mr. Patrick Umeh, assured that the ministry was committed to ensuring transparency in the entire process.

They also pledge to sup-port the FIRS in ensuring payment of appropriate taxes in order to impart on the nations Internally Generated Revenue, IGR, to lessen governments over dependence on oil revenue.

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Terrorists attack churches in Chibok, kill 51

Crisis hits Super Eagles' supporters club

Lawmaker canvasses improved welfare for police

VAT remittance deadline for power firms expires

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

L-R: Head, Retail Financial Services, Diamond Bank, Mrs. Aisha Ahmad; Deputy Managing Director, Mr. Uzoma Dozie and Head, Cor-porate Communication, Ms. Ayona Trimnel, during the DiamondXtra Season draw in Lagos, at the weekend. PHOTO:ADEMOLA AKINLABI

extended his heartfelt sym-pathies to those who suf-fered injuries or lost their properties during the wan-ton assaults on Bauchi and Kaduna states.

Jonathan reassured the people that the Federal Gov-ernment would continue to take all necessary action to apprehend the perpetrators of the dastardly attacks and restore the fullest possible security to all parts of the country. The President di-rected relevant agencies to

continue to speedily make emergency medical and re-lief assistance available to those who were injured or displaced by recent bomb-ings and attacks.

He urged Nigerians to give maximum support and cooperation to the armed forces and security agen-cies working to end the menace of insecurity in the country within the shortest possible time.

The Bauchi incident oc-curred on the day Jonathan was at Emab Plaza, Wuse

II in Abuja to assess the extent of damage after a bomb attack at the plaza in which 24 people were con-firmed dead while others were injured.

Jonathan had to cut short his trip to the 23rd Ordinary Session of the Af-rican Union Heads of State and Government in Ma-labo, Equatorial Guinea, following the Abuja bomb attack.

The President, who also visited Maitama District Hospital where some of

the victims were receiving treatment, vowed that the perpetrators of the crime would be brought to justice.

Jonathan described the bomb attack and terror-ism as one of the darkest phases in the history of the country, stressing that the nation would surely overcome the security chal-lenge.

He pleaded with Nigeri-ans to bear with the secu-rity operatives in their ef-forts to ensure the safety of lives and property.

A Lagos lawmaker, Mr Sanai Agun-biade, yesterday canvassed better welfare package for the police to enable them to discharge their duty effectively.

Agunbiade, the Chair-man, Committee on Hu-man Rights and Public Pe-titions at the State House of Assembly, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) improved welfare package would raise their performance.

Whatever that can be done to improve the wel-fare of the policemen is welcome.

A man that is keeping vigil to protect the people should be encouraged in such a way that he would not see himself as a ser-vant to whom he is pro-tecting, '' he said.

He urged authorities at all levels to take a cue

from the special fund es-tablished by the state gov-ernment in assisting the police to discharge their duties.

Lagos State Govern-ment has tried to assist the police in fighting crimes with the estab-lishment of the Security Trust Fund contributed by stakeholders to equip the police," the lawmaker said

Agunbiade (APC-Ikoro-du I) lauded the Federal Government for renovat-ing the Police College, Ikeja, and urged the gov-ernment to ensure that its package for policemen particularly the rank and file got to them.

The lawmaker also called for adequate train-ing and retraining for the police in a bid to tackle the security challenges facing the country.

until Saturday, even as their flight was billed for 12:40am yesterday.

Only 100 members of the club left Sao Paulo yesterday for Brasilia, about 16 hours drive by road.

A member, who gave her name as Uju, said: We have enough funds. Most of us paid N300, 000. I paid N300, 000 as money charged. I spent N80, 000 as visa fee, but I was left in Nigeria and had to spend another N350, 000 to get to Brazil.

"President Goodluck Jonathan gave the club N50m and our major sponsors - Globacom, Guinness and even Alhaji Aliko Dangote.

Another member of the club, who gave his name simply as Oba, said: I paid N300, 000, but since I got to Brazil I have been feeding myself.

I have also spent my pocket money for all the trips on the road to Cu-ritiba, Cuiaba, Porto Alegre and back to Sao Paolo. How can the lead-ers arrange that we are

leaving after the group stage? Were they pessi-mistic about the Super Eagles performance?

Another member, who also gave her name simply as Titilayo, said: Even though they had made such arrangements, now that the Super Eagles are in the Round of 16, the leaders are supposed to reschedule our flights by extending it. When we get home, the Pres-ident-General and the national chairman must explain to us what they did with our money.

A member from the Lagos State chapter of the club, however, not-ed that the crisis had resulted from what he called internal crisis in the club.

He alleged that a fac-tion of the club had hoarded funds donated by some multi-national organisations.

But the President-Gen-eral of the club, Dr. Rafiu Ladipo, who admitted the crisis, said: Some mem-bers have to go for some of us to still stay to sup-port the Super Eagles.

MARCUS FATUNMOLEABUJA

The Association of Medical Labora-tory Scientists of Nigeria, AMLSN, has condemned doctors in the country for their op-position to a recent circu-lar issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, au-thorising it to regulate the importation of In-Vitro Diagnostics, IVDs, into Nigeria.

The group stated this at a briefing in Abuja at the weekend, through its

President, Dr. Godswill Okara.

The CBN had recently issued a circular demand-ing that the laboratory scientists take up the re-sponsibility of regulat-ing the importation of IVDs, which hitherto had been done by the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Con-trol, NAFDAC, and the Standards Organisation of Nigeria, SON.

But doctors, under the aegis of the Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, had kicked against

the CBNs directive, urg-ing the apex bank to with-draw the circular.

The NMA, through its president, Kayode Obem-be, threatened that doc-tors across the country would down tools, if the CBN refused to withdraw the circular.

The planned strike might begin tomorrow, as the doctors two-week ulti-matum on the matter and other demands from gov-ernment, ends today.

IVDs comprise diag-nostic apparatus, namely reagent product, reagent,

chemical calibrator, con-trolled material, kit, instrument, apparatus equipment or system, whether used alone or in combination, intended by the manufacturer to be used in-vitro for the ex-amination of specimens, including blood and tissue donations derived from the human body, solely or principally for the pur-pose of providing infor-mation for diagnoses and treatment.

It is on record that close to 50 per cent of public health in-vitro di-

ISE-OLUWA IGEABUJA

The Court of Appeal, sitting in Makurdi, Benue State, has ruled that the Independent Corrupt Practices and Oth-er Related Offences Com-mission, ICPC, has powers to investigate and prosecute cases without receiving pe-titions.

The verdict had contra-dicted the position of the anti-graft agency in the past that, unlike the EFCC, it could only investigate and prosecute only contents of petitions filed before it.

Past Chairmen of ICPC, including former Supreme Court judge, Emmanuel Ayoola, had touted this po-

sition severally in the past.But the ICPC, in the

recent past, has departed from the position.

A good instance is what it did in the instant case decided by the Court of Ap-peal.

The ICPC had ap-proached the Court of Ap-peal, Makurdi Division, on June 21, 2011, asking the court to set aside the rul-ing of Nasarawa State High Court, discharging and ac-quitting the Chairman of Toto local government and Director of Finance of the council, of corrupt prac-tices.

Justice I. A. Ramalan, now a retired judge of the State High Court, Lafia, Nasarawa State had, in his

ruling on May 20, 2008, dis-charged and acquitted the two accused on 11-count charge of conspiracy to inflate prices of stationer-ies and furnishing of false information, all contrary to sections 26(1); 22[3]; 19; and 16 of the ICPC Act.

Counsel to ICPC, Enosa Omoghibo, in an applica-tion on June 13, 2011, asked the Court of Appeal to set aside the judgement of the state high court.

The panel of justices of the Court of Appeal, Makurdi Division, in a well considered judgement last Friday, ruled in favour of ICPC on all issues submit-ted for determination.

One of the issues was whether the learned

judge did not err in law when he held that since in-flation of items supplied to the local government was not part of the allegations contained in the petition, investigating and prosecut-ing the accused was an abuse of the commissions power.

The presiding judge, Obande F. Ogbuinya of the Court of Appeal, in his judgement, citing sections 6(a) and 27(3) of ICPC Act, said: The court noted that a petition is just a guide, and it is not ultra vires, the powers of the com-mission to investigate and prosecute offences outside a petition or initiate inves-tigations and prosecutions without a petition.

ICPC can prosecute without petitions, says appeal court

Lab scientists slam doctors position on IVD importation

L-R: National Coordinator, Goodluck Initiative for Transformation 2015, Mr. Chinedu Okpalanma; National Coordinator, Women for Goodluck 2015, Hajia Fatima Adams and Director of Finance, GIFT 2015, Mr Haruna Madisca, at a press conference on the re-election bid of the president in Abuja, at the weekend. PHOTO:ROTIMI OSASONA

agnostics, reagent test kits, chemical and equipment in the Nigerian today are sub-standard, fake, expired or poorly stored and distrib-uted.

It was in order to stem this ugly trend that the Medical Laboratory Sci-ence Council of Nigeria, in

keeping with her statutory mandate and the Transfor-mation Agenda of Mr. Pres-ident. decided to set up the ultra-modern Public Health In-vitro Diagnostic Control Laboratory in Nigeria, the first of such a specialised laboratory in Africa, the association said.

A group, JOPAM Foundation for the Physically Chal-lenged, yesterday said that the physically challenged in the country should be given free education at all levels.

Its president, Mr. Joshua Ebubedike, stated this to the News Agency of Nige-ria, NAN, in Lagos.

Ebubedike said that al-though primary and sec-ondary education was free in some states, it should be extended to the tertiary level.

The state and federal governments should look into the challenges of edu-cating the physically-chal-lenged persons at the ter-tiary level.

An average parent with a physically-challenged person cannot afford the

fees of sending him or her to school because of the unfriendly environment of mobility and unique needs, he said.

Ebubedike, who is also physically-challenged, said he was able to acquire a degree in engineering at the university because his parents could afford send-ing a driver to move him around.

He noted that due to the economic situation in the country, an average parent cannot afford a pri-vate car to take their chil-dren to the lecture halls or provide special brails for blind persons.

It takes so much to manage a physically-challenged person from the cradle, because we are handicapped and cannot exist without assistance.

The Nigerian Avia-tion Handling Company, NAHCO, yesterday said it handled 31,122 aviation ground ser-vices in 2013.

Its Head of Corporate Communications, Basil Agboarumi, made this known in a statement in Lagos.

Agboarumi said that the company recorded an increase of 988 ground handling services in 2013, as against 30,134 flights re-corded in 2012.

He attributed the in-crease to the companys mandate to expand and improve services to its cli-ents.

The NAHCO spokes-man explained that the volume of passenger flights handled by the firm stood at 27,226 in 2013, while it handled 1,532,149 outbound and 1,455,042 in-

bound passengers during the same period.

Agboarumi said the company handled about 70 per cent of the domes-tic and foreign airlines operating in Nigeria, add-ing that it also recorded major breakthrough as it handled 3,600 cargo flights in 2013.

He said that the compa-ny served about 40 of the 45 international flights that arrived daily into the country.

He added that, in 2013, the company handled 16,526 passenger flights in both local and interna-tional wings of the Mur-tala Muhammed Airport in Lagos.

According to him, NAHCO recorded 4,412 in Abuja; 817 in Kano; 3,389 in Port Harcourt; 479 in Kaduna; 1,525 in Uyo, and 78 in Enugu.

NAHCO handled 31,122 ground services in 2013

NMA may begin strike tomorrow

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.netMonday June 30, 2014 6 News6

Group seeks free education for the physically challenged

Visa regime puts Nigeria ahead of US, Europe

Air transport workers threaten to strike over welfare

In less than three weeks, not less than 140 foreign missions of Nigeria would have begun a digi-tal visa processing regime that will make her the first country in Africa to com-pletely digitalise its visa acquisition procedure.

The new Visa regime, known as Nigeria Intelli-gent Visa Administration, NIVA, would put Nigeria ahead of the United States and the Schengen states of Europe, as the new e-visa vignette, which is at the heart of the whole concept, though similar in appear-ance to those used in those countries, is rated higher in terms of installed secu-rity features.

Further information from the Interior Ministry, under which the project was birthed and nurtured, also revealed that the new

visa administration would significantly increase the number of genuine visi-tors, especially business people that are granted en-try permit into the country per year from the current estimate of over 400,000 per year. This is in view of the renewed interest by foreign investors in the country since Nigerias economy was rebased as the largest in Africa.

It has also been designed as a tool to prevent, track and clampdown on for-eigners who come into the country with unscrupu-lous motive masked in pho-ny investment portfolio.

The new visa vignette is fitted with security features that carry the biometric data and other information of applicants that could unveil every available information

about them prior to being granted entry permit into the country, Nigerias Minister of Interior, Abba Moro, said when he vis-ited the service provider in Abuja recently.

In cases where the per-son is granted a visa into the Nigeria, he said, the NIVA visa would also help the respective authority keep surveillance on them, e s p e c i a l l y where there is suspicion that such a person may be engaging in activities that compro-mise secu-rity of the country.

The visa vignette to be used in the new re-

gime is fitted with high profile tamper proof fea-tures. It is being produced for Nigeria by a security printing firm owned by the government of Aus-tria, Austria State Print-ing House, OSD (Oster-reicuiche Staatddruckerei GMBH).

It was gathered that Ni-gerias minister of Interi-or earlier made a personal

visit to Austria to vet the quality of the production, alongside other technical staff of the ministry and gave it the nod.

Meanwhile, a NIVA air-port system has also been designed to automate the entire visa issuing process and passenger clearance of Nigeria Immigration Service.

To drive Visa on Arriv-

al programme, NIVA has also put in place a sophis-ticated state-of-the-art visa on arrival lounge at our international airport.

The lounge consists of an innovative automated, secure and networked im-migration visa on arrival processing desk, electron-ic passage control, and event monitoring facili-ties.

The Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, ATSSSAN, yesterday threatened to call out its members on an industrial action, should the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, fail to meet its de-mands.

The National Presi-dent of ATSSSAN, Ben-

jamin Okewu, issued the threat in a statement in Lagos, a copy of which was obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN.

Okewu said the union had demanded that all pending issues on work-ers welfare before the NCAA management should be resolved before July 5.

It was gathered that

so many outstanding employees files on wel-fare matters, allowances, travel claims, have been piling up on the desk of the Director-General of the authority, Engr. Bene-dict Adeyileka, and unat-tended to since the last 10 to 12 months, he said.

He expressed the unions displeasure with the way the aviation

agencies were handling the 2014 staff training.

The ATSSSAN boss also demanded that the union should be fur-nished with the staff training proposals by all agencies in the aviation sector.

The agencies are NCAA, Nigerian Air-space Management Agency, NAMA, Federal

Airport s Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, Accident Investigation Bureau, AIB, and the Nigeria Col-lege of Aviation Technol-ogy.

Okewu argued that human capacity develop-ment in the sector could not be ignored due to the expanding investment prospects and safety chal-lenges in the industry

worldwide.He, however, called for

the full implementation of the approved condi-tions of service for work-ers in the industry.

He said the union would move its national secretariat temporarily to the NCAA headquar-ters until the issues of staff welfare were re-solved.

AZA MSUEKADUNA

A political group under the auspices of PDP Southern Kaduna Winning All, SOK-WINA, at the weekend called for an urgent end to wanton killings in the southern part of Kaduna State.

A statement signed by the forum Chairman and Secretary, Hussaini Dembo and Yohanna Allahmagani, respectively, said the continued at-tacks in southern Kaduna were clear testimony that the perpetra-tors were enemies of the state that do not want peace to prevail in the zone and the state, despite the last peace pact signed by warring par-ties early this year.

The statement also signed by the forums Publicity Secretary, Mor-decai Sunday Ibrahim, advised in-dividuals to be security conscious and should not to relent in prayers for God to expose these attackers and their sponsors.

The statement read in part: The leadership and the entire mem-bership of PDP Southern Kaduna Winning All forum wishes to con-

demn in the strongest terms the recent attacks in some villages of Sanga Local Government Area of Southern Kaduna zone of Ka-duna State which resulted in the death and injury of many citizens especially, women and children and the destruction of properties worth millions of Naira.

As if the attack of June 24 was not enough, while the Kaduna State government under the lead-ership of Governor Mukhtar Ra-malan Yero is doing its very best to bring the situation under con-trol by sending soldiers and po-lice to secure the area, and work towards restoring lasting peace and prevent future reoccurrence, fresh attacks were launched on the two villages of Paa and Am-ber.

It is important to state here that we strongly believe that those perpetuating these dastardly acts are clear enemies of Kaduna State who do not want the citi-zens of the state to benefit from the dividends of democracy, as no meaningful development can take place in an atmosphere of crises.

PDP forum seeks end to killings in Kaduna

National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net Monday June 30, 2014 National News 7News

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net8 Monday, June 30, 2014

Boladale BamigBolaOSOGBO

Governor Rauf Aregbesola has promised to pay N2bn as compensation to owners who lost prop-erties to the urban re-newal project in Osogbo, the Osun State capital, before the end of the year.

The affected landlords and tenants were those who lost properties along the popular MDS corridor, Fakunle-Olaiya axis, Old-Garage-Igbona-Ayetoro, Ogbaagbaa,-Okefia-Rasco,

Ajegunle-Moshalashi Gaji to Orita Baba Onisekere, as well as Railway Line axis in Osogbo.

While commending the peaceful manner with which the affected people conducted themselves, while the separation exer-cise lasted, the governor said that the pains and hardship the urban re-newal project had brought to the people was felt by his administration.

According him, the de-velopmental efforts of the government, especially the urban renewal, was not an attempt to cripple peoples businesses or in-

flict pains on their means of livelihood, but to fur-ther open the state to the international world for desirable investment.

As at today, the admin-istration has paid about N812m as compensation to some of the affected people. I have also ap-proved a sum of N2bn as additional funds to those whose properties were af-fected.

We promise that be-fore the end of the year all affected people would have been duly compen-sated, Aregbesola said.

Speaking earlier, the Commissioner for Lands

Physical Planning and Urban Development, Mr. Muyiwa Ige, disclosed that various sums of money had been paid to petty traders whose shops were affected, adding that about 1,500 shops had al-ready be allocated to own-ers of properties along the MDS corridors.

In his remarks, the rep-resentative of the prop-erty owners, Mr. Moshood Oladejo, appealed to the government to fulfil its promise to the affected people, and reaffirmed their support for the gov-ernment and the re-elec-tion bid of the governor.

L-R: Businessman, Chief Adekunle Ojora; brother to the late Arisekola-Alao, Alhaji Abu Alao; Chief (Mrs) Ojuolape Ojora and Minister of State for FCT, Jumoke Akinjide, during a condolence visit to Arisekola-Alaos family in Ibadan, at the weekend. PHOTO:NAN

BaBalola Yusuf

Less than two weeks after the Nigerian Railway Corporation, NRC, launched two inter-city air-conditioned trains for use in Lagos, they have started developing faults, National Mirror can au-thoritatively report.

The trains, also referred as Diesel Multiple Engine, DME, have started disap-pointing passengers as they frequently develop faults while transporting passen-gers to and from their des-tinations.

The DME, launched by Vice President Namadi Sambo on the June 9, dis-appointed passengers last Thursday evening and Fri-day morning, as they devel-oped technical faults and were unable to move.

A commuter, Kamard-

een Agbaje, who spoke to our correspondent, said the DME developed fault at Ito-ki, a suburb in Ogun State, on Thursday while going to drop passengers at the Ijoko terminus in Ogun State.

He said: On Thursday evening, while coming back from office, the DME devel-oped fault, and it took many hours before we could get to our destination.

Also, on Friday, the DME could not leave Kajola in Ogun State for Lagos, as the spirited effort to make it work by engineers was futile, forcing commuters to join the locomotive.

Another commuter, Ti-nuke Olawunmi, who spoke with our correspondent with annoyance, said the corporation had wasted her time as she had an appoint-ment to meet, but could not anymore due to the break-down of the train set.

She said: This new train

set that was launched was convenient, no doubt, but it is too early to start de-veloping faults, because I dont think there is any explanation for a machine that is not up to two weeks it started operation to start developing fault.

She, however, said the fault might be due to lack of routine maintenance as prescribed by the manufac-turers, or the railway man-agement procuring fairly-used engines for Nigerian to use.

Meanwhile, commut-ers have been casting as-persions on the newly launched train sets, with many calling second-hand, purchased from China.

They called on the Fed-eral Government to probe the management of the cor-poration.

However, efforts to speak with the management of the corporation proved

Newly-launched trains develop fault, disappoint commuters

Urban devt: Osun to pay N2bn compensation to victims

abortive as an SMS sent to the Public Relations Officer, PRO, Lagos District of NRC, Ademuyiwa Adekanbi, was not replied.

It would be recalled that the Federal Government only recently launched the two engines, at an elaborate ceremony where the Vice President Namadi Sambo, the Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Adejoke-Ade-fulure, and members of the National Assembly commis-sioned them, amid fanfare.

Speaking during the commissioning, President Goodluck Jonathan, who was represented by Sambo, pledged to bring the country rail sector at par with the modern railways available in other countries of the world.

He also disclosed his ad-ministrations readiness to bring in more engines and air conditioned coaches for use by Nigerians.

aBiodun nejoADO EKITI

The Rector of Fed-eral Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti, Dr. Taiwo Akande, has lamented that the protracted strike embarked upon by staff unions in polytechnics and colleges of education across the country has caused incalculable dam-age.

Akande said the indus-trial action had put most of the institution on the brink of losing a whole aca-demic session which, she observed, was very tragic.

The rector told journal-ists in Ado-Ekiti that it was important for polytechnics to be accorded their right-ful place in the education sector as done in United Kingdom and other coun-tries of the world.

According to her, this is because polytechnic graduates, apart from be-ing trained to have theo-

retical knowledge, are also groomed to have hands-on-skill and technical knowl-edge in their chosen disci-plines.

Akande appealed to the staff unions in the poly-technics and colleges of education sector presently at loggerheads with the government to sheath their sword and come to a round-table discussion.

This, she said, was to en-sure resolution of the crisis that has led to the over one year strike in the nations polytechnic system.

She was, however, opti-mistic that in the next five years, the Federal Polytech-nic, Ado-Ekiti would have become a major player in the nations education sec-tor.

The rector expressed assurance that the institu-tion would by then be col-laborating for outstanding research with some univer-sities, not only in Nigeria, but also across the globe.

Rector rues loss from poly, college workers strike

Kemi olaitanIBADAN

Following the loss of lives at Apete make-shift pedestrian bridge on Saturday, angry youths, yesterday, attacked and vandalised the work station of the contractor handling construction of the Ijokodo-Apete road and the bridge linking the com-munities, destroying equip-ment and property at the station.

It would be recalled that another flood incident was recorded in Ibadan on Sat-urday, culminating in the loss of about 10 persons at Apete area due to the sud-den collapse of make-shift bridge, which the people in the area had been using since the collapse of the main bridge in the August 26, 2011 incident, which claimed five people, in-cluding three children of a woman said to be under spiritual refuge at a church located at the Olodo river boundary.

National Mirror learnt that the angry youths in the area stormed the con-tractors station yesterday, destroying caterpillars, of-fice equipment and other property belonging to the company.

While the angry youths broke into the work sta-tion and offices within, hundreds of residents in the area were also seen at the Apete end of the river bank waiting for rescue operation to commence, while some of them were throwing stones and other objects at a combine team

of security forces who stood ground at the Ijokodo end of the road to maintain order.

One of the companys securitymen, Bassey Etum, said he had to run for his dear life alongside five other colleagues when the irate youths earlier came on Saturday night.

Another eyewitness, Tunde Emiola, said the youths were angered by the slow pace of the con-struction company and in-creasing number of deaths because of the dilapidated state of the bridge.

He added that the riv-er was formed by many other rivers like Ogun river, Eleyele river and so on, and that the collapsed bridge was the only link between Ijokodo commu-nity and Apete, Ajibode, Arula, Awotan, Olomo and other communities in the area.

Emiola added that the original bridge was swept away by a heavy rain four years ago, and that efforts to replace it by the Oyo State Government were still ongoing.

A policeman at the scene of the disaster said the youths were hostile towards them, wondering why the people had to take laws into their own hands.

A resident of Olodo area, Fatai Osuolale, said a white garment church and some buildings built few metres away from the river bank were submerged, result-ing in the loss of property, while five people, including three children were carried away by the flood.

Youths attack company over Ibadan flood

South West

Kemi OlaitanIBADAN

The National Industri-al Court, NIC, sitting in Abuja, has ordered Federal Ministry of Health, Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity and the At-torney General of the Fed-eration to maintain the sta-tus quo in the crisis between the Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria, MDCAN, and the Joint Health Sector Unions, JOHESU.

The government, or its agents, were also ordered by the court not to implement any agreements reached with any of the unions in the health sector, until the case before the court is dis-pensed with.

It also ordered that no party in the case before it, MDCAN or JOHESU, shall embark on any strike until the motion, or notice, which is already filed in the court is heard and determined.

This was part of the deci-sion of the NIC in suit no: NICN/ABJ/177/2014 filed

by the Medical and Dental Consultant Association of Nigeria as claimants while the Federal Ministry of Health, Ministry of Labour and Productivity and Attor-ney General of the federa-tion were defendants.

It will be recalled that the Federal Government had reportedly granted conces-sions to JOHESU and As-sembly of Healthcare Pro-fessional Association that include approval of consul-tancy positions for support staff, abolition of Deputy Chairman, Medical Adviso-ry Committee position and appointment of support staff as directors.

But MDCAN while kick-ing against the concessions maintained that politics should not be allowed to de-stroy the health sector fur-ther, accusing JOHESU of pursuing strictly monetary rewards for its members through their appointment as directors and consultants and creation of autonomous departments rather than ac-tual practice of medicine.

A copy of the NIC judg-ment which was given to

Medical workers vs FG: NIC orders stay of action

abiOdun nejOADO EKITI

Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, chief-tain and former National Assembly mem-ber, Senator Ayo Arise, has said the decision of the All Progressives Con-gress, APC, to go to court over the June 21 Ekiti State governorship elec-tion was borne out of its inability to rig the poll.

This is even as the PDP is accusing the APC of plot-ting to conspire with some Independent National Elec-toral Commission, INEC, officials to manipulate bal-lot papers

and other materials used during the election, at the election tribunal.

Arise said the step to approach the court, borne out of the frustration and bitterness of APC, would amount to effort in futility, as its rejection was shown at the poll in a transparent manner.

The former lawmaker told journalists on phone: The defeat was so resound-ing and the result was counted and announced in the presence of all parties.

The reason APC mem-bers are bitter is that they were not allowed to rig. Some of their members were apprehended with huge sums of money with

which they intended to buy votes, he indicted.

Explaining that the APC was the architect of its own misfortune as people no lon-ger liked to be oppressed by anyone, Arise said: There is a new dawn in the South West and PDP is taking over.

Meanwhile, the PDP has alleged plan by the APC to conspire with some INEC officials to manipulate bal-lot papers and other mate-rials used during the June 21 governorship election, at the Tribunal.

According to the State PDP Publicity Secretary, Pastor Kola Oluwawole, in a statement in Ado-Ekiti yesterday, the APC is not

new to what is known as ibo lehin ibo (voting after voting), hence our decision to alert the public.

The PDP alleged that some unscrupulous INEC officials were already being approached with millions of naira to carry out the plan of voiding PDP votes, after which the APC would demand ballot recount at the Tribunal.

Consequently, the party called on the INEC Chair-man, Prof Attahiru Jega, to see to the safe-keep of the materials used during the June 21 governorship election in Ekiti State, espe-cially the ballot papers and voters registers on which accreditations were done.

Ekiti: Why APC is going to court Arise

L-R: Circuit Steward (1) Wesley Cathedral, Olowogbowo Circuit, Lagos, Chief Olaseinde Williams, presenting an award to the representative of the National President, Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, NIPR, Dr. Grace Achum and Mr. Nelson George, at the 23rd Anniversary celebration of the Light Bearers of the cathedral in Lagos, recently.

journalists in Ibadan yes-terday by the President of MDCAN, Dr Olusegun Olu-wole, rejected the prayer of MDCAN to grant an order of interim injunction to re-strain the defendants from carrying out or giving effect to the decisions, resolutions and agreements that were reached at a meeting that was held in Abuja between JOHESU and Assembly of HealthCare Professionals Associations, AHPA, and the Secretary to the Gov-ernment of the Federation, among others.

The court which was presided over by Justice M.N. Esowe, also resolved to put all parties on notice and served court processes on all parties rather than hearing the case exparte as requested by MDCAN.

The judge, while adjourn-ing the case for hearing and determination of the motion on notice, further ordered that no parties shall proceed to any act in furtherance of any agree-ment reached by the parties, which arguments form the kernel or subject matter of

Francis suberu

Lagos State Govern-ment, at the week-end, shut down five companies, an oil bun-kering hideout and sev-eral shops in the Lagos metropolis, over environ-mental degradation.

Officials of the Zero Tol-erance Department of the Lagos State Ministry of the Environment, escorted by policemen from the Lagos State Taskforce on Envi-ronmental and Special Of-fences (Enforcement) Unit, stormed several areas in the state to enforce the clo-sure.

Areas where the en-forcement was carried out include Surulere, Ijesha, Cele, Berliet, Anthony and Jibowu. The enforcement was led by the Assistant Chief Scientific Officer, Ministry of the Environ-ment, Ademola Adegbite.

At Anthony, Bertola Machine Tool Limited was shut down for degrad-ing the environment with heavy duty equipment sta-tioned along the road. The company was shut after it failed to comply with the notice served on it by the ministry.

At Jibowu area, two trav-elling bus companies, Bon-way Motors Nigeria Lim-ited and Ifesinachi Motor Industry Nigeria Limited were shut for degrading the environment.

Bonway Motors was shut for parking and load-ing on walkway and road-side, while Ifesinachi was sealed for deliberate chan-nelisation of human faeces into drainage channel. The company has a machine which it used in pumping the faeces right into the

Degradation: Lagos seals five firms, others

bOladale bamigbOlaOSOGBO

Osun State Gover-nor, Rauf Aregbe-sola, has signed a Memorandum of Under-standing, MoU, with an Australian mining firm, Andalusian Mining In-dustry, for mining of gold deposits at Itagunmodi, Ilesa.

Speaking during the signing of the MoU at Government House Os-ogbo, over the weekend, Aregbesola said the Aus-tralian mining firm had conducted a geological survey which confirmed that there is a huge gold deposit in Ilesha.

The governor stated that the discovery has

presented the state with good opportunity to part-ner with Andalusian in the breakdown, explora-tion and mining of gold in the state, adding that the people would look for-ward to having maximum advantage of the mining firms presence in the state.

He stated that govern-ment looks forward to speedy operation and in-tervention in the prospect-ing for gold before the end of the year and expressed hope that the state has joined the league of non-oil mineral producing states in the country.

With your partnership in gold mining, which will in turn create wealth for the immediate environ-

ment and the entire people of the state, you have a full partner with us. I am joy-ous for the opportunity that our state will join the comity of states that now mine mineral deposits, Aregbesola said.

The governor, however, called on the company not to destroy peoples means of livelihood and the en-vironment in the course of prospecting for gold de-posit.

In his remarks, the Aus-tralian representative Co-lin Miller said the summit in his nation on gold min-ing encouraged his firm to come to Osun, adding that his company would pres-ent the first raw gold to the people of the state before this years end.

Osun, Australian firm partner to mine gold in Ilesa

drainage channel.The companies were

closed down after failing to comply with the abatement notice served on them.

At Berliet area along Oshodi-Apapa expressway, a car dealer company and Transglobal Logistics Com-pany, dealing in caterpillars and other heavy duty equip-ment were sealed. The two companies parked their ve-hicles on the walkways and did not abate the nuisance even after being served no-tices.

At Ijesha, three shops dealing in chemicals were also sealed as the shops were sited on road setback. A cab-in on road setback and some shanties at Mile 2 area were also sealed.

An illegal oil bunker-ing hideout along Lacasera Road, Alaba was shut down for environmental degra-dation. The illegal bunker-ing joint was alleged to have totally degraded the environment with diesel and fuel. Over five shops behind the bunkering joint were also sealed for not complying with the en-vironmental laws of the state.

At Eric Moore, Surulere, a mast belonging to Glo Ni-geria Company was shut, while in Ikate, about eight shops were sealed. The eight shops sealed were fond of displaying their wares on the gutter, thus, emptying their waste into the gutter.

Commissioner for the Environment, Tunji Bello, had warned that the gov-ernment would no longer tolerate illegal activities of people degrading the envi-ronment, even as he vowed that the clampdown on people breaching the envi-ronmental laws of the state would continue.

this motion before the court. Nobody or party in this case shall embark on any strike action until the motion or notice which is already filed in this court is heard and de-termined.

APC plots to manipulate INEC materials - PDP

National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net 9South WestMonday, June 30, 2014

National Mirror www.nationalmir-10 South East Monday, June 30, 2014

Ihedioha worried over Imos debt profi le

L-R: Former Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika; President-General, Ohaneze Ndigbo, Chief Gari Igariwey and Secretary- General, Chief Joe Nwogu, at the inauguration of Ohaneze Youth Council in Enugu, on Saturday.

DENNIS AGBOENUGU

Worried by the ru-mours of Boko Haram infiltra-tion in South-East states, the Catholic Diocese of Enugu has banned women from attending masses with hand bags, as a pre-ventive measure to pos-sible bombings.

The development, ac-cording to the church, is aimed at preventing any possible attack on churches in the diocese.

The Bishop of the dio-cese, Rt. Rev. Calistus Ona-ga, who directed all parish priests to make an official announcement in churches yesterday, appealed to the faithful to cooperate with the directive.

Onaga said the exercise

was not meant to embar-rass women or anybody, but was rather was borne from the disturbing insecurity challenges facing Nigeria.

The cleric, however, as-sured that the measure would be implemented with a human face and in a ci-vilised manner, adding that the church does not want to take chances.

Mixed reactions have, however, greeted the an-nouncement, with some saying that no woman had been identified as a bomb-er, wondering why women should be subjected to the task.

Others opined that bombs were no small ob-jects to be hidden in wom-ens handbags, and so did not see the rationale of being subjected to such a treatment.

Yet others contended that if the measure would avert bomb-related trag-edies, they were ready to comply.

A parishioner, Mr. George Onu, who spoke to National Mirror, said: I must tell you, the bishop and entire Catholic faithful in Enugu are apprehensive, with the rumours of insur-gents infiltrating the South-East, especially the alleged recent escape of two buses conveying suspected Boko Haram members in Abia State, during a security check.

I support the develop-ment that, henceforth, women will no longer be allowed to enter Catholic churches during masses with hand bags, apart from their purses, which will also be subjected to thor-

ough scrutiny by church workers.

Before todays an-nouncement was made, our bishop had already briefed all the parish priests un-der the diocese, so that they can take the massage down to their various par-ishes. Though, we know that if God did not guard a city, guards men would be guarding in vain, but there is also need for us as human beings to play our own part, while God plays His, he warned.

The bishop, however, urged members of the Catholic community in the diocese and elsewhere to al-ways be security conscious, stressing that the present insecurity challenges con-fronting Nigeria remained a serious source of concern to the church.

Boko Haram: Church bars womens bags at mass

GEORGE OPARAABIA

The police at Ohuru Isimiri Division, near Aba, Abia State, over the weekend shot dead a kidnap king-pin, whose gang was al-leged to have been ter-rorising the city in recent times.

It was gathered that on April 9, this year, one Prince Ndubuisi Christopher was kidnapped by a gang said to have been led by one Chig-adi, as he was entering his compound at No. 37 Church Road, Osusu Umuikpegh,

GEORGE OPARAABIA

The crisis rocking Independent Pe-troleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN, took a different dimension last week when a court bailiff attached to the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt was alleg-edly beaten up when he went to serve a notice of consequence of disobedi-ence to court order, known as Form 48, to some mem-bers of the association.

The court had, on March 20, entered judgement in fa-vour of Chief Lawson Oba-si as the authentic national president of IPMAN.

Based on the judgement, Chief Obasi in turn ap-pointed Chief Lawrence Kanu, Emmanuel Ogbonna and others as Caretaker Committee members to run IPMAN, Aba depot unit, for three months when election would be held.

It was gathered that as the Chinedu Okoronkwo led faction led by Sir Gil-bert Nwoke, who were the present occupiers of the of-fice refused to vacate office and hand over to the Obasi group, an order was given by the court for service of notice of consequence of disobedience to court on them (the Elder Okoronkwo

Bailiff assaulted, detained in Aba over IPMAN crisis

near Aba.The kidnappers, who

took him to their hideout, were also said to have made away with their victims Nissan Xtera SUV with reg-istration number, Abuja: RBC 305 AA.

However, following inten-sive combing of suspected hideouts of the hoodlums by police, led by the Divi-sional Police Officer, DPO of Ohuru Isimiri, Titus Anayo Ugwoke, Christopher was rescued after two days.

The kingpins death came when, over the week-end, police got information that he and some members

group).Those who were said to

be served with the Form 48 were Nwoke, Aliche Oti, Ugochukwu Mbakwe and Kingsley Udeonu.

Others were Chigozie Amazu, Ikechukwu Oke-oma, Austin Egelonu and Emeka Ogalabu.

The bailiff, Abiye David, was said to have served the first set of people the notice on Wednesday, without any problem.

Trouble, however, started brewing for him the follow-ing day, when he came to serve the remaining people.

On getting to the Aba de-pot IPMAN office, the bai-liff was told that the people he was looking for were in a hotel owned by one of the IPMAN leaders at Okpulu Umuobo area of the city, holding a meeting.

The bailiff was said to have gone to the hotel for the purpose of conducting the service, but he got what he never bargained for as he was said to have been beaten up mercilessly, and his identity card seized.

His travails did not end there, soldiers were said to have been invited by those who allegedly mastermind-ed his beating.

The soldiers reportedly took the bailiff away, on the allegation that he was a kid-napper.

of his gang were in a hotel located within Ukwu Agbu area of the city, planning another operation.

Acting on a tip off, the Area Commander for Aba, Peter Wagbara, reportedly sent more policemen to Ohuru Isimiri and the DPO, Ugwoke, led the combined police team to the hotel.

On sighting the police team, it was learnt, the hoodlums opened fire and police responded. In the en-suing gun duel, the kingpin, Chigadi was hit by bullet and he died on the way to hospital.

Two members of the

gang, including a woman, were said to have been ar-rested after the gun battle, while others escaped with bullet wounds.

The same gang was re-ported to be responsible for the kidnap of a lady at East-ern Ngwa a fortnight ago, and was only released after family members paid an un-disclosed ransom.

While police recovered some stolen items from the house of the arrested hood-lums, the womans car and that of Christopher, their latest victim, had not been recovered as at the time of filing this report.

CHRIS NJOKUOWERRI

Deputy Speaker of the House of Rep-resentatives, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, has ex-pressed fear over the level of indebtedness in Imo State, saying that it would take years for the state to offset it.

According to him, indi-genes of the state might not know the extent of such indebtedness now, until the time the current adminis-tration of Governor Rochas Okorocha leaves office in 2015.

Lamenting the heavy fi-nancial burden of the state, arising from loans secured from banks and debts owed to contractors, the deputy speaker, who represents Aboh-Mbaise/Ngor-Okpala Federal Constituency, said any in-coming administra-tion would face a serious

financial burden to repay.He also decried what he

called the rot going on at the Imo State University, Ower-ri, which is frustrating Law and Medical students of the institution.

For long time, Law stu-dents are not being admit-ted into the Law school, following the withdrawal of the accreditation of the faculty by the Council of Legal Education, he noted.

Ihedioha, who stated this in a chat with newsmen in Owerri, the Imo State capi-tal, at the weekend, said he had never spoken against any administration, includ-ing Okorochas, but that what he had said was the clear picture of the reality on ground.

He said he was not like some politicians who heap insinuations and baseless allegations on individuals in position of authority, just to run them down.

DENNIS NAKUPORT HARCOURT

A group, the Ni-ger Delta Self-D e t e r m i n a t i o n Movement, NDSDM, has warned members of the Islamic sect, Boko Ha-ram, to steer clear of the Niger Delta region, say-ing it would not tolerate any attack on the lives and property of the peo-ple.

The group also charged the sponsors of the sect to stop harassing Presi-dent Goodluck Jonathan.

In a communiqu re-leased at the end of its one-day peoples forum with some Niger Delta

delegates to the National Conference at the week-end in Port Harcourt, the group declared that at-tack in any part of south-ern Nigeria, particularly the Niger Delta, would not be taken lightly.

The communiqu stat-ed: We warn the spon-sors and executors of terrorism in the name of Boko Haram and their likes in Nigeria to desist from trying to harass President Goodluck Jona-than, his administration and the rest of Nigeria, as we shall no longer toler-ate same should any part of Southern Nigeria, par-ticularly the Niger Delta region, be attacked in any

manner as our lives and property means so much to us.

It was signed by Living-stone Wechie, Informa-tion Officer and Biebele Arimie, Research Officer of NDSDM respectively.

While restating its sup-port for President Jona-than, it called on all other zones in the country to do the same, maintaining that it is in the collective interest of all to do so.

The group, which ad-vocated for 100 per cent ownership of land and natural resources in a preferred regional auton-omy, also expressed soli-darity with the original inhabitants of Abuja to

L-R: Ogun State Deputy Governor, Segun Adesegun; former Lagos State Governor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu; Publisher, Vanguard Newspaper, Mr. Sam Amuka, and Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomole, at the burial of Amukas mother in Sapele, over the weekend.

THEOPHILUS ONOJEGHENWARRI

There are fresh in-dications that the nations oil and gas sector might be heading towards another round of strike, as the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NU-PENG, is set to cripple economic activities in five states, following the sack of 154 of its members by Chevron Nigeria Limited, CNL.

The union, while con-demning the alleged wrongful dismissal of its members, gave a seven-day ultimatum to Chevron to recall the sacked workers,

failure of which would cause industrial action.

At a crucial meeting at the weekend, the Warri zonal council of NUPENG also asked the company to put to an end reported cas-es of incessant harassment of its members.

Addressing newsmen at the end of the emergen-cy meeting, Warri zonal council chair, Mr. Cogent Ojobor, said the ultimatum would start counting from today.

He said that at the end of the seven-day ultimatum, if the sacked workers were not recalled, the union would services in the five affected states of Edo, Del-ta, Kogi, Ondo and Ekiti.

Ojobor alleged that, at

the last count, no fewer than 154 members of NU-PENG members had been fired by CNL, threatening to proceed on strike if the company does not rescind its earlier decision by mid-night, July 6.

We have had several meetings with Chevron. We have been meeting at Federal Ministry of La-bour.

We have tried informal consultations, but their statement, which I know is a lie, is that they have been told by NAPIMS and Minis-try of Labour to downsize.

The company is treat-ing our members like slaves, and at the last count, they have already laid off 154 of our members in

NUPENG threatens shutdown over sacked Chevron staff

Steer clear of NDelta, group warns Boko Haram

Chevron, and the number is growing.

They said they are downsizing, and I do not know at what size they will reach before they will stop.

It may interest you to know that one oil and gas worker supports up to seven families, the union leader said.

While explaining that it had exhausted all peace-ful measures to resolve the looming crisis, NUPENG stressed that activities at the Warri Refinery, filling stations, loading depots, Petroleum Training Insti-tute, PTI, and all other oil facilities in the affected states, would be shut down after the expiration of the seven-day notice.

SEBASTINE EBHUOMHAN BENIN CITY

Governor Adams Os-hiomhole of Edo State has stated that the election of Chief John Odigie-Oyegun as the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, is a show of confi-dence in his ability to take the party to the next level.

Receiving the newly-elected party boss at the weekend, the governor urged him to do everything possible, as the first elected chairman of the party, to protect the nations democ-racy.

Speaking when Oyegun and some APC chieftains paid him a visit at the Gov-ernment House in Benin City, Oshiomhole said: His-tory is on your side as the first elected substantive chairman of our great party.

You were a governor be-fore me, and you are assum-ing office at a very delicate period in our national po-litical life, not only in terms of the challenges of a new party seeking power at vari-ous levels of government including federal, but also at a time when there seems to be a lot of tension in the country and clear frighten-ing security challenges.

Politics by its very na-

ture generates heat and my leader, God will give you the wisdom to be able to raise the voice of APC in a way that reflects our collec-tive consciousness about the will of the security of the country and yet engage in robust partisan contes-tations for power, he ob-served.

Oshiomhole added: No one appreciates the impor-tance of democracy more than you. As a governor who laboured hard to per-suade voters to vote for you and you got elected, your tenure was cut short by forc-es beyond your control and not democratic process, and so drawing from your own life experience, I am sure APC will play its role of pro-tecting democracy.

I am happy to hear from you that you have already reached out to people who for one reason or the other have feelings that need to be managed.

Its something that should be sustained until everyone is sufficiently able to accept the fact that we have had a congress and we should put it behind us.

We have the fortune of having two out of the four contestants, which is also a statement about the quality of leaders that we have in our state.

Oshiomhole to Oyegun: Fight for democracy

SEBASTINE EBHUOMHANBENIN

Two persons were burnt beyond recog-nition at the Oluku end of Benin by-pass on the Benin-Ore-Sagamu highway, when an accident occurred at the weekend between a truck and a fuel tanker.

The accident also left four survivors with severe de-gree burns, for which they were rushed to the Central Hospital in Benin City for proper medical attention.

The accident reportedly occurred when an articulat-ed Mark truck, which eye-witnesses said belonged to Dangote Group of Compa-nies, rammed into a loaded fuel tanker with about 33,000 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (petrol), as a result of which the tanker exploded with fire that trapped two other trailers, also on the road at the time.

However, officials of the Federal Road Safety Com-mission, FRSC, who de-scribed the accident as fa-tal as a result of wrongful overtaking, quickly called the Edo State Fire Service for support, after which nor-malcy was restored.

As a result of the chaos the accident generated, FRSC personnel from the toll gate and Uwan Esigie command were mobilised to the scene to control traffic and reduce difficulties for motorists.

Others took positions at the entrance of the by-pass to divert traffic to other roads to avoid logjam.

Our correspondent learnt that the charred re-mains of the dead victims had been deposited at the Benin Central Hospital morgue.

FRSC zonal commander, Mr. Charles Akpabio con-firmed the accident and ca-sualties.

Two roasted in Benin auto mishap

insist on justice over the ownership rights of their land.

NDSDM further stated that it was aware of the presence of untapped mineral resources in the North, which are delib-erately being reserved until the oil and gas that is currently being ex-plored and exploited are completely exhausted.

It stated: We are aware, from available data and analysis, that the North has reserves of untapped natural re-sources, and they appear to be waiting for oil and gas in the south to be ex-hausted before they leave with their resources.

National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net 11Monday, June 30, 2014

South South

NGO tackles FG on Umrah fl ight ban

Dangote cement plant excites Cameroun

says comment unfortunate, unbelievable

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net12 North Monday, June 30, 2014

Bauchi State Chairman on Polio Immunisation/Emir of Dass, Alhaji Usman Bilyaminu, immunising a child during a vaccination exercise in Bauchi, at the weekend.

SEKINAH LAWAL

The Muslim Rights Concern, MURIC, has asked the mili-tary authorities and Fed-eral Government for ex-planation, following the militarys barring of a plane waiting to ferry 278 Muslims to Saudi Arabia, from taking off.

In a statement signed by MURICs Director, Prof. Ishaq Akintola, the group considered such action as an unnecessary flexing of muscles. The aircraft was to take Muslims to the Holy land in order to perform Umrah (Lesser Hajj). The militarys action also af-fected another aircraft char-tered by a serving senator for the purpose of ferrying Muslims sponsored by him to Saudi Arabia to perform the lesser Hajj.

For now, we will stop short of calling it an hos-tile act calculated to cause logistic and psychological dislocation to innocent and harmless Muslims who were merely going to per-form a religious duty. The militarys action has suc-

ceeded in making Nigerian soldiers unpopular in an en-vironment where they need the goodwill of the same vic-tims of their high-handed-ness to defeat insurgents.

According to him, many questions remain unan-swered from this action. Exempli gratia, is the army being used as a tool for embarrassing Muslims and truncating efforts aimed at achieving spiritual fulfill-ment? Who gave the order to stop the plane from taking off and why? Is it another order from above? Is Aso Rock aware of this? Is this another anti-Muslim action and are we to expect more of such? Did Mr. President order Nigerian soldiers to disallow aircrafts taking Nigerian pilgrims to Saudi Arabia to perform a reli-gious duty from flying?

The group warned that those who strangulate re-ligious freedom were cre-ating tension, adding that it would be highly hypo-critical to talk about peace when we commit open rape on justice and charged the National Assembly to inves-tigate the matter as a matter of urgency.

The African expan-sion drive of the leading cement manufacturer in Nigeria, Dangote Cement, is paying off, with the announcement by the management that its $150 million Cameroon plant will commence produc-tion in August, barring any hitch.

The management ex-plained that the 1.5 million tonnes per annum capacity plant was almost ready and would commence initial production at one million tonnes per annum before production would be stepped up to maximum capacity level.

Conducting journalists round the factory in Doua-la, Cameroon, the General Manager, Abdulahi Baba, stated that the plant would transform the cement in-dustry and help stimulate the East African economy as Dangote Cement would be churning out its known quality grade of 42.5 at very competitive price.

According to him, the plant was ready for test run-

ning despite need for minor engineering finishes and completion of access roads to the plant.

Baba explained that the plant would be the most modern in Cameroon be-cause of the latest technolo-gies used in the construction from Germany, USA, France and put together by the re-nowned plant engineers, Si-noma.

The Dangote Cement boss stated that the company would be bringing in Clinker and that production would be carried out at the most en-vironmental friendly level, pointing out that the dust emission of the plant would be lower than the 50mm in-ternational standard.

He noted that but for the soil test that was carried out that showed that the en-tire plant areas needed to be piled, the factory would be have been ready before now.

Baba said Cameroonians were eager to see Dangote Cement commence opera-tions at the Douala plant be-cause of the exploits of the firm in other countries.

The police in Jalingo, Taraba State, have confirmed that gun-men, on Saturday, trailed and killed 13 Fulani herds-men, who were returning from village markets in Garba-Chede and Maihula.

ASP Joseph Kwaji, the Police Public Relations Of-ficer of the state command, disclosed this on Sunday in the state capital.

He said the herdsmen were waylaid and killed by unidentified group of armed youths along a bush path in the outskirts of Maihula in Bali local gov-ernment area of the state.

According to him, no ar-rest has been made but the command has beefed up se-curity in the area to track

down the perpetrators.He added that it was not

clear why the incident took place but further investiga-tion would reveal the rea-sons for the attack and the people behind it.

The Chairman of Bali Local Government Area, Andrew Yerima, said the herdsmen were trailed by the armed men from Gar-ba-Chede market where they were believed to have gone to sell their cows.

Yerima called for calm and advised residents of the area not to take the law into their hands.

He assured them that the culprits would be brought to book.

Meanwhile, the Nation-al Drugs Law Enforcement

Agency, NDLEA, yesterday said it arrested 104 sus-pects involved in various drug related offenses in the state between January and June.

Yusuf Kwajafa, the agency commandant in the state, told newsmen in Jalingo that the suspects were arrested with assort-ed illicit drugs at various locations across the state.

Kwajafa disclosed that a total of 1031.1kg of can-nabis saliva and 55.8kg of psychotropic substances were seized during the pe-riod.

The figures would have been higher if not for the logistic problem. Lack of facilities for counsel-ing and lack of office ac-

commodation were some of the factors militating against effective perfor-mance of the agency in the state, he said.

Kwajafa appealed to rel-evant authorities to assist the command with a reha-bilitation centre.

He said that such cen-tre would save parents of convicted drug addict the cost and risk of travelling to Yola in Adamawa State to visit their children and wards.

He said that the com-mand had in the last one year organised anti-drug abuse enlightenment cam-paigns for members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers in the state.

Taraba: Gunmen kill 13 Fulani herdsmen

PRISCILLA DENNISMINNA

The Niger State chap-ter of All Progres-sives Congress, APC, has described the state Governor, Dr Muazu Aliyus alleged portrayal of the council chairmen as dictators, as unbeliev-able and very unfortunate.

The party, in a state-ment made available to National Mirror and signed by the Public Sec-retary, Jonathan Vatsa,

dared the Niger govern-ment to make public what had accrued to each coun-cil in the last seven years to prove the council chair-men were dictators, so that the people could hold them accountable.

Local government councils, especially those in Niger State, are not properly funded; they dont collect their due, making them shadows of what they should be, APC accused.

Explaining further, the

party stated: The coun-cils are issued cheques for salaries of staff from the centres Joint Account like Ministries, Department and Agencies, instead of following the statutory laws of disbursement to the council from the Joint Account.

According to the party, at best, the local govern-ment councils are given meager amount as over-head cost after the salaries are released without due consideration of the sta-

tus of the councils as a tier of government.

Thus the party consid-ered the pronouncement of the governor on the lo-cal council chairmen as his usual style and antics of saying the opposite of what he does in reality.

It alleged that the intro-duction of programmes such as Ward Develop-ment project by the gov-ernment was a means of utilising council funds for political patronage of PDP members in the wards.

.as NDLEA arrests 104, seizes 1,000kg of cannabis

PoliticsNational Mirror

www.nationalmirroronline.net 13Monday, June 30, 2014

One year after: Urhobo, NASS, Delta 2015 without Senator Ewherido

Candidate of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the August 9 governorship poll, Sena-tor Iyiola Omisore, has promised the people of Olupona, Gbongan Araro, Ile Ogbo and Kuta, potable water and good roads, if elected governor.

Speaking at Olupona, a town in Ayedire council area, in continuation of his house to house campaign, Omiore assured that the construction of Lagelu-Olu-pona-Gbongan road would be accelerated to ease traffic problems in the areas.

He reinstated his com-mitment to creating wealth in the state by pa-tronising indigenous con-tractors and artisans in the execution of develop-ment projects.

Receiving the PDP gov-ernorship candidate in

their palaces, the Olupo of Olupona, Oba Oyeleso Oye-banji-Fadare and the Olu of Ile-Ogbo, Oba Habeeb Adetoyose Agbaje, said the major challenge facing residents in their domains is lack of drinkable water.

The royal fathers also informed the PDP cam-paign team of their de-sires for elevation from second class obas to a deputy chairmanship or a permanent membership positions in the state coun-cil of Traditional Rulers.

They also urged Omisore to accord the people of the area the rightful position they deserve, if elected.

Responding, Omisore maintained that the road linking Ile-Ogbo with Iwo that was constructed un-der the PDP government will be completed to ease transportation in the area.

Members of the Peoples Democratic Party during a rally in Oshogbo recently.

Omisore promises roads, portable water

Accountability, transparencyll form basis of my govt. Akinbade

STORIES: BOLADALE BAMIGBOLAOSOGBO

Chairman, Gover-nor Rauf Aregbe-sola Re-election Campaign Committee, for Boluwaduro/Ila/Ifedayo Federal Constituency, Hon. Sunday Akere, has explained why the incum-bent governor is execut-ing projects in all parts of the state.

Akere said the gover-nor recognises the impor-tance of rural dwellers to the survival of the larger society and would contin-ue to initiate projects that

for lawmakers in the state House of Assembly for their various constituen-cies and that of Ifedayo is scheduled to cover Ayegunle through Obasi-kin to Ajebamidele.

Akere averred that the state government under-stand the plight of rural dwellers, who are pre-dominantly farmers, to get their farm produce to market centres, hence, its resolve to construct good roads in the rural areas.

He maintained that good roads enhance the price value of farm pro-duces and reduce waste, because farmers could get

Labour Party, LP, flagbearer in the August 9 Osun State governorship election, Al-haji Fatai Akinbade, has promised to run an usual government that would make due process, trans-parency and accountabil-ity its hallmark, if give