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Vol. 3 N0. 621 Wednesday, May 15, 2013 N150

Jonathan declares state of emergency

OBIORA IFOH AND MARCUS FATUNMOLE

President Goodluck Jonathan yester-day declared a state of emergency in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states, brushing aside opposition to the move from some Nigerians.

The President made the declaration last night in a nation-wide broadcast.

He has, therefore, directed the Chief of Defence Staff, Admiral Ola Said, to imme-diately deploy more troops to the states for effective internal security operations.

The President said that troops and other security agencies should take necessary ac-

Nigeria loses $340m World Bank support for PPP projects

HIGHLIGHTS Deploys troops to affected statesLawyers, others reactText of Presidents broadcastNews Analysis

...in Borno, Yobe, Adamawa

PDP senators wade into President, Amaechi rift

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...as BPE indicates interest to domicile PIU

Speaker alleges plot to assassinate gov

Abductors of Ondoex-commissioners mother demand N50m ransom

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SAM OLUWALANA, GEORGE OJI, TORDUE SALEM AND GODWIN OKONKWO

Senators elected on the platform of the Peo-ples Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday intervened in the rift between President

Goodluck Jonathan and Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State.

The lawmakers will also

Veteran fi lmaker, Ogundaisi, suffers spinal cord injury

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...needs N3m for treatment abroadAce singer, Asa survives accident

How we arrested 26 suspected oil thieves, 14 tankers Army

Asa

Amaechi

10 killed as Fulani herdsmen attack Southern Kaduna village P.12

TERROR ATTACKS IN 2013

KEYAFFECTED STATES

OTHERS

Abubakar

BornoApril 20: 185 died, 2000 houses razed during a clash in BagaMay 7: 55 including 22 police offi cers, 14 prison offi cials, two soldiers and four others killed in Bama

AdamawaJanuary 3: 4 killed in Song TownMarch 24: 25 killed in four separate attacksApril 6: 11 killed in Midhu villageMay 5: 10 worshippers killed in Gila

YobeFebruary 11: 3 North Korean doctors killed in PotiskumFebruary 27: 7 killed in Ngelzarma town in Yobe StateApril10: Army offi cer killedApril 25: 6 policemen killed

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net2 Wednesday, May 15, 2013News

KAYODE KETEFE

Within the past two years, the state of insecurity in Nigeria has reached such a level that majority of the people have fallen into despair. With news of one calamity af-ter another coming in daily, Nigerians were fearful of an imminent implosion. There were problems of unprovoked at-tacks on innocent people, armed robbery, kidnapping for ransom, kidnapping for ritual, rape, and high rate of terrorism of all kinds, all of which were competing among one another to grab the headlines.

The question: Will Nigeria survive? was on everybodys lips.

President Goodluck Jonathans con-stant reassurance that government would stem the ugly tide continued to lose its potency over time as more people became cynical. The endless attacks of terrorists on the institutions of law and order like Nigerian Police and the Army with apparent impunity seemed to lend credence to the growing theory that the government was powerless against all the dark forces aligned against it.

Matter came to a head when some Ni-gerians began casting President Jona-than in the mould of a political weak-ling who could not deploy the resources

of state effectively to counter the grow-ing insecurity problems.

Not a few stakeholders had suggested to the President to invoke state of emer-gency in the most troubled areas in the Northern Nigeria. Understandably, President Jonathan was dragging his feet - very few leaders, who have no in-born dictatorial tendency, would readily embrace declaration of emergency rule. This is because the declaration itself is an admission of some incapacity to con-tain security challenges. Since insecuri-ty is seen as fallout of breakdown of law and order and governments rarely resort to declaring state of emergency.

Nonetheless, when insecurity prob-lem keeps escalating, President Jona-than tested the water via a declaration of partial emergency rule in some troubled states in Niger, Plateau, Yobe and Borno.

Amidst the flying bombs and decapi-tated bodies of innocent victims, the gov-ernment experimented pacifist method when it conceived and announced the plan to offer amnesty to the terrorists, who spurned it at first.

Undaunted, the governments amnes-ty committee still began its work meet-ing with some stakeholders. All these did not stay the hands of the terrorists as they unleash tragedies in quick succes-sion on the citizenry.

Last Tuesday, the unprecedented hap-

pened, there was massacre of about 60 police officers and 10 operatives of the Directorate of State Security who were killed by the outlawed Ombatse mili-tiamen at Alakyo village in Nasarawa State. Report next day also featured gory deaths of innocent people in the hands of the terrorists across a number of states in the North. President Jonathan cut short his state visit to South Africa and cancelled outright his scheduled visit to Namibia. Back at home, the expectation that the president would react with a drastic measure kept growing daily.

At long last, President Jonathan yes-terday took the bull by the horn when he invoked his constitutional powers by im-posing state of emergency on three states of Yobe, Adamawa and Borno. The power which is contained 305 of the 1999 Consti-tution empowers an executive president to declare emergency rule whenever the peace of the country is threatened.

Barely 24 hours before the declaration, governors and other politicians across the land were still warning the presi-dents to desist from making such decla-ration in moves that many discerning minds would regard as political rather than expedient. This is because the real-ity on the grounds seems to justify impo-sition of state of emergency.

With this development, President Jonathan seems to have proved that his

government is not a metaphorical dog that can only bark without biting. But some critics would still have an axe to grind with the president for allowing the governors of the three states to remain in office. In a typical state of emergency there is suspension of functions of the executive, legislative and judicial pow-ers.

The factor of the National Assembly is however still there to be reckoned with as the constitution requires the federal law-makers to ratify the declaration.

What the President has declared is an at-tenuated form of state of emergency since the affected governors are allowed to keep their offices, unlike in the past when such governors were brushed aside with the gale. A state of emergency is a troubling phenomenon in a democracy, because the ideals of freedoms and liberties are often suppressed for political expediency and there would be ample opportunity for abuse of human rights.

But the unfolding events in the coming weeks would show the extent and sever-ity with which the declaration would be implemented. By and large, very few peo-ple who are unencumbered with vested interest would disagree with the presi-dent that his discretion, given the reality on the ground, is judiciously exercised. At last, the chicken has come home to roost.

OBIORA IFOH

National Chairman of the La-bour Party, LP, Chief Dan Nwanyanwu said the state of emergency was the only way to check the crisis in the affected area.

He said that state governments should be blamed for any security breaches in their states, even as he wonders what they do with huge se-curity votes at their disposals.

Chief Nwanyanwu said: The ar-gument that the state is not in con-trol of the military and police and that they cannot do anything, why do governors collect security votes. They should stop collecting secu-rity votes if that flimsy excuse is what they will present as their de-fence. The security votes runs into hundreds of millions of naira every month. Any governor giving such ex-cuse has no business being governor of a state. Everyday they are with the commissioner of police.

Dont they hold Security Council meeting in the states where the mili-tary commanders, commissioner of police and all other security agen-cies including the SSS meet? Who presides over the meeting, is it not the governor? Yet they keep saying they dont control the security. They should accept full responsibility of what happened in their states.

I want to say that President Good-luck Jonathan has done the best by declaring state of emergency in all those states where these mass kill-

L-R: Chief of Defence Staff; Admiral Ola Saad Ibrahim, Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Alex Badeh; Chief of Naval Staff Vice, Admiral Dele Ezeoba and Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar shortly after the security meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan at State House, Abuja recently.

Borno State Governor Kashim Shettima (left) and his Yobe State counterpart, Alhaji Ibrahim Geidam, after a closed-door meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan in Abuja yesterday.

Govs, others should be removed-LP, PDP commends move

News Analysis: At last, the chicken comes home to roost

ing has been very prevalent. I think Mr. President did not shy

away from this responsibility and has not allowed people to misadvise him on this. Because it has reached a stage where security men are killed without blinking of an eye, policemen are mowed down, army people are killed.

So for how long shall we con-tinue to wait and expect the gov-ernors of the states who of course are aware of those who are doing all those things but have refused to give such information for fear of attack or for whatever reason they have?

These people are in their states, local government, hamlets and you have a governor. The political class should have been removed com-pletely.

In its own reaction, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, said its sup-ported the move by the president.

The partys National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh said that PDP is in zinc with the presi-dent in his efforts to restore stabil-ity, peace and progress in country.

And we commend him for show-ing effective leadership. You can-not make omelets without breaking eggs. We are 100 per cent behind the presidents action and we call on all responsible citizens to rally round the security officials of the nation at these trying times. With Presi-dent Jonathan Nigeria will over-come our security challenges, the party said.

National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net 3NewsWednesday, May 15, 2013

ISE-OLUWA IGE, EMMANUEL ONANI AND WALE IGBINTADE

Senior lawyers are divided over the dec-laration of state of emergency by the President. While some lawyers described the Presi-

dent broadcast as odd that could create con-fusion rather than solve the problem others applauded the move.

Speaking with National Mirror on the de-velopment last night, fiery lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana, SAN, commended the president for not demolishing democratic structures in the affected states.

President Jonathan can declare a state of emergency, but he has to go to the National Assembly for approval, under section 305.

But, by not removing the elected gover-nors, he has followed the path of constitu-tionalism, Falana declared.

Another lawyer, Yusuf Ali, SAN, aligned with Falana, noting that the president did the right thing by not tampering with the demo-cratic structure on ground in the affected states.

I think the president was well-advised not to tamper with the democratic institutions in the states. This is because, our constitu-tion puts the business of security under the president himself, and if that is the case, it will amount to punishing the governors for something they have no control over.

Human rights lawyer, Festus Keyamo in his own reaction commended President Jon-athan for taken the right step.

Keyamo said: The bloodletting in these states left the President with no other option but to take this extraordinary step. This step must be appreciated in the light of the refusal of the insurgents to even dialogue with the Federal Government.

The primary duty of any government is to protect lives and properties and it is only right that government should dig deep to find a lasting solution to this ceaseless carnage.

Keyamo however warned that the declara-

tion should not be politicised.The military must be careful at all times

not to trample on the fundamental rights of innocent citizens in these States, so that they do not become the scourge rather than solu-tion.

The President must follow all the steps re-quired in Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution as amended to legitimize his action.

That the moment calm is restored, the troops must return to the barracks so as not to give the military unholy ideas about their role in our democracy.

We all owe it a duty to assist government to restore law and order in the country. It is for our overall benefit, he added.

Expressing a different view however, Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, said the decla-ration was uncalled for.

He said: My take on the matter is that it is unnecessary as it is uncalled for. This is because, the situation in those states does not warrant the declaration of a state of emer-gency.

My worry is that the president appears to have danced to the tune of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

Fred Agbaje wondered why the democrat-ic institution were left intact by the president in his broadcast.

He said: The president has just told the whole world that he has declared a state of emergence in some parts of the North. But the question I have for the President is what type of emergence is this when the Chief Ex-ecutive officers namely the governors and the States House of Assembly are still in place?

What the presidency has done by the so called state of emergency is the height of hypocrisy because the President knows that the criminal malady being orchestrated by the Boko Haram in the North will affect his political ambition. The President knows that if he declares a state of emergency as stated in Section 305 of the Constitution, the gover-nors and members of the State House of As-sembly will cross over to APC. It is the fear of such political move that has warranted the President declaring this halfhearted state of

It will create confusion No, its in order

Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution makes provisions on the powers of a sitting president to declare state of emergency. The section provides that:305. (1) Subject to the provisions of this Constitution, the President may by instru-ment published in the Official Gazette of the Government of the Federation issue a Proclamation of a state of emergency in the Federation or any part thereof.(2) The President shall immediately after the publication, transmit copies of the Of-ficial Gazette of the Government of the Federation containing the proclamation including the details of the emergency to the President of the Senate and the Speak-er of the House of Representatives, each of whom shall forthwith convene or arrange for a meeting of the House of which he is President or Speaker, as the case may be, to consider the situation and decide whether or not to pass a resolution approving the Proclamation.(3) The President shall have power to issue a Proclamation of a state of emergency only when -

(a) the Federation is at war; (b) the Federation is in imminent danger of invasion or involvement in a state of war; (c) there is actual breakdown of public order and public safety in the Federation or any part thereof to such extent as to re-quire extraordinary measures to restore peace and security;(d) there is a clear and present danger of an actual breakdown of public order and public safety in the Federation or any part thereof requiring extraordinary measures to avert such danger;(e) there is an occurrence or imminent danger, or the occurrence of any disaster or natural calamity, affecting the commu-nity or a section of the community in the Federation;(f) there is any other public danger which clearly constitutes a threat to the existence of the Federation; or(g) the President receives a request to do so in accordance with the provisions of sub-section (4) of this section.

What the Constitution says

L-R: Chairman, Presidential Committee on Dialogue and Peaceful resolution of Security Challenges in the North, Barr. Tanimu Turaki; former Foreign Affairs Minister, Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi and a member of the Committee, Maj. Gen. Ibrahim Sabo, during a press briefing, after reporting to President Goodluck Jonathan in Abuja, yesterday.

Senior lawyers divided over state of emergency

CAN applauds move, ACF kicks

emergency In his view, Olu Daramola SAN said: I did

not listen to the broadcast but if the gover-nors and the members of the State Houses of Assembly of affected states are still in office, I dont think we can call it a state of emergen-cy. Because, the governors would still be in position to perform their constitutional duty, an emergency means that the Presidency has temporarily taken over the administration of these states due to the prevailing security circumstances. But, if the governors are still in office, then nothing has changed.

In fact, what the president has done will create more confusion because who has pow-er to administer the state is it the governor , is it the House of Assembly that will continue to make law or is the House of Representa-tive. It will create confusion rather than solve the problem. The two cannot exist together under an emergency rule.

Emeka Ngige said: I think the speech

by Mr. President is okay. Unlike the state of emergencies declared during Obasanjos regime, which were made in bad faith and used to remove governors who were in the bad books of the Federal Government, the present declaration was made with the best of intentions. No political appointee or politi-cal institution was removed. To that extent, I commend the efforts of the Federal Govern-ment in stepping up its war against terror-ism in parts of the North East zone.

From the action of the government, it would seem that the amnesty offer to Boko Haram has been withdrawn. Its now full scale war against the terrorists. I fully en-dorse the action and suggest that the state of emergency declared to fight terrorism should also be extended in the fight against corrup-tion. Corruption is choking the citizenry and the earlier the government declares a state of emergency in that area the better for this country.

AUGUSTINE MADU-WEST AND AZA MSUE

In its reaction, the Christian Asso-ciation of Nigeria, CAN, in 19 North-ern states and Abuja said threw its weight behind the emergency rule, even as the Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, expressed its opposition to the declara-tion.

In a message sent last night to Na-tional Mirror, Northern CAN Public Re-lations Officer, Mr Sunday Oibe said the emergency rule was long overdue stress-ing that no wise government would allow criminals to take over part of his coun-try.

CAN said: The declaration of emer-gency rule by Mr. President did not come as a surprise considering the degree of hostilities by the Boko Haram Islamic sect. No wise president will watch part of his country taking over by lawless crimi-nal without acting.

It is a right step though belated con-sidering the number of lives lost. Just now, I was called from Maiduguri that CAN secretary in Borno State has been killed by Boko Haram this evening.

ACF spokesman, Mr. Anthony said the forums earlier stand against emergency rule remained What do you what me to say now? I told you before (that) we are against emergency rule in the North and our position still stand. We had earlier

expressed our doubt about the workabil-ity of state of emergency in bringing to an end the security challenges, he said.

Also, the Arewa Youth Forum, AYF, the umbrella organisations of youths in the North described the emergency rule declaration as disaster to democracy in Nigeria.

AYF National President, Alhaji Gam-bo Gunjugu told National Mirror in a telephone interview that the action of the Federal Government would further cripple the northern economy.

Meanwhile, two prominent Northern leaders, Alhaji Tanko Yakasai and Alhaji Bashir Tofa said Nigerians are waiting to see how the action will address the secu-rity problems in the affected states.

Yakasai had earlier opposed the dec-laration of state of emergency on any of the northern states on account of the Boko Haram insurgency.

He said: We pray this action will yield the desired result; we pray it will be the way out of this situation because nobody has been able to offer solutions to the problems raging in the three states, it is a bitter pill, lets keep praying that this will be the way out.

Alhaji Tofa insisted the declaration of state of emergency is not the right step to take.

Its not the right thing to do, but since it has been declared let us give it a chance and see how it works, we still need to keep praying for the peace of this coun-try, he said.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net4 Wednesday, May 15, 2013Photo News

L-R: Attorney -General, Ekiti State, Wale Fapounda; Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola and Chair-man of the ceremony and former Attorney-General of the Federation, Chief Richard Akinjide, during a workshop by the Rule of Law Action Group of the Nigerian Bar Association in Lagos, yesterday. PHOTO:FEMI AJASA

L-R: Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola SAN; winner of the Lagos State Power Kids Awards 2013, Master Osadara Gideon of Iju Junior Secondary School and General Manager, Lagos State Electricity Board, Mrs. Damilola Ogunbiyi, during the Lagos State Power Kids Awards in Lagos yesterday.

L-R: Chief of Air Staff, Pakistan Air Force, Air Marshal Tahir Butt; Chief of Defence Staff, Admiral Ola Ibrahim and Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Alex Badeh during the visit of Pakistani Chief of Air Staff to the Chief of Defence in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

L-R: Consul-General, German Consulate General in Nigeria, Mr. Walter Driesch; Deputy President, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Alhaji Remi Bello; President, Mr. Goodie Ibru and Chair-man, Trade Promotion Board, Mr. Babatunde Ruwase, during the public presentation of the Lagos International Trade Fair Prospectus in Lagos, yesterday. PHOTO:OLUFEMI AJASA

National News

DENNIS AGBOENUGU

The Enugu State police command yesterday raided another baby factory located in the heart of Enugu metropolis.

Operatives of the anti-kidnapping unit of the police that executed the operation rescued six pregnant young girls al-legedly detained by oper-ators of the illegal home for the purpose of mak-ing babies.

The girls, who gave their names as Chioma Eze, Amarachi Okoro, Gloria Okoye, Uzoamaka Lawrence, Nneji Faith and Akpan Juliana, are between the ages of 16 and 17 years.

The state Police Pub-lic Relations Officer, PPRO, Ebere Amaraizu, said the baby factory is located at No 7, Anyansi Lane, Ogui, Enugu.

It will be recalled that a baby factory was also discovered last week in Imo State in which 17 pregnant teenagers were rescued by the police.

The six pregnant teen-agers, according to the release were smuggled out of their guardians homes, kept in a place for the purpose of en-suring that they are not identified by close rela-tions until they put to bed.

It was also revealed that the illegal home had negotiated with some people to buy off the ba-bies once they were put to bed at an undisclosed amount.

Luck, however, ran out of the operators of the home as the po-lice, following a tip-off, stormed the place and in the process, rescued the girls and arrested three of the persons found there.

Amaraizu further disclosed that three per-sons arrested in connec-tion with the incident had given their names as Lami Lasu, Isha Musa and Anthony Chigbo.

Similarly, the PPRO said one Marcel Agu and the wife, Calista Agu, were equally arrested by the operatives of the an-ti-kidnapping unit of the state police command for alleged stealing a 12-day-old baby from the mother, one Chika Nwo-kolo, after she was deliv-ered of the baby.

He said the arrest of the couple led to the ar-rest of Mrs. Nebo Stella and one Patrick Ugwu in connection with the al-leged incident.

The PPRO said the baby in question was re-covered and is in good condition as suspects in both cases are helping the police in their inves-tigations.

Police burst another baby factory in Enugu

EFCC Arraigns Aliyu Bello, Abdullahi Omeiza for N1bn Pension Scam The Economic and Financial Crimes Commis-sion, EFCC, yesterday arraigned a former Special Assistant to the Director of Ad-ministration (Pension account) in the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federa-tion, Aliyu Bello before a Federal High Court, Abuja, on a 5-count charge bordering on criminal conversion and obtaining over N1bn fraudulently.

Bello was arraigned alongside a school teacher in Sokoto State, Abdullahi Omeiza, and their companies, Fa-fama Estate Develop-ers and Fafama Oil and Gas Limited before Jus-tice Adeniyi Ademola.

The accused per-sons, who pleaded not guilty to the charge, are among nine civil servants, who alleged-ly conspired and used third parties to si-

phon monies meant for pensioners across the country.

Omeiza, who is an associate of Aliyu is al-leged to have used more than 12 accounts bear-ing fictitious names to collect pension arrears and gratuity from the OHCSF.

One of the charges read: That you, Ali-yu Bello and Abdul-lahi Omeiza, at vari-ous times between 2009 and 2010 within the jurisdiction of this honorable court, ob-tain by false pretence and with intent to de-fraud, from pension account, Office of the Head of Service of the Federation of Nigeria, various sums in the aggregate amount of N281.6million through various third parties and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 1(1) (A) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences

Act, 2006 and punish-able under section 1(3) of the same Act.

Based on the plea of the accused persons, counsel to EFCC, Em-manuel Eguagwu asked the court to fix a date for the commencement of trial.

However, counsel to the accused, Okey Ony-ianta prayed the court to admit the accused persons to bail on the grounds that they have been on administra-tive bail and had been reporting to the Com-mission whenever they were needed.

However, Justice Ademola insisted on a formal bail application in line with the proce-dure of court.

He subsequently re-manded the accused in prison custody and adjourned proceedings to July 1, 2, and 3, 2013 for hearing on bail ap-plication and continua-tion of trial.

National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net 5Wednesday, May 15, 2013 NewsNational Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net News

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Nigeria loses $340m World Bank support for PPP projects

Jonathan declares state of emergency

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TOLA AKINMUTIMIABUJA

Due to the Federal Governments fail-ure to utilise the first tranche of $450m grant set aside by the World Bank to support Public Private Partner-ship Projects (PPPs), in Nigeria, the multilat-eral institution has been forced to scaled down the support fund to a mere $110m.

The bank has also started the process of de-termining the appropriate government agency to do-micile the Project Imple-mentation Unit, PIU, of the PPP.

Nigeria received an ini-tial $150m as first tranche of support fund after which it would have quali-fied for another release of $300m as support for the PPP projects.

However, due to the non-utilisation of the fund, the World Bank had decided to restructure and scale it down to $25m at the first instance to take

care of technical assis-tance and capacity build-ing while in phase two, it would release $85m.

Disclosing this yester-day when he led a delega-tion of the bank on a fact-finding visit to the Bureau of Public Enterprises, BPE, in Abuja, the Sector Manager, Finance and Pri-vate Sector Development (Western and Central Af-rican countries), Mr. Paul Noumba, said that Nige-ria was the first country, which the World Bank picked for a pilot project for PPPs but regretted that for three years, funds released for the purpose had been lying fallow.

He said the World Bank team was in the country to find out which agency was capable of handling the fund and apply it ap-propriately.

Noumba pledged the World Banks assistance to the Bureau in the ar-eas of advisory services, manpower development and funding in some of its transactions like the com-mercialisation of the Fed-

eral Housing Authority, privatisation of the Abuja Stock and Commodities Exchange and the eight reform bills being fine-tuned for presentation to the National Assembly.

In his remarks, the Act-ing Director General of the BPE, Mr. Benjamin Dikki, explained that for reforms to succeed in any country there must be a strong political will,

which he said, the present leadership of the country has continued to exhibit over the past two years.

Dikki listed some of the reforms the pres-ent administration had given full backing to in-clude; the power sector privatisation, commer-cialisation of the Federal Housing Authority, FHA, privatisation of the Abuja Securities & Commodi-

ties Exchange, ASCE and the approval of eight re-form bills by the National Council on Privatisation, NCP, which are expected to be presented to the Fed-eral Executive Council, FEC, for onward trans-mission to the National Assembly.

The BPE boss called for the domiciliation of PIU in the Bureau as the law establishing BPE gives it

the mandate to execute PPPs through concession-ing/commercialisation. He added that the success-ful concessioning of the countrys 24 ports by the Bureau was a clear testi-mony of its capability to handle PPPs.

He said that already the Bureau had made a presentation on the need to domicile the PIU in the privatisation agency.

L-R:Wife of the President, Dame Patience Jonathan; President Ernest Koroma of Sierra Leone and his wife, Sia, at the launch of national strategy for the reduction of teenage pregnancy in Freetown, Sierra Leone, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

tions within the ambit of their rules of engagement to stop the impunity of in-surgents and terrorists.

This, according to him, will include the author-ity to arrest and detain suspects; possession and control of any building or structures used for terror-ist purposes; lock down of any area of terrorist opera-tion; conduct search of per-sons and the apprehension of persons with illegal pos-session of weapons.

The decision, the Presi-dent said, followed serial crisis that had led to loss of lives, including security op-eratives, and properties in the affected states.

He said: It has become necessary for me to address you (Nigerians) on the re-cent spate of terrorist activ-ities and protracted securi-ty challenges in some parts of the country, particularly in Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Gombe, Bauchi, Kano, Plateau and most recently, Bayelsa, Taraba, Benue and Nasarawa states.

These unfortunate events have led to needless loss of lives and properties of many innocent Nigeri-

ans, including members of our security forces. The recent killing of security operatives by cult groups in Nasarawa state is particu-larly condemnable.

President Jonathan not-ed that no effort would be spared in identifying and bringing to justice those in-volved in the killing of the security operatives.

He described the activi-ties of insurgents and ter-rorists as being reprehensi-ble, causing fear among the citizens and a near break-down of law and order in the country, especially the North.

The President added that the Federal Government would soon address the root causes of the crises, stressing that current ef-forts appeared as if there were systemic efforts by insurgents and terrorists to destabilise Nigeria.

President Jonathan stressed that since he re-turned to the country after cutting short his visit to South Africa and abort-ing a planned State visit to Namibia, he had received briefing from security agencies.

These briefings, he said,

indicated that the country was not just facing mili-tancy or criminality but a rebellion and insurgency by terrorist groups, which put a very serious threat to Nigerians unity and terri-torial integrity.

He added: Already, some northern parts of Borno State have been taken over by group whose allegiance is to a different part and ideology. These terrorists and insurgents seem deter-mined to establish control and authority over parts of our beloved nation and pro-gressively overwhelm the rest of the country.

In many places, they have destroyed the Nige-rian flag and other symbols of state authority and in their place hoisted strange flags suggesting exercis-ing alternative sovereignty. They have attacked govern-ment buildings and facili-ties. They have murdered innocent citizens and state officials. They have set houses ablaze and have taken women and children as hostages.

These actions amount to a declaration of war and a deliberate attempt to undermine the authority

of the Nigerian state; and threaten the territorial in-tegrity. As a responsible government, we will not tolerate this. Previously, we adopted a multi-task approach to the resolution of these problems through actions which include per-suasion, dialogue and wide-spread consultation with the political, religious and community leaders in the affected states.

We exercised restraint to allow for all efforts by both state governors and well-meaning Nigerians to stop the repeated cases of mindless violence. Yet, the insurgents and terrorists seek to prevent govern-ment from fulfilling this constitutional obligation to the people as they pursue their agenda of mayhem, mass murder, division and separatism.

Jonathan said that while persuasion and dialogue would continue, the Federal Government had a sacred duty to ensure the security and well-being of all citi-zens and protection of the integrity of the country.

Therefore, we shall on no account shy away from doing whatever becomes

necessary to provide the fullest possible security for the citizens of this country in any part of the country they choose to reside.

We have a duty to stand firm against those who threaten the sovereign in-tegrity of the Nigeria state. Our will is strong because our faith lies in the indivis-ibility of Nigeria.

Following recent de-velopment in the affected states, it has become nec-essary for government to take extra-ordinary mea-sures to restore normalcy. After wide consultation and in exercise of the pow-ers conferred on me by the provisions of Section 305, Sub-section One of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended, I hereby declare a State-of-Emergency in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states.

Accordingly, the Chief of Defence Staff has been directed to immediately deploy more troops to these states for more effective in-ternal security operations. The troops and other secu-rity agencies involved in this operation have orders to take all necessary ac-

tions within the ambit of their rules of engagement to put an end to the impuni-ty of insurgents and terror-ists. This will include the authority to arrest and de-tain suspects, in taking of possession and control of any building or structures used for terrorist purposes; the lock down of any area of terrorist operation; the conduct of persons and the apprehension of persons in illegal possession of weap-ons.

The details of this proc-lamation will be transmit-ted to the National Assem-bly in accordance with the provision of the constitu-tion. But, in the meantime, let me make it clear that within the purview of this proclamation, the Gover-nors and other political of-fice holders in the affected states will continue to dis-charge their constitutional responsibilities.

I urge the political lead-ership of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states to coop-erate maximally with the armed forces and the police to ensure that the exercise succeeds.

We call on citizens to

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net6 Wednesday, May 15, 2013News

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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5

PDP senators wade into President, Amaechi rift

Jonathan declares state of emergencyTraffic jam at Obafemi Awolowo Way, after the heavy rainfall in Lagos, yesterday. PHOTO: BAYOOR EWUOSO

wade into the crisis between the governor of Akwa Ibom State, Godswill Akpabio, and Senator Alloysius Etok with a view to resolving the problems.

Accordingly, the senators have set up two separate committees to mediate in the two cases.

This was part of the out-come of the meeting of the senators held yesterday in Abuja

Leader of the Senate, Senator Victor Ndoma-Eg-ba, who disclosed this while briefing Senate correspon-dents said: We looked es-sentially at challenges our party was facing in some states.

We looked especially at the situation in Rivers State and Akwa Ibom State between the governor, God-swill Akpabio and our col-league, Aloysius Etok.

It was decided that there was need for the Senate PDP caucus to intervene with a view to seeing how we can return the two states to cor-diality and normalcy.

To that effect we have set up committees to engage the dramatis personae in the two states, and those com-mittees will get to work im-mediately.

Speaker raises alarm over plot to assassinate Amaechi

Meanwhile, the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Otelemaba Dan Amachree has raised the alarm over plans by un-known people to assassinate Governor Amaechi, some members of the House of Assembly and other govern-ment officials.

The Speaker raised the concern in a Save Our Soul letter written to President Goodluck Jonathan to in-tervene in the increasingly degenerating political crisis in the state.

The Speaker, who had earlier drawn attention to an alleged plan by Abuja-based politicians to impeach Governor Amaechi, said the current plan was for the as-sassination of the governor, legislators and senior of-ficials of the state govern-ment calling on the presi-dent to intervene.

He alleged that the ground for the dastardly act has been laid with the planned withdrawal of secu-rity personnel from officials of the state government, in-cluding the governor.

In the letter, which was made available to National Mirror yesterday in Port Harcourt, the Speaker de-scribed the political situa-tion in the state as having reached a fever-pitch, with strong indications that the governor - Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, the legislators and prominent government officials have been marked for assassination.

He alleged that the deci-sion was the outcome of re-ported nocturnal meetings held in a neighbouring state and Abuja, adding that situ-ation is exacerbated with the planned release, from detention of 18 notable rob-bery and kidnap kingpins currently in custody to car-ry out this planned mayhem on the government officials and innocent citizens and residents of the state.

LG secretariat set ablazeLess than 24 hours after

a Port Harcourt High Court ordered the police to unseal the premise of the Obio/Akpor Local Government Council premises a section of the secretariat has been set ablaze.

Information available to our correspondents has it that an explosive device was thrown into a building housing the generating set that supplies electricity to the entire council and this ignited the fire which razed the building.

Though, fire fighters, who raced to the scene of the incident, tried to put out the fire, the building and the generating set had been badly damaged.

Speaking on the incident that occurred about 10a.m. yesterday, the Chief of Staff, Rivers, Mr. Tony Okocha, who visited the council, at-tributed the development to sabotage.

Okocha explained that some names had already been mentioned as suspects to security operatives for further investigation.

When contacted, the State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mrs. Angela Agabe, confirmed the inci-dent and added that the po-lice had vacated the council based on a court order.

Agabe explained that State Police Command had posted some policemen to the place to forestall a recur-rence of the incident.

It is a generator house that was affected. They (court) said police should

vacate the place. We have, however, posted two or three policemen to the council to forestall any recurrence of the fire incident, the state police spokesperson said.

A High Court presided over by Justice H.A Njiangi-wa sitting in Port Harcourt had on Monday ordered po-licemen guarding the coun-cil to vacate the place, but maintain a minimal secu-rity of the council.

Presidency may unleash EFCC, ICPC on Amaechi - Minister

Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah, yesterday hinted that her ministry might move against the Riv-ers State Government, using the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and the Independent Cor-rupt Practices and Other Re-lated Offences Commission, ICPC, over alleged breaches of aviation rules.

A Bombardier BD 700-1A11 (N565RS) aircraft car-rying the Rivers State Gov-ernor, Chibuike Amaechi, was on April 26, grounded by the Nigerian Civil Avia-tion Authority, NCAA, in Akure, the capital of Ondo State, over a claim that the

aircraft pilots did not sub-mit the passenger manifest.

The manifest later re-vealed that the governor was aboard with the Speak-er of the House of Repre-sentatives, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal; his legislative colleagues and other top politicians when the avia-tion authorities ordered their aircraft temporarily grounded.

The NCAA also claimed that the aircrafts flight per-mit by aviation authorities in the country as a foreign air vessel expired a few days earlier.

The minister, who af-firmed the NCAAs earlier position on the matter, in-sisted that the temporary detention of Amaechis air-craft was in line with the regulations of the industry and not to witch-hunt the politician as was, accord-ing to her, sensationally reported in the newspapers

Testifying before a joint investigative committee of the House of Represen-tatives, yesterday, Oduah added that the aviation au-thorities might resort to dragging the Rivers State Government to court, using

the EFCC Act and sundry criminal codes.

The institution of crimi-nal proceedings under our criminal laws, EFCC Act and ICPC Act against the above infractions is not fore-closed. This has become imperative in view of the fact that some of the provi-sions in our Civil Aviation Laws tilt toward imposition of civil penalties, she said.

Oduah had told the com-mittee that the aircraft with registration number N565RS is currently listed on the US Department of Transport, DOT, Federal Aviation Ad-ministration Registry.

She added that the regis-tration was issued to Bank of Utah Trustee of 200 E, South Temple, suite 210, Salt Lake City, UT 84111-1346, and not in Nigeria or by Ni-gerian aviation authorities.

The minister also told the committee that the Riv-ers aircraft was imported without the knowledge of the ministry or aviation au-thorities, stressing that it is not a Nigerian aircraft; its a visiting aircraft.

We dont even know where this aircraft is com-ing from.

However, the minister admitted that the aviation authorities did not issue a written letter to the govern-ment of Rivers State warn-ing it of the expiration of its flight permit.

Oduah also agreed with the committee that the NCAA was in breach of Section 35(5) of the NCAA Act, which provides that the recipient of a flight permit or certificate must receive a written letter warning them of the expiration of their permit, license or the decision of the Ministry to ground their aircraft or revoke their certificates or permits as the case may be.

She, however, argued that a letter was written to Caver-ton Helicopters Limited, an agent of ACASS, the main aircraft purchase contractor to that effect, which accord-ing to her, was the recog-nised owner of the aircraft. Caverton on its part did not at press time, avail the com-mittee of the said letter.

But the Chairman of the Joint House Commit-tee, Hon. Ali Ahmed (PDP-Kwara), accused the minis-ter of trying to mislead the panel.

cooperate with our secu-rity agencies to ensure the return to normalcy within the shortest possible time. I am again approaching our neighbouring countries through diplomatic chan-nels as I have done in the re-cent past for cooperation in apprehending any terrorist element that may escape across the border.

Nigerians are peace-lov-ing people. These sad events perpetrated by those who

do not wish us well have not changed the essential char-acter of our people. I want to reassure you all that those who are directly or indirectly encouraging any form of rebellion against the Nigerian state and their collaborators; those insur-gents and terrorists who take delight in killing our security operatives, who-ever they may be, wherever they may go, we will hunt them down, we will fish them out, and will bring

them to justice. No matter what it takes, we will win this war against terror.

I am convinced that with your support and prayers, we shall overcome these challenges and to-gether, we will restore ev-ery part of our country to the path of peace, growth and development, the President said.

However, the Borno State Commissioner for Information, Inuwa Bwala, said that the state govern-

ment was still studying the situation and would re-spond soon.

He said: We will con-tinue to preach what we have been preaching. We have always maintained that the state government has no powers over the se-curity agencies; it is purely the preserve of the Federal Government to decide on how to make best use of the agencies to achieve inter-nal security nationwide, Borno State inclusive.

ISE-OLUWA IGEABUJA

The military author-ity yesterday told a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja that all the alleged crude oil thieves facing trial were arrested on the Lokoja-Abuja Road.

The authorities said the suspects were arrested fol-lowing an intelligence re-port.

The 26 suspected thieves were arrested with 14 tankers loaded with crude oil on March 11, 2013 by soldiers at Piri village.

Testifying for the Fed-eral Government in an economic sabotage related charge preferred against

the14 accused persons, Lieutenant Mohammed Bashir Sani told Justice Elvis Stephen Chukwu that the suspects drove 14 tankers with crude oil and on arrival at the army check point offered N20, 000 bribe per tanker to sol-diers on duty in order to go unhindered.

Led in evidence by Mrs. R. A. Ayodele, the witness told the court that the sus-pects were arrested and moved to military loca-tions for interrogation.

He said the army au-thorities later invited the Economic and Finan-cial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for further inter-rogation and prosecution.

The witness added the apprehended 14 tankers

and the bribe money were handed over to the EFCC to aid their investigations.

Cross examined by Mr. Joseph Rotimi Ojo, the lead counsel to the ac-cused person, Lt Sani, ad-mitted that he could not identify all the accused persons physically be-cause their tankers came in convoy and were arrest-ed in convoy.

He, however, told the court that he could identify them with the forensic pho-tographs snapped while they were standing with their individual tankers.

The witness said he had never seen crude oil in his life and was not an expert on oil field, but however said that samples of the product were made avail-

able to the Nigerian Na-tional Petroleum Corpo-ration (NNPC) refinery in Kaduna for verification.

Pressed for identifica-tion of the individual ac-cused persons he arrested, the witness told the court that he could only identify one Bartholomew Ony-ema, who drove the first tanker and Joseph Amae-chi, who claimed the own-ership of the tankers and allegedly offered the bribe.

The accused persons are Joseph Amaechi, Isre-al Friday, Ubadis Francis, Abayomi Adebisi, Abdul-lahi Idris, Samuel Job and Onah Peter Odey.

The rest are Sabo Ta-sha Hassan, Abduallahi Mohammed Abubakar Abdulkadir, Ehiogu Paul,

DENNIS AGBO AND NWABUEZE OKONKWO

The Igbo coalition of artistes and writ-ers, in collabora-tion with Godfrey Okoye University, is organising pre-funeral activities in honour of the late liter-ary icon, Prof. Chinua Achebe.

According to the Chair-man of the organising committee, Ogbueshi Emma Okocha, the activi-ties will run from May 17 to 21 when they will join the larger national burial programme at the arrival of Achebe's body in Enugu.

Okocha said a civic cen-tre would be built in Enugu and named after the late Achebe in recognition of his literary contributions to national development.

He added that masquer-ades would perform in all

the communities in Igbo-land on May 25 to honour the late Achebe as an in-stitution and as masquer-ade performer.

Okocha said: "Achebe was a historian through literature and we are going to create history through his burial. We are poised to celebrate him; he will be buried with mas-querades because of his courageous stand against corruption."

According to the week-long funeral activities, May 17 will feature inter-denominational service while on May 18, there will be a colloquium at the Godfrey Okoye University by six vice chancellors and professors.

The night of May 18 will feature ace come-dian, Chief Zeburudaya Okoroigwe, alias 4:30. There will also be cultural performances.

The climax of the pro-gramme is on May 19 when football match be-tween the Igbo first eleven will play against world stars like Kanu Nwankwo and Jay Jay Okocha at Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadi-um, Enugu.

Also, Rangers Interna-tional FC will play against Tunisia in honour of the late Achebe and former President of Tunisia, Habib Bourguiba.

The night of May 19 will feature stage presentation of choir of the GOU, UNN and the Enugu State choir conducted by Prof. Laz Ekwueme and Nwokolo-biagu to be conducted by Nwokedi of the Champion Lagos choristers.

There will equally be tribute by the renowned poet, Prof. Chimalum Nwankwo.

May 20 is the day of pre-sentations by people like

sculptor Demas Nwoko, who was the late Achebe's roommate at the Univer-sity of Ibadan.

Also to speak are for-mer Vice-President Alex Ekwueme, former Secre-tary-General of Common Wealth Emeka Anyaoku, Prof. Chukwuemeka Ike, Arthur Nwankwo, famous writer Elechi Amadi and Senator Jim Nwobodo, among others.

Meanwhile, as the May 23 burial date of the late literary giant draws near-er, authorities of Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State have embarked on the cleaning of the premises of the late icon.

The exercise includes carrying out repairs and painting of the adjoining roads and streets leading to the late Achebes com-pound at his Ogidi coun-try home.

TERH AGBEDEH

A veteran film-maker, writer and marketer, Yinka Ogundaisi, is in need of N3 million to stay alive.

Ogundaisi, who is not-ed for his contribution to forging a policy for dis-tribution in the Nigerian Film Industry, Nollywood, needs to travel abroad for a life-saving operation.

Ogundaisi, who recent-ly underwent a surgery for hernia at the Lagos Uni-versity Teaching Hospital (LUTH), told National Mir-ror that he needs the mon-ey to correct his health challenges.

He said: I need roughly N3 million for the opera-tion. There are three dif-ferent areas of my health challenges. The first one, which was life-threatening, involved the tracking of my intestine. That was the surgery I had at LUTH. The second was the hernia, which has now been suc-cessfully removed.

I still have other health challenges, particularly in the spine, which has made it impossible for me to stand up or walk. That is the ma-jor issue for now. Until that is resolved, my standing or my walking normally can-not be totally achieved.

This spinal injury was as a result of a fall the 61-year-old man had on a concrete slab in Lagos.

After the incident, Ogundaisi said he could

no longer stand up or walk.

He said: I was made to go through series of tests, including what they call MRI at LUTH. The MRI itself is not conclusive; it just raises the suspicion that there is a tumour, but what kind of tumour? They couldnt decide.

To move around these days, Ogundaisi has relied on a walking stick.

He said: I get around by the means of transport, I have and a driver. I had to attend a meeting today (Tuesday) with the corpo-rate affairs department of the Bank of Industry in Ma-rina that is why I am out. I have to use a walking stick and I dont undertake any strenuous walk or work.

If this operation is not done quickly, the illness may well become terminal.

Ogundaisi said: There is a tumour in my leg nerves and the safe re-moval of this tumour and correction of my spinal injury is the reason it has become necessary to trav-el abroad.

Ogundaisi has, howev-er, appealed to the Nigeri-an Export-Import, NEXIM Bank and the Bank of In-dustry (BoI) for assistance.

It will be recalled that Ogundaisi designed the new distribution frame-work for the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) as a consultant to the agency under its im-mediate Director-General, Mr. Emeka Mba.

How we arrested 26 suspected oil thieves, 14 tankers Army

Writers, artistes plan pre-funeral activities for Achebe

Veteran fi lmmaker, Ogundaisi, suffers spinal injury

Six pregnant teenage girls rescued from a 'baby factory' in Enugu, Enugu State...yesterday.

Needs N3m for treatment abroad

Ibrahim Saidu, Garba Mohammed and Bar-tholomew Onyema.

In the four-count crimi-nal charges preferred against them, they were accused of conspiracy and felony involving will-ful and malicious break-ing of oil pipeline meant for the transportation of crude oil contrary and punishable under Section 3(6) of the miscellaneous offences Act Cop M17, Laws of Nigeria 2004.

The offence was alleged to have been committed at Kilometer 82, Piri Village along Abaji-Lokoja road in March this year.

The charges signed by Salisu Majidadi of the le-

gal unit of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) also accused them of dealing in crude oild sales with-out lawful authority or license, and offence pun-ishable under the miscel-laneous offence Act 2004.

All the accused per-sons however pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Their lead counsel, Mr Joseph Oluwarotimi Ojo, applied for their bail on the ground that the of-fence was bailable and that the court has discretional power to admit them on bail on liberal terms.

Justice Evon Chukwu adjourned ruling on the bail application till May 27.

National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net 7NewsWednesday, May 15, 2013

MURITALA AYINLA

Lagos State Gov-ernment said it had made a policy which would compel all the contractors handling its projects to engage lo-cal artisans, as part of ef-forts to reduce unemploy-ment.

The government also denied allegation that it imposed double taxation on those in the informal sector, saying an artisan in the state was eligible to pay only N2,500 annually.

The Special Adviser to the governor on Com-merce and Industry, Mr. Oluseye Oladejo, made the disclosure while brief-ing journalists ahead of the fourth edition of the

Tradesmen and Artisans Week.

The state Commis-sioner for Works and In-frastructure, Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, had last week told journalists in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, that the need to engage local artisans was responsible for the delay in the Lagos light rail projects.

But Oladejo said the new policy was to profit-ably engage the re-trained skilled artisans who had been short-changed by contractors who shopped for other African artisans while handling projects in Nigeria.

The special adviser ex-plained that state govern-ment embarked on the training of artisans; hav-

ing identified that most of Nigerian local artisans lack the required skills that would make them compete with their coun-terparts in other neigh-bouring African coun-tries and China.

He said: It is not that there are no jobs in the country for artisans, it is just that they lack the skills to put finishing touches to their job to make it look perfect. That is why we are embarking on the training.

Governor Babatunde Fashola has even made it compulsory for our con-tractors to make use of our local artisans.

Oladejo also disclosed that the government had trained no fewer than 2,780 artisans in various

vocational skills in the state, saying that about 1,000 artisans would soon commence training.

Also speaking on the training, the Executive Secretary, Lagos State Technical Training and Vocational Board, LAST-VEB, Mr. Olawumi Gas-per, said the artisans were also trained on the need to create, sustain and maintain integrity while delivering service to their clients.

He said: They are not just trained on the skills at LASTVEB; they are also groomed on how to manage their custom-ers or clients. It is not enough to be skilful; they must also maintain their integrity in the course of doing their jobs.

ABIODUN NEJOADO EKITI

The Ewi of Ado-Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adejugbe, has appealed to the Federal Government to up-grade the Federal Polytech-nic, Ado-Ekiti to a degree-awarding institution.

The monarch also charged the Hon. Victor Ebo-moyi-led Governing Council of the institution to ensure that the polytechnic attained degree-awarding status dur-ing its time.

Adejugbe, who spoke in his palace yesterday while hosting the Governing Coun-cil, said: This is our request. It is long overdue.

The traditional ruler also enjoined the council to re-solve all contending issues leading to labour crises in the institution and appealed for the inclusion of an Ado-Ekiti indigene in the coun-cil.

He said: We want the best for the federal institu-tion. That is why we are will-ing to assist it at all times.

Also speaking when members of the council vis-ited her, the Ekiti State Dep-uty Governor, Prof. Modupe Adelabu, praised the entre-

preneurship trainings of the institution.

The trainings, she said, would make graduates of the institution self-reliant and employers of labour af-ter graduation.

Adelabu said the poly-technic had tracks of aca-demic excellence which made it rank first among equals.

She challenged the Gov-erning Council and man-agement to sustain and even raise the standard.

According to her, Gover-nor Kayode Fayemi is very passionate about anything that has to do with acquisi-tion of knowledge and tech-nological development.

The deputy governor as-sured Governing Council and the management that the government would con-tinue to give its support to the institution and collabo-rate with it in entrepreneur-ship development.

Meanwhile, the stand-off between Ekiti State Univer-sity, EKSU, Ado-Ekiti and the students over the no school fees, no lecture stance of the institution appears far from being over as the two sides sang discordant tunes yesterday.

Unemployment: Contractors must use local artisans Lagos

KSAs ex-guitarist bags three years jail for drug peddling

FG committed to national food security Minister

Monarch seeks degree status for ADOPOLY

L-R: Representative of Oba Onibare II, Okumagbe of Luleka, Chief Sunday Amu; book presenter, Chief Ebun Omoyole; author of the book, Mr. Ojo Idihaloise; his wife, Oladayo and chairman of the occasion, Prof. Akin Osibogun at a book presentation in Lagos, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

KEMI OLAITANIBADAN

The Minister of Ag-riculture, Dr. Akin-wunmi Adesina, yesterday restated the commitment of the Feder-al Government to national food security, saying agri-culture was now business in the country.

Adesina said this at the launch of the 2013 Growth Enhancement Support, GES, scheme at Ototi vil-lage, near Iseyin, Oyo State.

The minister, who spoke through a Director in the ministry, Mr. Olale-kan Quadri, said the Fed-

eral Government and the state governments intro-duced the scheme to ad-dress food shortage.

He GES aimed at dis-tributing agriculture in-puts like fertilisers, seeds and other inputs in order to make them readily available to farmers.

Adesina added that government at all levels no longer see agricul-ture as a developmental project but as a business as well as a means to en-hance security.

The minister disclosed that the Federal Govern-ment was working round the clock to ensure the inclusion of cassava in

bread production so that farmers could easily dis-pose off their cassava.

He said the Federal Government was worried about the problems farm-ers faced in getting farm inputs.

Adesina said the plan was to register 5,000,000 farmers in 2013 while 20,000,000 would be regis-tered by 2015 so that they could easily be reached.

The Oyo State Com-missioner for Agricul-ture, Mr. Peter Odetomi, said to achieve the laud-able objective of food sufficiency, the state gov-ernment had been able to address the inadequacy

of manpower in agricul-tural extension delivery sector by improving on the extension agents to farm family ratio in the state.

Odetomi added that to effectively drive the agri-cultural transformation agenda, an agricultural provision had been made for a clear road map to address the critical chal-lenges of agriculture extension to transform it into a participatory, de-mand-response, market-oriented and ICT-driven service that would pro-vide for all the extension needs of all actors in the targeted communities.

OLUSEGUN KOIKI

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, yes-terday said that King Sun-ny Ades former guitarist, Mr. Fatoke Abiodun, had been sent to three years im-prisonment by the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos for drug trafficking.

The NDLEA said the convict pleaded guilty to one-count charge of unlaw-ful exportation of 1.575kg of cocaine on February 26 while ruling was reserved till May.

The Head, Public Affairs of the agency, Mr. Mitchel Ofoyeju, said in an online statement that Abiodun was sentenced by Justice S. Seidu.

Ofoyeju added that the defence counsel, Mr. Bayo Onifade, had pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy since the con-vict is 62 years old, a hus-band of three wives with 12 children.

In his ruling, Seidu sen-tenced the convict to three years imprisonment, with effect from the date of his

arrest. The judge noted that

the appeal of the defence counsel and the fact that the convict pleaded guilty as charged without wasting the time of the court was carefully considered.

Meanwhile, the NDLEA Chief Executive, Ahmadu Giade, reiterated his call for stiffer penalty for drug of-fenders.

He said: Punishment must be commensurate to serve as a deterrent to oth-ers. The drug is worth sev-eral millions of naira and the damage to humanity cannot be quantified.

Ofoyeju recalled that Abiodun was apprehended by operatives of the NDLEA on January 1, at the Murta-la Mohammed Internation-al Airport, MMIA, Lagos.

The convict who played guitar for the music mae-stro, King Sunny Ade, for over three decades was caught while attempting to board an Air France flight to Italy.

During search, two par-cels of cocaine weighing 1.575kg were found indus-trially hidden in the false bottom of his luggage.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net8 Wednesday, May 15, 2013South West

Sympathisers trying to put out fire on a car on Gbongan-Ibadan Road in Osogbo, yesterday. PHOTO:NAN

Abductors of ex-commissioners mother demand N50m ransom

Fashola advises Nigerians to be prudent with power consumption

Defection: Oyo PDP accused of plot to frustrate judgement

Olubadan to honour Ajimobi, wife with chieftaincy titles Saturday

MURITALA AYINLA

Lagos State Gov-ernor Babatunde Fashola yesterday advised Nigerians to con-serve electricity the way they conserve credit on their mobile phones.

Fashola said most prob-lems confronting the coun-trys power sector would be eradicated if Nigerians conserve electricity the way they conserve the credit on their phones.

This is even as the Com-missioner for Rural Develop-ment, Mr. Cornelius Ojelabi, said that the state govern-ment would require about N262 billion to provide ac-cess roads and potable water for residents in rural areas.

Speaking at the 2013 grand finale of Lagos Power Kids held at Alausa, Ikeja, Fashola said the programme was part of the long term

plan to make residents elec-tricity-saving conscious.

The governor urged the residents to make energy conservation a life style, avoid wasting water and re-cycle paper to elongate the countrys depleting natural resources.

On the fund needed to execute the rural projects, Ojelabi, who spoke at a press briefing, said the provision

of potable water for rural dwellers would cost about N 6billion.

He said: The challenges we face in our effort at trans-forming our rural areas are enormous while resources at our disposal are limited. The estimate we have for provision of bridges, rural roads, jetties and drains alone for this year is more than the budget of the whole

state.On rural electrification

projects, Ojelabi revealed that about N1billion had been spent in the last one year to light up rural areas, adding that most of the transformers in-stalled had been connect-ed to national grid.

The commissioner said: Organisations, companies and philan-thropists could adopt projects in rural com-

munities as part of their Corporate Social Respon-sibility and brand them in their names on com-pletion. With this, we can together take Lagos to the next level and make it a model mega city.

We need the public to come and aid us to provide culverts, mini bridges and quality roads that will enhance a better living condition for rural people and open up rural areas and we need nothing less than N256 billion.

Oyo State Governor Abiola Ajimobi and his wife, Flor-ence, will on Saturday be conferred with the chieftaincy titles of Aare Atunluse and Yeye Aare Atunluse of Ibadanland (the beautifier and re-storer of the dignity of Ibadan) respectively by the Olubadan of Ibadan-land, Oba Samuel Odula-na Odugade.

The ceremony, which will take place at the Ol-ubadans palace at Mo-natan in Ibadan, will

witness the conferment of the title and the tradi-tional decoration of the recipients.

A statement issued yesterday by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media, Dr. Festus Ade-dayo, said the conferment of the chieftaincy titles was in recognition of the achievements recorded by the governor in his two-year in office.

It said the title was in further appreciation of the Olubadan, the Ol-ubadan-in-Council and

the indigenes of Ibadan to Governor Ajimobi for the unprecedented infra-structural transforma-tion that is taking place in Ibadan, the state capital.

The statement spe-cifically mentioned the beautification of Ibadan metropolis through the governors urban renewal programme and the road dualisations which his administration had em-barked upon.

The statement claimed that the beautification had transformed Ibadan

from the dirtiest city in Nigeria to a modern state capital.

It said that this devel-opment had once again put Ibadan, and indeed, the state on the world map, with investors from across the globe signify-ing their interests in sup-porting the Ajimobi ad-ministration in turning the economy of the state around.

This, the statement said, motivated the Ol-ubadan to confer the title on the governor.

HAKEEM GBADAMOSI AKURE

Abductors of the 80-year-old mother of former Com-missioner for Education in Ondo State, Mrs. Olu-funke Olatubora, have demanded N50 million before the octogenarian could secure her freedom.

A source, who con-firmed the development, said the kidnappers

opened discussion with members of the victims family on Monday night.

He, however, lamented that the family could not afford the ransom.

The source said: The kidnappers have started discussing with the fam-ily. The amount they are demanding is too much

There is no way we can raise such a huge sum now. We are after the wellbeing of our

mother. They should be humane enough to re-lease her

Speaking through a telephone interview, the former commissioner expressed optimism that the abductors would soon release his mother.

He, however, failed to disclose whether he had established contacts with the kidnappers.

He said: We believe that the kidnappers will

release her soonThe former commis-

sioner, a lawyer, was also in the legal team that de-fended Governor Oluse-gun Mimikos suit at the just concluded Ondo Governorship Election Petition Tribunal.

It will be recall that the 80-year-old woman was on Sunday morning kidnapped by about six gunmen at her Iyansan home in the coastal area

KEMI OLAITAN IBADAN

Counsel to a mem-ber of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Mr. Akinyemi Akintayo, has accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of plotting to frustrate judge-ment in a suit the party filed against the defection of a lawmaker, Hon. Mat-thew Abioye, to the ruling Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).

It will be recalled that Abioye dumped the PDP on the floor of the House on May 8, 2012, citing the lack of cohesion in the party as the major reason for his ac-tion.

Those joined in the suit are the Speaker of House, the Clerk and the Indepen-dent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

When the matter came up yesterday at the Fed-eral High Court sitting in Ibadan, counsel to the PDP, Mr. Abiodun Ogunjimi, served the court a fresh notice of appeal filed at the appellate court against the refusal of the court to per-mit the plaintiff s applica-tion to amend its originat-ing summons of March 13,

2013.The application for

stay of proceedings order, which was filed on Monday, was backed with another application for urgency.

But counsel to the law-maker, Mr. Akinyemi, countered the notice as im-properly filed and incompe-tent as regards the prayers sought by the plaintiff ap-plicant, urging the presid-ing judge, Justice Abim-bola Adejumo-Obaseki, to dismiss the application.

He described the applica-tion as a ploy to frustrate the judgement set to be de-livered yesterday, contend-ing that whatever issues the plaintiff has should be raised after the verdict.

Justice Obaseki-Ade-jumo, who frowned at the manner the notice was filed, however, adjourned the matter till June 24.

The judge had, in a rul-ing delivered on April 25, 2013, dismissed PDPs ap-plication to amend the origination summons and awarded N10, 000 costs against the party on the grounds that parties had argued and relied on ex-hibits and that allowing the application would be incon-sistent with evidence filled.

of Irele Local Govern-ment Area of the state.

The gunmen invaded the womans residence, dragged her into a wait-ing boat and sped off.

The other occupants of the house were alert-ed by the wailing of the aged woman. The occu-pants said the kidnap-pers were not distract-ed by the noise by the younger wife of the vic-tims husband.

The woman was said to have retreated when she saw the armed hefty

men leading her senior colleague away.

But the police spokes-man, Mr. Wole Ogodo, has reassured the Olatu-boras family that secu-rity agents would soon secure the release of their aged mother.

Ogodo told journalists in Akure that detectives from the Criminal Inves-tigations Department had initiated move to secure the victims release.

He also expressed confi-dence that the kidnappers would be arrested.

Lagos to spend N262bn on provision of road, water

National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net 9Wednesday, May 15, 2013 South West

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net10 Wednesday, May 15, 2013South East

NWABUEZE OKONKWOONITSHA

The commercial city of Onitsha in Anambra State was temporar-ily shut down yesterday as more than 1, 000 members of the Movement for the Ac-tualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, staged a peaceful demon-stration to rehearse for their proposed June 8 sit-at-home order.

Commercial activities were paralysed even as ve-hicular movements were restricted for some hours as

the group prepares for the day.

To ensure the success and active participation of all Ndigbo at home and in the Diaspora in the exer-cise, the group, led by their Onitsha Region 4 Adminis-trator, Chief Arinze Igbani, stormed the city as early as 12.00 noon to carry out the exercise which took place simultaneously in five major local government areas of the state, including Idemili North, Idemili South, Onit-sha North, Onitsha South and Ogbaru.

The demonstrators had as

early as 8.00am, converged on Oba, Idemili South Lo-cal Government Area, from where they touched Awada, Idemili North, Onitsha North and South and final-ly ended the sensitisation peace match at Ogboefere Market in Ogbaru Local Gov-ernment Area of the state at about 2.00pm.

Addressing journalists on arrival at the General Post Office along the Old Market Road Onitsha, the leader of the group, Igbani said the need to create awareness has become expedient in view of the I dont care attitude

of the people, warning that whoever flouts the order would be seen as not being a true son of Igbo.

He urged those wedding on that date to postpone it, including traders, civil ser-vants and institutions as the date has been earmarked to honour fallen Igbo heroes and those massacred in the northern parts of the coun-try by the dreaded Islamic religious sect, Boko Haram.

His words: We are here today to spread the news that on June 8, 2013 all should be at home in memory of those six Igbo traders killed by

Onitsha shut down as MASSOB prepares for sit-at-home order

ALIUNA GODWINEBONYI

Chairman of the Board of Trustees, BoT, of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Tony Anenih, yester-day in Abakaliki, the Ebo-nyi State capital, revealed the readiness of the Feder-al Government and the se-curity agencies to fight the increasing security threat caused by the Boko Haram menace in the country.

Chief Anenih spoke when he was responding to questions from journalists shortly after addressing PDP members while on a one-day working visit to the state. He noted with re-gret that the nation is pass-ing through challenges.

He said: A committee is already working and the police are doing well in their job to find a solution to the problem. There is no other miracle we can per-form to stop Boko Haram. I believe the President is ef-

fectively handling the situ-ation.

He expressed confident that amnesty is the best solution to the insecurity the country is witnessing now, but regretted that the group is rejecting the offer.

I want to specially thank the leaders of PDP in Ebonyi state for the support they are giving to the governor. This shows that PDP has come to stay in Ebonyi. Without peace, unity and discipline, it will be difficult to run the gov-ernment effectively.

Nigeria is passing through a difficult time; a lot of challenges - chal-lenges created by insecu-rity, by indiscipline and many more. And I want to appeal to the citizens that they should remain focused. This is one of the few states that we have not had major complains from the governor, he said.

Earlier in his remark, the governor, Chief Martin

GEORGE OPARAABIA

Abia State Governor, Theodore Orji, has lamented the poor handling of federal roads in the South-East zone by contractors, calling on the Federal Government to give roads in the zone to quality and credible con-tractors.

Orji said the credibility of contractors given fed-eral roads in the zone is in doubt going by the way and manner they handle roads given to them.

According to the gover-nor, some of the contrac-tors are so low in standard that they dont even have equipment but hire from local contractors to do shoddy jobs.

Governor Orji spoke yesterday when members of Works Committee of the House of Representatives, who were on oversight assignment in the South-East, paid him a courtesy call.

He also noted specifi-cally the shoddy work be-

ing done by FERMA and its contractors on Okigwe-Umuahia portion of the Enugu-Port Harcourt Ex-pressway, urging them to improve on the work so that the roads can last till the final work on it is ap-proved by the Federal Gov-ernment.

The governor also con-demned the credibility of the contractor given the Ohafia-Arochukwu road, lamenting that the contrac-tor has been on and off the job, which he said was not acceptable to the people.

Also, he told the com-mittee members led by its Chairman, Ogbuefi Ozo Mgbachi, that the state has submitted to the Federal Government for refund, N14.6 billion be-ing money spent on some federal roads in the state. Orji said the bill covers work done on 16 roads in the state.

He said the state was waiting for the Federal Governments evaluation of the work done and ap-proval of the refund to the state.

CHRIS NJOKUOWERRI

Work has resumed on the Sam Mbakwe dual-carriage way abandoned by J-PROS International Nigeria Limited, a Leba-nese construction com-pany after collecting N1.2 billion from the Imo State government.

This was just as the Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, ordered that the equipment belonging to the Lebanese company be confiscated until the company refunded the N200 million wrongly paid into the account of the company.

The abandonment of the project led to the im-peachment of the former Deputy Governor, Sir Jude

Agbaso, after the state leg-islature found him guilty of collecting N458 million gratifications from Mr. Jo-seph Dina, the managing director of the company.

Dina has accused the former deputy governor of demanding and collect-ing the said amount with the promise of giving him more jobs, a development he claimed crippled the company financially and clearly made continuation of the project impossible.

Speaking to journalists while inspecting the proj-ect, Governor Okorocha reiterated the commitment of his administration to ac-tualise the project irrespec-tive of the unfortunate cir-cumstance that led to the stoppage of the work.

We are very determined to ensure the completion of

this project. It was among the very first project we embarked upon shortly on assumption of office, but due to the unfortunate inci-dent involving the contrac-tor and the former deputy governor, we are yet to com-plete it. he said.

However, the gover-nor said the state execu-tive council has resolved that the state Ministry of Works will take over the project to ensure its completion through direct labour and by engaging genuine contractors.

The governor also dis-closed the decision of the council to confiscate the equipment abandoned at the site by J-PROS while the state Attorney-Gener-al takes every necessary legal action to ensure that government recovers the

unmerited sum paid to the company.

In another develop-ment, Okorocha has said that governments deci-sion to dismantle PHCN installations on major roads in Owerri is in line with its urban transfor-mation and beatification project.

Okorocha said arrange-ments have been perfected to lay the cables and wires underground to ensure de-cency in the city.

He enjoined Imo citi-zens to assist government in actualising the task by complying with the sani-tary provisions proscribed by the current administra-tion which he maintained are aimed at returning Owerri to its lost glory as the cleanest state capital in the country.

FG ready to fi ght Boko Haram menace, says Anenih

Orji laments poor handling of federal roads

Work resumes on abandoned Imo road project

Cross section of members of Delta State Independent Electoral Commission (DESIC) taking the oath of office at their inauguration in Asaba, yesterday.

the police at Apo Village in Abuja.

The day is also to honour all those killed by the Boko Haram sect and those killed and dumped at Ezu River in Amansea. The sit-at-home order is not to honour Uwa-zuruike, but for those Igbo killed in various circum-

stances in the country. I was myself arrested

and tortured by soldiers while nursing my injury at a medical home. But this is to show you that Ndigbo have been marginalised and clas-sified as second class citizens in a country in which they are part of, he said.

Elechi, said he will con-tinue to propagate peace and unity in the state but insisted that there will be

no harmonisation for those that left PDP to other politi-cal parties in the 2011 gen-eral elections.

South SouthNational Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net 11Wednesday, May 15, 2013

GODWIN OKONKWO PORT HARCOURT

About 2,000 pro-testing women in River State yesterday demanded the redeployment or resig-nation of the state Com-missioner of Police, Mr. Joseph Mbu, for alleg-edly taking sides in the political crisis rocking the state since April 15, 2013.

The women, who ear-lier held a prayer ses-sion over the crisis, matched through the old Port Harcourt township and terminated their protest at the Govern-ment House, where they presented their case to Governor Chibuike Amaechi.

Dressed in predomi-nantly black attires, the protesters displayed placards calling for ei-ther Mbus resignation or deployment.

Some of the inscrip-tions on the placards read: We dont want crisis in Rivers State again; Amaechi has brought peace in our homes, Mbu, you are a politician; police are no longer our friend, and Mbu, leave Rivers State in peace.

In her address to the governor on behalf of the protesters, Princess Urey Ejims recalled that before Governor Amae-chi assumed office in 2007, the state was in crisis caused by various cult groups.

She said that the situ-ation made residents to

Lawyers in Edo North Senatorial District yesterday boycotted courts over the May 10 kidnapping of the wife of Justice of Supreme Court, Bode Rhodes-Vivour.

It will be recalled that Justice Rhodes-Vivours wife, daughter and driv-er were kidnapped on their way from Lagos to attend the wedding of the justices daughter in Benin, the Edo State capital.

The Edo North branch

of the Nigeria Bar Asso-ciation (NBA) said that its members would not attend any court pro-ceedings pending the re-lease of the victims.

The NBA branch Chairman, Mr Anthony Atemoagbon, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the victims should be released un-conditionally.

Atemoagbon lamented the spate of insecurity in the country and won-dered why the judiciary was now the target of

kidnappers.It is sad that as the

hope of the common man, we, members of the judiciary, have now become the target of kid-nappers.

While we task the government to do some-thing urgent on the problem of insecurity in the country, we have resolved not to attend any court proceedings until the Rhodes-Vivours and their driver are re-leased unconditionally, he said.

Crisis: Rivers women protest, demand police commissioners deployment

Rhodes-Vivour: Lawyers boycott courts in Edo Akpabio vs Etok: PDP suspends senators recall

Navy gets facility to tackle sea piracy, oil theft

Rivers State women protesting in Port Harcourt, yesterday.

live in constant fear.Ejims, however, said

that they were at the Government House to protest the continued stay of Mbu in the state.

She said: Mbus ac-tivities recently are ag-gravating the already tensed situation in Riv-ers State. Our fear is that the state may re-turn to the dark days of violence, if nothing is urgently done.

Enemies have come to cause problems in Rivers State again. Why is the police taking sides in what is going on here? They say po-lice is our friend, but under Mbu, police is no longer our friend. Mbu

was sent to Rivers for a reason, he must go.

We are mothers; we know what we went through in this state. Some of us lost our children in 2007 before Amaechi came to pow-er. Now, we are enjoying free medical care and our children are attend-ing good schools.

We dont like the way Police Commis-sioner Mbu is handling the political crisis in our state and we will resist any attempt to return the state to vio-lence.

Also speaking, Mrs. Goodness Ukwu, sought Gods intervention in the crisis, even as she

said the women had un-dergone days of fasting and prayer and had de-cided to present their worry to the state gov-ernment.

Governor Amaechi, who was represented by his deputy, Mr. Tele Ikuru, expressed hap-piness that the women sought Gods interven-tion in the crisis.

The governor said: Women are the archi-tects of peace, but when they stand against any situation, all circum-stances will succumb.

When women stand up, when women ask for peace, every man must succumb. I want to thank you because

you have moved this entire thing to another theater, the theater of seeking the face of God. That is why you went to pray before undertak-ing this demonstration. God will not fail you.

Amaechi urged them to continue to prayer for the peace of the state. He also urged them to go about their duties lawfully.

The governor said: In this moment of challenges, at this mo-ment of difficulties, I ask you to be prayerful because this is time for prayers. It is time for fasting, and whatever you ask and pray for, God will do it for you.

RICHARD NDOMA CALABAR

The Nigerian Navy said in Calabar that it had in-stalled modern facility to enable it view the whole of Calabar channel from the office of the Flag Of-ficer Eastern Naval Com-mand so as to tackle the persistent sea piracy and oil theft in the water-ways.

The Flag Officer of Eastern Naval Com-mand, Rear Admiral Joe Aikhomu, stated this while commissioning the facility.

He said the installa-tion of the facility would help the Navy tackle the challenges confronting the Nigerian Maritime Domain, including the Gulf of Guinea.

Aikhomu said the fa-cility would also help the Navy to comply with pro-fessional and efficient manner consistent with global best practices for the protection of Nige-rias territorial integrity.

The Chief Executive Officer of the company that supplied the facil-ity, Mr. King Ubong, said: With the facility in-stalled, Navy personnel will not need to go to the waterways before tack-ling sea robbers. They can now comfortably sit down in their offices and track down sea thieves and other forms of crim-inals that often disturb Calabar channel.

With the installation of the facility Navy will now know the high risk zones in the waterway.

TONY ANICHEBE UYO

The Peoples Demo-cratic Party (PDP) in Akwa Ibom State has stop