Nitel's Ongoing Strike Bites Harder

In this report, Efem Nkanga, examines the recent strike action embarked upon by employees of the Nigerian Telecommunications Limited (NITEL), the negative impact the strike has had on the economy and the need for the Federal Government to declare telecommunication a critical sector of the economy.

The ongoing industrial action of employees of NITEL has continued to take its toll on the economy almost two weeks after the commencement of the strike, which was attributed to disagreements between Transnational Corporation, owners of NITEL and NITEL employees over the payment of salaries and emoluments.

The strike action, which has led to the shut down of SAT-3, the underwater communication cable link connecting Nigeria and many African countries to the rest of the world through Europe, has led to communication challenges that has continued to take its toll on the economy. Affected by the strike action are critical sectors of the economy spanning oil and gas, banking, the seat of government, security service, media houses, private telecoms operators (PTOs) and telecoms companies etc. Major conglomerates like Total and Shell are said to have been seriously affected by the strike action. Though NITEL is known for rendering epileptic services, it has a golden asset - SAT-3, which delivers capacity that links Nigeria and other participatory members of the project to major internet backbones across Europe, Asia and the Americas. The SAT 3 cable project connects Africa with Europe and is projected to be a major revenue earner for NITEL. THISDAY gathered that NITEL, which spent about $45 million in 2002 to co-own the facility, which runs through the Atlantic Ocean linking countries along the route, makes only about N100million as revenue every month while its salary structure on a monthly basis is about 500 million. It is this shortfall between the revenue it earns and its liabilities that has been its albatross.

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Has the Food Crisis Spread to Nigeria?

The food crisis which has ravaged some countries across the globe may not be too far from Nigeria, given the rate at which prices of staple foods have been on the rise daily.

Rising food prices have already sparked off huge crisis in Haiti, Egypt, Senegal and Ivory Coast, among others.

THISDAY investigation across the states and Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, revealed that prices of staple food stuffs have witnessed swift increases in the last couple of weeks.

It was learnt that the food prices shot up in the country early March and have continued to be on the rise.

The reason for the rising prices is not too clear yet but food experts said climatic change, drought in some parts of the North, fuel scarcity experienced recently in some states and what they called government's "inconsistent policies" were partly responsible for the price surge.

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Yar'Adua Orders Probe of British Airways Incident

President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua has directed the Minister of State for Transportation (Aviation), Mr Felix Hyatt, to begin an urgent investigation into a March 27, 2008 incident in which British Airways (BA) allegedly ordered more than 100 Nigerians off its London to Lagos flight "for protesting against the brutal treatment of a deportee aboard."

Yar'Adua, who is in Germany for a medical review, asked Hyatt to take all necessary measures and protect "the travelling public from the humiliation they face daily from foreign airlines."

A source told The Guardian that the President had seen reports of the incident from the British media, expressing "disgust" at the "seeming non-chalant attitude of BA officials."

He, therefore, directed that since the minister has not forwarded any report of the incident to his office, he should be formally written to investigate the incident and report back to him.

The source added: "The President is said to be concerned by the recent resurgence of complaints about the poor treatment, discrimination and downright abuse meted out to Nigerians by some foreign airlines operating in the country.

Read the full story...

Last month over 100 Nigerian passengers attempted to board a plane in London on a British Airways flight to Lagos, but were ordered off the flight for protesting the heinous treatment of a deportee on the flight. Yar'Adua has vowed not to stand for this kind of treatment. Though he is currently in Germany receiving some sort of medical treatment, he is investigating the situation to determine what course of action to take. This action shows that the president will no longer stand for second-class treatment of Nigerian citizens.

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Police kill six robbery suspects

Four suspected armed robbers were shot dead by the police while robbing a passenger bus on the Iwo-Ejigbo road on Monday.

Also, two out of a three-man suspected robbery gang were killed on Monday by a police inspector at Obalende of Lagos.

The bus, which was on its way from Lagos to Ogbomoso, was forced to stop by the robbers, who had taken over the Iwo-Ejigbo road.

Read the full story here.

This article addresses the recent killing of six robbery suspects by Nigerian police. A passenger bus was robbed at gunpoint, but the robbers were shot dead at the scene by police officers. According to the article, the police responded extremely quickly which prevented to robbers from escaping. This shows the the Nigerian government is doing something right in this aspect of governing because the police responded so quickly. This also shows the crime that has been ever present in Nigeria.

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Nigerian oil sector being probed

Members of Nigeria's parliament have launched an investigation into the country's oil and gas business.

The probe aims to shed light on the impenetrable corruption that dogs the industry in the country.

It follows a similar probe into the power sector which revealed corrupt deals that have left Nigeria without reliable electricity supply.

Nigeria is currently the eighth biggest exporter of oil in the world, but most of its population remain poor.

Read the full story here.

This article addresses the recent probing of Nigeria's oil sector in an attempt to discover any corruption that has manifested itself. This search is designed to reveal anyone that has made corrupt deals in Nigeria's oil industry, and if they are found out Nigeria's legitimacy will most likely be lowered considering most government officials are involved in the oil sector. If they are found to be corrupt, the citizens of Nigeria may question whether or not they have a right to lead their country.

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Senate Will Protect Iyabo From EFCC, Senate Claims

The Senate yesterday stood its grounds, insisting that the chairperson of its Committee on Health, Senator Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello, is innocent of the corruption charges brought against her by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

Consequently, the Senate promised to protect her from unnecessary harassment and intimidation by the anti-financial crimes commission.

The Senate had, through Obasanjo-Bello's lawyer, Chief Afe Babalola, requested Senate president David Mark to prevail on the EFCC not to arrest her over the N10 million her committee collected from the Ministry of Health.

The committee had agreed to have participated in the sharing of the money.
Addressing Senate reporters yesterday, Senator Eze insisted that their colleague Iyabo was not found wanting in any way.

He noted that when the Senate listened to her, they came to the conclusion that she was neither culpable nor found wanting of any misconduct and that if due process was followed she would have no questions to answer.

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Obasanjo has now garnered the support of the senate in hiding from the EFCC. It seems, though, that if she is truly innocent, she would not be hiding. If she was not involved with the corruption, she should go before the EFCC, and they should bring a legal end to this.

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Nigeria's 'slow' election reform

Even reforming elections in Nigeria will not fix democracy.

That is the opinion of pro-democracy activists in Nigeria's capital Abuja.

A year ago, Umaru Yar'Adua was elected in a poll that was condemned by international observers as being the worst Africa's most populous nation had held.

He immediately promised reform and set up a committee to recommend what should be done to ensure improvements.

Public hearings for the committee begin in May and it is expected to publish a report in August.

Read the full story here.

This article addresses the continued attempts in Nigeria to reform democracy. Nigerians have made numerous changes to their election process, but many believe that election reforms will not fix the democracy in Nigeria. This article addresses the concern about previous elections in Nigeria, including President Umaru Yar'Adua's election last year. The reliability of the results of his election was questionable because of the assumed corruption that was present. This article also refers to Yar'Adua's vow to stamp out the corruption in Nigeria by making necessary changes which is evident because he immediately created a committee to discuss what should be done to reform the elections after he was elected. This shows the corruption that has consumed Nigeria for so long, and if nothing is done about this corruption, then the nation's legitimacy will soon be lessened if it has not already been.

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N300m Scam: Why I won't Submit to EFCC — Iyabo

Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Senator Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello, explained yesterday why she would not submit herself new to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for arrest and prosecution in connection with the N10 million received by the Committee from the Federal Ministry of Health.

She said her decision did not mean that she was above the law. She said the EFCC should let her be since she was already challenging the competence of the two-count charge slammed against her in court.

She said from all indications, EFCC was not really interested in prosecuting her over whatever offence she was alleged to have committed but simply interested in disgracing her.

It was also gathered yesterday that the Presidency might have frustrated EFCC’s initial moves to detain the Senator.

Speaking to newsmen in Abuja through her counsel, Mr Bankole Akomolafe of Chief Afe Babalola (SAN) Chambers, Senator Obasanjo-Bello said: “The Ministry of Health paid N10 millionto the Senate and not to Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello. The sum of N10 million was paid to the Senate Committee on Health by the Senate to cover the retreat for the study of a bill. Apparently the EFCC utilizes the same sort of funding for similar retreats, so Obasanjo-Bella is confused as to why they are accusing her of stealing money.

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Senator Obasanjo-Bella has been accused of embezzling ten million naira and is being convicted by the EFCC. She feels that she is being unjustly accused and denies the claim; she says that the money went towards a retreat the the Senate took to discuss a new bill. She is convinced that she is being singled out amongst all of the other senators because the EFCC is trying to disgrace her.

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Lagos to Issue Own Driver's Licence

The Lagos State government yesterday announced plans to re-certify all drivers within the metropolis.

Under the arrangement, the government advised motorists with driver's licence produced by the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) to come forward with the document for re-certification.

The State Commissioner for Transportation, Prof. Bamidele Badejo, told journalists in Lagos that the problem of fake licences would also be eliminated following the state government's decision. Badejo, who spoke at a media briefing to mark the one year anniversary of the administration of Governor Babatunde Fashola said the state government, through its drivers' institute, issues licences to people who are physically fit, mentally alert and emotionally stable.

Speaking with The Guardian recently, the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Motor Vehicle Administration Agency (LSMVAA), Mr. Akin Hanson, said the state would start the production and issuance of driver's licence to ensure safe motoring.

Read the full story...

Lagos, one of Nigeria's most populous cities, is now issueing their own separate driver's licenses in order to decrease the number of people driving with fake licenses. There are many traffic accidents associated with bad drivers who use a fake license. The new licenses are supposedly impossible, or at least very difficult, to create. This new legislation should decrease the number of bad drivers on the road in Lagos.

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Five Feared Killed in Lagos Robberies

No fewer than five persons were feared killed and about 12 others seriously injured when armed robbers unleashed terror on various parts of the Lagos metropolis between 10p.m. on Tuesday and the early hours of yesterday.

Sources informed The Guardian that in one of the incidents, a seven-member robbery gang attacked a businessman at the Ejigbo area of the metropolis and carted away millions of naira from his vehicles.

It was not clear as at press time whether the man survived the attack or not. However, no fewer than three persons were killed by the robbers, as they shot sporadically into different directions in order to make good their escape. Some other people were also reported injured in the shooting spree.

The bursts of gunfire from the daring gang attracted the attention of the men of the State Rapid Response Squad who then joined forces with the regular policemen in the area to give the hoodlums a hot chase.

But it was learnt that the robbers eventually fled to their hideout through Igando Road, another crime prone area of the metropolis.

Read the full story...

A band of robbers terrorized Lagos Tuesday and killed at least three and injured twelve innocent bystanders in the process. They left the crime scene with millions of naira and have not been caught yet. Police must make every attempt to catch these criminals and punish them in order to discourage this behavior. The social conditions in Nigeria aren't exactly stable, so they certainly need help putting a stop to crime.

I’m Afraid for My Life, Says Iyabo Obasanjo

Senator Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello, daughter of ex-president Olusegun Obasanjo, has said she fears for her life. Obasanjo-Bello is implicated in the N300 million Health Ministry scam and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) now wants her to be prosecuted for the alleged offence.

Her comments came after the anti-corruption agents raided her home in Abuja in an attempt to bring her to face prosecution. She told the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) yesterday that EFCC agents slapped her personal assistant during their visit to her house two days ago. "I am afraid of the EFCC... they slapped my PA when they got to the house," she said "I'm not on the run but I feel as if I'm a victim of harassment... I'm afraid for my life," she added.

Obasanjo-Bello, who chairs the Senate's Health Committee, was charged along with ten other top officials of the Health Ministry, including two former Ministers – Prof. Adenike Grange and Gabriel Aduku - for sharing the proceeds of corruption. After charges against Obasanjo-Bello were read in court last week, the EFCC said she had to turn herself in as soon as possible.

She was said to have bolted out of the house through the back door when the men of EFCC came to her house uninvited on Tuesday. She told the BBC she could not understand why her home was raided when she had visited the EFCC offices twice in the past week and made herself available through her lawyer.

Read the full story...

Senator Iyabo Obasanjo, daughter of the former president, fears for her life after the EFCC ransacked her house on Tuesday. There are rumors that she benefitted financially from her father's less than moral practices while in office. She feels the the EFCC crossed a few lines by actually slapping one of her employees in the face while they tore apart her house. If the EFCC really wants to put an end to corruption in Nigeria, they are going to have to do a better job of proving to citizens that they are a legitimate government agency that wants what is best for the country.

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Contractors May Refund Government's Money with Interest

Contractors who handled the controversial power plants initiated by the former President Olusegun Obasanjo's but failed to perform satisfactorily may be forced to refund the money and pay interest on them.

This is among punitive measures the House of Representatives Committee on Power and Steel probing the alleged $16 billion spent on the energy sector between 1999 and 2007 may recommend to the Federal Government.

Aside the representatives' probe, the Federal Government has intensified its efforts to bail out the energy sector from its near moribund state.

Its current focus is on the controversial National Integrated Power Projects (NIPP), where a global firm hired by the government to assess seven of the power plants and recommend ways to make functional has submitted its report.

After inspecting the Papalanto Power Plant in Ogun State yesterday, the panel's chairman, Mr. Godwin Ndudi Elumelu, said the contractors who performed poorly would be made to refund the money and pay interest on them.

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After many problems, much payment, and little results, the power sector of Nigeria did not do very well last year. Hopefully, the contracters will follow through and refund money, which might mitigate some of the damage and lack of progress in the power sector.

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Johnson, Omoyeni Give Conflicting Figures in Aso Rock Bribery Scandal

THE $200,000 bribery scandal over which a presidential aide and a former managing director of WEMA Bank are being questioned continued its reverberations through Aso Rock yesterday with both men reportedly confessing to conflicting sums.

While Femi Johnson, the presidential aide now under arrest for receiving the bribe has reportedly confessed to collecting only $100,000, the alleged giver, Adebisi Omoyeni, former chief executive of WEMA Bank, is said to have insisted that he gave $200,000.

The arrest of Femi Johnson, who works in the office of the President, was occasioned by his alleged collection of the bribe in return for leaking a document on the lingering Wema Bank crisis to its suspended managing director Mr. Adebisi Omoyeni.

Read the full story.


This article addresses the recent bribery scandal that was made public in Nigeria. The two men accussed in this case have given officers different figures as to how much money was involved. This scandal has caused many "calls for the sack of many staff holdovers from the Olusegun Obasanjo administration in the Villa." This shows that Nigerian citizens are aware of the corrupt nature of past administrations, but many still question the exact nature of the current administration revolving around President Yar'Adua.

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Bribery At Tribunals

In a season of scandals, the judiciary appears unwilling to be exempted from the rot that has hit the system. The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Idris Legbo Kutigi says there are allegations of corruption against some judges at the election tribunals. This again brings to the fore the apprehensions about the rulings of these tribunals, as well as their ability to serve their purpose - dispensation of justice.

These allegations are not new. The House of Representatives Committee on Justice gave vent to them following petitions it got, in which there were allegations that as much as N2.1 billion has been spent in bribing judges at tribunals.

Some things are new about the latest allegations.

They are capable of pitting the judiciary against the legislature. The House of Representatives Committee on Justice is asking for the rulings of the tribunals. Its intentions are not clear.

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This article typifies the constant allegations that are always present in Nigeria and the current popular trend of news about tribunals. Even long after the tribunals are over, people are still disputing the results with the most popular form of accusations in Nigeria: Bribery, because even if the allegations are false, the stink of it stays, forever tarnishing the accused party's reputation. 

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Nigerian Soldier Killed in Haiti

A Nigerian United Nations (UN) peacekeeper has been killed by rioters in Haiti protesting high food price in the Caribbean country.

The yet-to-be-identified soldier was shot dead on Saturday in Port-au-Prince where the protest forced the country's parliament to sack its Prime Minister, Mr Jacques-Edouard Alexis.

Witnesses say the Nigerian peacekeeper was dragged from his marked car and shot as he was taking food to colleagues at a police station in the capital.

Read the full story here.

This article addresses the recent murder of a peacekeeper serving in Haiti. According to the article, the man was dragged from his car and shot. This murder happened at a protest of high food prices; the protesters were eventually dispersed by tear gas and warning shots fired by other Nigerian police officers so that they could get the murdered man's body. Just last year seven other Nigerian soldiers were killed in Darfur by rebel forces. This article refers to Nigeria as a "peacekeeper" which shows the great influence and positive impact Nigeria has and is attempting to have on other parts of the world.

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Yar'Adua Signs N2.748 Trillion Budget 2008

After several months of disagreement between the executive and the legislative arms of government on the 2008 Appropriation Bill, President Umaru Yar'Adua, yesterday, signed the Bill into law with a charge to all government agencies to implement it with "the highest sense of responsibility and with total deference to due process."

The total amount budgeted for the 2008 fiscal year is N2.748 trillion, comprising N860 billion for capital and N1.888 trillion for recurrent.

Although the signing ceremony was billed for 10 o'clock in the morning, it was not until 3:00 p.m that it finally took place following what a source described as the state of the president's health. Reporters were not allowed to witness the event as has been the tradition.

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The compromise that was offered last week was signed into action, so this is just confirmation of what was expected to happen. It is good that Nigeria is attempting to build capital, but it is hard to tell how much will actually buy the capital. The banning of reporters during the event shows the strong presence of tradition in Nigeria.

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Yar’Adua Ill, Flown to Germany

President Umaru Yar’Adua was on Monday flown to Germany following an undisclosed ailment.

His Special Adviser on Communications, Mr. Olusegun Adeniyi, who disclosed this to journalists in Abuja, linked the sickness to an allergic reaction.

“The President will leave for Wiesbaden, Germany later today (Monday)
to see his private physicians for a medical review of an indisposition believed to be due to an allergic reaction,” Adeniyi said.

Read the full story here.



This article addresses Nigerian President Umaru Yar'Adua's recent visit to Germany to receive medical treatment, and this is not the first time that the President has left Nigeria to receive treatment elsewhere in the past year. According to the article, Yar'Adua was visiting a hospital in Germany to receive treatment for an allergic reaction. The article then discusses Yar'Adua's passing of the 2008 budget for Nigeria which was done in a less than extravagant manner which is much different than in the past. This could cause some worry among Nigerians, but according to the article, Yar'Adua essentially just had to sign the bill and pass it on without any sort of ceremony. The true question here is whether or not the Nigerian people see this as a weakness in their leader because he is having to leave the country to receive medical treatment.

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Assessment Complete

Parents Abandon Baby Without Anus at UCH

A three-month-old baby without anus has been abandoned at the University College Hospital, Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

The Head of Department, Medical Social Service, Dr. Jane Adebusuyi, said the baby boy was born with a perforated anus.

Baby Yusuf, as he is called, was abandoned by his parents two months ago.

Adebusuyi told the News Agency of Nigeria on Tuesday in Ibadan that the father, Mr. Muyideen Yusuf, disappeared with his wife under the guise of looking for money.

She said, “The baby was just two weeks old when they brought him to the hospital with a perforated anus.

“The father told the nurses that they did not have money and that they were going in search of money for the boy‘s treatment.”

Read the full story...

A baby born with a perforated anus was admitted into the hospital last week at the age of about 3 months. His parents brought him into the hospital and left saying that they were going to try to get money to pay for his treatment. They never returned. The hospital has attempted to call their emergency contact numbers, but they are disconnected, and go to their house, but it does not exist. Two parents literally abandoned their disabled son because they could not fathom how they would be able to pay for his surgeries. Hopefully very few other parents in the world would ever do that to their completely dependent child.

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Nigeria‘s Biggest Drug Baron Arrested in Scotland

A Nigerian smuggler who brought $500,000 of cocaine to Scotland was jailed for six years some weeks back thanks to a language expert. A trial judge heard a six-kilo consignment was hidden in wooden slats in packing cases flown to Edinburgh Airport from South America.

Nigerian-born Edmond Okoli, 43, turned up to collect the crates of cheap crockeryfrom Peru. He was heard singing a song in his native dialect as he drove from the airport, with the words ‘He who’s got the drug is going...'

Okoli denied smuggling cocaine in November 2005 along with others. He told an earlier trial he was offered $500 to pick Peruvian artifact.

But a jury rejected his story and found him guilty.

The High court in Edinburgh heard how the police and customs officers searched the
pottery on their arrival but drew a blank until they turned their attention to the packaging. Some of the slats making up the crates revealed a suspicious shadow when X-rayed.

A hole was bored into one piece of wood, followed by a probe, which flicked out traces of powder. Searchers noticed three lengths of wood were a different colour and all had been hollowed out to take packages of cocaine.

Read the full story...

One of Nigeria's most prominent cocaine dealers has been caught, arrested, and convicted after years of smuggling. He was suspected after he picked up Peruvian pottery from an airport in Scotland while singing a song about drugs. The pottery was searched extensively, but the police could find no drugs. Okoli actually hid the cocaine in the wood the composed the crates that the Peruvian pottery was shipped in. Though this plan does sound pretty masterful, Okoli was caught in the end and will suffer as a result. The police are currently working on determining who else was involved in the cocaine smuggle.

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Arik Air to Commence Commercial Flights to US

Air travellers between Nigeria and the United States of America, now have a choice as another Nigerian carrier, Arik Air, has been given approval to commence direct commercial flights to America thus becoming the third Nigerian carrier to get such approval.

The U.S. Department of Transport (DOT), in a letter to the airline dated April 4, 2008 and signed by the Director, Office of International Aviation, Paul L. Gretch, said the Nigerian flag carrier had satisfied all requirements and thus qualified to fly direct into any part of the United States.

According to the approval letter, Arik Air has been found to be operationally and financially qualified to conduct its proposed operations and is substantially owned and effectively controlled by citizens of Nigeria .

Read the full story...


Nigeria is attempting to widen the tourist industry of the country by increasing the places that commercial flights can travel in and out of. The U.S. is obviously a huge market, so this should be good for their economy. However, one of the foreseeable issues with this new approval is that pilots with substandard training could be operating these aircrafts and endangering hundreds of lives. This new change affects our community fairly directly because one of the three cities that Arik Air is allowed to fly into is Atlanta. If anyone is up for a trip to Nigeria, new legislation has made it much more possible.


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N300m scam: How we shared N10m – Iyabo Obasanjo

Embattled Senator Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello has said that N500,000 was disbursed to each member of the Senate Committee on Health from the controversial N300m scam in the Federal Ministry of Health.

The Senator, who the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission claimed on Tuesday was at large because of her alleged involvement in the scam, said the money was given to the senators to cover parts of their expenses during a four-day seminar and retreat in Ghana.

She said in a statement to EFCC that the retreat and seminar was to facilitate the passage of the Health Policy Bill.

In the statement obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja on Thursday, Obasanjo-Bello, who is the chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, said it was not unusual for a ministry to sponsor an executive bill.

Read More...

This thinly veiled, terrible excuse for the corrupt use of the health department's use of its greatly needed money is a poor reflection of the justice system in Nigeria. Just because she is the daughter of the former president, this criminal is still free to give excuses.

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N300m Scam - Grange, Aduku, 11 Others Charged

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday arraigned former Health Minister, Prof Adenike Grange; former Minister of State for Health, Gabriel Yakubu Aduku, an architect; and 11 others on a 56-count charge of graft involving about N300 million.

But the name of the daughter of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Iyabo, which was mentioned as having partaken in the graft, was missing on the list of the accused persons charged to court yesterday.

The EFCC told the court that Iyabo was currently at large and could not be arrested for prosecution but would be arrested and brought to justice once found.

Iyabo, according to count 56 of the charges between December 2007 and March 2008 in Abuja while serving as chairperson of the Senate Committee on Health, dishonestly received the sum of N10 million belonging to the Federal Government having reason to believe that same was stolen. Her action is said to have constituted an offence punishable under Section 317 of the Penal Code Act Cap 352, Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria) Abuja.

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Corruption remains rampant in Nigeria, as 300 million Naira have been swindled from the government. What is somewhat different is the exclusion of the president's daughter from an accused list, despite proof of her involvement. Officials do assure that even these ties do not exclude Iyabo Obasanjo from justice, which is hopefully true.

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President and Assembly agree on budget

After the protracted bickering over the delay in the passage of the 2008 Appropriation Bill, the Presidency and the National Assembly have reached an agreement on how to address the points of disagreement in the budget.

According to [Ayogu Eze], the President would compile his reservations on the budget and send them to the National Assembly in form of an amended bill to the budget with the Assembly pledging to give them positive consideration.

Adeniyi said in Abuja yesterday that "it was an amicable meeting. It was very cordial. And an agreement was reached. And under it, the President will assent to the budget. He will then send an amendment bill to the National Assembly on the areas there were consensus on review.

"Both parties resolved their differences on the budget and decided to reach a compromise. The budget document will be signed the way it is now but an amendment would be sent to the NASS in another two weeks."

Read More...

As posted earlier, the budget delay has been very detrimental to Nigeria's economy. It's a good thing that the disagreement is getting closer to being resolved. Contrary to the somewhat misleading news headline, however, the budget is not yet finalized or written.

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Foreigners Import Fake Syringes into Nigeria Duty-free, says NAFDAC

FOR over two years, substandard syringes have been imported into the country duty-free, says the National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC).

Director General, NAFDAC, Prof. Dora Akunyili, who disclosed yesterday noted that neither the Presidency nor the minister of health knew about the duty-free policy which, according to her, used to be 15 per cent.

Akunyili, who spoke during a visit to First Medical and Sterile Products (Firstmed) in the Calabar Free Trade Zone (CFTE), Calabar accused Indian and Chinese businessmen of being behind the importation.

Read the full story here.

This article addresses the duty-free import of syringes into Nigeria which has reportedly cost the government billions of naira in revenue, and it has discouraged the production of syringes locally in Nigeria. The fact that the Nigerian government is taking steps to protect its citizens and is encouraging local production shows that they are trying to better Nigeria and stimulate the economy.

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HIV/AIDS Spread: Varsity Women Grow Goose Pimples

Dreaded HIV/AIDS disease is feared spreading through university campuses due to sexual exploitation of female students.

A cure has not yet been found for the infection that slowly destroys the body’s immune system which can only be transmitted through blood and sex.

At a seminar for students organised by Nigerian Association of University Women (NAUW) Lagos branch, presentations by invited guest speakers pointed to the effects of campus prostitution on higher education system and the spread of HIV/AIDS among female students.

Read the full story here.


This article addresses the fear that HIV/AIDS is spreading on university campuses because of the exploitation of women. This article refers to a recent seminar that made students aware of the harms and risks of sexual activity associated with HIV/AIDS. This shows that certain organizations are taking necessary means to educate the Nigerian citizens so that they are aware of risks that certain behavior may entail. The Nigerian Association of University Women is aimed to educate females and be sure that they are protected and treated fairly.

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Another Oil Dealer Shot Dead in Ibadan

Another private petroleum dealer, Mr. Gbenga Taiwo, has been shot dead in Ibadan by two suspected assassins operating on motorcycle.

The killing came barely one month after the yet-to-be-solved murder of Mr. Demola Oyadeyi, also an oil dealer.

Sources told journalists that Taiwo, the Managing Director of Samalis Oil was shot dead around 10pm on Tuesday night at his residence in Oluyole Estate Extension, Aba Aladiye, Ibadan.

Read the full story here.


This article addresses the recent murder of yet another oil dealer in Nigeria. Mr. Gbenga Taiwo was shot dead by two assassins; this murder comes follows the recent murder of Mr. Demola Oyadeyi, which has yet to be solved. Mr. Taiwo reportedly begged the assassins to spare his life and take everything he owned, but the assassins informed him his life had already been paid for. The assassins were reportedly being closely trailed by the police. This event shows the violent nature of many Nigerian people; also, the fact that these men would so quickly murder someone displays the corrupt nature of many of the Nigerian people which is reflected in the government.

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Action Congress Asks Nigeria to 'Sack Iwu Now"

Action Congress (USA) has again called for the removal of Maurice Iwu as the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

In a statement made available to leadershipnigeria.com it said that again the verdict in Edo State proves that he had failed to deliver as promised free and fair elections at every level of government throughout Nigeria.

We have and continue to witness the election tribunal void election after election and ask for re-runs. He is a disgrace to progress and democracy, his denial of his failure is shameful and should be prevented from making further statements publicly regarding it.

They thanked President Yar'Adua in his belief in the rule of law, but strongly opposed his statement which includes "do-or-die" in any re-elections throughout the country. However, we expect that we will do free and fair elections, whereby each registered voter is given the opportunity to cast their vote without fear, that those votes are counted without bias and that the true count is given declaring only the individual who rightfully wins regardless of who does.

The statement said, "As a man who has tried to convince the country and the outside world of his sincerity to provide safety for the people of Nigeria, it becomes highly embarrassing to hear the word 'die' coming from him (Yar'Adua) in reference to any election, when he should be guaranteeing protecting the lives of all its citizens and not a select few".

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In a delayed response to the elections, Action Congress called for a reform of the election commission of Nigeria in the form of firing its chairman. Although this approach may or may not be effective in reforming the elections, it is good to see that some action is being suggested. The only way to improve a flawed system is to change something, and Nigeria, or at least some parts, is trying to reform.

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Nigeria Inaugurates International Scientific Committee

Nigeria has inaugurated anInternational Scientific Committeeto fast track the contributions ofscience to national development.

A statement signed by the Spokesman of the National Mathematical Centre (NMC), Njoku Onyekachi said that the body inaugurated bythe Minister of Education, Dr IgweAja-Nwachukwu, would be anadvisory body to the Centre.

Aja-Nwachukwu was quoted by the statement, issued yesterday in Abuja,
as saying that successive governments were responsible for the brain drain syndrome affecting the country following their failure toinvest in science and research.

The minister said that the committee was part of a strategy adopted by the present government to correct the mistakes of the past and position the country to attain the vision 2020.

Read the full story here.

This article addresses Nigeria's decision to implement an International Scientific Committee that will "fast track the contributions of science to national development." This Committee is going to serve as an "advisory body" to the National Mathematical Centre (NMC). This investment is expected to reverse the "brain drain syndrome" that occurred because of previous governments inability to invest in science and research. This investment is considered necessary for Nigeria to obtain economic growth and development. This shows that the present administration is attempting to do anything it takes to better the economy in Nigeria.

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Nigeria May Ban Flight Operations to Obudu

Following the disappearance of Beechcraft 1900D aircraft belonging to Wings Aviation, flight operations to Bebi Airstrip in Obudu Cattle Ranch may be put on hold.

The Wings Aviation turboprop plane was headed for the ranch to convey the Cross River State Governor, Senator Liyel Imoke, to Abuja when it was discovered missing along with the three crew members on board.

Sources said the Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) had last month warned aviation authorities about Bebi airstrip, saying it was not safe. NAMA was said to have advised that flight operations into the airstrip should be stopped until there are air traffic services at the field.

The military aircraft that crashed in Benue State close to Obudu Ranch on August 17, 2006, killing about 14 military officers and the March 15 disappearance of Wings Aviation aircraft, sources said, had confirmed the fears raised in March 2005 by former minister of Aviation, Mallam Isa Yuguda, who is now the Governor of Bauchi State, that flying to the area was dangerous with the absence of air traffic services.

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Nigeria's Wings Aviation recently lost an entire airplane, similar to an event earlier, although not as severe, in which an oil tanker was reported missing. This time, however, there is an explanation given. The destination of the plane was "not safe," for some unknown reason. The idea of an airport being hijacked may seem implausible to citezens of the US, but we must remember that the airports in Nigeria are nowhere near as devloped or frequented as thos in the US. This unsafe airport is a very understandable event, but it is still a bad sign of Nigeria's security.

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Nearly Two-Thirds of Africans Have No Toilets

The vast majority of Africans have no access to a toilet, according to preliminary data from a World Health Organization report to be published later this year.

The WHO-UNICEF Joint Monitoring Program for Water Supply and Sanitation said the data shows 62 percent of Africans and 2.6 billion people worldwide have no toilet at home "and thus are vulnerable to a range of health risks."

"Sanitation is a cornerstone of public health" said WHO's Director-General Dr. Margaret Chan. "Improved sanitation contributes enormously to human health and well-being, especially for girls and women. We know that simple, achievable interventions can reduce the risk of contracting diarrheal disease by a third."

The use of toilets and hand-washing with soap prevents the transfer of bacteria, viruses and parasites that might otherwise contaminate water supplies, soil and food.

"Nearly 40 percent of the world's population lacks access to toilets, and the dignity and safety that they provide," said Ann M. Veneman, UNICEF executive director. "The absence of adequate sanitation has a serious impact on health and social development, especially for children."

Read the full story...

It is ridiculous that, at this point in time, 2.6 billion people worldwide do not have access to a modern toilet. There are many health concerns associated with a lack of modern plumbing caused by bacteria, viruses, and parasites. It is also very possible for water supplies to be contaminated by human excrement. Nigeria should take care of this sanitation problem for their country, and perhaps the rest of Africa will follow in suit.

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Payment of Disengaged Workers’ Benefits Begins April

The Accountant General of the Federation (AGF) will from next month begin the payment of benefits to 15, 227 disengaged workers of parastatals and agencies, a senior official has said.

The official told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday in Abuja that N19billion had been set aside for the payment, which would cover 11 federal parastatal and agencies.

The workers were disengaged last year with a promise that they would get their cheques after a training workshop on entrepreneurship in April, but a year later that had not been paid.

Read the full story here.

This article addresses the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF) deciding that next month they will begin paying benefits to disengaged workers that were promised to be paid last year. These payments are set aside to cover eleven federal parastatal and agencies. These payments were promised to these individuals if they attended a training workshop on entrepreneurship, but a year after this they had still not been paid. This could have caused these individuals to question the government's ability to keep the promises that are made, thus affecting legitimacy. The official blamed the delay in payment on faults in the records. The Accountant General of the Federation said that they "are now in the process of releasing funds to the twelve banks that will be involved in the process." So despite the delay in payment of these funds, the government and its agencies have kept their promise to pay benefits to disengaged workers. This is an example of the government keeping their word although it did take an extended period of time.

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Budget Delay Cripples Economy

Experts have expressed their views on the possible effects the delay in the passage of the 2008 Appropriation Bill into law may have on the economy and its constituent sectors, agreeing that such effects are undesirable.

Despite expectations late last year that the budget would be passed early following the cordial relationship between the executive and legislative arms of government, the passage of the Appropriation Bill into law has experienced an impasse between the two arms of government in recent times.

Commenting on the issue, the spokesman of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Festus Odoko, in a telephone interview on Sunday, said that an early passage of the budget would normally make things work out smoothly.

He pointed out that in the event of a delay in passing the Appropriation Bill into law like it is now, a provision existed that permitted the President to spend up to a certain proportion of the previous year’s budgetary allocation.

He added that though the fact that the President could continue spending to a certain limit to meet essential expenditures might reduce the undesirable effects of the delay, some contractors might resort to borrowing heavily from banks to meet their obligations, thus causing the various banks to be increasingly exposed in terms of credit given.

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The tax appropriation bill for this year has been yet again postponed. Economic experts agreed that postponing the tax appropriation bill is harmful for Nigeria's already fragile economy. The current law in place allows the president to spend up to a certain percentage of last year's budget, but that may not be enough to cover the necessary expenses. One of the projected outcomes of the postponement is that, as a result of the government not having money to pay contractors, the contractors will have to borrow exorbitant amounts of money from banks. The banks would then be subject to the terms of credit that they agreed upon with their borrowers.

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Security Experts from Britain, U.S, and Nigeria Meet Today

The Niger Delta oil fields, a major point of conflict in Africa

Top American intelligence and military officers as well as their British counterparts will, today, in Abuja, engage top Nigerian security chiefs under the Gulf of Guinea Energy Security Strategy (GGESS) to explore fresh initiatives towards ending militancy in the Niger Delta region, in particular, and a secured business environment in the entire Gulf of Guinea.

GGESS was initiated by the Federal Government in 2005 as a collaborative effort with key foreign governments to find a lasting solution to the security of oil and gas supply from the Niger Delta. It is also to promote sustainable development of the region in a climate of peace.

If successfully implemented, the GGESS initiative is expected to be replicated in other countries in the sub-region. The strategy seeks to build strong partnerships between the Nigerian Government and foreign governments interesteds in the co-ordinated effort to stamp out oil theft, illegal small arms dealings and money laundering with particular emphasis on the Niger Delta.

At inception, the US Government collaborated with Nigeria in establishing the GGESS. The United Kingdom which initially attended meetings as an observer eventually joined the group as a full member. Nigerian representation to the GGESS is drawn from the NNPC, the Nigerian military and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The GGESS has four work groups to facilitate the achievement of set objective: the Small Arms Control, Maritime Security, Money Laundering and Sustainable Development.

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Another sign of attempts to improve stability and security in Nigeria, this article shows that some officials are trying to battle the seemingly endless flow of corruption and violence. Although this step forward will be met with almost as much movement backwards, hopefully the overall trend in Nigeria is progressive.

US Port Seeks Partnership with Nigeria

The Port of Houston in Texas, United States is seeking partnership with Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) to facilitate international trade. One of its commissioners and US-based Nigerian entrepreneur, Mr Kase Lawal, made this known at the weekend in Houston, after he conducted Nigeria's First Lady, Hajiya Turai Yar'Adua on a boatride of the port. Lawal, who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), said "We are the largest sea port in America with a cargo volume of 95 billion dollars annually, so we have the capacity to assist Nigerian ports.''

Read the full story here.

This article addresses Nigeria Ports Authority's recent decision to partner with the Port of Houston in Texas. Mr. Kase Lawal, US based Nigerian entrepreneur, believes the the Port of Houston has the ability and capacity to help Nigeria by "giving technical expertise and equipment to improve the performance of the Nigerian ports" so that these ports can "meet up with current international challenges." The Port of Houston handles most of the crude oil imports from Nigeria and even some exports to Nigeria. The goal in this partnership is to enhance international trade relations thus boosting the Nigerian economy. This partnership shows that the Nigerian government is making attempts to do anything it takes to better the economy.

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Japan to Promote Africa's Growth at Tokyo Confab

Africa's promising economic prospects and the pursuit of progress in consolidating peace and democratisation processes through self-efforts are the credentials the Government of Japan hopes to build upon as African leaders gather to discuss contemporary issues of development concerning the continent next month.

They will be meeting at the fourth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD IV) in the port city of Yokohama, Japan, in May.

President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua has also been invited to the event.

The TICAD was launched in 1993 to promote high-level policy dialogue among African leaders and development partners. It has since evolved into a major global forum to promote development on the continent under the principles of African "ownership" and international "partnership."

The two concepts had a great influence on the launch of the New Economic Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD), a strategy for development designed by Africans themselves.

The hosts believe Africa would be fully represented at the five-yearly summit, hopefully at the highest levels, describing the responses to the invitation so far as "very encouraging."

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The Tokyo Internation Conference on African Development will be held this May to aid African countries in their economic development. Hopefully the interference of more developed countries in African affairs will help Nigeria to make changes for the betterment of the country as a whole. President Yar'Adua was invited and plans to attend. The conference aims to help African ownerships and partnerships.

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U.S. report questions voting rights abuses in Nigeria

For the first time this year, the United States government is commenting openly about its disappointment with how certain 2007 election petitions are being settled in Nigeria without attention being paid to what it described as criminal activity during the polls.

In its current World Annual Report of Human Rights for 2007 released yesterday in Washington DC, the U.S. government submitted that in Nigeria "the government's human rights record remained poor, and government officials at all levels continued to commit serious abuses."

The greatest threat to liberty is "the abridgement of citizens' right to change their government, " according to the report presented to the press by Jonathan Farrar, Acting Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labour at the State Department, the equivalent of Nigeria's Foreign Affairs Ministry.

According to the U.S. report: "Although it was widely accepted that the 2007 elections were fraudulent, most of the tribunals overturned elections based on technicalities such as not having the party logo on the ballot or not having the party name listed, rather than for criminal activity related to the elections."

The report noted that after the flawed 2007 polls, tribunals received over 1,250 legal motions filed across the country to overturn the results of individual elections for all levels of government posts, including the Presidency.

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Even over a week after the tribunals, people are still complaining over the results of the tribunal. The article, unlike some other ones, cites legitimate reasons for complaint, particularly in the full article. The elections were mainly overturned because of technicalies rather than large problems, denoting the desensitization of nigerian towards these large problems.

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Nigeria Tracing Militant Pipeline

Nigerian oil officials are to start digging up an oil pipeline found at a militant's abandoned hideout to see if it runs to a refinery about 2km away.

The army claims the pipeline was used by Ateke Tom, the head of the Niger Delta Vigilantes, to steal oil.

A BBC reporter says the pipeline, found earlier this week, is visible for about 500m before disappearing underground.

Mr Tom is accused of being behind much of the lawless money-making schemes causing havoc in the oil-rich region.

He is wanted by the authorities for a string of bank robberies, incidents of piracy, stealing crude oil and kidnappings.

His present whereabouts is unclear, but contacted by the BBC by phone Mr Tom denied laying the pipeline to his former base near Okochiri about 20km-30km from the regional capital, Port Harcourt.

Instability and violence in the Niger Delta region over the past few years have led to a significant drop in Nigeria's oil exports.

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Ateke Tom, the head of the Niger Delta Vigilantes, has been stealing oil from a pipeline that runs near his former hideout. His group is the major cause of violence and terrorism in the Niger Delta region. He is wanted for stealing oil, kidnapping, and several bank robberies. His present whereabouts are unknown, but the government is searching for him. Capturing Ateke Tom for good could help put an end to some of the unrest in the Niger Delta region for good.

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World Warned on Food Price Spiral

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has said he is deeply concerned about the sharp rise in global food prices.

Mr Ban said the trend would hinder progress towards the millennium development goals (MDGs), which aim to halve extreme poverty by 2015.

The UN World Food Program (WFP) and other agencies may be forced to ration food aid, he said in a BBC interview.

He said shortages might be eased by a "green revolution" to transform farming methods in Africa.

Global food prices have risen by 40% in nine months and food reserves are at their lowest for 30 years.

The WFP is facing a $500m (£248m) shortfall in its attempts to feed 73 million people this year.

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The UN secretary has declared that Africa must enter a "green revolution" to transform farming methods in order to provide for the millions of impoverished and starving citizens. Food prices are on the rise, so the UN is struggling to provide food to all of the 73 million people in need. The rise in food prices will lead to worsened malnutrition and starvation in all of Africa. The entire continent must revolutionize farming methods in order to counteract the rise in food prices.

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Government Introduces New Rural Development Plan

The Federal Government yesterday presented to stakeholders for inputs a three-year draft rural development plan for the country called the, "Community Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy (CEEDS)".

Minister and Deputy Chairman of the National Planning Commission (NPC), Senator Sanusi Dagash, who presented the documents to the stakeholders in Abuja yesterday, said CEEDS is estimated to cost about N248.64 billion.

"CEEDS conceptual framework is premised on the dire need for restoration of the human dignity and hope for poor communities in rural areas.

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Although some may say the US has a poverty problem, it is nothing compared to that of Nigeria. To say that even N248.64 billion could make a dent in the poverty situation of Nigeria is absurd. Even if the money was used without corruption or other problems, the amount of people below any poverty line in Nigeria is to enormous for billions of Naira to alleviate.

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Yar'Adua Insists on Refund Clause in Contracts

President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua has directed the Ministry of Justice not to approve any federal contract agreement which does not have an indemnity clause to refund to the government any amount spent if the contractor fails to fulfil his or her contractual obligations.

This is one of the ways the government is pursuing its quest to halt the problem of contractors collecting mobilisation fees and absconding without executing jobs according to signed agreements.

Government, a source told The Guardian yesterday, wants to end the abandoned projects syndrome and the collection of mobilisation fees without execution as a way of siphoning funds from government's coffers.

Under the new policy, any contractor that collects mobilisation fees and fails to execute the contract would be prosecuted for the recovery of the fund paid.

The source stated that Yar'Adua was shocked that until now, government contracts have no indemnity clause, which protects funds paid to contractors.

Read the full story...

The president is cracking down on a major source of corruption within the country. Many government officials and contractors were receiving government money for various projects, but then never completing the task that they were paid to do. This is one of the more creative ways that people have been stealing money from their government. When Yar'Adua found out about this embezzlement scheme, he was outraged. It is now government policy to prosecute anyone who is allotted government money for a project and does not complete it. This is an example of how the Nigerian government is cracking down on corruption within the country.

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How Obasanjo Spent $13bn on Power

Clearer picture of how the Obasanjo administration spent $13 billion on the power sector emerged yesterday with the Minister of State for Energy (Power), Mrs. Fatima Ibrahim, giving a breakdown of the expenditure over a period of eight years.

And following the failure of the National Integrated Power Project (NIPP) to materialise, the 36 states and the 774 councils are now demanding the refund of the $3.2 billion they contributed for its implementation, according to Governor Gabriel Suswam of Benue State.

She said the sum of N235 billion; $6.5 billion and 330 million Euro were used to finance the National Integrated Power Projects (NIPP).

She said another $4.6 billion sourced from the international creditors and $1.6 billion from Joint Venture Calls (JVCs) were also used to finance the sector during the period.

Ibrahim said although there was no evidence of misappropriation of the funds, some contracts that were paid for were abandoned by the contractors after payment.

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Following up on this story, the government has finally responded to the question of the people and the questions of the state government. The money was reportedly all allocated to certain projects, but that does not rule out the possibility of massive corruption or faulty allocation. The government's explanation was that many contrators who were hired for the job did not complete their tasks. This money that was not returned upon will be sought out from the contractors, and hopefully the government can come closer to their ambitious power supply goals.

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Nigeria Rebel 'is alive and well'

A leading member of a Niger Delta oil rebel group has been confirmed as alive and well by members of his family.

The news comes over a week after Henry Okah's rebel group threatened "anarchy" in the Delta region unless his family and lawyers were given access to him.

Mr Okah, of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (Mend), was arrested in September.

The government last week revealed charges of treason against Mr Okah, who faces a death sentence.

Read the full story here.

This article addresses the confirmation that a leading member of a Niger Delta oil rebel group is "alive and well." This comes after many feared that Okah had been killed, possibly by the government. Okah is being charged with treason and faces a death sentence. Okah has felt betrayed by the government because of agreements they had made previously. According to Okah's brother Charles, Mr. Okah did not seem to have been physically harmed while he was detained. The location of Okah and his friend, Edward Atatah, has remained unknown for the length of their detainment. Atatah is suffering from hallucinations and "acute hypertension" because of his detainment. The fact that this man has become mentally ill since he has been detained by the government alludes to the ill treatment that these men have been receiving.

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Nigerian Party Picks New Leader

The governing People's Democratic Party (PDP) in Nigeria has elected Vincent Ogbulafor as its new leader at a convention in the capital, Abuja.

Mr Ogbulafor is the party's former general secretary and is considered a compromise candidate, able to unite different factions of the party.

His election is seen as a setback for ex-leader Olusegun Obasanjo who was backing his own candidate.

The PDP won heavily in disputed 2007 polls and dominates national politics.

Read the full story here.

This article addresses the recent election of Vincent Ogbulafor to serve as the People's Democratic Party's leader in Nigeria. Ogbulafor is the former general secretary; he is viewed as a "compromise candidate" because he connects the different groups of the party. This "compromise" shows that the leaders of the dominant party in Nigeria are seeking to do what would be best for the nation which would be to put aside differences and find a common ground. The election of Ogbulafor was seen as a test of former Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo's influence on the activities of the nation and its political parties. Obasanjo was backing one of his "allies," Sam Egwu, for this position, but Mr. Edwu was not selected. Many people in the People's Democratic Party are seeking to lower Obasanjo's influence on the goings-on in Nigeria. This shows that many of them are trying to move ahead, rather than staying in the same place they were the entire time Obasanjo was president. Alex Last believes that there was "a lot of backroom dealing before the result was announced" because of the corrupt nature of many of Nigerian leaders.

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Nigeria Trains Terrorism Police

Nigeria is training its first group of specialist anti-terrorism police.

The 308 officers will be deployed to the northern city of Kano, the Niger Delta city of Port Harcourt and the commercial capital, Lagos.

Last year, the US embassy issued a warning that al-Qaeda was planning to attack US and UK interests in the country.

Six people are currently in jail facing terrorism charges, but lawyers say the evidence against them is weak.

Read the full story here.

This article addresses the training that Nigeria has been doing for 308 officers who will be sent to Kano which is the Niger Delta city of Port Harcourt and to lagos which is the commercial capital. According to the US embassy, al Qaeda had plans to make terrorist attacks against US and UK interests in the country. The Nigerian government has initiated the training of officers in the country to combat these possible attacks, and thier training is said to be "world-class." Some of these officers will even come to the United States or go to the United Kingdom for training which shows the international relations Nigeria has with some nations. The fear of terrorist attacks is with oil interests; many fear that people will come across the northern border from Nigeria to attack. The training of these officers and the steps being taken to prevent attacks show that the Nigerian government is concerned with what would be best for the Nigerian citizens.

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Assessment Complete

INEC Pays N21m Life Insurance Claims

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday issued cheques worth N21 million to 10 families of their deceased staff as payment for their Group Life Assurance Claim.

He said the policy to pay the life issurance was borne out of the fact that the process of electoral democracy "remains a very stressful and risky assignment in Nigeria and Africa as a whole," adding that election management agencies should ordinarily not be a life endangering matter.

"It is a sad commentary on our state of being as a society that various staff of the Commission have had to face extreme exposure to strains, pressure, threats and physical assault leading to temporal and at times permanent disability. In some unfortunate cases, death has resulted in the course of what ought to be a civic duty of carrying out electoral duties," Iwu lamented.

"This insurance will also cover the total permanent or temporary disability resulting from accident and natural causes as well as taking care of the medical expenses for career public servants arising from accident," he added.

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Life insurance must be paid to electoral workers for disabilities and even death. The significance pretty much explains itself. Electoral workers shouldn't have a life threatening job in any democracy.

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MEND Chief Charged With Treason, Gun Running

About one month after they were extradited to Nigeria from Angola over gun-running charges, the Federal Government yesterday filed treason charges against the detained leaders of Movement for the Emancipa-tion of Niger Delta (MEND), Henry Okah and Edward Atatah.They were accused of terrorism, illegal importation of firearms and gun running.

At the Federal High Court, Abuja where the charges were filed, it was revealed that Okah was charged in absentia last year with treason and other offences. The defence was handed a copy of the 14 charges made against Okah in December, after his arrest in Angola before he was extradited to the country. If found guilty, Okah faces death penalty.

According to the charge, Okah and Atatah who are 42 and 43 respectively in September 2007 travelled from Nigeria to Luanda, Angola to buy shipping vessel worth USD670,000 to be used to transport arms to militants in the oil rich Niger Delta. Federal Government argued that the offences contravened section 41 © of the Criminal Code Act (CPA) Cap 77 laws of the federation of Nigeria 1999 and punishable under Section 41.

The accused were said to have sold and provided 250,000 assault riffles, general-purpose machine guns, rocket propelled launchers /canisters, bazookas and assorted ammunitions to armed groups such as the Niger Delta Peoples Volunteer Force (NDPVF), Icelandic Cult and the MEND to levy war against the Federal Republic of Nigeria in Yenegoa, Port Harcourt, Delta and other places contrary to section 37(1) of the CPA.

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Nigeria has many illigitamate militant and non-militant groups representing the large number of minorities present in the country. Some groups that may seem somewhat non-confrontational are actually aiding the violent nature of other groups without endagering themselves as much. These militant groups are a bad sign for a newly democratic, country, because militants in true democracies seem to be ineffective, and from the sheer number of militant groups in Nigeria, we can conclude that they are somewhat effective.

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Ali, Ciroma Clash over PDP Aspirants

THE controversy over the national convention of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) fixed this Saturday is yet to abate as the National Chairman of the party, Ahmadu Ali and the chairman of the Electoral Panel of the Convention, Malam Adamu Ciroma are divided over the control of screening of aspirants for national offices of the party.

Unrelated though, is the clash of supporters of the Enugu State Governor, Sullivan Chime and his predecessor, Chimaroke Nnamani yesterday at the PDP secretariat, Abuja. The clash sent workers of the secretariat and national officers of the PDP, including Ali, scampering for safety.

Ciroma had written to Ali that the panel raised an eight-man committee to handle the screening of aspirants after consultation among members. He further said that the essence of the exercise was to add value and to restore confidence of party faithful in the process.

Read the full story here.

This article addresses the recent controversy that has arisen between two key leaders of the People's Democratic Party of Nigeria. According to the article, National Chairman of the party Ahmadu Ali and chairman of the Electoral Panel of the Convention Malam Adamu Ciroma have disagreed about the process that should be taken to screen potential candidates for the national offices of the party. This shows the dissent that can arise between a single political party; the steps taken to resolve this disagreement will show the power that the government and its leaders have especially in resolving conflict. According to Ciroma, the screening of potential leaders is necessary to insure that the best job will be done. This article also addresses the recent disagreement that arose between supporters of Enugu State Governor, Sullivan Chime and his predecessor, Chimaroke Nnamani. This "clash" sent many individuals running for safety as many people were held hostage. This shows the violence that consumes many people in Nigeria including the leaders of the country.

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Nigeria's Buhari Renews Challenge

Muhammadu Buhari says the tribunal was wrong. A Nigerian opposition candidate is appealing to the Supreme Court over the election of President Umaru Yar'Adua.

Defeated All Nigeria People's Party candidate Muhammadu Buhari wants last year's widely criticised poll annulled.

Last week, the election tribunal said Mr Buhari had failed to prove the result of the election had been affected by rigging.

Mr Buhari's lawyers said the burden of proof should be on the government.

Read the full story...

Buhari was Yar'Adua's competition in the last presidential election. Last week there was a tribunal held to determine whether the presidential election should be annuled due to the recent evidence found that makes it appear that the election was rigged. Though Buhari lost the tribunal last week, he has not given up. He had plenty of evidence proving the Yar'Adua was not the fair winner, including ballots that did not have serial numbers. Buhari has not given up yet, even though Yar'Adua was declared innocent. Considering all of the evidence that Buhari presented, it is surprising that he did not win. Perhaps Yar'Adua had to resort to corrupt practices in order to hide how he won the presidential election.

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Nigeria 'Denies Access to Rebel'

Militant attacks have hit Nigeria's oil outputThe Nigerian government is preventing lawyers from seeing a detained oil militant leader, a rebel group says. Lawyers acting for Henry Okah have asked a judge to try again to compel the government to bring him to court.

Mr Okah and a colleague Edward Atatah were arrested in Angola in September and deported back to Nigeria in February, charged with gun-running.

The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (Mend) said it was afraid for Mr Okah's safety.

The group previously said he had been killed - claims denied by the government.

"The Nigerian government has blatantly refused to comply with a High Court order granting the lawyers and families of Henry Okah and Edward Atatah immediate access to see him," Mend said in a statement e-mailed to journalists.

Read the full story...

The Nigerian government is failing to comply with their own laws. They are denying an alleged gun runner access to a lawyer, or access to anyone for that matter. There were rumors that Mr. Okah has already died, but the government denies these claims. Mr. Okah is an important member of the group that seeks independence of the Niger Delta. The Niger Delta is an oil-rich region that has been the site of many problems recently with oil pipelines breaking and citizens stealing the oil. The government's incompliance makes it seem possible that Mr. Okah is indeed dead, or that he is a threat in some way to the stablility of the government. It would be in the Nigerian government's best interest to allow access to Mr. Okah in order to falsify all claims that he is dead.

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