Newspaper headlines

PUNCH JTF kills 14 Boko Haram terrorists in Kano; Man pours hot water on 13-year-old housemaid; Pope calls for peace in Nigeria, others; Power cut interrupts Jonathan’s Easter message in Lagos; Selective prosecution of subsidy thieves, a deceit —NLC; Defection: One killed in Ekiti violence; CBN, stop illegal, excessive bank charges; GUARDIAN Northern Senators, Reps okay deal on PIB…Independent agency to explore oil in the North …NNPC to lose oil exploration roles…Uncertainty trails corporation, Chinese $28.5b refinery projects; At Easter, Jonathan says no more outage in 2014…Pope prays for peace in Nigeria, others …Govs, Adeboye, others urge patience, love…CAN cancels rally over insecurity in Jos; Soldiers kill 14 Boko Haram suspects in Kano, arrest others; Ekiti ACN, PDP trade blame as one dies in clash; Bakassi communities task FG on sea pirates… Navy unfolds plan to tackle illegal bunkering, others; Nigeria records five new polio cases…Govt plans next immunisation plus days for April/May …How to control, reduce blood pressure, by WHO; Court orders PHCN to disclose contract details; BLUE PRINT Easter tragedy averted as JTF kills 14 insurgents; Job scam: Senate probes 300 MDAs; Charlatans brought civil service to its knees – Sali; First Lady sick again, flown abroad; 2015: Abdulsalami’s son-in-law confirms interest in Niger; NATION Pope prays for peace in Nigeria; Bloody Easter day in Kano; Our situation could have been worse, says Jonathan; How to make leaders accountable, by Tinubu; Nigeria loses $6b yearly to crude oil theft; Anxiety over First Lady Dame Jonathan; Crisis can consume PDP, says Oyinlola; VANGUARD Bloody Easter averted in Kano, 14 terrorists killed; Our problems with Tukur, by PDP NEC members; Nigeria Rules African Athletics! Pope prays for peace in Syria, Korea, Nigeria on first Easter; One dies, others injured as Fulani herdsmen, Hausa clash; Don’t soil your reputation, Bakare tells Kolade; Church collapse: Survivors lament neglect, one year after; Ikotun communities task govt on roads, drainages; DAILY NEWSWATCH JTF routs Boko Haram in Kano…14 terrorists blown up, weapons recovered…heavy security in Kaduna, Jos…Lecturer killed in Maiduguri; Sanusi urges youths to take over power; Expect regular light from next year—Jonathan; PDP ACN clash in Ekiti, one killed; KEPCO gets offer for Egbin power plant, to pay 101.8million dollars in 15 days; NATIONAL MIRROR 2015: PDP governors give conditions for reconciliation…Jonathan considers Tuku’s removal; EASTER SUNDAY ATTACK: 15 die as JTF raids Boko Haram’s enclave in Kano…no cause for alarm in Kadun---Police; Stop Fulani, TIV killings, bishop urges Suswam; Hotel deal: FAAN lies again, says Bi-Courtney; Nigeria’s business environment remains unfriendly—LCCI; Evil forces threatening Nigeria’s destiny—Anglican Primate;

University Professor Murdered In Maiduguri

A popular Mass Communication professor of the University of Maiduguri, Murtala Mohammed, has been killed by yet-to-be identified gunmen in Maiduguri today. Mr. Mohammed who once served as the chief of staff to late Nigerian first lady, Stella Obasanjo was killed in front of his house in the troubled city of Mauduguri. The motive for his killing remains unknown. Murtala had recently returned to Maiduguri to resume classes at the University of Maiduguri. Before his death, Mr. Murtala was living in Jigawa with his wife and two kids. Murtala was 56 years old. Sahara Reporters

THROWBACK: Criminals, corrupt people should be barred from public office — Alamieyeseigha

It is unclear what former governor of Bayelsa State, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, thinks now of criminals and corrupt people in the corridors of power. But the former governor once held tenaciously to the view that for Nigeria to move forward, corrupt elements and those found to have abused their offices should be barred from public office. Few weeks before he was arrested in the United Kingdom for fraud and money laundering, Mr. Alamieyeseigha, who was recently pardoned by President Goodluck Jonathan, said people tainted by crime and corruption should not be allowed to run for office or hold “high political appointments.” On Tuesday August 2, 2005, during an anti-corruption seminar in Abuja on “Winning the War against Corruption”, Mr. Alamieyeseigha, while commending the efforts taken by the government of the time in fighting corruption, said public offices should be no-go areas for corrupt people. “It is only in Nigeria where people who looted banks to a distress situation are allowed to use such loots to open their own banks or are given high political appointment,” the former governor lamented at the time. The seminar, which was an initiative of the Nuhu Ribadu-led  Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, took place less than five weeks before the London Metropolitan Police arrested the then governor in his London residence with £1.5 million cash. It is not known whether the EFCC set up Mr. Alamieyeseigha to deliver the paper given the fact that the commission had already substantially documented several evidences of the former governor’s corruption at the time. Mr. Ribadu did not answer or return calls Saturday. While delivering a paper titled: “Corruption Reduction Through Government Policies: The Bayelsa Experience”, Mr Alamieyeseigha claimed Bayelsa State had put in place various mechanisms to prevent corruption. He explained that corruption “prevents national growth and roll back development and should be rejected by all”. The former governor spoke like a man with a strong aversion for fraud and corruption, even while he was stealing his state blind at the time. Interestingly, Mr Jonathan, who was his deputy in Bayelsa State at the time, represented Mr Alamieyesiegha at the conference. It is not clear  whether the former governor still holds this view. He could not be reached for comments Saturday. However, political analysts have suggested that Mr Jonathan may have pardoned his former boss to allow him run for a senatorial seat in 2015. And the presidency has said even without the pardon, Mr. Alamieyeseigha is eligible to run for office in two years. If that happens, Mr. Alamieyeseigha would have eaten his words, ignored his own prescription while also openly demonstrating how cozy he is with corruption, analysts say. After his arrest in the UK, Mr Alamieyeseigha jumped bail and escaped to Nigeria and reports said he dressed incognito as a woman.  He was impeached as governor and later arrested by the EFCC for false declaration of assets and various acts of money laundering that runs into billions of naira. He was sentenced to two years in prison and most of his ill-gotten properties confiscated by the government but was released two days after his sentencing due to time served in detention. On Tuesday, March 12, after a Council of State meeting, the presidency announced that Mr Alamieyeseigha, and a few others (including a convicted rapist and corrupt banker) had been pardoned. The presidency said Mr. Alamieyeseigha had been remorseful of his crimes and would help in stabilising the fragile peace on the Niger Delta. Mr. Alamieyeseigha is still a wanted fugitive in the UK. The UK government recently requested his extradition to face charges of money laundering and absconding from the law. The United States government condemned the pardon describing it as a “set back in the fight against corruption.” Premium Times

Boko Haram makes Arsenal scrap visit to Nigeria

ARSENAL have revealed reasons they scrapped plans to play a friendly match in Nigeria in July. The Daily Star on Sunday attributed the scrapped plan over the fears of terrorism in Nigeria, where Boko Haram and its brother terror-group, Ansaru have killed over 3,000 people since they declared war against the state in 2009. Arsene Wenger's side were set to play the African state's national team, after cancelling a trip last year. The Gunners pledged to honour an agreement to play the match this July and even sent star players Tomas Rosicky, Bacary Sagna, Per Mertesacker and Lukas Podolski to Nigeria to help publicise the encounter. At the time of the previous postponement, Arsenal marketing director Angus Kinnear said: "We are making plans for a visit next summer." But with escalating terrorism attacks from Islamist group Boko Haram, the club have decided not to make the journey. Instead, they will tour Japan, Indonesia and Vietnam. Reported by dailystar.co.uk

Boko Haram Militants Are Not Muslims – Jonathan

President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday said that members of the Boko Haram sect were not Muslims because no true adherents of Islam would subject the country to killings, bombings and other gory attacks the way they had done.From their modus operandi, Jonathan stated that the sect members were products of international terrorism and “not members of Islam or any other religion in Nigeria. “Those who mindlessly and indiscriminately attack worship places, schools, health workers, motor-parks, banks and ordinary road users must be seen as they truly are: the brainwashed pawns of international terrorism. They do not represent any true religion or section of the country and we must never play into their hands by succumbing to their nefarious ploys to incite religious, ethnic hatred and division among us,” the president stated. In his Easter message to Nigerians yesterday, Jonathan urged Nigerians who he described as “dear countrymen and women” to continue to exhibit restraint and understanding in the face of seeming provocations. “We must have peace, security and stability to effectively implement our agenda for national transformation in all parts of the country and we shall continue to work ceaselessly to re-establish the prerequisite conditions for nationwide progress and development.” Assuring Nigerians of the federal government’s commitment to peace in the country, the president said security agencies and the armed forces would protect the unity and territorial integrity of the country. He said, “It follows, therefore, that to successfully achieve our vision of becoming one of the most dominant nations on the global stage in the shortest possible time, we must stay together as a people and continue to effectively resist by all possible means, the evil machinations of global terrorists and their misguided domestic accomplices who seek to provoke turmoil, hatred and harmful divisions among us. “I assure Nigerians that our security agencies, armed forces and I will continue to fully discharge our constitutional responsibilities of protecting the unity and territorial integrity of this country with all the powers and forces at our disposal.” On Easter celebration, Jonathan said, “I greet and felicitate with you all as we celebrate Easter which commemorates the resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ after his redemptive self-sacrifice for the eternal salvation of mankind. Irrespective of our religion or faith, all holidays provide us with a fresh opportunity to establish stronger bonds with our family, friends and all those around us for more enduring, harmonious and beneficial relationships. “As we celebrate this year’s Easter, I urge all Nigerians to rededicate themselves to living in peace and oneness with all members of their communities no matter their ethnicity, religious beliefs or places of origin.”

Saudi Arabia Threatens To Ban Skype, WhatsApp, Viber

Saudi Arabia has warned that “suitable measures” would be taken if providers of internet messenger applications such as WhatsApp fail to comply with its rules, days after the industry said authorities wanted to control such traffic. “Some telecom applications over the internet protocol currently do not meet the regulatory conditions” in the kingdom, said the Communications and Information Technology Commission in a statement carried by the official SPA state news agency on Sunday. These applications include WhatsApp, Skype and Viber, and allow text and audio communication over the internet. The commission has advised the service providers in Saudi Arabia to work with the developers of such applications to “quickly meet the regulatory conditions”, but it did not specify how they violate the rules in the ultra-conservative country. “The commission will take suitable measures regarding these applications and services if those conditions are not met,” it said in a veiled threat to ban the programmes. Industry sources said this week that the authorities had asked telecom operators to furnish a means of control that would allow censorship in the absolute monarchy. One source said the providers had been given a week to comply. An industry source said telecom operators were behind the move, accusing the Saudi Telecommunications Co (STC), along with Mobily and Zain, of asking the commission to impose censorship because of the “damage” caused by free applications. In the neighbouring UAE, most Skype applications and Viber calls are blocked, but WhatsApp messenger remains accessible. The two Gulf neighbours in 2010 threatened to ban BlackBerry instant messaging and demanded that the company install local servers to censor the service. Instant messaging services on BlackBerry remain uninterrupted, but it is not clear how far the Canadian smartphone manufacturer went to comply.

JTF Kill 14 Boko Haram Members In Kano

Nigerian soldiers killed 14 suspected Islamist insurgents on Sunday during a dawn raid on a house in the main northern city of Kano, the military said. Islamist sect Boko Haram wants to carve an Islamic state out of Nigeria. It and other Islamist groups have become the main threat to stability on Africa's top oil-producing state and increasingly menace neighbours like Cameroon. Boko Haram has killed hundreds in gun and bomb attacks, including 25 in Kano earlier in March, since it intensified an insurgency two years ago. In Sunday's raid, one soldier was killed and another seriously injured while a suspected suicide bomber was arrested in a car packed with explosives, the army said. "This operation was conducted following a tip-off from our intelligence. You can see that there are over 10 of the terrorists all dead," Iliyasu Abbah, an officer in the military task force dealing with Islamist rebels, told Reuters. Task force spokesman Ikedichi Iweha confirmed 14 suspected terrorists had been killed. A witness, who asked not to be named, said he saw a woman and a child among the dead. Security was stepped up in northern Nigerian cities this weekend to cope with an increased threat posed by Islamist groups during Christian holidays, when churches have been targeted by suicide bombers. Western governments fear that ties with groups like Al-Qaeda's North African wing are drawing Nigerian Islamists towards a more explicitly anti-Western agenda. Such concerns have risen since France launched an operation in January to flush jihadist rebels out of northern Mali. Al Qaeda-affiliated Nigerian group Ansaru said earlier this month it had killed seven foreign hostages seized on February 7 in the northern state of Bauchi because of attempts to free them. A French family was kidnapped from north Cameroon last month and is believed to be being held by Boko Haram in Nigeria. Reuters

breaking news explosion in kano

BREAKING NEWS: Easter tragedy: Explosions rock Kano again Information reaching DailyPost says an explosion has just occurred around Unguwa Uku, along Zaria highway. According to the sketchy information available to us, the Joint Task Force,JTF, have gotten to the area already and cordoned off the scene of the explosion, which has at the moment, blocked the very busy highway. Another explosion is reported to have taken place around the Eastern Bye pass area. We will continue to monitor new developments and bring you more details.

How Banks Unwittingly Aid Scammers

Criminals are said to be taking advantage of the ambiguity of Know Your Customers Policy in banks to hide their loot EFCC operatives in one of their raids in Lagos Unsuspecting members of the public are increasingly falling victims of internet frauds. What worries more, however, is the seeming complicity of banks, which hide the identities of scammers who lodge their loots with them, reports Festus Akanbi Nigerians are indeed their brothers’ keepers. In Nigeria as in most African countries, the tendency to offer a helping hand to family members, associates and friends in critical condition is very high. However, over the years, criminally-minded individuals have continued to take advantage of this demonstration of love and readiness to bail out those in distress to wreak havocs on the finances of unsuspecting members of the public. Quite a number of people, whose mobile phones are stolen have had their cases worsened by criminals who often send distress messages to the contacts on such phones soliciting financial assistance. What they do is to paint a picture of a critical situation, giving the impression that the owners of the mobile phones need urgent assistance. In some instances, friends and relatives of the owner of the phones are asked to send recharge cards. For the more sophisticated criminals, hacking into email accounts of their victims is the order of the day. In some cases, unsuspecting individuals are asked to provide details of their bank accounts through dubious messages using cloned logos of some of the banks. Quite a number of people have fallen victims of this escapade, with their bank accounts thoroughly cleaned out by the fraudsters. However, a common dimension is for the fraudsters to hack into mail accounts of people, which they use to solicit for one financial assistance or another.  Banks’ Complicity The growing difficulty of some banks to disclose the identities of some of their depositors who use banks to collect proceeds of their crimes have raised the suspicion that some bank officials may actually belong to some of the syndicates. Industry watchers who raised the possibility of a possible connivance between bank staff and Internet scammers said given the failure of the financial sector regulators to monitor banks ‘compliance with the Know Your Customers policy, it is possible for banks to shield the criminals from their victims. One recipient of such dubious scamming letters, Jayeola Ojo (not real name), who shared his experience with THISDAY last week, narrated how he engaged the fraudster in discussion through series of emails. The letter sent to Ojo’s email box read: “Good morning, I hope you are doing well. I made an emergency trip to London for medical checkup and unfortunately my niece had a nearly fatal accident yesterday night and needs to undergo surgery, which requires N126, 000 to start the treatment on her. “Please can you lend me some quick funds that I can give back as soon as I get in on Friday, as I can’t access my account at the moment. Sorry for the inconvenience but I heard she is in a very bad condition and needs medical attention as fast as possible. “I can forward you details on how to get the funds to her. You can only reach me via my email for now. I await your quick response.... The account details are: Dr. Okere Owen. C- 0053490551-. Access Bank Plc. Regards. From: Rasheed Ayeni

Telecoms operators may reject new interconnect rates

There are indications that telecommunication operators may reject the new set of interconnection rates released by the Nigerian Communications Commission last week. The new interconnection rates for voice services are targeted at bringing down call tariffs. The operators are of the view that the asymmetric model adopted by the NCC to arrive at the figures was not competitive. In telecommunications, the term asymmetric (non-symmetrical) refers to any system in which the data speed or quantity differs in one direction as compared with the other direction, averaged over time. This results in varied determination rates for different operators in the market on the basis of specified parameters. But the NCC said the review, which would start from April 1, 2013, was agreed on after consultations with various stakeholders. According to NCC, the termination rates for voice services provided by new entrants and small operators, irrespective of the originating network, shall be: N6.40 from April 1, 2013; N5.20 from April 1, 2014; and N3.90 from April 1, 2015. The termination rates for voice services provided by other operators in Nigeria, irrespective of the originating network, shall be: N4.90 from April 1, 2013; N4.40 from April 1, 2014; and N3.90 from April 1, 2015. The current rate which is symmetric to all operators, is N8.2. The Corporate Services Executive, MTN Nigeria, Mr. Akinwale Goodluck, in a telephone interview with our correspondent, said, “We are studying the determination. The determination is asymmetric. There is still a window for this. I think the ideal thing is for NCC to abolish the asymmetric model.” The Director, Regulatory and Government Affairs, Airtel Nigeria, Mr. Osondu Nwokolo, who also spoke to our correspondent, said Airtel was still studying the review to know how it works. “We are still studying it to know how it works. The rates still retain the asymmetric model. There should be a single determination. The market has ‘evened’ out because some of the new entrants have been here for awhile,” he said The spokesperson for another operator, who asked not to be quoted, said they expected the NCC to develop a flat determination rate for all operators. He said his company had yet to decide on the next line of action. But the NCC had said the new determination rates, which significantly reviewed prices downwards were informed by the depth of competition in the industry while taking into consideration the position of new entrants and small operators. For new entrants and small operators, the tariff drop will be by 21.95 per cent come April 1 this year, while for other operators, the drop will be 40.2 per cent, following the new rates. “This determination shall take effect from April 1, 2013, and remain valid and binding on licensees for the next three years until further reviewed by the Commission,” the NCC had maintained. According to the NCC, a new entrant is a newly licensed operator entering an existing or new market within zero to three years, while a small operator, for the purpose of the determination, is an existing operator with a market share of zero to 7.5 per cent in terms of subscriber base. The current interconnection rate regulation was implemented through the commission’s Interconnection Rate Determination issued on December 21, 2009. Since then, the Nigerian communications market has seen tremendous growth in subscriber numbers as well as traffic volumes and available technologies. In June 2012, the commission appointed PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP to undertake a cost study for voice interconnection.     [Punch]

INEC set to register Tinubu’s APC

Presidential Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on Inter Party Relations, Chief Ben Obi, has said the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leaders do not need anybody to tell them that the coming together of some opposition parties to challenge the PDP is an indication that they need to work harder. Obi said specifically that the coming of the All Progressives Alliance (APC) is nothing but a wake-up call to the leadership of the ruling party to sit up and improve on its internal democracy. He spoke as Sunday Independent got it on good authority during the week that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is now ready to register the All Progressives Alliance (APC). The APC is a newly formed political party by some opposition politicians drawn from the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and some members of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA). In an interview with Sunday Independent last week, Obi said he has always been an advocate of a two-party system and welcomes the formation of the new party as it would help to strengthen our democracy. Obi also noted that, with the APC, the National Chairman of the PDP, Dr. Bamanga Tukur, knows there is fire on the mountain, hence he has been moving from zone to zone to get things right for the party before the election days are here again. His words: “I’m indeed pleased that opposition parties are coming together to form a solid bloc to challenge the PDP. “As somebody well grounded in party management, I think it’s a very good development. Yes, they will challenge PDP. These are parties that control some state governments. “So it is expected that when they come together, they will make an impact. And it is good for our politics that they come together so that PDP itself will sit-up. I’m a member of the PDP. I want PDP to sit-up, I want PDP to get up and do a few things, like building its internal democracy. “You can see that the national chairman is now moving about going from zone to zone energising the party because he has seen that there is fire on the mountain. “Look, I am one of those who are promoters of a two-party system. I have said it over time. So, if I see a situation is coming to that, I’m all for it. But what I do not like is when I see my friends in the APC saying that the PDP is trying to scuttle them. “The PDP has no interest whatsoever in doing that. As special adviser to the president on inter-party affairs, I think I should know if that is happening at all.” During the week, a competent INEC source told Sunday Independent that the Attahiru Jega-led Commission had written to the opposition parties behind the APC – ACN, CPC, ANPP – confirming INEC’s readiness to witness/monitor their convention, indicating that they had ceased to function in their former capacity as a party and would now operate under the umbrella of one party to be called APC. Baring any unforeseen circumstances, the merging parties are expected to hold their conventions between April and June to pave the way for final ratification of the parties as APC. The spokesman of the ANPP, Emma Eneukwu, confirmed that the party’s NEC holding April 11 is part of the efforts the party was making to consummate the merger arrangement. The other parties involved in the merger game, mainly ACN, ANPP and CPC, are equally planning for similar National Executive Committee (NEC), Working Committee or Board of Trustees (BoT) meetings that would lead to holding their National Convention. At the weekend, Sunday Independent gathered that the ACN and the CPC may have chosen the date for their National Conventions. The ACN, our source said, is looking at April 18 while we could not ascertain the date the CPC hopes to convene hers during the month. Jega, Sunday Independent gathered, has confirmed INEC’s presence at the ACN National Convention in writing to the leadership of the party. The ACN had earlier written INEC to inform and invite the Commission to be part of it. However, the INEC source said the failure of the Commission to register the controversial African People’s Congress (APC), the party that is laying claim to have first approached INEC for registration with the name – APC, was founded on law. Last week, Jega came out to say the promoters of the African People’s Congress did not meet the basic registration conditions for political parties in the country. The pronouncement not only jolted the party promoters, but has made them vow to pursue the case to the Supreme Court should INEC not rescind its decision. The party has also accused INEC of compromise and gang up with some forces to frustrate its registration. But INEC insists they are in breach of the requirement of the Constitution as stipulated in Section 222 (a) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) which stipulates as follows: “No association by whatever name called shall function as a political party unless: (a) the names and addresses of its national officers are registered with the Independent National electoral Commission.” “A close observation of your submitted form PA1 established that it does not contain the addresses of your national officers as stipulated in the above provision. “Consequently, the Commission shall not register the proposed African People’s Congress as a political party,” INEC told the promoters in a letter it wrote to the association’s Acting National Chairman, Chief Onyinye Ikeagwuonu, on March 21, 2013. Although there were insinuations that the PDP was fueling the controversy, the ruling party’s NWC through its spokesman, Olisa Metu, said the controversy was being “contrived by the ACN to attract attention to themselves and undue sympathy,” adding that “the capacity of our opposition for mischief has never been in doubt.” Regardless of the denial by the PDP over the raging name controversy, an inside source in the party is still confident that the merging parties may end up being advised to adopt a new name since the move by one of the interested parties to seek legal action to any level may distort the overall plan for the merger. “When the matter proceeds to the Supreme Court as we are sure it will, do you think the merging parties will still want to wait till the name riddle is resolved without looking for an alternative identity?” the politician asked. From: Sunday Independent

In Emerging Markets, Samsung Is King--While Nokia And BlackBerry Are Not Dead Yet

Among the nearly 130 million people in the U.S. who own smartphones, Apple hasn’t lost any ground, even gaining market share through January 2013. But in the developing world, Samsung is the phone of choice, according to a new report from mobile marketing firm Upstream. Removing price from consideration, more consumers across four developing markets—Brazil, India, Nigeria and Saudi Arabia—said they would be most likely to buy a Samsung as their next handset with 32% of those surveyed, leading Nokia at 22%, Apple at 21%, then BlackBerry at 10%. Upstream’s online survey sampled over 1,000 adults across the four countries to find that Samsung was the most desired phone across the three markets in which it has a presence; in the fourth, Nigeria, Nokia was most popular with 37% of preferences. Apple fared much better in comparison to a control of the United States and United Kingdom, where Upstream says 32% of prospective shoppers would select an iPhone compared to 22% for Samsung. Apple’s strongest of the four nations was also the richest—Saudi Arabia—and users in that nation were the only in the survey to have a majority say they’d spend over $450 on a new phone. ”There’s a correlation between income and brand affinity,” says Marco Veremis, Upstream’s founder and CEO. “In the developing world, the mobile phone is an item of absolute day to day necessity, so brand choice is less important.” Calling from Ethiopia, where he was attending a mobile operators conference, Veremis said that what he sees in Africa and in other developing market is a leapfrog past the desktop phase that powered American companies like Dell and Gateway in the 1990s. “Companies in the West assume that whatever happened there will play out in emerging markets, and we think this will not be the case,” Veremis says. Upstream’s numbers on device preference would appear to bear that out as most users in each of the four surveyed markets reported they used mobile phones as their primary device. In Nigeria, a full two-thirds of responders rely on a phone (India was the most laptop-friendly with one-third preferred). That seems to have benefited Nokia and BlackBerry, both of which received the most preference in the African nation. Veremis points to easy access to social networks and the Web as drivers for that preference; Nokia’s investment in long battery life could also be appreciated in a market with recurring power supply issues. As a company serving the cell operators, Upstream has an interest in the major operators recognizing the variance in the developing market: the company asserts that because no Apple-Android duopoly exists in emerging markets, operators can play a greater role in how they develop—which would mean more investment and thus more business for Upstream. Still, Upstream tapped outside firms YouGov and Vanson Bourne to conduct the survey independently, and phone reseller Gazelle at least partially confirmed Upstream’s findings. While Asia and Latin America remain the greatest areas of used phone demand for Gazelle, the company said its biggest business in Africa is for BlackBerrys. Samsung, meanwhile, has seen increased demand worldwide due to the popularity of the Galaxy S III and demand for the new Galaxy S IV, Gazelle Chief Gadget Officer Anthony Scarsella said in a statement. Apple remains publicly bullish about the east Asian markets and specifically China, but lack of leading appeal in developing markets may be one factor in the company reportedly working on a smaller, cheaper iPhone that would suit those markets. That move could shake up perceptions—and sales—in countries where Apple’s highly-curated iOS provides lower priority features than more utilitarian options. The phone giant hot on Apple’s heels, Samsung, will take heart at its popularity even in affluent nations like Saudi Arabia. And perhaps in the biggest surprise, the troubled Nokia and all-in BlackBerry can take heart that in some parts of the world, they remain fully relevant players in the smartphone race. Forbes

Fatal military helicopter crash in S Africa

The South African military says five air force members have died in the crash of a helicopter that was patrolling as part of an anti-rhino poaching operation. The military said in a statement that the crash happened on Saturday evening in South Africa's Kruger National Park. It says the crew was among those killed. The statement says the helicopter was on a scheduled patrol of the park and that an investigation is under way to determine the cause of the crash. South Africa is struggling to stem rampant poaching of rhinos, whose horns are sold to buyers in Asia. Rhino horn is made of keratin, a tough protein found in human fingernails. There's a belief in Asia that ingesting ground-up horn cures diseases. However, no medical evidence supports that. Aljazeera

Newspaper headlines

PUNCH Patience Jonathan flown abroad for treatment — Report; Obasanjo, El-Rufai and I — Atiku; We won’t extradite Alamieyeseigha –FG; PDP govs compile constitutional breaches against Tukur, others; 2015: North rejects Jonathan as sole PDP aspirant; SUNDAY GUARDIAN Burden Of Recurrent Expenditure: ‘Lifestyles’ Gulp 18trillion naira in 12 Yrs…Only N6.5trn Spent On Infrastructure; ‘Let Easter Usher In New Dawn’…Jonathan Preaches Unity, Tolerance; Nigeria gets significant amount of FDI in Africa, says UN Report; Mark, Ekweremadu Preach Peace, forgiveness at Easter…urge Christians to be steadfast in Prayers; ICPC boss urges Nigerians to Demand Accountability from Leaders; JTF assures residents of peaceful Easter; Imo’s new Deputy Gov sworn-in, pledges loyalty to Okorocha; NATION I was very fond of Agbaso, says Okorocha; SURE-P largesse tears PDP apart; Boko Haram: Disquiet in Presidency as North backs Sultan over amnesty; Plateau killings: Death toll hits 50; Jonathan condoles with Awolowo family; Aregbesola warns against religious violence in Osun; Jonathan sues for peace, oneness; SUNDAY MIRROR Patience Jonathan sick again, in Europe for treatment…shuttles between Spain, Germany…considers treatment in U.S. hospital; We are not done yet with Maina—Senate; Jonathan in Ikenne, promises support for Awolowo’s family; Big Read: Insurgency: Who is winning the battle?; Parents, hospital battle over toddler’s eye loss…Doctor’s negligence caused the problem –Mother…We are not aware –Hospital management; EASTER: Fear grips Kano residents as JTF, Police beef up security; 4 die, 20 injured in Ogun Autocrash; POLICE/NSCDC CLASH: FG to conduct forensic ballistics on weapons; SUNDAY VANGUARD 2015 PRESIDENTIAL CONTEST: Obasanjo intensifies plot against Jonathan; Jonathan, Mark, ACF, govs sue for peace at Easter; OYERINDE’S MURDER: Our story, by police (2); Arrested Two-Month-Old: Father is dare-devil robber; the mother, gang armourer - Police; Oil Blocs: Why Jonathan must step on toes – Ayemi-Botu, N-Delta monarch; I have no problem with PDP govs – Tukur; 2015: PDP’s fear of defeat is real - Tom Ikimi; Gunmen kill policeman at daughters’ wedding; Kwara police commissioner’s assassination: We have recorded 90% success on investigation – AIG NDDC streamlines contracts to end abandonment of projects; No one can fast-track our mama’s death – Awo family; INDEPENDENT INEC set to register Tinubu’s APC; Easter: Dont be provoked, Jonathan tells Christians; Kano blasts: Luxury bus owners seek N450m compensation from FG, Kano; Boundary dispute: Three kidnapped, 200 houses razed as Kogi, Enugu communities clash; 2015: Why South West may dump Jonathan; Ihedioha decries politics of bitterness among politicians; Delta 2015: No power shift – Ominimini; God will redeem Nigeria if we fully turn to Him – Bishop Afareha; NSDC frustrates suspected pipeline vandals in Ilorin; Aregbesola warns against using religion to cause disharmony; Nigerian Tribune: • EASTER MESSAGE: Mark, govs, clerics, others peach peace at Easter • Police warn S/West churches over Boko Haram •‘Don’t allow phone-charging inside church buildings’ • Posers over 9-yr-old boy’s alleged suicide • Insecurity: Jonathan stresses need for dialogue • Northern govs, Wabara, others mourn Tribune’s publisher • Boko Haram faceless because of arrest —ACF • NLC, TUC declare 4-day warning strike in Osun • BOKO HARAM: Niger govt compensates families with N2m • Violence increases against pro-Koleosho ACN members • Two injured in Lagos-Ibadan expressway crash • PDP ’ll reverse Aregbesola’s unpopular polices in 2014 —Senator Akinlabi

Aso rock in lagos

Nigeria’s known Aso Rock Villa, the official home of the nation’s President, is in Abuja. It is the country’s seat of political power and leadership. But there is another Aso Rock Villa tucked away in Lawanson, in Surulere Local Government Area of Lagos State, and it equally wields enormous power. In fact, the Lagos Aso Rock is an official republic on its own. Given its peculiar dispensation of power and the fear it evokes, it could be ranked as an independent kingdom compared to the famous Kalakuta Republic where the late Abami Eda, Fela Anikulapo- Kuti, reigned in the 1970s. The Lagos version of Aso Rock is a two-storey building that sits majestically on Odubiyi Street, off Cole Street. Perhaps as a sign of its dreadful power, it is the first house on the Street from the Cole street angle with “Number 24” conspicuously written on it. There are shops on the side of the building, ostensibly to satisfy the culinary and drinking needs of the occupants of the villa. The occupants of this Aso Rock Villa in Lagos are men and women who have unlimited freedom to do whatever they want in the area. They collect rent from the shops because they are part of the building. Checks by Sunday Sun gathered that there are about 50 occupants of the Villa and they cut across different ethnic groups. Unlike the Villa in Abuja where Nigeria’s political and economic issues are discussed, the topical issues at the Lagos Villa are the sale and consumption of Indian hemp, other hard drugs, prostitution, alcohol and other intoxicants. It guarantees unrestrained smoking of Indian hemp, and recklessness sexual activities. But like in every organized setting, the occupants have their own President and Commander-In-Chief who oversees and directs the affairs of the Villa. His name is simply Tona alias Actor. He lives there with his wife. It was gathered that an Ibadan-based multi-billionaire, who is also a popular religious leader, owned the abandoned building- turned -miscreants haven. Sources stated that the billionaire initially gave the house to a friend before their relationship went sour and he retrieved it. While the relationship lasted, the friend was said to have put Tona in charge of the house. Consequently, when things fell apart, Tona assumed total control of the property. Thereafter, he let out the apartments in the building including the open space on the ground floor and some empty rooms to some people who sleep their after their daily hustles. The tenants are also said to be good consumers of drugs. “Tona is very rich. He has plenty of money because he is in charge of the entire house”, a resident said, adding that the rentals of the shops also go to him and his loyalists. Investigation revealed that apart from the shops, men and women literally with nine lives that fear no one including the police, occupy the apartments, and they indulge in all sorts of crimes. “All of them smoke Indian hemp including the women and they drink alcohol. They are from different tribes. We have Yoruba, Ibo, Hausa and others, but they are all birds of same feather. They are notorious people”, a source said, Another source confirmed the assertion saying nobody can stay there unless you fit into the system. “Who will stay there? All of them that are there are the same and they do the same things, smoking Indian hemp without fear”, the source said. Checks also revealed that despite the rough life of the occupants, some of the apartments are well furnished with modern- day gadgets and accessories including rugs. There is also a viewing centre in the building where non-tenants that are, “strong men” as the occupants of the building, come to watch football matches. But despite the dreaded status of the building, it was gathered that ladies troop in every night to meet with the occupants. “They have girlfriends and those girls come there every night, but I think they are either irresponsible girls or prostitutes because they equally smoke with them. Apart from Tona, it was gathered that another strong person in the Lagos Aso Villa is simply called Owolabi. He is the main seller of Indian hemps to the occupants and visitors and nobody dare him except Tona. “Owolabi is another strong person in the house. He is the that sells Indian Hemp to them and they also fear him”, a source in the area said. But the residents of Cole and Odubiyi Streets also live in fear of the occupants of the Villa because of their lifestyle. It was gathered that although the Villa people hardly make trouble with their neighbours, the whole area is occasionally held hostage when they engage themselves in supremacy battle. “Sometimes when they start their trouble, the shops around will hurriedly close”, a resident said. Worried about the bad image the Villa has given to the area, many residents have urged the government to take over the notorious building and chase away the miscreants for peace to reign. They wondered why the owner abandoned such an edifice. “We want government to take over the house since the owner does not need it, so that these people will leave our vicinity”, one of them said. It was however gathered that the Police raid the building once in a while but that the occupants are used to the raids and have a way of maneuvering their way to escape arrest. “Sometimes, the police would arrest some of them but release them later and they come back”, a source added. Policemen were said to have descended heavily on the area on Wednesday, after a salesgirl in one of the shops in the building allegedly in a relationship with one of the Villa boys, had a face-off with one of them. The girl was said to have pulled a knife and almost killed the young man before she was overpowered. Sources stated that but for the quick intervention of the police, the area would have been in flame. Built about 20 years ago, the Lawanson ‘Villa’ was said to have been nicknamed Aso Rock, because the occupants behave as if they are above the law and people dread them a lot. Sunday Sun

Aba IPP to guarantee 95% uninterrupted electricity

The Aba Integrated Power Project on Thursday said that the plant would guarantee 95 per cent uninterrupted electricity supply. The project, which has a total installed capacity of 141 megawatts of electricity, would serve over 5,000 small and medium enterprises, industries and residents in the Aba metropolis, as well as provide excess power to be distributed to other cities outside its primary area. The Technical Adviser, Geometric Power Limited – owners of the project, Mr. Okwudiri Ehilegbu, in an interview with journalists, stated that the private-sector driven project would boost the Federal Government's plan of transforming the power sector. He said, "The Aba IPP is not just part of measures to address the power challenges in this area, but it would boost the nation's power system. This is because when we distribute power to businesses in this metropolis, the power being consumed before the IPP came on board would be sent out to other areas. Hence, it would improve electricity supply in other areas. "We are aiming at guaranteeing 95 per cent uninterrupted power supply, barring all unforeseen circumstance, and the plant will feed all Aba metropolis and its environs." The Federal Government had in 2005, during the administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo, come up with the idea of Integrated Power Projects to address the twin issues of low electric power generation and gas flaring from oil exploration in the Niger Delta region. The idea was that the project would serve as an intervention scheme to comprehensively address the state of electricity infrastructure in Nigeria. It was planned to be a fast-track approach to improving the country's electricity power supply through the implementation of generation, transmission, distribution and gas supply projects. The Aba IPP, however, was not into gas supply, Ehilegbu said. He explained that the plant had three generating turbines and each was rated 47MW, adding that two of the units were 95 per cent complete, while one was 90 per cent ready. The plant, it was learnt, would be fired up in May and start supplying power to consumers immediately. "Though this would be done in phases, it will make industries, small businesses and other consumers appreciate the privatisation of the power sector," Ehilegbu said. Punch

Arrested Two-Month-Old: Father is dare-devil robber; the mother, gang armourer – Police

This is bizarre but true. A two-month -old girl was arrested and paraded in lieu of her father who was suspected to be a dare-devil robber. The mother was taken into custody along the toddler identified as Oyinkansola. It happened in Ogun State. Policemen stormed the residence of  the alleged  armed robber, Ismail Adeosun, at Ago-Ika in Abeokuta North local government area and, because they could not find the suspect, they arrested every Adeosun available. Oyinkansola was celebrated  with wide media coverage, but in a grotesque  manner. Tongues are wagging over the  propriety of  the action of the police. Many are asking  what offence the baby committed to warrant the treatment. . Little Oyinkansola  was among six suspects paraded by the Ogun State Police Command at its headquarters in Eleweran, Abeokuta, the state capital, in connection with alleged armed robbery and murder cases which have claimed the lives of no fewer than six people. Justifying the action, the police said Oyinkansola’s  father, Ismail, 26, who  was  at large,  was identified as the ring leader of an armed robbery team. The mother,Fausat, 19 , was said to be   the armourer of the team, Oyinkasola’s uncle and aunt, Tobi Adeosun, 15, and Iyabode Adeosun respectively, were also not spared as the whole family  were  cooling  their feet in police custody. When challenged on  the allegation leveled against her by the police, Oyinkansola’s mother  denied the knowledge of her husband’s robbery business but said that he (Ismail) operated  a film house in Igbo-Ora area of Oyo State. She  told Sunday  Vanguard that  when she noticed that a gun was brought to the house, her husband threatened to kill her if she informed  anybody  about it. “On Sunday, he came to me and I asked him whether he had removed his gun from my house because we don’t live together but he said he and his friend, Danladi, were around to pick the gun, I never knew he was a thief until he brought the gun to my house”,she said. “He asked me whether I had told anybody and even threatened to kill me if I had informed anybody and that he will run away and leave me to suffer on his behalf, but I told him I never informed anyone. “Unfortunately, the police came on Monday and asked me about the gun but I told them his brother had taken the gun away. That was how I was arrested,” she said. Sunday Vanguard gathered that two other members of the gang, Danladi Musa and Taiwo Muse, were arrested by the police  when, according to the state police commissioner, Ikemefuna Okoye, the police stormed  the residence of the suspects where  locally made guns and other ammunition were recovered. Okoye explained that his  men acted on information provided by a member of the gang who had earlier been arrested and stormed the residence of the suspects where  Oyinkansola  and others were arrested. The commissioner said investigation was on and that the suspects would be charged to court upon completion of the investigation. “This woman has been keeping gun for her husband and his 15- year- old brother is also the armourer of the gang,” he said. Speaking with Sunday Vanguard,   Ismail’s younger brother, Tobi, narrated that it was his brother who the police were looking for before they arrested all the family members including the two months old baby. But  the police commissioner insisted that Tobi is the armourer of the gang while Ismail’s wife has also been keeping her husband’s arms and ammunition before luck ran out on them. Tobi, who was allegedly arrested with some ammunition in his possession,wassaid tohave confessed to the police that it was Ismail’s  wife   that had  been keeping the gun for her husband, adding that he was only brought to the scene to relocate the arms when the police invaded the house. “It was his wife who has been helping him to watch over his guns. That day when the police came, his wife, Fausat,called me to hide the gun behind a block beside the house, it was wrapped inside a cloth and, when the police came, I told them everything and even took them to where the gun was hidden,”he said. “At first, I lied to the police because I was scared and I had never experienced such, I never knew my brother was a thief until that day.” One of the two suspected members of the gang in police net, Danladi, confessed   his involvement in some robbery cases, while he further narrated that no fewer than five people lost their lives during the operations. When asked how he was caught by the police, the suspect said it was in the process of stealing a car in Sango area of  Ogun State. He said he was introduced into the business about a year ago. “I am here because I stole a Golf car at Sango area of the state, I am an armed robber, a friend introduced me to the work in January last year”,he said “I have mistakenly killed someone in the process of my work, it wasn’t my intention to kill the person but he was dragging ammunition with me and i mistakenly fired the shot. It was the same person who introduced me to the work that gave me the ammunition. His name is Ismail but he is at large. “I didn’t know the person I killed but he was dragging the ammunition with me, probably he thought the gun was empty. We were in the same car in November last year when the incident happened. I have stolen about five cars and the driver of our gang by name Abati was the one in charge of the cars. I don’t know where the cars are now but Abati has also escaped.” The other member of the gang who was also nabbed by the police, Taiwo, confessed that no fewer than five people had been killed during the operations in which he participated. He said  that all his effort was because of N30, 000 promised by the alleged gang leader, Ismail, that made him to  join the group. Vanguard

Shocking: Mistress Burns Maid’s B*Ttocks For Being ‘Promiscuous’

A 14- year-old house maid, Otobong Edet  John, had her b*ttocks seared with  hot electric iron  by her mistress, simply identified as  Ekaette, on the suspicion that she  was promiscuous. Narrating her ordeal, Otobong said she was receiving a call on her phone when the madam operating a canteen  asked her  who was on the phone and she said it was one of her friends.  “But madam did not believe me and started beating me. So I ran and stayed somewhere with my friend”,she stated. According to her, she remained in that place until about 10p.m. when she went to sleep in a church close to their shop and the next morning “when I was about coming to the shop, a neighbour saw me discussing with a customer who was asking me where I was coming from so early in the morning  and went to tell my aunty that I spent the night with the  man”. The madam, she said,  went to the police station at nearby Atimbo Road, Calabar and reported to them that the man  abducted her housemaid. But after the police interrogated the man, they let him go and this infuriated Ekaette following which she allegedly dragged Otobong to the shop, plugged the electric iron and when it was red hot, she used the scorched parts to sear the maid’s body including her b*ttocks and right arm. Not done yet, she allegedly put a basin of banana on the girl’s head, asking her to go to town and sell even as her arm and b*ttocks were bleeding. “It was a customer who wanted to buy banana that saw  that my arm was bleeding and asked me what happened and, when I showed him my b*ttocks, he shouted and took me to the police”, she said. The mistress, while being interrogated by the police at Akim Police Division for causing bodily harm to a minor,  justified her action by saying that  Otobong  was  a  rude and wayward girl.  “When she told me it was Mary that called her, I called back that number and it was a male voice that answered and she then changed the story that she did not know what the man wanted after she had discussed with the man for over two  minutes”,Ekaette said. She said there were instances when the girl had gone  from home to stay with men even as she had repeatedly cautioned her to change her ways. “That girl you are seeing is a very wayward girl and, if I tell you her story,  you would marvel”, she said. The Public Relations Officer for the Cross River State Police Command, DSP John Umoh, said the action of Ekaette was unacceptable as it amounted to child abuse and “after investigations she would be taken to court”. Source: Vanguard News

Do not link Boko Haram with Islam, Governor Aliyu urges Nigerians

Governor Babangida Aliyu of Niger on Friday, urged Nigerians not to link Islam with Boko Harm as “Islam abhors extremism in all aspects.” Mr. Aliyu made the call at the opening ceremony of a three-day workshop for Chief Imams of North Central Zone of Nigeria in Minna. “We all know that Islam is a religion of moderation and abhors extremism in all aspects,’’ he said. Mr. Aliyu described a situation whereby some people linked the “heinous activities” of Boko Haram to Islam as unfortunate. He said that the activities of the sect negated the basic principles of Islam, stressing that “Muslims do not attack another religion in the name of jihad.” Gov. Aliyu, however, observed that many Muslims were ignorant of the rudiments of Islam because some parents had abdicated their responsibility of teaching their children the basic tenets of the religion. He added that schools no longer encouraged moral or religious education. The governor advised the imams “to mould and reform the society through wise preaching, sincere and honest admonitions, spiritual advice and community support at all times.” “You are entrusted with the guidance of everybody in the society; the leaders and the led, the rich and the poor, young and the old, father and son, husband and wife, that you see as servants of God. “The imams should also be in the vanguard of mutual understanding between Muslims and non-Muslims; similarly, the imams should serve as guides to political leaders. “They should reach out to the youth, inspire them in peaceful pursuits and teach them the correct understanding of Islam, to avoid them resorting violence,” he said. He also appealed to the gathering to advise the government on whether the imams should be paid allowance or depend on charity. The governor, who said that the advice should also include the method of selecting the imams and the location of Juma’at Mosque within a community, said the effort was necessary to avoid conflict. The Chairman of Niger League of Imams, Ibrahim Fari, called for unity among the Muslim community to ensure better understanding and advancement of Islam and in the interest of the larger society. He also called for adherence to the true teaching of Islamic tenets, obey the leaders and avoid abusing them for failure to tackle the problems confronting the country and its citizens. About 210 imams from Kwara, Kogi, Nasarawa, Plateau, Benue, Abuja and the host state were participating in the workshop. (NAN)

We don’t feel the impact of SURE-P, Labour tells FG

The pronouncement  by President Goodluck Jonathan on a new strategy by the Federal Government to remove fuel subsidy has sparked another round of controversy. While some stakeholders say the money allocated for fuel subsidy in the budget must be channelled into agriculture, housing and other sectors to reposition the economy for rapid growth and development, others warn government against the removal. The Western Zonal Chairman, National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), Alhaji Tokunbo Korodo, speaks on the need for government to avoid any issue that may further worsen the security situation in the country, which, according to him, any attempt to remove the remaining subsidy on petrol portends. Excerpt: The president recently declared that government will not continue to waste resources meant for the Nigerian people to pay fuel subsidy, which, government says, benefits the affluent and the middle class more than the masses. What is your position? To start with, government should not be talking about fuel subsidy now, when the economy is dwindling due to perennial security crisis and increasing rate of poverty in the country. The issue of fuel subsidy now is not encouraging, because it can further provoke the people. Government should focus on economic transformation in the areas of providing security to stop incessant killings of innocent citizens, creation of jobs to tackle the alarming rate of unemployment in the country, especially among the youths, and infrastructural development. This is what Nigerians want to hear. Government should avoid anything that will pave the way for a strike action because that may even worsen the security situation in the country. Labour vs FG Have you also considered the explanation from government that subsidy money goes into the hands of few individuals to the detriment of the masses that you are trying to protect? Well, the leakages in the system in terms of corruption, misappropriation of public funds and subsidy money going into the hands of few influential individuals in the country must be blamed on the inefficiency on the part of government to check the excesses in the economy. So, government should not blame its inefficiency on the people. For instance, government has been advocating the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P) which, they said, is designed to enhance immediate socio-economic status of our economy with resources realised from the partial removal of subsidy in January 2012,  yet, we cannot feel the impact. We could recall that by January 1, 2012, government took everyone by surprise, when they removed the subsidy without due consultation with the people and representatives of labour unions. They increased the pump price of fuel from N65 per litre to N141 but the week-long mass protests compelled government to shift ground by reducing the price to N97 per litre, which is still too high for some people to purchase. Government should be able to tell the people how they utilised the money that was removed from the subsidy to improve the economy for better productivity. What I mean here is the partial removal of the subsidy money. Millions of Nigerians remain unemployed. We are still witnessing infrastructure decay and epileptic supply of electricity. Even few companies that are absorbing the work force now are using casual workers. We have a situation in this country where many Nigerians are employed as casual workers without any benefit. Also, our roads are so terrible. The state of the roads is posing a serious challenge to distribution of petroleum products across the country. For example, many of our members have lost their lives in fatal accidents due to bad roads. Instead of subsidy removal to further impoverish the people, government should turn attention to power failure, which has also become a major issue in the country. The lingering power crisis is not good for a developing economy like Nigeria . We may not achieve tangible economic growth and development with erratic power supply that is almost crippling every sector of the economy. Even the operators of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the country need constant electricity to remain in business. Now, government is talking about Vision 20:2020, when the power sector is not generating sufficient capacity to meet the demand of electricity consumers in the industrial sector and for domestic use. For government to achieve its Vision, it must tackle power failure pragmatically and holistically within a stipulated period. The security situation must also be given attention, if we must move forward. The report on fuel subsidy scam revealed that over $6bn was looted from subsidy funds in the past two years. Why is government not proactive about prosecuting individuals behind this fraud? Well, they say the matter is in court already but let us see what will be the outcome. We have similar cases of people defrauding government and, at the end, nothing tangible came out of it. I hope the subsidy case will not go the same way. We are watching to see what will be the outcome. At present, the official  pump price of fuel  remains N97 per litre. Why are some service outlets selling at N100 and above? The reality is that our economy is not stable. As such, the prices of goods and services are not also stable. For instance, the pump price is  N97 per litre, but the scarcity in the system  makes if difficult for people to get the product at uniform price. Aside that, you know Nigerians with their attitude. When a product is scarce in the market, it must be made to attract increase in price. This is exactly what is happening. This is the more reason we do not want to hear anything about subsidy removal now. This is because such a pronouncement can even trigger artificial scarcity and panic buying. Some people immediately they hear fuel subsidy removal can begin to store petrol in their houses. Beyond that, some of the people selling above the official pump price may also be getting their product through the black market rate. For instance, if some are buying between N97 and N100 per litre, what do you expect them to do? In business, people must make profit at least to improve their margin in order to stay afloat. So, you cannot also blame. What we are saying is that government should create an enabling environment for price stability and availability of product at all times as well as putting measures in place to find lasting solution to insecurity in the country, instead of subsidy removal. Do you think that the Department of Petroleum Resource (DPR) is doing enough to check the problem of under-dispensing of product by the service outlets? The DPR is doing its best at the moment, but the approach of sealing the filling stations across the country is not the solution to the problem. Rather, it may further aggravate the situation and increase the rate of scarcity in the system. This implies that the level of scarcity may increase and people can resort to patronising Jerry-can black marketers Vanguard

Patience Jonathan Sick Again, In Europe For Treatment

SaharaReporters has learned that Nigeria's First Lady, Patience Jonathan, is sick again and is shuttling between Spain and Germany in search of treatment. A source also told SaharaReporters that the First Lady was also contemplating receiving medical treatment from a US hospital. Mrs. Jonathan’s renewed health woes have accounted for her absence from several official events in Abuja and her home state of Bayelsa State over the last few days. A few days ago, Mrs. Jonathan made a quiet exit from Abuja en route to France where she was to allegedly receive some unspecified award. However, a source within the Presidency told SaharaReporters that Mrs. Jonathan’s trip to France was a ploy to enable her to shop for new doctors in Europe for her deteriorating health. A source disclosed that she left France for Spain. The same source disclosed that the First Lady was considering being moved to a US hospital today. However, a source in the US who is close to the First Family told SaharaReporters that he was “not heard from the first lady regarding her trip to the US.” Ayo Osinlu, a spokesman of the First Lady, told SaharaReporters that Mrs. Jonathan was in Europe in order to care for an ailing elderly woman who helped raise the First Lady. He failed to disclose the specific European nation where Mrs. Jonathan’s foster mother is hospitalized. During Mrs. Jonathan’s first extended medical sojourn in Germany, Mr. Osinlu had misled reporters by declaring that the First Lady was merely vacationing abroad after what he described as a series of grueling official functions, including the hosting of a conference of African First Ladies. Mrs. Jonathan was noticeably absent from a Friday church service organized at the presidential villa yesterday as part of Easter celebrations. She was also missing at another key event where  her Africa First Ladies Peace Mission donated relief material to the war-torn country of Mali. An aide of the First Lady reported that a minister, Ms. Jumoke Akinjide, represented Mrs. Jonathan at the event where relief material was donated to Mali. During the church service at the Presidential Villa, President Jonathan was flanked by his elderly mother, Eunice Jonathan, as well as Petroleum Minister Diezani Alison-Madueke and Ndudi Elumelu, a member of the House of Representatives indicted for corruption in power sector projects. Mrs. Alison-Madueke, who has been romantically linked to Mr. Jonathan, wore a large diamond ring at the church service. One of the last times Mrs. Jonathan was seen in public was on her return from an official visit to Cote d’Ivoire on March 2, 2013. She later made a brief visit to Lagos where she attended a dinner organized for Nollywood stars. Afterwards, she was sighted in Paris where she received the “Global Women Leader for Peace Award 2013.” Since receiving the award on March 17, the First Lady has not been seen in any official photos released from the Presidency. Her trip to Paris coincided with her husband’s official visit to Equatorial Guinea. Mr. Jonathan was accompanied on that official visit by two female ministers, Stella Oduah of Aviation and Ms. Diezani of Petroleum. A source in Abuja said Mrs. Jonathan had not been seen in public for close to a week and half, including during a breakfast meeting with the members of the House of Representatives led by Leo Ogor on March 21, 2013. A few weeks ago, Mrs. Jonathan was at the center of an obscene event where she loquaciously celebrated her ostensible “resurrection from the dead” after dying for more than a week. Some 5,000 guests attended the event at the villa which was televised live, with Pastor Oritsejafor presiding. At the event, Mrs. Jonathan claimed to have undergone several surgeries during her medical sojourn in Germany. The extended medical visit, which was first reported by Saharareporters, cost Nigeria close to 5 million Euros in medical expenses. Mrs. Jonathan’s aides had initially passed off her medical trip as a vacation. On her return from Germany, Mrs. Jonathan had also denied ever going for medical treatment. Saharareporters contacted several presidential aides seeking information about Mrs. Jonathan’s whereabouts, but they failed to return our reporters’ phone calls and text messages. Sahara Reporters

Kenya Supreme Court upholds Kenyatta election win

Kenya's Supreme Court has upheld Uhuru Kenyatta's presidential election victory, rejecting several petitions challenging the vote. Chief Justice Willy Mutunga announced the decision, saying the poll was free and fair. The appeal was lodged by PM Raila Odinga, Mr Kenyatta's main rival in the presidential poll this month. Official results said Mr Kenyatta beat Mr Odinga by 50.07% to 43.28%, avoiding a run-off by just 8,100 votes. There is tight security at the Supreme Court. Violence after a disputed election in 2007 left more than 1,200 people dead. The presidential, legislative and municipal elections held on 4 March were the first since the 2007 poll. Mr Kenyatta and his running mate, William Ruto, are facing trial on charges of crimes against humanity at the International Criminal Court (ICC) for allegedly fuelling unrest after that election. They deny the charges. Plea for calm There was tight security for the court decision, with all roads leading to the building closed. Mr Kenyatta has called the election a "triumph of democracy" Police chief David Kimaiyo warned on Friday that unrest would not be tolerated. He said: "We have reports indicating that some parties have organised their supporters to converge outside the Supreme Court during delivery of the ruling, and we will not allow any such gatherings. "There will be tight security in all parts of the country, we will not tolerate any form of violence." Outgoing President Mwai Kibaki has urged people to stay calm and accept the result, but much will depend on Kenyans' faith in their newly reformed judiciary, says the BBC's Gabriel Gatehouse in Nairobi. Lawyers for Mr Odinga said their petition to the Supreme Court included allegations of vote manipulation, as well as problems with the registration of voters and an electronic vote counting mechanism. On Friday, the Supreme Court reviewed recounts from 22 polling stations. Both sides claimed that the recounts vindicated their position. Mr Kenyatta has called the election, which was largely conducted peacefully, a "triumph of democracy". The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has insisted that the vote was credible, despite technical failures with an electronic voter ID system and the vote counting mechanism. International observers said the poll was largely free, fair and credible, and that the electoral commission had conducted its business in an open and transparent manner.

Easter Celebration: Commuters Groan Hike In Transport Fare

Commuters at the Jabi Motor Park in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have expressed dissatisfaction over the increase in transport fare. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday reports that some commuters were stranded at the motor park due to the sharp increase in cost of transportation to their various destinations. Mr Ayodeji Dele, one of the commuters who spoke to NAN attributed the hike to the pending rumour on the removal of subsidy by the Federal Government. Dele said that the rumour had made many transporters to jack-up their fares, before a new price regime would ensure. According to him, we have been paying N2,500 for buses from Abuja to Akure, but now there is a five hundred naira increase making it N3,000. Another commuter, Mr Isa Tukur, said the cost of travelling to Lokoja before the Easter was N600 for a bus, but now it is N1,000. He attributed the increase to a delay in getting to Lokoja caused by the traffic jam along Gwagwalada-Abaji express way. When contacted, Mr Danjuma Yabo, an official of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) Jabi branch, said that the hike was caused by the delay the transporters faced on the Abuja-Lokoja high way. Yabo regretted the manner in which both passengers and transporters had been put to stress due to the bad roads. According to him, it took some eight hours to get to Lokoja from Abuja. NAN reports that there were few passengers at the park as the Easter holiday continues. (NAN)

Pesticides affect sperm quality – Experts

Some medical experts in Lagos on Saturday said pesticides and other insect killer chemicals could affect the quality of sperm in men. They said in  separate interviews in Lagos that low sperm quality could cause sterility. A consultant gynaecologist at Shalom Hospital, Dr Titi Dairo, said many environmental factors affected sperm quality in men. According to her, such factors are pesticides and insecticides, which are mostly overlooked by most people as damaging to the sperm producing organ of men. “Pesticides and insecticides used in controlling insects, pests and rodents have harmful effects not only on a person’s health, but also on the sperm. “Pesticides and insecticides exposure may affect spermatogenesis leading to poor semen quality. “Other environmental elements that affect sperm quality include: extended exposure to industrial chemicals like herbicides, pesticides, organic solvents and painting materials. “Indiscriminate exposure to these elements should be limited, if not avoided because low sperm count and poor sperm quality are the causes of infertility in men,” she said. A general physician, Dr Ibidun Abimbola, said that over exposure to insecticide used in killing mosquitoes could have harmful effect on the sperm producing organs of men. “Chemicals from pesticides and insecticides can cause damage, not only to the health, but also to the male reproductive organ. “Reduction in sperm quality due to several exposures to pesticides and insecticides can result in infertility.” She listed other factors responsible for low sperm count in men to include work related stress, and lead fumes generated in the manufacturing of small cell batteries. “Exposure to X-rays should be limited as sperm cells are easily damaged by its gamma rays. “Sitting for a long period, wearing tight clothing or using a laptop on your lap for a long period may also increase the temperature in your scrotum and reduce sperm production,” she said. (NAN)

Mandela Has Pneumonia, Breathing ‘Without Difficulty’

Nelson Mandela was comfortable and breathing without difficulty after being treated for pneumonia, the presidency said Saturday as the anti-apartheid icon spent a third day in hospital. The 94-year-old had fluid drained from his chest which "has resulted in him now being able to breathe without difficulty," President Jacob Zuma's office said in a statement. "He continues to respond to treatment and is comfortable." Mandela who was spending his third day in hospital after making "steady progress" for a recurring lung infection, the latest health scare for the nonagenarian anti-apartheid icon. Messages of concern for the ailing 94-year-old, one of the towering figures of modern history, have poured in since his admission late Wednesday and President Jacob Zuma's spokesman gave an upbeat report on Friday. "He was in good spirits, he had a full breakfast, and the doctors report that he's making steady progress," Mac Maharaj told AFP. "He sat up and had his breakfast in bed." There was no update yet on Saturday from Mandela's doctors on his condition or details on how long he would remain at the undisclosed hospital, he said. Mandela's recent health troubles have triggered an outpouring of prayers but have also seen South Africans come to terms with the mortality of the revered Nobel Peace Prize winner. The former president is idolised in his home nation, where he is seen as the architect of South Africa's peaceful transition from white-minority ruled police state to hope-filled democracy. Nearly 20 years after he came to power in 1994, he remains a unifying symbol in a country still riven by racial tensions and deep inequality. It is the second time this month that he has been admitted to hospital, after spending a night for check-ups on March 9. That followed a nearly three-week hospital stay in December, when Mandela was treated for another lung infection and underwent gallstone surgery. He was diagnosed with early-stage tuberculosis in 1988 during his 27 years in prison under the apartheid regime and has long had problems with his lungs. He has also had treatment for prostate cancer and has suffered stomach ailments. Mandela's ex-wife Winnie Madikizela-Mandela told public broadcaster SABC that "Tata (father) is doing well". "He's responding very well to treatment," said Madikizela-Mandela, who attended a Friday church service in Soweto where the congregation prayed for Mandela. But officials said doctors' reports of Mandela's steady progress should be taken in context. "Yes, indeed it is good news but we need to be cautious, bear in mind his age," said presidential spokesman Maharaj, who was a political prisoner with Mandela at Robben Island jail off the coast of Cape Town. - 'Through him, we are where we are' - While Mandela's legacy continues to loom large over South African politics, he has long since exited the political stage and for the large young population he is a figure from another era, serving as president for just one term. He has not appeared in public since South Africa's football World Cup final in 2010. Labour unrest, high-profile crimes, grinding poverty and corruption scandals have effectively ended the honeymoon enjoyed after Mandela ushered in the "Rainbow Nation" but his decades-long struggle against apartheid resonates. Ajith Deena, who lives near the eastern port city Durban, said Mandela is so beloved because he forgave his apartheid captors and said "'Let's go forward together, let's forget the past and let's move forward as one nation, one country.'" He will leave South Africa on "a good footing", Deena said. "It will be a big loss to the country even though he's not in the public eye. It's through him that we are where we are." The name and location of the hospital where Mandela is being treated have not been disclosed to allow his medical team to focus on their work and to shield the family from the intense media interest. In the past he has been hospitalised at a clinic in Pretoria. Away from the public eye, Mandela has grown increasingly frail. His December hospital stay was his longest since he walked free from jail in 1990. English Premier League football club Sunderland is calling its clash Saturday with Manchester United "Nelson Mandela Day", in honour of the club's association with Mandela's charitable foundation.

Security beef up as Jonathan visits Ikenne-Remo

Security has been beefed up in Ikenne-Remo, Ogun, ahead of President Goodluck Jonathan visit to late Obafemi Awolowo’a residence. The President is expected at the residence of the late sage to commiserate with the family over the death Chief Oluwole Awolowo. Awolowo, 70,  the publisher of the Nigerian Tribune, died on March 27 at a London hospital. There was heavy security around the Awolowo residence and roads leading to the residence. Men of the Nigerian army, the Nigerian police force and the Nigerian Civil Defence Corps were located at strategic places. Cars coming in and out of the town were subjected to thorough searching. Only NAN correspondent, NTA crew, Channels, MITV and splash FM were allowed into the residence by the security agencies. Meanwhile, the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) on Friday condoled the Awolowo family over the death. In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, in Lagos, ACN said it received the news of the death “with great shock and much sadness.” “Our prayer is that God will grant him eternal rest and comfort those he left behind” the party added. The party paid tribute to late Oluwole Awolowo’s whom it observed contributed to deepening democracy and for his great efforts in sustaining Tribune newspapers. (NAN)

US Lawmakers Tighten Belts Amid Automatic Budget Cuts

Members of the US Congress are travelling less and worrying more about meeting office salaries. Their aides are contending with long lines to get inside their offices and fewer prospects of a raise. Such are the indignities thrust upon the men and women who brought the country $85 billion in government spending cuts this month. There probably won't be much sympathy for a senator or congressman making $174,000 a year who is in no danger of being furloughed or laid off, at least until the next election. Still, there has been an effort, especially in the Republican-led House, to show that no one should be exempt from sacrifice, reports The Associated Press. "As those who are charged with the care of taxpayers' dollars, we need to lead by example," Rep. Candice Miller, R-Mich., who chairs the House Administration Committee, said last week in promoting a bill to slash the budgets of House committees by 11 percent. Earlier in March — after Congress and the White House failed to come up with an alternative to across-the-board cuts in most federal programs — the House imposed an 8.2 percent reduction in lawmakers' personal office budgets. That came on top of 11 percent cuts to members' office budgets during 2011-2012. "We've drastically reduced travel both for myself and my staff," said Republican Rep. John Campbell, who must cross the country to visit his southern California district. He said he tends to stay in Washington on two-day weekends rather than return home. "I'm more productive here when I'm not rushing to get home," he added. Campbell said other "little things" he is doing to economize include reducing the office phone bill, cutting off magazine and newspaper subscriptions and using email rather than letters to communicate with voters. Rep. Luke Messer, a freshman Republican from Indiana, said he hired fewer people when he came to Washington because "we essentially began the term knowing there was a high possibility of a sequester"— Washington-speak for the automatic spending cuts. So far, congressional staffers appear to have escaped the furloughs that are likely to send thousands of public servants home without pay for several workdays over the next six months and disrupt some government services. "I hope to avoid that," said Rep. Jared Polis, D-Colo., "but we will take any steps to ensure we don't exceed our budget." Under House rules, a lawmaker must pay for excess spending out of his or her own pocket. The fiscal pressures are weaker in the Senate, where senators have staff budgets about double the amount of the $1.3 million average in the House and where the office cuts ordered because of the sequester were limited to 5 percent. While staffers still have their jobs, they may have a harder time getting to them. Security officials have cut costs by closing 10 entrances and several side streets around the Capitol complex, creating long lines to get through screening stations. People "have started to adjust to those changes at the entrances," although it is still a challenge on busy days, said Senate Sergeant at Arms Terrance Gainer. Gainer, who oversees nearly 1,000 security and administrative employees, said he hopes to abide by the 5 percent sequester cut without layoffs by enlisting 70 or 80 people for a voluntary retirement program. Some House members also are feeling the pinch during the two-week Easter break, a prime time for foreign "fact-finding" tours. House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, announced last month that members must book commercial flights rather than make use of more convenient but more expensive military aircraft. Some Democrats have complained the GOP enthusiasm for frugality has come at too high a cost. "At a time when most members of this body are representing newly formed congressional districts with a need to open new offices or move to new locations, we find ourselves with an 8.2 percent decrease in the very operating budgets that support constituent services," said Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla. Wasserman Schultz, who also is the Democratic Party's chairwoman, criticized House Republicans for cutting budgets while spending some $3 million for the legal defence of the 1996 Defence of Marriage Act, which bars federal recognition of same-sex marriages. "We are past the point of cutting what we want, and we are now into cutting what we need — our ability to attract and retain expert staff," said Rep. Robert Brady of Pennsylvania, the senior Democrat on the House Administration Committee. Brad Fitch, president and CEO of the Congressional Management Foundation, a nonprofit organization that works to improve congressional operations, said it's still possible that House members will have to resort to furloughs or layoffs. So far, he said, they have been able to cope with the cuts of the past three years with less drastic steps, such as reducing the size of their staffs through attrition, making more use of interns and using email rather than mass mailings. At the end of 2011, Fitch's group recommended 46 possible ways for members to cut $90,000 from their 2012 budgets, ranging from pay freezes, holding more town hall meetings by telephone, delaying purchases of new computers, eliminating Washington staffers' visits to district offices, closing district offices, eliminating bottled water from offices and reviewing spending on food and beverages for constituents.

Aero Resumes Flights, Recalls Workers

Nigeria’s major carrier, Aero Contractors resumed flights yesterday after recalling over 600 workers it sacked about two weeks ago. The airline stopped its operation and sacked over 600 of its workers a fortnight ago when it had industrial disagreement with the staff, who were protesting over the plan to outsource part of its manpower as cost-cutting measure. But when it wanted to resume operations the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) insisted that it must carry out re-evaluation exercise in order to restore its operational certificate. THISDAY learnt that what delayed the re-evaluation was that the airline’s manpower was very low for its operational capacity, so NCAA insisted that it must beef up its manpower by recalling the workers before it would be allowed to resume operation. At its Lagos operational base at the domestic terminal of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos (MAA2), Aero workers were   seen yesterday selling tickets to customers and there were officials of the airline at the check-in counters. THISDAY also learnt, from one of the workers who was hitherto sacked got a message from Aero management to resume work yesterday morning and the same message was relayed to other workers of the airline. THISDAY visited the ticket sales counters yesterday and at 2 pm passengers were still trickling in because there was no prior information about the airline’s resumption of flights. Meanwhile, thousands of passengers who wanted to travel for the Easter holiday thronged the ticketing and check-in counters of Arik Air at the General Aviation Terminal (GAT) of the Lagos airport yesterday. The crowd that was almost uncontrollable created a chaotic atmosphere that it was extremely difficult to walk into the airport terminal, particularly if the person has luggage Thisday

KWAM1 Celebrates The Birth Of His 38th Child In America

KWAM1 has 38 children,according to reports from reliable sources King wasiu Ayinde Marshal A.k.a Kwam1 and his baby mama Titi Masha (ex mistress of gbenga islander who was kwam1′s biggest spender.gbenga was advised by his friend kwam1 to dump titi and the rest is history)just Christened their daughter in a lavish ceremony in far away Chicago The chicago party is the 3rd since the baby was born,Titi had the baby in February and on the eight day after she brought her baby to bed she celebrated in a big style and baby daddy Wasiu also had a lavish party in Ijebu. The baby girl is Titis second child and King Wasiu's 38th child. Another party is billed to hold when Titi returns to Lagos and She has chosen aso ebi for 25k…scramble for aso.ebi is presently on. The beautiful baby was christened Fathia Whitney Anjolaoluwa on Saturday march 22,2013 Naij

Easter: Passengers stranded on Abuja-Lokoja road

The North to South bound passengers, travelling for the Easter break on the Abuja-Lokoja road, were on Friday stranded for hours because of heavy gridlock on the expressway. Some passengers who spoke to reporters expressed frustration for waiting for many hours on the same spot. Mr Okon John, one of the passengers coming from Ondo State, said he left home at 6.a.m., only to be trapped at Koton Karfe for three hours. “ Imagine, I left home very early thinking that I will beat this traffic, only to be held up here for three hours.” John appealed to the Federal Government to see to the completion of the road project to avoid future occurrence of the gridlock. Mrs Grace Darby, described the traffic situation as horrible, alleging that government saw it coming but did nothing to avert the situation. “ I am appealing to the Federal Government to consider the plight of Nigerians plying this road. Darby said that the Abuja-Lokoja road project was long over due for completion. Meanwhile, The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has blamed motorists for the current heavy traffic jam on the Koton- Karfe – Abaji road. The Sector Commander of the FRSC in Nasarawa State, Mr Francis Udoma, told newsmen on Friday that motorists had turned the two-lane road into six lanes, thereby making it difficult for vehicles coming from both ends to move easily. He said that a trailer loaded with 700 bags of beniseeds fell on its side at the middle of the bridge, thereby making it difficult for vehicles from Abuja to pass through. (NAN)

NAFDAC Arrests Brothers, Impounds N25m Fake ‘Alomo Bitters’

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has arrested two brothers, Henry and Ekene Ezeani for the illegal manufacture and sale of fake alcoholic beverage, "The Prince Alomo-Bitters." Operatives of the agency in Lagos impounded N25m worth of the product during the raid. A statement by NAFDAC's spokesperson in the state, Anslem Okonkwor, said the suspects were part of a syndicate that specialised in producing fake brands of beverages, which had been under the agency's surveillance. "A team of NAFDAC officials led by Mr. Joseph Asikpo apprehended them while they were producing the fake products in their residence at 140, Ojora Royal Compound, Coker Village in Lagos," Okonkwor said. It was learnt that Ekene had been arrested in 2012 for a similar offence but was released on bail. Henry was said to have admitted to being the owner of the business. Okonkwor said, "He said he learnt wine production from a company in South Africa, where he had worked before he was deported in 2011. "His excuse was that he needed money to establish a proper wine producing company of his own." The Director of Enforcement, NAFDAC, Mr. Garba Macdonald, told journalists that his officers had been on the trail of the suspects since the presence of the fake products was reported in markets across Lagos. Punch

Mayhem in Onitsha as MASSOB, Igbo youths clash

There was tense security situation in Onitsha, commercial nerve of Anambra State on Friday as members of the Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, and Association of Igbo Youth, AIYO engaged themselves in a brawl. An eye witness said there were serious casualties on both sides. The reason for the physical combat in some parts of the commercial city of Onitsha, which began on Thursday and continued Friday has not been ascertained as at press time. However, the fight brought business activities to a standstill in the area. The Onitsha Police Area Commander, Benjamin Wordu, who confirmed the clash, said he personally invited the army and the navy to assist the police in stopping the crisis. He said that he was not yet aware of any casualty or arrests from both sides. Speaking on the incident, MASSOB’s National Director of Information, Uchenna Madu, and Regional Administrator for Onitsha Region 4, Chief Arinze Igbani, stated that they were aware of the clash but were yet to be properly briefed by their members. They added that they learnt that the Igbo youth were allegedly the first to swoop on the MASSOB members. Another leader of MASSOB in charge of Region 4, Special Duties, Anyanwu Josephat Chimaobi, also alleged that members of Okpoko Vigilance Group teamed up with Igbo youth and swooped on MASSOB office at Okpoko area of Onitsha and set the office and some motorcycles there on fire. He also claimed that some of their members were abducted. In a contrary reaction, the state chairman of AIYO, Emeka Ominyi Uga, and the Onitsha coordinator, Okechukwu Asolo, alleged that the clash started when some MASSOB members mounted a road block and were extorting money from the public and AIYO members tried to stop them from the extortion. He claimed that they went on rampage instead, and invaded some offices of AIYO at Onitsha North and Onitsha South and unleashed mayhem on their members. Dailypost

Reverend Okotie seeks secret trial for ex-pianist, asks judge to chase journalists

The Head of the Household of God Church International and former presidential candidate, Chris Okotie, was so uncomfortable with journalists reporting his involvement in a suit that he asked the judge to chase journalists away from the court room, PREMIUM TIMES can reveal. The reverend stated this to a Lagos Magistrate Court Judge on Wednesday during a trial between him and a former member of his church. Mr. Okotie is accusing Dafiaghor Okiotor, 40, a former keyboardist in the church, of blackmail and intimidation and trying to extort N39 million from him. Mr. Okiotor, however, stated that the flamboyant head of the church owed him after he played the keyboard and produced music for the church for 14 years. The accused had consistently debunked claims that he was a volunteer at the church, adding that he had a “private arrangement” with Mr. Okotie. Okotie seeks journalists exit As the trial continued on Wednesday, Mr. Okotie asked the magistrate to tell the reporters to “excuse’ them from the court. “Your Honour, there are journalists in the court recording the proceedings. We would be obliged if they can be excused from the court,” said Kola Dopamu, who was holding brief for Mr. Okotie at the trial. Robert Igbinedion, Mr. Okiotor’s counsel, demanded to know the reasons for asking the journalists to leave. “What issue does it go to? You cannot eat your cake and have it. You were the ones who brought us to court. The court is a public place and setting where everybody, lawyers, journalists and even passersby come to unhindered as long as they don’t disrupt the proceedings,” Mr. Igbinedion said. Oshodi Makanjuola, the magistrate, ignored the defence lawyer and told the journalists to “leave her court.” “I know your people (journalists) are always around the court premises but why are you in this particular court proceeding?” Mrs. Makanjuola asked the journalists. “What is so special about this case that you want to cover the case? Please leave the court room.” The magistrate also shouted at Mr. Igbinedion, who tried to oppose the order. “Excuse me, I will not allow you to talk. I do not want journalists in my court. This is my court and I run it the way I so please. Who are you that journalists should be coming to cover your case? What nonsense!” A shouting match As the court orderly came forward to march the journalists out of the room, a shouting match ensued between the magistrate and the defence lawyer. Court transcripts seen by PREMIUM TIMES detailed the heated verbal exchanges between the magistrate and the lawyer. “Your Honour, you have no right to issue that order. The constitution is very clear about the freedom of the press and public hearing. By your action you have just trampled on the fundamental right of my client to a fair hearing,” Mr. Igbinedion said. The magistrate fired back: “How dare you talk to me in that manner? So, it’s the journalists that would now ensure that his rights are protected?” Mr. Igbinedion continued, “Your Honour, I’m sorry but you do not have the power to do that. You sit there operating with the powers that was given you by the constitution but you are trampling on the same constitution. Your action, if you insist, will rob I and my client of every confidence that we can get justice in this court. If you insist the journalists, who are the Fourth Estate of the realm, leave then I will have no choice but to leave also. You may as well pass your judgment without trial.” As other lawyers in the court, visibly taken aback, tried to douse the tension in the room, a furious Mrs. Makanjuola insisted that the journalists would leave. “How dare you talk to me like that? This is my court. Are you going to tell me how to run my court? Journalists please leave my court now,” Mrs. Makanjuola said. At this point, the defence lawyer threatened to walk out with his client. “Your Honour, my client is no longer assured of fair hearing. We do not have confidence in the court anymore. The court has ceased to be a public place. A place where everybody should have access especially members of the Fourth Estate of the realm,” said Mr. Igbinedion. I can use my power anyhow The argument and counter argument dragged on, the magistrate insisting that no law states that journalists must cover the proceedings of the court; the lawyer arguing that it was their fundamental right. “I have the power to use my discretion to allow the journalists or not to allow the journalists. You have no right to tell me that journalists must be in my court,” the magistrate said. Mr. Igbinedion started to flip the pages of the Nigerian Constitution, searching for the section that deals with the Freedom of the Press. “Sorry, Your Honour, but your discretion cannot supersede the laws of the country… My client is facing a criminal charge brought against him by Mr. Chris Okotie who we all know is a billionaire. The constitution says that no part of the hearing can be conducted in secret. It must be open. If you will trample the constitution then we will lose confidence in the court.” Mrs. Makanjuola asked the lawyer his reason for ‘bringing’ journalists to cover the court’s proceedings. “Journalists often come to cover cases in court but why should they come for your matter? Who are you? I’m just wondering why you decided to bring a special journalist. What is so special about you and your case that journalists should come?” Mrs. Makanjuola asked. Mr. Igbinedion responded that the matter is an oppression of the poor by the rich. Okotie oppressed my client “The constitution is here to protect everyone from oppression. Mr. Chris Okotie accused the defendant publicly. Now he wants the defendant to be tried secretly. My client has been maligned in the newspapers with headlines like: ‘Pianist assaults Reverend Chris Okotie;’ ‘Pianists attacks Chris Okotie while preaching;’ ‘Pianist disrupts Reverend Chris Okotie’s service;’ ‘Pianist threaten Reverend Chris Okotie. “Google any of these headlines, you will find my client named as the anarchist. My client was in jail when these publications came out. My learned prosecutor granted an interview stating these to the press. Consequently, my client is finding it difficult to get jobs because no one is ready to give any job to a man who has been publicly portrayed to have assaulted his boss. “When they were making all these allegations, the press was good and okay. Now we say give your evidence publicly, they now have a problem with the same press being around. We say no to that kind of oppression,” said Mr. Igbinedion. The magistrate eventually asked the journalists to return, stating that she did not “have a personal interest in the matter.” “So it’s the journalists that will ensure a fair hearing? Ok, call the journalists to come in since that is the way you think your client can have a fair hearing,” Mrs. Makanjuola said. “Let it not be [said] that I have any special interest in this matter,” she added. Addressing the journalists, the magistrate urged them to be objective in their reporting of proceedings. “I read Mass Communications before going to study Law. I hope you understand what I mean about being objective?” she said. Premium Times