Ministers Make A Lot Of Noise - Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari has said that the clamor for the appointment of ministers is political as people from various constituencies want to see their own people in governance in order to see what they can get.

He told French Television yesterday in France that civil servants and technocrats are more involved in the process of governance as they actually do most of the work while ministers are only there to make a lot of noise.

Defending his delay in assembling his cabinet, President Buhari insisted that the civil service was providing the needed continuity.

He said ;
“The civil service provides the continuity, the technocrats . And in any case, they are the people who do most of the work. The ministers are there, I think, to make a lot of noise, for the politicians to make a lot of noise. But the work is being done by the technocrats. They are there, they have to provide the continuity, dig into the records and then guide (those of us) who are just coming in.

“They have been there, some of them for 15 years, some for 20 years. So I think this question of ministers is political. People from different constituencies want to see their people directly in government, and see what they can get out of it.”

Buhari assured that he would stick to his pledge to compose his cabinet before the end of September.

Read More

N1.2b Pension Scam : EFCC Arraigns 4 In Abuja Court

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has charged four people before a Federal Capital Territory High Court sitting in Gudu, Abuja. The court is presided over by Justice Abubakar Talba.

The four persons were arraigned on nine counts bothering on conspiracy and collecting money by false pretence.

The EFCC in a statement released on Tuesday said that the accused persons obtained the sum of N1.2b from the Federal Government by false pretence and with intent to defraud.

The accused allegedly perpetrated the fraud by purporting the amount to be monthly pension accruing to
M. S. Suleiman, Saleh Yerima Tsojon, Isah U. Adamu, Daniel Mikano and Abdulahi Garba Musa who were deceitfully presented as pensioners of the Federal Government by inserting their names on the payroll of pensioners.

According to EFCC spokesman Wilson Uwujaren, “the accused persons who were offered a biometric contract by a former Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Steve Oronsaye, to regularise names of pensioners on the pensions’ payroll, allegedly smuggled in names of fake pensioners and collected unearned pension."

The companies used in perpetrating the alleged fraud are Xangee Technologies Limited and Century Construction Company Limited.

Read More

Troops Seize Boko Haram Food Supply

Nigerian troops have seized large quantities of food items meant for supply to Boko Haram. The 33 suspected Boko Haram collaborators carrying the food items were also arrested.

Army spokesman Col Sani Usman said that the seizure and arrest were made around Azir-Wajiroko in the Damboa area of Borno State. He said that large quantities of food stuff were intercepted by troops on patrol.

“Intensive patrols and vigilance of troops have continued to yield positive results with the arrest of 33 suspected food suppliers to the Boko Haram terrorists in Damboa axis around Azir-Wajiroko road, Borno State.

“The  33 suspected Boko Haram accomplices were arrested with large quantity of foodstuff meant for Boko Haram terrorists at Korode," he said.

Col Usman said that the suspects who claimed to be traders admitted selling food items to the terrorists. He added that investigations were on to ascertain the level of involvement of the food suppliers with Boko Haram.

Read More

Why El-Rufai Shut Down Churches, Seminary In Kaduna

Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State has directed the immediate closure of two churches, one seminary, one church run hospital and a church owned secondary school. All are located in Saminaka local government area of the state.

A statement released by Samuel Aruwan, Special Adviser to the governor on Media and Publicity said that the directive was to forestall the breakdown of law and order given the rancorous relationship between the various factions of the church.

Here is the full text of the statement :

“The Kaduna state Security Council at its 15th meeting, held on the 15th September, 2015, deliberated on the leadership crisis in the Assemblies of God Church, AGC, Saminaka District, Lere local government area of the state.

“The council discussed this matter in the context of preventing threats to the peace and stability of the State.

“The Council noted that the leadership crisis has led to disintegration of order in the church, and raised tensions between the followers of the rival camps. The crisis has also widened to the students of the church-owned school and seminary, who are now split and divided on factional lines.

"The Council reviewed previous efforts made to resolve the crisis. It noted that these were aborted by those involved in the leadership tussle, principally to preserve their personal interests with little concern for the common good, and the peace and security of Kaduna State.

“The Council unanimously agreed that if left unchecked, the growing tension may degenerate into total breakdown of law and order in the said area, with the potential to spread to other parts of the state.

“Therefore, the Council has taken steps to preserve the peace. It has unanimously directed the immediate closure of the following:

“Theological Seminary of Northern Nigeria, (TSNN) Saminaka. Shalom Comprehensive College, Saminaka Assemblies of God Church, Nmbare, Saminaka and Assemblies of God Church (Jerusalem) Saminaka AGC Evangelist Hospital, Saminaka.

“As a result of these measures, those who may be affected will be admitted into government schools or hospitals, if they exercise the option.

“The Council also directed that the status quo with regard to farmlands, houses and other assets of the church be upheld pending resolution of the leadership crisis, which is a matter before the Supreme Court.

“Kaduna State Government wishes to reiterate that it will not tolerate the use of religion and ethnicity to cause crisis in the state.

“The government has also announced that it will prosecute anyone, no matter his or her standing, that is implicated in fomenting crisis in whatever form in the State."

Read More

CCB Slams 13-Count Corruption Charges On Senate President

The Code of Conduct Bureau last Friday filed a 13-Count charge of corruption against the Senate President , Dr Bukola Saraki.

In charge no ABT/01/15 dated 11 September 2015, Dr Saraki is accused of among other things making false and anticipatory declaration of assets to the Code of Conduct Bureau on assumption of office as governor of Kwara State.

According to the charge sheet signed by a Deputy Director in the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation, M. S. Hassan and filed before the Code of Conduct Tribunal, Dr Saraki is also accused of failing to declare assets he acquired while in office, acquiring assets beyond his legitimate income and operating foreign accounts as a public officer in contravention of the law.

The offences according to the charge sheet contravened sections of the Fifth Schedule of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended.

The country's number three citizen is also said to be in breach of Section 2 of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act and punishable under paragraph 9 of the said Fifth Schedule of the Constitution.

Read More

Chibok Girls : Boko Haram Demands Release Of Bomb Maker

Terror group, Boko Haram has given the release from custody of the key suspect in the production of Improvised Explosive Devices as their condition for the release of the Chibok Girls.

President Muhammadu Buhari disclosed this in France on Tuesday during a meeting with the Nigerian community.

He said ; “They wanted us to release one of their leaders who is a strategic person in developing and making IEDs which have been causing a lot of havoc in the country by blowing up people in churches, mosques, market places, motor parks and other places.

“But it is very important that if we are going to talk to anybody,we have to know how much he is worth.

“Let them bring all the girls and then, we will be prepared to negotiate.  I will allow them to come back to Nigeria or to be absorbed into the community. We have to be very careful; the concern we have for the Chibok girls, one can only imagine if they got a daughter there between 14 and 18 years and for more than one and a half years, a lot of the parents who have died would rather see the graves of their daughters rather than the condition they imagine they were in.

“This has drawn a lot of sympathy throughout the world; that is why this government is getting very hard in negotiating and getting the balance of those who are alive.”

The president assured Nigerians that his government was doing everything possible to secure the release of the Chibok girls.

Read More

WHO, UNICEF Battle Cholera Outbreak In Maiduguri IDP Camps

The WHO and UNICEF are currently battling an outbreak of cholera in three Internally Displaced Persons camps in Maiduguri, Borno State, which has left 16 people dead and 172 in critical condition.

A health official working with UNICEF said that the terrible situation started suddenly and spread very quickly.

“At the last count, we have 16 dead and about 172 affected. We are in an emergency health situation in those camps, " he said.

Sources at the camps disclosed that security operatives prevented the affected IDPs from leaving the camps to forestall the spread of the disease outside.

It was also disclosed that the cholera patients have been quarantined while preventive medicine is being administered to the rest of the IDPs.

Another health official lamented the filthy condition of the camps which he said were always littered with all kinds of waste. He urged the IDPs to maintain a clean environment while everything is done to bring the situation under control.

Read More