Buhari restructuring economy, political side pending –Ngige

 

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, says President Muhammadu Buhari-led All Progressives Congress (APC), is already restructuring Nigeria.
According the him, the present administration is restructuring the nation’s economy, and would move on to restructure it politically at the appropriate time.
He explained that the restructuring process has been kick started with the economy, adding that the effect might not show at present but that Nigerians would in not too long from now begin to feel the impact of the ongoing restructuring by the APC administration.
The minister stated this while speaking to pressmen in Awka, Anambra State capital, noting that Nigerians have positively changed their way of doing things for the better and have become more prudent and judicious in their spending pattern.
He then assured Nigerians that Buhari would look into the political restructuring of the country at the appropriate time.
Ngige said, “It’s one after the other. After economic restructuring to reposition the economy of this country, the Buhari administration will embark on the political restructuring and will set the modalities for the exercise.”
Read also: Like Atiku, Ekwueme, Obi, Adebanjo want Buhari to restructure Nigeria
On whether the restructuring would revisit the 2014 National Conference report, he said, “When we get there, we shall address the issues.”
He called on different agitation groups in the country to sheathe their swords as he noted that “militancy and agitations are not the answer to resolving Nigeria’s myriads of problems, which the Buhari administration didn’t create in the first place.
“What is required is for all to support this administration to meet its set goals for the development and transformation of all sections of the country.”

We are not folding up – FirstNation Airways

FirstNation Airways has promised its traveling passengers that the airline would return to normal scheduled flight operations by Sept. 15.

A statement by the Head, Corporate Affairs of the airline, Mr Rasheed Yusuff stated that the carrier’s current fleet was undergoing engine maintenance for safety operations, in line with global practice in the industry.

It denied reports that the company was on the verge of folding up, stressing that taking aircraft out for maintenance was not the same as winding up operations.

He said, “FirstNation is not on the verge of folding up. In reality, since the airline launched services in 2011, the airline has built a strong followership and has been rated consistently as market leader on safety and schedule integrity.

“This reputation was reinforced by FirstNation’s achievement of International Air Transport Association Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) certification, which is the airline industry global benchmark for world class safety standard in record time of 12 months.”

The statement further stressed that the award of IOSA certification, within 12 months of application by FirstNation remains unrivalled in West and Central Africa.

It noted that this international attestation of FirstNation’s safety and operational standard, was contrary to the false and damaging impression that the media attempted to paint in the publications of Sept. 1.

The statement emphasised that the planned maintenance was orderly arranged with advance notification to passengers.

It stressed that service would be reinstated on or before September 15, 2016.

It said, “We are working to grow the fleet as well. All our aircraft have recently undergone C-Check and returned contrary to the blatant lies contained in the said publication.

“We currently have no aircraft undergoing C-Check anywhere in the world. Our first fleet of A320 were orderly returned to the Lessor and we maintained good relationship with the Lessor.”

The IATA Operational Safety Audit programme is an internationally recognised and accepted evaluation system designed to assess the operational management and control systems of an airline

Police arrest man for allegedly robbing 81-year-old woman

The Police in Lagos said they had arrested a member of a two-man robbery gang, which allegedly robbed an 81-year-old woman of about N7m and other valuables.

Police spokesperson in the state, Dolapo Badmos, a Superintendent of Police, who confirmed this to newsmen on Sunday in Lagos, said that the suspect was arrested by operatives of Rapid Response Squad.

Badmos said the suspect had told the police that the leader of the gang, now at large, was an herbalist.

She said that the suspect attacked the old woman at her Oduduwa Street, Itire, Lagos, home at about 8 p.m. and dispossessed her of 10,000 dollars (about N4.7 million), 5,000 pounds sterling (about N1.8 million) and N100,000.

Badmos said, “Other valuables collected from the woman, according to Badmos, were a box containing assorted jewelries.

“The suspect confessed that he was only invited into the robbery by the herbalist, simply identified as Demola.

“He claimed he promised to give him 50 per cent from the loot.

“The ringleader was treating one of the woman’s daughters (name withheld) who had sore on her right foot.

“Whenever the lady visited him for treatment, he was always stylishly collecting information about her mother from her.

“Unknown to the lady, he had collected all necessary descriptions and information needed to rob the woman.”

She said that the command was making effort to arrest the gang leader, vowing that the police “would leave no stone unturned to nip crimes in the bud in the state’’.

“The suspect has been transferred to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad for further investigation,’’ she added.

Some people say I got successful through diabolical means –Odunlade Adekola

Odunlade

Yoruba actor, Odunlade Adekola, is waxing stronger everyday and it seems some people are still amazed how he was able to get to this height.

Interestingly, not just a few feel he must have visited a ‘babalawo’ (native doctor), who would have performed some sacrifices for him, which automatically boosted Adekola’s career.

And indeed, the actor, in a chat with Saturday Beats recently, affirmed that some people actually have such perception about his success.

“I never knew I would be successful as an actor; my belief has always been that God should elevate me in my endeavours. I always prayed that God should make me a successful person.

“Some people say that I used voodoo or metaphysical powers to be successful. I hear when they say such but I tell everyone that I can never do such. During the graduation of my students last year, I addressed this issue because it was during that time people were peddling rumours of my demise. When the rumour of my death hit town, some people said that I did ‘jazz’ to be successful. That was why during the graduation of my students last year, I said it in public that if I had ever thought of doing ‘jazz’ to succeed God should make me lose everything I had ever worked for.

“I hear these comments but they do not move me at all. I am a writer, director, producer and an actor. It is normal for people to talk but it has never upset me.”

The actor told Saturday Beats that he has always been a funny actor since the beginning of his career in his church. He said although people loved his performances, he never thought of making it a career.

 “I started acting in church when I was a kid. When I was in church, I was like Baba Suwe, whenever I mounted the stage, people would start laughing. A lot of people really loved me but I did not really have interest in acting.

“There was a friend of mine, Tunde, who also acted. He told an actor about me and the man asked to see me. When I got there, the man asked me to act for him and ever since then, I never stopped acting. I later joined the man’s acting group and that was how I started. This happened in 1996,” Adekola added.

Meanwhile, the actor recently added another feather to his cap as he received a prestigious award, Afro-Heritage Broadcasting and Entertainment Award, in the US. He said  the award was given to him alongside other prominent Nigerians because of his contribution to the Nigerian movie industry.

“I bagged an award in Houston, Texas and I was given the award because of my role in the movie industry and all the things I have done to uplift the industry.”

Africa Cup of Nations winners and losers

Senegal's supporters cheer their team during the 2017 African Cup of Nations qualification football match between Senegal and Namibia on September 3, 2016 in Dakar. / AFP PHOTO / SEYLLOU

Guinea-Bissau winning a group in which they were expected to finish last was the biggest shock of the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying competition that ended at the weekend.
The tiny Portuguese-speaking west African country reached the finals for the first time at the expense of former champions Zambia and Congo Brazzaville and Kenya.
They will be at the 16-team tournament in Gabon during January and February while notable absentees include previous title-holders Nigeria and South Africa.
AFP Sport picks five winners and five losers after an elimination process that spanned 16 months and produced 363 goals at an average of 2.5 per match.
WINNERS
Guinea-Bissau
Have no stars and coach Baciro Cande is virtually unknown, but home and away wins over Kenya and a 3-2 triumph over Zambia in Bissau thanks to a stoppage-time Toni Silva goal secured top spot with a fixture to spare.
Uganda
After a string of near misses in qualifying competitions, Uganda are going to the finals for the first time since 1978 with a narrow home win over the Comoros securing one of two places reserved for the best runners-up.
Senegal
The only qualifiers to finish with a 100 percent record, after home and away victories over Burundi, Namibia and Niger, is testimony to the organisation and consistency coach and former star Aliou Cisse has developed.
Egypt
A stoppage-time equaliser from Mohamed Salah in Nigeria against the run of play proved crucial as record seven-time champions Egypt won the return match in the ‘group of death’ to halt a run of three failed qualifying campaigns.
Zimbabwe
A chaotic start induced by a shortage of funds forced the squad to make a 24-hour bus journey to Malawi, but they won 2-1 to set in motion a five-match unbeaten run that secured top spot while favourites Guinea flopped.
LOSERS
Nigeria
The withdrawal of cash-strapped Chad turned the matches against Egypt into group deciders and after being held at home in a match they dominated, the Super Eagles fell to a Ramadan Sobhy goal in Alexandria and were eliminated.
South Africa
Instead of contesting first place with eventual group winners Cameroon, Bafana Bafana (The Boys) never recovered from a disastrous start in which they were held by Gambia and lost to Mauritania and finished a humiliating third.
Zambia
A downward turn by Chipolopolo (Copper Bullets) since shocking Ivory Coast to win the 2012 final continued after drawing three and losing one of four qualifiers this year to end third in a group won by no-hopers Guinea-Bissau.
Cape Verde
A team ranked No. 1 in Africa for one month this year needed a home victory over modest Libya to seal a third consecutive Cup of Nations appearance, but lost to a stoppage-time goal in a game interrupted by a dog wandering around the pitch.
Congo Brazzaville
The central African country have been unable to sustain progress after reaching the 2015 quarter-finals despite defeating group winners Guinea-Bissau home and away. A shock loss in Kenya proved fatal.

Driver on phone crushes security guard to death

Effiong Etim

Samson Folarin

The family of Effiong Etim has been thrown into mourning after he was allegedly killed by a company driver, Henry Uduze.

 PUNCH Metro learnt that 47-year-old Effiong was returning from work on his motorcycle when he was allegedly crushed to death by Uduze on Omole Estate Phase II.

Witnesses said the suspect was receiving a telephone call when the incident happened.

Our correspondent was told that Effiong, a security guard, gave up the ghost at the Accident and Emergency Centre at the tollgate area, Ikeja.

A resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the accident happened around 9am on Monday.

He said, “The company driver was coming out of a bank when he was distracted by the call he was receiving. He crushed Effiong and hit another motorcyclist. The back tyre climbed Effiong’s head, but the second victim survived.

“The driver wanted to run away, but the security man at the bank held him. The case was reported at the Isheri Police Station.”

The victim’s wife, Dorothy, a housemaid, said she was at her workplace when she was called that her husband had been taken to a hospital by men of the Federal Road Safety Corps and the police.

She explained that she rushed out and met her husband at the emergency centre.

She said, “His head was bandaged. His private parts were connected to a pipe. He could not open his eyes or talk. He was writhing in pain on the bed. After a brief moment, a nurse sent me out.”

The mother of seven children told our correspondent that the family was given a referral to the Gbagada and Lagos Island general hospitals, adding that the two hospitals said they didn’t have a bed space.

Dorothy said the family secured a bed space at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja, and they were asked to pay N50,000 for the treatment and drugs the victim got at the emergency centre.

She said, “One of the boys of the man that hit my husband said they could only afford N30,000. When I rejected the money, the policeman who accompanied us said if I didn’t take it, they would leave me to bear the burden alone. Since I was helpless, I had to take it and I added the remaining money.

“When it was evening, a nurse at the centre said she didn’t want to break the news to me directly, but since I had refused to go home, she had no choice. She said my husband was dead.”

PUNCH Metro learnt that the corpse was deposited in a mortuary, while the victim’s wife was taken to the Isheri Police Station to make her statement.

Dorothy said the suspect’s company’s lawyer offered N30,000 as payment for her husband’s mortuary bill, adding that the lawyer said her family would be compensated “based on our worth.”

“My church got a lawyer for us and after the lawyer spoke with them, they promised to give us N250,000. But what will I do with that? All I want is for them to bury my husband and help my children. I want them to give my children scholarships,” she added.

The victim’s family’s lawyer, Mrs. Nike Olawepo, said efforts to see representatives of the suspect’s company had been abortive.

She said, “The suspect hit the victim with his company’s vehicle. All efforts to see the company’s  representative have proved abortive; they seemed not to be bothered at all. A lawyer, who claimed to be representing the company, said the company can only assist in burying the deceased with N250, 000 and that after the burial, the company will profile Etim’s family before it could think of what to do about the case.

“The deceased, who was from Akwa-Ibom, was the breadwinner of his family of eight and also has aged parents in the village. The family is staying in a single room at Olowora and they are indigent. If this case is not properly managed and investigated, the family of the deceased will suffer double jeopardy.”

The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Dolapo Badmos, promised to call back our correspondent, but she had yet to do so as of press time.

Kuje Prison riot: Boko Haram prisoner caught with 25 phones

Adelani Adepegba and Samson Folarin

Sporadic gunfire caused pandemonium at Kuje Prison, Abuja, on Monday, following a riot by some inmates, who resisted the attempt by prison officials to search their cells for banned items.

It was gathered that security operatives fired gunshots and tear gas canisters to restore law and order and control the rioters.

This happened 11 days after a similar incident in Abakaliki Prison, Ebonyi State, that led to the death of six inmates and injuries to four prison warders.

The Monday riot occurred two months after two inmates, standing trial for culpable homicide, escaped from the Kuje Prison on June 25. The fleeing inmates have yet to be re-arrested.

Sources in the prison said the violent protest was brought under control by the armed squad of the Nigerian Prisons Service supported by soldiers providing additional security cover for the formation.

The incident, it was learnt, caused panic among residents of Kuje community, who believed that the prison was under attack by terrorists.

The Controller of Prisons, FCT Command, Daniel Odharo, in a statement, confirmed the crisis at the prison but said there was no injury or escape by inmates.

Odharo said, “At about 1000hrs on Monday, staff of Kuje Prison carried out a routine cell-search which is a part of the prisons operational guidelines to prevent the breach of security within and around the prisons.

“Some inmates tried to resist the exercise, which led to an altercation between the search party and the inmates. This was quickly put under effective control. No prisoner was injured, no property damaged and the yard is calm and peaceful.”

Investigations by one of our correspondents indicated that the violence was instigated by convicts, who refused to allow  warders to carry out a search on their cells for prohibited items.

One of our correspondents gathered from a reliable source in the prison that during the search, 25 mobile sets were recovered from a suspected Boko Haram inmate.

The source stated, “The incident happened this morning. The warders, who were acting on instructions from the prison authorities, decided to search the cells and seize prohibited items.

“During the search, they found 25 handsets with a Boko Haram suspect. After a search of the convicts’ cells, they moved to the awaiting-trial cells.

“But those men, who saw the warders approaching with some ‘already’ seized items, decided to resist them.  They attacked the warders with stones and every object they could lay their hands on, and in the process, many of the warders were injured.”

It was gathered that after a search, some substances, suspected to be cannabis, were also uncovered in some cells and confiscated.

Another prison source told The PUNCH that the warders, who were overwhelmed, retreated for reinforcement.

They were said to have opened fire on some of the inmates, during which some of them were injured, though it could not be ascertained if any of the inmates died as some suspected.

“I can’t say the total number of casualties among the inmates, but I can confirm to you that many of the warders were injured,” he added.

The source explained that the inmates resisted the warders because the prohibited items were brought in by warders after being tipped.

He said, “The rot in the Nigerian Prisons Service is serious. The prohibited items that the warders wanted to seize were brought into the yard by the same warders.

“The inmates had been enjoying this privilege through trafficking by the warders. It is only natural that they will fight back, and it is a bad trend for the prisons service.”

VIP inmates resist search

It was gathered that the convicts, who were kept in a block called ‘VIP’, were allowed to enjoy certain privileges not permitted by the prison rules and regulations.

Sources stated that against prison rules, awaiting trial inmates were allowed to stay in the VIP block as it was more comfortable.

It was learnt that the dormitory-like block, where the awaiting trial inmates were kept, was congested with poor ventilation while the convicts’ cells were more pleasant to stay.

A source said, “What happened on Monday was that as the officers moved to carry out a search of their cells, the inmates refused and before you know it the situation had degenerated into an altercation between the inmates and the officers with some convicts trying to physically attack the warders.

“The armed squad had to fire into the air and they also released some tear gas canisters to bring the situation under control.”

In June, the prisons service dismissed a female prison officer for smuggling alcoholic drinks into the Kirikiri prison in Lagos.

About two weeks ago, the Federal Government dismissed 23 prison officers for alleged complicity in jailbreaks at the Kuje Medium Security Prison, Abuja, and the Koton-Karfe Prisons, Kogi State.

The Civil Defence, Fire, Immigration and Prison Services Board, at its emergency meeting held on August 11, 2016, approved the dismissal of three senior prison officers serving in Kuje Prison and three other senior officers serving in Koton-Karfe Prison for their complicity in the escape of prisoners from the respective prisons.

In addition, the Controller-General of Prisons, Ahmed Ja’afaru, had also approved the dismissal of seven junior prison officers serving in Kuje Prison and 10 other junior staff serving in Koton Karfe prison, who were also implicated in the jailbreaks.

My policeman friend led team that killed my son – Father

Simon Utebor,  Yenagoa

The father of Innocent Kokorifa, who was allegedly killed by a police team in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, has demanded justice for his son.

Mr. Daniel Kokorifa, an official of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Rivers State Sector Command, said his son was murdered by a team led by his friend.

He spoke on Monday when some human rights activists, led by a former Secretary, Civil Liberties Organisation, Mr. Alagoa Morris, paid a condolence visit to his home in the Okaka area of Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital.

Innocent, who was first of five children, was allegedly shot dead by the police anti-kidnapping team on Air Force Road in Yenagoa on August 18, 2016.

The victim was said to be running an errand for his mother, Pere, when he was killed.

But the state police command had in a statement claimed that the victim died during a gun battle between a three-man robbery gang and the police.

The victim’s father, Daniel, however, said upon investigation, he discovered that Innocent was killed by a police team led by his own friend.

He explained that his son died on the day his West Africa Senior Secondary Certificate Examination results were released wherein he passed all his papers.

He said, “On August 18, 2016, my wife called me that our son was shot dead by the police. We went to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, but they denied knowledge of the incident.

“We went to the anti-vice unit and they also denied. When we went to the scene of the incident, we discovered that it was the anti-vice team that came for the operation.

“The following morning, I went to the anti-vice team again, but they denied knowledge of it. I saw a friend, who worked there. When I asked him, he also denied any knowledge of it. But I later discovered that it was my friend, who led the team, that killed my son.

“From there, I went to the Emergency Ward at the Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa, in search of my son. There, I was told that the police brought the boy in the night around 11pm, the doctors said the boy was brought dead.

“That was how I knew my son was dead. I went inside the mortuary with my son’s picture and my ID card before they allowed me in. I saw his lifeless body in the morgue.”

Daniel, while thanking various rights groups that had been standing by the family, said his son’s dream of studying law at the university had been cut short.

“From birth, he never had any criminal record. The day he died was the day his principal called me that he made all his papers. Now, he is dead. All I demand is justice,” he added.

The victim’s mother, Pere, said she asked him to give N2,000 to her elder sister’s daughter around 10pm on the day of the incident.

“We started searching for him when he didn’t return on time. We went to hospitals and police stations, but they all denied knowing the whereabouts of my son. The following day, when my husband returned from Port Harcourt where he works, we went to the SCIID and they asked me to write a statement that it was bad boys that killed my son, so that they could investigate the matter, but I refused.”

Human rights activist, Morris, said, “Even a criminal is innocent until proven guilty by a competent court of law. And until a judge pronounces the death penalty, no one has the right to take a life.”

Another activist, Ebiserikumo Gbassa, who described the development as an extra-judicial killing, said the police had ended the life of a promising youth.

“I am appealing to all relevant authorities to ensure that the killers of the innocent boy are brought to book,” he added.

When contacted, the spokesman for the police command in the state, Mr. Asinim Butswat, said the police were investigating the matter.

However, the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations, Amiengheme Andy, last Friday, sympathised with the family of the deceased.

Andy had said, “We do not encourage such things. We all have children and nobody will send anyone out to shoot anybody and anyone who does that will pay dearly for it.

“We want to assure the family that nobody will cover up the matter.