Victor Moses, Mastermind of Madalla Bombing Captured by Nigerian Military

Victor Moses, Mastermind of Madalla Bombing Captured by Nigerian Military

 The Nigerian military today achieved a great milestone in the ongoing war against terror by Boko Haram terrorists as one of the suspected masterminds of the December 2011, Madalla Christmas bombings was captured.

The suspect, known as Victor Moses, was paraded yesterday before the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt-Gen. Tukur Buratai, alongside four other accomplices at the 33 Artillery Brigade, Bauchi State.

While parading the suspect and his accomplices, the Brigade Commander, Brig-Gen. Abraham Dusu, said Moses was apprehended at Alkaleri in Bauchi while conducting surveillance for the Boko Haram terrorists inside a mosque in the town.

 According to Dusu, the chief suspect raised suspicion when he claimed that he wanted to convert to Islam but being new to the community, the security agencies and military intelligence, who on interrogation got his confession to being one of the masterminds of the 2011 Christmas Day Bombing in Madalla, Niger State.

 He disclosed that upon further interrogation, the others suspects were apprehended. They are Abubakar Shettima Bama, Umar Sadiq Madaki, and Salisu Mohammed Bello.

 The Commander said: "Our troops in Alkeleri were alerted about somebody trying to convert to Islam but they noticed he wasn't from the area and the community people informed us.  He was subsequently arrested, and revealed his name as Victor Moses, who also said he was among those who made the Madala bombing successful.

 "According to him, his major work is surveillance for the Boko Haram terrorists but he lives with Abubakar Shettima Bama.

 "Victor Moses, the main suspect, was arrested in Alkaleri, where he conducts surveillance for the Boko Haram sect. He was accommodated by Bama who lives in Jos, along with other two accomplices," Dusu added.

Sheriff: I will Not Stay Beyond May

Sheriff: I will Not Stay Beyond May

 The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, today promised that he will keep to the three months deadline to conduct the affairs of the party, culminating in the convocation of PDP congresses and national convention.

 He said soon, the party's National Working Committee (NWC) would release timetable to conduct the congresses from ward to national levels, after due consultations, assuring members that the next congress and convention of the party will be very credible which would stand the test of time.

Also, Sheriff's leadership got a boost when former lawmakers elected on the PDP platform led by the immediate past Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, paid him a solidarity visit.

Speaking during the reception of the delegation of the Forum of former lawmakers, Sheriff said there was no doubt that the party loss in the last presidential election has reawakened PDP leaders into action to rebuild the fortunes of the party.

 "I, Ali Modu Sheriff, a man of character and integrity, the one who would live up to his expectation and promises, hereby announce to the world that under no circumstances would I stay in office beyond the period prescribed by the constitution of our party,” he said.

As part of the efforts to put an end to the crisis over the leadership of the party, the Governor of Ondo State and Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, Dr. Olusegun  Mimiko, addressed journalists, saying after series of consultations, the party has reached a compromise to allow Sheriff and the current NWC a three-month time to enable them organise congresses and national convention.

House of Rep Members Visit Kogi to Solve Assembly Crisis

House of Rep Members Visit Kogi to Solve Assembly Crisis

In a bid to settle the lingering crisis rocking the Kogi State House of Assembly, the fact finding committee from the House of Representative today stormed Lokoja, urging the aggrieved parties to maintain the provision of the constitution pending the time the committee resolve the crisis.

The leader of the fact finding committee, Hon. Pally Iriase, who is the Deputy Chief Whip, disclosed this to journalists after a closed-door meeting with the state Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, at the Government House.

He explained that the state House of Assembly has been enmeshed in leadership crisis for quiet sometime, stressing that the committee was in the state to meet with all the stakeholders with a view to resolving the lingering crisis and ensure the state move forward.

On whether the committee has received an interlocutory injunction granted the other faction, Iriase stated that the committee has not receive any injunction, stressing that the committee members would not take injunction from television flashing news bar and there is difference between filing papers seeking injunction and granting injunction.

He stated that if federal high court in Lokoja had granted such interlocutory injunction the committee would have been properly served.  

The chairman however assured the assembly that the committee would get to root of the matter and reunite the factions in the assembly for the benefit of the people of state.

Also speaking, the Governor, Bello, promised to cooperate with the delegation from the National Assembly which is currently on a facts finding mission towards the resolution of the lingering crisis rocking the assembly.

Bello who commended the efforts of the National Assembly to intervene on the crisis, said it was a welcome development that would help the state to move forward.

NUC: UI is Best Varsity in Nigeria

NUC: UI is Best Varsity in Nigeria

The National Universities Commission (NUC) today ranked the premier institution in Nigeria, University of Ibadan, as the best in its latest 2015 ranking.

Among the top five dominated by first generation universities, are University of Lagos (2nd), University of Benin (3rd), Obafemi Awolowo University (4th) and Ahmadu Bello University occupying the 5th position. 
The ranking indicated that the University of Ilorin is 6th, Lagos State University (11th) while the Covenant University led Pan African University (18th) to occupy 13th position.

University of Jos (7th), University of Port Harcourt (8th), University of Maiduguri (9th), Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (10th), Federal University of Technology, Owerri (12th), University of Nigeria (14th), Federal University of Technology, FUTA (15th), Nnamdi ‎Azikiwe University, (16th), Enugu State University of Science and Technology (17th) Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, LAUTECH (19th), Modibbo Adama University of Technology, Yola (20th).

Reacting to the latest ranking, the Vice Chancellor Prof Abel Idowu Olayinka stated that the university was thinking more about ranking among the Top five in Africa in next few years.

Prof Olayinka said the premier university is positioned to achieve the feat owing to its highly developed Postgraduate school with the largest number of Masters and Doctoral students in Sub-Saharan Africa.

"Being No 1 in Nigeria and No 1 in West Africa‎ should not be taken for granted. The real challenge is for us to be ranked among the top 5 in Africa in the next few years. This is do-able given the pedigree of ibadan over the last 68 years. As we speak, we have perhaps the most highly developed postgraduate school, with easily the largest number of Masters and Doctoral students in sub-Saharan Africa. NUC Says UI is Best Varsity in Nigeria

Senate to Issue Warrant of Arrest against Larmode

Senate  to Issue Warrant of Arrest against Larmode

The Senate has settled  to issue a warrant of arrest against the former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ibrahim Larmode, following his persistent decision to refuse summons by Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions.

Larmode had several times been summoned by the committee over allegations of financial impropriety leveled against him by one Dr. George Uboh, the Chief Executive Officer of Panic Alert Security Systems.
Uboh had petitioned the Senate, accusing Lamorde of diverting over N1 trillion looted funds recovered from accused Nigerians in connivance with other EFCC officials.
During one of the summons last year, Lamorde's lawyer, Festus Keyamo, appeared on his behalf, claiming that the former was on a medical trip abroad. But since then, he has not returned to the country.

After endless waiting for Lamorde, the committee wrote its report and submitted it to the committee. While debating the report yesterday, the Senate adopted the committee's recommendation to invoke Section 89 of the 1999 constitution, which gives it the power to issue a warrant of arrest through the Senate President to the Inspector-General of Police ordering an arrest.
While presenting the report, chairman of the committee, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, said issuing the warrant had become compelling if the Senate must preserve its constitutional power to summon anyone whom it feels has questions to answer.

Graft: EFCC Arrests Dizeani's Cousin, Amamgbo

 Graft: EFCC Arrests Dizeani's Cousin, Amamgbo

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC) has arrested Donald Chidi Amamgbo,a  cousin to the former Petroleum Resources Minister, Dizeani Allison Madueke.

Amamgbo, the  Chief Executive of Mezcor oil and Gas limited, Tridax Oil and Gas Limited, Lynear Energy Limited and Bulk Strategic Reserved Limited, was arrested in Lagos at about 4.20p.m. today‎ over an alleged involvement in several shady deals during Diezani's tenure as minister. He is believed to be Diezani’s front,

Amamgbo allegedly got approval to lo lift Nigerian crude oil without any requisite experience. Through his companies, Amamgbo lifted crude oil and gas worth billions of dollars over a period of four years.

A search conducted in the office and premises of Mezcor Oil and Gas Limited at No. 5 Sannar street, Wuse 2, Abuja yielded documents which included payments for the purchase of houses and vehicles.

Sources at the Commission said, the investigation continues.

Buhari: No Makeshift Camp Would Remain Permanent for IDPs in Nigeria

Buhari: No Makeshift Camp Would Remain Permanent for IDPs in Nigeria​

President Muhammadu Buhari today disclosed that the temporary structures built to accommodate over two million Nigerians displaced from their traditional/natural homes occassioned by terrorism and natural incidents would not remain in the settlements permanently.

In this regards, it therefore noted that it was working hard to ensure that these makeshift settlements do not become permanent homes to the displaced persons as seen in other places.

Buhari, who was represented by Vice President Yemi Osibanjo, when he declared open the ongoing Africa Regional Meeting of United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development (Habitat III) in Abuja, said such forced urbanisation resulting from terrorist attacks have created secondary towns across Africa.

He noted that these secondary towns were in turn putting enormous pressure on city centres across the continent, adding that Nigeria for instance was working hard to take care of the situation.

Buhari said: “Increasing migration into urban areas at a time of resource constraints has resulted in population explosion and shortage of housing, which has pushed people living in cities to locate and build structures in areas vulnerable to natural disasters, causing significant economic and social risks.

 “Closely associated with the challenge of migration is that of forced urbanisation resulting from terrorist attacks.

“Secondary towns, especially in the Sahel zone of Africa, have over the past five years come under tremendous pressure to accommodate citizens who have been forced to flee their villages and homesteads by act of terrorism which has destroyed life and property, exacerbated insecurity and poverty.

“Indeed, millions of people live as Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in camps and makeshift shelters scattered around different parts of the continent. The challenge of providing succor and restoring the livelihood of such people is a matter of utmost priority."

More Troubles for Modu Sheriff as Arewa Group Rejects his PDP National Chairmanship

More Troubles for Modu Sheriff as Arewa Group Rejects his PDP National Chairmanship

As controversies continue to mar the emergence of Ali Modu Sheriff as the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), a group called AREWA PDP AWAKE (APA) today rejected him.

It described his emergence as "not only irrational and devoid of any logical reasoning but a very wrong choice at this trying period of the party expected to repair its battered image and future."

APA, while vehemently objecting to his emergence,  said:  "Senator Ali Modu Sherif is coming at a very wrong time especially now that the party was yet to  recover from its  disastrous outing in the last general Elections."

In a statement issue and signed by the National Coordinator, National Secretary and the National Publicity Secretary respectively in Bauchi, the group said: “We at Arewa PDP Awake totally reject Senator Modu Sheriff as PDP National Chairman and we urge all stakeholders in the party to urgently take action in order to save the party from disintegration".

The group stressed that "We as stakeholders who believe that it's not late for the party to do the needful by  putting in motion all the necessary machinery aimed at bringing the PDP out of the woods,but we however wish to use this medium to make our position clear that in the event Senator Sheriff remains the PDP National Chairman we have no other option than to go back to our supporters to chart a new course for our political future in the interest of unity ,stability and progress of our country ".

‎

According to the statement," Since  Modu was announced as the national chairman of ‎the party, unpalatable reactions across the country has been  enough testimony for the governors and NEC members to ask him Modu to step down, as anything short of that PDP will become history in Nigeria".

APA posited that,” it's our believe that at this trying moment of PDP the party does not need people like Senator Sheriff to lead the party whose past records speaks volumes of allegations of complicity of all kinds," adding that the party need people with integrity who are focused ‎and result oriented.

Nigerian Military on High Alert to Combat Militancy in Niger Delta

Nigerian Military on High Alert to Combat Militancy in Niger Delta



The Chief of Defense Staff, Gen. Abayomi Olonishakin, has said the military has placed troops on high alert to combat any militant attack in the Niger Delta.


Olonishakin spoke today at the inauguration of 25 locally built gunboats donated to troops of the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Pathfinder in Port Harcourt.


He said the military was currently assessing the situation in the Niger Delta with focus to maintaining law and order in the region.


According to him, the nation cannot tolerate any criminality by individuals and groups especially at a period the nation was faced with serious economic downturn.


“The Defense (Headquarters) is up and doing, and we want to warn them (militants) that the military will not take it lightly in cases of disturbances.


“Any threat by them will be met with appropriate military actions.


“We have directed our troops to be on red alert as well as ensure that criminals and vandals who sabotage the national assets are brought to book,” he said.


Olonishakin expressed optimism the 25 gunboats newly acquired by the Nigerian Navy would drastically reduce oil theft, sea piracy and other forms of illegalities in the nation maritime environment.

 

Also, the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Adm. Ibok-Ekwe Ibas, said the navy employed the services of local engineers to construct the 25 gun boats to save cost and cut capital flight.


He said President Muhammadu Buhari had approved local construction of additional 50 security patrol boats to be delivered in the coming months.

NIS Set to Clamp Down on Illegal Immigrants in Niger

 NIS Set to Clamp Down on Illegal Immigrants in Niger

                                 

Following an upsurge in the number of foreign nationals illegally residing in Niger State, the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) would begin to clamp down on all such foreigners in different parts of the state.

Recently, foreign nationals especially, Nigeriens and Indians have flooded Minna, the state capital.

The Nigeriens, some of them with their wives and children, beg for alms at times embarrassingly as the children cling to passersby.

 Some of the Nigeriens also engage in sale of water. They are popularly called ‘mairuwa’. 

Disturbed by this development, the Comptroller of the Nigeria Immigration Service of the state Command, Mr. David Adi, said the Command would soon embark on ‘a mop-up exercise’ of these illegal immigrants.

 Adi said their influx pose a serious security risk to the state especially with the activities of insurgents in parts of the country which has necessitated the need for all security operatives in the country to be more alive to their responsibilities. 

"We need to mop up and remove illegal immigrants from time to time in order for them not to become security threats to the state. There are many of them who do not have travel documents in the state as of today. Those without business have no business to be here," he said.

The Comptroller, who refused to disclose when the exercise would commence, said it would be a statewide operation so that none of the illegal immigrant would have room for escape.

end.