Governors To Pay Salary, Pension Arrears When Another Paris Loan Club Fund Is Released

Salary and pension arrears of workers would be paid when State governors receive the next tranche of payment of the Paris Loan Club Refund.

The Head of Media and Public Affairs of the Nigeria Governors Forum, Mr. Abulrazaque Bello-barkindo, said in a statement on Thursday, June 1, that the state governors arrived at the decision at a meeting convened by the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum and Governor of Zamfara State, Alhaji Abdulaziz Yari Abubakar, in Abuja on Thursday night.

He said that the governors held the meeting in expectation of the next tranche of payment of the money already approved for payment by the Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo.

He said the governors would receive the money in the month of June.

“We all agreed that a substantial amount from the next tranche of the Paris-London refunds be used in the settlement of workers’ salary and pension arrears,” Yari was quoted as saying.

He said that governors were aware of the widespread criticism of the non-payment of the backlog of salary and pension arrears and the suffering of the Nigerian workers and concluded that the situation of the workers be ameliorated to put the country on the path of growth.

Bello-barkindo recalled that out of the N522.74bn owed states, N388.304bn was paid in December 2016.

He also stated that the NGF had set up a committee under Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State to provide a solution to litigations filed by 10 consultants demanding payment for their roles in the release of the funds.

According to the statement, the committee comprises Governor Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar of Bauchi State; Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State; Plateau State’s Simon Lalong; Bayelsa’s Seriaki Dickson; Rivers’ Nyesom Wike; and a former Accountant General of the Federation and Gombe State Governor, Ibrahim Dankwambo.

Bello-barkindo added that the NGF also resolved to set up a seven-man committee to pursue “reconciliation of the forum and the betterment of the country.”

The committee comprises the governors of Imo, Bayelsa, Abia, Ekiti, Kano, Nasarawa and Bauchi states.

Bird Flu returns to 7 states in Nigeria - Federal Government warns

The Federal Government through the Director of Veterinary and Pest Control Services of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, has alerted the general public on the recent outbreak of bird flu in Nigeria. The director Mr Gideon Mshelbwala in a statement listed the states affected by the outbreak to include Bauchi, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Nasarawa, Plateau, FCT and lastly Kaduna, which reported a case on May 30.

He said that the disease had spread across 26 states of the federation and the FCT since it started in 2008 affecting 800 farms in no fewer than 123 local government areas. Mshelbwala said that the way forward to the containment of the disease was to ban importation of poultry and products, quarantine and bio-security measures, among others.

He, however, warned poultry farmers against illegal vaccination of birds, saying that it was a deadly alternative to the control of the disease.

PDP chieftain, Bode George, has condemned calls by some Nigerians, for President Buhari to resign from office because of his ill health. George in an interview with pressmen in Lagos yesterday, described the call as inhumane. According to the former South West chairman of PDP, it is only the president and his managers who could determine if he is incapacitated and therefore should resign.

“You see, I don’t support the call by some people that the president should resign because of his health. Even though I have always been on different camps with the president, I do not think it is right for anybody to have evil thoughts towards him. He is ill and we can only wish him good health and pray for him. Calling him to resign because of this is getting beyond politics. He is a human being and only God knows the appointed time for everyone. The holy book says we should always pray for people in authority. I think the president deserves everyone’s prayers, not comments that could even outrage some people and create unnecessary tension" he said.

Man left seriously injured after his own dogs attacked him

A South African man from Durban is left struggling for his life after he was attacked by two of his pet Pit Bull Terrier at his home in Moss Road on Friday.
According to Rescue Care spokesperson, Garrith Jamieson, he told Times Live that the victim was trying to separate his dogs‚ which had been fighting.
“When paramedics arrived at the scene‚ they found the injured man at his home. He had been bitten several times and was in a serious condition‚” he said.
“It was his own dog that attacked him. He told us that he had been trying to separate it from another dog it was fighting with‚” Jamieson added.
Times Live reports that the man was treated and stabilised at the scene by paramedics and then transported by ambulance to a city hospital where he's being hospitalized.

Police parade operators of illegal websites

The Nigeria Police Force today paraded four operators of illegal websites in the country. The Force Public Relations officer, Jimoh Moshood, told newsmen that the suspects operated websites that claim to be in possession of worked out solutions to different subjects for students that wrote the just concluded WAEC examinations. The suspects asked their victims to pay a certain amount of money in accounts they provided in exchange for worked out solutions in any subject. They were arrested following a tip-off. Among the suspects paraded are:

i. Chijoke Onwuachu Modestus, a 300 level student of Computer Science Micheal Okpara University, Umudike who was arrested at Umuiahia and confessed to have collected ₦400 per paper from numerous candidates, to the tune of seventy thousand naira (#70,000)

ii. 20 year old Samuel Odinaka Onwurah who was arrested at Kutunku extension layout in Gwagwalada, Abuja and confessed to have collected the sum of ninety thousand naira (#90,000) from various victims.

iii. 30 year old Patrick Uchechukwu Nwodo who was trailed and picked up at Abakpa, Nike in Enugu. He confessed to have collected the sum of forty thousand naira (#40,000) from unsuspecting victims.

iv. 20 year old Okon Effiong Joseph, a 200 level student of Public Health Department University of Calabar, who was arrested at Calabar. He has collected the sum of one hundred and twenty thousand naira (#120,000) from different candidates.

Jimoh says the suspects would soon be charged to court while effort is being intensified to arrest other operators of illegal/rogue websites currently at large.

Former Cross River Information Commissioner, Patrick Ugbe kidnapped by masked gunmen

Patrick Ugbe, a former Cross River state Commissioner of Information and Managing Director of Hit FM Calabar was whisked away by masked gunmen Thursday night. He served during the administration of Governor Liyel Imoke, from 2007 to 2015, as his Chief Press Secretary and later Commissioner for Information.

ThisDay reports that Ugbe was abducted at about 8.30p.m. close to the junction leading to the Calabar International Convention Centre (CCCI), while driving back to town after attending a town hall meeting for stakeholders in the state, and the acting President of Nigeria, Osinbajo.

This was done in front of some personnel of the Federal Road Safety Corp (FRSC) who attempted to foil the abduction, but could not rescue him because they were not armed.

Update: South African woman who went missing 2 days has been found alive

Recall that on Thursday, we reported the missing case of a South African woman who left home on Tuesday to the hospital and never returned back for two days. The 60-year-old Loretta Lamont from Johannesburg has reunited with her family after she was found in a safe house on Thursday, June 1, 2017.

According to Vidian Ghanie, a member of her family who confirmed her return to LIB, she said her aunt passed out and a good Samaritan took her to a safe house until she recovered.

‘She was found yesterday at about 5:20 pm at a safe house. Her blood sugar was very low and she passed out. Someone took her to the safe house when she woke up yesterday she asked them to call her family’, she said.

Photo: Nigerian woman arrested and charged with welfare fraud in the US for collecting benefits while her husband earned $1.5M per year

A 41-year-old Nigerian mother of four was arrested this week in Arlington, USA and charged with four counts of welfare fraud for collecting over $100,000 in benefits – all while her husband was a high-earning attorney in D.C., police say.

Police say a six-month investigation into Helen Agbapuruonwu, found that she had collected benefits like food stamps and Medicaid assistance for the past six years.

While Helen was collecting benefits, her husband, Fidelis Agbapuruonwu, was earning $1.5 million per year as a lawyer, according to court documents obtained by NBC News4.

In 2001, Fidelis received the prestigious Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowship which helped pay his way through law school.

Fidelis’ LinkedIn page claims he works for the D.C. firm of Mayer Brown, but today the firm said he no longer works there. Court officials believe Fidelis, a Nigerian immigrant, has “fled the country and is somewhere in Africa.”

The director of the pre-school the Agbapuruonwu’s children once attended said she is shocked by the allegations against family.

"I have to believe it’s not true,” she said.
Helen Agbapuruonwu’s defense lawyer declined to comment.

Police say they hope this case is a deterrent to anyone who thinks about trying to cheat the system.
"We hope it sends a message that if you are taking public assistance it’s truly intended for those in need, and we’re committed to ensuring those who need the most help receive it," said Arlington County Police spokeswoman Ashley Savage.

Photos: One month old baby abducted in South Africa hijacking found alive. The mother, two others arrested

A one month old baby, Siwaphiwe Mbambo, who was abducted during a hijacking in Durban on Friday, was found in the early hours of today, alive and well. Baby Siwaphiwe Mbambo has been placed in the care of the provincial Social Development Department.

News of the child's abduction had sparked nationwide concern and made local and international headlines after it was reported that the woman and her two children had been walking to their car outside a shopping centre when they were approached by two suspects who fled with the vehicle and the baby. Police offered a reward of R250,000 for any information leading to the return of the child.
"It is alleged that the mother was walking with her two children - a one-month-old, and an eight-year old to her car in the parking, when she was approached by two suspects who allegedly hijacked her of her car, and fled with the one-month-old child," he said.

South African Police Service today, released a statement regarding the abduction of Baby Siwaphiwe which said that three suspects have been arrested in connection with the case including the child's mother. Read the full police statement below:
"On Friday, 9 March 2017 the baby’s mother reported to the police that her TOYOTA YARIS car had been hijacked with her 1 month old baby on the back seat when two men drove off in her car. The car was later found abandoned in Montclair with the baby and the nappy bag missing.
The police deployed all the resources necessary to conduct a search for the missing child joined by law enforcement officers, community members and organizations with an interest in finding the missing one month old baby. The search was intensified and further interviews were conducted with persons of interest. Too many inconsistencies emerged during the interviews especially in terms of the initial reporting to the police of how the incident developed. Information generated from the interviews became critical in the setting up of a roadblock in Marianhill in the early hours of this morning. A car was stopped by the police wherein a man, a woman and the baby in question was found with the baby unharmed. The baby has been placed under the care of Social Development. Three people including the 34 year old biological mother of the baby, another woman and a man, have been arrested and are in custody.

Members of the SAPS and all role players involved are commended for ensuring the safe return of Baby Siwaphiwe Mbombo and the arrest of the perpetrators of serious crimes of this nature. The South African Police Service invested a lot in this case, including members working overtime, the use of vehicles and aircraft which impacted negatively on the availability of police resources in the fight against priority crimes. The diversion of policing resources by people with selfish motives cannot be tolerated at all. It is thus critical that in situations like this, those involved are dealt with during the processing of their cases by the courts of our country. A special prosecutor was appointed this morning to work with the SAPS on this case.

“We, as the South African Police Service, are extremely grateful that this innocent baby has been rescued from a dubious situation to say the least. We thank our members, all other law enforcement agencies and security companies who stepped up to assist, as well as the civic minded members of the public who joined forces to assist in the search. We are a wonderful, caring society and it is disappointing when people take advantage of their fellow South African’s trust and belief in humanity. False claims of crimes which have an entire nation and beyond in a state of sorrow and anxiety, should be condemned,” said Acting National Commissioner, Lieutenant General Khomotso Phahlane.
Those who have been arrested and are in custody, will appear in court soon.

Photos: Two female suicide bombers intercepted in Borno

Two female suicide bombers were intercepted in the early hours of today in Ummarari village along Mulai axis off Damboa road, Borno state.

The remains of the suicide bombers have been evacuated while a member of the Civilian Joint Taskforce who was injured during the attack is currently being treated at the state hospital.

Jim Obazee: Meet The Former FRCN Boss Who Played A Role In Adeboye’s Retirement And Sanusi’s Sack

President Muhammadu Buhari sacked the Executive Secretary of the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria (FRCN), Jim Obazee for disobeying his directive to not go ahead with the controversial law that has led to the sudden retirement of Pastor E.A Adeboye as the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) in Nigeria.

Obazee has been in the news as a result of the FRCN controversial law and below is the profile of the man;

Obazee has a bachelor of science degree in accounting from the University of Benin; a master of science degree in accounting from the University of Lagos, and a certification in strategic financial analysis for business evaluation from Harvard University, USA.

He is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), and a member of the Nigeria Institute of Management (NIM) and the American Accounting Association (AAA).

He was re-appointed in 2015 as the FRC executive secretary for another term of four years, which will have elapsed in 2018.

He has been accused of many things, including sexual harassment and insubordination.

And he had a frosty relationship with Okechukwu Enelamah, minister of industry, trade and investment, who had directed him to suspend the law, but he refused.

ACCUSED OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT BY HIS PERSONAL ASSISTANT

Obazee was accused of sexual harassment by one Abimbola Yakubu, his personal assistant of three years, in 2013. But he denied the allegation.

In a letter to the board of the FRC, Yakubu alleged that Obazee had repeatedly threatened to sack her if she did not accede to his amorous gestures.

“For the period of years that I worked with him, I have always been closing as late as 10pm and sometimes beyond. I have been very loyal, committed and dedicated to duty. I have never for one day shown any sign of insubordination. Early this year, I noticed the Executive Secretary’s attitude changed towards me,” she wrote.

“I met with him on several occasions, asking him what I have done wrong but he would not say anything rather, he would yell and scream at me saying all manner of unprintable words like: ‘when I am done with you, you will cry’; ‘when I am done with you, you will hang yourself’. So I withdrew and kept to myself. He continued in this attitude towards me, not relating with me and giving my subordinates my job to do (the things I should be doing).

“I close very late at night as a civil servant, not because we really have much work to do, but that’s when he finds it most convenient to talk to me about his love for me. He makes sure everyone has closed and we are left alone in the office to make his demands. I am grateful to God for the kind of husband I married who is very understanding.

“Besides, there is no sexual move or plea he made that I did not tell my husband, from the very beginning of the advances. So, my husband is very much aware of the goings on but, he trusts me. Even when I told the Executive Secretary that my husband is aware of his moves he tells me it is not trust, that there is no man who will allow his wife go through such since all men are jealous. He then warned me sternly not to ever mention goings on the office with my husband.

“We have had to travel around the country together to places like, Calabar, Uyo, Enugu, Ibadan, Ijebu-Ode, Abuja and Minna. These were occasions he would have had his way had God not helped me, if I had not been determined to stand firm and if my husband was not solidly behind me. All of the time when we ought to retire back to our hotel rooms he would call me to either come to his room if we are in the same hotel or he would call to tell me he was coming to my room. Other times when we stay in different hotels, like when we are in Abuja, he would call me sometimes very late at night to tell me he was on his way to my hotel.”

She added that Obazee later transferred her to a corner office in Kaduna, where she would “suffer”, and that he eventually sacked her. Despite the allegations, Obazee was not probed. He strongly denied them, saying he sacked Yakubu because she had a history of poor performance at work.

RECOMMENDED SACK OF SANUSI

The sack of Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor, in February 2014, is perhaps, one of the most controversial actions of the FRC under Obazee.

Before his sack, Sanusi had made weighty allegations against the government of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

He had alleged that billions of dollars accruable to the federation were being diverted by some persons in the management of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

And in the heat of the storm which followed his allegations, Jonathan relying on a recommendation of the FRC, which accused Sanusi of financial recklessness, sacked him.

After his sack, the FRC began to probe Sanusi, but he shunned several invitations of the council.

He later sued the council for defamation of character.

SUSPENDED PETERSIDE’S FRC NUMBER

In October 2015, the FRC under Obazee suspended the FRC number of Atedo Peterside, chairman of Stanbic IBTC, implying that for the period of the said suspension, he would be unable to append his signature on financial reports.

The council cited infractions in the 2013-14 financial statements of the bank as the reason for its decision.

It directed the bank to restate and to re-issue its 2013-14 financial statements. It also imposed a fine of N1bn on the bank.

Besides Peterside’s, the FRC numbers of Sola David-Borha, group managing director, and two other directors of the company, were also suspended.

The matter was challenged in court; and in December 2016, the FRC lifted the suspension on the management of the bank.

FORCED ADEBOYE TO STEP DOWN

Late 2016, the FRC directed not-for-profit organisations — including churches and mosques — to comply with a corporate governance code stipulating a term of 20 years for heads of such entities.

It was by this provision that Enoch Adeboye, who had spent over 20 years as the general overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), named Joshua Obayemi to head the Nigeria church although he emphasised that he remained the worldwide overseer of the church.

Jonathan Finally Reacts To Allegations He Received Bribe In $1.3b Malabu Oil Deal

Former president Goodluck Jonathan has admitted he indeed met with the executives of top oil majors but denied allegations that he received kickbacks in the $1.3 billion OPL 245 oil block deal.

Some Italian investigators had indicted Jonathan, alleging that Claudio Descalzi, ENI chief executive and his predecessor Paolo Scaroni, met with the former president to thrash out the deal “in person”.

But Jonathan said he met with executives of all the oil majors operating in Nigeria in his capacity as the number one citizen of the country, and no illegality was involved.

The prosecutors said ENI and Shell executives worked with Dan Etete, the oil minister during the military administration of Sani Abacha.

“Our attention has been drawn to news reports published mostly by online media which suggested through innuendo, rather than factual evidence, that former President Goodluck Jonathan received kickbacks in the $1.3bn OPL 245 oil block deal involving oil giants ENI and Royal Dutch Shell,” read a statement issued on Jonathan’s behalf by Ikechukwu Eze, his media aide.

“As President of Nigeria, there is no doubt that Dr. Goodluck Jonathan met with executives of all the oil majors operating in Nigeria and urged them to, amongst other things, support the growth of the Nigerian oil industry by ramping up their investments and comply with the Local Content Act that he promoted and signed into law.

“We however wish to state, for emphasis, that at no time did the former President hold private meetings with representatives of ENI to discuss pecuniary issues. All the meetings and discussions former President Jonathan had with ENI, other IOCs and some indigenous operators were conducted officially, and in the presence of relevant Nigerian Government officials and were done in the best interest of the country.

“With regards to the publication, we wish to make it clear that former President Jonathan was not accused, indicted or charged for corruptly collecting any monies as kickbacks or bribes from ENI by the Italian authorities or any other law enforcement body the world over.

“In the first place, we have to categorically state that the negotiations and transactions for the oil block deal predate the Presidency of Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan which began on 6th May 2010 and ended on 29th May 2015.”

Abubakar Aliyu, who was described as an “agent” of Jonathan, was said to have withdrawn $54 million out of $801.5 million allegedly transferred to Malabu’s accounts.

But Jonathan denied the allegation, saying the records of the transactions in Malabu deals are in the office of the attorney-general of the federation.

“It may interest those promoting this false narrative to know that all the documents relating to the transactions, issues and decisions of the Federal Government on the Malabu issue, during the Jonathan administration, are in the office of the attorney general of the federation/minister of Justice,” the statement read.

[PHOTO] Man, Wife, Three Children Burnt To Death At Their Home In Kebbi

A Family of five were yesterday burnt in a fire incident at their home in Koko, Kebbi State on Tuesday, January 10.

It is still unknown as to what caused the fire outbreak that killed the man, Sarafa Lasisi with his wife and three children.

Don Baba who happened to be their friend and family member shared the sad story on Facebook.

The True Story Of How Pastor Adeboye Became RCCG General Overseer

Following Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye’s enforced retirement as the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) in Nigeria, the story behind his rise to become RCCG G.O is provided below.

Pa Akindayomi after establishing RCCG in 1952 got a divine message sometime in the early 70s to look for his successor but that the man was not a member of the church then.

The lord told him his successor would be a young man and at that time Pastor Adeboye was a Mathematics lecturer at the University of Lagos who later joined the church in 1973. Pa Akindayomi was able to recognize him in the Spirit as the one that the Lord had spoken about in the past.

The young Adeboye soon became involved in the church and later became one of the interpreters translating Pa Akindayomi’s sermons from Yoruba to English before he was ordained a pastor of the church in 1975.

Papa was preparing to meet his Creator. He sent for Pastor Adeboye and spent several hours sharing with him details of the covenant and the plans of the Lord for the church. Even though a year before this, the Lord had revealed to Pastor Adeboye that he would be Papa’s successor, it was still too difficult for him to fully contemplate such an awesome responsibility.

Pastor Adeboye’s appointment was formalized by the reading of Pa Akindayomi’s sealed pronouncement after his burial.

In 1981, Pastor Adeboye was appointed General Overseer of the church, taking over from Papa Akindayomi, who had died the previous year at the age of 71. Amidst controversy, Pastor Adeboye’s appointment was formalized by the reading of Pa Akindayomi’s sealed pronouncement after his burial.

For three years he filled the role part-time, still lecturing at Ilorin, until giving up his university position to preach full-time.

[PHOTO] Boy Sentenced To Death For Killing Nine Black Church Members Says He Has No Regret

Dylann Roof has been sentenced to death for the murders of nine black church members during a Bible study in Charleston, South Carolina.

Dylann Roof shows no remorse ahead of sentencing: ‘I still feel I had to do it’

Roof was convicted last month of 33 federal charges, including murder and hate crimes. They jury returned after deliberating over his sentence for about three hours on Tuesday to announce their decision that he should be executed.

He is the first person to face execution for a federal hate crime conviction.

In a statement, Roof’s defense team, which he had rejected using during the sentencing phase of the trial, expressed sympathy for “all of the families who were so grievously hurt by Dylann Roof’s actions”, adding: “Today’s sentencing decision means that this case will not be over for a very long time. We are sorry that, despite our best efforts, the legal proceedings have shed so little light on the reasons for this tragedy.”

‘2017 Will Be A Year Of Surprises’ – Pastor E.A Adeboye Reveals Prophecies For The New Year

The General Overseer of The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye, has revealed his predictions for 2017.

His prophecies were divided into three parts namely; individual prophecies, predictions for Nigeria, and what the world should expect in general.

The constant word in the prophecies is ‘Surprise.’

Prophecies For Nigeria

1. 2017 will be a year of surprises both for the oppressed and the oppressor.

2. Those deliberately making life for the common man will be relocated

3. The downward plunge will slow down, stop and reversal will begin

Prophecies For Individuals

4. It will be a year of surprises

5. For prophets both true and false it will be a year of surprises

6. There will be quite a large number of weddings

7. Soul winners will see their prophecies fulfilled almost as soon they are uttered

At The International Scene

8. There will be surprises for many world governments

9. They are coming in twos: monster earthquakes, monster floods, hurricanes and typhoons, monster tornadoes and monster fire outbreaks

Read President Buhari’s New Year Message To Nigerians

To usher Nigerians into 2017, the country’s number 1 man, President Muhammadu Buhari has delivered his new year message to the masses. He urged Nigerians to keep faith with his administration and also congratulated the Nigerian Army for the successes recorded in the fight against terrorism among others.

Read the full text of his speech below;

My dear Compatriots,

I am happy to welcome you to the beginning of a New Year in our beloved country Nigeria.

I felicitate with you today at a time when our nation is witnessing a new and impressive turnaround in our security and socio-economic situation.

I know you will join me to, once again, congratulate the heroic and gallant efforts of our military and other security agencies on their remarkable successes to rid the nation of terrorism.

Following the successful capture of Sambisa Forest, spearheaded by troops of Operation Lafiya Dole, we have entered a new phase in our battle against our common enemy, Boko Haram.

When we see our beloved 21 Chibok girls reuniting with their families and community for Christmas, it gives us the hope that those who are still in captivity will one day return to the loving arms of family, friends and well-wishers.

I urge all Nigerians to be on the alert and watch out for strange figures settling in their communities, and report to the nearest security agencies, as our armed forces intensify the pursuit of fleeing terrorists from the captured Sambisa Forest.

Misguided elements who decided to take up arms against constituted authorities must be brought to face the full weight of the law.

The support of all Nigerians to security agencies to enable them successfully execute their mandate is crucial in our bid to effectively secure our country.

Seeing the joyful return of thousands of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) to Damasak town in Borno State, following the reopening of Maiduguri/Gubio/Damasak road in Northern Borno on December 25, 2016, reassured us that the voluntary return of IDPs in other parts of the country is imminent.

The Federal Government will spare no effort in seeing to the resettlement and rehabilitation of the unfortunate victims of terrorism and insurgency. I urge state governments, privileged Nigerians, donor agencies and countries to redouble their contributions towards this goal.

Government is aware of some mistakes and wrongdoings in handling the affairs of IDPs. We are taking measures to correct those mistakes and punish the culprits.

In this New Year, I want to reassure all Nigerians that our defence and security forces are more than ever before ready to perform their constitutional role of protecting lives and property in the country; and we will surely overcome all other forms of security challenges.

The lingering security issues in several states will be frontally addressed. These ugly crises cannot be allowed to fester as they strain the unifying bonds of brotherhood and neighbourliness. Some sections of the press and some politicians should avoid provocative and inflammatory statements, while the government is painstakingly trying to find solutions to our challenges.

I want to remind you on the first day of this New Year of an African proverb that says “it is easy to break a broomstick but not a bunch”. Nigeria is a bunch and is more than equal to troublemakers.

I have interacted with a broad spectrum of Nigerians, the old and the young, and they have told me unequivocally that they believe in the unity and stability of Nigeria.

The year 2017 provides an opportunity for us to build on those aspects of our national life that unite us. We are courageous, hardworking, hospitable, steadfast and resilient people, even in the face of difficulties.

These are the attributes that define us and have for years confounded the pessimists who do not believe in our continued existence as a united and indivisible nation. We are a remarkable nation that has succeeded in harnessing our multiple diversities for national development. We must continue to support and tolerate one another and live together as one.

We will continue to pursue peace initiatives in the Niger Delta as I again, call on our brothers in that region who have taken to violent disruptions of economic infrastructure to come to the negotiating table.

As for our brothers and sisters of the Shia Community, we urge them, too, to embrace peace. They must accept the laws of the country they live in. They cannot be islands by themselves. At the same time, the law enforcement agencies must treat them humanely and according to the rule of law.

On our part, in the past 20 months since our inauguration on May 29, 2015, we have focused our energies to turn around the economy, create jobs, fight corruption, and transform agriculture to replace oil and gas as a major revenue earner for the nation. I am encouraged that we are getting things right.

The agricultural revolution has begun. Farmers in different parts of the country are experiencing bumper harvests; states are getting into strategic partnership towards attaining self-sufficiency in rice, and the era of over-dependence on oil for foreign exchange revenues is gradually waning. I am optimistic that the CHANGE we all yearned for in voting this administration to power in 2015 will manifest more and be sustained in different sectors, particularly agriculture, in 2017.

As you may be aware, our economic recovery and growth plan in 2017 is anchored on optimizing the use of local content and empowering local businesses.

In pursuit of this administration’s philosophy, we will continue to appeal that we buy “Made In Nigeria” goods. Like I said during the 2017 Budget presentation to the National Assembly, farmers, small and medium-sized manufacturers, agro-allied businesses, dressmakers, entertainers and technology start-ups, will remain the true drivers of our economic future. They are the engine of our economic recovery and their needs underpin our Economic Recovery and Growth Plan.

On job creation, this administration will sustain existing programmes aimed at lifting a vast number of our youth out of poverty, while at the same time creating the opportunities for people to fend for themselves.

Our determination to wrestle corruption to the ground remains unshaken. This fight, which will be guided by respect for the rule of law and due process, will not spare anybody or organ of government. It is a collective undertaking and resolve that must be seen to its logical conclusion in spite of certain distractions. The fate of our country lies partly in the success of this campaign. It will be unthinkable on my part to allow the boat of this crucial campaign promise capsize mid-stream.

I thank you for the public support for our administration’s efforts to transform Nigeria. I assure you again that the current pains are temporary and will ease when the economic seeds in gestation begin to bloom to fruition. I urge you to continue to support this administration in its effort to transform Nigeria for the good of all.

I wish you a Happy New Year, 2017.

MUHAMMADU BUHARI

President, Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Prophet Olagunju Reveals 50 Prophecies - Says ‘Atiku Will Defeat Buhari In 2019, Biafra Will Come To Pass’

The presiding bishop of Divine Seed of God Chapel Ministries in Ibadan, Oyo State, Prophet Wale Olagunju has released his prophecies for 2017.

It should be recalled that it was the Prophet who accurately predicted President Muhammadu Buhari victory in the 2015 election has now predicted the president will be dethroned in 2019 election by former vice president Atiku Abubakar.

The man of God, in a 52-point prophecy for the Year 2017 also foretold the possibility of the country splitting into five as he claimed to have foreseen, “the map of Nigeria torn into five,” saying, “no amount of peace talk can prevent Nigeria’s disintegration. It is a matter of time.”

He predicted that the Igbo’s desire for Biafra nation has received divine approval.

Below are his prophecies for Nigeria in the year:

1. As revealed by the Almighty God who will never share his glory with mortal man, the present generation of Nigerian leaders in the likes of Obasanjo, Babangida, Gowon, Danjuma, Abdusallam and Buhari will pass away before the emergence of the Messiah that will lead Nigeria to the promise land. The problem in our Nation will be so much that what we are witnessing now will be a child play to what we will see and hear and there will be chaos and distrust all over the nation as a result of which the messiah will emerge.

This messiah, an unknown person, will proffer solutions (to the problems); conduct referendum and will break Nigeria peacefully. As revealed to me further by the creator of the universe, the reign of this messiah will be brief. God of Abraham has concluded in heaven to raise for Himself the young man who will give divine solution and execute God’s programme for Nigeria.

2. There is going to be serious fight between Obasanjo and Buhari as revealed by God Almighty.

3. Notable chieftains of the APC and the PDP who are talking of 2019 without due reference to God will not live to witness that year.

4. There is going to be rowdy session in the National Assembly in the coming year.

5. The present war against Bola Tinubu will continue but many of those fighting him will come back to eat their words.

6. God again revealed to me that Nigeria is seriously sick and that the only drug that can cure her is National Repentance Prayer. Failure to do this, God says Nigeria will continue to wallow in problems. God warned Nigerians not to look up to their leaders for solutions but to God Almighty as they have none to their problems.

7. God of heaven says He is angry with President Buhari because of his failure to alleviate the sufferings of Nigerians but instead adding to it. God says Buhari’s government is like a weed on the surface of the Atlantic Ocean.

8. God says those who think the PDP is dead are making a mistake as He [God] does not work in the counsel of men but in the reasoning of His words. God says the party will bounce back and its members in the APC will return to their original house.

9. The present rumpus in the APC will continue.

10. The Nigerian nation will continue to experience hardship unless serious steps are taken to seek the face of God.

11. Nigerians should pray for Buhari against high blood pressure, liver and kidney problem as the President is sick.

12. God says that He deliberately raised Donald Trump of America to execute His judgment on America for their sin of homosexuality being propagated by Obama/Hillary Clinton. God says Trump will at a stage behave like an anti-Christ.

13. God says the Yoruba nation will unite and rise again.

14. There is going to be sharp misunderstanding between Buhari and Osinbajo as a result of political differences.

15. God says any party that fields Buhari for the 2019 presidential election will be fielding liability as his candidacy will make the party lose the election. God says this will be so because Buhari has disappointed God by his failure to carry out His instruction as published in my 2016 predictions by national dailies to “wage war against corruption, execute God’s fierce judgment on those who sinned against God by looting as well as for his failure to demonstrate love to the poor by alleviating their suffering. God says for these reasons, He has torn his government and given it to another man after His heart to rule Nigeria. God says Buhari will continue to have problem till his last day in Aso Rock and people will continue to hate him because of his failure to rule with the fear of God.

16. To show the extent to which Buhari’s disappointment is grieving God, God says he has rejected Buhari just like He did to Jonathan and even his people the Hausas will reject him come 2019. In the presence of Almighty God as revealed to me, Buhari have become a complete disappointing king/failure just like king Saul in the bible.

17. God says the name Atiku Abubakar will continue to ring like a bell. He will be so popular among Nigerian politicians to the extent that many will root for him.

18. God says should Atiku Abubakar contest the 2019 election, he will defeat Buhari hands down.

19. The 2018 Governorship election in Ekiti state will cause a sharp division in the APC camp because of the inordinate ambition of some of their self-centred leaders. The party in the state will break into three factions as revealed to me by God.

20. God says the APC is being faced by three major problems of backbiting, unnecessary petition against former leaders and total hijack of the party structure from pioneer members.

21. Tambuwal and David Mark will be drafted to contest the 2019 Presidential election but God says the cabal of our nation will prefer Governor Tambuwal of Sokoto state.

22. Nigerians should pray against fire accident in the coming year.

23. God says that except that the Nigeria nation repent of the sin of its leaders who killed innocent souls, sin of FESTAC ’77 and sin of corruption which placed the country under the curse of the Almighty, the country’s problem will continue.

24. Prophet T. B. Joshua should pray seriously to avert sickness.

25. General T. Y. Danjuma should also pray against sickness.

26. God says I. B. B. will continue to remain in sickness.

27. God says for Buhari to have taken the problem of Nigeria to Kaaba in Mecca as if there is no God in Nigeria and rather than motivate the entire nation to fast and seek the face of God, He [God] will continue to raise adversaries against his government and Nigerians will continue to hate him.

28. God again warned that should the APC field Buhari in 2019, the broom will be broken and thrown into fire just like I predicted to PDP in 2014.

29. God Almighty says President Buhari is too rigid and stubborn. God says the President has set aside His mandate for him to cleanse the nation of corruption. God says He is only giving the President the grace to motivate Nigerians for special repentance prayer.

30. Serving ministers in Buhari’s government should watch their steps as the President is set to drop some of them and reshuffle his government.

31. God says Governor Aregbesola of Osun state will continue to swim in problems until he gets out of office as a result of the recognition he gave to the Osun Osogbo idol.

32. God says he will inflict those who loot Nigeria treasury with sickness. They will henceforth be inflicted with dreaded sicknesses that will lead to untimely death unless they repent.

33. God says Goodluck Jonathan will never win any election again in Nigeria as a result of his sin against the Almighty.

34. God says 2019 election will be tougher than the 2015.

35. The executive and the National Assembly will go on a serious collision course in the coming year. Buhari should be careful lest he is accused of non-implementation of budget.

36. Nigerians should pray for Awujale of Ijebu land.

37. Those who say the Biafra nation will not materialise are dreaming for the Igbos have taken their case to the creator of the universe and He has granted their heart desire.

38. PDP will bounce back to become a formidable party in Oyo state again.

39. Buhari should watch his steps to avoid impeachment.

40. As revealed by God, should Buhari fail to take it easy with the people of the South-South and South-East and go ahead to use military power, Nigeria may go to civil war.

41. As revealed by God, a new generation of military officers will in future overthrow the government of Nigeria to clear the rot perpetrated by reckless politicians.

42. Before 2019, there will be amalgamation of political heavyweight and political party that will give the APC sleepless nights.

43. The on-going war against corruption will soon lose value as the President will bend the rules and soft pedal because of inordinate and self-interest.

44. A prominent artiste will fall sick in the coming year.

45. Nigerians should pray for Baba Sala.

46. Come 2019 general election, PDP will fight the APC to a standstill.

47. APC should forget about winning 2019 election for another government will emerge that will probe their government.

48. Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode should be prayerful to avoid being at loggerhead with the elite. He should also pray to avert sickness.

49. Another strong party will emerge before the 2019 election.

50. God Almighty who revealed to me in my 2015/2016 prediction that Buhari is not the Messiah says the promised Messiah will use his mandate to settle all problems confronting Nigeria. The said Messiah will conduct a referendum so as to peacefully break Nigeria without civil war.

51. God says three out of the four pillars that are holding the APC have broken down as a result of their greed, inordinate ambition, stubbornness, favouritism, tribal and religious sentiment and therefore their days in government are numbered.

52. God revealed to me and I saw the map of Nigeria torn into five, by this no amount of peace talk can prevent Nigeria’s disintegration. It is a matter of time.The man of God, in a 52-point prophecy for the Year 2017 also foretold the possibility of the country splitting into five as he claimed to have foreseen, “the map of Nigeria torn into five,” saying, “no amount of peace talk can prevent Nigeria’s disintegration. It is a matter of time.”

FG Lifts Ban On 41 Imported Items

The National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) on Friday lauded the Federal Government’s plans to lift foreign exchange restriction on 41 imported items.The Federal Government had indicated its readiness to lift the forex ban it placed on some 41 items in 2015.

Mr Stanley Ezenga, the National Publicity Secretary of the association, gave the commendation in an interview with newsmen in Lagos.

Finance Minister Kemi Adeosun, had in the 2017 Fiscal Policy Roadmap, said Federal Government “will replace administrative measures on list of 41 items with fiscal measures to reduce demand pressure in the parallel market.

Ezenga said that the plan would boost importation activities at the nation’s ports.

He said that lifting of ban on the items would not solve the declining value of the naira, urging government to come up with a more result-oriented forex policy.

“The plan by the government to lift foreign exchange restriction on some 41 imported items is good news for import.

“We can now have more import activities at the ports and the various jobs lost to the restriction can now come back.

“However, the unbanning alone will not solve the problem of the naira.

“Government should come with a more workable policy to boost value of the naira,“ Ezenga said.

He said that freight forwarders had lost 50 per cent jobs to the restriction, hoping that the lifting would address the situation.

6 Shocking Facts From The DSS Report That Show EFCC’s Ibrahim Magu Is Corrupt

The refusal of the Nigerian Senate to confirm the nomination of acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibrahim Magu as the substantive chairman has set pulses rising.

Details later emerged of a certain DSS report that indicted the man tasked with ensuring a corrupt-free system which nailed him and showed that his hands were not clean. There were allegations of no love lost between him and DSS director, Lawal Daura

Below are six notable points from the DSS report that sealed Magu’s fate at the Senate yesterday;

1.) Magu is currently occupying a residence rented for N40m at N20m per annum. This accommodation was not paid [for] from the commission’s finances, but by a retired air commodore, one Umar Mohammed, who is a questionable businessman who has subsequently been arrested by the secret service.

2.) In August 2008, sensitive documents which which were not supposed to be at the disposal of Magu were discovered in his house during the tenure of Farida Waziri as EFCC chairman. This discovery led to his redeployment to the Police force after days of detention and later suspended from the police force.

3.) It was gathered that in December 2010, the Police Service Commission (PSC) found Magu guilty of action prejudicial to state security – withholding of EFCC files, sabotage, unauthorised removal of EFCC files and acts unbecoming of a police officer, and awarded him severe reprimand as punishment.

4.) Mr. Ibrahim Magu enlisted the Federal Capital Development Authority to award a contract to Africa Energy, a company owned by the same Umar Mohammed to furnish the residence at the cost of N43m.

5.) Investigations show that the acting EFCC chairman regularly embarked on official and private trips through a private jet owned by Umar Mohammed and in one of such trips, Magu flew to Maiduguri alongside Mohammed with a bank MD who was being investigated by the EFCC over complicity in funds allegedly stolen by the immediate past petroleum minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke.

6.) The Acting EFCC boss has also maintained a high-profile lifestyle. This is exemplified by his preference for first-class air travels and in spite of Buhari’s directive to all public servants to fly economy class.