FG to go after Boko Haram financiers, strategists

4:22 PM News No Comments

ABUJA— There were indications yesterday that the Federal Government may go after the strategists and financiers of the Boko Haram sect as a way of ending the spate of bombings in the country. Also being targeted by security agencies are those believed to be inciting the sect into violence through the spread of hate messages in certain parts of the country.

A reliable government source told Vanguard that security agents had decided to look beyond those who merely throw bombs in their bid to find a lasting solution to the cycle of violence in parts of the North.

About 1,000 Nigerians have so far been killed in various parts of the country since the sect began its bombing activities in 2009, according to Human Rights Watch.

The source said the administration decided to take on other elements of the sect, who have decided to make life unbearable for other Nigerians.

The source said: “The focus of the search is gradually shifting from the sect’s foot soldiers, who merely go on suicide missions to the financiers, intelligence class and those who indoctrinate the bomb-throwers”.

Asked if indeed the sect was involved in any form of dialogue with the government, the source admitted that some form of discussion was going on with the administration but declined to give further details.

The source said the recent listing of three Boko Haram leaders as terrorists by the United States had made some members of the group to seek dialogue, apparently to avoid being designated as a foreign terrorist organisation.

“The sect has come to realise that the government is fully aware of what it is doing and that is why they have soft-pedaled. The heat is more than what the sect can take,” the source said.

Last week, a prominent northern leader, Dr. Junaid Mohammed, warned people to stop associating the sect with any religion, as its activities did not have anything to do with any of the religious groups in the country.

Mohammed said: “As far as I am concerned, Boko Haram is a terrorist group; it has nothing to do with Islam or Christianity. Let those who are ignorant stop associating it with any religion and face the reality on the ground.

By SONI DANIEL

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PDP, ACN bicker over Okupe

4:21 PM News, Politics No Comments

THE ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and opposition Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN continued their bickering yesterday over calls for the removal of Dr. Doyin Okupe as Senior Special Assistant (Public Affairs) to President Goodluck Jonathan over allegations that he failed to execute contracts he got from Imo and Benue states after collecting mobilisation fees.

This came as Okupe acknowledged the contract with Benue State but insisted that there was no criminal conduct in the handling of the contract.

In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the ACN challenged the presidency and the PDP to respond to allegations that Okupe bolted away with mobilisation fees and failed to execute the contracts.

You ‘re dodging issues — ACN

Rather than respond to the damaging allegation of corruption against Okupe, ACN said PDP’s “only defence is that the Speaker of Lagos State House of Assembly, Adeyemi Ikuforiji should also be asked to resign and that the ACN lacks the moral authority to raise the issue of corruption against Okupe because according to them, the party is full of cheats and liars. This is nothing but a deliberate attempt to obfuscate issues and a case of comparing apples with oranges.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the Lagos State Speaker Adeyemi Ikuforiji has been charged before a court of law. He has pleaded not guilty. The law presumes him innocent until proven guilty. The case is still on-going, therefore, any call for his resignation is an attempt to stampede justice.

However, the case of Okupe is completely different. He has been confronted with allegations that he has swindled both Imo and Benue states governments of hundreds of millions of naira. He cannot continue to be the President’s spokesman until he clears himself of these allegations,” the party insisted.


Okupe is innocent until proven guilty

Hailing Okupe’s appointment, the PDP advised President Jonathan to retain him and decried what it termed campaign of calumny against his person by the ACN.

In a statement by its Deputy National Secretary, Binta Masi Garba, the PDP said President Jonathan, by the appointment, “has taken the right decision to engage members of the public on salient issues of national importance.”

Describing ACN’s call as sheer blackmail that President Jonathan would not fall for, the PDP said issues of contracts were basically civil issues between contracting parties and most contract documents contain clauses for dispute resolutions.

It added that since the anti-corruption agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, had come out to say that Okupe was not currently under any criminal investigation by the Commission as claimed by the ACN nor had he been indicted by any court of competent jurisdiction or any panel of investigative committee, “it stands to reason under our laws that he should be deemed innocent until otherwise proven. The call for Okupe`s removal is therefore not only baseless and unwarranted, but equally malicious.”

My hands are clean— Okupe

In a related development, lawyers to Okupe have confirmed that the Benue State Government actually “awarded a rural road contract to Messrs Value Trust Investment Ltd., one of the companies in which Dr. Doyin Okupe served as chairman.”

In a statement signed by Yemi Gbonegun, the Lagos-based firm, Yemi Gbonegun and Co., described the contract award as “purely a commercial transaction.”

It explained that trouble however started when the administration of the state changed hands and incumbent Governor Gabriel Suswam took over from former Governor Akume. “Disputes arose as to the payment of outstanding payment certificate submitted by Value Trust Investment Ltd.” as a result of which the matter was referred to the EFCC, which conducted a thorough investigation into it.

“There was no evidence of any criminality”, the statement said, adding that “the parties then agreed to settlement by arbitration and the issue is in the process of being resolved amicably by both parties.

BY CLIFFORD NDUJIHE

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Kuramo Ocean surge: 5 more bodies recovered

4:19 PM News No Comments

LAGOS— FIVE more bodies swept away by weekend ocean surge at Kuramo beach in Victoria Island were recovered yesterday at the shore of Bar beach.

The recovered bodies were those of a two-year- old boy, Daniel Ajose, his mother, Mrs Mariam Ajose, Mr Joseph Oke, Olumide, and Alhaji Babatunde Benson, alias KC . This has brought the number of the dead to 10

There was a mild drama yesterday at Kuramo beach as some divers whose services were employed to scout for the bodies threatened to stop further work, alleging that they had been shortchanged.

DANGEROUS FUN—Fun seekers at the Bar Beach, Lagos, yesterday, despite the recent ocean surge that claimed several lives at the Kuramo Beach also in Lagos. Photos: Lamidi Bamidele.

The divers numbering four explained that before they started the search on Sunday they had bargained for N50,000 at the completion of the job yesterday but those who hired them reneged on the agreement. One of the divers who identified himself as Segun said “today (yesterday), after we have recovered some of the bodies, we were given one thousand naira to share among ourselves”.

Divers threaten to stop search

He could however not state the name of the company that hired their services, saying “a man came to us saying they were from the state government. We have therefore resolve not to work further if we are not paid. Even if they will not pay us N50,000, at least , let them pay us something reasonable because paddling boats with the present tide can be dangerous”

Meanwhile fun seekers besieged Bar beach to celebrate Sallah, with most of them claiming to be ignorant of the ocean surge at Kuramo beach while others expressed hope that the high tide would not get to Barbeach. “If it is dangerous, we would have been warned. The tide is favourable and there are divers around to ensure none gets drowned. Besides, government has worked on this beach.”

Occupants speak

However, occupants of the demolished shanties were still seen at Kuramo, with some of them saying they had nowhere else to go. One of them, Kudirat Opeoluwa, told Vanguard, “ we have even lost contact with some of our relatives. As you know, a poor man has no friend. We are therefore left with no option than to hang around here until we have an alternative abode.

The entire area had been condoned off by security operatives, as work of sand filling went on. Relatives of some of the missing victims were also sighted at the beach. They, however, kept mute when Vanguard approached them

Senior Adviser to Security and Traffic Management of Eti-Osa local government, Stanley Iyere described the surge as the most tragic in the history of the local government, assuring that the authorities would do everything possible to forestall it.

Mr. Fred, one of the occupants at the Beach, blamed the surge on the state government’s Eko Atlantic City project. “For me the cause of this surge came from the Lagos State government. Since 2009 when the Lagos state government commenced the construction of the Eko Atlantic City, the surge has begun to increase. And this year, the work got to Kuramo Beach. It happens yearly, especially from August to November, when the ocean current always rises. And because of the ongoing work at the Eko Atlantic City, the ocean current had nowhere to flow instead and it flowed to the shore to demolish our structures.

“Before the state government embarked on the construction of the city, during this time, what we normally experience is high tide and within hours, it would have subsided. The only thing that would be affected by the tide were the structures.

“Since they began the construction of this Eko Atlantic City, it has been from one issue to the other. And the reason is because we are middle class earners. The government is busy constructing home for the rich, abandoning the downtrodden. Despite this, we pay ground rent to the government, liquor license and other levies.

“The question I want to ask the government is that what is important about this Eko Atlantic City. Why will they not favour the poor masses ahead of the so called rich of the society? If the city is not there, the surge would have been mild.”

How I narrowly escaped being swept away — Survivor

Another occupant, Mrs. Amaka Obi, said “For me, I am moving my properties out of this place. I will be returning to Ijora axis of Lagos, where I came from to continue my business. There is no reason waiting behind after the government has demolished our structures. I thank God because I narrowly escaped being swept away. The current was so strong that I had to hold on to a structure before I managed to find a balance and miraculously found myself on a safe ground.

The Chief Executive Officer, CEO of a relaxation spot at the beach, Mr. Ademola Ogunbona, also recounted his experience; “The surge comes but it has not been as high as this since I relocated to Kuramo Beach in 2010. Since I came to this place, I have never seen a surge of this magnitude. All we had in the past was high tide. And when it comes, it does not affect lives but structures. For this year, it started two months ago. The surge came and it demolished tens of structures which prompted the Chairman of the investors association, who ordered that the woods left undistorted be set ablaze.

“And last week Monday, the surge began again. But the peak of it was between Friday night and the early hours of last Saturday, when it wrecked havoc on the community. On that day, the ocean current was very high, leaving larger part of the area submerged by water.

Secretary of the Kuramo Tourism Investors Association, Mr. Micheal Onuwaje in his own narration said: “The actual number of those whose lives were lost cannot be ascertained at this moment but we know that in the couple of days, the ocean current will dump the bodies of those who got drowned on the shoreline. By then we will be able to ascertain the accurate figure of those who got drowned.

“We are taking our property to our various homes. Not all our members pass the night here. Some only carry out their businesses here during the day and leave for their residence at night, while others reside here permanently.

The Commissioner for Waterfront Infrastructure Development, Prince Adesugun Oniru stated thus: “If you are familiar with this area, you will notice that part of the measures adopted by the state government to reduce ocean surge was the Eko Atlantic City. The on-going construction of the city has saved Victoria Island and others.

What happened here has nothing to do with Eko Atlantic City. The city under construction has never caused any ocean surge in the state. This is a natural phenomenon which happens three times in a year. At this time, one cannot cheat nature.

Lagos Commissioner debunks occupants’ allegations

This issue is a worldwide issue (ocean surge) and this is our own share of it. The surge has nothing to do with the Eko Atlantic City. Since the commencement of the ongoing construction of the city, it has protected the entire Victoria Island, Ikoyi and others.

One can imagine what would have happened if this intervention from the state government was not there. The entire Island would have been submerged by water.

The shipwreck also didn’t cause the surge. What ship wreck does is that one side of the ship will be accumulating sand while the other will have high erosion. The only thing ship wreck will cause is that it will disturb the natural flow of that which nourish the shoreline.

We will remove the wrecked ships from the ocean very soon. Therefore, these two issues have nothing to do with ocean surge. The surge is caused by the high accumulation of water in the Atlantic Ocean coupled with the high waves.

Govt should have warned citizens — Picnicker

Meanwhile a picnicker, Mr. Joseph Wayo, argued that the government should have warned the citizens earlier and that demolition was not the solution to the problem.

According to him, “I flew in yesterday from Abuja with my family to catch fun at the Kuramo Beach. But on getting here, I was told the Beach had been demolished because of the lives that were lost in the ocean surge. For me, I do not think this is the right way to do it.

The Federal Government should have seen the surge earlier before now with our two satellites which they claim are working and make a public announcement on it, urging their citizens to vacate the entire ocean line. Okay now, will the government because of the surge demolish the entire structures in Lekki and its environs?. I believe the government should do the right thing by ensuring adequate protection of lives and property of citizenry.”

Vanguard News

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NUPENG STRIKE THREAT: FG moves to avert nationwide fuel strike

4:18 PM News No Comments

ABUJA—In a bid to avert the looming industrial crises in the country, involving National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas workers (NUPENG), oil marketers, Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, and the Nigeria Labour Congress, the coordinating minister of the economy and Finance Minister, Dr Ngozi Okonjo–Iweala has relocated to Lagos.

The minister arrived Lagos yesterday and engaged some of the aggrieved marketers, union members and other stakeholders in the downstream sector in discussions.

Vehicles queuing for fuel at the central area of Abuja on last Thursday NAN Photos

NUPENG , yesterday, gave the Federal Government till Thursday to pay oil marketers their verified subsidy claims or members would begin a nationwide strike by Friday, while the PHCN workers are also poised for a showdown with the government over disagreement in pension and gratuities.

Similarly, government, yesterday, assured residents of the Federal Capital Territory that everything was being done to put an end to the fuel scarcity in the city.

In a statement in Abuja, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Dr Doyin Okupe said ‘the approach taken by government at resolving this crisis is multi-faceted and multi dimensional. The Ministers of Labour, Power, and other high level officers of government have met for several hours with the aggrieved PHCN workers and virtually all their demands have been agreed upon except for the issue of severance benefits of workers.”

According to Okupe, “while the workers insist on their terms of employment, government’s proposition is based on the Pension Act of 2004. However, this matter will most probably be resolved favourably within the coming week by the Presidency.”

Finance Minister moves to Lagos

Okupe continued: “In the same vein, the coordinating minister of the economy and Finance Minister, Dr Ngozi Okonjo–Iweala has shifted her base temporarily to Lagos in spite of the holidays and has been engaged intensively also with the aggrieved marketers, union members and other stakeholders in the downstream sector.

“All indications are to the effect that favourable resolutions are being reached and all matters are likely to be resolved within this week, as all these efforts are being made to ensure that the crisis that has caused a lot of hardships to commuters and motorists is not unduly prolonged and does not also extend beyond the city of Abuja in the case of the fuel scarcity.

“The Federal Government, therefore, urges Nigerians to be calm, as all hands are on deck to ensure that normalcy returns soonest,” he said.

It will be recalled that the disagreement between the federal government and oil marketers has precipitated acute fuel scarcity in Abuja which has made the celebration of the Eid-el-Fitr very difficult in the Federal Capital Territory.

Staff of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria have also threatened to embark on strike if their expectations are not met before the federal government goes ahead with its planned privatisation of the power sector.

NUPENG gives FG Thursday deadline

NUPENG, yesterday, issued a Thursday deadline to the Federal Government to pay oil marketers their verified subsidy claims or members will begin a nationwide strike by Friday.

At a briefing in Lagos, President of NUPENG, Comrade Igwe Achese, demanded the resignation of the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, accusing her of not only undermining the transformation agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan, but also paying subsidy claims to “portfolio importers” because of their alleged closeness to corridors of power.

Oil marketers under the aegis of Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN; Jetties and Petroleum Tank Farm Owners of Nigeria, JEPTFON; Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association, DAPPMA and Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria, MOMAN are claiming N200 billion unpaid subsidy claims.

Vanguard gathered from MOMAN that only one of its members had been paid while five others were yet to be paid.

It was gathered that no member of JEPTFON, IPMAN and DAPPMA, has been paid.

Achese dismissed allegation that the union was being used by marketers, saying not even the government could use it, pointing out that it was fighting for the interest of members who had not been paid for the past five months because of the unpaid subsidy claims.

The NUPENG president equally accused the Minister of selective payment of subsidy claims and asked government to distinguish between real importers who had invested massively in the industry and ‘portfolio importers’.

Achese called on government to publish names of marketers that had been paid and those not paid as well as explain reasons for their non-payment.

He said the union had restricted industrial unrest to Abuja, the Federal Capital, because of the Ramadan and the Sallah celebration, warning that should government fail to pay the marketers between now and Thursday, the union would declare a full blown nationwide strike by Friday.

He recalled that the union’s last strike over the same matter was suspended based on a memorandum of understanding, MOU, signed by all the stakeholders and the Finance Minister that payments would commence on the subsidy owed the marketers.

We can not be used — NUPENG

According to him, “NUPENG cannot and will never be used by the Federal Government, institutions, companies because we are stakeholders in the industry. The fight and struggle for the enthronement of democracy in this country during the June 12, 1993 struggle cannot be in vain.

The struggle for the emancipation of Nigerians from the hands of the military cannot be rubbished or swept under the carpet by some Ministers, like the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and her cohorts in the same boat who have failed to take the country out of economic woods. It is our firm belief that President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, the number one worker of our great country, Nigeria, will heed this clarion call in order to move the transformation agenda forward.”

Subsidy payments

“It is against this back-drop that we call on the Minister of Finance to pay all outstanding subsidy claims to the NNPC and the private depot owners, who are being asked by the same government to import fuel. We state that the failure of the Minister to meet the NNPC and marketers’ payment obligation is a ploy to create hardship for Nigerians.

“This is a plan for them to put-up the refineries for privatisation to their cronies at ridiculous rates. That is why we want the Minister to explain the rationale behind the selective ‘payments of the subsidy claims. We also state emphatically that if the government is sincere in its subsidy payment, why are they not fully implementing findings of the adhoc-committee on subsidy, set up by the House of Representatives? “

Ongoing strike in Abuja

Comrade Achese explained that “we are involved in the on-going strike in the Federal Capital Territory to demand for payments of subsidy because of our traditional role of protecting workers who are Nigerians and members of NUPENG in the mid and downstream sector of the oil and gas industry, especially those working at the private depots.

Their jobs are at stake, as the marketers can no longer keep them due to huge debts owed as a result of the nonpayment of subsidy. Our members are even being owed five months salaries as a result of the problem.”

Other issues raised at the briefing included alleged diversion of crude oil meant for refineries, bad road network across the country and its grievance with SPDC and Chevron over unfair labour practices, diversion.

According to Achese, “we condemn the illegal diversion of crude oil meant for our refineries, which is being sold at the open market. This is a clear case of economic sabotage and must stop; especially at the Port Harcourt Refinery. We use this medium to call on the Federal Government to commence the Turn-Around-Maintenance of the Port Harcourt Refinery to boost fuel supply in the country and other refineries.

“We call on the Federal Government to immediately commence the rehabilitation of depot roads and our national highways that are in terrible state. This will go a long way to reduce tanker accidents and fire disasters.”

On SPDC/Chevron, he said: “We have on several occasion spoken about the untold hardship and un-fair labour practices meted out to our workers in the two giant multi-nationals, the Shell Petroleum Development Company and Chevron Nigeria Limited.

The modern day, slavery practiced by these two oil multi-nationals has turned our members into a state of penury. They have continued to employ casuals that they hire and fire at will, without any conditions of service. These workers are subjected to all forms of de-humanizing condition, including converting labour contracts to service contracts and casuals.

The multi-nationals have failed to honour all MOU’s to stop these atrocities. We are prepared to take this fight to the next stage, if government fails to intervene and call them to order. Our members’ are the people that produce the black-gold and must be treated well.”

Vanguard News

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