I am comfortable with women - Buhari

The Presidency has dismissed comments credited to a certain Gideon Samani that President Muhammadu Buhari nominated just a few women for ministerial positions because he is shy around women.

Samani had on Thursday, paraded himself at a public event as the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Political Matters.

Debunking Samani's claim that Buhari is uncomfortable around women, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adeshina also described him as an impostor as the office of Senior Special Assistant to the President on Political Matters does not exist.

In a statement he issued on Friday, Adeshina said that Buhari who has a wife and many daughters cannot be uncomfortable with women but in fact has the highest consideration for Nigerian women in the affairs of the nation.

According to the statement,
“The claim  that President Muhammadu Buhari is shy around women, purportedly made by one Gideon Samani yesterday and published by a national newspaper today is totally fallacious.

“The subsequent attribution of the supposedly “low number” of female ministerial nominees to President Buhari’s alleged shyness around women is  therefore baseless and a figment of the imagination of the said Mr.Samani, who was falsely described as the “Senior Special Assistant (Political Matters) to the President.

“The assertion by the alleged Presidential aide that President Buhari is “very shy dealing with the opposite sex” because “he has been interacting mostly with men,” was received by the President with  shock and consternation.

“For one thing, there is no Senior Special Assistant, Political Matters, in the office of the President for now and Mr. Samani who was said to have spoken as the Representative of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation at a public function yesterday, is not an aide of the President.

“Mr Samani is certainly not an official spokesman of the President. Therefore, he could not have spoken on behalf of President Buhari, who is the President of all Nigerians, men and women alike.

’’President Buhari has a wife,  many daughters and female relatives whom he loves dearly. He also had a mother that he adored. How then could he be shy in the company of women, to the point of allegedly not appointing them into public offices, on account of not being comfortable in their company?

“Nigerian women can be assured that the President holds them in the highest esteem and will always give  them due consideration in the discharge of his official responsibilities.

“The statements attributed to Mr Samani are untrue and unauthorized. They should therefore be disregarded.”

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Confessions Of A Boko Haram Terrorist

Recently, security operatives arrested five persons suspected to be involved in the October 2 bombings of Kuje and Nyanya suburbs of the Federal Capital Territory.

The suspects identified one Haulaki, already in military custody as one of their leaders in Abuja.

Here are the confessions of Haulaki as revealed in his recent chat with Vanguard.

“I am married and my wife is currently pregnant. I had just primary education which I did not finish. I am an Igbira man and my people are mainly Muslims. I came to Abuja seven years ago to learn auto mechanic at Games Village and I graduated four years after, before establishing my own workshop at Galadimawa Roundabout.

“In 2013, I joined the Boko Haram. There is a mosque along the road before Total Filling Station, in Aiyoke area of Okene, Kogi State. Though I rented an apartment very close to the mosque and one of the sons of the landlord of that house, who is my friend, Abubakar, who was killed during operation visited that mosque and he introduced me to the Imam and the owner of the mosque, Mustapha who is currently in the custody of security agents.

“Mustapha was the one who indoctrinated me into the Boko Haram sect. He urged me through his teachings which were mainly on Fridays after the Jumat prayers, Saturdays and Sundays to be faithful to God and do his wishes and I should also oppose those going against the teachings of Prophet Muhammed.

“Mustapha usually urged us to support the cause of Jihad in the North Eastern part of the country in any way we can and when we cannot donate ourselves or money to the cause, we should at least pray for those waging the war. In some of his teachings, he told us that western education was a sin and working for the government was also a sin. He then asked those who have gone through secondary and university education to destroy their certificate.

“A lot of people, who were graduates from the secondary and university in that mosque, destroyed their certificates. That singular gesture endeared me to the sect. Aside Abubakar, I met some other young men, like , Usman , Abduljalal, Abu Hamza, Bilal and Haroun.

“These men were highly devoted to the course and they told me that they usually rob unbelievers and use the money to support the course. Abu Hamza is our leader and also one of the bomb manufacturers . He was the one who led us to rob two banks in Owo, Ondo State and Okene in Kogi State, and it is through that means that he raised money for bomb materials and others.

“He was the one who also thought Usman how to make the bombs. I am a very good driver and my duty is to drive vehicles to various destinations. I usually don’t ask if there is bomb in those vehicles or not. All I do is to follow instructions.

“A few months ago, some security agents came from Kaduna and arrested Abu Hamza and took him away. Few days to the Sallah, Usman was also arrested in Abuja and I got instructions from very senior members of our sect to move all the ready made bombs and the materials out of Usman’s house in Suleja and I moved them to my brother’s house who is also a member of our sect at Iddo area of Abuja.

“I also gave, two AK -47 rifles and some bombs to a senior member, Abu Husssien who took them to Okene, Kogi State. Few days before the last sallah some vigilante men arrested and handed me over to the military intelligence who detained and later handed me over to the police special team. I regret joining the Boko Haram Sect,” he lamented.

Source: Vanguard

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Task Force Arrests 30 In Raid On Abuja Blackspot

A joint task force comprising DSS, military, Civil Defense and police personnel arrested about 30 suspects during a raid at a blackspot in Nyanya, an Abuja suburb.

The police said that the raid was a preventive measure to nip crime in the bud.

Force Public Relations Officer, Olabisi Kolawole who confirmed the raid said that the operation followed a tip-off that some crime suspects were hiding there.

“Yes, a Joint Task Force, comprising the police, DSS, the military and the civil defence corps carried out an operation in Nyanya and arrested some suspects. The task force was set up by the IG and it was being led by the police.

“The suspects that were arrested are currently being processed; the operation was meant to prevent crime and frustrate criminals before they commit crimes and it will continue throughout the FCT,” she said.

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N1.35b Fraud : Court Admits Evidence Against Lamido, Two Sons

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on Wednesday tendered details of bank accounts allegedly used by former governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Sule Lamido and his two sons, Aminu and Mustapha to steal public funds before a Federal High Court in Abuja.

The former governor and his sons are facing 27 corruption charges bordering on breach of trust, money laundering, and unlawful diversion of public funds amounting to N1.35b.

Lamido is alleged by the EFCC to have abused his office as governor of Jigawa State between 2007 and 2015 by collecting kickbacks from contractors, with the bribes paid into accounts run by his sons.

He is also accused of awarding contracts to companies in which he had interest, with his sons serving as fronts.

Four companies accused of  involvement in the fraud were also joined as defendants in the case. They are Bamaina Holdings Limited, Bamaina Company Nigeria Limited, Bamaina Aluminum Limited and Speeds International Limited.

At the hearing on Wednesday, the EFCC called four witnesses (all bank officials) to tender exhibits before the court.

The witnesses are Mr. Longji Tupkop, a Relationship Manager with United Bank for Africa, UBA, PW-1; Mr. Kabir Mashi, Regional Manager, Unity Bank Plc, Kano North, PW-2; Mustapha Baba of Unity Bank Plc, PW-3; and Onyiche Agbaghara  of Keystone Bank Plc PW-4.

After admitting the documents in evidence, the court adjourned the case till November 24th and 25th for further hearing.

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Mrs Oyo-Ita Is New Head of Service

Mrs Winifred Ekanem Oyo-Ita on Thursday formally took over from Mr Danladi Kifasi as Head of Service of the Federation.

In a brief handover ceremony in Abuja which also marked Mr Kifasi's formal retirement, the new Head of Service pledged to make the Civil Service more efficient and timely in their service to Nigerians.

She called for an innovative civil service that will help the new government to meet the huge expectations of Nigerians.

"Today marks yet another important milestone in our desire to improve and re-engineer the Federal Civil service to effectively work as a machine for formulating and implementing government policies and programmes.

“At a time such as this when expectations of our people on the new government are so huge, we have to be innovative and reposition ourselves to deliver efficient, timely and quality services to meet the desires of our people,” she said.

She also urged civil servants to key into government's agenda for change, social transformation and poverty reduction.

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What Amaechi Told The Senate During Ministerial Screening

Former Rivers State Governor, Mr Rotimi Amaechi has at last been screened by the Senate.

Here are the answers he gave to the questions put to him at the Red Chamber.

*.Whether I become minister or not, it will be on record that I once attended the Senate screening.

*.My administration worked to restore the old glory of Port Harcourt.

*.We now have almost 24-hour power supply in Rivers State.

*.Rivers State was the first state to introduce Fiscal Responsibility Law.

*.My administration redefined governance and repositioned Rivers State.

*.Governors’ Forum acts as check to FG’s excesses.

*.I was born to fight for my rights.

*.I don’t like corruption.

*.I was chased out to Ghana because I fought for my rights.

*.Resources are in the Niger Delta and they should be treated fairly.

*.We must diversify economy and invest in education.

*.We must remove corruption and invest in power.

*.Without improved power supply, there can’t be industrialization.

*.I was never indicted by any panel.

*.Corruption is a wide concept and very difficult to define.

*.Present mono-economic situation in Nigeria cannot address unemployment.

*.If we keep to rule of law and keep away impunity, government will function.

Source : THE NATION

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Nigeria needs leaders with godly attributes - Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday, in Abuja, told the Christian Legislators Fellowship of Nigeria that the country needs leaders with integrity, transparent character, faithfulness and other godly attributes to overcome her present challenges.

Buhari who was represented at the 6th Annual Breakfast of the
Christian Legislators Fellowship of Nigeria by the Permanent Secretary, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Ibukun Odusote, said;

“The time has come for Nigeria to have godly leaders in a permanently changing world. Change, though usually resisted, is the most constant component of life.

“Thus the need of a Godly leader in our ever changing world cannot be over- emphasized. Whenever God’s people have been without godly leadership, the result has been disastrous.

“Throughout scripture, God has given us various principles for godly leadership.

“Godly leaders serve others instead of demanding to be served.  Godly leaders need to accept the responsibility which God has given them, and a godly leader must be a man with godly commitments, conduct, character and convictions.

“Your Excellencies, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, if you love Nigerians, please choose to feed them, not just by words but by your actions at the National Assembly, in the various offices, in the market, in the streets and most especially in the church of God.”

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