We'll Crush Boko Haram By December - Buratai

Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Tukur Buratai has said that the military is on course to crush Boko Haram and end its activities within the three months deadline given by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Buratai gave the assurance during a chat with newsmen soon after he declared open the
Nigerian Army Finance Corps 10th Biennial Training Conference, 2015.

He said that if the army continues to win the war every as is presently the case, the deadline is achievable.

“We will end Boko Haram very soon. It is possible to meet the three months deadline. We are very close to the insurgents. We are winning them on daily basis," he said.

Read More

Families Of Dead Mecca Crane Collapse Victims To Get N70m Each

The government of Saudi Arabia will pay 70 million naira to each of the families of the six Nigerians who died in the recent crane collapse on the Holy Ka'aba Mosque in Mecca.

They have also been granted two Hajj slots each against next year to be fully paid for by the Saudi Arabia government.

The Saudi government approved a compensation of one million Saudi Riyals to each of the families of the 111 people who lost their lives in the crane tragedy.

According to local newspaper Arab News,  ‘King Salman ordered the payment of the following to the families of the victims: SR1,000,000 to the family of each person killed in this accident; SR1,000,000 to each injured whose injury resulted in permanent disability; SR500,000 to each of the other injured.

“The king also issued directives to host two family members of the deceased as the king’s guests to perform Hajj next year.

“The injured who cannot perform Hajj this year can perform it next year as the king’s guests. The families of the injured who stay in hospitals for treatment shall be granted visiting visas to take care of the injured during the remaining period of Hajj and return to their country.”

The crane which collapsed on the Grande Mosque on September 11 killed 111 people and left 331 others injured.

Although authorities are still studying the report of the Accident Investigation Committee, strong winds are believed to have played a major part in the tragedy.

Read More

EFCC To Quiz Jonathan's Former Adviser

Former Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta, Mr Kingsley Kuku is expected to appear before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Wednesday, 30th September 2015.

Mr Kuku who served under former President Goodluck Jonathan was invited by the anti graft agency to answer questions on allegations of abuse of office, embezzlement of funds and fraudulent diversion of resources.

Read More

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